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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

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Ladies of the Wood Walkthrough, Werewolf, and Nearby Side Content

By
Nathan Garvin
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After dabbling with the Fyke Island and lifting the curse, you now can learn more about Witches and the likely causes of curses and other magical affinities going on in Velen. Keira mentions she has heard about a Coven with magical powers in the woods, which then takes you over to the Bog to learn more about them, and by default more about Ciri. So, you get you on your way, here is a Lady of the Wood walkthrough, especially the Trail of Treats phase of the quest.

Important Items in this Area
Sealed Bottle
Raven’s Feather
Crone’s Dagger
Carabella
Foglet Trophy
Diagram: Ursine Silver Sword - Superior
Diagram: Ursine Steel Sword - Superior

Forefathers Eve - Part 2 (Level 7)

Head over to the edge of the swamp where the search area for this quest is, then turn on your Witcher Senses and look around. Near the center of the search area you’ll find a corpse to investigate, guarded by a trio of Rotfiends (level seven). Kill the critters, then examine the corpse. Once done, hit it with Igni to incinerate it. Now for some pain in the ass back-tracking. Head back to the pellar’s hut north of Blackbough. Hear the pellar’s side of the story, then collect a reward for your good deed.

Objective Reward
For getting rid of the ghost haunting the pellar 50 XP / 50 Crowns

Ladies of the Woods Walkthrough

Travel to the shrine where the Trail of Treats begins (again, this is south-west of Downwarren, far to the south-east of Lindenvale, so fast-travel from the Pellar’s house to the closest signpost your have). Once there, examine the shrine. It’s called the Trail of Treats for good reason, and if it’s simple enough for children to follow, it should be cake for a Witcher. Activate your Witcher Senses and follow the trail along the path more or less to the east, then south, continuing along the trail until you reach a small village in the middle of the swamp.

When you reach the village you’ll discover a pack of children… doing what children do. Ask them some questions and endure their silly (although perhaps humorous) responses until Gran shows up to break up the fun. Neither of them are helpful, but at least the kids were amusing. When they depart follow Gran and the more talkative boy into a hut to the south. Gran proves she’s going to continue to be a pest, so you’ll need to find a way to distract her…

Head outside and talk to one of the other kids to find out that this mysterious Johnny is only friends with the boy Gran is protecting. Whoever - or whatever - this Johnny is, you’ll need to talk to him, and that means talking to the boy. Ask the kids to help you and they’ll make a counter demand of you. It’s either to give them sweet food, or play hide and seek. Sadly, they don’t know who they’re playing with.

You’ll find a small settlement in the middle of the swamp, at the end of the Trail of Treats (left). After Gran spoils your search, participate in a game of hide-and-seek with the children (right).

Activate your Witcher Sense and head near the house to the east, in front of which you’ll find some footsteps running to the north, then up onto the roof. Climb onto the roof, then down the other side, where you’ll find signs that the child slid down the roof and into a hay pile on the ground. Talk to the child and they’ll come out of the hay. Now continue clockwise around the house to find more tracks near the southern edge of the house that lead behind a nearby bush, where another child hides. More tracks can be found leading into the northern house, inside of which another child fails at hiding by some barrels (he gets the Darwin award for hiding skills). Finally, you’ll spot more footprints leading into the southern house. You can follow them into the house, but they lead out a back window, so circle around to the southern side of the house and follow the tracks north-west along the house to find the kid hiding in some bushes.

The kids will come through and Geralt will take the opportunity to talk to the kid. The kid will tell you about Johnny, and more importantly, he’ll confirm that Johnny has seen Ciri. Leave the village and head east to find a search area. Dispatch a Water Hag (level six) and some Drowners (level six) then activate your Witcher Senses to find Johnny’s trail near the northern part of the search area. Examine them, then follow the trail west, then north, fending off another group of Drowners (level six) as you go. Eventually you’ll reach Johnny’s den, to the north-east of the “The Orphans of Crookback Bog” village, and south of Downwarren.

Call for Johnny and the gross little Godling will emerge from its burrow. Geralt will try to question it, and will get pantomimed responses in return. Looks like you’re going to have to help it out to learn about Ciri.

Objective Reward
For locating Johnny 150 XP

As you search for Johnny, beware of necrophages in the swamps (left). Eventually you’ll find Johnny in his barrow (right).

