The 3 Different Witcher Schools, Explained

By the time the events of The Witcher 3 roll around, the number of witchers in the world has dwindled to just Geralt and a few others. So, many fans who've only jumped in with the most popular entry of the games might not know that there were various schools that used to mutate and train young witchers, each with a different discipline. Geralt of Rivia wasn't born badass - he had to go to school for it, like every other witcher.
Witcher schools aren't canon to Andrzej Sapkowski's source material, but they can be considered game canon at this point. While all schools teach the same base set of skills, each school varies in the fighting techniques they develop. The medallion each witcher wears represents the school in which they trained.

ORDER OF WITCHERS

The mutating and training of witchers began in the 10th century when kings and their mages endeavored to create a rank of magic-wielding knights, called the Order of Witchers. The hope was these enhanced soldiers would be able to slay the formidable monsters the Nordlings themselves couldn't.

This Order wasn't operational very long, as the results ultimately disappointed most of the rulers. Witchers from the defunct Order gradually split off into the different factions now known as witcher schools, each one adopting a unique and more proficient method of felling monsters.

WOLF SCHOOL

Kaer Morhen was erected during the 11th century in Kaedwen, amidst Morhen Valley. In-game, it is the most recognized witcher school and the training grounds of the white wolf himself, Geralt of Rivia. Witchers from this school were reputed for their professionalism and reliability in killing monsters.

The school ultimately fell to two politically-motivated massacres, the latter of which involved outside manipulation from the monarchy to pit the Wolves and the school of the Cat against one another, which was never fully resolved. The last students of the wolf school were trained in the 1230s. Though Kaer Morhen was eventually abandoned due to the downfall of the school, a handful of former members including Geralt and Vesemir, would still spend their winters there

CAT SCHOOL

The history of the Cat school is long and complex, with many rumors surrounding it. These witchers didn't uphold political neutrality like other schools and became known for their work as assassins more so than monster hunters. It is believed that at one point, the mutations these students underwent were modified at some point, strengthening the subject's emotions rather than muting them. This made the new generation of witchers volatile and bloodthirsty, rising in notoriety until the local kingdoms marched an army into their fortress and forced them out.

The surviving witchers began running the school out of caravans, continuing to sell their services and gaining a reputation as ruthless mercenaries. By the time of the Witcher III, they are the most reviled group of witchers.