Ciri's Story: The Calm Before the Storm in The Witcher 3: Lofoten, Skjall, the Sauna and the Wild Hunt Attack
Witcher 3 Ciri's Story: The Calm Before the Storm. Ciri in Lofoten, Astrid's sauna, the Skjall choice, the Wild Hunt attack and the ride to Drowned Dead Rock.
In this article (0 sections)
Updated October 2026. Ciri's Story: The Calm Before the Storm is the last Ciri flashback in Skellige. It plays during Nameless, when Geralt and Yennefer learn what happened to Ciri in Lofoten from the man who helped her: Skjall, the villager the others called Craven. You play a short, quiet stretch in the village, then the Wild Hunt arrives and the quest becomes an escape. Two small conversation lines here come back much later.
Quick answer
The setup: a masked elf brings an unconscious Ciri to Lofoten and asks Skjall to look after her. Ciri wakes, and Skjall's sister Astrid takes her to the sauna to warm up.
The sauna: optional dip and a shot of Freya's Firewater both restore health.
The stables: kiss Skjall or say you want to leave. The Wild Hunt attacks either way.
The fight: enemies keep spawning; kill three or four, then ride with Skjall to Drowned Dead Rock.
All Ciri's Story Quests So Far
This is the third set of Ciri flashbacks. The first four are in Velen (see Ciri's Story in Velen), the next two in Novigrad (Visiting Junior and Breakneck Speed).
The Calm Before the Storm Walkthrough
1. Ciri Wakes Up in Lofoten
The quest opens with the masked elf appearing in Lofoten with Ciri unconscious in his arms. Skjall sees them. The elf asks him for help, tells Ciri where to meet him next, and leaves. When Ciri wakes, she talks to Skjall. If she asks how long she was out, she can also ask whether he undressed her: he admits it, but says his mother and sister did the rest. Ciri asks for help standing up.
Ciri wants to leave right away, but Skjall says she'll need a horse to reach Drowned Dead Rock and goes to get one ready. Meanwhile his sister Astrid invites her to the sauna.
2. The Sauna
- Follow Astrid to the sauna.
- In the changing room, interact with the mirror to change. A towel leads to a talk about why Ciri is shy; going without one leads to a question about her tattoo. Either way, she goes in.
- Optional: jump into the cold water and/or drink a shot of Freya's Firewater. Each restores health; doing both fills her health bar before the fight.
- Go back to the changing room and get dressed.
3. The Stables
Skjall is getting the horses ready. He makes it clear he likes her.
| Choice | What happens |
|---|---|
| Kiss Skjall | Ciri returns his feelings. The Wild Hunt attacks right after. |
| Say you want to leave now | Ciri turns him down gently. The Wild Hunt attacks right after. |
| Thank Skjall / ask about his family | Small extra lines here that slightly change a conversation later, in Child of the Elder Blood. |
4. Fight the Wild Hunt
Wild Hunt warriors pour into Lofoten. You can't kill them all: they keep spawning. Kill three or four, and the quest moves on. Use Ciri's blink a lot, and don't let them surround you.
Don't try to clear the village: the Wild Hunt warriors respawn endlessly. Once Skjall calls you, go back to the stables.
5. Escape to Drowned Dead Rock
Skjall tells you to run. Get on a horse at the stables and follow him south out of Lofoten, avoiding the Wild Hunt riders and hounds. Reaching Drowned Dead Rock triggers a cutscene and ends the quest; the story goes back to Geralt and Yennefer.
What Happened Next
Ciri meets her masked companion at Drowned Dead Rock. They argue, he puts her to sleep with a spell, and they sail off into the fog. Skjall, wounded by the Hunt, wakes up later on a beach beside the same boat, and the only one in it is "the ugliest man in the world". That's how Geralt's search leads to Uma, and eventually to The Isle of Mists.
Skjall's own fate is covered in Nameless, where you find out what became of the man Lofoten called Craven.
Video: The Calm Before the Storm
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhen does The Calm Before the Storm play?
During Nameless, on Hindarsfjall, when Geralt and Yennefer find out what Skjall saw.
QShould Ciri kiss Skjall?
It's up to you. The Wild Hunt attacks either way, and the main story doesn't change. Thanking him or asking about his family only changes a few lines later.
QHow many Wild Hunt warriors do I have to kill?
Three or four. They keep spawning, so don't try to kill them all.
QWhat does the sauna do?
It's optional flavor, but the cold water and Freya's Firewater each restore Ciri's health before the fight.
QWho is the ugliest man in the world?
The passenger left in Ciri's boat. That's Uma, and he becomes a key part of the search for Ciri.
Before this: Missing Persons and Nameless. More: all Witcher 3 quests.
Sources: in-game quest text and journal; steps and choices checked against the Witcher Wiki and Fextralife pages for Ciri's Story: The Calm Before the Storm. Screenshots: gameplay frames from YouTube walkthroughs.
Kai Mercer covers game news, free games, release calendars and guides for xGamerss.
More from Kai Mercer →
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first!
Sign in or create an account to earn karma — or comment as a guest.