Follow Johnny and kill some Drowners (level six) along the way as he leads you to a ledge - a ledge you’ll need to climb in order to find Johnny’s voice. If you look up, you should spot a circling beast in the sky, so dispel any thoughts that this might be a bloodless task… unless you already killed the Harpies (level six) and Wyvern (level nine) during our run to Dragonslayer’s Grotto, in which case, you merely have to pick your way up the cliff. Once there, kill whatever needs to be killed and loot a nest near the cliff edge to recover a “Sealed Bottle” and a “Raven’s Feather”. The former object is what Johnny needs, while the latter is something you may be able to make use of shortly. Grab both.

Carefully climb down the cliff and the Godling will open the flask and, unfortunately, get his voice back, which he wastes no time in using. Get him to tell you about Ciri, which he’ll do, as well as implicate some Crones who seem to govern everything in the swamp. At length you can ask him to help you learn what Gran knows. Follow him south to the swamp village, killing another Water Hag (level six) and another pair of Drowners (level six) along the way.

Johnny pantomimes his problem for you (left), you’ll need to recover a vessel containing his voice for him to help you (right).

Again, Johnny will keep his word and help you convince Gran to take you to the Ladies. Under Johnny’s guilt trip, she’ll relent, and lead you to the Ladies, who, of course, have their own demand to make of you. Once the Ladies are done talking to you, you’ll be furnished with the “Crones’ Dagger” , which you’ll need to convince the Ealdorman of Downwarren that you’re working for the Ladies. Loot the shrine, then make your way north and slightly east to Downwarren… or fast-travel there using “The Orphans of Crookback Bog” signpost.

Objective Reward
For meeting with the Crones 150 XP

Johnny will convince Gran to take you to meet the ladies (left). After the conversation, you’ll be given a quest - and a dagger that’ll make it clear who sent you (right).

Along the way, there’s some additional loot you can score (if you don’t fast travel, that is). By following the breadcrumb trail you’ll eventually reach a road south of Downwarren that leads to the edge of the swamp, where some buildings are busy collapsing into the bog. At this spot there’s a group of Bandits (levels five and six). Kill them, then search around a house to the west to find a chest submerged in the swamp water, under the remains of a thatched roof.

Talk to the Ealdorman and flash your pretty dagger to get him to open up more, at which he’ll attribute all manner of inconsequential happenstances as signs of the benevolence - or wrath - of the Ladies. Get him to tell you about the village’s problems and he will-with great detail. Seems you need to check out some Whispering Hillock. Before you go, however, be sure to play Gwent with the Merchant here if you haven’t already, and grab the notice “Contract: Monster from the Swamp” from the notice board to start the quest “Swamp Thing” which you might as well do while you’re down here and all… and you might not get another chance to do so later if you continue on with the quest “Ladies of the Wood” .

Ladies of the Wood Werewolf Fight Guide

Here is how to fight the Ladies of the Wood Werewolf using these tips and tricks.

It’s worth mentioning that the next phase of the Ladies of the Wood questline will take you to the old Hillock tree atop of the village. The only issue with this is that there is a level 8 Werewolf guarding the entrance. If you’re not level 8 or higher, then we recommend doing the side quests in the nearby area first for more XP, money and other ways to prepare you character for the fight to come.

The reason why we recommend preparing is because most Werewolves in the game have a regeneration strategy. If you kill the werewolf early into the fight, then its regeneration doesn’t go off. But, if the fight lasts a while, then it does. In the case it does, you need strategies to prepare yourself for it. Over leveling it with side quests and exploration is one way to avoid it.

Alternatively, if you want to get through the Ladies of the Wood Werewolf fight without doing side quests, then there’s a few strategies to get through it.To prepare for the fight, you can use the following:

  • Use potions and oils - Use swallow to heal, Thunderstrike for more attack power, and Cursed Oil for dealing bonus damage to
  • Upgrade Quen: Quen is your protective shield, and upgrading it is generally good at this point to protect yourself, deal damage and knock back annoying enemies.
  • Moondust: Moondust grenades prevent magical casts and regeneration effects. Perfect for when Werewolf enemies start magical regenerating their HP.
  • Devil’s Puffball: Another grenade you can craft using Alchemy. This here applies a damage over time effect to an enemy, which helps to whittle down the werewolf, or counteract some it its healing regeneration mechanic.
    Take the dogs out. Use Yrden to slow them if they group up, and Igni to burn the beasts, or Aard to yeet the dogs and get some stagger on them. You can even use a beast oil to deal with them before fighting the Werewolf itself.

