Main Missions: Velen

This is a reference section to cover the Main Missions for the Velen Region here in case you need to check on the requirements for each.

You can also find this information in the game, as you complete each mission, but if you want to look ahead at the requirements this is where you would do that...

Act I: Velen Missions

To make this guide easier to use we break each of the Acts up into their logical components, with the Main Missions divided as makes sense for that purpose. The following are the missions for the main story that take place during the period in which you are based in Velen...

The Nilfgaardian Connection

Geralt traveled to Velen in search of Ciri, an act that attested to the depth of his devotion. Only a man who has been to this land can know just how vile it is. At this time it was commonly known as No Man's Land. Why?

Well the Emperor of Nilfgaard had not yet claimed it, Temeria was in disarray, and the Redanians had already retreated north. No man had been left in charge, and he had proved a terrible ruler.

Geralt needed to find Hendrik, an imperial agent who had been working on Ciri's case, and to collect from him what information he had managed to gather.

After you arrive in Velen you ride to the Inn at the Crossroads where you avoid trouble with the local soldiers and learn from the Innkeeper that the man you are looking for lives in a distant village.

When you arrive at the village though, it is evident that the Hunt has been there before you - the village is covered in frost. You rescue a farmer from a wild dog pack and he tells you what happened.

Inside Hendrik's hut you find his body and search - both physically and with Witcher Sense, discovering a hidden key and a secret door to the cellar, where you find a concealed chest with a ledger.

The ledger helps fill in only a few blanks, wrapping up this Mission but flagging two more!

Objectives

• Travel to Velen

• Go to the Inn at the Crossroads

• Ask about the agent called Hendrik at the Inn at the Crossroads.

• Finish talking to the Innkeeper about the agent called Hendrik

• Look for the agent called Hendrik in the village of Heatherton

• Find the agent called Hendrik

• Search the agents hut using your Witcher Sense

Hunting a Witch

Flagged from the Ledger in Hendrik's Hut

The notes left by Hendrik, the Nilfgaardian agent, mentioned that Ciri had quarreled with some witch, and that the newt-stewer in question could be found near the village of Midcopse. Exactly where, Geralt did not know - and so he was forced to swallow his manly pride and ask the locals for directions.

The thing about this quest is it may make it sound like the Witch actually lives in the village but no, not so... She lives in a hunt OUTSIDE the village which is to the north and east - see where the three roads come together at a point that is to the west of the bridve over the lake? THAT is her house!

When you arrive you get a CS of her being consulted by the locals. What she does is really clever - she knows that part of the problem is the filthy barn, so she offers them a placebo but insists that they have to clean the barn first. Smart.

After the CS it is time to speak with the Witch.

When you go inside the Witch is vanished. Carefully search - and loot - the hut both upstairs and down - then use the Skull on the shelf to open the portal and step into it. The portal instantly transports you to a spot about a league to the north of the hut.

She was expecting you - more to the point she knows you and you know her! And hey, you get to see her naked!

She is Keira Metz - you know her from the previous game. You can talk to her about the past (and you probably should) before using the gold option.

After a lengthy conversation you both set for some nearby Elvaan Ruins to see the Elf she told you about.

Another CS plays out and then you flag a new Mission Segment (they call it a Quest but this is actually part of the mission). By the way at this point you have completed Hunting a Witch! Did you happen to notice the two rabbits having sex in the Background?

Objectives

• Find the witch in your own or ask the residents of Micopse about her.

• Eavesdrop on the gossiping women

• Find the Witch's hut.

• Talk to the Witch in her hut.

• Search the Witch's hut using your Witcher Sense

  Enter the portal in the Witch's Hut

Wandering in the Dark

Follow Keira to meet up with the Elf

Flagged when you complete Hunting a Witch - Suggested Level 6

Finding Ciri in Velen had proven harder than tracking a swallow on a rainy day. According to Keira, an elven mage had been tracking this particular swallow as well. Had he found her? Did he know more about her fate?

Geralt knew he had to find out, and Keira, well, she had unfinished business of her own with the mage. And so the Witcher and sorceress set out together on a journey into the darkness to find the mysterious elf's underground hideout.

