Velen is one of the major regions you are free to explore in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, given its sheer scope and size, it has a ton of content packed in, including contracts, bandit camps, treasures, and secondary quests. This area serves as an intro for the game and sets the tone with its dark atmosphere.
In this guide, we’ll be looking at all the secondary missions Velen has to offer. We’ll cover their exact locations, and recommended levels, along with their prerequisites and a brief walkthrough.
Magic Lamp
Location: The Mire
Recommended level: 6
Requirements: Start the main quest ‘Wandering in the Dark’.
During the main quest ‘Wandering in the Dark’ Keira will ask you to recover a lamp. You can either refuse or accept her request. If you accept, she’ll lead you to a room with a riddle.
Solve the riddle and you’ll be able to pick up the lamp. Exit the room to conclude this secondary quest and continue with the main quest ‘Wandering in the Dark’. This lamp will come in use during a few other quests in the Velen region in The Witcher 3 and a few afterwards.
An Invitation from Keira Metz
Location: This quest can be started by talking to Keira Metz at her hut in the northeast of Midcopse.
Recommended level: 6
Requirements: Complete the quests ‘Magic Lamp’ and ‘Hunting a Witch’.
Go to the location on the map above and talk to Keira Metz. When you walk in on her, she’ll be using the magic lamp she acquired during your previous quest with her. She’ll then ask you to remove a curse over Fyke Isle.
Before exiting her hut, Keira gives you a Xenovox, the magic lamp she was using, and a boat to take you to Fkye Isle. As soon as you exit, the next quest, a Towerful of Mice begins.
A Towerful of Mice
Location: This quest begins automatically after the previous quest, ‘An Invitation from Keira Metz’ ends at Keira Metz’s hut.
Recommended level: 6
Requirements: Complete the quest ‘An Invitation from Keira Metz’.
Take the boat Keira offered you and make your way to Fyke Isle. Upon reaching the tower of the Isle, you’ll notice a large number of rats swarming the area with several dead bodies. Keira will instruct Geralt to find the mage’s lab. When you reach the lab, use the magic lamp to speak with the ghost of Anabelle, the former lord of Fkye Isle’s daughter.
She’ll explain the situation around the curse and the mice and how the mage Alexander caused it. To break the curse, Anabelle asks you to bring bones to her lover, Graham. You can either refuse or accept Anabelle’s offer.
Refusing the offer reveals that Anabelle is the plague maiden, however, she is invincible and can only be killed after you bring Graham to her. On the other hand, accepting the offer sets the plague maiden free. Both choices break the curse. Return to Keira to finish the quest.
A Favor for a Friend
Location: This quest can be started by talking to Keira Metz at her hut in the northeast of Midcopse.
Recommended level: 6
Requirements: Complete the quest ‘A Towerful of Mice.’
After informing Keira that the curse has been lifted in Fyke Isle, she’ll ask Geralt to look for items that were supposed to be delivered to her but never arrived.
Make your way to Hangman’s Alley and use your Witcher senses to locate the caravan. Search it to find Keira’s package and bring it back to her.
When you bring the package, she’ll ask you to play along with her as Prince Charming. Say yes and race her on horseback to the next location.
Here you’ll have a choice to pursue Keira romantically. Your decision has the same outcome (Keira puts you to sleep) and it won’t affect your relationship with Yennefer.
For the Advancement of Learning
Location: This quest can be started on Fyke Island, south of mainland Velen.
Recommended level: 8
Requirements: Complete the secondary quest ‘A Favor for a Friend’.
Upon reaching the island you’ll discover Keira stealing the Mage Alexander’s notes on the plague that infested the area.
She reveals that she’ll exchange these notes for her freedom by giving these notes to Radovid. Here you’ll have three options:
- Send Keira to Kaer Morhen
- Let her go to Radovid
- Kill her
A Dog’s Life
Location: This of the Velen secondary quests in The Witcher 3 can be started by traveling to the road northwest of Drudge.
