Guides / The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition
Elven Ruins
Geralt enters these subterranean elven ruins alongside the sorceress Keira Metz to track down a mysterious elven mage connected to Ciri. Players must navigate through flooded corridors, toxic gas chambers, and portals while solving symbol riddles left by the elf. The exploration culminates in battles against the Wild Hunt, dispelling illusory barriers, and optionally recovering an elven magical artifact for Keira.
- Region
- Velen (No Man's Land)
- Levels
- 5–6
- Getting there
- South/southwest of Midcopse, near the southern coastline (Spitfire Bluff / Lake shore), reached directly by teleporting with Keira Metz from her hut or by traveling manually to the cave entrance.
- Connects to
- Midcopse, Southern shoreline near Spitfire Bluff
- Related quests
- Wandering in the Dark · Magic Lamp
Services and people
Quest NPCs 2
- Keira Metz · Accompanies Geralt as a companion NPC and gives him the Eye of NehaleniThrough the chambers and inside the elven mage's laboratory chamber
- The Elven Mage (Avallac'h) · Appears as a magical projection/illusion on stone wall displaysThroughout the ruin halls
Invaders and enemies 1
- Nithral · Wild Hunt warrior and boss confronted in battleDeeper central chamber near the elven laboratory portal
The short version
What matters
- •Slaying Nithral provides valuable crafting loot, Diamond Dust, and the Diagram: Angrenian cuirass.
- •Finishing "Wandering in the Dark" awards the Eye of Nehaleni from Keira to remove illusory stone barriers.
- •Agreeing to assist Keira with the "Magic Lamp" unlocks an underground Place of Power and a guarded treasure chest.
Common mistakes
- •Declining to help Keira look for the lamp permanently fails the quest and bars entry to the underground Place of Power.
- •Walking out of the ruins before finishing the "Magic Lamp" quest locks the sealed door and ruins access to the hidden chamber.
What you can skip
- •Skipping the southern side passage skips the optional Gargoyle fight entirely if you do not need its heart and crafting ingredients.
Walkthrough May be incomplete
The area in the order you play it. Tick things off as you go: they tick off in the checklists below too.
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1
Entrance and Initial Separation
When you reach the exterior of the Elven Ruins northwest of Byways, enter the underground complex alongside Keira Metz. After heading inside, you will spot the Wild Hunt before an unstable portal separates you from your companion. Check the ledge directly above the entrance to find chests hiding crafting and alchemy diagrams.
Tip: There are no vendors, traders, or blacksmiths anywhere inside this dungeon, so prepare your inventory beforehand.
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2
Flooded Tunnels and Rat Nests
Dive through the submerged caverns and battle the Drowners lurking in the water while searching for additional diagrams scattered in submerged chests.
Key fight: DrownersTip: Igni quickly clears out the nests without consuming your munitions.
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3
Gas Chambers and Stone Projections
Proceed through a vast chamber blanketed in toxic gas and eliminate the hostile wraiths inhabiting the gloom. Follow the swallow markings left across the halls by the elven mage Avallac'h, who also appears ahead as a magical illusion projected onto the walls.
Key fight: WraithsTip: Keep your distance from the poisonous vapors while tracking the swallow signs.
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4
The Central Golem
Bring down the construct to gather its dropped Golem's heart along with several elemental crafting components.
Key fight: Golem (Guardian) -
5
The Side Tunnel Gargoyle
Venture into the southern corridor adjacent to the previous room to uncover an optional encounter with a Gargoyle. Slay this stony beast to harvest gargoyle dust, a Gargoyle heart, and elemental crafting ingredients.
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6
Defeating Nithral
Advance toward the deeper central chamber adjacent to the elven laboratory portal to confront Nithral, a warrior of the Wild Hunt. Vanquish him to collect his Wild Hunt warrior's sword, a Lesser Glyph of Quen, Steel Plates, Diamond Dust, and the Diagram: Angrenian cuirass.
Key fight: Nithral -
7
The Eye of Nehaleni
Speak with Keira in the mage's laboratory chamber right after felling Nithral to conclude "Wandering in the Dark". She will hand you the Eye of Nehaleni, an artifact needed to dispel illusory barriers throughout the ruins.
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8
The Magic Lamp and Secret Chamber
Agree to assist Keira with the "Magic Lamp" quest, solve the statue riddle to claim the Magic Lamp from the altar, and pass the sealed doorway to access the hidden chamber with an underground Place of Power and a guarded treasure chest.
Watch out: If you refuse Keira's request to search for the lamp or exit the ruins early, you permanently fail the quest and forever lock the door leading to the Place of Power and treasure chest.
Choices here
What you decide here and what it leads to.
Helping Keira search for the Magic Lamp
At the dialogue concluding the main quest "Wandering in the Dark" after receiving the Eye of Nehaleni
- Agree to help Keira search for the lamp→ initiates the secondary quest "Magic Lamp", allowing you to acquire the Magic Lamp and reach a hidden room holding a Place of Power and a guarded treasure chest
- Decline to help Keira or leave the ruins beforehand→ permanently misses and fails the quest "Magic Lamp", permanently barring entry to the chamber with the Place of Power and treasure chest
Most players pick: Agree to help Keira search for the lamp
Declining or leaving the ruins is a point of no return that permanently locks off the quest and the hidden chamber
Checklists
Items May be incomplete
0/2
Key fights May be incomplete
Enemies: Drowners
Threats: Melee swarms
Tactics: Easily staggered with Aard and burned with Igni.
Enemies: Wraiths
Threats: Teleporting behind Geralt, ethereal invulnerability, igniting surrounding swamp gas
Tactics: Trap inside Yrden circles to force corporeality; avoid using Igni in sulfur gas areas.
Enemies: Elven Guardian Golem
Threats: Highly armored, heavy sweeping swings, charging stomps, corner traps
Tactics: Use Quen, dodge behind its rear flank, and avoid corner traps.
Enemies: Nithral
Threats: Parry-breaking two-handed Wild Hunt axe, impenetrable healing frost shield with damage reflection, summoned hounds
Tactics: Do not attack him while his shield is active; defeat summoned hounds quickly so Keira brings down his barrier.
Enemies
Wild Hunt warrior wielding a two-handed weapon who summons shields to heal and calls forth Hounds of the Wild Hunt
Powerful construct guarding elven laboratory passageways
Appears in toxic gas caverns and spawns in groups if the statue brazier riddle is answered incorrectly
Tips
- Extinguish your torch and use Cat potions or clear toxic swamp gas pockets with Igni from a distance before fighting specters, as open flames will trigger lethal gas explosions.
Not listed for this area: secrets, shops and people.
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