As you enter the underground you spot members of The Wild Hunt! Keira had no idea that they were a real thing - she thought them a myth - but you know better. You get her to teleport you across in order to follow them -

Once she casts the portal go through and then use your Senses to find her. I would save if I were you. NOW.

As you move forward you have to deal with a group of Drowners, and then head into the water and swim under, Once you deal with the Drowners be sure you loot the chest under the water as it has some useful things in it .

On the other side the path splits - there is a side-path to the right you can follow. Use the Aard Sign to blast open the door, and then loot and light until you battle the Foglet (new monster!).

So here is the thing - you CAN head back and take the main path if you want to but, that will just take you to where the side path meets up with it but at the top of a broken bridge. When means you will have to drop down and deal with a pair of Drowners on their own terms.

OR you can stay on the side path which takes you to a different bridge, and which allows you to start the same battle but on the OTHER side of the water. I prefer the side path myself.

As you are searching and fighting do NOT neglect your looting. There are some really nice items to be had down here!

After you go up the stairs and hear Keira scream there will be some new monsters below - man you got to be very careful of them, they are nasty and dangerous!

Continuing along the path you trigger an update - you need to destroy some Rat nests!. Just use Igni - do not waste bombs... After you do that you get another CS that moves the story forward, and then

When you reach the next chamber you see a message from the Elven Mage that appears to have been for Ciri... Fortunately Geralt is pretty clever and he figures out the message - so you need to follow the Swallow Symbols from here.

Directly ahead there are some Wraiths you can kill for extra points. We should also point out that exploring side-paths is almost never a bad idea, as you will be amazed at the loot you can find. Just saying.

Once you are happy with your exploring and killing follow the symbols to the next chamber, where the quest updates - you need to search the chamber using your Witcher Senses.

Using the Witcher Sense find the sea monster symbol and touch it to trigger a battle with - yourselves! Well that was not optimal...

Look down into the pool in the well below and you will see a horse symbol - jump in and use the symbol then swim along the path and you will find another symbol - use that and it causes something to happen. Keira calls you to come back, saying you did something.

Head up the stairs and then drop back down into the chamber and return to Keira. Join her to explore the new chamber you have opened up.

Inside the next chamber you see a Swallow symbol p use it to open a new portal... Then enter it.

Inside you get trapped by a Golem and need to defeat it in order to get out. No worries - cast the Quen Sign as needed, dodge when it attacks and beat it to a pulp.

Following that head back through the path and in the next trap-chamber you fight a Gargoyle, then keep exploring and you will enter a chamber with another Swallow Symbol. Use it to open another portal and head in,

As you pass through you get a CS that reveals you have crossed the broken bridge from the first large chamber, and up the stairs where you are prompted to follow the Wild Hunt warriors.

Passing through the next chamber earns you another CS in which you observe the Wild Hunt blokes - and then you watch helplessly as the Hunt Mage casts the frost spell. You need to stick close to Keira now or die!

So here is the deal - as Keira is trying to close each rift some creatures get through. You have to kill them. but you also need to keep an eye on your health bar because you WILL end up leaving the shield as you attack and it WILL hurt you!

Try to heal up quickly and do an many attacks under the shield as you can... Eventually she will get all three closed, and then she faints! Well sort of.

After her episode you need to follow her, and she opens the way, at which point you are prompted to chase The Hunt's warriors! Doing so results in a CS in which you confront the Hunt Leader - you have to damage him to the point that he opens a portal for some Rift Dogs - kill them - then rinse and repeat again until you finally vanquish him!

Make sure you loot the heck outta him, the dogs, and the chamber!

You get a CS with Keira and watch the final mage message and then you have another revealing conversation with Keira and learn about a group of Witches that are known to be in the area and that Keira knows about. You feel betrayed!

Keira then tells you what she knows about the Witches - including how to reach them. She gives you the book - read that.

Once you are sure that you have everything you want from this chamber use the illusion door to cause Keira to remove it, and follow Keira out to trigger a CS in which she remembers the Magic Lamp the Elf Mage promised her! She asks for your help - and of course you do - adn that completes the Wandering in the Dark Mission!

