Recaps

Vesemir brought the witcher apprentices to Kaer Morhen’s library and taught them the meditation method needed to cast Signs. He ordered them to meditate several nights each week as they prepared for the Trial of the Mountains in 1230, while Arwen considered the two years he had left before he could leave Kaer Morhen.

• Vesemir led the apprentices into the library and showed them its books and locked reading rooms.
• Vesemir gave the apprentices a meditation method, and Arwen recognized that it was covered by his existing Basic Meditation skill.
• Vesemir told the apprentices to memorize the method, and several, including Aiken, Blyde, and Winston, said they had done so.
• Vesemir ordered the apprentices to meditate instead of sleeping on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, explaining that their sleep would decrease as they prepared for the Trial of the Mountains.
• Vesemir warned that the apprentices would face drowners, a cyclops, and trolls during the trial, and Arwen thought about leaving Kaer Morhen after surviving it.

Arwen practiced the Witcher signs under Geralt’s supervision as Geralt prepared to leave Kaer Morhen. Geralt and Arwen began a sword sparring match before lunch.

• Arwen practiced the five fundamental signs, with Quen as his most proficient, while Geralt scolded the apprentices.
• Geralt told the apprentices he was leaving Kaer Morhen and planned to visit Temeria to see the sea.
• Arwen said he hoped to travel south to Toussaint, and Geralt appeared interested in the place.
• Geralt challenged Arwen to spar without using signs, and the two took their positions for a duel.

Arwen challenged Geralt to a duel and used rolling evasions, Quen, and quick counterattacks to frustrate the stronger witcher. Geralt lost his temper, broke the rules by using Aard, and chased Arwen as he tried to concede and flee.

• Aiken introduced Geralt and Arwen before their duel, and Arwen impressed the onlookers with a fast three-strike combination.
• Geralt intensified his attacks, forcing Arwen to evade with rolls until Arwen used Quen to protect himself and counterattack from behind.
• Arwen’s strike tore Geralt’s jacket, and Geralt’s medallion revealed that Arwen had restored his Quen shield.
• Vesemir watched Arwen’s unusual tactics from the castle and recognized how effectively they used a witcher’s speed, coordination, and Signs.
• Geralt blasted Arwen with Aard despite his earlier promise not to use Signs, and Arwen shouted that he conceded before fleeing Geralt’s pursuit.

Arwen won his duel with Geralt after Geralt broke their agreement by using a Sign, and the witcher left Kaer Morhen. Viris also departed, giving Arwen moonlight grass and a card bearing Tissaia de Vries's name and an invitation to visit Aretuza.

• Arwen collapsed after training with Geralt, who declared him the winner because he had used Aard despite agreeing not to cast Signs.
• The apprentices celebrated Arwen's victory, and Vesemir served them lunch before they gathered to see Geralt off from Kaer Morhen.
• Geralt rode away, prompting Aiken and Paul to head for sword practice while Vesemir told Arwen that Viris wanted to see him.
• Arwen found Viris packing to leave and learned she was returning to her work after spending months at Kaer Morhen.
• Viris gave Arwen moonlight grass and a card for Aretuza signed by Headmistress Tissaia de Vries, then left through a portal and invited him to visit Thanedd Island.

Arwen hunted Drowners along the White Stone River, then killed a Water Hag that ambushed him. As he prepared to return on the autumnal equinox, Eskel appeared by the river.

• Arwen killed five Drowners and combined the mutagen fragments he collected.
• Arwen sensed danger, blocked a mud attack with Quen, and identified the attacker as a Water Hag.
• Arwen burned the Water Hag with Igni, kicked it off balance, and beheaded it with his silver sword.
• Arwen noticed the raven warning him of something nearby and spotted a figure emerging from the reeds.
• Arwen recognized the newcomer as Eskel and greeted him with delight.