Recommended level: 5
Requirements: none
As you get to this road, you’ll find a pack of wolves swarming a single pup. Save the dog by slaying the wolves and check the dog’s collar to find a key.
Follow the dog into Drudge and eliminate the bandits that attack you. Enter the house near the bandits and make use of your Witcher Senses, to locate and pry open loose floor pieces. Open the chest inside to find a note and complete the quest.
A Greedy God
Location: The Witcher 3 quest can be started by heading south of the Wastrel Manor in Velen.
Recommended Level: 7
Requirements: Complete the main quest ‘The Eye of Nehaleni’.
Travel to the southern end of the Wastrel Manor to find 2 peasants across a few ruins. Interact with them to begin this of the Velen quests in The Witcher 3.
Travel to the statue and interact with it. Now use your Witcher Senses to locate a bottle with vinegar scent, hidden behind a crack.
Utilize the Eye of Nehaleni to locate a hidden cellar, and follow the path to find the Allgod. You now have three options to choose from:
- Take him out
- Persuade him to take the meager offerings
- Avoid negotiating with him
Now return and tell the peasants the conclusion to finish the side quest.
At the Mercy of Strangers
Location: The quest takes place West of Mulbrydale.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
Head west from Mulbrydale and you’ll come across three Drowners and some wolves near the riverside. Slay them all and proceed towards shrieks using your Witcher’s Senses.
After you reach the man named John Verdun, you can either untie him or leave him to die there. If you let him live, you’ll meet him again in Novigrad.
Bitter Harvest
Location: The quest takes place on the Velen side of the river, at the Scavenger Camp close to the Border Post.
Recommended level: 9
Requirements: none
The mission can be initiated by approaching Albin and interacting with him. Albin can be found by heading southeast from the Border Post.
You’ll encounter a shady merchant either before or after the interaction. Geralt will be requested to save both Albin’s men and the merchant from the Necrophages, which you must accept.
The first objective will be to fend off the ghoul attack and protect Albin and his men. Stay close to Albin to prevent him from dying.
Fend off 4 waves of attacks to complete the objective. Note that the next wave can still begin before the previous one is dealt with. You may also have to deal with bandits on the Southern border.
The mission fails if Albin dies.
Blood Ties
Location: The quest can be started by interacting with a noblewoman close to the Nilfgaardian Central Army Camp.
Recommended level: 12
Requirements: none
The noblewoman in the tent will ask you to help find her son. You must then interrogate the Quartermaster of the army camp, you will now have three options to choose from.
- Bribe him 100 crowns
- Use Axi on him (this requires level 2 delusion)
- Complete Contract: Patrol Gone Mission (if already completed he will tell straight away)
Once told the boy’s location, travel to the region between Kimblot Way and Nilarius Farm. Now use your Witcher Senses to track clues including tracks and a dead horse.
Follow the track to find out that the boy is already dead. Tell the mother about her son’s fate, you then have to choose to lie or tell the truth about how he died.
Caravan Attack
Location: The quest can be started by heading towards Marauder’s Bridge and going in the Northwest direction to find the caravan hidden within the dirt paths close to the ponds.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
You’ll hear an argument between a group of bandits and a couple of merchants. Take out the bandits and rescue the merchant to complete the quest.
One of the merchants will later be found at Crow’s Perch and you can purchase items from him.
Ciri’s Room
Location: This of the Velen quests can be started by going to Ciri’s room in the Cast Village area in Crows Perch in Witcher 3.
Recommended level: 5
Requirements: none
In this quest, Geralt has to simply search Ciri’s former room for clues of her whereabouts. The three clues required are:
- The Natural Obscurity of Curses (book)
- Ciri’s clothes
- A Spinning top
The book reveals that Ciri was researching curses. Head to the kitchen and talk to Gretka. She won’t have any substantial information about Ciri but giving her the spinning top concludes this quest.
