Lock and Key



Lock and Key is a quest which is given to Geralt by Declan Leuvaarden after the banquet at the beginning of Chapter III. It furthers the witcher's investigation of Salamandra.

Walkthrough
After the banquet and the resulting tête-à-tête with Princess Adda, Triss comes over to Geralt and tells him that their host, Declan Leuvaarden has a proposition for the witcher. He, and his nebulous network of intrigue, also want Salamandra gone. They have determined that Salamandra has cells in the Temple Quarter and the Swamp and they would like the witcher to investigate both areas and try to find some hard evidence proving criminal activity.

This spawns two new quests which must then be completed before proceeding with this main quest: first, Following the Thread, then Diplomacy and Hunting. So Geralt sets out to complete those quests. Once he is done, he returns to The New Narakort to fill Declan in on what he found. Namely, an encrypted document and the key which decrypts it.

The merchant then sends the witcher away asking him to come back later, after he has had a chance to have his code-breakers look at the evidence. So Geralt heads off to either meditate for a while, or do some side-quests, and then goes back upstairs to get an update.

This new information has pinpointed the location of the third (and hopefully last) cell within the city. There is a snag, however. The cell is in the restricted area of the quarter and therefore inaccessible by conventional means, but there is a workaround: Declan has a spy inside the City Guard.

He tells our hero that he must find an officer currently patrolling the streets and supply a pass phrase. Geralt is less than impressed with this plan and says so, but must reluctantly comply to get on with things. After leaving The New Narakort, he finds a Guard Officer (not to be confused with an "Armored guardsman"). This first Guard Officer tells him to shove off. So he continues his search.

The second Guard Officer the witcher encounters takes exception to the pass phrase attempt and it looks like Geralt is in trouble for a moment. Luckily, the guard is preoccupied with receiving a medal and lets him off with a warning to behave better out on the streets. And the search continues.

The third Guard Officer is, thankfully, the right one. He gives the correct response, after having a little joke at Geralt's expense. He tells the witcher that he will be in the city sewer at midnight and be there for two hours. He then marks the city sewer entrance on the witcher's map, in case he did not already have it. Luckily, the entrance is pretty nearby, close to the Maribor Gate.

The witcher then bides his time until close to midnight and then enters the city sewer, heading straight to the opposite end of the tunnel without taking any turns. At the end of the tunnel is the guard officer with a few of his men. A couple more of his men bring in a ladder which prop up under a window. This now allows a new exit from the sewers which emerges in the restricted part of the Trade Quarter — the barricaded northern region.

Geralt emerges from the city sewers in a completely new part of town. He has a look around and then proceeds down a nearby alleyway. At the end of the alley he finds an open door. This must be the place. He enters and his suspicions are confirmed, it is the Salamandra hideout. Inside, he can hear the sounds of several people. He decides to have a closer look.

What he sees are some Salamanders having an "online chat" about securing finances from a mysterious stranger via Hartmann's mirror, a telecommunicator. The stranger basically tells them to look elsewhere for gold. He does not care what they do as long as it does not include him and bids them adieu. It does not take long before the Salamanders notice the witcher is just around the corner watching them and attack. He defends himself with his usual style and grace and, having killed all his would-be executioners, continues downstairs. There, a second wave of Salamanders attacks. The same scenario and outcome ensue.

Now that the carnage is over, the witcher can concentrate on finding more evidence (and more loot). He finds a power stone on the body of one of the Salamanders, a mage. Then he notices that the stranger from the earlier communication is apparently still "online". He approaches the mirror and the stranger compliments the witcher on his swordsmanship. He then introduces himself.

It turns out that this is someone called Radovid. He tells Geralt that he has no intention of financing the criminal organization but that they did have some mutual acquaintances. He does not elaborate on the nature of those contacts, but admits that in the past, he had considered them of possible use at one point. He suggests that he has since changed his mind and no longer desires any sort of alliance with them. He tells the witcher that he is impressed with what he witnessed through the mirror and then cryptically tells the witcher to say hello to Adda and bids him adieu. Transmission over.

That was interesting. Having one last look around, Geralt grabs the strange stone from the three-legged stand in front of the mirror. It seems to be an integral part of the telecommunication and might be of interest to Leuvaarden or Triss. He then leaves the hideout, intent on heading back to the inn to report his findings. Once outside, however, he notices that the area is suddenly crawling with Salamanders. They even seem to be on the rooftops. He decides to take a cautious approach and sneaks up behind one unfortunate individual who really should have gone to the bathroom before leaving for the evening's mischief. One down.

Our hero continues, intent on neutralizing the most recent crop of bad guys. But wait! Before Geralt can dispatch any more of the hooligans, he rounds a corner only to find a werewolf who seems to be "taking care" of the Salamanders, one by one. This beast obviously needs no help from the witcher as he decimates the group of hapless criminals. Interestingly, this werewolf allows a drunken merchant who happens to be passing near the scene to live. Then the beast notices the witcher and the chase is on. Geralt chases him for a while, but then loses sight of him only to be ambushed from above shortly thereafter. He is knocked down, but he gets back up, dusts himself off and continues the chase. Then, the werewolf drops in once more from his rooftop hiding spot and corners the witcher. It is looking bad again for our hero when suddenly the werewolf speaks. He reveals his identity to be none other than captain Vincent!