Arwen returned to Kaer Morhen with Eskel and learned that Geralt had left the mountains the previous spring. Vesemir sent Arwen and the other apprentices to begin the Trial of the Mountains, leaving their fate to the perilous journey to the Circle of Elements.

• Eskel reunited with Arwen, who told him he was sixteen and had killed a water hag.
• Eskel and Arwen collected the water hag’s tooth and five drowner heads, then rode back to Kaer Morhen.
• Eskel greeted Vesemir, while Arwen joined the apprentices preparing for their trial.
• Vesemir ordered Arwen and the other apprentices to reach the Circle of Elements atop Troll before midnight the next day.
• Arwen and the apprentices equipped themselves, and Vesemir told them to set out.

Vesemir and Eskel discussed the apprentices’ chances at the Circle of Elements and praised Arwen’s leadership. As Arwen’s group crossed Killer Lake and prepared to pass Old Spearhead’s cave, an advancing fog and a ghostly voice signaled danger.

• Vesemir told Eskel that Blyde had died after recklessly fighting a monster.
• Vesemir praised Arwen’s confidence, strength, and ability to unite the apprentices, and said the group could succeed if they avoided Old Spearhead.
• Arwen led Paul, Horton, Aiken, and Winston through Killer Lake, where they killed Drowners and reached the opposite shore.
• Arwen ordered the group to rest and prepare before approaching Old Spearhead’s cave, intending to sneak past the sleeping Cyclops.
• Paul spotted a huge bank of fog rushing down from the summit, and Arwen recognized the eerie voice calling for Aiken as a Foglet.

Arwen and the other apprentices encountered a Foglet mimicking Blyde’s voice, and Aiken nearly attacked his companions while trying to avenge him. Arwen stopped Aiken and went alone to face the creature, ending the chapter as it appeared through the mist.

• Aiken recognized the distant light and Blyde’s cries as a Foglet, then insisted on pursuing it despite the danger.
• Aiken shoved Horton and Winston aside and attacked Arwen, but Arwen struck him with his sword’s pommel and the others pinned him down.
• Arwen told Horton to take Aiken to Old Spearhead’s cave, then walked toward the Foglet as Aiken begged him to kill it.
• The Foglet appeared as a broken-necked phantom wearing Blyde’s torn jacket, and Arwen gripped his sword and prepared to fight.

Arwen fought a foglet that used illusions and false sounds to ambush him, then exposed it with the Aard Sign and killed it. He left the clearing after beheading the monster.

• The foglet deceived Arwen with an illusion of Blyde and attacked through the mist, wounding him despite his Quen shield.
• Arwen healed his wound with [Healing Spell] and used the Quen Sign and Aard Sign to locate and knock the foglet down.
• Arwen wounded the foglet with [Whirling Blade] as it leaped and climbed around him.
• The foglet showed Arwen another illusion of Blyde, and Arwen beat it to death in anger.
• Arwen pulled his sword from the foglet and severed its head.

After killing two Foglets, Arwen returned to his companions and led them into Old Spearhead’s cave for the trial. They passed piles of dead monsters and a dead witcher apprentice before reaching a three-meter stone wall.

• Arwen recognized a Foglet disguised as Paul, killed it, and saw that Foglets had gathered in a pack by the lake.
• Arwen returned with two Foglet heads, and the apprentices buried them before heading to the cave.
• Arwen warned the group to move quietly, and all five drank their potions before entering Old Spearhead’s cave.
• Arwen and the others found heaps of Drowner and Foglet remains, including a dead witcher apprentice, then reached a tall stone wall.

Arwen and the other apprentices found their route through Old Spearhead's cave blocked by a recent collapse and realized the cyclops was awake. As Old Spearhead closed in, they blasted a narrow way through the rubble, but Aiken was trapped and injured, leaving Arwen to face the danger while the others escaped.

