Template:Quest
Sweet Revenge is a quest in Act V given to Geralt by King Foltest. It is the culmination of Geralt's quest to eradicate Salamandra and takes the witcher to the Old Manor.
Walkthrough
This quest finds our hero just emerging from the Striga's crypt, having been locked in by Velerad earlier. They have a little exchange in which the witcher "thanks" the burgomeister for that little surprise, but then they get on to business. Geralt may or may not have killed the striga (his choice) but that has little impact on what follows. The only difference would be that if Geralt saved Adda, he would be rewarded with D'yaebl, a nice steel sword, but possibly not as nice as the one he is carrying at that point. Velerad tells Geralt that the King has a message for him: to cure the "disease", he must go to the Old Manor. So, it's off to the Old Manor to finally confront Azar Javed and put an end to Salamandra once and for all.
Upon entering the area, Geralt meets de Wett and a handful of knights of the Order. The two speak and de Wett slips up when the witcher mentions having found a diary in the crypt, using its true name, Ostrit's diary. Not being one to let details slip by unnoticed, Geralt calls him out on this and the Count admits that he knew all about Adda's curse and confesses that he is actually working with Salamandra. He even invites the witcher to join him, promising rich rewards. But our hero is steadfast and will have none of it. Naturally this can only be settled with a duel.
One duel, one dead Nilfgaardian count and a handful of Order corpses later, Geralt is on his way to the Old Manor proper. A few more obstacles throw themselves in his path, however. There is, of course, the usual complement of drowners, drowned dead, bloedzuigers, and dagon worshippers, but after deftly navigating those, our hero continues climbing the hill towards the manor. When he reaches the ruined village, he comes upon Azar Javed, with Rayla! But it's no longer truly White Rayla, she's obviously been subjected to the dreaded Salamandra experiments and is now just "a mutated bag of blood and sinew", albeit pretty well armed and capable (she can now blind opponents).
Azar does his usual taunting and disappearing act, leaving his newest "perfect creation" to deal with the witcher. Good thing the mage reanimated Rayla, since he can no longer rely on the Professor to fight his battles for him! Needless to say, the witcher does what he does best and puts Rayla to rest, finally and permanently. Then he presses onward toward his goal.
Beyond the ruined village is where the action really begins to heat up. Within the courtyard of the manor, Geralt can see his allies busily fighting a large number of Salamandra and these guys are of the mutated variety. There are armored hounds, mutants, mutant assassins, and greater mutants. If he chose the Scoia'tael path, it is Yaevinn and a band of elves and dwarves who are fighting in the courtyard. If he chose the Order path, it is Siegfried and some knights of the Order and if he chose the Witcher / neutral path, he meets Triss aided by City Guardsmen. Not one to let his friends fight alone, he joins in.
Once that threat has been eliminated, our hero must continue and somehow enter the catacombs beneath the Old Manor. Again, his ally proves useful. Yaevinn tells him about a well shaft that he can squeeze through to enter the catacombs, Siegfried manages to get him in somehow and Triss has procured a key to the door (trust a woman to do it right!) Each entrance leaves the witcher at a different starting point in the catacombs (see the map below), but the destination remains the same: Javed's laboratory.
Geralt then fights his way through the catacombs, meeting Javed twice more and twice more the sorcerer tries to leave the witcher to his minions while fleeing. The first encounter has Javed leaving our hero to face a koshchey he has conjured, assuming, wrongly once again -- when will this guy learn??, that the beast will make quick work of Geralt. No such luck. The second encounter features two "Greater Brothers", but they are no more successful at stopping the witcher than the koshchey was. Time for the final battle at last!
As soon as the witcher has dispatched the greater brothers, Azar teleports Geralt directly into the laboratory. There is the usual grandiose evil overlord speech, complete with the standard evil overlord miscalculations and then it's down to business. Depending on whether Geralt spared or killed Berengar in Act IV, one of two things happens: either Berengar shows up to help Geralt, or Javed suddenly notices that Geralt happens to be wearing not only his own medallion, but Berengar's as well. The mage comments that "even with the medallion" the witcher has no chance. Ha! Good-bye Azar!