Deadly Crossing (I)
Location: This Witcher 3 series of quests can be started by traveling to the Troll Bridge east of Keira’s hut and north of Claywatch in Velen.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
When you reach the area marked on the map above, you’ll find a couple of bandits blocking your path. Here you’ll have three options:
- Pay the bandits 50 Crowns
- Kill the bandits
- Use Axii to convince them to let you through
Deadly Crossing (II)
Location: The second Deadly Crossing encounter can be started by traveling to the bridge that lies to the south of Mulbrydale.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
Upon reaching the bridge you’ll discover several looters blocking your path while trying to sell you a relic sword; Mourner. Here, you’ll have three options:
- Buy the sword for 525 Crowns
- Refuse and continue forward
- Kill the looters and take the sword for free
Deadly Crossing (III)
Location: The third Deadly Crossing encounter is found to the west of Dragonslayer’s Grotto
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
Unlike the previous two encounters, you won’t have to make a choice here. Simply kill the already hostile enemies to finish the quest.
Death by Fire
Location: The Witcher 3 quests can be started by heading to the western path of the Codgers’ Quarry in Velen and locating the huts there.
Recommended level: 10
Requirements: none
Find the burning hut surrounded by bandits. You can choose to leave, or you can fight the bandits. If the second option is chosen, you have an additional option of either finishing off the bandits yourself or using Aard and unlocking the door to allow the elf to assist you with their bow.
Interact with the elf after finishing off the bandits, who’ll request you to find the stump with your reward. Activate your Witcher Senses to find the stump and complete the mission.
Defender of the Faith
Location: This of the Velen secondary quests in Witcher 3 can be started by locating the old Women in the Shrine at Duen Hen or the area between Blackbough and the Cow’s Perch.
Recommended level: 10
Requirements:
This simple quest requires you to fix some religious shrines (you only need to pick up the statues and straighten them up). You’ll find the statues in Duen Hen, East Blackbough, and Southeast of Byways Signpost.
After fixing the last shrine, you’ll face off the vandal. At this point, you can either leave him to his chores i.e., destroying religious shrines, or tackle him to conclude the optional mission.
Face Me if You Dare! (I)
Location: To start this series of Velen quests, simply head to the crossroads near the Crows Perch signpost in Witcher 3.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
Here you’ll meet Ronvid of the Small Marsh who will challenge Geralt to a fight. Once you bring his health down, he’ll yield. Ronvid will appear two more times later on in the game in Novigrad.
Fake Papers
Location: Travel to the Scavenger Camp south of the Border Post to start this quest.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
The borders to Radania have been sealed and require a pass for entry. Approach the shady merchant to purchase a counterfeit. Three options are available to you.
You can either pay the full price of the pass which is 100 crowns or use Axii after asking for more options. The third option here is to rescue the merchant’s brother-in-law, choosing which will require the completion of the quest Bitter Harvest.
Albin must be kept alive when completing the mission or else the merchant will refuse to do further business. The price of the pass will decrease to just 25 crowns should you successfully save Albin.
Fists of Fury: Velen
Location: This quest can be started by picking it up from the noticeboard outside the Inn in Blackbough.
Recommended level: 11
Requirements: none
For this secondary quest, you simply have to defeat your opponent in a one-on-one fistfight.
Fools’ Gold
Location: This secondary quest in Velen can be started by talking to a couple of bandits in Lurtch.
Recommended level: 6
Requirements: none
Talk to the three bandits roasting a hog, soon they’ll become hostile to an approaching NPC; Yontek. Yontek claims the bandits are eating Yagoda, a woman in his village. Kill the bandits and talk to the Yontek who’ll reveal that his entire village has been turned into pigs.
Examine the pigs in the village using your Witcher senses and talk to Yontek once more. He’ll give you a key and directions to where you need to go next. Upon reaching the area marked on your map, you’ll find Igor, the village herbalist who’s also been transformed into a pig.
Proceeding further into the area reveals a pig shrine and upon close examination, you discover that it has been robbed of its gold. Make your way back to Yontek who’ll reveal that he knows where the gold is. Herd the pigs as Yontek recovers the gold.
Take the pigs and head back to the pig shrine. Defeat any enemies that appear and the quest will conclude.
