Template:Quest
Reaping Time is a quest given to Geralt by Vaska in Act III when the witcher goes back to the village, having previously helped rid them of drowners.
Walkthrough
While on one of his many trudges through the fens and marshes of the swamp forest, Geralt decides to go back and visit the brickmakers. Perhaps Vaska knows something more about the Salamanders, who knows?
But it seems that all is not well in the sleepy hamlet. Roland Bleinheim and his band have kidnapped a number of the brickmakers and are forcing them to gather beggartick for the fisstech operation. The eldress knows of the whereabouts of one group of hostages: near the collapsed tower in the north of the swamp. She is so outraged by the actions of the Salamandra towards her people that she asks the witcher to kill Bleinheim quite explicitly.
Geralt immediately heads out to find the hapless villagers. He locates the first band by the collapsed tower, just as Vaska had said. He spots three Salamandra and their apparent boss guarding the brickmakers. Carefully he circles the area, choosing his optimal location from which to launch his attack. And what an attack it is! In no time at all, the hostages are free and their guards' bodies litter the ground. The grateful rescuees tell the witcher that the two other groups of hostages are being held in the cave, and the Lumberjacks' glade.
Our hero continues and two similar scenes follow, but in the cave with the last group of hostages, there is a surprise. A small boy, the missing boy Geralt has been looking for since Act II, is among them. He speaks to the boy, who rambles on incomprehensibly about Water Lords and whatnot, and determines that the child seems in good health, physically anyway, and sends him on his way.
Having freed everyone, the witcher heads back to the village and Vaska. After he does, Vaska rewards him with a book and the "Blessing of the Water Lords", for which Geralt is eternally grateful (wink). She also tells him that the druids have been keeping an eye on Salamandra and might prove useful to his investigation. He thanks her and heads off in the direction of the Druids' grove.
Notes
- In the cave you can take that opportunity, after freeing the hostages and talking to the boy, to kill a few cockatrices located deeper within and collect the feathers required for The Cockatrice Contract
- Also in the cave, you can pick the psilocybe mushroom that the Hierophant wants for Diplomacy and Hunting
Phases
The Brickmakers
Vaska, the eldress of the brickmakers, asked me to free her people who have been captured by the Salamanders led by Roland Bleinheim. The bandits are forcing the prisoners to harvest herbs. The brickmakers have been split into three groups working in three places: the cave, the glade and the area near the collapsed tower. I need to free the brickmakers working in three places: the cave, the glade and near the collapsed tower.
Salamandra in the Glade
I killed the Salamanders guarding the people working in the glade. I should talk to the freed brickmakers. I should talk to the liberated brickmakers.
Salamandra by the Tower
I killed the Salamanders guarding the people working by the tower. I should talk to the freed brickmakers. I should talk to the liberated brickmakers.
Salamandra in the Cave
I killed the Salamanders guarding the people working in the cave. I should talk to the freed brickmakers. I should talk to the liberated brickmakers.
The Tower
I freed the brickmakers who were forced to work by the collapsed tower. I must free the remaining groups. (1000 XP)
The Brickmakers Saved
I freed two groups of brickmakers who had been kidnapped by Salamandra. I must free the last group. (1000 XP)
The Brickmakers Freed
I freed all the brickmakers. I should talk to Vaska. I should talk to Vaska. (1000 XP)
The Community of the Lord's Worshippers
I freed all the brickmakers who were forced to harvest herbs for Salamandra. As a reward, I was welcomed into a community that worships the Lords. Well, I've been paid worse in my life... Vaska told me to talk to the hierophant in the Druids' grove. I should talk to the hierophant in the Druids' grove. (2000 XP)