The Witcher 3 - Imlerith, Blood on the Battlefield, Bald Mountain, Crones, Fugas

Head back along the mountain trail and join the others at the foot of Kaer Morhen. Work through the dialogue options to end the meeting.

Blood on the Battlefield

When you rejoin Ciri a few days later, offer to cheer her up, then ready yourself for a snowball fight. You'll win if you manage to hit Ciri eight times, and lose if she gets in eight successful hits herself. If you exhaust your snowball supply, interact with one of the snow piles marked on your mini-map. Once the impromptu battle is over, speak with Ciri and agree to visit Bald Mountain immediately.

Bald Mountain

Find a way to the mountain's summit

Wrap up your conversation with Ciri and begin your trek up the mountain. Continue on towards the objective marker and, when you meet the villagers, agree to sit with them. Pick your host's brain for information concerning the Ladies, then bid farewell.

Talk to Thecla and get permission to climb the mountain

Follow the path leading north away from the village and speak to the godling. Learn everything you can about reaching the summit, then end the conversation. Next, use the objective marker to locate the enormous bonfire burning in the distance and head into the tent nearby. Tell Thecla that you plan to accompany Ciri up the mountain and insist that you're worthy to climb too. Finally, accept the woman's challenge to continue.

Retrieve the coin Thecla threw in the water by using your Witcher Senses

Leap off the end of the platform and dive down into the water. Locate the waterlogged passage beneath you and swim along it. Dodge around the drowners and, as the tunnel widens, activate your Witcher Senses. Grab the coin from the ground, then swim back to the surface.

Give the coin to Thecla

Clamber out of the pool, then hoist yourself onto the ledge to the west. Next, follow the trail as it winds around to the right and climb the hill. Scale the rocks in your path, ascend the wooden steps, then re-enter the tent. Talk to Thecla to hand over the coin.

Travel the path to the peak of Bald Mountain

Exit the tent and follow Marica through the village toward the gate. Once the door is open, head into the tunnel and continue along the passage. When you meet Fugas, hand over the coin and prepare to fight.

How to kill Fugas

Fugas is very similar to the boss-like enemies you've encountered throughout your adventure: he flails around with his hands when you get too close and attempts to inflict damage by pounding the ground. Additionally, though, he's able to breathe fire and will lob fireballs from a distance. Avoid his attacks and focus on striking from the rear. Fugas can't withstand a lot of damage, so the fight should be over pretty quickly.

When the gatekeeper is no more, speak with Ciri and go your separate ways.

Penetrate to the heart of the tree's roots

With Ciri back under your control, make your way along the passage and drop down the ledge near the small stream in the centre of the cave. Examine the hole it pours through, then jump on down. When you land in the water below, look for the small tunnel to the south-west and swim along it. Climb out onto dry land then continue forwards on foot.

Survive the fight with the Crones: Brewess, Weavess and Whispess

Kill the three Crones

Once the cut-scene ends, you need to hack your way through the three Crones in order to proceed. Alongside their standard melee and projectile attacks, each of these creatures has a unique move which you should be wary of.

Brewess, the largest of the three Crones, is able to conjure magic beneath the water, causing deadly glowing circles to snake along the surface towards you. Weavess, meanwhile, can sink beneath the water and spring out under you, causing damage. Finally, Whispess vanishes in a puff of crows and smoke, re-materialising elsewhere when she's had enough of your attacks.

Thankfully, these old hags - while resilient - aren't particularly difficult to beat. As always, strike from the rear and, just to make life a bit easier, focus on picking them off one by one.

How to find and kill Imlerith

Find Imlerith

With the Crones finally dead, take control of Geralt once more and work your way along the mountain path towards the tree. Interact with the yellow Place of Power as you pass by to receive an ability point, then continue up the slope. Navigate the ledges as you reach them, then resume your journey along the pathway. Once you finish conversing with Imlerith, prepare to fight.

Kill Imlerith

Imlerith, as you might imagine, is a powerful opponent and can withstand a whole lot of damage. His massive shield blocks most head-on attacks, while his large, staff-like bludgeon can cause serious injury if it connects with you. As ever, you'll want to engage your attack boosts and shield spells before attempting the fight.

Your most effective strategy here is to dodge around Imlerith in a clockwise direction. Stick relatively close to his right-hand side and wait for him to launch an attack. If your timing and positioning is right, you can interrupt his two-part swings midway though. This gives you a few seconds to pile on the carnage until he recovers.

Whittle down his health and Imlerith eventually adopts his spirit form. For the most part, the battle continues as before. However, once his energy is depleted by a third, Imlerith gains the ability to teleport around the area. From here on in, stay alert and quickly dodge out of harm's way if he manages to materialise behind you.

Once Imlerith's health is down to its last third, he drops his shield and begins teleporting constantly around the area, whirling his weapon as he goes. Keep your distance (and be ready to dodge if he appears behind you) and wait for him to perform a heavy, vertical swing of his staff.

He comes to an exhausted halt immediately after this attack so quickly run in and launch a flurry of fast blows. You'll get in a good few hits before he vanishes again. Be careful though: he'll re-appear behind you almost immediately. Dodge out of the way and repeat the process until victory is finally yours.

When the battle is over, speak with Ciri once more. Confirm that you're ready to go to Novigrad and, when you arrive, regale your friends with tales of your recent exploits. Work your way through the dialogue options to end the quest.

Final Preparations

With preparations for your final confrontation underway, head upstairs to the top of the building and speak with Avallac'h. The elf has a plan so find out everything you can about Ge'els. Avallac'h suggests that you bring the general to him so that the truth about Eredin can be revealed. When you've exhausted the conversation, tell Avallac'h that you're ready to proceed.

- Our walkthrough continues with a step-by-step guide to completing Through Time and Space.

- Stuck somewhere else? Head back to the first page for the rest of our Witcher 3 walkthrough.