"At the Mercy of Strangers" is a secondary quest (sidequest) in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
It is one of the sidequests you can get at Velen
Contents
Region[edit]
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NPCs[edit]
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Enemies[edit]
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How to start quest[edit]
Find and talk to John Verdun near the riverbank, between Inn at the Crossroads and Mulbrydale.
You may have to clear the Drowners in the immediate area before you are able to speak to him.
Walkthrough[edit]
Locate John Verdun near the river, between Inn at the Crossroads and Mulbrydale. Kill the Drowners in the immediate area first if you are unable to speak to him. John Verdun has been tied up near the river and left to die by the Drowners. Talk to him to find out why. He is a soldier who deserted the army. The villagers did this to him when they found out he was a deserter. He asks that you untie him.
If you do not untie him, the Drowners will later kill him. When you come back to the area after a day or so have passed, you will find his corpse at the location where you talked to him.
If you untie him, he later shows up at a camp north of the Pontar River, NW of the Border Post. See maps below. He offers you a reward. If you accept the reward, the quest ends. if you do not accept, you fight him and the Bandits. Defeat them, and the quest concludes. Use your Witcher Senses to locate the Letter from Toben near one of the structures in the camp.
Rewards[edit]
You get XP and 50 crowns when you talk to John Verdun at the camp and accept his reward, after having freed him previously.
If you do not accept his reward, you don't get the crowns but you can loot him and his bandits.
Dialog[edit]
John Verdun: Unbind me! 'Fore the next ones come!
Geralt: When the come, I'll tend to them. Meanwhile, let's you and me chat. Like to know who I'm untying.
John Verdun: John Verdun. Served in the 10th Maribor Division.
Geralt: Long way from your army.
John Verdun: Me army don't exist no more. Black ones smashed it to bits... I scarpered off into the woods just 'fore that happened. Joined a group of refugees... Fuckin' burstin' with patriotism, they were. Soon as they learned I'd abandoned Temeria in her hour of need, they beat me down, tied me up like a turkey, left me to the Drowners.
1. I'll untie you.
2. I won't help you.
Geralt: Sorry, can't help you.
John Verdun: What? Why not?
Geralt: Find it hard to believe the folks from the camp left you here just 'cause you're a deserter.
John Verdun: All right, mighta be other factors involved! But is that any reason to leave me to a certain death?
Geralt: Not that certain... You could wiggle free. Just keep quiet. Drowners might not notice you.
Geralt: Fine, I'll help.
John Verdun: Phew, thanks. For a minute there, was almost sure you'd leave me to die. Like to thank you somehow... But I've not a chipped crown to my name.
Geralt: Tough. I'll take the loss.
John Verdun: Thanks, Witcher. May you prosper on the path!
Items[edit]
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Maps[edit]
Map 1 - Quest begin[edit]
Map 2 - Quest end[edit]
Strategy Guide/Tips[edit]
- This quest does not appear in your journal
- In addition to the Drowners in the initial area, there may also be Wolves.
- If you do not accept John Verdun's reward, him and his bandits attack you. Since you are outnumbered, you will most likely die if you are low level.
Trivia[edit]
- After you untie John Verdun, you can follow him. He will walk up the road either to Mulbrydale or to the Inn at the Crossroads, and hangs out there for a while. Later though, he shows up at a camp north of the Pontar
- The Letter from Toben you find does not seem to start any new quest. It might be for just for flavor, to give a name and story to the refugees which John Verdun killed and instill some guilt in you for freeing John Verdun who obviously is an evil person. From that letter, you learn that one of the dead refugees was a scribe on his way to Novigrad to look for a better future. He was engaged to a woman named Yolanda and was to send for her to get married once he got to the city. He also was going to save money to send to his father and mother to help support them. But by freeing John Verdun, you basically destroyed Toben and his family.
Gallery[edit]
John Verdun tied up and left to die near the river bank at the beginning of the quest. Do you free him?
John Verdun's Corpse. This is what happens to him if you do not untie him.
John Verdun with some bandits at his camp.
Another screenshot of John Verdun and the bandits.
A Dead Refugee killed by John Verdun
Geralt confronting John Verdun at his camp.
A Letter from Toben found in the camp.
A bandit working for John Verdun. This guy has some mean tattoos...
