Top 10 Characters We’d Like to See In Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales will release on PC in just a few days’ time. CD Projekt Red’s first Witcher RPG since the launch of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt comes out on the 23rd of October. A console release will follow in the first week of December. Thronebreaker follows the story of Queen Meve; the monarch of Lyria and Rivia, during the events of the second Northern War between Nilfgaard and the Northern Kingdoms. This timeline places Thronebreaker before the events of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.
Several new characters have already been revealed for Thronebreaker’s cast, but there are also characters returning to the franchise. Some, like Eyck of Denesle, are characters from the original novels who have never featured in CD Projekt Red’s work. Others have previously appeared in the games. However, most of the story is still unknown. Although Geralt of Rivia appears in much of the game’s promotional material, the Witcher’s role in the game has not been detailed.
As we look ahead to the release of the Gwent-based RPG, here is our list of the top 10 characters from The Witcher series who we’d like to see appear in Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales. Note that this list doesn’t include any characters who have already been confirmed for the game’s cast. This includes characters like Geralt of Rivia, King Demavend, or Brouver Hoog. Aside from one exception (see below), we also chose to focus solely on characters from the previous Witcher games, as there are notable story differences between the games and the novels.
10. King Henselt
Henselt, the king of Kaedwen, was a major character in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. He is very likely to appear as a character in Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, as one of the northern rulers who fights against Nilfgaard. Indeed, the opportunistic Kaedweni monarch took the opportunity to seize the Lormark region of Aedirn during the conflict; territory which he and King Demavend would fight over for years after. Resolving the squabblings between Henselt and Demavend could well be a task which falls to Queen Meve during the course of Thronebreaker’s storyline. Depending on players’ choices during The Witcher 2, Henselt may be slain by Roche during the game’s events. If not, Henselt is killed in battle with Redanian forces when King Radovid invades Kaedwen, prior to The Witcher 3.
9. King Foltest
Another major character from The Witcher 2, and another northern monarch, Foltest is the king of Temeria. He is also the sovereign of Mahakam, though in practice, Brouver Hoog rules in all but title. When he appears in The Witcher 2, he is engaged in a civil war against Baroness La Valette, and is later assassinated by Letho of Gulet. He is very likely to play a major part in Thronebreaker, as he was at the time one of the strongest monarchs among the rulers of the Northern Kingdoms. Indeed, he led the Temerian and Redanian armies at the Battle of Brenna; a battle considered to be the the turning point of the second Northern War.
8. Emperor Emhyr var Emreis
As the emperor of Nilfgaard, Emhyr var Emreis will, of course, feature as a major character in Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales. However, whether he actually makes an appearance in the game is another question. Queen Meve will be leading her armies against Emhyr’s forces in battle, but it’s unlikely that the emperor would take to the frontlines himself. Indeed, most of his forces would be commanded in the field by subordinate officers. It’s still possible that Emhyr could make an appearance if there are diplomatic talks between Nilfgaard and the Northern Realms, however. Thanks to the leader cards which feature in Gwent, it’s also possible that he could make an appearance as the Nilfgaardian leader card whenever Meve faces his strongest armies.
7. Prince Anséis
Queen Meve has two sons; Villem and Anséis. Villem has already been confirmed as a character; at the beginning of the game, he has been left to govern Lyria in Queen Meve’s absence, though he doesn’t appear to have done a very good job. Anséis is the younger of the two, though it’s unknown exactly how old he would be during the events of Thronebreaker.
He actually makes a brief but memorable appearance in The Witcher 3’s Blood and Wine DLC; he is one of the knights who participates in the Beauclair tournament. If Geralt enters the tournament under his true name of “Geralt of Rivia,” Anséis recognises him and accuses him of desertion during the Battle for the Bridge on the Yaruga (a battle which is very likely to feature in Thronebreaker). He subsequently challenges Geralt to a duel. After Geralt defeats him, Anséis takes back his words and acknowledges Geralt as a true knight.