Objectives

• Follow Keira

• Go through Keira's Portal
• Use your Witcher Senses to find Keira

• Destroy the rat nests with Signs or bombs 2/2

• Explore the Ruins and look for information about the mage.

• Explore the Ruins and follow the swallow symbols.

• Search the chamber using your Witcher Senses.

• Use your Witcher Senses to find something associated with Ciri's horse Kelpie.

• Explore new chambers with Keira

• Enter the Portal

• Examine the next room using your Witcher Sense

• Continue exploring the ruinis and follow the swallow symbols.

• Enter the Portal

• Follow the Wild Hunt warriors

• Keep close to Keira and stay under her magic shield.

• Kill the creatures emerging from the rift

• Follow Keira

• Chase the Hunt's warriors

• Use the Eye of Nehaleni to dispel the illusion.

• Follow Keira

Magic Lamp

Find the Magic Lamp with Keira

Flagged by completing the Wandering in the Dark Mission - Suggested Level 6

Kiera Metz had helped Geralt in his search for Ciri, so the Witcher decided to return the favor. The sorceress sought a magic lamp which the mysterious elven mage had promised to give her. Since the object was nowhere in sight, our heroes drew the only possible conclusion: that it lay concealed somewhere in the underground passageways.

In the next chamber you need to get Keira to translate the inscription on the closed door in order to figure out how to open it... The riddle is:

Four guardians, four flames, standing proud in a line.

The First to light his fire, dared not march on the end.

The Second beside the First, played a woeful lament.

The Third kept close to his faithful beast.

The Fourth, marched not beside the First, yet like the Second played a tune.

And thus the stood o'er their queen, who slept beneath flickering stars.

Right so, going by that puzzle the answer should be 3-2-4-1 (facing and counting left to right). So light them in that order - and that should open the blocked door!

As you enter there is a path to the left - go to the end of the main chamber for the CS and then you can climb up to that alternate path to make yoru way to the surface.

This has a Place of Power. Go hit that - and then head past it to the Hidden Treasure and a Level 6 Golem to battle! After you defeat it make sure you look it AND all of the chests in the chamber as they have some good things in them...

Using the Aard Sign blow open the door panel and then loot in there. Once you have done that backtrack past the lab and up the stairs where you can dispel the illusion blocking the exit. And there you go, you are outside!

As you exit you get another CS with Keira and find yourself outside of the caves on the shore of the lake, where there is a boat. Keira leaves by a portal and that ends the mission!

Objectives

• Follow Kiera

• Search the room using your Witcher Senses

• Light the braziers in the correct order

• Look for the Lamp in the mage's laboratory using your Witcher Senses

• Find an exit leading to the surface

Mission: Ladies of the Wood

Find the Witch that Ciri argued with

Flagged automatically after completing Wandering in the Dark

Information found in the home of Hendrik, the Nilfgaardian agent, indicated Ciri had entered into conflict with some witch in Velen. At first Geralt thought this "witch" was Keira Metz, but he later learned Hendrik had meant a different individual, one who dwelt in Crookback Bog. So the Witcher ventured into the swamps, determined to find this bog-dwelling witch and ask her about Ciri.

Having wrapped up the Wandering and Magic Lamp Mission this is the next logical step on our adventure... That actually works out good as we can grab the boat that is outside of the exit from the caves and sail very close to the next marker for this mission. So how about that?

When you arrive at the site you easily spot the shrine - so use your Witcher Sense At the end of the Trail you get a CS in which you see some kids playing. The conversation that you have with them and then with the woman named Gran does not lead to the direct knowledge you seek - but there are some hints.

But it does lead you to the hut - and the boy...

After playing a game with the kids you talk to the boy who tells you hot to find Johnny. Then it is off to the swamp and some light tracking for you!

Eventually his tracks lead you to a burrow - and you need to lure him out of it. You talk for a bit - YOU talk because he cannot. Then you follow him and defeat some Drowners - Follow him again and give him the bottle from the best - this releases his voice.

