A Poet Under Pressure

A Poet Under Pressure is the quest where Geralt finally rescues Dandelion in The Witcher 3, and the end of Ciri’s trail in Novigrad. The witch hunters are moving the bard from his prison on Temple Isle, and Zoltan has set up an ambush on the road.

How to start A Poet Under Pressure

The quest follows The Play’s the Thing, once Dudu has agreed to help. It is a level 13 quest worth 1,000 XP.

Backup from Dijkstra

If you helped Dijkstra recover his treasure in Count Reuven’s Treasure, he can lend you some men for the ambush. He offers three, four if you push and keep the mission secret, or six if you tell him what it is about.

The ambush and the chase

Zoltan waits on a hill east of the Seven Cats Inn. Priscilla arrives with news that the convoy leaves at dawn and, refusing to go home, challenges Geralt to a round of gwent to pass the time. When the convoy comes, a witch hunter grabs Dandelion and rides off with him. You can join the fight or go straight after the horse.

The trail goes past a lake with drowners, along a road where Dandelion dropped pages of his poetry, and to a camp where the tracks split. A blacksmith there says the rider turned left, but he means further into the woods. Take the right fork, find Dandelion’s hat and follow the scent of his cologne to an isolated hut. The halfling owners give you the key to a secret tunnel behind the house. Climb up into the hut, kill the witch hunter and untie Dandelion.

Dandelion’s story

Free at last, Dandelion tells Geralt how he and Ciri fled through Novigrad, which plays out as Ciri’s Story: Breakneck Speed. It closes Ciri’s story in Novigrad and points Geralt onwards.

Tips

Look for Dandelion’s Pegasus signet ring by the lake, just after the drowners. It lies on a rock by the water and blends in with the red hoofprints.
Talk to the halflings again afterwards for the painting of Hierarch Hemmelfart. Both the ring and the painting can go to Dandelion later, for his cabaret.
Completing this quest puts a notice on every notice board in Velen that starts Envoys, Wineboys, the first quest of Blood and Wine.
The gwent game with Priscilla is just for fun. Nothing changes hands.

Walkthrough

Optional: if you helped Dijkstra, ask him for men in his bathhouse office (3, 4 or 6 depending on your answers).
Go east of the Seven Cats Inn and climb the hill north of the road to meet Zoltan.
Talk to Priscilla when she arrives. Play gwent with her if you like while you wait.
When the convoy arrives, fight or follow the fleeing horse with your witcher senses.
After the drowners by the lake, search the shore for Dandelion’s Pegasus signet (optional).
Follow the hoofprints past the poetry pages north of Honeyfill Meadworks to the camp. Take the right fork.
Examine Dandelion’s hat on the road and follow the scent of his cologne.
At the isolated hut, talk to the halflings and take the key to the secret tunnel behind the house.
Go through the tunnel, climb into the hut, kill the witch hunter and untie Dandelion.
Play Ciri’s Story: Breakneck Speed, then finish the conversations with Dandelion (1,000 XP).
Talk to the halflings again for the painting of Hierarch Hemmelfart.

Quest Consequences & Choices

Helping Dijkstra in Count Reuven’s Treasure gives you extra men for the ambush. Dandelion’s ring and the painting can be given to Dandelion later or kept. Finishing the quest closes Ciri’s trail in Novigrad and unlocks Envoys, Wineboys (Blood and Wine), Cabaret and A Dangerous Game.