Act I, Flotsam Part II

Act I, Flotsam Part II

Now before we follow Triss and rejoin the quest The Kayran, instead select the quest The Kayran: A Matter of Price and go talk to the merchants at the waterfront -- by the way you need to re-equip your kit so do that while you are thinking about it :)

After you talk to the merchant -- and get him to double the reward -- switch back to Triss' side of the quest and head for the marker to chat with Cedric the Elf, who you can ask a bunch of different questions.  Starting with asking him who he is does nicely, then who is Moril? 

If you tell him you hunt Monsters he will go into a diatribe about the traps he can make for you -- this is a good line as it prepares the way to have him craft for you, but there is no point in asking about crafting something for you just yet because you do not have the special item that is required...  So set that aside for now and ask him about any Kayran help...

Cedric tells you about a wreck that the Kayran caused -- and suggests that you go look at it.  Follow the trail up into the hills -- have a battle -- and then meet with Triss on the trail.  After you chat she teleports further along and you need to work your way down the terraces of the side-trail to the river, heading towards the marker so that you can have a battle with some monsters and then grab a sample of the Kayran slime.

Triss does some diagnostic magic and learns that there is something wrong with the beast, and that it is dying, but unfortunately not fast enough to help the situation with the town and the merchants.  She does determine that it has mutated and become venomous -- and suggests a potion you should make, giving you the recipe.  The potion requires a special ingredient called Ostmurk -- you can either locate it yourself or ask Cedric.

Before you head off in search of it though, remember that shipwreck?  We should go and take a look at that now, right?  At the base of the wreck you find the body of the Captain, triggering the quest Mystic River -- on the body is a key, and the key opens a nearby chest in which you find the Captain's Log Book.  Read that to learn the story -- you need to find a way to mail the report.

Hunting down the Ostmurk 

If you want to search for yourself -- and you easily can -- read the quest description to learn that the plant grows in dark moist places...  As you work your way through the woods, having battles with the different types of monsters native to the area you will eventually encounter a waterfall that has a cave behind it.  Inside that cave, which is the ideal growing conditions for the Ostmurk, you will find lots of battling and at the very back of the cave, a glowing growth of Ostmurk!

Making the potion completes that part of the quest, and as you exit the cave it should now be full dark, which means it is time to visit with Loredo at his house in town!

-- Back to Town --

Make your way back to the gate and enter town then head for the marker for Laredo's house and go through the outer gate there -- as you start to enter Roche joins you and, after you enter he discovers that Laredo has a Ballista!  Roche wants it to be sabotaged -- and that means that we need a plan...  It seems everyone is partying -- accept the guy guarding the Ballista that is -- and we should change that!

By the wall across the courtyard is the madam of the whores -- talk to her and hire her to be your diversion -- once she has him in the bushes simply walk up and sabotage the Ballista and there you go mates!  Mischief managed!

Now head for the house and you learn that Loredo is busy with Sile -- you head back downstairs and chat with Roche, and a plan forms but is interrupted by a visitor.  He tells you about a part of a trap that is meant for the Kayran -- and he tells you where it is.  He wants to help you to obtain the trap part to speed up getting rid of the Kayran, so hey, bonus!

-- Sneaking into the Garden at Loredos --

The first thing you need to bear in mind is YOU CANNOT BE SEEN!  So before you attempt to sneak through the garden and get the part, save your game. 

The first guard is easy to knock out, just sneak on the right side of the ruin he is on the other side of and, when he turns to patrol back towards the entrance come around the far side get behind him and knock him out!  The second guard is taking a pee so he is wicked easy to knock out.

Now climb the terraced path to the right of the locked gate and watch the patrol pattern of the guard in the garden below.  There is a fourth guard patrolling upstairs who comes to the window every so often you need to be aware of, so make your way to the guard patrolling in the garden and knock him out without being seen from the window above!

