In the Wither 3 game, the Nilfgaard Empire ends up employing Geralt of Rivia to track down his daughter Ciri. As a result, the game reveals some insight about Emperor Emhyr Var Emreis himself, as well as how his empire is run.
However much of the information given is by viewing how the Nilfgaard Empire acts as they invade the Northern Realms. A lot can also be inferred based on the history of any other empires we have come to know in our own history. That being said there are some gaps of information that most people are left wondering about.
10 If The Nilfgarrd Empire Won How Would They Have Treated The Northern Realms?
If the Nilfgarrd Empire won the war and eliminated all the leaders that were capable of opposing them, then the Empire would claim the Northern Realms as their own killing countless figures to ensure that no uprising was left in the hearts of the original citizens.
Once the flames settle and the grieving ends the North would enter vassalage with Nilfgaard keeping someone who swears loyalty to the Empire in charge of the provinces in the North. This outcome is very practiced by the Empire already considering most of the South is Nilfgaard and how they keep their Empire in check.
Whilst sad this is how the Empire operates with swift and decisive measures.
9 Would Nilfgaard Hate The Elves As Well?
Nilfgaard based on their history actually has a lot of mixed blood ties to the Elder Race of the elves. Hence their way of speech being quite similar and how Ciri has the Elder Blood in her. That being said the Empire would not tolerate guerrilla warfare from the Scoia’tael.
It is possible for the empire to come to peace with the elven and dwarf races given their affinity. They have more tolerance and cooperation with them than the north typically did, especially since Nilfgaard does not follow the doctrine of the Enteral Fire Religion to be biased against the elves.
8 How Does Nilfgaard Deal With The Eternal Fire Religion?
Nilfgaard has its own religion being the Great Sun. Now the flame imagery is quite similar but not quite similar. What is likely to happen is that the Eternal FireDoctrine will likely be digested by the Empire and reverted to follow their own Great Sun ways more closely while retaining the identity of the Eternal Fire.
After all what better way to control the masses than with religion?
The other option being to completely snuff out the Eternal Fire and instill their own Great Sun cult as the superior teaching for the masses to follow.
7 Why Does The Emperor Hate Magic?
The Emperor has his own grudge against magic due to a curse placed upon him at a younger age deforming him. But despite his own issue with magic his belief that magic should be restrained and practiced like a military is not unreasonable either.
Mages who practice the Art doesn’t want outsiders telling them what they can and can’t do with their gifts. But to Nilfgaard they are a threat waiting to happen much like any weapon, if you can’t put a sheath on it, it’s better not to be used at all.
6 How Did Nilfgaard Become Such A Superpower?
Nilfgaard became a Superpower through guile, treachery, and brute force. Nilfgaard is an old state that has had a lot of time to build up its resources. At the beginning of their Empire, not a lot of happened but treaties and deals made with other states. As soon as a neighboring state became weakened by “unknown” circumstances Nilfgaard took them under their wing and collected their resources.
It got to a point where they had assembled a huge army to invade the whole of the South. Once the true heir in the form of the current Emperor came to power is when they turned their attention to the North once again.
5 Why an Invasion?
The Invasion was a play for resources and territory much like most wars are set up for. Of course, as the player discovers the Invasion is a cover for the Empire’s grand search for Ciri the daughter of the Emperor.
Does that mean then if the Empire wasn’t going to look for Ciri then they wouldn’t have invaded the North?
The simple answer is no. They still would have invaded the North eventually. They would have waited for a better time or progressed much more slowly and took up the land a little at a time and not play their full hand in the form of a huge invasion right away.
4 After Taking Over The North What Is Next?
Once the Empire had settled its affairs and control of the North. Their next goal would have naturally been the Skellige Isles. The Isles have been a thorn in the sides of both the Northern Realms and Nilfgaard for a very long time with their coastal raids.
Now that the Empire had the resources and the backing of the North to add to their already impressive military might, it would be a simple matter of time for them to add the Isles to their fold or completely raze the Isles to the ground.
The Isles could be a staging point for invading realms beyond the Isles to the West or a getting rid of a potential enemy in their back as they go East.
3 What Do Nilfgaard’s Citizens Think About Invading the North?
Nilfgaard’s Citizens probably don’t think a whole lot about the invasion as being bad or good. Depending on what class they are most of the poorer citizens could care less about who is the king or ruler as long as they can keep putting food on their table.
The people who care about the events of the Empire are the nobility and merchants. After all, war is a period rife with financial and political opportunities for those in the upper class.
2 Will Nilfgaard End Up Over Expanding?
Nilgaard’s control of power is balanced on a razor’s edge. They are dependant on the controlling Lords of the various provinces they control to remain loyal to the Empire and not break off from the Empire. The only thing preventing them from doing that is, of course, the threat of obliteration if they decide to break off from the empire with their impressive army.
However, if the Empire stretches themselves to thin and conquers to quickly an opposing force could hit them where they are weakest and throwing the Empire into chaos.
1 Will Nilfgaard End Up Falling Like The Roman Empire?
If history is to indicate the path that Nilfgaard takes then they will end up owning too many territories and the freeholding lords will quietly raise their own armies and work with one another to the point that they can break off with the Empire and reestablish their own political and territorial independence.
Not even the Nilfgarrdian Empire can prevent this if the bulk of their armies are elsewhere and enough of threat rises from within to prevent the army from marching across them.
NEXT: The Witcher 3: 5 Character Fans Felt Bad For (& 5 They Never Forgave)
