The Nithing – Witcher 3 Quest

This guide is a walkthrough of a side quest in the Witcher 3 on the Skellige Isles. 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 – Rannvaig
2 – Lothar’s House
3 – Shawl

Background

You’ll receive this quest by reading the note “Nithing” on the notice board in Rannvaig in Ard Skellig (#1).

Walkthrough

From the note you’ll learn that a man named Lothar is desperate for a cure to a curse. You’ll find Lothar in a house near Rannvaig (#2). When you talk to him there, he’ll inform you that his son Tjalve has been cursed, but that he doesn’t know who would want to do such a thing to him or his family.

In Lothar’s front yard, you’ll find a nithing — a type of curse — and you’ll see the name of Tjalve carved on it. You’ll also spot some footprints leading away to the north. When you follow the footprints, you’ll come across a woman’s shawl (#3), and you’ll detect a distinctive scent to it. When you follow the scent, it’ll lead you back to Rannvaig.

To figure out who owns the shawl, you’ll need to hunt around the village until you find a Skelliger woman with a blue dress and a ponytail. She’ll tell you that the shawl belongs to Jonna the herbalist. When you confront Jonna about the nithing, she’ll freely admit to creating it. She’ll tell you that she used to live with Lothar before he dumped her for another woman, and that now he’s earning his just desserts. However, she’ll make you a deal. If you can convince Lothar to renounce his son and come back to her, then she’ll lift the curse.

When you return to Lothar (#2), you’ll have two options:

• If you refuse to kill Jonna, then Lothar will have to take her deal, and you’ll earn 75 xp for completing the quest. Afterwards, you won’t be able to talk to Jonna, so you’ll lose her as a shopkeeper regardless.
  
• If you agree to kill Jonna, then all you’ll have to do is carve her name into the nithing (which in turn will require you to turn on your witcher senses and examine it). Then when you return to Lothar, you’ll earn 60 crowns and 25 xp. If you return to Rannvaig, you won’t find Jonna there.