Another Salamandra Hideout¶

Now let’s return to Leuvaarden, who certainly must be done deciphering those documents by now. Ask him what he learned, and he’ll tell you that the documents disclosed the last Salamandra base in the Merchant Quarter. The bad news? It’s beyond the supervised zone, and hence off-limits. Fortunately, however, we have a friend in the guards who will help us out. We need to go around the Trade Quarter and talk to various “Guard Officers” (big guys in plate armor). Give the correct one the password “The lily has yet to be engulfed by fire.” to which he’ll respond “Three lillies make one.”

The problem here is that we have no way to tell which officer is the correct one. So go bug random “Guard Officers” until you get the correct one. At least it’s amusing when Geralt approaches the wrong one. You’ll be told to meet in the sewers at midnight. By now, we’re used to this kind of thing.

Enter the Sewers via the entrance in the Trade Quarter and rest until midnight-if it’s not already close. The meeting point is on the opposite end of the tunnel from the door leading to the Trade Quarter. When you approach the Guard Officer and his Guardsmen, they’ll set up a ladder and warn you that the Salamanders are vigilant. Head up the ladder to reach the area beyond the Supervised Zone.

Head north to reach the Salamandra Hideout… it’s really the only place you can go right now. Inside you’ll see a group of Salamanders trying to use a scrying mirror to contact somebody. It seems that Salamandra is having difficulties, and are requesting funds from an outside source. They are disappointed, however, when the figure they’ve conjured turns them down, citing disgust with some of their endeavors- namely the Fisstech trade and their research into mutations. You’ll be overheard shortly, and will have to fight a trio of potent Salamandra Officers and a Salamandra Mage-potions might come in handy if you’re having trouble.

Once the Salamanders are dead head over to “Hartmann’s Mirror” and talk to the figure projected therein, Radovid the Stern, King of Redania. He’ll confess to contemplating using Salamandra as a political tool in the past, but has changed his mind. Geralt isn’t very polite, and Radovid isn’t very helpful, but he will mention Adda. This updates “All the King’s Men” . Grab the “Seeing Stone” nearby to update the quest “Lock and Key” . Head into the cellar and slaughter some low-quality Salamanders, loot, then leave the building.

The Witcher and the Werewolf¶

Outside, Geralt will see a group of Salamanders worth slaying. He’ll dispatch one who separates from the pack to take a piss, but he finds that the others have been mauled by a Werewolf. The Werewolf spares some peasant who just happens to show up at the wrong time, then Geralt and the Werewolf engage in a little cat-and-mouse.. or Witcher and Werewolf.. it’s hard to determine who’s the predator and who’s the prey in this situation.

After a rather lengthy cutscene, the Werewolf will talk to Geralt, revealing itself to be none other than Captain Vincent. This explains his disappearances at night-he’s off playing vigilante supercop.. fantasy medieval style. Carmen and Vincent, huh? Anyways, you’re left with two choices here-either you can spare Vincent, a monster who is using his curse to harm criminals, or you can take the hardline Witcher’s stance-monsters are monsters and deserve to die.

The Witchers Three take the same stance on Vincent as they did concerning the Vampires in the brothel earlier. The Order-aligned and Scoia’tael-aligned Witchers spare Vincent, but the neutral Witcher picks a fight. Either way, the quests “Identity” , “Lock and Key” , and “Beauty and the Beast” are updated. If you kill Vincent, you’ll fail the quest “Beauty and the Beast” , obviously, and you’ll also deny yourself some help later on. On the plus side, however, you’ll get Werewolf’s Fur , with which you can create the potion “Werewolf’s Wrath” . If you drink said potion you’ll learn the “Predator” talent. What an evil game, forcing you to choose between earning a talent and failing a quest.

Head into the Old Forge, where Geralt will become uneasy, and will suggest (to himself, apparently) that he check the cellar. Once down there he’ll find the lair of Vincent the Werewolf. It’s no exaggeration that Vincent considers himself a crime-fighting superhero. There are all manners of weapons, armor, and miscellany down here-but only a single barrel to loot. Ah well, head through the trap-door to the Sewers.

