Missing in Action Walkthrough
- For convincing Bastien to abandon Rhosyn – 25 XP
- For convincing Dune to take Rhosyn in – 25 XP
First, however, we need to return to the Ransacked Village. Along the road south of the sign (near where the road turns from running mostly south to south-west) you’ll find Dune, sitting alone save for his dog. Talk to him and he’ll tell you that his brother, Bastien, was involved in a battle with the Nilfgaardians a while back, and has since gone missing. Tell him to walk the battlefield and he’ll relate the not-so-surprising news that necrophages prowl around there, and almost made a meal out of him when he last went searching. He just so happens to be in need of somebody who can fight such critters. Offer to help out, then follow him to the battlefield, which is north-east of the Crossroads signpost.
Along the way you’ll find the wholesome sights of war, including impaled corpses and the remains of a military camp. The impaled corpses, one should note, are all wearing Temerian blue. The Nilfgaardians aren’t always as civilized as they claim. Search the bodies along the road and in the camp to find a variety of sub-par weapons (which can be either sold or broken down for components) ashes, or water.
Talk to Dune and you’ll plan a course of action-searching for Bastien’s body won’t be easy, but it’s what we’ve come to do. For now, Dune and his dog will follow you around… although the dog does like to make a nuisance of itself by nudging you occasionally… Continue north past a large tree and scour the camp for some intact chests. There are four of them in total-one in the remains of a ruined Temerian tent along the western end of the camp, another rests to the south, along some stakes, the third third is east of a tree that stands in the center of the camp, while the forth and final chest is even further east, at the end of the camp, in a tent.
Once you’re done looting the four chests, you can turn your gaze north, where you’ll find a fine test for your OCD. Bodies litter the ground-obviously the remains of a not-so-long-past battle. Bodies that can be looted. Do you really need that many Blunt Axes? Probably not. Draw your silver sword and dispatch a trio of Ghouls, then activate your Witcher Senses to search for the shields that might bear the mark that identifies Bastien. There are four shields you can search-one is north-east of the center of the search circle, another is near the north-western edge (at about 10:00), a third is at the southern end (6:00) while the final one is also at the edge of the search area-at about 8:00.
After searching the shields Dune will explain that the dog has found Bastien’s scent, and the search area will greatly expand. Head south-west to find a cabin in the woods. When you approach you’ll overhear a Nilfgaardian soldier talking to a Temerian soldier. Geralt interrupts, and Dune shows up to identify Bastien. Apparently the two are fellow deserters, although originally from different camps, they found common cause… which of course complicates things, because now Bastien won’t desert his friend. The rebel Bastien can chuck his armor and stand a chance at recovering anonymously, but the deserter will be hanged if he is caught… and so will any who aid him, as Dune points out.
If you talk Bastien into abandoning his friend, he’ll agree to leave, but persist in trying to help. Rhosyn will hear none of it though-he knows he’s being left to his inevitable fate. On the other hand, you can convince Dune to show what Nordlings are really made of and show some compassion, which will convince Dune to take the Nilfgaardian in. Either way, the quest is complete.