In the CS and Q&A you learn what he knows - and then he agrees to help with Gran so you follow him to the village. Once you get there you get a CS and Johnny does what he promised to do - and Gran agrees to help.

She takes you to the Ladies - sort of - and after a lengthy conversation you strike a deal with them... You need to take the dagger and speak with the ealdorman of Downwarren about the village problems. So go do that!

When you arrive you have the chat and then head for the marker in the woods and start investigating the bodies for clues as to what sort of monster this is...

Note: As you approach the marker you will automatically flag a new Side-Quest called The Whispering Hillock.

Completing Whispering Hillock also advances this quest - at which point you can let the ealdorman know that the problem has been fixed. He does not take it well - but hands over the payment agreed upon with the Ladies - his ear!

You get a CS and after it plays out you get to meet the three ladies... Urgh!

They may be ugly but they deliver on their end of the deal and you get to see what happened with Siri...

You briefly play as her as she escapes the bog - with the Wild Hunt leader in chase. After that the CS ends and the debt is paid. The Witcher is NOT happy! Well yeah, of course...

This completes the mission but you are left with a decision - battle the Ladies of the Wood or not.... You have two choices:

1. I won't let you get away with it.

2. I'll find her. And come back for you.

It's a conundrum - on the one hand they really need killing, on the other you sort of have a mission to find Ciri... And what if you need more information from them later? Which moral imperative applies?

No matter what you choose they are not going to die at your hands here. So go with your gut.

Objectives

• Read "The Ladies of the Wood"

• Find the Crones of Crookback Bog

• Use your Witcher Senses to find the shrine that marks the start of the Trail of Treats.

• Follow the Trail of Treats using your Witcher Sense

• Go to the hut and talk to the boy

• Ask the children in the swamp village about Johnny

• Find a way to lure Gran away from the hut

• Find the hidden children using your Witcher Sense

• Look for Johnny in teh swamp using your Witcher Senses

• Find Johnny's footprints

• Follow Johnny's footprints using your Witcher Senses

• Lure Johnny out of his burrow

• Follow Johnny

• Defeat the Monsters

• Follow Johnny

• Follow Johnny to the Village

• Defeat the Monsters

• Follow Johnny to the Village

• Speak to the ealdorman of Downwarren about the village's problems

• Find out what's killing the villagers of Downwarren

• Find a passage leading under the hill using your Witcher Senses

• Solve Downwarren's problem

• Tell the ealdorman of Downwarren you took care of the problem

Mission: Ciri's Story: Fleeing the Bog

Escape from Crookback Bog (as Ciri)

Flagged and completed automatically as part of the Main Story - Suggested Level 5

Crookback Bog is home to more than its fair share of horrifying beasts, but none of them hold a candle to the general fo the Wild Hunt who chased Ciri now. Imlerith - for that was his name - had arrived on teh Crones' summons to take Ciri back to his king. The young Witcher was able to give her pursuer the slip, but the two foes were destined to meet again in the future.

When Ciri arrived in Velen, she found herself in the very heart of the notorious Crookback Bog. Exhausted, she sought shlter, but instead found herself in the clutches of three demonic sisters known to the local peasants as the Ladies of the Wood.

Ciri quickly realized how poorly that name fit these bloodthirsty hags and fled. She escaped with her life by a hair's breadth, but still had a long and dangerous trek through the marshes ahead of her.

Once you gain control of Ciri do not mess around - RUN! You just need to reach the marker without being captured.

Objective

• Escape from Crookback Bog

Mission: Bloody Baron

Flagged from the Ledger in Hendrik's Hut

Nilfgaard's agent had determined Ciri had stayed with the baron - the self-proclaimed ruler of Velen. This man was known for his violent temper and three-mile-long cruel streak, hence his moniker: the Bloody Baron.

Geralt, however, was not one to be frightened by nicknames, least of all those taken from bodily fluids, and so made his way to Crow's Perch, the baron's seat, to ask about Cirilla.

Inside the Keep the Baron begins to lay out the situation for you - and reveals that he knows who you are (and when he says that he MEANS he knows more than just that you are Witcher, but that you are Geralt of Rivia - and more than that, he knows about your relationship with Cilla!

