title: Swords & Spells (Witch World)
author:  Andre Norton 
description: The best of science fiction and fantasy...Through a Gate on distant Earth, Simon Tregarth had come, to a world where witches rule supreme. In the land of Estcarp - home of the Old Race, peace-loving heirs to archaic knowledge - he drove out invading aliens and became a great and respected leader. But his children, a warrior, a warlock and a witch, fled the witches' rule, answering an ineffable call to the forgotten land of Escore. There, they warred with the evil stirred to life by their coming....a peril that continues unabated.....
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  **TIMES OF CONTEMPT**
  
  
  **Andrzej Sapkowski**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [http://en.thewitcher.com/forum/ ](http://en.thewitcher.com/forum/)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  _Vedymins, a. called Witchers by Nordlings (ob.) – a mysterious elite cast of
  warrior-_
  
  
  _priests, probably an offshoot of Druids (ob.). According to folk beliefs they
  possessed magic_
  
  
  _powers and superhuman abilities with which they fought against dark spirits,
  monsters and_
  
  
  _evil creatures. In reality, being the masters of swordsmanship, they were
  used by Northern_
  
  
  _Chieftains in their tribal battles. During the battle they fell into a
  trance, most probably_
  
  
  _caused by autohypnosis or drugs, during which they fought with blind fury
  while completely_
  
  
  _immune to pain and even the most severe wounds – the fact which strengthened
  the_
  
  
  _superstitions about their supernatural powers. The theory about their
  supposed origins as_
  
  
  _products of mutation or genetic engineering had not been proved. V. are
  