Vincent the werewolf asks the witcher what he has found out inside the Salamandra hideout. Geralt can tell him or not, depending on how much he wants to cooperate with the beast. They discuss the nature of his "monstrousness" and whether or not the witcher is himself above such a description given the number of deaths directly attributable to his sword. Now Geralt must make a yet another difficult choice: kill this "monster", or let him go. This decision has lasting implications for the game and also advances the Identity quest.


 * Kill the werewolf: Geralt decides to kill the werewolf, a monster is a monster, and witchers kill monsters. That is all there is to it. A pitched battle ensues and just when the werewolf seems to be on his last legs, he transforms back into his human form and the witcher must face Vincent Meis, in human form. Vincent begs for his life, so again the witcher can choose to spare him, but he does not. Goodbye Vincent the werewolf, rest in peace. or
 * Spare the werewolf: Geralt decides that despite appearances, Vincent is not a monster at heart, and he lets the werewolf go. Vincent thanks him and then climbs back up to the rooftops from which he appeared and vanishes into the night.

Having dealt with the werewolf, he now needs to find his way back out of the restricted area as he can not go back from whence he came, the chase having left him in a completely different part of the restricted area. He finds that the door to the Old Forge is open. It is the only open door, so he goes in. Lo and behold, in the cellar is Vincent the werewolf's superhero hideaway, complete with weaponry and other interesting stuff. Geralt has a look around and then continues his search for a way out.

He soon discovers a trap door in the floor which leads back to the sewers. So it is back to the sewers. (Maybe he should just clean out a chamber in one of the crypts and move in full-time?) Once he emerges from the underground, our hero heads back to The New Narakort to speak to Declan, but Leuvaarden sends him to talk to Triss Merigold instead as she is the one who knows about magical devices. So it is off to find Triss.

Triss recognizes the stone immediate as a "seeing stone", but she also needs some time to examine it properly. Having no other option, the witcher leaves her in peace to try to locate the source of the last communication. When he returns, she announces that she has located the last position "dialled" using the stone and marks it on his map. Geralt decides to go there straight away, after all, why waste time?

When he enters the building, he finds that it is in fact Radovid's hideout, and Radovid himself is there, in the flesh this time. They speak and Radovid tells the witcher that he knows a few things about Adda and Philippa Eilhart. A bit more conversation and his political agenda becomes apparent. Geralt puts two and two together and realizes that this is king Radovid and lets the monarch know he is onto him. This amuses Radovid greatly. They part on relatively good terms, our hero taking his leave to go back and report his findings to Triss and Leuvaarden.

This concludes the quest, and spawns a new quest: The Unforgiven.

Leuvaarden's Request
Leuvaarden asked me to infiltrate the local Salamandra cells. I can pursue that only once I've completed my investigation in the Temple Quarter and the swamp. I should find some of Salamandra's documents in both places. I need to complete my investigation in the Temple Quarter and the swamp.

The Documents
I have both of the documents. It's time to see Leuvaarden again. It's time to see Leuvaarden again.

Analyzing the Documents
I should return to see Leuvaarden later. He's analyzing the documents found at Salamandra's base. I should return to see Leuvaarden later. (500 XP)

The Officer
I am to meet a Temerian officer who is patrolling Vizima. He will direct me to the Salamandra hideout. I have a password, he'll answer with his own. This is all a bit too top secret for my taste, but Leuvaarden seems to think it's necessary... ''I'm to meet Leuvaarden's contact. I should search for him among the Temerian soldiers patrolling Vizima's streets.''

Fiasco
OK, failed there. Luckily they had no idea what I was talking about. I must fine the secret agent. I must find Leuvaarden's secret agent among the officers patrolling Vizima's streets.

Mistaken
Phew, that was close. Where is that agent? Which of the officers is he? I must find Leuvaarden's secret agent among the officers patrolling Vizima's streets. (500 XP for the third guy)

The Salamandra Hideout
I can get to the Salamandra hideout through the sewers. Leuvaarden's allies will leave a ladder for me in one of the sewer branches leading to another part of the Trade Quarter. I'm to be in the sewers at midnight. I must enter the sewers and meet the secret agent at midnight.

Salamandra Territory
I need to be careful. I'm entering dangerous terrain. The Salamandra hideout is located somewhere up there, in the section of the Trade Quarter that has been closed off. I must leave the sewer, enter Vizima's Trade Quarter.

The Peeper
The magic stone! I have a feeling it might be the key to the riddle. I need to get it, but maybe I should do some spying first, see what the Salamanders are up to? I need to get the magic stone, but maybe I should see what the Salamanders are up to first?

The Magic Stone
I have the magic stone. Salamanders use this to contact headquarters. I should show the stone to Triss and Leuvaarden. I should show the stone to Triss and Leuvaarden. (500 XP)

Radovid
I told Vincent about Radovid. Why is the king of Redania talking to Salamanders? Are they desperately seeking a new source of funds? Time to decide what to do with Vincent the werewolf. (500 XP)

To Triss
Leuvaarden knows nothing about magic. He sent me to Triss. I should ask Triss about the magic stone.

A Plan
I need to get back to the banquet in a while to see what Triss and Leuvaarden agreed on. I should get back to the banquet and speak with Triss or Leuvaarden. (2500 XP)

Investigation Complete
I destroyed the Salamandra den in the Trade Quarter and learned the location of their base. They won't get away this time. ''I've completed my investigation. Time to confront the guilty.''

Schloss und Schlüssel fr:Enquête : Quartier des Marchands La serratura e la chiave Zamek i klucz