With the release ofGwent: Rogue Mage, players might assume it’s just another expansion to the popular strategy game. It’s hard to expect much from card-based sequels and add-ons except for bigger decks and occasional new rules. However,Gwentis part of CD Projekt Red’sWitcherseries.
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Like any entry in the dark fantasy franchise, the game is steeped in lore. Many callbacks are deep cuts, hearkening back to both the games and Andrzej Sapkowski’s books. Because of that,Witcherfans should have a blast picking it apart.
6Witcher Origin
While it may seem like a superfluous side story,Rogue Mage’s narrative is pivotal withinWitcherhistory. The reason for that is simple: it details the origins ofthe eponymous monster slayers. The Conjunction of Spheres brought countless murderous creatures to the Continent. Conventional combatants proved ineffective, and magic couldn’t contend with their sheer numbers. So, human mage Alzur infuses would-be hunters with the mutagens of the very monsters they fight. It’s the ideal countermeasure. However, it also contradicts anotherWitcherproduct.
TheBlood Originminiseries presents an alternate origin for witchers. Here, elf mages infuse one of their own with mutagens to defeat a dragon, which was summoned by their enemies prior to the Conjunction of Spheres. The origin inRogue Mageis more in-depth and closely tied to the novels. As a result, it’s easier to buy.
5Alzur’s Name
The protagonist and mage heading the experiments isAlzur. His name may sound familiar to longtime followers, as he shares it with several terms from theWitchergames. The first entry mentions a monster immune to magic, dubbing the creature “Alzur’s demon.” That’s not all, though.
The mage invents a number of spells. Some of these are in common practice during the games. One example is Alzur’s Shield–a protective charm that Triss Merigold casts on Geralt. Given Alzur’s ties to the mutants, this is no coincidence. It’s admirable that CD Projekt Red adheres so closely to its rendition of Sapkowski’s lore.
4Multiple Experiments
WhileBlood Originsimply tells viewers of past witcher experiments,Rogue Mageactually shows the various attempts at crafting the perfect monster slayer. Alzur has five subjects throughout the game, the final one being a success and paving the way for mainline witchers. In this way, his methods mirror real science.
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The long and arduous pursuit is rife with trial and error. Fans see Alzur test his theories, contend with failures, make valuable breakthroughs, and put that data toward solving the problem. In short, he learns what works and what doesn’t. This lets him narrow down the procedure to what would become the Trial of the Grasses.Such organic evolution is among the most fascinating parts of the tale.
3No Girls Allowed
Ciri is certainly an odd duck in the series. That’s not only due to hercarrying the coveted Elder Blood, but also because she trains with Geralt at Kaer Morhen. No female witchers have existed for as long as anyone remembers. It’s hard enough finding male recruits–willing or otherwise–so girls are practically a pipe dream.
Rogue Magelays the foundation for that line of thinking. One of Alzur’s subjects is a courtesan. She’s also a serial killer, poisoning her clients and terrifying the populace. Alzur recruits her for his experiments to avoid the noose, hoping to grant her some redemption. The irony is that the mutagens affect her body like poison. She then quietly passes away in her sleep. The eerie ordeal leaves Alzur so haunted that he swears never to attempt the procedure on another female.
2Gwent
Asa mage, Alzur casts spells to vanquish his enemies. That said, the game is calledGwent. Like inThronebreakerand otherWitcherspin-offs, every exchange comes down to a card game. Each card represents a person, army, creature, siege machine, or some other combat unit. Alzur matches his deck against his opponent’s until he achieves victory. The fact that he plays at all is downright shocking.
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Gwent originated inThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. It’s nothing more than a casual pastime. Granted, it’s a pastime that everyone in the realm enjoys, and they’re willing to test their deck against Geralt’s anytime. This makes it seem like a recent fad.
As Geralt discovers in conversations, though, it’s supposedly been around for centuries. As such, Azlur would naturally encounter it during his travels. In this time, it apparently decides the fates of entire kingdoms, only later relegated to a silly tavern game. Maybe its wider usage contributes to its drop in stakes.
1Plague
Following Alzur’s adventures, players learn of an unsettling phenomenon. A village in the hills has fallen to a sickness called “Wheezing Death,” which kills all but a single boy. Even he doesn’t have long, prompting Alzur to pursue a cure. This sadly fails, so he attempts his witcher experiments. The circumstances of this pandemic sound eerily familiar.
Namely, it echoes the Catriona Plague.During her world-hopping escape from the Aen Elle elves, Ciri comes to a land ravaged by sickness. The few living souls are malformed and barely conscious. She swiftly flees, but not before a few fleas hitch a ride on her jacket. Upon her next stop in Nilfgaard, these fleas stow away on a rat, which then hides on a ship. Thus, the Catriona Plague reaches the Continent. Fans see its gruesome effects in the games, decimating entire regions. The Wheezing Death seems like a dark precursor to the sickness. Considering how many significant events are written down and recounted by residents, it’s surprising that such a deadly disease goes unnamed in the Continent’s history books.
