Witcher Lore Q/A. Why does the mainland people dislike Witchers, while in Skellige they seem to not only like Witchers, but respect them greatly?

[Nerdy_Anarchist]

Witcher Lore Q/A. Why does the mainland people dislike Witchers, while in Skellige they seem to not only like Witchers, but respect them greatly?

I am not new to The Witcher game series, but I haven't played a witcher game since the 2011 release of witcher 2. So I'm kind of rusty on the Lore. I know the mainland people (Novigrad,Velen,White Orchard) hate witcher for being mutants, and past savargry from other witchers (mainly school of the cat). They see Geralt almost as a pest that should be burned like the witches and mages. But in Skellige the Witchers are liked, and for one doesn't get spat on. I plan on reading the short stories sometime soon. Just curious as to why he gets so much hate for doing nothing but solving the peoples problems that no one else dares to deal with. (Keep this discussion going, ask questions about witcher lore)

 

[Tridam.Ultimatum]

Witchers are kind of relics from an old age. Witchers were monsters created to kill other monsters after the Conjunction of the Spheres occurred. In the Witcher, Witcher 2, and Witcher 3, people on the continent hate witchers not only for being mutants, but also for the reputation that they have. The school of the cat, as you know, basically turned into assassins, but witchers in general have a bad rapport for something that's called the "Law of Surprise." Basically, if a witcher saves a man's life, he can enact this law as payment which states: "You will grant me whatever unexpected thing you encounter when you return home." This can be anything: a dog, a pitchfork, whatever. In rare cases, it's a child. This has given witchers the reputation of kidnappers, and you'll sometimes here NPCs say this in the Witcher 3 as you walk by. At the same time, the time in which Geralt is living is turning into one ruled by kings, lords, vassals, barons, and other nobility who offer protection of their villages (think of serfdom). The only time a witcher is brought in is when a monster has grown too out of hand, and this is usually as a last resort. A pretty heft minority of the witcher contracts in the third game have soldiers trying to kill the monster first, and only after their deaths do they post a notice for a witcher. At the same time, the world is turning more to idealizing civility, cleanliness, complexity etc. which is easily picked out by the Nilfgaardians' views of the Northerners with comments such as "I hear Northern women only bath three times a month," and "Northerners are such savages." A witcher does not bring civility, cleanliness, complexity, nor good tidings. Many people have the opinion that once a witcher appears, trouble is soon to follow.

However, Skellige, as you know, has a completely different view of society than people on the Continent. They're basically vikings that idealize glory in combat, physical strength, courage, etc. They don't really care for outward appearances. To them, actions speak louder than words and looks. If you don't have the juevos to back up what you're saying, then Skelligers won't listen to or respect you. Witchers are physically strong, fight monsters which takes courage, and have the skills to back up whatever it is they're saying.

Basically, it comes down to a difference of view point on how people in a society should act. The Continent is basically Victorian England which idealizes complexity, aloofness, cleanliness, civility, etc. A witcher stands in stark contrast to all of these ideas. However, Skellige could careless about wealth, mannerisms, and complexity. Skelligers value honor above all else, courage, strength, etc. Witchers typically embody these traits and defeating monsters that other villagers are too scared to bring down gains them incredible respect.

 

[Gen-R]

If I had to guess and share my own opinion I'd say it's due to the mainlanders thinking that they are un-needed relics of the past (due to them having organisations such as The Redanian Army, Nilfgaardian Army, the Witch Hunters, Temple of the Eternal Fire and whatnot who they see as protectors of them) While witchers or known for their promiscuous habits and seen as being unclean in how they consume monster parts and such in potions, and how they are claimed ( at least by in game characters) to steal children and convert them to Witchers. While in Skellige they admire prowess in battle, and honour( Witchers for saving the defenseless from monsters) as far more proof of a person than anything else, and Witchers are among the best, as powerful beings. So they see them as something to be respected and most likely feared.

Might just be mainly personal opinion, but that's kind of what I think.

 

[yayodeanno.831]

There are hints in the books stating that in the past withchers were an order of warrior priests disliked by sorcerers and rulers alike, who started using propaganda to influence negatively the attitude of common folk towards them. Eventually the propaganda culminated in an outright military attack in which the keep of Kaer Morhen was destroyed and the witchers as an order/organization were wiped out. (I'd say Sapkowski got the inspiration for this in the history of the Knights Templar.) The prejudices against Witchers are probably the remnant of all the past rumors (The Protocols of the Elders of Zion might have been an ispiration for this theme)

 

[Kallelinski]

It's just an idea, but maybe it is also because witchers are not made for the sea. Skellige Isles is located in the sea, pretty unique in this world, but witchers are made to deal with monsters on land and only on land. Yes, some islands in Skellige are quite big, but that folk is still a maritime nation, they are specialized in naval warfare.

A witcher is useless on or in water, he needs a firm ground to fight. That's also one of the reasons for the crossbow in TW3.

Now along with the respect for a fighter and the absence of all the bad reputation created by the local folk as @Tridam.Ultimatum mentioned, they have a rather uncommon reputation there.

 

[Frybread]

Another thing is that witchers demand payment for their services. If a community can't cough up the money, the witcher presumably doesn't get rid of the monster. This might also cause some resentment toward witchers, especially in a time when a sovereign sends his troops to deal with a monster/magical phenomena free of charge to the local villages.

 

[wichat]

There's a quest in Skellige which, if you follow all the hints, it explains how a Witcher became a jarl's freind and a hero for this clan.

 

[Willowhugger]

Skellige is a couple of centuries behind the rest of the continent culture wise. It's more like the days when Vesemir grew up (Ye Old Good Old Days) when Witchers were badly needed professional monster-slayers versus dying relics.

 

[SnowboundRover]

Personally, I've heard the insult "vagrant" and spitting noises thrown at me by generic Skelliger NPCs just as often as their continental neighbors. They may not hate witchers for the same reasons, but I think the lack of clan and home makes them look upon witchers as akin to outlaws.

 

[Kallelinski]

Personally, I've heard the insult "vagrant" and spitting noises thrown at me by generic Skelliger NPCs just as often as their continental neighbors. They may not hate witchers for the same reasons, but I think the lack of clan and home makes them look upon witchers as akin to outlaws.

I heard those remarks too, but only after desecrating the garden.