Netflix’s The Witcher mythology is closely based on the books by Andrzej Sapkowski, and that means a deep and complicated terminology that can be daunting to viewers new to the property. The Witcher follows the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, a witcher whose profession involves the intimate knowledge of and ability to slay monsters.

While many people have made comparisons of the show to Game of Thrones for the way it handles political matters, it’s much more high fantasy than that juxtaposition might imply. While HBO’s fantasy hit had dragons and zombies (sort of), The Witcher is steeped in magic, both big and small, with European mythology-inspired creatures and sorceresses aplenty.

While that ups the intrigue - and what the show can do while it explores its political concerns - it also makes for lore that is a bit trickier to stay on top of. If someone is confused by The Witcher terminology, they aren’t alone. Below is a guide to the key phrases in The Witcher and what they mean.

Conjunction of the Spheres - An event that happened a long time ago in the universe of The Witcher that saw two different worlds overlap, creating an opportunity for the monsters that litter the world now to enter it from their plane of existence.

Destiny - Similar to the real world concept, destiny in The Witcher is a powerful force that determines where people will find themselves and, more often than not, how they meet their grisly end. There are some who don’t believe in it, however, and it causes philosophical disagreements among some of the major characters in the narrative.

Djinn - An elemental spirit of immense power that, when bound, can grant wishes to those who it is bound to. If set free, they are among the most powerful creatures in all of The Witcher.

Elder Blood - Used to refer to descendants of Lara Dorren, a powerful Elven sorceress whose bloodline possesses immense, world-altering power.

Ithlinne’s Prophecy - An old Elven prophecy about the end of the world, related to global cooling.

Kaer Morhen - An old keep where witchers were created and trained. It has ceased its operations before the beginning of The Witcher.

Kikimora - Insectoid monsters that typically inhabit swamps within the world of The Witcher. They are common prey and sources of coin for wandering witchers.

Law of Surprise - A custom that dictates when one person is saved by another, they will offer their savior a reward that is unknown to either one or both parties. Sometimes, this can take the form of a child - and it is often how witchers were taken and made.

Magic - Magic is commonplace in The Witcher and can be used by more than just mages, as simple spells can be used by anyone with training. Truly powerful magic is only available to those who are Sources, however, a person born with a natural affinity for magic that can be difficult to control.

Nilfgaard - A southern country that has been expanding its borders in recent months with invasions. Once considered a weak nation, Nilfgaard has now become the most feared army on the Continent.

Portal - Portals are used to teleport people across space, and are typically conjured by mages. They can be used to take people to different times or worlds as well, though this is much rarer.

Potion - Elixirs or other concoctions used by witchers to enhance their abilities. Most potions are lethal to regular humans, but the mutations undergone by witchers makes them more tolerant to the potions toxicity.

Striga - A woman transformed into a monster by a curse that hates all living things and hunts them down mercilessly. The curse afflicting these monsters can be lifted at great cost.

Sylvan - Sylvans are humanoid herbivores that are capable of intelligence and are fairly lazy by nature, choosing not to meddle in humanity’s affairs when its possible to be peaceful instead.

Trial of the Grasses - An exceedingly painful trial that witcher apprentices were subjected to while young, mutating them and giving them bodily enhancements. Reportedly, roughly only 3 out of every 10 witcher apprentices even survived the trial at all.

Witcher - Someone who has undergone incredible amounts of training and mutations so that they are adept at monsterslaying. Witchers’ mutations have also dulled their emotions and made them sterile.

Next: Is The Witcher 4 Happening? Here’s What We Know