Where Children Toil, Toys Waste Away – 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 – Bootblack’s Stand
2 – Toy Shop

Walkthrough

In the previous quest (La Cage au Fou), you learned that Dettlaff regularly visits a bootblack’s stand in Beauclair (#1), so for this quest you’ll need to go there and talk to the bootblack. However, when you arrive (during the day), you’ll witness three men accusing the bootblack of spreading mud around to drum up business. No matter what you say, they’ll start a brawl with you.

The three men will usually try long, roundhouse punches, so counterattacking is the way to go. If you win the brawl, then you’ll earn 600 xp. Otherwise, you’ll only earn 400 xp. Either way, guards will show up afterwards and ask you what happened. No matter what you say, the three men will end up in jail.

When you talk to the bootblack, he’ll demand 500 crowns for the information you want. You’ll have two options for this. You can use Axii / Delusion to avoid the fee altogether, or you can negotiate the amount between 250 and 500 crowns (but the boy is greedy, so it’ll probably be over 400 crowns regardless).

Note: If you pay 500 crowns without trying to lower the price, then you’ll earn the Generosity virtue for the quest There Can Be Only One.

When the bootblack finally starts talking, you won’t learn much. The boy will just tell you that Dettlaff shows up every few days, and that you’re welcome to wait for him. But then Regis will show up, and he’ll use a more effective form of bribery. You’ll then learn that the bootblack delivers Dettlaff’s boots to an abandoned toy shop near the port, and that the shop has a red door. Regis will lead you to the shop.

When you reach the shop (#2), you’ll discover that the front door is locked. You’ll want to just knock the door down, but Regis will turn incorporeal, fly in through the window, and open the door from the inside. Entering the shop will earn you 600 xp.

Inside the shop, you won’t sense Dettlaff around, so you’ll need to turn on your witcher senses and search for clues. You’ll only find toys on the ground floor, but upstairs you’ll discover Dettlaff’s lair, complete with the painting of a woman and a list of Dettlaff’s victims — but not written in his hand. Regis will deduce that someone is controlling Dettlaff, and you’ll decide to look around some more.

Still upstairs, you’ll find a Suspicious Letter on the opposite side of the room. It’ll indicate that somebody — perhaps another vampire — kidnapped Dettlaff’s former human lover Rhenawedd, and is using her to blackmail Dettlaff and force him to people. You’ll notice Nazairi ink on the list of names, plus a wine stain, but that won’t give you much to go on. Still, you’ll decide to update the duchess on the progress you’ve made while Regis waits for Dettlaff in the shop. This will complete the quest and earn you 1000 xp.