Recaps

Lynn rescued Istredd from a tall knight who tried to kill him, then defended their room against a group of assassins. With the attackers dead, Lynn kept Istredd inside the inn, where he believed they would be safest.

• The tall knight strangled Istredd, but Lynn burst into the room, wounded the knight’s knee, and killed him with Aard.
• Istredd urged Lynn to flee, but Lynn pulled him farther into the room and warned that an ambush might be waiting outside.
• Four or five assassins entered the room, and Lynn killed the first two with Gwyhyr.
• Lynn deflected a crossbow bolt with Quen and killed the third assassin.
• Lynn severed the final assassin’s legs, leaving him to die among the other attackers.

After surviving a night attack at the inn, Lynn, Geralt, and Istredd discovered that the attackers had poisoned the stable guards, killed the horses, and targeted Istredd’s caravan. With the inn abandoned and their transport destroyed, Istredd faced a difficult choice about how to move the valuable goods, while Lynn and Geralt examined traces near the stables.

• Istredd ordered his men to hold the inn until dawn, and Lynn and Istredd spent the night in Lynn’s room.
• At daylight, Istredd’s men found no attackers outside, then discovered the stable guards had been killed and the horses slaughtered.
• Geralt and Lynn detected fisstech in a wine bottle, and the men concluded the assailants had come to kill rather than steal.
• Istredd’s men found the inn’s missing staff dead in the cellar and suspected King Lettenhove had orchestrated the attack.
• The guards debated whether to stay or abandon the valuable weapons, while Istredd worried about the danger of traveling without horses.
• Istredd approached Lynn and Geralt as they examined traces near the stables, but Lynn warned him not to disturb them.

Lynn identified how the attackers had drugged and killed Istredd’s men, then led the group along their tracks to a camp in a grove. After waiting until nightfall, Lynn and Geralt crept toward the camp to scout it.

• Lynn explained that the attackers had arrived on horseback, drugged Istredd’s men with narcotic powder, killed them, and fled after their assault failed.
• Lynn and Geralt followed the tracks while Geralt taught Lynn how to investigate and track.
• The group found a grove with a sentry and hid on a nearby mound until nightfall.
• Geralt told Istredd to stay behind, and Lynn gave Geralt a bottle of Cat Potion.
• Lynn and Geralt used the darkness to slip past the doubled sentries and reach the edge of the attackers’ camp.

Lynn and Geralt scouted Jad Karadin’s camp, and Lynn left after devising a plan. Jad reflected on how he built a mercenary gang and criminal businesses to secure a respectable life before a sudden attack plunged his camp into chaos.

• Lynn and Geralt silently approached the camp, observed its defenses, and Lynn told Geralt he had thought of a plan.
• Jad saw a pair of cat’s eyes reflected in his broth and asked whether the messenger to King Lettenhove’s people had returned.
• Jad recalled surviving the School of the Cat’s Trial of the Grasses, killing his mentor, and becoming calmer afterward.
• Jad formed a mercenary gang and used its earnings to build illegal businesses, hoping to leave dangerous work behind.
• After his men’s attack with King Lettenhove’s soldiers failed, Jad demanded extra payment to continue the job.
• A cold gust entered Jad’s tent as shouts erupted, and he grabbed his sword and rushed into the chaos outside.

Lynn and Geralt attacked Jad’s mercenary camp with alchemical bombs, driving the men into Istredd’s crossbow ambush. Lynn confronted and killed Jad, a witcher from the School of the Cat.

• Lynn urged Istredd to ambush the mercenaries and planned to drive them toward his men with alchemical bombs.
• Lynn and Geralt used a Northern Wind Bomb, Dancing Star Bombs, and Dragon’s Dream Bombs to send the camp into chaos.
• The fleeing mercenaries ran into Istredd’s crossbowmen, who cut them down with bolts.
• Lynn recognized Jad as a School of the Cat witcher after Jad questioned the School of the Wolf’s involvement.
• Jad attacked Lynn with a hidden dart launcher, but Lynn dodged and defeated him in a sword fight.
• Lynn killed Jad before he could finish speaking.

After defeating Jad’s mercenaries, Istredd’s group learned that King Lettenhove had hired them and used a captured messenger to uncover the enemy’s next ambush plan. They chose to avoid another fight and return to the inn, where Istredd asked Lynn whether a witcher would become a king’s vassal.

• Istredd’s group questioned Jad’s prisoners and confirmed that King Lettenhove had hired the mercenaries to attack the caravan.
• The group hid in the forest and captured Rocky, Jad’s messenger, when he returned from delivering a message.
• The guard captain shared Rocky’s confession and a map showing the enemy’s rendezvous point and planned ambush.
• Lynn and Geralt advised Istredd to use the map to avoid King Lettenhove’s men and reach Talgar City safely, and Istredd agreed.
• On the way back to the inn, Istredd asked Lynn whether a witcher would object to becoming a king’s vassal.

