The Witcher 3 - Escaping the Bog, Out of the Shadows, Wild at Heart, werewolf fight

As we rejoin Ciri back in the past, a rift opens in the woods and creatures begin to pour out. Don't worry - you're not expected to kill them all. Instead, thin their ranks to form a safe passage through, if necessary, then use your dash ability to reach the objective marker unscathed.

When the action returns to present day, finish your conversation with the witches and prepare to - finally - bring the Family Matters quest to a close.

Family Matters (continued)

Tell the baron what you've learned about Anna

Now that you've finished dealing with the Crones, it's time to return to the baron's castle. Locate the fast travel signpost nearby, then select Crow's Perch as your destination. Once you arrive, enter the castle compound, climb the hill and make your way inside the castle. Head into the baron's chamber and let him know what happened to his wife to learn more of Ciri's adventure.

Ciri's Story: Out of the Shadows

Kill the basilisk

On rejoining Ciri's story, you're immediately besieged by the mighty basilisk. Like the griffin you fought earlier in the game, the basilisk spends almost as much time in the air as it does on the ground. Keep a close watch while the creature circles overhead (it's able to fire out nasty projectiles from above) and, once it begins diving down, use your dash move to escape its claws.

When the basilisk lands, focus on attacking it from the rear as its wings can do serious damage if you attempt to tackle it head-on. If your health gets low, simply hang back and let it recharge. Thankfully, the basilisk can't take much of a beating, so keep at it until its health is depleted.

Get to the top of the tower and rescue the baron

Once the basilisk flees (taking the baron with it), begin heading toward the tall tower in the distance. The route around the side of the building is blocked off, so look for the stone ledges directly ahead and climb your way up. When the cut-scene ends and the action returns to the present day, decide whether or not you'll accompany the baron to the swamp in order to rescue Anna. If you agree to help, there's a little more to do before you leave for Novigrad.

Return to Crookback Bog

Meet the baron in Downwarren

If you want to help the baron rescue Anna from the Crones' evil clutches, activate the Return to Crookback Creek quest in the Quest menu, then hightail it to Downwarren. Rejoin the baron in the village and agree to go to the swamp immediately if you're suitably prepared.

Go with the baron to the Crones' huts in the bog

When you're ready, begin following the baron down the hill. As you pass into the swamp, keep watch for attacking Drowners and Water Hags. If you're accosted, take your assailants down quickly. Once you've fought your way through the creatures and reached the village, you'll encounter another wave of enemies, and also gain some unexpected assistance.

Help the witch hunters fight the monsters

Join the throng and eliminate the Drowners battling in the clearing. When peace is restored, talk to Tamara and decide how you want to handle the conversation.

Prepare for a fight

With the baron's family united, there's little time to rest. Terrible cries drift through the mist, so ready yourself for battle.

Kill the fiend and the other monsters

When the action resumes, you're surrounded by a horde of creatures, mostly consisting of Drowners and Water Hugs. A giant fiend approaches in the distance, so take the smaller creatures down as quickly as possible so that you can focus your attention on the main threat once it arrives.

Unsurprisingly, the fiend's claw and antler attacks are pretty powerful, so it pays to cast Quen for added protection, then circle around to strike it from the rear. It'll take a bit of work to defeat the fiend - although Thunderbolt potions will speed things up - but, eventually, victory should be yours. Once the fiend is dead, finish the conversation to complete the quest.

Secondary Quest: Wild at Heart

This quest can be found on the noticeboard in the courtyard of the baron's castle.

Talk to the hunter named Niellen

Activate the quest and then make your way toward the village of Blackbough. On your arrival, speak to Niellen, the hunter, standing outside the hut indicated by the objective marker. Ask him about his wife and work your way through the dialogue options to learn more. Agree to go looking for her and end the conversation.

Ask the neighbours about Hanna

Follow the objective markers and speak to the villagers marked on the map in order to learn more about Hanna's disappearance.

Search for signs of Hanna in the woods using your Witcher Senses

When you're ready, mount your horse and ride to the nearby forest. Once you reach your destination, dismount and activate your Witcher Senses. Several items of interest lie strewn about the forest, but first you should make the area safe for investigation. Locate the oscillating circles nearby and head on over to deal with the pack of wolves.

When they're dead, a girl approaches. Tell her that you'll find Hanna and continue your search. Engage your Witcher Senses again and examine the shredded corpse, the dead dog and the claw marks in the ground to proceed.

Find the werewolf's lair using your Witcher Senses

Keep searching until you find the trail of blood and paw marks on the ground. Investigate them, then examine the scratched stone nearby. Next, hunt out the tuft of fur caught in a branch nearby, and follow the scent as it winds its way through the forest. Investigate the shredded clothes at the end of the trail and continue forwards in the direction of the isolated shack.

Step inside, do a spot of looting, then examine the note on the ground near the bed. Pop it into your inventory, leave the hut and make your way around to the building's south-facing side. Head down the slope, examining the bloody trail as you go, then pass through the hole leading beneath the house. Look for the sealed door nearby and cast your Aard Sign to blast it open.

Search the werewolf's lair

Step inside and begin winding your away along the underground passage. Eventually, you'll come across the werewolf you've been seeking for so long.

How to kill the werewolf

Defeat the werewolf

Deal with the two small wolves first to make the fight a little easier, then concentrate your efforts on your main target. The werewolf is quick and can do a lot of damage with its claws, so keep moving and aim to attack the beast from the rear. Use your Quen Sign for extra protection and it shouldn't take too much effort to bring the monster down. Once it's dead, talk to the woman again to discover more about Anna's death. When the time comes, decide whether to show her mercy or not. With that, the quest comes to an end.

Before leaving the area though, loot the werewolf's body to acquire Niellen's Key. Head back into the hut and use it to open the locked chest in the bedroom. Take the goodies inside.

- The next part of our walkthrough explains how to complete the Pyres of Novigrad quest.

- You can find the rest of our Witcher 3 walkthrough from the first page of this article.