You Can Become a Real-Life Witcher at Witcher School

A Polish company is offering fans of The Witcher the chance to actually learn the Witcher trade in a three-day immersive LARP experience. The Polish company 5 Zywiolow (Polish for 5 Elements) is hosting a series of Witcher School events that will take place this fall at several Polish castles. The 3-day experience will put attendees through 12 hours of Witcher training per day, with classes on archery, elixir making, and wilderness survival, as well as monster hunts in the evening. The event will also include an unfolding storyline with NPCs and mysteries to explore throughout the day. The experience is billed as a "360 degree" experience, with staff staying in-character during the entire event.

5 Zywiolow is an established LARP company in Poland that manufacturers LARP costumes and equipments, and they've licensed with CD Projekt to launch their Witcher School event. You'll receive a costume for the event, along with a personalized experience based on your fitness level and knowledge of the Witcher universe. While Witcher School is billed as an immersive experience, attendees will also have access to safety tools and signs to keep their experience enjoyable and fun. Anti-COVID procedures will also be in place to minimize the chance of a COVID outbreak during the event.

The Witcher franchise launched with a series of novels and short stories by Andrzej Sapkowski that draw upon Eastern European folklore. The franchise gained widespread notice thanks to a series of 3 video games developed by CD Projekt and a Netflix TV series starring Henry Cavill. CD Projekt has leaned into The Witcher franchise in recent years, teaming with Netflix to organize a Witcher Con, and releasing numerous pieces of merchandise that tie into both the video game and TV show. The second season of The Witcher will be released this December on Netflix. An animated prequel is also in the works.

A ticket for Witcher School will run about $575 in US dollars and includes costumes, food, and lodging. Each event is limited to 124 attendees. You can find out more about Witcher School here.