Overview
Contract: The Mystery of the Byways Murders is a level 22 witcher contract in the Mire, in the far southwest of Velen. A Nilfgaardian patrol has gone missing near the village of Byways, and the officer in charge, Milan, suspects a monster. When Geralt gets there, the village looks abandoned and ghouls are picking through the huts. The truth is buried underneath: the villagers have been looting an old elven ruin below Byways and woke up something that was far better left asleep, the ekimmara Sarasti.
Getting the contract
Read the notice on the Oreton notice board and talk to Milan, or simply find Byways on your own. Only talking to Milan first gives you the chance to haggle. If you find the village first you can still report to him later, as long as you go to Oreton before finishing the quest with the villagers.
The investigation
- Clear out the ghouls in the village. A little later two survivors come out of hiding, and they are clearly not telling the whole story.
- You can back off here and report to Milan, which ends the contract without a fight. Or you can keep pushing.
- If you push, examine the animal carcasses and, more importantly, the two dead soldiers. Geralt picks up a scent.
- Follow it uphill to a hut. Bytomir, one of the survivors, finally caves: the villagers found elven ruins under Byways and were digging out treasure. They woke a beast, tried to bury the entrance, and the Nilfgaardians were killed when they went back in. Bytomir hands over the hut key.
- Inside the hut, a tuft of fur tells Geralt he is dealing with an ekimmara. Move the planks and head down into the tunnels to its lair.
Fighting Sarasti
The lair is cramped, so prepare before you go down. Sarasti regenerates quickly and its claws cause heavy bleeding, which means a slow, careful fight favors the vampire. Apply vampire oil, use Igni generously, keep Quen up against the bleeding and cast Yrden to limit its vanishing tricks. Devil’s Puffball also works on ekimmaras. Hit hard and finish fast. Full tactics on our Sarasti page.
Choices and outcomes
Two choices shape the ending. First, whether you investigate at all: backing off after the ghouls is a legitimate way out, and the survivors come to no harm either way. Second, whether the villagers know someone is paying you. If you talked to Milan and admit you are being paid, Bytomir and the others give you nothing after the kill. If you found the village first, or picked the “I’m nosy” option instead, Bytomir reluctantly pays up once Sarasti is dead. Once you turn the quest in with Bytomir after finding the village first, Milan has left Oreton, so visit him before you do if you want both rewards.
Rewards
- From Sarasti: the sword Bloed Aedd, an ekimmara trophy and an ekimmara mutagen.
- From Milan: 300 XP and 195 crowns if he gave you the contract, or 146 crowns if you found the village first and reported to him afterwards.
- From Bytomir: 25 XP and 210 crowns, but only if the villagers don’t know you are being paid.
- Another 25 XP for exploring the tunnels.