Istredd revealed that he was Istredd Thyssen, heir to Kovir’s displaced royal family, and tried to recruit Lynn and Geralt to help him reclaim his throne. Geralt insisted that witchers must remain neutral, but Lynn accepted Istredd’s magical Eye of Nehaleni and Thyssen signet ring, leaving their allegiance uncertain.

• Lynn told Istredd that a witcher might help a rightful king in exchange for a suitable price and noble title.
• Lynn and Geralt arrived in Talgar City, where Istredd used his Thyssen signet ring to pass the guards and went to see Lady Benigna.
• Istredd visited Lynn and Geralt, revealed his identity, and explained how his family lost power and fled Kovir.
• Geralt refused to join Istredd’s political struggle, citing the witchers’ code of neutrality.
• Istredd offered the witchers gold, the Eye of Nehaleni, and his family signet ring, and Lynn accepted the two valuable items.

Lynn persuaded Geralt to accept his involvement in politics, arguing that neutrality would not protect witchers and that they needed to act to avoid extinction. He planned to support Istredd’s bid for the throne of Kovir and Poviss in return for a title and land, and the chapter ended with Lynn explaining the benefits witchers could bring to Istredd’s realm.

• After Istredd left, Geralt reproached Lynn for accepting Istredd’s signet ring and getting involved in politics.
• Lynn argued that witchers could not avoid being pulled into political conflicts and warned Geralt that their schools might go extinct if they did nothing.
• Geralt acknowledged Lynn’s planning and agreed not to stop him, though he urged Lynn to be careful.
• Lynn reflected that the old witcher code no longer suited changing times and decided to prepare for danger rather than wait for it.
• Lynn recounted that Istredd would win the War to Reclaim the Throne and promised to grant Lynn an earldom and land in exchange for his support.
• Lynn explained that welcoming witchers would help Istredd attract them to Kovir, protect rural communities, assist city guards, and defend the realm from foreign enemies.

After becoming Istredd’s vassal, Lynn traveled by barge from Talgar to Novigrad to seek witcher contracts. The voyage ended safely, and Lynn arrived in the bustling city ready to find work.

• Lynn reflected that serving Istredd was only an initial step toward his ambitions, while Istredd’s future war would take years to prepare.
• Lynn left Geralt behind to guard a haunted mine near Talgar City and rode to the waterfront docks on his horse, Nidhogg.
• Lynn boarded a barge bound for Novigrad, where the captain hired him as protection against possible pirates in the fog.
• The captain offered Lynn a long-term job, but Lynn declined and agreed only to consider sailing with him again.
• The barge reached Novigrad safely, and Lynn watched the crowds and ships at the harbor.

Lynn traveled from Novigrad to Oxenfurt to investigate Professor Sigismund Gloger's commission to find his missing student. At the university gate, a clerk recognized him as a witcher and asked whether she could pet him.

• Lynn collected his payment from the ship's captain and found Gloger's notice seeking help to locate a missing student.
• Lynn rode through the rain from Novigrad to Oxenfurt on Nidhogg.
• Lynn passed through Oxenfurt's lively streets and arrived at Oxenfurt University's main gate.
• Lynn told the university clerk he had come about Professor Gloger's commission and identified himself as a witcher.
• The clerk asked Lynn whether he carried contagious diseases and whether she could pet him.

Lynn visited Professor Sigismund Gloger at Oxenfurt University to investigate the disappearance of student Myshelle Sabina Lucks. After questioning the last person who saw her, Marco Gedel, Lynn caught Gloger trying to suppress a detail and pressed him to disclose everything.

• Lynn entered Oxenfurt University and found Professor Gloger's office after asking students for directions.
• Professor Gloger doubted that Lynn was a real witcher because he looked young, but agreed to let him investigate Myshelle Sabina Lucks's disappearance.
• Lynn learned that Marco Gedel was the last person to see Myshelle and questioned him about their meeting in the dining hall.
• Marco began to say they had discussed Etteiel, but Gloger coughed to stop him and challenged the relevance of the conversation.
• Lynn compared Gloger's concealment to tying a tightrope performer's hands and feet, and Gloger conceded while asking for one favor.

Lynn questioned Marco about the disappearance of Myshelle, an Oxenfurt University student, and agreed to investigate for Professor Gloger. After following Marco home, Lynn learned that Myshelle had a boyfriend, Gottfried, despite the university’s ban on student relationships.

