Witchers' Secrets



Witchers' Secrets is the framing quest for The Witcher. It spans the entirety of the game. The cold-blooded murder of Leo, a young witcher trainee, compels the witcher to seek revenge in addition to finding the secrets taken from the keep during the opening battle. Along the way, Geralt will learn a lot about himself and his prey.

Walkthrough
During the battle at Kaer Morhen, a young witcher trainee, Leo, is callously killed by the Professor. This act outrages the witcher and he swears to bring the culprit to justice. This quest takes him first to the Outskirts where he locates the first of three Salamandra hideouts. This spans all of Act I.

In Act II, Geralt moves on to the city of Vizima proper, where he finds two more Salamandra hideouts, one in the sewers and one in the restricted area of the Trade Quarter in his relentless pursuit of his goal: crushing Salamandra completely. At the end of Act III, he finally uncovers the location of the Salamandra Base and infiltrates it, and finishes off the Professor. One down, one to go.

Along the way, he discovers that Princess Adda is also involved with Salamandra. Just as he emerges from the base, things come to a head and our hero is very nearly executed when he is "greeted" by the princess and a squadron of arbalesters. It is only by the good graces of the sorceress, Triss Merigold that he is teleported away and manages to avoid a nasty fate.

Geralt then finds himself in Murky Waters for Act IV, which while Salamandra-free, does provide some more information about the organization. This comes about when our hero finally finds the long-lost witcher, Berengar. It seems Berengar "spent some time" with Salamandra, more than once in fact. The rest of the time Geralt spends in Murky Waters is really unrelated to the primary quest. But, as far away from Vizima as Murky Water seems, the unrest reaches the sleepy village and by the end of the Act, Geralt is on his way back to the city with one more headache to contend with: outright fighting in the streets between the Scoia'tael and the Order keeping him from his friends who might provide more information.

In Act V, after much trudging back and forth between Old Vizima and the Swamp Cemetery, the witcher gets the break his needs when the king himself provides some valuable information about the location of Salamandra's leaders: the Old Manor. It is at the Old Manor that Geralt has his final encounter with Azar Javed, but as it turns out, he wasn't the mastermind. After killing the mage, our hero finally discovers who is really behind the madness: the Grand Master of the Order of the Flaming Rose, Jacques de Aldersberg.

There is a final showdown between the witcher and the Grand Master which takes place in the Icy Plains, a dreamscape of Aldersberg's making. Only after the witcher has killed the madman does he finally find the stolen witchers' secrets. End of quest.

Stolen Secrets
I'm setting out to search for the stolen secrets and to avenge Leo's death. I must find the stolen secrets and avenge Leo's death.

Earning the Villagers' Trust
I was lucky enough to track down a man who wears a salamander-shaped brooch in a settlement outside Vizima. The locals may know something about the organization. I must win their trust to learn where I can find the members of Salamandra. I should talk to the most prominent people in the community. I should talk to the most prominent residents of the Outskirts and discover where I can find the Salamanders.

The Salamandra Hideout
I was right to trust my gut feeling - the villagers knew the location of the Salamandra hideout. It seems the bandits extorted protection money from the locals and carried off their children for some unknown purpose. They're not based in the Outskirts, but I sense I'm going to face a large and well-organized group. For now, I must penetrate the Salamandra hideout in one of the abandoned houses. I must enter the Salamandra hideout, located in one of the abandoned homes.

The Gang Leader
I interrogated the leader of the gang from the Outskirts and gained some new information. The man mentioned someone named Azar Javed. I should remember that. Alvin said the bandits often mentioned Vizima, so that is where the trail leads. I must follow the Salamanders' trail to Vizima.

The Private Eye
The Salamanders are holed up somewhere in this city. Siegfried advised me to contact a private investigator. Good idea. I know monsters, but I could use a professional to help me with this investigation. I've decided to see a private investigator.

Vizima Confidential
I've begun an investigation into the identity of the Salamandra leader. I'm working with detective Raymond, who could help me learn who is working with Azar Javed. Maybe his associates will lead me to the man himself... I'm pursuing an investigation in Vizima that should lead me to Azar Javed.

Azar Javed
Azar Javed, the Salamandra leader, was masquerading as the private investigator. He defeated me when we finally faced each other, but this isn't over. The Salamanders will regret that they ever provoked the witchers. I must destroy Salamandra, which clearly feels at home in Vizima. I must destroy Salamandra, which clearly feels at home in Vizima.

Salamandra in the Temple Quarter
I successfully located and destroyed the Salamanders' lair in the Temple Quarter. The organization has lost control of the fisstech trade, losing its funding in the process. I successfully located and destroyed the Salamanders' lair in the Temple Quarter.

The Salamandra Camp in the Swamp
I successfully located and destroyed the Salamandra camp in the swamp, cutting off the organization from the resources it needs to produce fisstech. I successfully located and destroyed the Salamandra camp in the swamp.

Destroyed Cells
I destroyed the Salamandra cells in Vizima. It turned out their influence ran deep. Now I need to find their leader and bring this matter to an end. Azar is probably has the stolen secrets. I need a break of some sort, a new lead, but in the meantime I should tend to other tasks. ''I need to find Azar Javed. I should tend to other matters and hope for a break.''

Fighting Monsters
I killed the monsters bred by Salamandra and defeated the Professor, who took part in the attack on Kaer Morhen. I sense that Salamandra was only a cover-up for Azar Javed's other plans. That son of a bitch escaped, taking the stolen secrets with him. I must track him down, avenge Leo and recover the witchers' secrets. ''I must find Azar Javed. He has the witchers' secrets.''

Second Wind
It seems that the king's daughter Adda was supporting Salamandra. I managed to destroy the organization in Vizima and to kill the Professor, but in doing so I enraged the princess. Triss saved my life, teleporting me out of the city. I'll stay away from Vizima until Adda calms down. Meanwhile, my allies will continue to work. Time to catch my second wind. ''I've dismantled Salamandra in Vizima. I should wait until Adda calms down and catch my second wind.''

Return to Vizima
Time to return to Vizima and to deal with Azar Javed once and for all. I'll need to find my friends in the city. They should help me locate the last Salamandra hideout. It's time to return to Vizima and deal with Azar Javed once and for all.

Get Azar Javed
The Salamandra boss is hiding at the Old Manor. With the Professor dead, it's time to punish the other leader of the assault on Kaer Morhen and to recover the witchers' secrets. I should go to the Old Manor and deal with Azar Javed.

The Salamandra Master
Azar Javed and the Professor are dead. Though I destroyed the laboratory where the Salamanders were creating mutants, I failed to recover the witchers' secrets. I must get to the Grand Master of the Order of the Flaming Rose, Jacques de Aldersberg. He created Salamandra and he is holding the secrets of Kaer Morhen. To retrieve the secrets stolen from Kaer Morhen, I must find the Grand Master of the Order of the Flaming Rose in Vizima.

The Cloister
My final confrontation with the Grand Master is at hand. I must reach the Cloister, where my enemy hides. It will be a rough passage through the war-torn city. I must reach the Cloister of the Order and settle the score with the Grand Master.

The Grand Master's Vision
The Grand Master wields powerful magic, though he has trouble controlling it. He has drawn me into his vision of the Ice Plains, which the civilized world will turn into with the coming of the White Frost. I must overcome Jacques de Aldersberg's vision, climb the peak where I will find him. I must overcome all obstacles and climb the peak to confront the Grand Master.

Witchers' Secrets
The Grand Master is dead and I have recovered the witchers' secrets. Yet as they say, every ending marks the beginning of something new... ''Something ends, something begins... '' (10000 XP)