But it's not over, no sooner has Geralt checked Javed's body for loot, I mean information, he hears a vaguely familiar voice calling the now dead mage. It's the Grand Master via telecommunicator! So Javed was not the mastermind after all, it was Jacques de Aldersberg all along. The witcher vows then and there to find the Grand Master and really finish things.
Notes
- When facing Azar, I've found that it is useful to take Swallow, Full Moon and Willow before the battle (if you rely more on magic, then maybe a Maribor Forest as well). I usually take these before facing the Greater Brothers as there really isn't a chance later. I take Full Moon and Willow first (since they last 8 hours) and then meditate for 1 hour to remove the toxic effects (there are two campfires in the catacombs, one at the Scoia'tael entrance and one at the Order entrance), then I take the Swallow and get on with the confrontation.
- Azar is actually susceptible to fire (Igni), which I found surprising as it is his element of choice and Ramsmeat described him as having a fetish about it which scared the prostitutes, but I digress...
- The koshchey's bleeding attack can cause a large percentage of vitality damage within a minute, hence imbibing Kiss before fighting it can be lifesaving.
Map
Phases
The Trace
It seems I must go to Old Vizima to hunt down the Salamandra boss. All the clues lead there. I must go to Old Vizima to hunt down the Salamandra boss.
Salamandra
Foltest wants me to deal with the Salamandra - once and for all. I hope the king proves a trustworthy ally. I must dismantle Salamandra at the behest of the king himself.
The Experiment
Kalkstein claims the strange monster I slew was born of Salamandra's experiments. The stolen witchers' secrets are being used in a terrifying way... The soldiers contend the beast came from the swamp cemetery. The Salamandar hideout must be located there. The Salamandra hideout must be near the cemetery in the swamp.
Zoltan / Siegfried / Shani
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Scoia'tael path: Zoltan said he and the remaining refugees would hide in the druids' cave in the swamp. I need to press forward. I need to go on. or,
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A Hint
The king used Velerad to pass on a hint about Salamandra. I need to go to the Old Manor. Apparently, I'll find what I'm looking for there. I must go to the Old Manor, where I shall find what I'm looking for.
The Death of De Wett
De Wett was punished for his treachery. Nothing in the way now. I can go to the Old Manor. Let's see this secret Salamandra base... The way is clear, I can now go to the Old Manor, the secret Salamandra base.
Mutated Rayla
I came upon Rayla. She underwent a mutation that has clearly affected her mind. Unfortunately, I have to kill her. She has left me no choice. I have to kill Rayla, she has left me no choice.
Almost there
I came across Salamanders and some mutated hounds in the Old Manor. I must be nearing my goal. I must be getting close.
Entering the Catacombs
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Scoia'tael path: Yaevinn will lead me to the entrance of the catacombs. I must follow him. I should follow Yaevinn. or
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A Sacrifice
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Scoia'tael path: Yaevinn decided to make a stand by the entrance, to face the enemy there. He nearly forced me to descend. I must hurry so his sacrifice is not in vain. I must descend and deal with Salamandra - once and for all. or
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The Koshchey
I killed the koshchey, one of the most fearsome monsters I ever dealt with. I must press on and find Salamandra's leader. I must go on and find Salamandra's leader.
Azar Javed's Demise
I killed Azar Javed, the leader of Salamandra. The hydra has lost its head, the criminal organization has ceased to exist. I should search this chamber thoroughly, recover the stolen witchers' secrets. I must search this laboratory thoroughly.
A Boat
I couldn't find the witchers' secrets, but that hardly brings my search to an end. I must warn the king of the Grand Master's intentions. He may have stolen the secrets. Triss has arranged transport to the Temple Quarter. We're to meet at the landing, where a boat awaits us. I must warn the king. Triss awaits at the landing with a boat that will take us to Vizima.
The King
We are sailing to Vizima to warn the king and to bring the Grand Master to justice. We are sailing to Vizima.