The road stretched out beneath a sky smeared with dawn hues as the Romeld Company prepared to escort their next caravan—a collection of wagons laden with fine silks, precious metals, and exotic spices bound for the bustling city of Novigrad. Merchant guilds had contracted the group, trusting the mercenary band for safe passage through wild lands and bandit-infested roads.
Vesemir rode at the front, a steady presence and natural leader. Visenna brought up the rear, ready with her healing supplies to tend any injuries or illnesses. Behind them, Geralt, Eskel, Jacob, Dick, and Vicky maintained tight formation, their Disguise Masks concealing their true identities from any curious eyes along the way.
The early miles were uneventful, taking them through rolling fields and dark groves. The group remained vigilant, ears alert for the slightest disturbance.
Situated on a narrow bend carved between craggy hills, the caravan suddenly came under attack.
From shadowed thickets, bandits sprang forth wielding crude weapons and bladed rifles. The ambush was swift and brutal. Wagons lurched as horses reared, frightened animals breaking formation.
Vesemir shouted rapid orders. "Hold positions! Protect the merchants! Geralt, Eskel, flank the left! Jacob, Dick, with me on the right! Vicky, keep those traps ready!"
Geralt's silver sword sang a deadly arc, cutting through a bandit charging the caravan leader's wagon. Eskel knocked an assailant unconscious with a blunt pommel strike. Jacob unleashed a blast of synchronized Igni to drive away enemy reinforcements, while Dick's Yrden traps ensnared fleeing raiders.
Vicky's Quen shield rippled, protecting Visenna as she moved among the caravaners, dispensing healing potions and calming frightened children.
The fight was fierce but brief. Bandits who underestimated the mercenary company found themselves routed, their leader captured alive for questioning.
The caravan, though rattled, pressed onward, reaching Novigrad's stout stone gates as twilight deepened.
The city's bustling sounds—the clatter of horse hooves, merchants shouting wares, distant bell tolls—rose up to welcome the weary escorts. Guards inspected the caravan, then allowed passage, impressed by the band's professionalism and success.
That evening, under the glow of lanterns, the Romeld Company settled into a modest inn near the harbor. Over hearty stew and fresh bread, they shared stories of the day's battle, laughter mingling with silent relief.
Geralt finally allowed himself a rare moment of ease, thankful both for victory and the bonds that had turned a dangerous journey into a shared triumph.
Novigrad was alive with opportunity and peril alike—and their real adventure was just beginning.
With five hundred crowns earned from various escort and monster contracts, the Romeld Company settled into a modest, inexpensive inn tucked into Novigrad's sprawling outer district—a maze of narrow streets, crowded marketplaces, and colorful wooden houses. The accommodations were humble, but it offered shelter, safety, and proximity to the city's vibrant yet volatile life.
Despite their modest lodgings, Geralt and his companions moved freely through Novigrad's multifaceted neighborhoods the following day. The five—still masked as mercenaries—navigated bustling plazas filled with merchants hawking spices, fabrics, books, and curiosities from distant lands. Street performers dazzled crowds, while haggling filled the air with lively debate.
They traversed the artisan quarter where blacksmiths and leatherworkers pounded out wares, the noble district with its looming mansions and armed guards, and the dockside where fishermen unloaded freshly caught river fish alongside exotic imports.
Novigrad, the Free City, stretches across the northern banks of the Pontar River, a sprawling metropolis where history, commerce, and conflict intertwine amid narrow alleys and towering spires. Its geography, shaped by the flowing river and rolling hills, gives rise to a complex mosaic of districts—each marked by unique character and atmosphere.
At Novigrad's core rises the Noble District, home to sumptuous mansions, ivy-clad courtyards, and imposing stone cathedrals. Here, grand boulevards paved with cobblestone lead beneath gothic arches and statues of former rulers. Wealthy merchants, influential politicians, and powerful religious leaders reside in this district, their estates guarded by squads of armored city watch.
Geralt observed the contrasts sharply: ornate fountains poured crystal water, while the shadows cast by darkened households spoke of unsaid intrigues. Business thrived in lavish shops selling imported luxuries—cloaks trimmed with silver, jewelry encrusted with rare stones, and weapons forged by master smiths. The air buzzed with hushed gossip exchanged behind stained-glass windows.
This precinct was the seat of the Eternal Fire's influence, the prominent religious order dominating Novigrad's spiritual and often political life. Their grand cathedral soared above the cityscape, its bell tolling with regular solemnity. Geralt noticed the interplay between religious authority and noble power—each reinforcing the other in delicate balance.
East of the Nobles sprawled the Merchant Quarter, where warehouses and bustling marketplaces formed a carnivalesque scene of barter, noise, and energy. Here the docks brimmed with ships unloading goods from distant realms: spices from the south, fine silks from Novigrad's eastern neighbors, exotic herbs vital for apothecaries like Visenna. Rickety stalls overflowed with produce, leather goods, and magical curiosities, their owners yelling for attention.
