Lilac and Gooseberries – Witcher 3 Quest

This guide is a walkthrough of a main quest in the Witcher 3 for the area of White Orchard. The guide is composed of a map, map legend, and walkthrough to show readers exactly where to go and what to do to complete the quest.

Map Legend

1 – Starting Point
2 – Willoughby
3 – Ransacked Village
4 – Ford
5 – White Orchard Inn
6 – Nilfgaardian Garrison

Background

You’ll begin this quest after completing the tutorial (#1).

Walkthrough

For this quest you’ll need to track down Yennefer. You were supposed to meet her in Willoughby (#2), only Willoughby became the site of a major battle (as seen in the opening cinematic), and for some reason Yennefer fled away at breakneck speed. You’ll have Vesemir with you.

When you gain control of Geralt, you’ll immediately get attacked by ghouls. This fight should be fairly simple, so if you have trouble then you might want to return to the tutorial so you can hone your combat techniques. You’ll earn 250 xp when all of the ghouls are dead.

After the battle, you should loot the ghoul corpses and the nearby plants for some components and ingredients. You should also pick up the Crystal Skull from the ground (it’ll be sparkling, making it easier to see). Meanwhile, Vesemir will mount his horse, indicating that he’s ready to move on. To continue the quest, you should hop on Roach and follow behind your fellow witcher as he heads south.

As you travel along, you’ll pass through a ransacked village (#3) and then you’ll arrive at a ford (#4), where you’ll witness a merchant being attacked by a griffin. You’ll scare off the griffin in a cutscene, but Vesemir will take a wound. Afterwards, the merchant will ask you if you want a reward. If you say yes, then he’ll give you 50 crowns. If you say no, then he’ll reveal that the innkeeper at the White Orchard inn is his cousin, and that if you say that Bram sent you, then she’ll “treat you like family” (she’ll give you four Roasted Chicken Legs). Bram will also mention the inn as a good place to ask people about Yennefer.

Inside the inn (#5), you’ll need to talk to “a mangy vagrant” named Gaunter O’Dimm. He’ll offer to buy you a drink. If you accept, then you’ll receive a Nilfgaardian Lemon. O’Dimm will then tell you that Yennefer was spotted at the Nilfgaardian garrison located to the northwest.

When you leave the inn, you’ll be confronted by three locals who don’t like witchers much. No matter how you respond, you’ll have to fight them (with your fists), but if you successfully use Axii against them, then you’ll only have to fight two instead of three. But either way, you’ll earn 350 xp at the end of the brawl.

At the garrison (#6), you’ll need to talk to the Nilfgaardian Officer in his office / tower (right next to the quartermaster). When you ask him about Yennefer, he’ll make you a deal. He’ll offer to tell you where Yennefer went provided that you kill the griffin in the area. He’ll then tell you a bit about the griffin, how it killed a patrol of his men, and how it has since become emboldened, abandoning its lair in favor of easy pickings on the road and in the settlements, making it a danger to his men and the locals both.

The officer will then give you some assistance. When you tell him that you need Buckthorn for a trap, he’ll recommend that you speak with the herbalist Tomira near the crossroads to the south. He’ll also tell you that it was the hunter Mislav who found the remains of his patrol, and he’ll recommend that you talk to him as well. This will trigger the quest The Beast of White Orchard.

After completing The Beast of White Orchard — which will result in you defeating the griffin — when you return to the officer (#6), he’ll tell you that Yennefer went to Vizima. This will conclude your required activities in White Orchard. When you return to Vesemir at the inn (#5), you’ll leave the region, but you’ll be able to return later. Still, some of your side quests might fail, so it’s best to complete everything you care about before updating Vesemir. Talking to Vesemir will complete the quest.