It’s been a while since we’ve seen new episodes of The Witcher (pictured above) grace our Netflix screens, but while we wait for its return, there’s a school in Poland that can do you one better: an immersive experience that’ll teach you how to become one of the famed monster hunters.
The Witcher got its start in Poland from author Andrzej Sapkowski, and for the last six years, the 5 Żywiołów agency has run an unofficial Witcher training camp. According to Entertainment Weekly, the agency has partnered with CD PROJEKT RED (the developer of the video games) to make Witcher School an official arm of their franchise.
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The camp has a bunch of dates coming up in the month of September for aspiring Witchers. According to its website, attendees will “learn fencing, archery, blacksmithing, alchemy, and many other abilities [to] hunt down monsters alongside your companions, learn the secrets of grim castles, unravel the intrigues of kings and sorceresses, make difficult moral choices… and live with the consequences.”
There are sessions open for the coming months at two different castles (Moszna and Czocha), and tickets are surprisingly cheap: The basic package will run zł2,156.77-2,250.00 ($557.25-581.33 USD), while a deluxe ticket will run zł2,340 ($604.59). That gets you a three night stay at the castle, meals, a basic costume (which you can purchase at the end of your stay), classes, and a schedule of activities that immerse you in the world. The school also has a store in which you can pad out your kit with additional costumes and weapons. (There is also a COVID-19 policy.)
For fans of the franchise, it looks like it could be a fun and immersive way to participate in the Witcher-verse.
