Overview
Practicum in Advanced Alchemy is a secondary quest in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, set on Ard Skellig in the Skellige Isles. It can start with Otto Bamber at the Herbalist’s Hut near Oxenfurt, with the druid merchant Yolar at Gedyneith, or just by meeting Gremist outside his cave at Gedyneith.
Gremist’s three tasks
Another druid is scolding Gremist for not passing on his knowledge. Gremist refuses to take Geralt as an apprentice, then relents and sets three tasks, without explaining what they are for.
The pimpernel
In the Morskogen Forest, far south of the Druids’ Camp, all the pimpernel has been picked. A druid explains that Gremist has sent many young druids for it, and they all came back dazed and empty-handed. The latest, Ramund, never returned. The tracks lead past white wolves. Downhill, an armored arachas guards the grave of an old druid, Jorre the White. Uphill, Ramund is safe and happy in the company of a succubus. She says she harms no one. Jorre was old, and kept returning even after she warned him his heart was too weak. When he died, she buried him according to custom.
The druid wants her dead. Geralt can kill her and take a flower from her lair, or refuse, and she gives him a pimpernel herself.
The spirit
The abandoned distillery on Hail Hill is in a cave held by a cyclops, with alghouls nearby. The distiller’s notes explain the process: put the mash in the central vat, light the fire, then pull the right lever and then the left. Collect the Skellige spirit from the barrel.
Fritjof
In Blandare, the vaedermakar Fritjof can call rain to end the drought, but the rite also draws monsters. Protect him through waves of foglets, with help from his wolf, and he agrees to help Gremist.
The “ritual”
Gremist accepts Geralt as his apprentice and asks him to wait a day. The great ritual turns out to be two old friends getting drunk together. Tipsy, Gremist finally teaches Geralt what he knows about alchemy and toxins. Afterwards Gremist sells alchemy supplies and can be played in Gwent: Skellige Style.