How to Start Paperchase in Witcher 3: Blood and Wine¶

This quest is a little more obscure than the previous quests in Beauclair, as you can’t pick it off a Notice Board. Instead you’ll need to talk to a Vineyard owner who is standing northwest of the Armorer shop, who will remind Geralt that he helped him in the past, and he intends to repay such aid. In fact, he made a deposit at the Cianfanelli Bank in your name - all you need to go is go to the bank and claim it. Simple, right?

Make your way to The Gran Place signpost and from there head west to reach Cianfanelli Bank. Once inside, continue west to reach some teller windows and talk to the teller behind the central of the three windows and attempt to withdraw your money… which ultimately ends with a bit of a complication. See, back in the day, Geralt suffered a slight case of… well, death, and banks aren’t keen on giving money to dead men who come walking in.

Permit A38¶

In any event, you’ll need to secure Permit A38 from Window 1. Turn northeast, walk past a seated Bank Customer and go through a door to reach the office you seek, where you’ll have to talk to another teller. Sadly, you won’t have any more luck here from this obviously work-jaded woman. Pick whatever dialogue options you wish and you’ll ultimately be told to go upstairs to the records office… or downstairs, to the archives?

Ah, bureaucracy. Save yourself some time and head upstairs, as what you seek isn’t in the archives. Make your way to the southern end of the main floor, where you’ll find some stairs, ascend them, then head north to reach the records office. You’ve got no choice but to cut in front of a Bank Customer, who will naturally object to your poor behavior… and no, you don’t have the option to be polite and wait for your turn, so… screw him. Enter the records office, talk to Bank Clerk, and you’ll find that this is indeed the place to get Permit A38! Sadly, you need Form 202, first, and to get that you’ll be told to head back down to Window 1.

Form 202¶

Leave the records office where the man you cut in front of will be quite upset. Upset enough that he’ll pick a fight with Geralt (it doesn’t matter what you say), which will take place outside of the bank, at the insistence of some guards. Pummel your fellow Bank Customer (level thirty-six), then head back into the bank.

Return to Window 1 only to find that it’s not longer being tended to. Damn lazy bank tellers! Use your Witcher Senses to follow the scent trail to the western windows and interact with the middle one again to try to get somebody to do their damn job… an ultimately futile effort. After being chased off, go sit by the Bank Customer sitting near Window 1, who will engage you in some small talk. Eventually you’ll get a choice where you decision does matter somewhat; respond with “Why not.” to pass the time with some Gwent - he’ll field a moderately powerful Scoia’tael deck - or say “See you know your way around here.”

Greasing the Wheels¶

Win, lose, or refuse, the end result in the same either way; your scheming fellow bank customer will tell you some practical, obvious advice. Time to turn on the charm! Once you’re back in the Window 1 office, talk to the teller again and you’ll get three options after fussing over Form 202: you can give her flowers, perfume, or you can simply use Geralt’s suave words to brighten her day by saying “Tell you the truth, I’m really just here to see you.” Oh, you heart-breaker you… All three options will successfully woo the teller, but giving her flowers will also net you some experience.

When Cianfanelli shows up, you’ll get another experience reward, and the dwarf will - after you demand your money - ask you about your business before making excuses for his own. Poor bankers, a profession well-known for the financial hardship of its honest practitioners, whose plight arouses the sympathy of all. Follow him downstairs and he’ll eventually unlock the vault and direct you to your money, in deposit box 256.

Paperchase: Best Choiuce and Rewards¶

Enter the southwestern-most cell and search the deposit box there only to make a discovery which… well, Geralt’s not a happy Witcher, and Cianfanelli clearly anticipated your wrath. Your next response to the cowardly, slimy banker actually matters in terms of your reward, and the trouble you have to go through to get it.

Respond with “I’ll rip that coin out of your throat if I have to.” and Cianfanelli will sic his guards (level thirty-six) on you. This isn’t quite a normal fist-fight, as your foes are… well, they’re a little shorter than you’re used to, and they’re armed with clubs. Blocking is out, and the area is rather confined, making an already tricky situation of fighting two foes with your fists even harder. Fight defensively, dodge frequently, don’t let them back you into a corner, and take what hits you can. Once one has fallen, you can simply close on the other and spam light attacks until the remaining guard falls - you can’t block them, but they can’t block you, either.

If you win, search the guards until you claim a Massive Key from one of them, exit the vault, then head upstairs to confront Cianfanelli, who finally pays you… although for all the work you had to go through, one has to wonder if it was worth it. If you lose the fight against the guards, you’ll be tossed outside in the rain, along with the coin Cianfanelli owes you. Either way, you’re not welcome back.

On the other hand, if you’re generous enough to give Cianfanelli time to acquire the coin he stole from you (respond with “Got a week.”), you won’t have to fight his goons. Unfortunately you’ll have to wait seven days before you can return and claim your money. Either go off and do other things, or meditate outside the bank until enough time has passed. When you return to Cianfanelli, he’ll give you what he was able to scrap together - more than double the coin you’d have gained if you decided to threaten Cianfanelli, and a unique sword. Still probably less than it should be, but it’s the best you’re going to get out of this ordeal.

Therefore, the best choice to Paperchase in a purely reward focused way is the option to give Cianfanelli time to pay you back. It’s certainly going to go a long way that money, especially if you intent to upgrade your own vineyard.