As for other prepaerations, we recommend getting yourself a silver sword. At minimum, you will likely have encountered the Viper silver sword, or some other diagram you can forge a new silver sword from. The amount of damage silver swords do to monsters at this level is significantly better. So, we recommend forging a silver sword before going into this fight regardless of your level.

If you don’t want to fight, then we recommend climbing to the top of the tree’s mound. From there, follow the marker to the cave entrance and then slide down the mountain and sneak into the cave. It’s possible to sneak past, and even drag the beast into the woods from this point before running back and getting into the cave without bringing it into the cave with you.

Swamp Thing (Level 12)

Head south-west from Downwarren where, at the edge of the swamp (west of the “Orphans of Crookback Bog”) you’ll find Leslav making an attempt at building a house. Listen to his story, haggle for a few more Crowns, then head south-east further into the swamp to find a search area. Turn on your handy-dandy Witcher Senses and you’ll find a body near the center of the search area. Investigate it and the nearby rocks, and with the Eye of Nehaleni you’ll be able to dispel the rocks and study the monster tracks underneath.

Follow the tracks west to a camp, where you’ll discover some of the mystery fog. It’s not quite as toxic as the swamp gas you’ve seen before, as it won’t poison you, it’ll just suffocate you. Wonderful. Search along the northern end of the shelter here to find a body, which, once investigated will allow Geralt to identify his prey.

Objective Reward
For discovering the identity of the swamp monster 25 XP

After finding the Foglet’s lair, use the Eye of Neheleri to gain access (left) then slay Ignis Fatuus (right).

Head south-west from the camp with your Witcher Senses active to find a rock face, which just so happens to be another illusion, which conceals the entrance to a cavern (there are no fewer than three entrances to this cave). Dispel it and head inside the cave, where the smothering fog will no longer affect you. Continue south into the cavern until you reach a small, foggy chamber, where this ancient Foglet - Ingis Fatuus - awaits.

He fights like a common Foglet, turning into fog and making fog clones (two of them) regularly, and trying to attack from the relative safety of the fog. Not hard tactics to counter. He also hits like a truck, which makes Quen your friend here. When he falls, loot his corpse for the Steel Sword “Carabella” and a “Foglet Trophy”. In the eastern-most of this cavern’s three chambers you can find - in the south-eastern corner - a corpse propped up against a chest, with a sack nearby. All of them can be looted. The chest, in particular, contains the “Diagram: Ursine Silver Sword - Superior”. You’ll be finding another Silver Sword Diagram shortly, closer to your level, but this is still a welcome find.

Once you’re done looting, return to Leslav and collect your reward… which isn’t as much as promised. Listen to Leslav’s excuses and make a choice; either bully the full pay out of him now, or give him a week to get the coin together. If you’re generous and patient, you’ll be rewarded, as Leslav keeps his promise to pay twice the agreed upon sum… which could end up well over 500 Crowns, depending on your haggling skills. War is hell, the rest of Velen is starving, but the peat business clearly is doing well enough!

Objective Reward
For slaying the Foglet, Ingis Fatuus 240 XP / 136+ Crowns

Monster Nest (Level 9)

If you’re feeling frisky and want to do more Witcher-work to make sure Leslav remains safe, head west through the swamp until you reach the edge of the lake. Here, near a boat, you’ll find a Drowner nest. Kill the Drowners (level nine) - six in total, but never more than four at a time - then blow up the nest. You may also have to deal with a particularly nasty Drowned Dead (level nine) who shows up to avenge the nest. Once the monsters are gone loot the nest and a nearby corpse, the latter of which is particularly generous as far as loot goes. If you want to get into more trouble you can swim to a tiny island to the south-west, where you’ll find a quartet of Mucknixers (level fifteen), but there’s no treasure to be had by dispatching them.

Objective Reward
For destroying the monster nest 20 XP
For killing the nest’s guardian Drowned Dead 50 XP

Bandit Camp (level 9)

There’s one more thing you might as well do while you’re over here; follow the meandering coastline south a distance until you find a Bandit Camp. Kill the Deserters (level nine) then search under a crude shelter to find a chest, which is the object of this event. There’s also a barrel near the chest and some parcels by a small boat to the west.