6. Saskia
Also known as Saesenthessis; the Virgin of Aedirn did not rise to prominence until the events of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings; after the second Northern War had come to an end. However, that’s not to say that this powerful dragon couldn’t make an appearance in Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales. Aedirn is one of the five regions which will feature in the game, after all. It’s also known that she met Iorveth at some point prior to The Witcher 2; a character who could very well feature in Thronebreaker (see below). She is also the daughter of the dragon Villentretenmerth, who had a memorable encounter with somebody else who is already confirmed to play a role in Thronebreaker; Eyck of Denesle.
5. Dandelion
Julian Alfred Pankratz, better known as the bard ‘Dandelion,’ is one of the most recognisable characters from The Witcher franchise. He has appeared in all of CD Projekt Red’s Witcher games alongside Geralt of Rivia; indeed, he is a long-term travelling companion of the Witcher in the original novels. Obviously, Dandelion is no soldier, and he didn’t play any role in the second Northern War. However, he was present at the Battle of the Bridge on the Yaruga, together with Geralt, Regis, and their other companions. This battle is very likely indeed to appear in Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales. It certainly seems unlikely that CD Projekt Red would pass up an opportunity to include this fan-favourite character in the upcoming RPG!
4. Yennefer of Vengerberg
Yennefer of Vengerberg played a small role in the first Northern War, but was less involved during the second. The sorceress was an advisor to King Demavend of Aedirn, however, who has been confirmed as a Thronebreaker character. As a result, it’s possible that Yennefer could make an appearance among Demavend’s entourage. During the course of the war, Yennefer was captured and imprisoned by Vilgefortz (see below), who hypnotised her in order to use her as an assassin to kill Emhyr var Emreis; all part of a coup planned by the sorcerer and other Nilfgaardian nobles. However, these plans fell apart before they could be put into action. Depending on Geralt’s role in Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, it’s certainly very possible that Yennefer could also play a role.
3. Iorveth
An important character from The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings; Iorveth is known to have fought in the Northern Kingdoms’ second war with Nilfgaard. The elven guerrilla led an elite Scoia’tael commando unit fighting on the side of Nilfgaard. Emhyr var Emreis created the region known as Dol Blathanna during the war; a puppet kingdom for the elves intended to win their allegiance. Eventually, the Nilfgaardians would betray the Scoia’tael at the war’s end. They handed most of their leaders over for execution as a term of the Peace of Cintra, although Iorveth escaped. It’s entirely possible that Iorveth could appear as an antagonist during the events of Thronebreaker, leading his Scoia’tael commandos and causing trouble for Queen Meve and her allies.
2. Regis
Emiel Regis Rollehec Terzieff-Godefroy, as his full name reads, should be familiar to anyone who has read the original Witcher novels or played The Witcher 3’s Blood and Wine DLC. This higher vampire is an old friend of Geralt’s, and has travelled with the Witcher on many occasions. In fact, the two of them met during the second Northern War.
Although he avoided most of the conflict, he was present, together with Geralt and his other travelling companions, during the Battle for the Bridge on the Yaruga. As such, it’s possible that he could make a brief appearance alongside Geralt in Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales. Certainly, his great intelligence and knowledge on a wide variety of topics could be a valuable asset for Queen Meve. Regis was seemingly killed by the final character on this list. However, he was eventually able to recover and meet Geralt again during the events of Blood and Wine.
1. Vilgefortz of Roggeveen
Vilgefortz of Roggeveen is a very major character in the original Witcher novels. However, he has never appeared in CD Projekt Red’s games. He was an extremely powerful sorcerer and was actually the man responsible for brokering peace between Nilfgaard and the Northern Kingdoms after the first Northern War; when he was the de facto leader of the Chapter of Sorcerers. He helped Emhyr var Emreis to take the throne of Nilfgaard, and also attempted to capture Ciri on several occasions. Indeed, he will appear as a character in the upcoming Witcher Netflix series. Despite being a mage, he was able to defeat Geralt in hand-to-hand combat on one occasion, and became one of the Witcher’s greatest enemies. He would eventually meet his end at the hands of Geralt and his companions at Stygga Castle, prior to the events of The Witcher 2.
Although he was not especially active during the events of the second Northern War, Vilgefortz did mastermind an unsuccessful coup against Emhyr in the middle of the conflict; using a hypnotised Yennefer as an assassin. Depending on how much of a role Geralt and Yennefer play in Thronebreaker, it’s possible that Vilgefortz could play some role as well..