The Baron finally confirms that Ciri was there - you already knew that but having him confirm it was important to you... At least you know that he is being honest on that count. As he describes the story that she told him the game changes focus and you go from being Geralt to being Cilla (in the flashback of the events that she related to the Baron).

At Crow's Perch (The Bloody Baron's Keep)

The CS at this point shows Ciri and Gretka eating - the Baron gets very upset with the peasant - it seems that the peasant had told him that he had found the man's missing wife and daughter!

That concludes the sub-mission, and the game then resolves back to Geralt and the Baron - but the Baron is reluctant to tell all it seems. In fact he refuses...

The conversation option: "I know what you're after" will move the story along quicker as the Baron makes a deal with you - you help him to find his missing wife and daughter, he will tell all. A straight-up quid-pro-quo that has to be taken at the word of the Baron as he has no way to prove that you can trust him on the matter or compel his honesty!

Basically it is a deal you have to make - you don't really have a choice. And once you make that deal the Baron informs his men that you are under his protection and they are not to mess with you at all or in any way.

The Baron then shares with you what details he knows of the night that his family disappeared. Working your way through the chat options really does not add much more detail other than confirming the awareness of the Baron of his violent preferences.

The Baron does not believe that he has any enemies brave or stupid enough to touch his family - then you convince him to let you examine their private rooms. This updates the current mission and adds a new Side Quest: Ciri's Room.

The completion of this conversation ALSO triggers the end - the completion - of the main mission The Bloody Baron at the same time as it adds the side quest Ciri's Room and flags the next main mission for the story line: Family Matters.

The odd structure of this mission and the quests that sort of fold inside of it like paper in an envelope meant that we had to stick the following bit at the end in order to fit the rest in with some order...

The Bloody Baron Mission Objectives

• Go to the Baron's castle

• Follow the sergeant

• Find the Baron

• Talk to the Baron

Ciri's Story: The King of the Wolves

Help Ciri Escape

Flagged as part of The Bloody Baron Story - Suggested Level 5

Once again you need to assist Ciri in having her escape from the swamp in this very brief sub-mission section. This is officially the Side-Mission called Ciri's Story: The King of the Wolves...

Since these events are a sub-mission that take place enveloped inside the main Bloody Baron Mission it made sense to keep the sub-mission inside the structure of this one, which is why it is not split-out on its own like we usually do... Just saying.

As she makes her way along the riverbed she gets attacked by a pack of Wild Dogs and, after defeating them, she runs into a little girl during a CS and conversation, Ciri chats with the little girl and it works out that she is the most recent sacrifice to the hags - I mean the Ladies of the Wood - and Ciri is going to try to save her from being those three hags dinner!

The problem is the little girl is pretty much convinced she is out of options in terms of going home again.

So the little girl turns out to be named Gretka - which clearly is an homage to Gretal from the Grimm's Fairy Tale Hansel und Gretal in which a Witch who lives in the woods has this nasty habit of eating children.

Anyway the Witch captures them and etc. The original story being something of a cautionary tale that just because some old lady looks like your Großmutter - because even kindly old ladies sometimes eat children.

Actually the story pre-dates the 1812 book published by the Brothers Grimm - they were basically writing down stories that had previously been passed down from generation-to-generation as verbal lore and story telling. But still, yeah, total homage!

During the next stage and challenge Ciri must defeat another pack of Wild Wolves / Dogs preferably without dying because of course if SHE dies then Gretka is dead too!

There is actually a trick to this - the Wolves are not actually after you so much as they are trying to protect the pi;e of meat that used to be an animal that they recently killed-- the idea being they were feeding as a pack and Ciri and Gretka blundered in on that.

So yeah, the trick here is this: all that Ciri needs to do is retreat far enough back and away so that they lose interest in her; then she just needs to stand still while her body naturally recovers the health bar (hit points).

Once she has recovered her HP she can then resume the process of luring just two or three at a time away from the meat so that she can dispatch them.

