In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, the “Root of Evil” quest Voyta sends players on a hunt for rare alchemy ingredients—Mandrake Root and River Pearls. This guide breaks down where to find them, how to handle key encounters, and the exact steps to brew the Mandrake Decoction needed to complete the quest.
Getting Mandrake Root in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Looking for Mandrake Root? Head over to the church in the northwest part of Kuttenberg and track down a fellow named Frantishek—the local gravedigger. He’s got a bit of a problem with some grave robbers and could use your help. If you agree to lend a hand, Henry will wait until midnight to ambush the troublemakers.
Success means rewards. If the grave robbers flee without a major incident, Frantishek will reward you with a key. Use it to unlock a chest inside his house (specifically, the second room on the right) and you’ll find 5 Mandrake Roots ready to be scooped up.
When Things Don’t Go as Planned…
Let’s say things get messy—you surrender or end up killing one of the robbers. Frantishek won’t be thrilled and won’t hand over any roots.
But all hope’s not lost. You can still:
- Knock him out and loot the key.
- Use pickpocketing to swipe the key unnoticed.
- Or sneak in after dark and use your lockpicking skills to open the chest.
Hunting Down River Pearls (Freshwater Pearls)
You’ll need these rare pearls as part of the Mandrake Decoction recipe. Start by heading to the stream near Danemark and follow the current slightly against the flow.
What you’ll find
During the day, you’ll likely come across a group of deserters guarding the area. You can:
- Talk it out: Approach the leader and attempt skill checks—some are tricky, but if you offer to buy the pearl, they’ll usually agree (for a steep price of over 400 Groschen).
- Try your luck: With the right dialogue choices, you might score one for free.
- Fight or sneak: If you prefer combat or stealth, prepare accordingly. Defeating them will let you loot the pearls from their camp. Alternatively, you can find a few inside large clams in the stream.
Tip: It’s worth grabbing a few extra pearls for crafting more potions later.
Crafting the Mandrake Decoction
You’ll need the following ingredients:
- Wine (acts as the base)
- Mandrake Root ×1
- Sage ×2
- River/Freshwater Pearl ×1
Brewing Instructions:
1. Start with a wine base.
2. Add the Mandrake Root and boil it for one cycle.
3. Grind the pearl, then add it to the mix.
4. Boil again.
5. Grind and add the Sage.
6. Use bellows to boil one final time.
7. Distill to complete the potion.
Pro tip: Don’t stress about creating a perfect decoction. Even if it turns out weak, Voyta will still accept it and the potion will work just fine. Just be sure to save before brewing if you’re short on pearls!
Once the decoction is ready and given to Voyta , you’ll successfully finish the “Root of Evil” quest.
