Suspect: Thaler

Suspect: Thaler is a secondary quest in Act II of The Witcher and one of the suspect threads of the Vizima Confidential investigation in the Temple Quarter. Thaler, a fence with a house in the quarter, cheerfully tells Geralt that he has Berengar’s equipment and that he bought it fair and square. Geralt is not convinced, and Thaler lands on the list of people who might be working for Azar Javed and the Salamandra.

Clearing his name takes a little legwork: a night-time look at who visits his house, and a chat with jailer Jethro once he has been softened up with some fisstech. Put together, the picture is of a well-connected small-time fence rather than a Salamandra agent. If you never get round to it, Shani will eventually let slip that Thaler is far more than he seems, which settles the matter too.

Walkthrough

Talk to Thaler at his house in the Temple Quarter; he admits to having Berengar’s gear and becomes a suspect.
Visit his house at night and watch who comes calling.
Give Jethro some fisstech and ask him about Thaler; he works with the city guards as well as criminals.
Question Thaler again and make your deduction about whether he is working for the Salamandra.
Alternatively, wait until after Shani’s party; Shani’s information clears him.

Quest Consequences & Choices

Clearing Thaler through your own investigation pays better than letting the answer drop into your lap later. Once he is cleared, he can also help with other parts of the investigation, such as buying out the gravedigger’s debt in A Gravedigger’s Gratitude.