The Witcher's Crew Only Has One Rule For Crafting The Series' Weapons
When depicting a fantasy world on film, the only limit is an artist's imagination. However, the armory crew of "The Witcher" prefers to hew closer to reality. When it comes to metalworking, they aim for pseudo-historical accuracy.
The Netflix series is based on fantasy novels by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski, published from 1990 to 2013. While they have an international fanbase, especially thanks to the just-as-popular spin-off video game series, they are still Polish books written and published first in Sapkowski's native tongue. The setting of "The Witcher," known only as the Continent, is a version of Dark Ages Central Europe (albeit with magic and monsters).
Due to that setting, swords and armor are common props in "The Witcher," as they were the main methods of defense back then. The series even maintains its own armory team, led by Nick Jeffries, which creates "hundreds" of new weapons every season. Speaking to GamesRadar, Jeffries detailed the guidelines they have for weapon design.
Era-accurate weapons
Jeffries explained that there is a specific range of time that the armorers of "The Witcher" use when designing swords: the 15th century:
"Everything has the look that it's manufactured between about 1400 and 1475. If I make a Roman sword, I'll try and make a Roman sword like it was made by a medieval armorer."
Since this is roughly the period "The Witcher" is modeled on, the choice makes sense. Choosing a specific time, rather than just vaguely "medieval," is also key to keeping the series' aesthetic consistent. Not only do the swords match each other, they fit the rest of the period. A sword designed like it was in the 8th or 18th century would look equally out of place.
Jeffries adds that characterization isn't only the job of the "The Witcher" writers' room. To do his job effectively, he has to imagine why a character — even a background extra — has the weapons and armor they that they have:
"I have a little process where I have to invent a backstory for everybody so I have my own mini background for every character. If I trace it back, then I can come forward, and that's what gives them the object that they've got."
Do you know who else has Jeffries' enthusiasm for the weapons of "The Witcher"? Henry Cavill, who starred as the series' eponymous monster hunter Geralt of Rivia. In a promotional video for the series, Cavill went into detail about Geralt's different swords, their designs, and their histories/utilities. Cavill is leaving "The Witcher" and will be replaced by Liam Hemsworth in season 4; it remains to be seen if he will share Jeffires' and Cavill's passion for swords.
"The Witcher" is streaming on Netflix.