The Witcher 3: All Quests in White Orchard (Main and Side)

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an expansive RPG that takes players through various lush and detailed environments, one of which is White Orchard. Being the first accessible area in the game, White Orchard introduces many of the game’s mechanics and holds numerous quests—both main and side—designed to engage and educate players while deepening the lore of the Witcher universe. This article serves as a comprehensive guide to all quests in White Orchard, including main quests, side quests, Witcher contracts, and treasure hunts.

Main Quests

White Orchard is the starting point of Geralt’s journey in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The main quests here primarily aim to set the stage for the story to come.

The Beast of White Orchard

The first significant quest available once you’ve booted up the game, which doubles as a tutorial for novice players, is “The Beast of White Orchard.” This quest introduces Geralt of Rivia, our protagonist, and sets him on his initial path. The village has been plagued by a fearsome griffin, and Geralt must use his Witcher training to track and defeat it. This quest involves preparing potions, honing combat skills, and employing Geralt’s Witcher Senses to track the beast to its lair.

Incident in the White Orchard

“Incident in the White Orchard” occurs automatically once the griffin from the prior quest is defeated. It introduces the importance of choices, as Geralt must navigate a politically tense situation involving the Nilfgaardian Army and local villagers. Players will need to decide how to handle interactions, which can impact Geralt’s reputation and the resources available in the area.

Side Quests

Aside from main quests, several side quests in White Orchard offer opportunities to explore the area, fine-tune combat skills, and delve deeper into the lore and daily life of its inhabitants. These quests provide valuable experience and rewards that can prove helpful as Geralt ventures further into his journey.

A Frying Pan, Spick and Span

This whimsical quest begins at a fishing hut northwest of the village, given by an elderly woman. She seeks Geralt’s help in retrieving her frying pan from a locked shack. This simple quest is an ideal way to learn how best to use the Aard Sign to break down barriers and employ Witcher Senses to inspect the environment. Your efforts will reveal some secrets about a mysterious visitor to the hut, bringing the quest to an amusing conclusion.

Missing in Action

Found on the Notice Board in White Orchard, “Missing in Action” tells the story of a man searching for his brother who went missing during a recent battle. Geralt assists by exploring the Ransacked Village where the battle occurred, searching for clues amongst the ruins. Using Witcher Senses, Geralt finds evidence leading to a forest cabin where a significant choice awaits. Depending on the player’s decision, there are varying outcomes, each affecting the man’s future and how the community in White Orchard perceives Geralt.

On Death’s Bed

Located at the herbalist’s hut east of the Sawmill, this quest requires Geralt to brew a Swallow potion to save a gravely ill woman. It’s a brief but critical task that emphasizes crafting and brewing, two essential skills every Witcher must master. Completing this quest will garner favor with the herbalist and potentially unlock further assistance in future quests.

Precious Cargo

Southwest of the Nilfgaardian Garrison, near the marshes, players can find a merchant who lost his valuable cargo. The merchant claims to have been attacked and asks for Geralt’s help in retrieving a lockbox. Using Witcher Senses, players track down the cart and investigate the surroundings, discovering a more twisted plot. Players can choose from different outcomes, which affect future events and relationships in the game.

Twisted Firestarter

Given by White Orchard’s blacksmith, this quest requires Geralt to find the arsonist who torched the blacksmith’s forge. Players use Witcher Senses to track footprints and other clues, leading to a confrontation with the culprit. Depending on whether the player chooses to extort the arsonist or turn him in, the quest’s resolution may vary, including rewards and aligned NPC relations.

Other Side Quests

• Contract: Devil by the Well: Geralt takes on a contract to eliminate a Noonwraith haunting an abandoned village’s well. This quest includes investigation, combat, and the use of specific Signs for dealing with specters.
• Scavenger Hunt: Viper School Gear: This involves finding diagrams for creating Viper School gear, which includes exploring a cemetery and facing off against enemies like wraiths.
• Treasure Hunt: Deserter Gold: After finding the Spy’s Notes, Geralt searches abandoned houses for hidden chests containing valuable loot.
• Treasure Hunt: Dirty Funds: Initiated by discovering Scrawled Notes at a bandit camp, leading to a treasure chest guarded by bandits.
• Treasure Hunt: Temerian Valuables: Requires finding and retrieving valuables from multiple hidden locations throughout White Orchard, including underwater exploration.

Witcher Contracts

Witcher Contracts offer Geralt the chance to earn money and gear by ridding the land of particularly dangerous monsters. These contracts are optional but provide substantial rewards and unique challenges.

Contract: Devil by the Well

This contract involves dealing with a Noonwraith haunting an abandoned village’s well. It requires Geralt to investigate the cause of the haunting, locate key items tied to the entity’s past, and strategically engage in combat using the Yrden Sign to neutralize the ghost. Burning the Noonwraith’s remains and facing it in a second, more challenging fight culminates this contract.

Treasure Hunts

Treasure Hunts in White Orchard are rewarding and often less dangerous than Witcher Contracts. They involve finding clues, usually in the form of notes or maps, and following them to hidden stashes of lore-rich items and valuable loot.

Scavenger Hunt: Viper School Gear

To initiate this two-part treasure hunt, players need to find an Interrogation Report at a bandit camp west of the Ransacked Village. The report leads to a tomb in the White Orchard cemetery, guarded by a wraith. Both parts of the quest provide valuable Viper School gear diagrams, enhancing Geralt’s equipment early in the game.

Treasure Hunt: Deserter Gold

Trigger this quest by finding the Spy’s Notes northeast of the Mill. Following the clues leads Geralt to an abandoned house filled with hidden treasure chests. Breaking open locked doors and looting the house completes the hunt.

Treasure Hunt: Dirty Funds

This quest begins with the discovery of Scrawled Notes at a bandit camp northeast of the Mill. Following the notes east, past Crackler Bridge, leads to another bandit camp with treasure. Dispatching the bandits to access the treasure box completes the quest.

Treasure Hunt: Temerian Valuables

To start this quest, players find an underwater chest near the Mill, marked as hidden treasure. Additional clues and locations are discovered by solving other quests related to hidden treasures in the region. This hunt involves locating scattered items throughout White Orchard, all contributing to a single overarching quest completion.

White Orchard may be the first area Geralt explores in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, but it’s brimming with quests that serve to ease players into the game’s complex systems while rewarding thorough exploration and decision-making. With numerous quests offering varying results based on player choices, White Orchard sets the tone for the intricate and immersive world of The Witcher 3.