I had a lengthy session today, so I managed to explore most of the swamp and clear a bunch of quests along the way.
I started at the shrine, which was devoted to the same goddess as the one in Vizima, but I didn’t have anything of “nature’s harvest” this time. I decided to go back to the dock and start exploring the area from there. On the way back, I stopped by an abandoned brick making site infested with drowners. I cleared the area and found the bodies of a couple of Salamandra, as well as the witcher I’ve been tracking since I entered the Outskirts. I guess that quest is over.
I got to the docks and spoke to the guard there, who offered me money if I bring him ten wolf pelts. Nearby was a brick maker’s village. An old woman who was their leader wanted someone to get rid of the drowners I already killed, so I got my reward right away. She also asked me to find a missing boy and pointed me in the direction of the druid camp to the north.
Apparently, Gramps is a cannibal.
Then I went to Gramp’s house, where I got a surprise. It turns out Gramps practices cannibalism. I had the option to either kill him here, or let him live. Since he promised me some scrolls if I spare him, I agreed, hoping I’ll be able to deal with him later. However, once I agreed to spare him, the game wouldn’t let me chose the option of killing him anymore. I’m probably gonna pay for that later, but at least I got a new potion recipe.
I kept getting attacked by drowners further north, so I went back south, all the way to the shrine. I bought some dried fruits from the village elder, so I offered them at the statue and got some minor item I can’t remember anymore. Further from the shrine, there was a wolf cave, so I got my pelts there. In one of the rooms, there was also a crypt, as well as a wraith defending it. Once the wraith was dead, which was tough because I had to fight a bunch of wolves alongside it, I checked the crypt and found another Sephiroth, meaning I was only missing three now, possibly even two, I can’t remember. In the same room, I found another circle of elements, which taught me Quen. This is a rune I actually intend to train in, since it casts a damage absorbing shield.
I guess this is a gnome, but I’m not sure.
I got out and continued in the same direction, finding a lumberjack camp soon. Their leader, who I think is a gnome, but I’m not sure, offered me gold if I gather some swamp plants and deliver them to the ferryman at the docks. I agreed, of course, and continued in the northern direction, since I went as far southwest as I could.
Further to the north, I finally got to the druid camp. The only dried there told me there’s no way they would abduct the missing kid, as the village elder was claiming, since they would have no use for him. Apparently, only girls can become dryads. From one of the druids, I bought some books, describing some local plants. It cost me a fortune, but I would have probably had to buy them eventually.
The camp also contained another circle of elements – Yrden. This one creates a trap that slows enemies passing through it, which probably isn’t to useful for me, but time will tell. Finally, I talked to an elf there, who asked me to deliver a message to Vivaldi in Vizima. I agreed, since I was soon going there anyway.
Regular fantasy druids here!
The druids told me the herb I was looking for grew to the northeast, so I decided to complete the circle and continue in that direction. I found the plants, but I’ve also found plenty of enemies, so I nearly died a couple of times. I ran out of Swallow potions during the initial escort quest, so I had trouble during the entire exploration, but it was really getting risky by now.
Because of this, I went back to the druid camp and spent some money buying alcohol so I could brew more potions. With a stack of five Swallows, several White Gulls and a bunch of others, I went back northeast and cleared most of the area. I passed the first ruined tower of the alchemist, but I didn’t go to the one that was still standing yet. Instead, I went as far east as I could and found a Squirel camp, but there was nothing I could do there, so I went back.
This time, I finally went to the middle of the whole area, where the tower was. There wasn’t much I could do there, but I did manage to nearly kill myself by messing around with some pillars surrounding a frozen golem, causing lightning to strike me.
I got back to the docks, delivered the pelts to the guard, as well as the herbs to the ferryman and then paid him to take me back to Vizima.
