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  • Starting The Nilfgaardian Connection
  • Dealing With The Bandits At The Inn
  • Uncovering Hendrik's Fate

Velen is a vast place, with plenty of places for people to hide. Even a master tracker like Geralt would struggle to find someone in the war-ruined swamp. To help, Yennefer has directed the witcher to Hendrik, a Nilfgaardian spy that is said to have a lead on her location.

Related: The Witcher 3: Woodland Beast Side Quest Walkthrough

In one of The Witcher 3's main quests, Geralt will need to find where the spy is staying, getting involved with some of the game's most influential factions in the process. While light on combat, this quest has its fair share of challenging decisions and investigations for you to navigate.

Starting The Nilfgaardian Connection

This quest starts at the end of Imperial Audience, after Yennefer shares the results of her investigation with Geralt before the two part ways. It is one of three quests that guide Geralt through his search.

At the lowest recommended level, this quest should be completed before the other two. It is scaled to players that are just starting out.

The Nilfgaardian Connection brings Geralt to Velen, a swampy wasteland that Ciri had been spotted in. Its first objective is to travel to the Inn at the Crossroads to learn where Hendrik lives. A quest marker will guide you right to it.

You will pass by a priest of the Eternal Fire along the way. Speaking to him will start the quest Funeral Pyres, an easy quest that yields valuable money and experience points.

It is best to do this quest early in your search. Doing so will bring you through a sizable part of the region, allowing you to unlock fast travel points that make future travel through the region easier.

Dealing With The Bandits At The Inn

The people at the Inn are visibly frightened of something that is quickly approaching. For once, they aren't afraid of the witcher. Instead, they are fleeing from a group of thugs that work for the Bloody Baron, a local warlord that has taken control of Velen.

These thugs interrupt Geralt before he can question the Innkeeper and promptly begin to mock the Witcher. How Geralt responds is up to you, though there will be consequences for your decision.

Threaten the thugs.

Choosing to threaten the bandits with death will anger them and start a fight. At the very least, you will have to defeat the group inside the inn. The Innkeeper will be upset and afraid that the Baron will exact some kind of revenge.

Tell them that you are a Witcher.

The thugs will understand the threat Geralt poses and will refrain from escalating the situation, leaving him alone to question the Innkeeper. The latter is grateful for peace.

Buy them a round.

Geralt can avoid conflict by offering to buy the thugs a drink. They are initially suspicious and can still turn hostile if you choose to provoke them. The Innkeeper will be relieved that the situation does not escalate.

While the thugs are clearly unpleasant people, choosing to fight them will make subsequent quests much more challenging. The Bloody Baron will not take kindly to his men being killed and will respond accordingly.

Regardless of the outcome, the Innkeeper will tell Geralt that Hendrik lives in Heatherton, a nearby town, and mentions that he saw some strange lights coming from it.

Uncovering Hendrik's Fate

Geralt notes that Heatherton is unnaturally cold as he arrives, something that is made obvious by the ice covering the ground. Any questions will have to wait; there is a lone survivor trying to fend off a pack of wild dogs. He must be saved before anything else happens.

The dogs are fast enemies that will try to use their numbers to overwhelm you. Beast Oil will be effective against them and will make the fight much easier.

Once saved, the survivor tells Geralt that the Wild Hunt had destroyed Heatherton, torturing Hendrik and killing everyone in the village except for him. He shows Geralt where Hendrik's home is.

As always, things Geralt can interact with are outlined in red when using Witcher Senses.

With his lead killed, Geralt will have to investigate Hendrik's home for clues. Enter the house and inspect Hendrik's body, laying on the ground. You will need to search his boot to find a key.

This key is used on a trap door hidden under a rug, in the next room. Descend into the basement and interact with a candle mounted by the doorway inside to open up a hidden area. Geralt will find a book hidden inside and will successfully decipher its contents, getting two leads.

This ends The Nilfgaardian Connection and starts the quests Bloody Baron and Hunting a Witch, two leads that might lead him to Ciri.

Next: The Witcher 3: Complete Guide And Walkthrough