The Beast of White Orchard

The Beast of White Orchard is the griffin hunt that sits at the heart of the prologue in The Witcher 3. Captain Peter Saar Gwynleve at the Nilfgaardian Garrison knows where Yennefer went, but he will only tell Geralt once the griffin terrorising the region is dead. It is the first proper witcher contract in the game, and a good introduction to how monster hunts work.

How to start The Beast of White Orchard

The quest is added during Lilac and Gooseberries, when Geralt talks to the captain at the garrison. It is a level 3 quest. The captain sends Geralt to two people: the hunter Mislav, who found the bodies of a Nilfgaardian patrol, and the herbalist Tomira, who knows where to find the bait.

Why the griffin is so angry

Mislav is out hunting, so Geralt follows his tracks into the woods and may help him with a pack of wild dogs. Talk to him afterwards and he shares a sad story about his past and the fall of the local lord. He then leads Geralt to the site of the attack, where witcher senses reveal empty bottles, a campfire, blood and boot prints. The tracks lead over the Broken Bridge to the griffin’s nest, and here the case turns: the Nilfgaardian soldiers killed the griffin’s sleeping mate. Griffins pair for life, and the survivor has been taking revenge ever since.

The bait is buckthorn. Tomira points Geralt to the riverbed, where it grows under the water. While you are at her hut, ask about the dying girl Lena to start the side quest On Death’s Bed.

The ambush

Back at the village, Vesemir has already picked a spot: a farmer’s field near the mill. He hands Geralt a crossbow, the bait goes down, and the griffin arrives. Shoot it with the crossbow to force it to land, then fight it on the ground. Halfway through it flees to a ridge by the windmill, so follow it and finish the job. Take its head as a trophy and bring it to the captain.

Tips for the griffin fight

The griffin is weak to Aard, Grapeshot bombs and Hybrid oil. Brew Swallow and Thunderbolt if you can.
Avoid standing right in front of it. Its frontal attacks hurt.
Picking up the Viper School swords first makes the fight much easier. The diagrams are marked on our White Orchard map.
The crossbow you get here is the only weapon you can use underwater. Until you have it, enemies in the water leave Geralt alone, so it is a good moment to loot underwater.
If you find the nest before talking to Mislav, the hunter’s part of the quest is skipped and you lose the 350 XP from his conversation.
Visit Tomira before you pick any buckthorn yourself. If you already carry buckthorn when you talk to the captain, Tomira is skipped, and so is the chance to save Lena in On Death’s Bed.

Walkthrough

Talk to Captain Peter Saar Gwynleve at the Nilfgaardian Garrison to get the contract.
Go to the hunter’s hut. Mislav is out, so use your witcher senses to follow his tracks into the woods.
Talk to Mislav. Help him kill the wild dogs or tell him you are in a hurry. Talk to him again afterwards (350 XP).
Follow Mislav to the site of the attack. Examine the bottles, the campfire, the blood and the soldiers’ tracks with your witcher senses.
Follow the tracks over the Broken Bridge and up the hill to the nest. Examine the body, the bones and the dead female griffin (500 XP).
Visit Tomira at her hut. Optional: ask about Lena to start On Death’s Bed.
Dive into the river where Tomira points you and collect buckthorn from the riverbed with your witcher senses.
Return to Vesemir outside the White Orchard Inn and tell him what you found.
Meet Vesemir in the field near the mill and set the trap. He gives you a crossbow.
Kill the griffin. Shoot it down with the crossbow, then follow it to the ridge by the windmill when it flees at half health.
Take the griffin’s head as a trophy.
Bring it to the captain at the garrison. Accept his payment (300 XP and 150 crowns) or refuse it (400 XP).

Quest Consequences & Choices

At the end you choose between taking the captain’s money (150 crowns and 300 XP) or refusing it (400 XP). Talking to Tomira about buckthorn is also where you can start On Death’s Bed: skip her and Lena dies off-screen. If you already have buckthorn, or find the nest on your own, parts of the quest are skipped.