Unlocking the Man of the Shadows Achievement 

A fifth guard is on patrol around the far corner so watch his route and when you are happy you know it, sneak behind him and knock him out too.  Knock the last guard out in the rear area of the garden then climb up by the window after you have grabbed the trap part from the chest in the storage area, and then look in to overhear the conversation between Sile and Loredo... 

Backtrack to Roche and tell him what you learned...  Completing that conversation unlocks the Achievement "Man of the Shadows" (15 G) Successfully sneak through Loredo's garden and find the component of the kayran trap.  Well done mates!

Now head up the stairs and meet with Loredo (alone) and he will make a proposition to you...  Hear him out, agree to help and then exit the house -- whether you end up honoring that deal or not this is how you move the story forward and you are going to kill the Kayran anyway mates!  Make sure that you grab your weapons from the chest on your way out -- you are going to need them!

Check your inventory and, if you do not have a Silver Ore go buy one from the Smith BEFORE you leave the area.  You will also need an Iron Ore, 2 Oils, and the Iron Frame of course!  Now return to Cedric and go into trade mode so you can purchase the Kayran Trap diagram -- and once you have purchased that, ask him to craft the trap for you!

When you are talking to Cedric if you have not already done so, ask him for Witcher Work -- he will ask you to check out the old mental hospital -- the quest is called In the Claws of Madness, and it is worth doing if just for the XP but also for another reason...  And since you have flagged it anyway, what do you say we do it now?

-- In the Claws of Madness --

Head to the marker on the map and as you get close you run into one of the missing explorers -- Rupert -- who got out but tells you that his friend is still lost inside.  Fight off the attacking monsters and then head down into the ruins where you will face wraiths...  Now you need to understand that these guys are badasses and if you do not know how to dodge, fight, cast, and use items, they will kick your butt!

What I suggest you do is drink some defensive potions, cast the protective spell on yourself, and lay down some traps before you open the chest and unleash the two Wraiths!  Then kill them as fast as you bloody well can!  Being prepared will help a lot, but you should be at least Level 8 by now and that is high enough to be able to take them on.

Another set of Wraiths awaits you in another smaller chamber -- and after you slay them loot the chest for another set of documents (there is an Achievement connected to these).  Be sure to loot the chest and other items here before heading back along the corridor and talking to the man on the flood out there.  In the chamber down the hall from him to the right of the flames you will find the third pair of Wraiths and the medicine you are looking for.  Killing the Wraiths here can be a bit tricky but if you immediately move into the chamber on the left at the end by the workbench that will cause one to spawn there and the other back at the entrance, which gives you enough time to take them out one at a time rather than being hit from behind by the second one. 

Once you have them dealt with, get the meds and take them back to him and dose him and he will tell you his story.

Unlocking the Librarian Achievement 

It turns out that the pair had more to do with what happened here than was apparent.  When you reach the last room you confront the ghost, who demands revenge.  He wants the hearts and eyes of the two men -- be sure to head to the rear of the chamber and loot the chest here immediately after the conversation with the ghost, as it contains the final set of medical records and, taking those unlocks the Achievement "Librarian" (30 G) Find all additional information about the insane asylum's history.

With that done you have a choice to make here...  Head back and talk to Gridley and you will spawn back at Rupert's location, at which point you have to make the choice of whether to tell them that the ghost wants them dead, or lure them to the ghosts chamber so it can exact its revenge.  If you choose to lure them to the chamber you will go right there, the ghost will have its revenge, and the mission will end with you being rewarded with XP. 

If you tell them that the ghost wants them dead they will come up with a plan to take the ghost Nekker eyes and hearts, but if you do that know that the ghost will not be fooled, and you will have to do battle with it in the flame-ringed chamber!  Be very careful of the flames since they will hurt you, and so will the ghost, so minimize the hurt, yes?

It really does not matter which choice you make here from the point of view of the story since this is the extent of how those two factor into it...  But if you are a good guy you are going to want to try to prevent their death -- though you then have to decide after defeating the ghost whether to let them go or turn them over to Loredo for punishment.  Do what you like, it has no real impact on the rest of the story.  Personally, I took them to Loredo.