Capture the Castle – Witcher 3: Blood and Wine Quest

This guide is a walkthrough of a main quest in the Witcher 3: Blood and Wine DLC. The guide is composed of a map, map legend, and walkthrough to show readers exactly where to go and what to do to complete the quest.

Map Legend

1 – Count de la Croix’s Mill
2 – Dun Tynne Castle
3 – First Battle
4 – Second Battle / Roderick
5 – Bandits / Cael / Iron Borg
6 – Bandits / Peeps
7 – Bandits / Ox
8 – Balcony / Regis / Dettlaff
9 – Castle Entrance

Walkthrough

This quest begins the end-game sequence for the Blood and Wine expansion pack. You’ll get a warning when you start it that some side quests will fail because of it, but this is only sort of true. The only quest you’ll need to complete beforehand is The Warble of the Smitten Knight. All other side quests will still be available afterwards. However, you won’t be able to do any shopping during the end-game sequence, so it’s a good idea to do whatever buying, selling, and repairing you need before continuing. You might also want to make a manual save so you can return to it if needed. Some decisions you make from this point on will change how the expansion pack ends.

To start off in this quest, you’ll need to head over to Count de la Croix’s Mill in Toussaint South (#1) at midnight. You’ll meet Damien there, and the two of you will hash out a (very sketchy) plan for the assault. Basically, Damien and his men will provide a distraction while you sneak in the back way and look for Syanna and Rhenawedd.

When you reach the castle, you’ll have to fight a series of battles:

• Several level 47 Dun Tynne guards preparing to flee the castle (#3). Winning this battle will earn you 500 xp.
  
• Several level 47 Dun Tynne guards, plus level 47 Roderick of Dun Tynne (#4). After winning the battle, you’ll get a chance to talk to Roderick, and you’ll learn that Syanna is in the castle, and that she tricked him into letting the Cintrian’s forces inside. However, Roderick won’t know anything about Rhenwedd. Afterwards, you’ll have to decide what to do about Roderick. If you help him with his wounds, then you’ll earn the Compassion virtue for the quest There Can Be Only One. Either way, the duchess will later want to try him for treason. Winning this battle will earn you 500 xp.
  
• Two level 47 Nazairi bandits, level 47 Cael, and level 46 Iron Borg (#5). Only Iron Borg should be a challenge in this fight, so dodge away from him and kill his helpers first, and then concentrate on him one-on-one.
  
• One level 47 Nazairi bandit and level 47 Peeps (#6). These two will be at a dog pen. If you don’t kill them quickly enough, then they’ll open the pen and you’ll also have to face four level 44 guard dogs.
  
• Three level 47 Nazairi bandits and level 47 Ox (#7).
  
• Some crossbowmen on a balcony (#8). When you reach this spot, Regis and Dettlaff will show up, and they’ll make short work of the defenders. They’ll then begin following you. This will earn you 500 xp.
  
• The castle entrance (#9). You’ll encounter a mass of Nazairi bandits and named mercenaries along the way, but with Regis and Dettlaff helping you out, it’ll be like shooting fish in a barrel.

When you make it inside the castle, you’ll discover that Synna and Rhenawedd are the same person, and that she faked her own kidnapping so she could force Dettlaff to do her bidding (killing the knights who escorted her out of the castle when she was banished). This will infuriate Dettlaff, and he’ll order Syanna to show up at Tesham Mutna within three days — or else he’ll burn Beauclair to the ground.

At this point the duchess will show up., but instead of being upset at her sister’s machinations, she’ll focus on Dettlaff’s threat, and she’ll order you to kill him and bring back his head. This order will complete the quest and earn you 1500 xp.