You could go hunting Dandelion down, and, if that’s what you want to do, skip ahead to “Get Junior” . There are a few quests you can check out, first, though, and plenty of optional exploration south-east of Novigrad. First up, you have a fencing lesson with Rosa…

Fencing Lessons (Level 12) Walkthrough¶

Head up to the var Attre estate and talk to the guard outside to find out that Rosa is waiting for you elsewhere - near the bridge in the nonhuman district that connects to the Seven Cat’s Inn, in fact.

Talk to Rosa when you find her, and she’ll shortly send her guard away, then ask you to follow her. It seems she wants a more scenic locale for her fencing lesson than a dank cellar, and she wants a more realistic fight. Defeat her once again (it should be much quicker now that you’re using a real sword) and she’ll yield. Geralt will then fall for a trick, and Rosa will run off.

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Indulge Rosa in another, somewhat more real duel (left) then track her down and defend her from some Nordlings (right).

Activate your Witcher Senses to find Rosa’s footprints. Seems she scampered off down the road to the south-east-towards the Seven Cat’s Inn. Head over to the aforementioned tavern to find that Rosa’s found herself some typical Nordling hospitality. Approach the group and either pick a fight, bribe the pests, or use the Axii Sign to get them to back down. If you pick a fight, put down Lucas and Kobe (both level nine), if not, not. Either way, talk to Rosa afterwards and chastise her to varying degrees depending upon your response. Either way, the lesson is over and Rosa is sent home.

Well, since you’re out here, you might as well start out exploration from the Seven Cats Inn. Head southeast from the inn and cross a bridge, then, when on the eastern side, turn north to find some marshlands, where Drowners (level nine) prowl. Kill them, and loot some corpses - particularly a soldier near a flag. Once done, head back south and follow the road east, then south-east along the coast.

Death, or Novigrad¶

When you reach a fork, stick to the southern path and follow it south-east. At another fork you’ll find some soldiers hassling some peasants. You can either wash your hands of the situation, pick a fight with the Novigrad Soldiers (level thirteen), bribe the guards (100 Crowns) or use the Axii Sign on them. The last option is by far the most lucrative. After helping the peasants one will tell you about some lucrative tomb near Downwarren; he’s referring to Dragonslayer’s Grotto, which you’ve already looted. It grants you the bulk of the early level Griffin Armor School Scavenger Hunt, which is something worth looking into.

Paranoid Travelers¶

From this encounter follow the road southeast until you spot a small gathering west of the road. Accept the hospitality, give your name, and chat your new friends up. Eventually one of them - Manfred - will be a little too specific with his information, raising suspicions of the nearby guard. Once these suspicions are raised, the guard will attempt to arrest the “spy”, whether you help (as requested) or not. You can either sit the confrontation out, help the soldier, or tell defend the merchant. If you don’t give your name, then when prodded, you try to leave, you’ll provoke both Manfred and the guard, who accuse you of being a spy. Seems the war has made everybody suspicious.

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A chat wtih some paranoid travelers might end up substituting words for swords (left). Help some refugees escape the scrutiny of some guards (right).

Circus Encampment¶

From this last encounter, continue following the road south until you reach a fork, at which turn southeast and follow the road as it leads you east to a bridge. Cross it and keep going east until you shortly find a trail to the north, which will lead to an encampment of circus-folk. Among them is a merchant, who is rather obsessed with Gwent. Finally, a kindred spirit! If you beat him at Gwent you’ll win his unique “Schirru” card, an 8 Strength Hero Card for the Scoia’tael deck that has a “Scorch” effect similar to “Villentretenmerth”, save it affects Siege Unit Cards, not Close Combat Unit Cards. A very worthy addition to your Scoia’tael deck.

On top of that he happens to sell a mess of cards, including the leader cards “Emhyr Var Emreis, Invader of the North” and “Foltest, Son of Medell” , two copies of “Gaunter O’Dimm: Darkness” , which are 4 Strength “Muster” cards that can go in any deck, the “Barclay Els” card, a 6 Strength card with “Agile”, a “Dol Blathanna Scout” card, another 6 Strength card with “Agile”, the “Siege Technician” card, a 0 Strength “Medic” card for Nilfgaardian decks, and a “Mahakaman Defender” card. It’s a good bit of power for Scoia’tael decks, and those “Gaunter O’Dimm: Darkness” cards will start to get interesting when you collect more of them.

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The elven Merchant at the circus camp might have a bit of a Gwent problem… (left). Defeat him, however, and you'll obtain the Schirru card (right).

The Temerian Resistance¶

Leave the circus encampment and return back south to the fork or, if you don’t have Hearts of Stone installed… well, you never needed to head north in the first place. Either way, once you’re back at the fork head down a road to the south and continue south and south-east along this road (and the coast!), past Carsten, to find the “Gustfields Farm” signpost, which is just north of the northern tip of Oxenfurt. Along the way you can find some caravans alongside the road, with some loot scattered near them, just don’t expect anything exceptional. When you reach the signpost head along another road to the north-east through some fields until you find the “Temerian Partisan Hideout” signpost. Seems kind of silly for such a group to have a signpost, but… whatever.

Approach the cave entrance and a guard will attempt to see you off. Either pick a fight, or stick to the top options until you get the opportunity to use Axii on the guard. After the influence of a Sign or some good old fashioned thumping, you’ll be able to pass.

Inside the cave you’ll meet your old friends Vernon Roche and Ves. Patriotism dies hard, it seems. Ask Vernon about what he’s been through since you last met, and you’ll also learn about the fall of Temeria in the process. When you’re done chatting about politics old and new, challenge him to a game of Gwent. He’s got a fairly powerful Northern Kingdoms deck, including cards like “Villentretenmerth”, “Ciri” and plenty of siege units, which he likes to exploit with his “Foltest, the Siegemaster” card. He’s not above using the odd “Commander’s Horn”, but he has little in the way of “Spy” cards, although he will happily use “Decoy” on your own Spy cards, if he has them handy. When you beat him you’ll add the “Saesenthessis” Card to your Scoia’tael deck.

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Meet up with your old pal-and last remaining vestige of the Temerian resistance (left) then defeat Vernon Roche for his "Saesenthessis" Card (right).

After winning, Vernon will mention another player who might be a challenge for you; none other than your fellow Witcher, Lambert. To play him you’ll have to advance his quest “Following the Thread” , which requires you to travel to Skellige… so it’ll be a while. Time to get back to rescuing Dandelion.