Geralt’s retirement in Toussaint is getting interrupted again, but this time, players need to meet some unusually specific conditions to see what happens. The Witcher 3 has received the opening chapter of Annals of the Duchy, a fan-made story expansion that revisits the setting of Blood and Wine. Its most interesting feature is not simply another adventure. It is the combination of relationship-dependent storytelling and fully human voice acting in two languages.
Released for PC on November 8, 2026, the project gives players a reason to return to Corvo Bianco after completing Geralt’s established adventures. However, not every finished save will qualify, and knowing where to go makes a difference.
The Witcher 3 returns to Toussaint with three different paths for Geralt
Created by Nexus Mods user Jontej, Annals of the Duchy is an unofficial, lore-friendly continuation of Geralt’s life in Toussaint. Its first chapter serves as the beginning of a planned series rather than a standalone replacement for Blood and Wine. The creator says the project required hundreds of hours of work and submitted it to the Witcher 3 Remastered Modathon.
What makes the premise especially appealing is its attention to Geralt’s relationships. The quest supports three distinct paths: one with Geralt alone, another with Triss, and a third with Yennefer. Instead of treating every player’s ending as identical, the mod acknowledges different romantic outcomes. That also makes the choice of save file more relevant than usual.
Jontej intends to continue the series with additional chapters, including a storyline involving Syanna. He also believes its timeline fits alongside Songs of the Past, an official expansion announced for 2027 and set after the main game and Blood and Wine. That connection is the author’s assessment, not confirmation that both projects share an official narrative plan.
The Witcher 3 quest requires a particular Blood and Wine ending
Before installing the mod and searching Toussaint for a quest marker, players should check their progress. Annals of the Duchy has several prerequisites, including an outcome in which two important characters survive. Consequently, a completed playthrough does not automatically guarantee access.
To begin Chapter 1, the following conditions and steps apply:
- Complete the main story of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
- Finish Blood and Wine before attempting to start the new quest.
- Keep Anna Henrietta and Syanna alive during the expansion’s storyline.
- Complete the Corvo Bianco garden renovation at Geralt’s estate.
- Travel from Geralt’s house toward the garden once these requirements are fulfilled.
- Make that walk between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. using in-game time to trigger the quest.
This is an important distinction for returning players. The starting point is tied to Geralt’s home and a narrow time window, rather than simply appearing whenever someone enters Toussaint. If nothing happens, checking the ending, garden renovation and in-game clock is a sensible first step.
The emphasis on a post-story adventure also offers a different reason to revisit an older save. While CD Projekt RED’s Bard’s Ballad accessibility setting helps players follow The Witcher 3’s story without burning out, this fan project gives those who have already finished it a new narrative objective.
Every conversation is performed by real actors in two languages
Another defining feature is the production behind the dialogue. Chapter 1 arrives fully voiced in English and Polish, with the creator explicitly stating that no AI-generated voices were used for any character. Jontej also believes this is the first Witcher 3 mod on Nexus Mods to launch with voice acting in both languages, although that remains his own claim.
In English, Walker Hurt performs Geralt, Stephanie June plays Triss, and Julia Parker voices Yennefer. The Polish cast includes Beniamin Bochnacki as Geralt, Monika Milewicz as Yennefer, and Agnieszka Rybacka as Triss. New faces, including Cuthbert, also feature in the adventure. Inis Studio handled the Polish dubbing, while the author additionally credits Skyhawk for Polish voice work and rmemr for a REDkit lip-sync tool.
Using real performers matters particularly in a dialogue-driven RPG where familiar characters have recognizable personalities. It also places the project in an interesting context following Nexus Mods’ updated rules concerning AI, creator permissions and disclosure. Here, the creator has made the absence of synthetic character voices a central part of the release.
Installing Annals of the Duchy is straightforward, but compatibility deserves attention
Players interested in trying the chapter can find it on the official Annals of the Duchy Chapter 1 page on Nexus Mods. Its installation method is relatively simple, although players using relationship-changing or companion-focused modifications should pay particular attention to potential conflicts.
Here are the essential release and installation details:
- Mod name: Annals of the Duchy – Chapter 1.
- Creator: Jontej.
- Release date: November 8, 2026.
- Platform: PC version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
- Voice languages: English and Polish, performed by human actors without AI voices.
- Quest paths: Geralt alone, Geralt with Triss, or Geralt with Yennefer.
- Manual installation: Copy the included “mods” and “dlc” folders into the game’s main installation directory.
- Existing saves: Installation during an ongoing playthrough is supported.
- Mod managers: The author says installation should also work through mod managers.
- General compatibility: DLC layers are used to minimize conflicts with most other mods.
- Possible conflicts: Mods altering Geralt’s relationship with Triss or Yennefer, and mods allowing multiple companions.
- Additional content: The funeral pyre at the tourney grounds is finally extinguished.
- Trailer: Available through the creator’s YouTube channel.
Annals of the Duchy gives The Witcher 3 fans a reason to return to Toussaint
The use of DLC layers is encouraging for players with customized installations, but it is not an unconditional compatibility guarantee. In particular, modifications that interfere with romantic relationships or companion behavior could affect the intended experience.
There is also a small but memorable touch for anyone familiar with Toussaint: the funeral pyre at the tourney grounds will finally stop burning. It is the kind of environmental detail that suggests the creator has spent considerable time thinking about how this world should feel after the original adventure.
Annals of the Duchy gives The Witcher 3 players a concrete reason to revisit Toussaint without presenting itself as official DLC. Its combination of three narrative paths, carefully defined starting conditions and human-performed dialogue makes Chapter 1 worth examining for fans of Geralt’s later adventures. Further chapters are planned, but their release dates remain unannounced. For now, the real question is whether your version of Geralt has the right ending to begin this new story.
Creator of the website, Pokemon trainer by nature. Trying to report on everything related to the world of video games, series and movies. Yu-Gi-Oh is my weakness, collecting cards since the dawn of time.
