Chapter Summaries

Lynn and Geralt killed the soldiers who tried to cheat them out of their payment, then traveled into Aedirn and found a notice seeking witchers. Lynn met the town mayor to hear about a possible monster-hunting job.

• Lynn told the captain that one of the supposed dead men had been a living merchant from Ebbing, and the captain accused him of releasing a Nilfgaardian spy.
• The captain refused to pay Lynn and Geralt and ordered his soldiers to attack them.
• Lynn used the Igni Sign and his steel sword to kill several guards while Geralt finished off the last one.
• Lynn and Geralt searched the guards, burned their bodies, and traveled south into Aedirn.
• After spotting a notice seeking witchers, Lynn met the mayor in a tavern and asked what work he had for him.
• The mayor claimed the town had many monsters and began describing the problem to Lynn.

Lynn and Geralt investigated the mayor’s reports of monsters and found no evidence that any existed in town. As they left, a barefoot peasant hired them to help his village, where they arrived at dusk and met the worried village elder.

• Lynn questioned the mayor about the alleged incidents and suspected the townspeople had mistaken ordinary events for monsters.
• Lynn told Geralt he thought the reports were rumors, but they stayed in town to investigate before deciding whether to leave.
• Lynn watched the river while Geralt investigated the reported incidents, and neither found evidence of monsters over several days.
• A barefoot peasant caught up with Lynn and Geralt and asked them to help his village with a monster threat.
• Lynn agreed to go with the peasant, and he and Geralt reached the village at dusk, where the elder welcomed them inside.

Lynn questioned the survivors of a cemetery attack and concluded that the monster was a Grave Hag. He and Geralt prepared to discuss how to deal with it, with the hag’s weaknesses and habits now known.

• The village elder told Lynn that a monster had killed the cemetery caretaker and that Gwen and Roy were the only survivors of an attempt to fight it.
• Roy described the monster as a clawed, malformed old woman and said it had attacked the group near dusk.
• Gwen left angrily after Roy mocked him for fleeing first, while Roy added that the monster had not appeared when they visited the cemetery in the afternoon.
• After the elder left, Lynn told Geralt that the creature was likely a Grave Hag and explained its habits and vulnerability to sunlight.

Lynn and Geralt prepared to hunt the grave hag and tracked it to the gravedigger’s hut. Lynn trapped and wounded the creature, then set it ablaze with Igni as the fight continued.

• Lynn prepared Necrophage Oil and potions while Geralt supplied the ingredients, and the two set out with Roy for the cemetery.
• Roy discovered that several villagers’ bodies were missing, and Geralt explained that the grave hag buried corpses to eat them.
• Lynn sensed the grave hag in the gravedigger’s hut, and Roy hurried back to the village to prepare the payment.
• Geralt set the hut on fire while Lynn laid an Yrden Trap by its entrance, forcing the grave hag outside and slowing it down.
• Lynn struck the grave hag with his silver sword, parried its attacks, and engulfed it in flames with Igni.

Lynn defeated a Grave Hag with Geralt, and the two completed their contract before traveling to Aedd Gynvael. With no witcher work available in the city, Lynn earned money in tavern boxing matches and turned down the organizer's offer of a long-term partnership.

• Lynn killed the Grave Hag without needing Geralt's help, and they collected materials from its body and inspected the gravedigger's hut.
• Geralt showed the Grave Hag's head to the villagers, collected their payment, and advised them on guarding against monsters before he and Lynn left.
• Half a month later in Aedd Gynvael, Lynn defeated a tavern boxing opponent and collected his share of the winnings.
• The bearded boxing organizer offered Lynn a long-term partnership, but Lynn refused.
• Lynn recalled that he and Geralt had arrived in Aedd Gynvael after traveling south, where Geralt went to enjoy an abalone feast while Lynn chose to box instead.

Lynn accepted Istredd’s offer to guard his caravan from Aedd Gynvael to the Principality of Talgar and asked to bring Geralt along. Lynn suspected Istredd was the exiled Thyssen heir preparing to reclaim Kovir and Poviss, and the two witchers agreed to join his journey.