Forefathers’ Eve
Location: This secondary quest takes place on Fkye Isle
Recommended level: 7
Requirements: Complete the quest ‘A Towerful of Mice’.
After you complete the quest A Towerful of Mice, a Pellar will contact you in one of two locations; outside of Keira’s hut or Crow’s Perch. He will contact you at the latter location only if you’ve completed the Botching section of the Family Matters questline.
He’ll ask you to meet him at the stone circle in Fkye Isle at midnight. When you make your way there, you’ll discover a ritual taking place. All you have to do is kill all the enemies that spawn.
As the ritual progresses it’ll soon be revealed that this is a Necromancy ritual with the Pellar trying to revive his deceased father. Three Witch hunters will also appear trying to stop the Pellar. You’ll have three choices here
- Leave
- Kill the Pellar
- Defend the Pellar from the Witch hunters
If you kill the witch hunters, wraiths will appear and the Pellar will help you take them down. After confronting the Pellar you’ll need to burn his father’s body to finish the quest.
Funeral Pyres
Location: Travel to the Border Posy and head west of Mulbrydale, now interact with the priest here to begin the quest.
Recommended level: 3
Requirements: none
The priest assigns you the task of burning the bodies of the dead to complete the ritual, you are handed holy oil to do so.
You can go about burning the bodies in the order that you please. Southwest of your beginning position your path will be sealed off by a Rotfiend and wild dogs, take them out and light up the bodies in the area with Igni.
Now head north from here and take out the ghouls in the area before burning off the bodies here.
Now head to the third site to save Titus Gielas by taking out the ghouls. Titus informs you that he was left to die here by the priest who then hired the Witcher to burn off the evidence.
You can choose to believe him or not but the mission is completed once the conversation ends and you burn off the rest of the bodies.
The Fall of the House of Reardon and Ghosts of the Past
Location: Reardon Manor
Recommended level: 6
Requirements: none
You can start ‘The Fall of the House of Reardon’ through notice boards. You’ll need to listen to the lady, Dolores who’ll tell you that her manor has been taken over by monsters.
At this location, you’ll discover several booby traps and a barn that has a faint noise emanating from it. Upon reaching the loft you’ll discover a man named Letho (a former Witcher) who’ll reveal that he’s on the run. This will start the secondary quest ‘Ghosts of the Past.’
A few men will approach the barn shortly after. Here, Letho will reveal that only one person, his friend Louis knew of his whereabouts. After you kill the men, he’ll ask you to join him in hunting down Louis for his betrayal. You can choose to go or you can decline his offer.
Follow the marker to find Louis who’s at a bandit camp. Letho will then decide that his friend is a traitor who must die. After taking care of the bandits, Louis reveals the man who paid him off; Arnount Vester.
Follow Letho to the next location where he asks you not to interfere. He’ll blow up a cabin drawing out Vester. In the ensuing fight, Letho will take an arrow to the shoulder and after taking out a few bandits, will collapse to the ground.
At this point, Geralt will jump in and deal with the bandits. Once all is said and done it’ll be revealed that Letho is alive and he only faked his death to escape the bounty hunters. This concludes the ‘Ghost of the Past’ quest while speaking to the old lady concludes ‘The Fall of the House of Reardon’ quest.
Gwent: Velen Players
Location: Noticeboard in Blackbough
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
In this quest, Geralt has to defeat several Gwent players.
Harassing a Troll
Location: Venture to the Forest region northwest to the Inn at the crossroad to initiate this quest.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
Once the Quest is started head to the riverbank near a camp area. You’ll encounter 5 Nekkers busy cornering a rock troll. Take all of them out.
You’ll then be given an option between choosing to interrogate the troll about the Nekker Soup or ignoring it. The mission will be completed either way and you also have an opportunity to receive an elf head.
Hazardous Goods
Location: This Velen secondary quest in Witcher 3 is started when you travel Northwest of Lurtch, on the path between Reardon Manor and Benek.
Recommended level: 7
Requirements: Complete the side quest ‘Ghosts of the Past’.
