Guides / The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition

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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition guide · Investigating the village destroyed by the Wild Hunt ✓ Checked against sources

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Geralt arrives at this frozen hamlet during the main quest "The Nilfgaardian Connection" while searching for the Nilfgaardian contact Hendrik. Upon arrival, you must rescue an attacked survivor from a pack of feral beasts to learn about the Wild Hunt's assault. You then enter Hendrik's hut to inspect his remains, uncover an entrance to his cellar, and recover his hidden documents.

Region: Velen (No Man's Land)
Levels: Level 5
Getting there: Directly along the main questline via horseback or foot from the Inn at the Crossroads (heading west/southwest across the plains)
Connects to: Abandoned Tower, Wolven Glade, Inn at the Crossroads
Related quests: The Nilfgaardian Connection · Bloody Baron · Hunting a Witch

Services and people

Quest NPCs 2

Surviving villager · Reveals the Wild Hunt tortured and killed the Nilfgaardian contactVillage center / Survivor's Hut
Hendrik · Deceased Nilfgaardian contact examined for key and cluesHendrik's hut

Invaders and enemies 1

Rabid dogs · Attacks the lone surviving villager upon arrivalVillage center / village street

The short version

What matters

•Rescuing the lone villager in the village street to discover what the Wild Hunt did to Hendrik.
•Searching Hendrik's boots inside his hut to acquire the Cellar Key.
•Uncovering the trapdoor beneath the animal skin rug and pulling the cellar's wall candle-holder switch to recover Hendrik's hidden ledger.

Common mistakes

•Wandering the hut without checking under the animal skin rug in the adjoining room; use Witcher Senses or Aard to reveal the hidden trapdoor.
•Leaving the area to the east without engaging the territorial peasants looting corpses, which can permanently lock you out of the encounter and questline for "Looters".

What you can skip

•Searching the settlement for vendors or services, as the frozen village is entirely abandoned.

Walkthrough

The area in the order you play it. Tick things off as you go: they tick off in the checklists below too.

1
Arrive in Heatherton

When you arrive in the village of Heatherton during the main quest "The Nilfgaardian Connection", you will find the settlement completely ruined, abandoned, and unnaturally frozen over following a Wild Hunt raid. Note that you will find no traders, vendors, merchants, or services anywhere in the area. Take in your surroundings before heading toward the center of town.
2
Rescue the Lone Survivor

As you reach the village center street, you will discover a pack of rabid dogs assaulting a lone villager. Slay the rabid dogs to save him, taking the opportunity to collect any Dog Tallow and Raw Meat dropped by the beasts. Once the area is clear, speak to this surviving villager to learn how the Wild Hunt tortured and murdered your Nilfgaardian contact.
3
Search Hendrik's Hut

Head to the snow-covered hut marked in the village and step inside to find Hendrik's mutilated corpse lying on the floor. Inspect the body carefully and search his boots to obtain the Cellar Key (Hendrik's key). You will need this mandatory quest key to unlock the entrance to the underground level.

Cellar Key / Small Key: Inside Hendrik's boots on his corpse in his hutHow: Check the boots
4
Uncover and Unlock the Cellar Trapdoor

Move into the adjoining room inside Hendrik's hut to locate the hidden entrance to the cellar. You can reveal the concealed trapdoor by inspecting the animal skin rug with your Witcher Senses or by blasting the carpet away using the Aard sign. Once the locked hatch is exposed, use Hendrik's key to open it and climb down into the hidden cellar beneath the floorboards.

A trapdoor leading down into the cellar is hidden beneath an animal skin rug on the floor, and a secret compartment in that cellar is opened by pulling an interactive wall candleholder.
5
Retrieve Hendrik's Documents

Once inside the cellar, look for an illuminated candle switch on the wall and pull this candle-holder mechanism. Triggering the switch causes a secret compartment and hidden alcove to open, revealing a chest. Loot the chest to obtain Hendrik's ledger documents and read the entries to finish your investigation and unlock the following main quests.

Hendrik's Ledger / Documents: Inside a hidden chest within the underground cellarHow: Pulling the illuminated candlestick on the wall

Checklists

Items

0/2

Cellar Key / Small Key: Inside Hendrik's boots on his corpse in his hutHow: Check the bootsHendrik's Ledger / Documents: Inside a hidden chest within the underground cellarHow: Pulling the illuminated candlestick on the wall

Secrets

0/1

A trapdoor leading down into the cellar is hidden beneath an animal skin rug on the floor, and a secret compartment in that cellar is opened by pulling an interactive wall candleholder.

Enemies

Rabid dog

Weak to Beast Oil, Igni, Aard, AxiiSteal / drop Dog tallow

Attacks the lone surviving villager in a pack when Geralt first enters the town.

Tips

You can interact with the animal rug or cast the Aard sign to clear it away and expose the cellar door.

Not listed for this area: shops and people.

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Sources checked: fandom.com, eurogamer.net, wordpress.com, fextralife.com, questcompendium.com, gamerant.com