• Arwen led Paul, Winston, Aiken, and Horton along the upper passage above Old Spearhead's bedroom until they found it blocked by collapsed rubble.
• Arwen realized Old Spearhead was not asleep and ordered the group to retreat, but heavy footsteps approached from behind.
• The five apprentices used the Aard Sign to blast a narrow passage through the rubble as Old Spearhead pursued them.
• Old Spearhead hurled a dark-red projectile into the passage, causing a collapse that pinned Aiken's arm beneath the rubble.
• Arwen healed Aiken briefly, gave him a Swallow potion, and prepared to draw Old Spearhead out of the cave with his silver sword and Quen Sign.

Arwen fought Old Spearhead in the cave and lured it away so Aiken could survive. After escaping to Killer Lake, he spotted Foglets approaching and realized they might be drawn to the remains in the cave.

• Old Spearhead overwhelmed Arwen's defenses, but moonlight grass let him form a Quen Sign and dodge past the monster.
• Arwen drew Old Spearhead away from its bone hammer and ran toward the cave exit to keep it from reaching Aiken.
• Paul, Horton, and Winston heard Aiken through the rubble, and Aiken told them to go to the summit and find Vesemir because Arwen had lured Old Spearhead away.
• Arwen escaped the cave and prepared to flee into Killer Lake, but he saw Foglets gathering along the shore and suspected they were drawn to the remains in the cave.

Arwen lured Old Spearhead into a battle with the Foglets at Killer Lake, where an Ancient Foglet took on Vesemir’s appearance and attacked the Cyclops. As Old Spearhead fought the monsters, Arwen killed a fleeing Foglet underwater and prepared to ambush another.

• Arwen drew Old Spearhead toward the fog, then escaped into Killer Lake as the Foglets attacked the Cyclops.
• Old Spearhead fought off the Foglets until an Ancient Foglet arrived and transformed into Vesemir, wielding a silver sword with Wolf School swordsmanship.
• Old Spearhead swung captured Foglets as makeshift weapons and battled the illusory Vesemir, sending several Foglets tumbling into the lake.
• Arwen dragged a fleeing Foglet underwater and killed it with his silver sword, gaining a chance at a Foglet Mutagen.
• Another Foglet fell into the lake, and Arwen spotted it as easy prey while Old Spearhead continued fighting.

Arwen gained the Foglet mutagen ability Illusory Mist Invisibility and used the battle between Old Spearhead and the Foglets to harvest more mutagens. After the fight, he crept toward the wounded Old Spearhead, cloaked himself in mist, and prepared to strike as Old Spearhead searched for corpses.

• Arwen killed a Foglet underwater, synthesized its mutagen, and installed Illusory Mist Invisibility.
• As Old Spearhead battled the ancient Foglet and its followers, Arwen cautiously collected seven fallen Foglets from the water.
• The ancient Foglet withdrew with its followers, leaving Old Spearhead badly wounded and eating Foglet corpses on the shore.
• Arwen crept out of the lake and considered exploiting Old Spearhead's injuries, then rushed toward two intact Foglet corpses while a raven distracted him.
• Arwen concealed himself with Illusory Mist Invisibility as Old Spearhead approached and sensed an unfamiliar scent; Arwen suddenly thrust his sword.

Vesemir learned that Arwen and Aiken had stayed behind to face Old Spearhead, but he initially refused to intervene in the Trial of the Mountains. After Old Spearhead’s roar reached the summit, Vesemir sent Eskel down with cyclops blade oil; meanwhile, Arwen killed the exhausted cyclops at Killer Lake.

• Horton told Vesemir that Arwen and Aiken had stayed behind to protect the others, with Aiken trapped under rubble.
• Vesemir refused to intervene, saying the trial was over and the witcher code forbade him from helping.
• After Old Spearhead roared, Vesemir gave Eskel ogroid blade oil and ordered him down the mountain.
• At Killer Lake, Arwen stabbed Old Spearhead in its lone eye and evaded its attacks with Aard and Quen.
• Arwen repeatedly struck the cyclops as it weakened, until Old Spearhead collapsed and died.

