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In the cave where the "hog hut" is located you can find the Diagram: Feline Steel Sword - Enhanced (left). There are also Bandits in and around the cave that need to be put down (right).

Fools Gold - Part 2 (Level 6) Walkthrough¶

Well, that was simple enough. Head back to Lindenvale and from there fast-travel back to the Reardon Manor signpost. From there, backtrack up the road to the north until you reach a three-way fork, at which point turn east until you find another road running south, which terminates at the infamous “hog hut”. Outside you’ll find a trio of Bandits (levels five and six), which should be easy enough to dispatch. Eradicate them, then head into the “hut”… or rather, the cave.

Head south-west into the large cavern, then when the cavern bends to the south, keep your eye to the left to find a chest containing the “Diagram: Feline Steel Sword - Enhanced” . Nice. Kill another group of Bandits (levels five and six) then loot a nearby chest to the south. Once done go up some stairs and use Yontek’s Key on an otherwise solid-seeming door, which promptly turns into a portal.

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The "hog hut" happens to contain a rather porcine shrine (left). Talk to one of the polymorphed townsfolk to confirm what happened here (right).

Bravely venture into the blazing portal and once on the other side activate your Witcher Senses to detect some footprints. Continue south-west to reach a small chamber occupied by a pig and some discarded clothes, the latter of which you should search before continuing on. Down some stairs to the south-west you’ll find a rather porcine statue standing proudly over an altar - a recently looted altar, by the loots of things. The villagers of Lurtch apparently stole the gold from this most bacon-y of shrines, but got an appropriate punishment for their transgression.

Return back upstairs and talk to the “pig”, who will quickly establish a means of communicating with Geralt. Have a chat with the piggy and Geralt will, with the help of the pig, establish the obvious. Looks like Geralt needs to have another chat with Yontek and deprive the villagers of their ill-gotten gains. Better to be destitute than a ham sandwich, after all. Return to Lurtch by whatever means you find expedient and, when you approach you’ll find Yontek doing what he does best; screaming for help. Dispatch some Wolves and a Warg (level five) who were threatening the pig-villagers, then talk to Yontek. After some obligatory weirdness he’ll get to talking and Geralt will delegate duties.

After sending Yontek off on his merry way, ready the Axii sign and head into the various houses. Blast the piggies with Axii and they’ll waddle their way to the designated spot. Once all the wee little piggies are where they belong, join them and Yontek will show up shortly, and the next phase of the quest will begin. You now need to escort the nine pigs from Lurtch to the hog house. Maybe all will remain quiet along the way?

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Defend the peasant-piggies from a pack of Nekkers that attack (left) and restore the wealth to the shrine to end the curse (right).

Yeah, right. Escort them along the road until you’re beset by three Nekkers (level six) and a Nekker Warrior (level twelve). Fortunately, however, this is all you have to deal with along the way. Once the Nekkers are dead and you reach a fork in the road, Yontek will run off, and you’ll end up at your destination. After the gold is returned, the villagers, looking to project their faults on others will blame Yontek. Stand up for him and the villagers will flee, or leave Yontek to his fate and walk away 100 Crowns richer.

Downwarren¶

Well, that was… different. Anyways, time to finish this trek, and there’s just a few more lucrative places to visit en route to where the diagrams you’re looking for can be found. Return to Reardon Manor once again and from there venture south through the manor, then continue south down a road. When the road turns south-east, instead veer off to the south-west to discover Downwarren. Play Gwent with the Merchant here (he’s got a rather uninspired Monster deck), but ignore the notice board. Despite what your map might say, you can’t start any quests here yet. Discovering the signpost will speed things up later, though.

Place of Power¶

Exit the village by taking a road along the north-western edge of Downwarren. Follow it uphill as it loops around the western-most house of the village, cross a bridge, turn south-west, cross a stream, then continue west over a somewhat less intact bridge. When the road splits, take the western road and ignore the south, and when it forks again, head north. Along the way you might encounter some aerial critters, including Harpies (level six) and a Wyvern (level nine). Continue following the road as it zig-zags uphill and, when the road starts to head downhill, veer off the road to the north, endeavoring to climb the mountain. If there’s grass, you can run there. That, and a little jumping, should get you to the top, where you’ll find a Place of Power. Suck up that delicious ability point, then head back down the hill the way you came up.

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A Wyvern might attack you on the mountain path near Downwarren (left). Brave the heights and the beasts to reach a Place of Power on a peak (right).

