Shrieker – Witcher 3 Quest

This guide is a walkthrough of a contract side quest in the Witcher 3 for the area of Velen. 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 – Notice Board
2 – Chet
3 – Attack Site
4 – Shrieker Cave
5 – Cockatrice Battle

Background

You’ll receive this quest from the “Contract: Shrieker” note on the notice board in the Crow’s Perch inner keep in Velen West (#1).

Walkthrough

To learn more about the shrieker, you’ll need to talk to Chet and Symko in the Crow’s Perch outer keep (#2). Chet will tell you that the shrieker has been killing cows and goats and even men, including Symko’s father, a hunter named Borzoy. Symko will describe the creature as a huge rooster with a lizard’s tail.

Next, you’ll need to go to the scene of Borzoy’s death (#3). You’ll find a dead dog there, plus blood indicating that the shrieker was wounded. You’ll also detect some tracks leading to a cave to the north. When you get close to the cave, you’ll decide that the shrieker must be a cockatrice. This realization will earn you 25 xp. The best oil for cockatrices is Draconid Oil. If you have it, then be sure to apply it to your silver sword before proceeding.

Inside the cave (#4), you’ll discover that the cockatrice is hiding on a ledge where you can’t get to it. To smoke it out — literally — you’ll need to throw a bomb at it, either Dancing Star, Grapeshot or Samum. If your aim is true, then the cockatrice will flee out of the back of the cave.

When you exit the cave yourself, you’ll spot the cockatrice flying to the northwest (#5). When you track it down there, it will attack you, and it’ll put up a better fight than you might expect from a level 8 quest. When you finally finish the cockatrice off, you’ll find a Cockatrice Trophy on its corpse, plus probably some other cockatrice parts.

When you return to Chet (#2) with the trophy, you’ll have two ways to complete the quest. If you accept his payment, then you’ll receive whatever you negotiated with Chet plus 235 xp. But if you let Chet keep the money, then you’ll earn 250 xp.

Note: From what we can tell, the dismembering bonus on the Cockatrice Trophy doesn’t give you insta-kill capabilities, and it doesn’t cause extra damage. It’s just cosmetic.