On the route northwest of Lurtch, you’ll encounter a cart filled with plague victims and a man named Gert Borel being swarmed by a bunch of ghouls.
Take down the ghouls and speak with the man, then use Igni to set his cart ablaze.
In a few days, Gert Borel will be seen again, this time east of Reardon Manor. He would be suffering from the Black Pox disease, burn him to end his pain and complete the mission.
Highway Robbery
Location: To start this quest head to the road that’s between Crow’s Perch and Boatmaker’s Hut.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
Simply kill all the bandits here to complete this quest.
Highwayman’s Cache
Location: This Velen secondary quest in Witcher 3 can be initiated by traveling to the trail en route to Bandits’ Camp, east of Boatmaker’s Hut.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
You’ll encounter 3 bandits, close to a wooden bridge. They need your Coin to cross the bridge.
Now you have two options either to engage them in combat or to tell them your identity Geralt of Rivia, the second option will make them flee.
Make you of your Witcher Senses and near the bonfire to find the hidden treasure.
In the Eternal Fire’s Shadow
Location: Outside Devil’s Pit
Recommended Level: 15
Requirement: none
Right outside Devil’s Pit, you’ll come across a Deacon belonging to the Church of Eternal Fire who’ll ask you to get rid of a plague in exchange for some crowns.
Enter the Devil’s Pit, kill any enemies you find there, and enter the mine. Explore the mine until you come across a note from Reinald, which discusses what lurks in the depths of the mine which just so happen to be victims of the plague.
Keep heading inward and follow the Witcher insignia on the ground. Keep going straight until you come upon a damaged wall. Use Aard to break it and then examine the bodies behind it.
Continue forward until you come upon a larger room with plague enemies. Defeat them and power through until you reach a set of double doors. Beyond this door is this quest’s boss fight, who just so happens to be Reinald.
Defeat the boss and make your way back to the Deacon to finish the quest.
Last Rites
Location: This quest can be started by speaking to the lady on the road to the north of Blackbough
Recommended level: 9
Requirements: Complete the side quest ‘Defenders of the Faith’.
The lady will reveal that she’s being haunted by her husband’s ghost and to stop this from happening she asks Geralt to place her wedding ring on her husband’s grave.
Locate the grave using Witcher senses and place the ring on it. Upon going to her hut for your reward, her granddaughter will reveal that the lady Geralt talked to died several years ago.
Looters (I)
Location: The first Looters encounter can be found to the east of Heatherton.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
Kill all eight of the looters to finish this quest.
Looters (II)
Location: The next looters encounter takes place at Codger’s Quarry.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
If you approach with your weapon unsheathed the looters present there will be instantly hostile and you’ll have no choice but to kill you. However, if you approach with your sword sheathed, they’ll first engage in dialogues and then require your help as they get attacked by a group of necrophages.
Toward the right side of the entrance of the mine, you’ll find a lootable treasure chest.
Looters (III)
Location: The third and final looters’ quests take place in the village of Toderas in Velen in The Witcher 3.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
When you approach the village, you’ll encounter two groups quarreling over who gets to loot the bodies of the villagers they just killed. Here you can either choose to insult them which will result in you fighting all seven of these looters or you can simply walk away.
Loves Cruel Snares
Location: The mission takes place in Condyle.
Recommended level: 10
Requirements: Eliminate the pirates in the Boatyard abandoned site and the island to the west
On the Northeast of Condoyle, interact with a crying girl whose fiancé has gone missing.
Using your Witcher Senses track down the footprints, leading you to a bunch of wild dogs. The body ripped apart belongs to the fiancé. Slay the dogs and return to the girl to inform her and complete the mission.
Lynch Mob
Location: The quest can be started in Hangman’s Alley, note that the quest is easy to miss by just passing by or by starting the A Favour for a Friend quest.
Recommended level: 7
Requirements: none
You’ll encounter a lynch peasant mob holding a Nilfgaardian deserter captive, preparing to hang him. You have the option to intervene and take out the mob or mind your own business.
