Following the Thread Walkthrough
This quest can be obtained from the Notice Board in Hierarch’s Square in Novigrad.
After picking up the quest from a Notice Board, you’ll find an objective marker in the south-eastern corner of Novigrad. Mosey on over to the marker and speak to the guard leaning against the building nearby.
After the chat, you’ll want to head over to the nearby shack that is marked with the new objective marker and activate your Witcher Senses. Here you can inspect:
- Footprints just inside the door.
- The Bloodstain in the centre of the room.
- Body in the back, right corner of the room.
Once you have examined the body, your objectives will be updated. Activate your Witcher Sense and locate the footprints. Follow these a short distance until you reach the end of a pier. Examine the tracks here.
Swim to the far side of the river and examine the wooden walkways outside of the building with the waterwheel on the back. Examine the footprints here (and the dead rat if you wish) before following the tracks to the doorway.
Climb the stairs inside to start a brief boss fight.
Boss: Ekimmaras
The Ekimmaras shares most of its moves with the Werewolves you will have no doubt have encountered by now. These include the damaging leaping attack, as well as several close-medium range melee attacks and a lunge with his mouth. The Ekimmaras is different in that it can become invisible, effectively disappearing and re-appearing to attack when you are not expecting it.
You’ll need to look out for its outline in the environs (you can still make it out if you look closely when it is cloaked) and can roll away from his lunge and dodge his melee abilities whilst quickly following up with attacks of your own before backing off.
Fortunately you’ll have another melee-dealing ally for this fight who can also dish out some damage. As such, be sure to exploit him and get him to tank if your health starts looking grim.
It is best not to get greedy and stay too close for too long as this boss can do a lot of damage. Other than that, keep dodging and chipping away at his health bar until he falls.
Note: For killing the monster you will earn 50XP.
After the fight, you’ll have a chat with your new friend. At the end of the conversation, you’ll find out he has another objective for you. You can either go with him right away or join him later to re-commence (he’ll be by the guard we talked to at the start of the quest).
Following another scene, you’ll have to fight off three guardsmen and then enter the doorway nearby leading to the next objective. Once again you’ll be treated to a scene.
At this point we need to make our way over to the Seven Cats Inn which is located just to the west of the island we’ve been doing our current quest on. Here you’ll find Lambert again and can chat with him and then a lady inside to finally find out what is going on.
Following this lengthy conversation you’ll find yourself in a fight within the bar. Kill the elven aggressors and you’ll automatically leave the area.
Note: At this point you will earn 50XP.
Our next objective can be found in the Skellige Isles. If you have journeyed here a little before, you should have some fast travel markers here. Our goal lies on the south-eastern island of Faroe. Either fast travel to Harviken if you have the signpost active, or sail down to the island.
Once on Faroe, you’ll want to head to the far eastern side of the island to the town of Trottheim where the objective is located.
Approach the guards at the gate for a conversation. During this conversation, there are two options and the choice you make can make a difference as to how things play out. They include:
- Didn’t know him to be a God-fearing man – this will trigger a fight with both the guards at the gate as well as turning the entire slaver camp behind them hostile (I counted 16 total). You’ll have to slaughter the lot to progress.
- I’ll be back – you’ll be able to leave the conversation without conflict.
Note: If you attempt to enter the camp, you’ll turn all of the slavers hostile immediately, even if you chose the peaceful option during the conversation.
IF you triggered the fight, you can clear out the camp and then follow the dirt road on the far side. If you chose the peaceful option, you can head through the wilderness (watch out for the Endregea Warriors roaming about) to get around the slaver camp here and re-join the road on the far side.
Once you have reached the road all the way up the hill to the east to meet Hammond. Following a brief conversation, you’ll once again be thrust into combat. Kill all five enemies.
Note: At this point you will earn 80XP.
After the fight, examine Hammond’s body for a note.
Now that our objectives have been updated, head back to the nearest fast travel signpost and return to Novigrad. Make your way to the Nowhere Inn and speak with Lambert once more. You can either go with him right away or join him later to resume the quest (he’ll be waiting for you in Gildorf).
Now that we have found our target, you’ll chat with him. There are four dialogue options available however, no matter your decision at this point, you’ll end up with a pair of choices:
- Kill him – You will earn 70XP, Diagram: Erlithiad, Lesser Triglav Runestone, Dimertium Bomb and Grapeshot Bomb.
- Spare Him – You will earn 90XP
Note: If you decide to kill him, he will fight you but the fight is over fairly quickly with both you and your ally attacking him.