A Princess in Distress in The Witcher 3: How to Find the Pellar's Goat, Use the Bell and Avoid the Bear
Witcher 3 A Princess in Distress: where to find the pellar's goat, when to ring the bell, how to deal with the bear, and the Axii shortcut.
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Updated October 2026. A Princess in Distress is the goat quest. It's part of Family Matters, the Bloody Baron's search for his missing wife and daughter. The pellar, a village seer, can find out what happened to them, but first he wants his runaway goat, Princess, back. It takes ten minutes if you know two things: ring the bell only when you are close, and kill the bear before you lead the goat home.
Quick answer
What to do: take the bell from the pellar, track Princess into the woods behind his hut, ring the bell close to her, and walk her back.
The bear: on the way back the goat can run toward a bear. Kill the bear first and she stays safe.
Shortcut: you can also keep Axii on the goat the whole way. It's slow, but she won't wander off.
Next: back to Family Matters. The pellar now helps you find out what happened to the Baron's family.
A Princess in Distress Walkthrough
1. Get the Bell from the Pellar
During Family Matters, the Baron sends you to the pellar to learn what happened to his wife Anna and daughter Tamara. The pellar agrees to help only after you bring back his goat, Princess. He gives you a bell. Ring it and the goat comes to you.
2. Track Princess
Follow the marker into the woods behind the pellar's hut. In the middle of the search area, wolves can attack, so be ready. Then follow the goat's tracks, or use your Witcher Senses and listen for her bleating: the sound shows up on screen and leads you to her.
Walk up slowly and ring the bell only when you are about ten feet (three meters) away. From farther away she doesn't react.
3. Lead Her Back (and Deal with the Bear)
The goat follows you, but she stops whenever she finds something to eat. Ring the bell again to get her moving. Close to the pellar's hut she can run off toward a bear. Follow her and kill it. The easier way is to kill the bear before you fetch the goat, so there is nothing to run to. Quen keeps you safe in this fight, and our combat tips for beginners cover how to dodge its swipes.
4. Return Princess to the Pellar
Walk the goat back to the hut, ringing the bell when she stops. Talk to the pellar while she's next to you. He's happy, the quest ends, and you go back to Family Matters.
Bell or Axii: Which Way Is Easier?
| Method | How it works | Pros and cons |
|---|---|---|
| The bell | Ring it when the goat is close; ring again when she stops to eat. | The normal way. Quick, but she can run toward the bear. |
| Axii | Cast Axii on the goat and recast it as soon as it wears off. | She never wanders and the bear never comes up. Very slow, because she walks slowly under Axii. |
What Comes Next
With Princess back, the pellar helps you search for the Baron's wife and daughter, and Family Matters continues. The way the Baron's story ends depends on choices you make later, see our Bloody Baron good ending guide. The same story chain later leads to Ladies of the Wood and The Whispering Hillock.
Video: A Princess in Distress
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhere is the pellar's goat in The Witcher 3?
In the woods behind the pellar's hut. Follow the quest marker into the search area, then track her with your Witcher Senses or follow her tracks.
QWhy won't the goat follow me?
You're too far away. Get within about ten feet before you ring the bell, and ring it again every time she stops to eat.
QHow do I stop the goat from running to the bear?
Kill the bear before you lead her back. If she does run off, follow her and kill it.
QCan I use Axii on the goat?
Yes. Keep recasting Axii on her and she won't wander. It works, but it's slow.
QIs A Princess in Distress part of Bloody Baron?
Yes. It's a step inside Family Matters, the Baron's search for his wife and daughter.
More: all Witcher 3 quests and our Velen region guide.
Sources: in-game quest text and journal; steps checked against the Witcher Wiki and Fextralife pages for A Princess in Distress. Screenshots: gameplay frames from YouTube walkthroughs.
Kai Mercer covers game news, free games, release calendars and guides for xGamerss.
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