Andrzej Sapkowski, the man without whom The Witcher would never have existed, returned to his famously blunt style during a Reddit AMA. According to him, the concept of Witcher schools is based on a mistake — one that has endured only because players refuse to let it go.

Andrzej Sapkowski, creator of the The Witcher universe, revealed during Reddit’s new AMA session that the entire concept of Witcher schools originated from a mistake. He explained that this misconception persisted because fans and game developers stubbornly held on to it. He also shared his thoughts on the video game and TV adaptations of his work, saying they are “perfectly fine” but ultimately inferior. Sapkowski also called the notion that inspiration comes from external sources a misconception.

“A single sentence about the ‘School of the Wolf’ somehow slipped into The Last Wish. I later judged it unworthy of further development — narratively incorrect and even harmful to the story. So I never mentioned any Witcher Gryffindors or Slytherins again. But that one sentence was enough. Adaptors, especially in gaming, clung to the idea with remarkable persistence and multiplied these ‘Witcher schools’ unnecessarily.”

“There’s the original, and then there are adaptations. Regardless of their quality, they are independent and should not intersect. You cannot turn words into images without losing something. The written word will always triumph over images — no picture can match its power.”

“Inspiration exists solely in the author’s imagination. If that’s not rich enough, Venice, the Ackerman Steppe, or the Norwegian fjords won’t help. But if you’re from northern Poland, I recommend sitting by the Wda River. Inspiration might come. Or it might not. No complaints accepted.”

Since the Witcher schools have become deeply ingrained in fan consciousness worldwide, Sapkowski now faces a choice on how to address the issue. The simplest solution would be to remove the sentence from future editions of The Last Wish, hoping the controversy will fade. Alternatively, he could expand on the topic and explore the meaning of the witcher medallions in more detail. He hasn’t indicated which path he prefers.

Sapkowski often appears grumpy, as if he has better things to do than answer questions or collect awards. But according to CD Projekt co-president Adam Badowski, that’s just an act — he’s actually a kind person. The AMA itself was notably raw, and Sapkowski repeatedly asked fans to stop probing into the deeper lore of the Witcher universe.

When asked how dwarves and elves coexist in Mahakam, he replied: “No idea. None of my stories required that information, so it doesn’t exist — and probably never will. Please ask about things that are actually in the books.”

He was equally blunt with those asking if he would create an online presence like George R. R. Martin. “I value my privacy too much to expose it to the vanity fair of the internet and social media — which sometimes, forgive me, resembles a carnival of stupidity.”

Sapkowski did talk about The Witcher in other contexts. For example, regarding Ciri’s seemingly inconsistent age, he explained that such estimates come from other characters, who might be mistaken or deliberately lying.

Source: PCGamer