Arwen installed the Giant Bloodline mutagen after killing Old Spearhead, then used his new strength to rescue Aiken from the rubble. He passed a troll by showing it Old Spearhead’s head, while Eskel witnessed the trophy and could hardly believe an apprentice had killed the cyclops.

• Arwen installed the cyclops mutagen, gaining the Giant Bloodline talent and greatly increased strength.
• Arwen beheaded Old Spearhead, took the head as a trophy, and left the corpse treated with necrophage oil.
• Arwen returned to the cave and freed Aiken from the rubble, treating his crushed arm and carrying him toward the summit.
• Arwen showed Old Spearhead’s head to the blocking troll, which let him pass without a fight.
• Eskel saw Arwen carrying Aiken and Old Spearhead’s head, and reacted in disbelief that a witcher apprentice had killed the cyclops.

Arwen returned with Aiken and Old Spearhead’s head after killing the cyclops, stunning the witchers at the Circle of Elements. After Vesemir treated Aiken and heard Arwen’s account, he declared that the boys had passed the trial, with their medallion ceremony set to begin that night.

• Eskel returned with Arwen, who carried the wounded Aiken and Old Spearhead’s severed head.
• Vesemir treated Aiken’s blood loss and fractures, and discovered that Arwen had used a Healing Spell.
• Arwen told Vesemir, Paul, and Winston that an Ancient Foglet had wounded Old Spearhead before he finished the monster off.
• Eskel, Horton, and Scorpion hauled the Foglet’s head and corpse back to the group for recovery.
• Vesemir congratulated the boys on passing the trial and sent them to eat before the medallion ceremony.

Vesemir activated the Circle of Elements and explained how witchers could locate sources of magic before awarding medallions to Arwen and the other apprentices. After meditating there until dawn, Arwen advanced Basic Meditation to level two and acquired the Meditation Afterglow talent.

• Vesemir activated the Circle of Elements, and the medallions began charging as the apprentices sensed the gathering chaos energy.
• Vesemir and Eskel explained that witcher medallions and cats could help locate points of convergence, while dragons were also sensitive to them.
• Vesemir awarded medallions to Paul, Winston, Horton, Aiken, and Arwen, declaring that they had passed the final Trial of the Mountains and become witchers.
• Vesemir invited the five apprentices to meditate at the Circle until dawn, and Arwen sensed and absorbed water, fire, earth, and air elements.
• At sunrise, Arwen completed Basic Meditation level one and gained the Meditation Afterglow talent upon reaching level two.

After gaining a meditation talent, Arwen returned to Kaer Morhen with the other witchers and received a room of his own. He found a letter and a book of elemental spells left by Tissaia, then took a relaxing bath and decided to rest after completing his training.

• Arwen gained Meditation Afterglow, which improved his mental energy recovery and strengthened his spells after meditation.
• Vesemir and the others returned to Kaer Morhen with Old Spearhead's corpse, then paid tribute to Blyde with the Foglet's head.
• Vesemir gave the four new witchers keys to choose rooms and told Arwen that Lady Viris's room had been left for him.
• Arwen found Tissaia's letter, which congratulated him on passing the trial and gifted him the room and a copy of Common Low-Level Magic of the Four Elements.
• Arwen studied the elemental spellbook, used the Water Guiding Spell to fill the room's bathtub, and settled in for a well-earned rest.

Arwen prepared to leave Kaer Morhen before winter and chose his witcher swords with Vesemir's help. He found a powerful Wolf School greatsword that resonated with his Giant Bloodline.

• Arwen watered the moonlight grass and saw that its magic was slowly recovering.
• Paul told Arwen that Vesemir had arranged a lavish banquet to celebrate all five apprentices passing the Trial of the Mountains.
• The apprentices celebrated, and Vesemir later asked Arwen whether he had decided when to leave Kaer Morhen.
• Arwen said he planned to depart the next day, and Vesemir let him choose a silver sword and a steel sword.
• Arwen chose the silver sword with the fewest flaws, then discovered a meteoric-iron Wolf School greatsword that awakened his Giant Bloodline.