• Istredd introduced himself as a merchant from Kovir and offered Lynn a well-paid caravan guard job.
• Istredd described his route through the Mahakam Mountains, Dorian, and Novigrad to the Principality of Talgar, offering two hundred crowns and covering expenses.
• Lynn accepted the commission and asked Istredd to hire another witcher.
• After Geralt finished his meal, Lynn told him about the job, and Geralt agreed to join.
• Lynn concluded that Istredd was likely Istredd Thyssen, the exiled heir who would later reclaim Kovir and Poviss.

Lynn and Geralt joined Istredd’s caravan, where they fought off monsters and Lynn won dozens of crowns playing Gwent. The next morning, Istredd assigned Geralt to the front of the procession and Lynn to the rear, and Lynn declined Yarpen’s invitation to play again that night.

• Lynn and Geralt left Aedd Gynvael with Istredd’s caravan, and Istredd gave Lynn a Kovir steed.
• Lynn and Geralt killed the Ghouls and Nekkers that attacked the caravan during the journey.
• Yarpen Zigrin introduced Gwent to the caravan and charged players a crown to use his decks.
• Lynn played for stakes with his own Gwent cards and won dozens of crowns from other players.
• Istredd rearranged the caravan’s positions for a forest route, placing Geralt at the front and Lynn at the rear.
• Yarpen asked Lynn to play Gwent again, but Lynn declined to avoid causing trouble with the caravan’s men.

Lynn and Yarpen discussed the Scoia'tael and whether humans, dwarves, and elves could live together peacefully before the caravan came under attack from archers in the woods. After rescuing Yarpen and taking a Blizzard Potion, Lynn charged toward the hidden attackers, leaving the outcome uncertain.

• Lynn and Yarpen talked about the Scoia'tael, and Yarpen explained why he and his companions did not support the elves' rebellion.
• Archers ambushed the caravan from the woods, killing a guard and knocking Yarpen from his pony.
• Lynn pulled Yarpen to safety, then took cover with him behind a covered wagon as the guards returned fire.
• Lynn judged that the caravan was outnumbered and feared Geralt might be left behind if he fled.
• Lynn drank a Blizzard Potion, told Yarpen to stay under cover, and charged toward the woods, where an attacker spotted him.

Lynn used his Witcher Senses and swordsmanship to attack the Children of Freedom inside the forest while Istredd's caravan fought them outside. After Lynn killed four elves, a messenger warned commander Coinneach da Leo that a formidable human was cutting through his men, and Coinneach gathered his fighters to confront him.

• Lynn dodged a volley of arrows, entered the forest, and used his Witcher Senses to locate nearby enemies.
• Lynn killed four elves in quick succession, using his reflexes and swordsmanship to evade their arrows and blades.
• Lynn sensed more Children of Freedom squads in the forest, including two moving to flank the caravan, and relied on Istredd's men to keep fighting outside.
• Coinneach da Leo worried that his ambush was failing and that an Aedirnian patrol might discover the battle.
• A messenger reported that Lynn had killed several elves and could not be stopped, so Coinneach kicked him down and ordered the nearby elves to follow.

Lynn fought Coinneach and his elves after they attacked a Kovir merchant caravan, using his witcher skills to kill or disable several attackers. He trapped Coinneach with a Master-Level Yrden Trap, leaving the commander slowed and vulnerable.

• Coinneach recognized Lynn as a witcher and ordered his elves to kill him after their argument over the caravan attack.
• Lynn dodged an archer’s ambush with help from his medallion, then returned the arrow and killed the archer.
• Lynn burned three charging elves with Igni and fought Coinneach with swords as the Blizzard Potion’s effects faded.
• Lynn gained the upper hand with a sudden sword assault, but Coinneach defended and retreated until he stepped into Lynn’s Yrden Trap.
• The Master-Level Yrden Trap enveloped Coinneach and slowed his movements.