Man’s Best Friend
Location: This one of the Velen secondary quests in Witcher 3 can be completed by the Inn found at the Crossroads.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
As travel past the Inn on the route between the Crossroads and Border Post, you’ll encounter a Farmer’s Hut. You’ll find the hut besieged by a Wild Dog, eliminate it, and knock on the door. As you go inside, you’ll notice four starving children.
You can wish to simply leave as is or choose to give them Food or Crowns, doing the latter will complete the secondary quest.
Races: Crows Perch
Location: This quest can be started by picking it up from the notice board in Crow’s Perch.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
Simply complete all three races with Roach to complete this quest.
Take What You Want
Location: This quest can be started in the area north of Keira Metz’s hut
Recommended level: 25
Requirements: Complete the side quest ‘Where the Cat and Wolf play…”
Here you’ll meet a couple of bandits guarding an entrance to Gaeten’s stash. Kill them and loot the stash the complete this quest.
The Truth is in the Stars
Location: The Quest takes place at Benkelhan, Dragsroot Cave.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: none
Speak with the Old Sage near the Large Windmill and give him something to eat. After inquiring about your future, the Old Sage will ask you to bring some Dragonsroot.
Head towards the southeast edge and inside the cavern. Once you’re inside, use your Witcher’s Senses to locate the Dragonsroot and return it to the Old Sage to conclude the optional quest after a dialogue.
Thou Shalt Not Pass
Location: This secondary quest can be initiated by interacting with the guard found on the Western Gate or the bridge on the path to the Border Post.
Recommended level: none
Requirements: Complete the side quest ‘Fake Papers’.
The bridges across the Ponta River are closed off, however, after interacting with the guards present in the area you are told that a Permission Pass will be needed to go through.
The Pass can be obtained after completing the Fake Papers side quest, so scroll up to its relevant section for more information regarding that quest.
Where the Cat and Wolf Play…
Location: Honorton
Recommended level: 25
Requirements: Complete the contract “The Beast of Honorton”
After you complete the contract, investigate the huts until you see a little girl running off in the distance. Find her doll, give it to her and she’ll give you a medallion belonging to the house of the cat.
Head to the area the little girl told you about to find Gaeten. Here you can kill him or spare him. If you spare him, he’ll tell you why he spared the girl while he butchered the rest of the village, additionally, you’ll also get access to the side quest ‘Take What you Want’.
You can kill him too. Talk to the little girl once more to finish this quest.
Wild at Heart
Location: This one of the Witcher 3 quests can be started in Blackbough or by picking up the contract through several noticeboards in Velen.
Recommended level: 7
Requirements: none
Talk to Niellen (who’ll be standing beside his sister-in-law; Margit) and agree to look for his missing wife and child. Head to the markers and investigate the area until you come upon a corpse surrounded by wolves.
Margit will then appear. She’ll try to bribe you to lie to Niellen as she believes he deserves better. You can accept or refuse. If you accept and talk to Niellen the quest ends there. If you ignore her then you can continue to investigate.
Continue to investigate until you reach the isolated shack. Search around the shack, and use your Witcher senses to follow the trail of the blood to the werewolf’s lair. Once you get the werewolf down to half its health, Margit walks in and reveals her plan; she knew Niellen was a werewolf and hoped that by telling her sister this she would leave him.
The plan backfires and Niellen kills his wife in a blind fury. Here, you can allow Niellen to kill Margit or defend her. Either way, he’ll attack you once more. Kill him to conclude the quest.
Witcher Wannabe
Location: The quest can be found on the Notice Boards in Downwarren, Oreton, and Crow’s Perch while the mission takes place in Lindenvale.
Recommended level: 10
Requirements: Complete the contract ‘Merry Widow’ and let five in-game days pass
Once there in Lindenvale, an alderman informs you of another Witcher in the region. Head to the cemetery and make use of your Witcher’s Sense to find the impostor.
Slay the Ghouls at the back of the cemetery, saving the impostor. You can now either choose to expose the impostor to the townsfolk or keep his secret. If you do expose him you can either convince the people to spare him or leave the decision to the elder.