Arwen learned from Vesemir how a mage helped incite the massacre at Kaer Morhen and accepted the return of his Thyssen family ring. He left the fortress the next morning, carrying his weapons and a warning to be cautious while traveling.

• Vesemir told Arwen that the pamphlet Monstrum fueled hostility toward witchers before a mob, led by a mysterious mage, massacred the witchers and apprentices at Kaer Morhen.
• Arwen realized that his identity was Arwin Thyssen, and Vesemir returned the Thyssen royal ring while warning him that King Laird of Poviss and King Idi of Kovir were hunting his family.
• Vesemir told Arwen to pack and leave the next morning, and suggested he visit the Temple of Melitele in the Town of Frankenthal.
• Vesemir and Eskel prepared Arwen's horse, supplies, and a hundred crowns before he set out from Kaer Morhen.

Arwen encountered two vodyanoi attacking a timber wagon and its owner in the Kaedwen forest. He killed both creatures, leaving the rescued man’s fate unresolved.

• Arwen followed fresh wagon tracks through the forest with his raven, Raven, and heard someone calling for help.
• Arwen found two vodyanoi looting an overturned wagon while its owner hid in a tree and shouted at them.
• The vodyanoi attacked the man with stone axes, so Arwen drank a Tawny Owl potion, drew his silver sword, and charged them.
• Arwen slit one vodyanoi’s throat, then disarmed the other with the Aard Sign and killed it with his sword.

Arwen killed two kobolds and negotiated payment from timber merchant Theodore Reed for saving him. After agreeing to help haul Reed’s wagon to White River Town in exchange for five crowns and local information, Arwen set it upright and traveled with him toward town.

• Arwen killed two kobolds, collected their teeth, and demanded payment from Theodore Reed for rescuing him.
• Theodore Reed haggled with Arwen and paid him twenty-five crowns for the two kobolds.
• Reed asked Arwen to haul his overturned wagon to White River Town and agreed to pay five crowns and give him information about the area.
• Arwen lifted the wagon upright using his strength, astonishing Reed.
• Arwen and Reed gathered the scattered logs and headed toward White River Town.

Arwen, traveling under the name Raven, reached White River Town with the timber merchant Theodore Reed and learned that a monster had been killing people at night. The soldiers mistook Arwen for the monster, but Captain Martin recognized his witcher medallion and welcomed him as someone the town urgently needed.

• Arwen called himself Raven and heard Theodore Reed mention meeting a white-haired witcher named Gerald three months earlier.
• Arwen and Theodore arrived at White River Town, where the gate was shut and the exhausted guards were on alert.
• Theodore reunited with his brother-in-law, Captain Martin, who said a monster had been killing people at night.
• The soldiers saw Arwen's pale face and slit pupils and accused him of being a vampire, while Arwen realized they had mistaken him for the killer.
• Martin stopped the soldiers after spotting Arwen's witcher medallion and welcomed him to White River Town.

Raven arrived at White River Castle to investigate a monster killing the baron’s subjects, while using magic to humiliate and control Viscount Jennings. Baron Leo Kramer offered Raven five hundred ducats to kill the creature, then sent Martin to take him to the dungeon morgue to examine the latest victim.

• Martin led Raven through the castle, where Viscount Jennings insulted them over White River Domain’s delayed ore delivery.
• Raven used Yrden to trip Jennings and Axii to make him claim he had fallen by accident and ask to be taken somewhere to rest.
• Martin introduced Raven to Baron Leo Kramer, who questioned his age and abilities before explaining the monster’s nightly attacks and offering a bounty of five hundred ducats.
• Raven asked to inspect the latest victim, and Leo ordered Martin to take him to the dungeon morgue.