Lynn killed Coinneach and helped defeat the Scoia'tael attacking the caravan. After Istredd thanked Lynn and Geralt, he asked them to keep the battle confidential, a request connected to the elven sorceress Francesca.

• Lynn lured Coinneach into a Yrden Trap and killed him with a sword strike.
• Lynn prepared to fight the three blinded elves, but Geralt, Yarpen, and Istredd arrived with the humans and turned the battle against the Scoia'tael.
• The three surviving Children of Freedom surrendered, but the humans killed them under orders to take no prisoners.
• Istredd thanked Lynn for protecting the caravan and promised that he and Geralt would be rewarded upon reaching the Principality of Talgar.
• Istredd asked Lynn and Geralt to keep the battle secret, and Lynn recognized that the matter involved Francesca.

Istredd's caravan reached Mahakam, where Yarpen and the other dwarves stayed behind because they could not return to their homeland. Istredd used a badge from Great Elder Brovar Hogger to gain entry, then offered the guards a barrel of spirits as thanks.

• Lynn warned Istredd that others in the caravan might reveal Francesca's ties to the elven rebels, but Istredd said he trusted his guards and would pay Yarpen to keep quiet.
• Istredd's caravan made its first stop at Mahakam to trade daily necessities for dwarven weapons.
• Yarpen and the other dwarves asked to remain in the village at the foot of the mountains, and Istredd agreed.
• Geralt explained that dwarves who left conservative Mahakam were considered traitors and could not return.
• Istredd showed the fortress guards his badge from Great Elder Brovar Hogger, gained permission to pass, and offered them a barrel of spirits.

Lynn and Geralt traveled with Istredd's caravan into Mahakam, where the great elder summoned the witchers for an unspecified commission. The chapter ended as they reached Carbon Mountain, Mahakam's towering cliffside capital.

• Istredd gave barrels of Mahakam spirits to dwarves at checkpoints, and Geralt explained how the clans provided for ordinary dwarves while controlling their wealth.
• The caravan passed the final checkpoint and entered Mahakam's vast, sunlit valley of mines, foundries, and armories.
• A dwarven captain told Lynn and Geralt that the great elder wanted to hire witchers for a commission, and they agreed to hear the details.
• Istredd arranged to discuss future plans with Lynn after the caravan's three-to-five-day stay in Mahakam.
• The captain led Lynn and Geralt past a castle and pointed out Carbon Mountain, whose towers climbed high along a sheer cliff.

Lynn and Geralt met Great Elder Brovar Hogger, who planned to discuss a monster-hunting contract after they rested. While seeking food at night, they overheard dwarf soldiers discussing a lord’s plan to challenge Brovar and used Axii to control two patrolmen.

• Lynn and Geralt rode a lift to Carbon Mountain’s summit and met Great Elder Brovar Hogger in his throne hall.
• Brovar welcomed the witchers and postponed discussing the dangerous-monster contract until after their rest.
• Thor escorted Lynn and Geralt to their guest rooms, and Lynn noticed a fleeting odd expression on the captain’s face.
• Hungry, Lynn left his room and met Geralt in the corridor; they set off together to find the dining hall.
• Lynn and Geralt overheard two dwarf soldiers discussing a lord’s plan to challenge Brovar, then used Axii to control two soldiers on patrol.

Lynn used the Axii Sign to question two dwarven soldiers and learned that a conspiracy against Great Elder Brovar might be underway. He and Geralt agreed to warn Brovar, but Lynn was awakened the next morning by a noisy fight outside the guest rooms.

• Lynn questioned two dwarven soldiers under the Axii Sign and learned that a dissatisfied group opposed Brovar and followed an unknown lord.
• Lynn and Geralt decided to warn Great Elder Brovar rather than pursue the soldiers' cousin themselves.
• Lynn and Geralt ate in the dining hall and returned to their guest rooms for the night.
• Lynn woke to the sound of two dwarves fighting at a training ground beside the guest rooms.
• Lynn confronted a dwarf about the noise and complained that the fight had interrupted his sleep.

