Nilfgaardian Empire

The Southern hegemony that dominates the Continent and challenges the fragmented North.

The Nilfgaardian Empire is defined in The Witcher series by its control over most of the continent's southern regions. This vast power stands in stark contrast to the fragmented Northern Kingdoms that lie to the north. This dynamic drives the central conflict of The Witcher Saga, which takes place in the aftermath of the first major war between these two opposing forces. A second war begins in the middle of the series, further cementing the Empire's role as a primary antagonist and catalyst for the events that unfold across the unnamed continent.

Lore & Background

According to Andrzej Sapkowski, the world of The Witcher is set on an unnamed continent settled by elves from overseas thousands of years prior. After a war between the elves and dwarves, human colonists arrived about five hundred years before the stories began and became dominant, and the non-human races often live in small ghettos within human settlements. Over the centuries preceding the main narrative, most southern regions fell under the control of the Nilfgaard Empire. The saga itself unfolds in the wake of the first major war between this empire and the Northern Kingdoms. Sapkowski has said that he personally abhors politics and considers his books to be politically neutral.

Reader's Guide

The Nilfgaardian Empire is the dominant southern power against which the Northern Kingdoms struggle. The Witcher Saga takes place in the aftermath of the first major war between the two, with a second war beginning in the middle of the series. For those interested in the books' structure, the core story is told across nine novels and fifteen short stories. The prequel Crossroads of Ravens was published in 2024. The video game adaptations had sold more than 75 million copies as of May 2023.