After you deal with the pack a brief examination of the dead cow? It looked like a cow to me - tells you that whatever it was that killed it was NOT the Wolves... Food for thought.

As you push ahead you get another CS in which you encounter half the body of a man and his boat - pretty gross yeah? As you examine the body for clues you learn that he died recently - that he died in immense pain, with a crushed chest (you speculate something large picked him up and literally threw hi against a tree). Whatever it was gnawed off the man's legs and sucked out the marrow from his bones.

This is starting to sound familiar... Ciri discovers that the man's liver is gone - and she realizes that the Wolf King is actually a Werewolf!

Ciri lacks her Witcher Swords - but she decides that the only option is to make an Oil to coat her Steel Blade with - so she sets out to gather the ingredients required to make the Oil... You need to harvest the following reagents:

• x2 Fool's Parsley

• x3 Wolfsbane

For the record the purple flower plants are Wolfsbane and the very tall light-green leafy plants that grow near the water are Fool's Parsley. The reason we are telling you that is because while she has completed most of her Witcher training,

Ciri never underwent the Mutagen treatments that would have granted her the classic Witcher Powers - among them being Witcher Senses - so she actually has to FIND the plants and reagents she is looking for, she can't just sense them.

Once she has the required reagents she has to find a spot to build a fire and brew the Oil - which we see her doing in the CS. With that mischief managed Gretka goes to hide in the weeds and you do battle with the King of the Wolves - the local Werewolf...

As you move along the stream bed you encounter another Pack of Wolves who are feeding on a dead animal - and you see that they react very differently when you cut them with your freshly oiled blade (which we assume was the point)....

When you examine the body of a Wold Dog that they were feeding on you recognize immediately that the Wolves did not kill it either...

Gretka leads you along the stream bed and it is instantly evident that she is very familiar with this forest - and as you make your way through the cave you trigger another CS and the Werewolf! If you are fast enough with your attacks you should be able to kill it without it ever actually hitting you with its claws.

After the battle you meet a man in the cave who tries to tell you his story - but you are not interested!

You tell him the way things need to be - and he tells you about his Lord - leading you off to meet none other than the Bloody Baron himself!

The King of the Wolves Objectives

• Follow the riverbed and find help

• Kill the Wolves

• Follow Gretka

• Protect Gretka from the Wolves

• Kill the Wolves

• Follow Gretka

• Protect Gretka from the Wolves

• Kill the Wolves

• Gather Wolfsbane 3/3

• Gather Fool's Parsley 2/2

• Kill the Werewolf

Mission: Family Matters

Locate the missing mother and daughter

Automatically flagged at the completion of Bloody Baron - Suggested Level 6

The Baron turned out to be a tough negotiator who knew the full value of the information he possessed. He agreed to tell Geralt about Ciri on one condition: Geralt had to find his (missing) wife and daughter first.

The women had mysteriously disappeared a short time before. Though the Baron had moved heaven and earth to find them, all his efforts had proved fruitless.

After making the deal you convince the Baron to allow you to search the private rooms that belonged to his wife and daughter - and Geralt then followed him to them (the Baron was not willing to allow him to search alone).

Considering that the Baron is right there I did not try to loot any containers because well, because I did not think he would like that very much...

The clues highlight in red. Whether they are actually of any use? Well who can say?? But anyways we found the following:

• Broken Wooden Candlestick

• Missing Painting on Wall

• Painting of the Baron and his Wife conceals a hole in the wall

• Piece of Wooden Candlestick inside of the Armoire

• Fresh flowers on table

• Deep nicks in the post

• Wine Stains

• Wine Scent Trail

• Talisman on stair landing

Once you obtain the final clue it is time to chat with the Bloody Baron again...

Ask him about the Amulet and you learn about its source and purpose... Tell him that there were signs of a fight... Tell him about the Wine...

You tell him that it is time for you to go and have a chat with Pellar about that Amulet and the Baron walks off without even wishing you good luck!

On your way out of the main Keep Compound area and BEFORE you head through the gate turn around and speak with the Armorer at his forge - and specifically ask about the Master Armorer. That will trigger a CS and brief conversation in which the subject of master armorers comes up and it is revealed that the biggest issue with obtaining armor that is of the Master Level is down to the tools!