Lynn joined a dwarven sparring circle in Mahakam and easily defeated Regan, earning the dwarves' respect. Muradin then stepped forward to challenge him, hoping a victory would help him earn a position in the clan.

• A dwarf explained to Lynn that Mahakam's inhabitants settled disputes with their fists and described the rule that dwarves could spend a year in human society after turning fifty.
• The dwarf invited Lynn to demonstrate his skills, and Lynn agreed to spar with the dwarves using blunt weapons.
• Regan challenged Lynn, but Lynn dodged his hammer and struck him down with the pommel of a training sword.
• Lynn helped Regan up, and Regan thanked him respectfully for going easy on him.
• Muradin stepped forward with a blunt axe after the crowd praised his reputation for killing a dozen bandits, hoping to impress the clan.

Lynn defeated Muradin in a sparring match, then reassured the dwarves after Thor arrived and warned them not to interfere with the grand elder’s investigation. Lynn later met Brovar privately, clarified the rumors about witchers taking assassination jobs, and persuaded the grand elder to dismiss his guards so they could speak in secret.

• Lynn defeated Muradin, and the watching dwarves became eager to challenge him but none stepped forward.
• Thor arrived with guards and warned the dwarves that interfering with Lynn’s investigation would offend the grand elder; Lynn said they had only been exchanging pointers.
• Thor told Lynn that Brovar wanted him and the other witcher to rest and discuss the commission the next day, but Lynn asked to see Brovar immediately.
• Brovar questioned Lynn about rumors that witchers accepted assassination jobs, and Lynn explained the different schools’ practices and why he had no reason to target anyone in Mahakam.
• Brovar accepted Lynn’s explanation, apologized for his suspicion, and ordered his guards to leave the throne hall.

Lynn warned Brovar about opposition within Mahakam, then heard about a commission involving an abandoned adamantite mine where miners fell ill. Brovar offered a large reward, and Lynn sought to inspect the sick miners before deciding whether to accept.

• Lynn discreetly told Brovar that a faction within Mahakam was working against him, and Brovar said he already knew.
• Brovar explained that miners had found adamantite in an abandoned tunnel, but those who entered developed red rashes and blisters.
• Lynn suspected a plague maiden and told Brovar that wraiths were difficult to kill.
• Lynn asked to see the sick miners before deciding whether to take the commission, and Brovar promised four thousand gold orens and a fine sword.

Lynn heard Elder Brovar's offer of four thousand orens and a Gwyhyr Sword in exchange for investigating the sick miners, but he withheld his decision until he could examine them and speak with Geralt. He entered the quarantine area, calmed the miners with Axii, and prepared to question them.

• Brovar offered Lynn and Geralt four thousand orens and a Gwyhyr Sword to help restore the mine's income.
• Lynn told Geralt about the offer and said he had not agreed, choosing to examine the sick miners and consult his companion first.
• Geralt decided to investigate the abandoned mine while Lynn went to the quarantine area with a dwarf guide.
• Lynn entered a dark stone house where the bandaged miners begged for help and struggled toward him.
• Lynn used the Axii Sign to calm the miners, then began asking them questions.

Lynn confirmed that a curse from the abandoned mine was sickening the miners, and he and Geralt accepted Brovar’s commission to destroy the Plague Wraith. After preparing their witcher supplies, they entered the mine and paused in a cavern to ready themselves for what lay ahead.

• Lynn questioned the quarantined miners and found traces of a curse on each of them, concluding that the Plague Maiden in the abandoned mine was responsible.
• Geralt reported that the mine’s guards remained healthy, supporting Lynn’s belief that the curse afflicted only those who entered the cursed area.
• Lynn and Geralt accepted Brovar’s commission and asked him to provide materials for blade oils, potions, and alchemical bombs.
• Istredd arrived to wait for Lynn and Geralt while they prepared to deal with the Plague Wraith.
• After the dwarves gathered the materials, Lynn and Geralt made their supplies and entered the abandoned mine with Thor and a squad of guards escorting them to the entrance.
• Lynn and Geralt reached a cavern with several deep tunnels and stopped to drink potions and apply blade oils before continuing.