Bald Mountain Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Quest
Suggested level: 26
Group: Main Quests
Location: Velen
This quest starts automatically once the "Blood on the Battlefield" quest is completed. It be when you and Ciri arrive at the Road to Bald Mountain signpost.
Vesemir's death tore a gaping hole in Ciri's heart and left only a burning drive for revenge to fill it. This drive burned all the higher when she learned from Avallac'h that Imlerith, the general of the Hunt who murdered Vesemir, would be attending the Crones' sabbath on Bald Mountain. Ciri smelled blood and decided at once to travel to No Man's Land and kill Imlerith. Geralt, that calculating, practical-minded witcher, as usual caved immediately to his adopted daughter's wishes and agreed to accompany her on this expedition. The pair thus slipped out of Kaer Morhen in the cool light of morning and galloped off to find vengeance.
Related points of interest
Road to Bald Mountain
Velen / Novigrad
Bald Mountain
Velen / Novigrad
Imlerith
Velen / Novigrad
Prior quests
To begin Bald Mountain you must first complete Blood on the Battlefield.
Quest stages of Bald Mountain
1. Find a way to the mountain's summit.
Follow the path to the village at the foot of Bald Mountain and there you will meet some villagers who have come here to celebrate. When you tell them that you want to get to the top of the mountain, one of them, Stregomir, will direct you to Thecla, because only she can make it possible for you.
2. Talk to Thecla and get permission to climb the mountain.
On the way to Thecla's tent, you'll meet Johnny (and Sarah, if you chased her out of the house in Novigrad). He will confirm that Imlerith is at the top of the mountain and will advise you not to go there.
When you get to Thecla's tent, she'll accept Ciri to meet the Ladies, and of course she'll reject you. But you can appeal and accept her challenge to prove that you are worthy.
3. Retrieve the coin Thecla threw in the water by using your Witcher Senses. / Give the coin to Thecla.
Thecla will throw a coin - Defier's Oren, into a small and dark lake located below and tell you to find it and bring it back to her.
Jump down into the lake, dive, kill two drowners (5) and find the coin lying at the bottom.
Then return to the surface and climb the rocks to the left to get out of the lake. There you'll run into a fiend (26) guarding the path on your left, who you'll have to kill if you get too close to it. But it is possible to not fight it. Just follow the path to the right and up the rocks. This route is even shorter.
Then return to the village. When you bring the coin back to Thecla, she will agree to let you go, and tell you to show the coin to the guard on the other side of the gate. Her maid, Marica, will lead you to the the Bald Mountain gate and open it for you.
4. Travel the path to the peak of Bald Mountain. / Defeat Fugas.
After you pass the gate you will encounter Fugas (26). When you show him the coin, you'll find out it was a ruse, and you'll be attacked by him.
When you kill him, Ciri will tell you he's going to kill Imlerith. You disagree, then Ciri will propose you to play "rock, paper, scissors" about who will face Vesemir's murderer. You will win and Ciri will have to deal with the Crones, and you will go to meet Imlerith.
5. Penetrate to the heart of the tree's roots.
Now you will take control of Ciri to fight the Ladies of the Wood. Jump down to the lake below...
...and then walk down the tunnel, and after a while you'll reach the cave where the witches are. After exchanging a few words, you will start fighting with each other.
6. Kill the three Crones. / Use Blink to strike all three Crones and disturb their spell.
You'll have to fight three crones at once - Brewess (28), Whispess (28), and Weavess (28). It won't be an easy fight. It's best to focus on Brewess at first, because she's the slowest and easiest to beat. Stay in motion, don't let the crones surround you, use the charge and blink when possible, be patient and sooner or later the witches will fall.
After the fight, when Ciri will be checking the bodies, it will turn out that one of the witches is still alive, she will surprise Ciri, rip off Vesemir's medallion from her neck, turn into ravens and flee.
7. Find Imlerith.
You'll be playing as Geralt again. Follow the rocky path to the top of the mountain and you will reach the clearing where you will meet Imlerith. While talking to him, you can choose any of the options and after a while you will start fighting with each other.
8. Kill Imlerith.
Imlerith's blows are very strong so Quen sign is very useful when fighting him. The fight will consist of two phases. During the first phase, Imlerith will be pretty slow and he'll use a shield. If you get too far away from him, he will be teleporting behind your back. So stay alert and keep moving.
When you take away about two-thirds of his life points, phase two will begin. Imlerith will drop the shield and start attacking with both hands and much faster. He' ll also teleport himself much more often. Avoid his series of attacks and counterattack when possible.When his life points fall near zero, a scene will start in which you will see Geralt burning Imlerith's face with an Igni sign and then finishing him with his own weapon.
9. Talk to Ciri once you are ready to go to Novigrad.
When the fight is over, Ciri will join you. You'll talk for a while, and when you're ready, you'll go to Novigrad together to meet Triss and Yennefer.
Vengeance is what they found, and, though served warm, it was nonetheless sweet. The duo found their way to the top of Bald Mountain and there Ciri killed two of the three Crones while Geralt triumphed in a deathmatch against Imlerith. The only bitter note - the third Crone escaped, taking with her Vesemir's medallion, the only memento Ciri had kept of her dead friend and mentor.
After completing Bald Mountain you will get or will be able to get Final Preparations.