• Lynn promised to keep Marco’s account of their research into the legendary treasure of Maelor secret, and Marco recounted his argument with Myshelle before she disappeared.
• Marco said he had noticed no unusual behavior from Myshelle, but his evasive remark about Gottfried caught Lynn’s attention.
• Professor Gloger told Lynn that Myshelle rented a house near the harbor and offered him a hundred crowns if he returned her safe and unharmed.
• After Marco left the university, Lynn followed him home and pressed him to reveal what he had withheld from Gloger.
• Marco admitted that Myshelle’s boyfriend was Gottfried and asked Lynn to keep the relationship secret so she would not be expelled.

Lynn investigated the disappearance of Myshelle and learned that a muscular worker may have lured her away. After questioning her ex-boyfriend and the repair workers, he began tracing the people involved at Oxenfurt’s harbor.

• Marco told Lynn that Myshelle had disappeared after a handsome, muscular worker arrived to repair a university building, and that her family owned a lumberyard and house in Novigrad.
• Lynn inspected Myshelle’s rented house and found muddy tracks showing that someone had entered through a window, but no signs of a struggle.
• Lynn found Gottfried drinking in a tavern and used Axii to make him reveal the locations of Myshelle’s family home and lumberyard.
• Lynn went to Oxenfurt’s harbor, found the workers who had repaired the university building, and used wine to get them talking.

Lynn learned that Vlasg had spoken of taking back what workers deserved from the rich, and he suspected Vlasg had kidnapped Myshelle. He tracked the bandits to her family’s lumberyard, where Vlasg was holding Master Ruxe, his wife, and their student daughter hostage.

• Lynn questioned the harbor workers about Vlasg, who had criticized the rich and asked an older worker to join him in taking back what they deserved.
• Lynn rode Nidhogg from Oxenfurt toward Novigrad after concluding Vlasg had targeted Myshelle.
• Lynn approached the lumberyard at night, climbed over its wall, and found it occupied by armed bandits.
• Vlasg taunted Master Ruxe about his wealth, then kicked him down as Ruxe begged him to spare his family.

Lynn arrived at Ruxe’s lumberyard and rejected Vlasg’s attempt to recruit him into robbing the family. As Vlasg secretly signaled his accomplices, Lynn prepared to fight and activated his Quen Shield.

• Vlasg beat Ruxe and accused him of exploiting the poor while Myshelle pleaded for him to stop.
• Lynn entered the lumberyard, and the bandits hesitated to attack the mutant with two swords.
• Vlasg offered Lynn a share of Ruxe’s wealth, but Ruxe begged Lynn to save his family.
• Lynn refused to join the bandits and challenged them to slit their own throats.
• Vlasg secretly signaled his accomplices while talking to stall, and Lynn raised his Quen Shield and kicked the table upright.

Lynn rescued Myshelle’s parents and sister from the Greenwood Brotherhood’s logging camp, killing the bandits and questioning their leader. He left the family safe for now but warned them to burn the bodies and clean the blood to keep necrophages away.

• Lynn fought through the bandits, killing them with his sword and Igni before knocking out their leader, Vlasg.
• Lynn identified himself as a witcher sent by Professor Gloger and freed Myshelle’s family from their ropes.
• Lynn used Axii to make Vlasg reveal that the entire Greenwood Brotherhood was at the camp, then forced him to stab himself to death.
• Lynn returned downstairs dragging two corpses and told Ruxe’s family to burn the bodies and clean the blood to prevent necrophages from gathering.

Lynn helped Ruxe and his family escape the Greenwood Brotherhood, escorted them safely to Novigrad, and received payment for completing the commission. After delivering Ruxe’s letter to Professor Gloger, Lynn collected another hundred crowns and reflected on how wealthy he had become.

• Lynn burned the bandits’ bodies and agreed to escort Ruxe, his wife, and Myshelle to Novigrad.
• Ruxe’s family traveled through the dangerous night with Lynn and took shelter at the guard post outside Novigrad’s closed gates.
• Ruxe explained how Vlasg had deceived Myshelle and lured her parents into the Greenwood Brotherhood’s ambush.
• At dawn, Lynn entered Novigrad with the family and received three hundred crowns and a letter from Ruxe.
• Lynn delivered Ruxe’s letter to Professor Gloger, who paid him one hundred crowns for completing the commission.

After Ruxe invited Lynn to dinner, he asked him to take a contract for his friend Vimme Vivaldi, whose newly purchased house was haunted. Lynn agreed and met Vimme at the bank, where the dwarf doubted that someone so young could handle ghosts.

• Lynn returned to Novigrad after leaving Oxenfurt University and completed several minor contracts.
• Ruxe invited Lynn to his home, where Ruxe's wife apologized for her earlier rudeness and Ruxe later explained that his friend Vimme needed a witcher.
• Ruxe told Lynn that Vimme had bought a haunted house, and the previous owner could not be held responsible because Whoreson Junior's men had killed him.
• Lynn accepted the contract, valuing both the payment and the chance to build ties with a banker.
• At the Vivaldi Bank, Vimme met Lynn and warned him that fighting ghosts was far more dangerous than dealing with bandits.

