The Witcher 3: Family Matters
The Witcher 3 starts to get complex with the Family Matters quest.
The Witcher 3: Family Matters
Family Matters is a really huge quest and you'll have to complete a couple of other missions to finish it completely, so don't start this one late at night.
Follow the waypoint through the nearby door and then trail the Baron up the stairs and down a short corridor until he opens a door for you.
In the bedroom, feel free to rob the two containers in here for some decent treasure. There are also a couple of sacks with minor junk.
You need to check the candlestick on the table, the blank space on the wall to the right as you face inwards from the door, and after that, the painting on the external wall of the alcove at the back. You can then examine the wardrobe in the alcove.
Once you've done that, you can find scratch marks on the pillar near the desk, and there are stains on the floor near the table with the candlestick. Once you’ve checked those you can follow a scent to the opposite room.
Once again, rob the Baron’s family blind; there are two chests with treasure. Grab the Letter to Tamara on the dresser, and inspect the desk. You can then go into the bedroom and check a doll.
Go down the stairs, following the scent, and inspect the loose floorboard to find a talisman. Speak to the Baron, who is sitting in the corridor on the top floor. You can have some fun here asking about everything possible, or just skip straight to asking about the talisman.
Before leaving the keep, steal everything and do the Ciri’s Room secondary mission. Don’t forget to change the tracked quest back to Family Matters.
Outside the keep, once you’ve done everything you want to in the courtyard, you can visit the flower garden to grab a Love Letter and a bunch of plants before climbing down into the caves. Proceed through the tunnels, swimming underwater when you reach a pool in a seeming dead end, to appear outside Crow’s Perch facing the correct direction for the Peller’s Hut. (For some reason, this shortcut closed for me after this quest.)
Call Roach or just hoof it; it’s not far. At the hut you'll meet some of the Baron's men. If you have the skill, you can mind control your way out of this situation. Otherwise you may have to bribe or fight the Baron’s Henchmen; I don’t know, because I am a Jedi.
When they’re gone, however you deal with them, knock on the Peller’s door. This guy is really something, huh? After chatting with him you’ll begin the A Princess in Distress quest. It's pretty fun doing this short quest on on your own, but if you want it, here's A Princess in Distress walkthrough.
With that little chore done, the augury can go ahead. When it’s finished, check the bestiary entry for Botchlings. They’re weak against Axii, which is useful if you are a Jedi like me.
Return to Crow’s Perch to find the keep is on fire. Proceed through the courtyard (grab the quests from the message board as you pass!) and approach the gate near the armourer. You’ll have a limited amount of time to choose whether to help find a missing stablemaster. Assuming you say yes, run to the stables and take the ladder to the left of the doors. Watch your breath meter inside. Climb up and use Aard to clear debris as you make you way to the other end of the stables. Once Geralt speaks to the stablemaster you can open the door opposite the stalls.
Whether you save the stablemaster or not, Geralt confronts the Baron, who goes into a rage. You’ll have to beat him up, but it’s not hard.
After a long chat with the Baron you’ll have the option to continue the quest. This is a great time to take a break and go do any housekeeping – new gear, new equipment, stocking up on food and potions – before proceeding.
When you tell the Baron you’re ready to go, you’ll be transported outside the walls. You’ll have a limited time choice of whether to kill the Botchkin or try to transform it and break its curse.
If you decide to kill it, Cursed Oil is a big help. Otherwise, just follow the Baron to the keep. When Wraiths attack, as happens twice, stun them with Axii. Don’t forget to dodge when they vanish. After the fight, you have to quickly use Axii on the Botchkin to calm it.
When you convince the Baron to bugger off, approach the grave and select "sit and wait" to begin the summoning. When it arises, follow the Lubberkin to a nearby hut; it’ll hang around while you battle anything that attacks you on the way.
At the hut, search around for a bracelet, some hoof prints, and a pile of clothes before returning to the Lubberkin. You may be attacked by a couple of Edregea as you start following it again.
Further down the path you’ll have to fight some Rotfiends; watch out for when they stop moving and start choking, as they’re about to explode. Examine the horse carcass when they’re dead.
The Lubberkin will lead you to a fisherman’s hut. Enter and talk to the family. When you’re done, don’t be a chump and follow the HorsePS; head down to the pier (steal everything) and swim across, keeping an eye out for monsters (pretty rare). This is a bit of a shortcut, but don’t try to take on the bandits on the other side – they’re level 16 and will mess you up.
Return to Crow’s Perch and chat with the sergeant, and then the Baron. You can offer to go see Tamara for a reward. Chat a bit more and you’ll finally get the information you want about Ciri.
As Ciri, chat with your new company and you’ll end up agreeing to a race. It’s not very hard; muscle to the right as you start to get in front, then just gallop down the indicated track. Keep a little stamina in reserve for the final push.
Back in control of Geralt, you can chat further with the Baron. Exit the conversation and save first if you decide to challenge him to a game of Gwent; he's a tough opponent.
Now we’re off to Oxenfurt. Ride out of the keep and courtyard for a final quick scene with the Baron. It’s quite a long ride to Oxenfurt, so I suggest using the fast travel signpost outside Crow’s Perch to get a bit closer.
On the way to Oxenfurt you’ll probably pass by a house on fire. Feel free to suggest a third option to the dilemma the bandits present you in order to start the Death by Fire secondary quest.
Oxenfurt, when you eventually get there, is huge. Luckily, most of the buldings are just window dressing; it would take forever to rob everyone.
As you approach you’ll need to banter with a guard a bit in order to secure passage. Inside, make your way to the waypoint, collecting a bunch of secondary missions from the noticeboard and visiting any shops you fancy on the way; Geralt probably needs a shave by this stage. It is against the law* to shave his head, so don’t do that. You can play Gwent with almost all of the shopkeepers here, by the way.
Follow the waypoint to find Tamara and have a chat with her and one of her new friends. You can then return to the Baron to give him an update, or just continuing pursuing Anna.
I put off finding Anna till last, since I didn’t have any concrete leads. Turns out you need to move onto Hunting A Witch to find the last piece of the puzzle. Onwards!
*It’s not against the law.
Onwards to Hunting A Witch, or back to The Witcher 3: Act One - Velen.
Back to The Witcher 3 guide and walkthrough.