Lilac and Gooseberries

Lilac and Gooseberries is the second main quest and the first following the tutorial quest in the The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Geralt and Vesemir continue to follow Yennefer's trail, obtaining news on her whereabouts from a Nilfgaard captain in return for completing a contract on a griffin that has been terrorizing the locals.

Quest Description
"Yennefer had contacted Geralt - finally. They had not seen each other in years. And then she'd sent him a letter, smelling of lilac and gooseberries, of course, asking him to meet her in the village of Willoughby. 'About a matter of great importance,' she had written. So as was his wont when it came to all things Yennefer, the witcher raced off at breakneck speed. Alas, he arrived too late. Pasing armies had razed Willoughby to the ground. Yennefer was nowhere in sight. With the help of Vesemir, whom Geralt had encountered along the way, Geralt picked up her trail, which the two witchers then followed. Yen had ridden north, traversing wild lands and battlefields at great speed. She was in a hurry. Perhaps she was in trouble..."

- Dandelion

Kill the ghouls
Upon waking from his dream of Yennefer and Ciri back at Kaer Morhen, Geralt has a short conversation with Vesemir, choose to go into details or not. When Geralt and Vesemir break camp they are immediately attacked by a pack of necrophage Ghouls. To dispatch them be sure to use his silver sword.

''Note: At this point you are free to explore an open world. You may follow the quest markers to complete the main quest or go your own way. To unlock other areas you will have to progress the story. The lands are full of side quests and contracts which you may take up at various times. The area is also full of plant life that is able to be harvested for alchemy, monsters drop items that may also be useful.''

Follow Vesemir
Once the area has been cleared of enemies inspect the area close to the path with a glittering light to obtain the Crystal Skull seen in the scene beginning the game then saddle up to travel along the main road with Vesemir. Ride with Vesemir to the Crossroads and through a Ransacked Village. Note: You can let your horse steer automatically when you are following a road or path

As Geralt crosses the bridge on the opposite side of the village a cut scene of the party encountering a merchant trapped by a griffin occurs. Vesemir will be lightly wounded in the ensuing fight. At the end of the scene ask for a reward to net 50. The merchant will tell Geralt to ask after Yennefer at the inn/tavern in White Orchard.

Go to the tavern
Leaving the ford and merchant behind follow the road into town. This village was formerly Temerian land, but is currently under Nilfgaard control. Enter the tavern to continue the search. A talk with the tavern owner will not yield any results but this is a good opportunity to buy food or alchemy supplies if necessary. The tavern owner will recommend Geralt speak with some of the other travelers for information regarding Yennefer so do so while Vesemir bandages his wounds from the recent griffin encounter.

Ask travelers about Yennefer
There are three possible conversations in the tavern marked as objectives. Geralt actually only needs to talk to Gaunter O'Dim to complete the objective and the conversations made be had in whatever order you choose.
 * Mikah - and his friends are two peasants nearest Vesemir's table, select the Axii option for additional details and a bonus 25XP.
 * Aldert Geert - is a scholar who won't provide any useful information regarding Yennefer but tells an interesting tale and will introduce Geralt to Gwent, one of the mini-games you'll encounter. Taking to Aldert, playing and winning a game of Gwent starts the secondary quest Collect 'em all.
 * Gaunter - a merchant turned vagrant recognizes Yennefer by the description and tells Geralt that she spoke with the Nilfgaard captain before riding off again. Geralt will receive an item, Nilfgaardian Lemon, during the conversation when he orders Geralt a drink from the tavern owner. He suggests heading to the Nilfgaardian camp to seek more information.

Ask the Nilfgaardians
''Note: For achievement hunters, this is the earliest time you can get the "Fists of the Southern Star" achievement so you might want to make a quicksave here. The next fight is one of the easier to earn the achievement on.''

Geralt can now exit the tavern. Three yokels from a former cutscene will corner Geralt. Use Axii option for a bonus 25XP and an easier fight. Select the first option to take on just one person, the other two will join the fight after the first is defeated. Regardless of the choice made Geralt will receive the same 350XP at the fight's conclusion.

After the fight go to the Nilfgaardian Camp and talk to the captain. The camp is located down river from the village of White Orchard. The captain will ask Geralt to take care of the Griffin in exchange for the information he has about Yennefer. He will recommend talking to the hunter Mislav regarding the patrol that was attacked recently. Additionally he recommends asking the herbalist Tomira for help finding the bait, buckthorn, needed to set a trap.

''Note: Following this conversation your Quest Objective will be changed to Complete the Griffin Contract and a new Quest will be added called The Beast of White Orchard. You must complete this new quest before continuing on with this one.''

Prepare to leave White Orchard
Once the griffin contract quest is completed meet with Vesemir at the tavern in White Orchard. In the tavern the usual crowd has been replaced by bandits itching for a fight.

''Note: Once you begin your conversation with Vesemir a sequence of events will activate which takes you away from White Orchard. There are some secondary quests in White Orchard that will fail if you have not completed them before you leave. Additionally any Gwent cards that the innkeeper has for sale will no longer be available after speaking with Vesemir, buy any cards you want beforehand.''

By talking to Vesemir a cut scene will begin which ends in a group of bandits ambushing Geralt and Vesemir inside the tavern. This launches a minor main quest, The Incident at White Orchard, which requires that Geralt kill the bandits. Following the fight the locals are so terrified that they demand Geralt and Vesemir leave at once. Outside the tavern a Nilfgaardian patrol will approach with Yennefer herself leading them. She insists that Geralt follow her to Vizima as the emperor has requested and audience with Geralt personally. Vesemir, knowing the dangers or being so close to the emperor's seat of power goes his own way back to Kaer Morhen.

The quiet ride with Yennefer to Vizima is interrupted when The Wild Hunt attacks. The ambush and fighting is all part of a cutscene so just sit back and enjoy the show.

Maps


Closing Quest Description
"Ultimately it was Yennefer who found Geralt. The one-time lovers had not even a moment to enjoy their reunion, for Yennefer insisted they ride to Vizima as quickly as possible. The emperor of Nilfgaard awaited them there. Though Temeria's former capital was but a few miles from White Orchard, the journey was to be rife with drama..."

- Dandelion

Trivia
"Dear friend,
 * The merchant you encounter and rescue from the griffin at the beginning of the mission has several dead bodies surrounding his cart. These people appear to have been killed by the griffin but the merchant makes no indication of this, saying only that he feared he would end up dead like his horse.
 * The exercising troops nearby the Nilfgaardian garrison can be found "resting" only between the hours of midnight and one in the morning.
 * Yennefer's Letter to Geralt

Forgive me for not asking about your health or how you have been these last years. Time is very short.

I have important news. We must meet, and soon. Ride to Willoughby, near Vizima, and don't spare the horses - while I do eagerly await our reunion, I won't be able to wait, eagerly or otherwise, very long.

Your dear friend, Yennefer.

P.S. I still have the unicorn."

- Yennefer

NewPlay - The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt - RP Playthrough Ep 2 "Picking up the Trail"
Сирень и крыжовник