Time to start heading towards this Whispering Hillock. Make your way back to Downwarren and from there leave Downwarren via the road to the south, and when the road splits the first time head south-east. Continue south-east until you spot a wagon wagon stuck in the swamp with a barrel and several sacks to loot. Search them, then explore some abandoned houses to the north-east, where an Alghoul (level fourteen) prowls. No single Alghoul is much of a threat, regardless of its level. Kill it and loot the houses that you can access for some meager loot.

Be wary of a high level Bilge Hag that prowls the swamp (left). Kill a weaker Water Hag, however, and claim her treasure (right).

Guarded Treasure (Level 8)

Continue south-east along the road until it turns more south than east. Be wary of the swamp to the east, as a Bilge Hag (level twenty) likes to make her home there, and she’s not above harassing traveling Witchers. West of the road you’ll find a more modest threat in the form of Drowners (level six). If you’re up for a bit of extra exploration and you’re confident in your ability to defeat (or avoid) the powerful Water Hag, you can venture east of the road into the swamp to find a “Guarded Treasure” event. Here a less impressive Water Hag (level eight) guards a chest full of worthwhile loot. Why isn’t the more powerful hag guarding the loot? Who cares, just be wary of the explosive gas and the un-even terrain, which are honestly more of a threat than the Water Hag herself. Once she’s dead take the treasure and return back west to the road.

Ruined Tower

From the part of the road where you encountered the Bilge Hag turn south-west and continue off in that direction until you find the “Ruined Tower” - the signpost and the object. Search the eastern-most corner of these ruins to find a chest on an elevated ledge near a large tree, a chest which contains the “Diagram: Ursine Steel Sword - Superior” . Score. When you’re done ogling diagrams you can’t make use of yet, return east to the road.

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"Search along the northern end of the shelter here to find a body, which, once investigated will allow Geralt to identify his prey."

Not only body, but the remains within the remnants of a wall nearby.

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117
User profile pic

"Search along the northern end of the shelter here to find a body, which, once investigated will allow Geralt to identify his prey."

Not only body, but the remains within the remnants of a wall nearby.

Back to top
Guide Information
  • Publisher
    CD Projekt
  • Platforms,
    PC, PS4, Switch, XB One
  • Genre
    RPG
  • Guide Release
    24 June 2015
  • Last Updated
    2 January 2023
    Version History
  • Guide Author
    Nathan Garvin (Haeravon)

Share this free guide:

You are Geralt of Rivia, a professional monster-hunter known as a Witcher. You’ve fully regained your memories since your miraculous revival and escape from the Wild Hunt, and have cleared your name of the false accusations of regicide. In the wake of the assassination of Foltest, king of Temeria, the north have been rent by warfare as Nilfgaard launches its third major invasion, and the northlands have been united under the insane king Radovid. Overshadowing these petty politics is the mysterious return of Ciri - Geralt’s adopted daughter, who is now being pursued by the Wild Hunt.

The guide offers the following:

  • A full walkthrough that’s more than just a listing of quests-it’s an “ideal chronological order” that will get you through the whole game and allow you to see and do everything the game has to offer.

  • Side quests, including monster contracts and treasure hunts for obtaining powerful Witcher sets.

  • Descriptions of decisions, quests, and events that influence the various endings of the game.

  • Crafting and Alchemy information.

  • General strategies on how to take down foes large and small, monstrous and humanoid, boss or mundane.

  • Information on how to complete all the Gwent quests and obtain all the Gwent cards, including detailed Gwent strategies.

  • Trophy/Achievement information.

MASSIVE UPDATE: 7th September 2016 ongoing

  • Added DLC quests “Fool’s Gold” and “Scavenger Hunt: Wolf School Gear”.
  • Organisational changes in the Velen section of the walkthrough to reflect the increased level of Griffin School Gear.
  • Organisational changes throughout the walkthrough to provide a “no skulls” path through the game.
  • Added Death March difficulty tips and commentary throughout the guide.
  • More XP reward numbers included.
  • Walkthrough now includes additional information based on patch changes.
  • Various typo and grammar fixes.
  • Added DLC pages for Blood & Wine, Heart of Stone
  • Lots more quality of life improvements

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