This flags the Secondary Quest Master Armorers... See that quest in the Velen Side Quests for the details.

After you depart the Keep and make your way along the highway you will encounter an old woman by a bridge outside of Blackbough who as a golden "!" quest symbol. Stop and talk to her to learn that she is being haunted by her long-dead husband, who wants her to place her wedding band in his grave. She cannot do it herself so she asks you to do it. This flags the Side Quest Last Rites.

When you arrive in the village outskirts you trigger a CS in which there are a bunch of soldiers looking to kill the Pellar. Unfortunately you need him alive - you have a choice. If your skill is high enough you can befuddle them with a Sign, if not you could pay them. Or you could fight them. There is another option that is not so obvious - simply ask them why they want to do the Pellar.

You learn that they blame his bad advice for their mate's illness. You can thus offer to cure their mate, and they accept. You tell them the cure and off they go, so you can bang on the Pellar's door.

A lengthy conversation ensues in which you learn that the man is really strange but actually does have certain powers...

After you conclude the conversation with the Pellar you need to read the Bestiary to learn about Botchlings and then head back to the Keep to confront the Baron.

When you arrive you see lightning strike the stables and set them on fire - you run up but nobody is doing anything and then you learn that the horses - and the Stable Hand - are trapped inside the burning stables! You rush into save them all!

Basically what you need to do is go up the ladder on the outside to gain access tot he hay loft - from there work your way around and down then through the wreckage to the main doors. Open them to trigger a CS in which the horses and Stable Hand escape, after which you confront the Baron and enrage him so that he attacks you.

You then have a fistfight with him that you win - at which point you interrogate him to learn what REALLY happened the night that his family disappeared.

In the rather lengthy conversation you end up explaining to the Baron what has to happen, starting with the two of you dealing with the Botchling.

The Baron leads you to the location of the grace - but it is empty! Then you both see the Botchling crawling up from the weeds. You have a choice - attack it or turn it. You want to turn it so select the second option, then have the Baron pick it up and carry it back to the Keep (better him then us!)

He picks it up and carries it back to the Keep, as you protect him from Wraith attacks and keep it subdued as necessary until you reach the new grave where you have him repeat the invocation and then the Botchling is named and embraced and then placed in the grave under the threshold and buried. Mischief managed!

That completes this part of the mission - and hey, well done! You order the Baron to go home even though he argues - but then he does not know WHY you want him gone does he?

You sit and wait for the change to happen then, once it is a Lubberkin you are ready to proceed. You use its spirit to locate the other members of the missing family - namely Anna and Tamara.

To accomplish this you perform a ritual that summons the spirit of the baby and then you follow the spirit as it leads you to the hut where the pair changed - then you find a dead horse and examine and then you are lead to a Fisherman's hut where you learn that Tamara is safe with the Fisherman's brother in Oxenfurt - but Anna? Not so much.

The Fisherman describes what he saw, and based on what he tells you about the marks you work out not only what happened, who made it happen, but where Anna is now! With that mystery solved you depart and dismiss the spirit.

When you return to the Keep you are confronted by the Pellar, who confronts you and asks for help with the ritual he wants to perform in order to free the trapped spirits. Once you agree to help he outlines what needs to happen and you flag the Side Quest Forefather's Eve.

When you pass through the inner keep gate the Stable Hand you saved stops you to give you a reward in thanks, and then as you approach the marker where the Baron is his Captain of the Guard stops you and tries to get you to tell him what went on that night.

You finally get to meet up with the Baron and talk to him - at which point you brief the Baron on the details of what you have discovered. He does not react well to that -convincing you to at least go check in on his daughter.

The Baron give you a letter of Safe Conduct to help you get to Oxenfurt - then he tells you about Ciri!

It is at this point that the Baron tells you that to hear any more you will have to go to Oxenfurt and verify that his daughter is healthy and well... But the conversation than digresses as he argues that while he is certainly not innocent in all of this he is not entirely at fault - that the blame is shared.