Geralt and his friends found a steady flow of contracts and jobs in this area. Dockworkers harbored grumbles over lost cargo or pirate threats; merchants sought discreet protection; obsessed collectors sought rare alchemical ingredients. The district thrummed with economic aspiration and constant frenetic activity, but also with shadows—smaller guilds jostled for influence, and Rogues thrived in hidden back alleys.
To the northwest lay the Ghetto—a densely packed district crowded with refugees, displaced laborers, and marginalized guild workers. Narrow streets twisted confusingly, with overhanging timber-framed houses creating choke points where light barely penetrated. Poverty and desperation were palpable, yet resilience and community spirit thrived amidst hardship.
Geralt saw informal markets where ancient runes were sold cheaply, desperate alchemists hawked potions, and streetwise youths practiced minor Signs. The Ghetto's residents were wary of outsiders, but occasionally sought the services of witchers for monster problems or protection from harsher elements of city life—crime lords and witch hunters alike.
Southwest of the city, the Artisan District blossomed with workshops echoing rhythmic pounding of hammers and murmured incantations. Blacksmiths, leather workers, bookbinders, mosaic artists, and glassblowers plied their crafts amid narrow lanes lined with colorful storefronts.
Geralt admired the skill evident in coated blades and intricately patterned wolf medallions, recalling Vesemir's craftsmanship at Kaer Morhen. Apprentices in various guildhalls studied their trades under aging masters, and the scent of heated metal mixed with fresh ink and pine resin filled the air.
This district also housed theaters, intimate taverns where bards performed, and small churches hidden behind ivy. Here commerce merged with culture—a gathering place for those crafting the city's soul as well as its tools.
Beyond the Artisan District brooded the Slums—a chaotic maze where law and order frayed to threads. Streets were muddy during rains, and refuse gathered in piles near ramshackle dwellings. Here, the desperate survived by theft, brewing illicit spirits, and serving crooked factions.
Geralt's group moved cautiously through these parts, where danger lurked behind every shadow. Local gangs extorted protection money; black markets flourished under the noses of the increasingly nervous city guard. Witchers found no welcome here—fear bred violence, and banditry prospered.
Yet even in these dark quarters, the clever and the brave found opportunity. Information—valuable and rare—changed hands in smoky rooms, and the company's disguises allowed them to glean secrets unseen by many.
North of the city, the bustling Harbor district animated Novigrad with salty air and ceaseless bustle. Merchant ships, fishing vessels, and naval war galleys huddled against stone quays, their crews unloading barrels of goods, fish, and military supplies.
Here Geralt saw trade's raw power: goods from farflung lands, sailors speaking foreign tongues, and the constant rhythm of loading and unloading. Dockside taverns hosted rowdy sailors and exotic visitors. Smugglers operated in concealed coves, while naval officers kept a wary eye on trade routes.
Visenna found occasional opportunities to sell herbal remedies to sailors prone to tropical diseases. Geralt and the gang often guarded cargoes important enough to risk pirate attention.
The Power Structure: Guilds, Nobility, and Religion
Underneath the city's lively surface, Novigrad's power was a complex weave of guild influence, noble houses, religious orders, and shadowy crime syndicates.
The Merchants' Guild exerted significant control, regulating trade and contracts—including those offered to mercenary companies like Romeld. Within the Noble District, aristocratic families wielded political power, influencing magistrates and law enforcement.
The Church of the Eternal Fire held spiritual and temporal sway, often clashing with the influential mage community. Witchers generally avoided direct association with any faction, navigating these currents carefully.
Secret societies and criminal bosses thrived in the Slums and underbelly, often colluding with or opposing guilds as opportunity dictated.
Months navigating these districts, taking odd jobs ranging from guarding wealthy caravans to investigating monster reports, sharpened Geralt's understanding not only of Novigrad's geography but of its politics and risks.
He observed that survival and prosperity depended on alliances as much as strength. Careful negotiation with guild representatives could secure regular work. Avoiding entanglement with the Church's witcher-hunting factions required discretion and strategic appearance.
Vesemir's leadership and Visenna's healing fostered trust and access to rare opportunities. Yet Geralt knew they still lacked financial stability.
One evening, seated around a tavern table with faded maps and ledger papers, Geralt voiced his thoughts: "We cannot live day by day. We need safe contracts, steady coin—to repair gear and prepare further. If we fail to plan, danger will find us unready."
His friends nodded, their years of hard lessons sharpening practical resolve.
This panoramic view of Novigrad's geography and social fabric reveals the vibrant, treacherous world Geralt and companions navigated—a city of opportunity and peril where every district told its own story, and every alley held chance or threat. Their survival depended not just on steel and Signs, but on shrewdness, collaboration, and an ever-deepening understanding of the Free City's pulse.