A Matter of Life and Death in The Witcher 3: The Masquerade, the Gwent Tournament and Kissing Triss
Witcher 3 A Matter of Life and Death walkthrough: the Vegelbud servant, the fox mask, Albert's mask, the Gwent tournament and the kiss you need for the Triss romance.
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Updated October 2026. A Matter of Life and Death is the Triss quest in Novigrad: smuggle a young alchemist out of a masked ball under the witch hunters' noses. It also decides the Triss romance, because of one timed kiss in the hedge maze. Here is the full walkthrough, the Gwent tournament and what to do before you start.
Quick answer
Start: visit Triss at her hideout in The Bits after Count Reuven's Treasure. Suggested level 12.
Triss romance: you must choose [Kiss Triss] in the maze before the fireworks. If you don't, she leaves after Now or Never no matter what.
Gwent: beat all three players at the ball for the unique Dandelion card. Missing it locks you out of Collect 'Em All.
Missable: the quest fails if you start The Isle of Mists first.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Quest type | Secondary quest |
| Region | Novigrad |
| Suggested level | 12 |
| Previous quest | Count Reuven's Treasure |
| Next quests | Now or Never, Novigrad, Closed City |
| Fails if | You start The Isle of Mists before finishing it |
Before you start: the Triss side quests The Soldier Statuette and The Nobleman Statuette (and one outcome of Redania's Most Wanted) become unavailable for a long time once this quest begins. Finish them first.
Meet the Vegelbuds' Servant
Triss has a letter from Lady Ingrid Vegelbud's servant: the lady will fund the mages' escape in return for a favour. Geralt offers to meet the servant first in case it's a trap. Go to the fish market and use Witcher Senses to spot a man in a blue tunic with keys on his belt. Follow him, help fight off the bandits who ambush you, and Triss arrives to explain: Lady Vegelbud's son Albert dabbles in alchemy and the witch hunters are after him. The plan is to sneak him out during a masquerade ball.
Buy the Fox Mask
Go to Elihal's tailor shop and buy a fox mask for Triss and a mask for yourself. You can also buy an elegant outfit there (or get one free from Madame Irina Renarde, or keep the one from the Imperial Audience). Bring Triss the mask, prepare, then head to the Vegelbud residence after dusk and talk to the guard.
The Masquerade Ball
The guard says Lady Vegelbud wears a parrot mask. On the path, a drunk guest mistakes Triss for someone else: talk him down instead of fighting for a small bonus. Inside, you can explore and spot familiar faces in masks: Dijkstra (pig mask, at the buffet), Morvran Voorhis (lion mask, near the Gwent table) and Maria Louisa La Valette (bird mask, by the trained dogs).
Find Ingrid Vegelbud to the left of the stairs to the house. She tells you Albert wears a panther mask. Albert, boasting about alchemy, says to meet in the hedge maze when everyone is drunk and the fireworks start.
Gwent Tournament
Talk to the croupier at the table on the right. You play three rounds, winning a card each time:
| Opponent | Deck |
|---|---|
| Vladimir de Cret | Nilfgaard |
| Gomo Seeling | Scoia'tael |
| Marius Florin | Monsters |
Losing has no penalty, so keep playing until you win. Beat all three for the unique Dandelion card. If you skip the tournament or don't beat everyone, you can no longer complete Collect 'Em All.
The Maze and the Kiss
Wait on the bench with Triss. She gets tipsy and runs off into the maze; chase her until she slips off a fountain edge and Geralt catches her. Right before the fireworks a timed choice appears.
| Choice | Effect |
|---|---|
| [Kiss Triss] | Keeps the Triss romance open. You still have to ask her to stay at the end of Now or Never. |
| [Not the time for this.] or no answer | Triss leaves Novigrad after Now or Never, whatever you do. |
Getting Albert Out
Albert interrupts, and he and Geralt swap masks. Triss and Albert leave first; after a while Geralt follows and is jumped by witch hunters who think he is Albert. It is a fistfight, but unusually you can use Signs. Then leave the maze and meet Triss and Albert in the stables, where Triss returns your weapons and the group rides off.
Afterwards, the witch hunters crack down on mages all over the city. That leads into Now or Never and Novigrad, Closed City.
Video Walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
QHow do you romance Triss in A Matter of Life and Death?
Pick [Kiss Triss] during the timed choice in the maze. Then ask her to stay at the end of Now or Never.
QWhere is the fox mask?
Buy it at Elihal's tailor shop in Novigrad, along with a mask for Geralt.
QWhat mask is Albert Vegelbud wearing?
A panther mask. Lady Vegelbud, in a parrot mask, tells you.
QIs the Gwent tournament missable?
Yes. If you don't beat all three players at the ball, you lose the Dandelion card and can't complete Collect 'Em All.
QWhen does A Matter of Life and Death fail?
If you start The Isle of Mists before finishing it.
Quest details checked against the Witcher Wiki in October 2026.
Kai Mercer covers game news, free games, release calendars and guides for xGamerss.
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