He realizes you don't think much of him so he insists on having his say, his attempt to convince you that he is telling the truth...

In the process you end up telling him about his wife - where she is, how she got there, and what it all means - and of course he reacts very badly to all of that. He insists he will march in with his men and remove his wife no matter what the Ladies think!

Of course now you have delivered the final element of the deal you struck, so it is his turn to deliver the rest of the story....

With the sub-mission completed your conversations with the Baron continues and you learn that he provided Ciri with a Letter of Safe Passage into Novigrad as well when she departed. You decide that you have to go to Novigrad - but before you go the Baron asks you to help him go and free his wife.

You try to convince him what a bad idea that is but he is going to go so you may as well go with him... Besides you sort of have to - well, if you want to complete the mission that is.

You then meet Uma - man? monster? - and the Baron tells you what he knows about it and how he acquired it.

That fully completes the Mission Family Matters and unlocks the Achievement: Family Counselor (15g) Find the baron's wife and daughter.

Completing this mission automatically flags the Side Quest Return to Crookback Bog.

The adventure in Crookback Bog will result in the completion of the Bloody Baron story line, and you can get the details for that in the appropriate mission/quest section of the guide. Note that once you complete that portion of the regional missions and quests, it will mark the end point of the story in Velen.

Summary Conclusions

At this point you have completed all of the story missions for this stage of the game, which is Act I. Velen. That doers NOT mean you are done in Velen mind you, just that the story now will progress to another region and the next section.

With that in mind we though it would be helpful for you to know what quests you will be returning here for, and around what Level you will be doing that at...

Objectives

• Follow the Baron

• Use your Witcher Senses to search the room

• Talk to the Baron about what you found

• Find the Pellar's hut

• Talk to the Pellar

• Read the Beastiary to learn more about botchlings

• Talk to the Baron

• Save the stable hand and horses trapped in the burning stable

• Open the main gate to the stables

• Defeat the Baron in a fistfight

• Talk to the Baron about what you found

• Follow the Baron.

• Follow the Baron to the castle's entrance

• Protect the Baron from the Wraiths

• Use hte Axii SIgn to calm the Botchling

• Follow the Baron to the castle's entrance

• Protect the Baron from the Wraiths

• Use hte Axii SIgn to calm the Botchling

• Follow the Baron to the castle's entrance

• Summon the Lubberkin where the Botchling is buried

• Follow the Lubberkin

• Search the area around the smokehouse using your Witcher Senses

• Follow the Lubberkin

• Find Tamara, the Baron's daughter, in Oxenfurt.

• Talk to the Baron about his family

Mission: A Princess in Distress

You will automatically flag this sub-mission after you obtain the bell and go looking for - and find - the goat named Princess. When you find the goat you will have to battle a pack of Wolves. Once they are defeated this sub-mission is flagged.

Lead the goat by ringing the bell to have it follow you. When you reach the area with the bear the mission updates and then you need to kill the bear.

After that just keep ringing the bell and leading the goat until you reach the Pellar and voila! Sub-mission completed!

Objectives

• Find the Pellar's goat using the bell and your Witcher Senses

• Bring the goat to the Pellar

• Defend the goat from the bear

• Use the bell to lead the goat to the Pellar

Mission: Ciri's Story: The Race

As the Baron relates the events of Ciri's visit you get a flashback in which you once again take control of Ciri - this time for a Horse Race in which she has bet her sword against the Baron's finest black horse.

You race against the Baron and beat him, but as you are about to celebrate your victory a giant Basilisk attacks! Which is where the story temporarily ends.

Objectives

• Beat the Baron in the horse race

Mission: Ciri's Story: Out of the Shadows

As Ciri's story resumes she and the Baron are battling the Basilisk and it ends up mostly dead but alive enough to grab the Baron and fly off with him to the top of the nearby tower!

Ciri gives chase, and ends up Saving the Baron's life. Well of course she does! And that made a big impression on him. Big. But it is time for Ciri to depart it seems as she is sure that using her power has tipped The Wild Hunt to her location.

Objectives

• Kill the Basilisk

• Get to the top of teh tower and rescue the Baron