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  • Starting Deserter Gold
  • Searching The Mill
  • Finding The Deserter Gold Key

The Witcher 3 does have some of the best side quests one can find in an RPG but not all of them need to be completed. Deserter Gold is one such quest. This treasure hunt will lead you to valuable resources that will prove instrumental in your first major hunt. Unfortunately, these are the same resources that a different treasure hunt provides, and in reduced quantities.

Related: The Witcher 3: Count Reuven's Treasure Main Quest Walkthrough

If you would like to complete it to scratch a completionist itch or because you have inadvertently started it while exploring, this guide will help you get the most out of the well-concealed treasure hunt.

Starting Deserter Gold

This treasure hunt is stated from a map marker at the northeast of White Orchard, at an abandoned campsite in the hills. The campsite is in a remote location, far from any major objectives from the game's prologue. Be alert for a wolf that will ambush you when you investigate.

The rewards from this treasure hunt are the same as the rewards from Temerian Valuables. There is no need to complete this treasure hunt if you have already completed Temerian Valuables.

At the campsite, ignore the corpse and go to the chest and other containers. There is a note that will lead you to more treasure among the loot. A marker for a mill to the south of the campsite will appear, bringing you to the next stage of the treasure hunt.

Searching The Mill

You will have to ride off-road to the mill, crossing some wolf-infested land before reaching it. The quest marker will lead you to an abandoned house where you can find several chests of loot in the cellar, behind a rotted door. You will have to use Aard to destroy the door before you can enter.

One of the chests is locked and cannot be opened. To open it, you must search for the key.

Finding The Deserter Gold Key

The key is on a corpse found on the west bank of a bridge between the mill and the Nilfgaardian garrison. Picking it up will start Temerian Valuables, leading you to more treasure in the river.

Return to the mill to open the final chest, claiming all the loot.

Next: The Witcher 3: Complete Guide And Walkthrough