Dragonslayers Grotto (Level 11) Walkthrough¶

Once you’re back on the road, follow it west, then downhill, across a bridge to the west, and into a forest. When the road turns west again, depart from the road and head up through the forest uphill to the north-east. Be wary of Endrega as you head through the forest. When you discover the signpost, head south-east and drop down a ledge, then go through a doorway in the darkness beyond. These tunnels are haunted by Wraiths (level seven) which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as again, they can drop various gem powders which are useful in crafting weapons, and expensive to buy.

After dealing with whatever Wraiths attack you, go through a doorway to the south and loot the room beyond, perhaps banishing a few more Wraiths if they bother you. Most of the loot worth grabbing is along the eastern wall. Go through another doorway to the south where you’ll even even more loot, including a generous chest in the north-western corner of the chamber, and two parcels and and chest along the southern end of the room, near a tombstone.

Backtrack north to the entrance tunnel then continue heading east. When you reach a dead-end, turn north and go through a doorway, then down another tunnel to the east. When you reach another dead-end, activate your Witcher Senses to spot a wall you can destroy with Aard. Go through the hole in the wall you made and behold a gas-filled tunnel heading east. Use Igni to blast away the gas as you advance, then turn south to reach a gas-free area. If you encounter any Wraiths, you’re better off luring them back to the previous tunnel, which is free of gas. No sense in contending with poisonous gas and Wraiths, after all.

Climb a ledge to the south (or blast the rocks out of the way with Aard) to reach a chamber occupied by an Ekimmara (level eleven), a form of Vampire. Despite that fearsome pedigree, it’s not too hard to defeat if you have the Griffin Silver Sword in hand. You can use Yrden when it’s “invisible” to force it to appear, but it’s just as easy to dodge its attacks. That, and the good old strong attack and dodge combo should be all you need, along with Quen to shield yourself from incidental damage.

:::note:
The Ekimmara Decoction is a handy item for Death March players, so if the fight with the Ekimmara isn’t too much trouble, consider save/loading this fight until you get an Ekimmara Mutagen from the beast - a necessary component for creating the aforementioned decoction. If you can’t be bothered, never fear. You’ll encounter more Ekimmara later on.
:::

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An Ekimmara - a lesser vampire - lurks in the depths of Dragonslayer Grotto (left). Defeat the vampire, then loot a chest to obtain the Griffin armor set (right).

Once it’s dead, get to looting; on the ground floor there’s a weapon rack and a chest to loot, while on the upper level, surrounding a sarcophagus, there are several crates and the glowing, wonderful chest that contains “Witcher George’s Journal” , the “Diagram: Griffin Armor” , the “Diagram: Griffin Trousers” , the “Diagram: Griffin Boots” and the “Diagram: Griffin Gauntlets” . Score. There are also a few crates to the west.

Now, to exit this generous dungeon. Head up some stairs to the south and down a passage until you find some rocks blocking the way. Activate your Witcher Senses and… J’accuse! They’re fake! Dispel them with the Eye of Nehaleni to reveal a shortcut outside. Only one more stop, then it’s on to the next bit of. If you fancy completing the rest of the Griffin Scavenger Hunt Part 1 and 2, we have a dedicated walkthrough for that too.

Guarded Treasure (Level 12)¶

From the secret exit to Dragonslayer’s Grotto head east to return to Downwarren, then use its signpost to return to the Dragonslayer’s Grotto signpost. From here follow a trail leading away (north-west) from Dragonslayer’s Grotto until it broadens into a wider road, which you should continue on as it runs west, then south. When it bisects a road running east-west, follow this new road to the west, ignoring a fork to the south-west. The road you’re on will turn north-west, then west. North of the road here you’ll find a “Guarded Treasure” event in the form of a tent, near which a Bear (level twelve) lurks. Kill it, then search the eastern end of the tent. There are also some containers to loot in the less intact south of the road.

With that, you’re done with this bit of exploration, but there’s some more you can do. You’ve explored Midcopse, Crow’s Perch and Lindenvale… basically everything around Oreton. The next story mission, “Ladies of the Wood” (not to mention the quest “ Forefather’s Eve“ ) take you down to the swamps south-east of Lindenvale. Downwarren is awfully close, but it can be reached even more easily by sailing east from around Oreton and docking at the swamps… so… plenty of tenuous reasons to give you an excuse to do more exploration!