Now, before we bother with this Seeing Stone we should see to every little unfinished bit of business in Vizima, as turning it in sets us heading towards the end of this chapter. Thankfully, we have little left to do-if you’ve been following this guide, we just need to deal with Vincent’s lycanthropy.

Head over to the Eager Thighs Brothel and talk to Carmen. When Geralt reveals that he knows who the Werewolf is, she’ll beg you not to kill him. You can learn Carmen’s real name, if you wish (I’m not sure why this now comes up as a dialogue option… but it’s Hela, if you care) but more importantly you can tell her about the first potential cure. Geralt tells her to make a shirt made of Fool’s Parsley, and if you have some on you, you can go ahead and give it to her now. Leave and return and ask her how it went. Not surprisingly, a stupid shirt wasn’t enough. Time for “Plan B”.

Travel to Kalkstein’s House and use the teleporter downstairs to travel to the Swamp Tower, where you can talk to the alchemist. Ask him to make a potion to cure lycanthropy. He’d normally refuse, but since you’re all awesome and stuff, he’ll agree. Leave the tower and return and the potion will be done in record time… minus one vital ingredient, the tear of a virgin. That Kalkstein assumed this “maiden” we need the potion for is a virgin is rather amusing, given her actual occupation, but to be fair Geralt was vague when describing what he needed it for.

Now, to find a virgin.. we know that none of Geralt’s close friends (especially any female acquaintances) are virgins… Still, there have to be some out there, and fortunately, there are. In the Temple Quarter you can get a Nurse from the Hospital to contribute, and Siegfried (if he’s still on speaking terms with you after the bank heist.) In the Trade Quarter a Townswoman walking the streets will claim to be a virgin, as will a female Brickmaker. It might take a few tries, and some of these self-proclaimed virgins seem rather dubious, but once you have your tear, return to Carmen. Give her the potion, then leave the brothel-or enter another building-return, and talk to her again. Seems that this was a bust, too (nobody in this damn game is a virgin!). Time for the final, even laughable, attempt.

Talk to Carmen again and mention that love can turn beasts into men. Carmen will air some of her relationship problems with Vincent. Have Geralt tell Carmen to tell Vincent she loves him. Instead, she’ll ask you to go talk to him. Given how Geralt handled things with Triss and Shani, he’s probably the last person who should be doing this… but what can you do?

Head over to Vincent’s typical haunt-near or within the Dungeon-and chat him up. Once you’re done talking, return to Carmen, who will happily report that not only are things better between her and Vincent, but he seems to be cured of his affliction. Will wonders never cease? A Witcher with a kid, and a Werewolf cured by love.

The Royal Trace¶

Now let’s deal with this Seeing Stone and finish up Chapter 3. Head over to Triss’ House and ask her about the stone. Apparently it’s some kind of telecommunicator, which may have left a trace we can follow to Salamandra’s headquarters. Triss will suggest that we talk to Leuvaarden about it. Talk to Triss again and she’ll elaborate more about the stone, and tell you that she was able to trace a communication to a house in the Trade Quarter. Let’s deal with that first, shall we?

Head to the house marked on your map as the “Magic Trace”. It’s along the northern end of the Marketplace. Inside you’ll find-of all people-Radovid the Stern. We already learned that Geralt isn’t much more personable when faced with nobility, but Radovid has interesting things to say about Triss-another person warning us not to trust the sorceress, and “Foltest’s” edicts, which he confirms are frauds. Thaler is-if he wasn’t before-completely justified, and Foltest never declared martial law. Lastly, he’ll ask for your opinion of Adda-whom he claims to be interested in marrying, what with the political benefits that would come from their union (which he’ll bother to enumerate.) If he only knew… Anyways, once your little chat with Radovid is over with, it’s time to pay Declan a visit at the New Narakort.