This is because they are not like regular quests. They are not included in the quest list, do not have any objectives assigned to them, and are not registered in your completed quests. As a result, they are easily missed during gameplay. If you’re trying to experience everything The Witcher 3 has to offer, make sure to explore these areas and complete these hidden encounters while you’re in Velen.
Hidden Quests and Interactions in Velen
The Witcher 3 offers plenty of quests, yet there are some that will not show up on your quest log. They include hidden encounters without a map icon or quest objective, and are not considered completed quests in your journal either.
For that reason, these encounters tend to be easily overlooked during your exploration of Velen. These hidden encounters are mostly small interactions and not quests, yet they will make for an interesting experience of what Velen has to offer. Below is the list of all hidden encounters found in the game.
Harassing a Troll
When roaming around the ruins where you will find Enhanced Griffin Boots, you might get to hear some fighting going on. Upon checking on the matter, you will find a troll called Boris being assaulted by a number of Nekkers.
Kill the Nekkers and talk to Boris. According to him, he was getting ready to have his dinner when the creatures attacked him. You can ask Boris if he has put anything else in the soup apart from humans. As per Boris, he enjoys speaking with humans, and he will never ever eat them. Based on what you say in the conversation, you will get either an Elf Head, which is useless, or you will get 25 XP.
Highway Robbery
This encounter takes place in the northern forest of the Boat Makers’ Hut. On your journey down the road, you will find three bandits who appear to be robbing an innocent man. But when you come closer, you will find that this is actually another bandit pretending to be robbed. They will then attack you. Kill them to complete this encounter. You can also find the real victim nearby after the fight.
Man’s Best Friend
In the north of Velen, there is a solitary house where you can hear a wild dog howling. After defeating the dog, you’ll see that there are people who are hiding inside the house. After talking to them, you’ll find out that the children were hiding in that house for quite some time, and there was very little food for them. You can give them something to eat or some money.
As a reward, you’ll get a doll and a book called “In Beast’s Clothing”. This book gives additional information about werewolves and Ulfhedinn in your Bestiary, and it may also unlock the Werewolf Decoction if you don’t have it yet. You’ll also get 10 experience points.
It doesn’t matter what exactly you’ll give to those people – either some food or money. It’s important to visit that place after the dog is dead. Otherwise, the door to the house will get permanently locked.
At the Mercy of Strangers
The encounter takes place on the way to the Inn at the Crossroads. You will spot John Verden tied up, with Drowners closing in on him. Either free him or leave him be. If you decide to leave him there and come back after several days, you will find his body with Drowners all around.
If you help him out, you will sooner or later encounter John again, but further north. Here, you can help him once more or attack him and his companions. If you decide to accept the reward, you will get 50 coins and 50 XP. If you prefer attacking him, you will earn 50 XP as well as some loot.
Caravan Attack
It’s one of those encounters that’s easy to overlook, but by doing a favor to these people, you’ll get a nice reward later on. You will see a group of people being attacked on your way through Velen. By helping the two merchants take down their attackers, you will get some experience points and gold.
The main reward will be much later on. About a week after that event, a merchant named Unsalm will open his shop in Crow’s Perch. He won’t be selling anything too special, but it might be handy to have another merchant there to sell stuff that you do not want anymore. If you don’t help the merchants, you can instead return later and loot the chest in their wagon.
Deadly Crossing 1
Your first encounter with the Dead Crossing occurs at the troll bridge that lies south of Crow’s Perch. Once you get to the bridge, you will see some people who want you to pay a toll so as to cross the bridge. There are several options for you once you get to the toll booth. You can pay the toll, Axii them if you can reach that level, or fight them off. If you choose to fight, you can defeat the men and collect their loot.
Deadly Crossing 2
The second deadly crossing encounter happens in a different place in Velen. On your first visit here, you will meet some Nilfgaardian soldiers. But on a subsequent visit, you will notice that the soldiers are dead and some bandits have taken to looting the bodies.
The bandits will present an offer for the sale of a sword that they have stolen. You may accept the offer or decline and move away. Alternatively, you can attack the bandits and loot the sword from them. It is quite fascinating that the sword being sold by the bandits and the sword that you can loot are not the same.
Deadly Crossing 3
Encounter number three is much easier. There will be a few men in the woods. If you get too close to them, they will attack you. There are not many treasures here, making this encounter something to discover when roaming about. This encounter may also vanish after meeting the first encounter in Deadly Crossing. It was still present four or five days after, but it might vanish a week later.
Highwayman’s Cache
Another such encounter with bandits holding up at the bridge is called “The Cache of the Highwayman.” One of the things that differentiates it from the other bridge encounters is that here you cannot bribe the bandits to pass. You will have to defeat or use your conversation skills to pass this encounter. However, the most significant feature about this encounter is the chest that is lying near it. After dealing with the bandits, you can loot it for some extra items.
Face Me If You Dare! 1
It is likely you will see this meeting as long as you spend some time looking around in Velen. A male character will come to Geralt and start to argue and then challenge him to a fight. Whatever you say, you will be forced to fight with him. Fortunately, this fight is not difficult at all; he loses after a while. Make sure you don’t kill him, as he will reappear two more times later on if he is still alive.
Face Me If You Dare! 2
A few days later, the same man is easily located on the Pontar near the big wooden posts. As before, the man will dare Geralt to a duel again. When you beat him, he will submit and run off. Again, don’t kill him if you wish to see him one last time later in the game.
Face Me If You Dare! 3
Should you have failed to kill him in any of the two prior meetings, you would encounter him for the third time, and last, in Silverton. However, this time round, should you have attained the second level of Delusion, you could find a way not to fight him using an appropriate dialogue choice.
Without the requisite Axii/Delusion power, the only thing left is to engage him in combat, something that did not happen in the two prior fights. Unlike the previous encounters, he won’t simply surrender this time.
Looters 1
The first group of Looters can be located west of the Inn at the Crossroads. There will be a group of characters in the vicinity and you can choose whether you will fight them or just ignore them. The rewards for defeating this group of Looters are 10 XP points. It is a very small encounter and is very easy to overlook because there is no quest marker.
Looters 2
The second quest can be found in Codger’s Quarry, which you might have visited already in your search for Witcher gear. The Looters are trying to analyze a body when suddenly Ghouls attack them. If you kill the Ghouls without killing all the Looters, you will be thanked for saving their lives. There is also some good reward that can be found there. One of the items is Enhanced Feline Gauntlets.
Looters 3
The third type of Looters is encountered in Toderas. Here there will be several individuals quarreling about their loot. One can attack them directly, or he can just wait and watch how they fight among themselves. There is no big prize for defeating them, but this is one more little quest that can easily be overlooked.