Lynn accepted Vimme Vivaldi’s contract to investigate a haunted villa in Novigrad, then questioned the neighbors and found that none had witnessed anything unusual. After preparing himself and entering the villa, he was met by a sudden violent shaking of the house.

• Lynn agreed to clear the haunted house for Vimme Vivaldi for two hundred crowns and won twenty crowns from him playing Gwent.
• Lynn inspected the villa and questioned nearby residents, who said they had heard rumors of a haunting but had witnessed no signs of one.
• Lynn cast a master-level Quen Shield, drank several potions, and entered the villa.
• The ground shook violently as Lynn stepped inside, and the chandelier rattled overhead.

Lynn investigated unexplained tremors in a villa and found a golem trapped behind a hidden basement wall. The magical barrier holding it was weakening, leaving Lynn facing the prospect of the golem breaking free.

• Lynn searched the shaking villa after confirming his medallion did not react and found no ghosts or other obvious causes.
• Lynn spotted salt by the basement stairs and followed cracks in a basement wall to a hidden passage.
• Lynn used Aard to break through the wall and discovered a cavern containing a golem confined by a flickering magical barrier.
• Lynn recognized the construct as a golem and recalled their origins, abilities, and ways to defeat them.

Lynn prepared potions, Elementa Oil, and Dimeritium Bombs before confronting the golem trapped in the cave. After freeing itself from the magical cage, the golem fought back, but Lynn repeatedly targeted its right leg and continued the battle.

• Lynn gathered his supplies, set Dimeritium Bombs around the magical cage, and bought a pickaxe to fight the golem.
• Lynn meditated until the cage weakened, then drank his potions and coated the pickaxe with Elementa Oil.
• When the cage vanished, Lynn detonated the bombs, immobilizing the golem and letting him damage its right leg.
• The golem recovered and attacked, but Lynn dodged its punch, endured its spinning charge with Quen, and threw another Dimeritium Bomb.
• Lynn leaped over the toppled golem as it crashed into the cave wall, then struck the wound on its right leg again.

Lynn defeated the golem imprisoned beneath the house and collected its valuable stone heart. He reported the danger to Vimme Vivaldi, received his payment, and left the stone heart and specter dust with Vimme’s auction house to sell.

• Lynn gouged the stone heart from the defeated golem after spending bombs and earning experience from the fight.
• Lynn went to Vivaldi Bank after his potion toxicity subsided and told Vimme the house was safe once the cavern was cleaned and sealed.
• Vimme paid Lynn the agreed two hundred crowns and praised his work.
• Lynn asked Vimme to estimate the value of the Red Miasmal’s specter dust and the golem’s stone heart.
• Vimme estimated the dust could sell for seventy or eighty crowns and the stone heart for over three hundred, then agreed to auction both for a ten-percent commission.

After settling in Novigrad, Lynn gained Professor Gloger’s permission to use an Oxenfurt University alchemy room for one day. He raised his alchemy skill to its limit, gained the Mutation Enhancement talent, and successfully brewed Superior Petri’s Philter.

• Lynn settled at an inn in Novigrad’s upper district and enjoyed a peaceful week.
• Lynn visited Oxenfurt University and persuaded Professor Gloger to vouch for him so he could use an alchemy room for one day.
• Lynn spent all five attribute points to raise Alchemy to Master/Limit and gained the Mutation Enhancement talent.
• Lynn absorbed new alchemical memories that let him make superior potions, blade oils, and bombs.
• Lynn used the ingredients he had prepared to brew Superior Petri’s Philter.

Lynn tested Superior Petri's Philter in the wilderness and discovered that it greatly amplified his Signs. Back in Novigrad, Vimme invited him to the bank and, after treating him lavishly, prepared to explain what he wanted.

• Lynn brewed Superior Petri's Philter, packed it into bottles, and left Oxenfurt to test it away from the crowds.
• Lynn drank the potion and used Igni, scorching a tree with a powerful blast of flame.
• Lynn rode Nidhogg back to Novigrad, where a dwarf summoned him to Vivaldi Bank on Vimme's behalf.
• Vimme welcomed Lynn with tobacco, Est Est, and Mahakam spirits, then began to explain why he had sought him out.

Lynn learned that Triss Merigold, Temeria’s royal adviser, had summoned him after he dealt with her haunted house. He met her there, where she welcomed him and used magic to pour them drinks.

• Vimme told Lynn that Triss Merigold wanted to see him about something.
• Lynn left the Vivaldi Bank and went to the house that he had cleared of its haunting.
• Triss answered the door and invited Lynn inside.
• Triss led Lynn to a sitting room and magically poured them both drinks.
• Lynn and Triss toasted to each other’s health.