Precious Cargo – Witcher 3 Quest

This guide is a walkthrough of a side quest in the Witcher 3 for the area of White Orchard. 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 – Merchant
2 – Cart Tracks
3 – Horse and Cart

Background

You’ll receive this quest from a merchant near the Nilfgaardian garrison in White Orchard (#1).

Walkthrough

The merchant will tell you that he was traveling to the garrison to the northwest when his horse got spooked and ran off the road — right into the jaws of some creature hiding in the muck. He’ll then ask you to retrieve his goods, and especially the contents of a small chest that he had on his cart.

If you turn on your witcher senses and follow the road to the northwest, then you’ll spot the place where the horse and cart ran off the road (#2). Only, when you come to the horse and cart (#3), they won’t be half-eaten; they’ll be full of arrows, including the corpse of a man with an arrow through his neck. But you will find the merchant’s Locked Strongbox just to the northwest of the carnage.

When you return to the merchant, you’ll have two choices:

• You can just hand him the strongbox. He’ll take it and leave. You’ll receive 20 crowns and 25 xp for your efforts.
  
• You can call him out on his lies. The merchant will flee on his horse, and you’ll have to chase him on Roach. Be sure you have a hotkey set up for canter/gallop because you’ll have to gallop to catch up to him. When you get close to the merchant, you’ll automatically draw your steel sword. You’ll then just need to swing your sword when you’re next to him. This should knock him to the ground.
  
  When the “merchant” comes to, he’ll explain that he’s with the Temerian resistance, and that the strongbox contains medicine that he doesn’t want the Nilfgaardians to have. This will give you three ways to complete the quest:
  
  • You can hand the man over to the Nilfgaardians. They’ll probably execute him, but you’ll receive 30 crowns and 10 xp.
    
  • You can let the man go with the strongbox. You’ll receive 30 crowns and 10 xp.
    
  • You can let the man go but keep the strongbox. You’ll receive Celandine (x5), 50 crowns, and 10 xp.