Like the previous episode, Geralt's story is loosely based on a part of the short story "Something More" from the book "Sword of Destiny". The same story mentions the Battle of Sodden.
Henry Cavill dehydrated himself for scenes that involved nudity, such as the bathtub scene. He would drink less water for three days. On the third he would drink no water, while on the fourth they would shoot the scenes. He explained that this process would make his skin thinner and sit better on his muscles.
Francis Magee's character, "Yurga" uses the phrase "...now they're a feast for the crows" in this episode. "A Feast for Crows" is the fourth book in the series "A Song of Ice and Fire," which is the basis for the series "Game of Thrones (2011)" in which Magee plays "Yoren."