Novigrad, Closed City in The Witcher 3: All 3 Keys, the Safe and the Best Choice
Witcher 3 Novigrad, Closed City walkthrough: where to find Lussi, Wallter and Fritz's keys, what is in the safe, and the best choice for the witch hunter in part II.
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Updated October 2026. Novigrad, Closed City is a two-part side quest in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. After the events of A Matter of Life and Death, witch hunters flood Novigrad looking for mages, and Geralt keeps running into their victims. Part I is a treasure hunt for three keys; part II is a moral choice about a wounded witch hunter. Both parts can be found in any order just by walking around the city.
Quick answer
Unlocks: after you finish A Matter of Life and Death. Suggested level 11.
Part I: collect three keys from Lussi (St. Gregory's Bridge), Wallter (the alley behind Crippled Kate's) and Fritz (a house in The Bits), then open the safe for Formula: Nigredo and crafting loot.
Part II best choice: leaving the witch hunter to the bandits pays 100 orens; saving him pays nothing but sends him to Vilmerius Hospital. Neither choice affects the rest of the game.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Quest type | Secondary quest (two parts) |
| Region | Novigrad |
| Suggested level | 11 |
| Requires | A Matter of Life and Death completed |
| Enemies | Witch hunters, bandits |
| Rewards | Part I: Formula: Nigredo + loot from the safe. Part II: 100 orens if you side with the bandits |
In newer versions of the game the two parts show up in your journal as separate entries, "Novigrad, Closed City" and "Novigrad, Closed City II".
Part I: Find All 3 Keys
Three smugglers each hold one key to a hidden safe. You can meet them in any order. If you start with Lussi or Wallter, read the warrant on the dead witch hunters: it marks the other partners on your map.
| Key | Where to find it | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Lussi | Upper middle of St. Gregory's Bridge, towards Temple Isle | She asks for help with a "haunted" house. It is an ambush by two witch hunters. Kill them and she gives you her key. |
| Wallter | The alley behind (north of) Crippled Kate's | He bangs on a door while two witch hunters close in. Save him and he hands over his key; if he dies, loot it from his body. |
| Fritz | A house in The Bits, the second one east of Triss's hideout (door up some stairs between two houses) | Fritz is already dead. Go upstairs and light the torch by the stairs to open a secret compartment with his key, a letter and the safe. |
Lussi: St. Gregory's Bridge
On the upper middle of St. Gregory's Bridge, a woman named Lussi calls Geralt over and says her home is haunted. Follow her: the "ghost" turns out to be two witch hunters waiting in a ransacked house. After the fight, Geralt calls her out for leading him into a trap, and she gives him a key to make up for it. Loot the hunters and read their warrant to learn where the other keys are.
Wallter: behind Crippled Kate's
Wallter is in the alley north of Crippled Kate's, screaming for help at a door while two witch hunters close in. Kill the hunters before they reach him and he gives you his key himself. If they kill him, you can still take the key from his body.
Fritz: The Bits
The map marker for Fritz's house can be off. The right house is the second one east of Triss's hideout, with its door tucked between two houses at the top of some stairs. Inside you find Fritz dead. Go to the second floor and light the torch next to the stairs: a secret compartment opens with a letter, Fritz's key and the locked safe.
Open the safe
With all three keys, open the safe in the compartment. It always contains Formula: Nigredo, glowing ore and two steel ingots, plus some random loot (often a runestone). That completes part I.
Part II: The Bandits and the Witch Hunter
Northwest of The Golden Sturgeon, between the Silverton fish market and a house with a big flower garden, some bandits call Geralt over. Their "companion" went missing after coming out of the sewers. Agree to help and follow the boot prints, the smell of sewer slime and the blood with your Witcher Senses.
Warning: once you accept, finish the trail straight away. If you leave the marked area on the minimap, the quest fails.
The trail ends at a gate southwest of the St. Gregory's Bridge signpost. The "friend" is a wounded witch hunter who burned the bandits' fisstech, and they want revenge.
Novigrad, Closed City II: Best Choice
| Your choice | What happens | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Leave him to the bandits | The bandits walk over to the hunter and that is the last you see of them. | 100 orens (paid without a notification) |
| Save him and take him to hospital | You fight the bandits; the hunter asks for help and Geralt takes him to Vilmerius Hospital. | Only the bandits' loot |
| Save him, then refuse to help | You kill the bandits and leave the hunter to die, with a sarcastic line about martyrdom. | Only the bandits' loot |
Which is best? If you want the money, leave him: 100 orens and no fight. If you want to role-play Geralt, saving him fits the character. No option changes anything later in the story.
Other Witch Hunter Events in Novigrad
- The pass at the gate: the first time you enter through a gate after A Matter of Life and Death, a guard demands a pass to prove you are not a mage. Another guard hands Geralt one and whispers regards from Sigi Reuven.
- Moritz Diefenthel at Glory Gate: a mage from A Matter of Life and Death is tied to a stake, and he recognises Geralt. You can fight the hunters to save him.
- More random encounters with witch hunters harassing people around the city. Helping is optional and does not change the quest.
New to the city? Our Novigrad city guide covers the districts and landmarks mentioned here.
Video Walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhere are the 3 keys in Novigrad, Closed City?
Lussi gives one after the ambush near St. Gregory's Bridge, Wallter has one in the alley behind Crippled Kate's, and Fritz's key is in a secret compartment in his house in The Bits.
QWhere is Fritz's house?
In The Bits, the second house east of Triss's hideout. The door is up some stairs between two houses. Light the torch on the second floor to open the hidden room.
QWhat is in the safe?
Formula: Nigredo, glowing ore, two steel ingots and some random loot, often a runestone.
QShould you save the witch hunter in Novigrad, Closed City II?
It is up to you. Leaving him pays 100 orens; saving him pays nothing. Neither choice affects the rest of the game.
QWhy did Novigrad, Closed City II fail?
You probably left the marked area while following the trail. Once accepted, the trail has to be finished right away.
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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