Trial of the Red Swamp

The **Trial of the Red Swamp** was one of the Witcher Trials conducted exclusively by the School of the Wolf. It served as the equivalent of the Trial of the Sword for this school, at least during the early days.

## The Red Swamp

Situated to the south of what would eventually transform into Kaer Morhen, the region designated as the Red Swamp started its existence as a serene and tranquil locale but it underwent a significant transformation when it became infested with an array of monsters like kikimoras and bloedzuigers, as result of the Conjunction of Spheres. Adding to this perilous environment, wraiths began to emerge as a consequence of the unfortunate fate suffered by unsuspecting merchants who unwittingly traversed this ill-fated area. Secluded and cut off from the bustling civilization, the discovery of this location by the Witchers of the School of the Wolf, who continued to inhabit the caverns nestled in the valley that would later house their fortress, rendered it a perfect ground for evaluating the capabilities of aspiring adepts.

Initially conceived as another trial, or even potentially the final trial (akin to the one involving retrieving a Griffin Egg for the School of the Griffin), this concept underwent an evolutionary process due to the exceedingly deadly nature of the Swamp. Following comprehensive deliberation among the early members of the Wolf School, due to the deaths of numerous students who had been tested there, a unanimous resolution was reached: to repurpose the treacherous swamp as a viable substitute for the traditional Trial of the Sword inherited from the now-defunct Order of Witchers. This decision rested upon the unassailable premise that an adept capable of successfully navigating and emerging from the clutches of this nearly insurmountable morass was more than ready to graduate and embark on their journey in The Path.

## The Trial

The trial itself was straightforward: Trainees who had successfully completed all the required trials but hadn't yet earned the endorsement of their masters for a graduation as full-fledged witchers were administered a potent concoction, rendering them unconscious. They were then transported to the heart of the Red Swamp, armed with only the most basic equipment. In this perilous environment, these fledgling witchers-to-be were confronted with the ultimate trial: surviving the unforgiving swamp, effectively utilizing the limited resources provided, and ultimately, engineering a successful escape. It was through this trial that they were to prove their mettle and readiness for the path that lay ahead.

This trial of survival demanded not only cunning resourcefulness but also a mastery of the provided equipment. It was incumbent upon the aspirants to navigate the treacherous marshland, utilizing their allocated tools judiciously, and ultimately to secure their escape – an escape that symbolized their readiness and aptitude to graduate as full-fledged witchers of the illustrious School of the Wolf. It served as a rite of passage, acknowledging their capacity to endure and thrive in the harshest of circumstances, an indispensable trait for any witcher.

Interestingly, this trial also found application in cases where students exhibited heightened aggressive and unstable tendencies. By subjecting them to the rigors of the swamp and the psychological impact it engendered, a noticeable shift in behavior was often observed. The trauma of the environment seemed to wield a transformative effect, tempering their more volatile inclinations and fostering a sense of discipline. Tragically, some met their demise within the swamp's treacherous embrace, sealing their fate. However, those who emerged victorious from this harrowing trial, demonstrating both the physical prowess and the mental resilience required, would solidify their place as fully-fledged witchers within the School of the Wolf.

It is worth noting that, on rare occasions, surviving students who continued to exhibit pronounced and unrelenting aggressive tendencies would face an alternate fate. Instead of joining the ranks of their fellow  wolf witchers, they would be deemed unfit for such camaraderie, relegated to the status of exiles, forever separated from the legacy they aspired to uphold.

Nevertheless, as time passed, this trial would eventually be abandoned due to several factors. The primary reason was the "indirect" purging effect that the students, who were exposed to the Red Swamp (dubbed so by the students themselves due to the significant number of deaths that occurred and the water's reddish hue), had on the monster population. The second and ultimate factor stemmed from the problems endured by the School of the Wolf, including the Kaer Morhen Pogrom and the betrayal by the Cats. By the time the last generation of members was trained, around the 1230s - 1240s, they were exempted from undergoing this trial; instead, they undertook the traditional Trial of the Sword if they were considered not prepared. Another, albeit minor, influence was Vesemir himself, who,  initially serving as the fencing instructor and later assuming the informal leadership of the school, deemed this trial because he considered excessively cruel.

## Notes

* Basically it's fixing the plot hole in the original version of the trial seen in NOTW.