Lilac and Gooseberries in The Witcher 3: Full Walkthrough, Who to Talk To, Choices and Rewards
Witcher 3 Lilac and Gooseberries walkthrough: who to talk to at the White Orchard inn, the Nilfgaardian captain and the griffin, small choices, rewards and missables.
In this article (0 sections)
Updated October 2026. Lilac and Gooseberries is the first real quest of The Witcher 3, right after the Kaer Morhen tutorial dream. Geralt and Vesemir follow Yennefer's trail into White Orchard, where a Nilfgaardian captain will only talk once you kill a griffin. It is mostly linear, but a few small choices give extra XP or crowns, and leaving White Orchard too early can make side quests fail. Here is the full walkthrough.
Quick answer
Goal: find out where Yennefer went. Talk to the stranger in the White Orchard inn (Gaunter O'Dimm), then to the Nilfgaardian captain at the garrison.
The captain's price: kill the griffin. That opens The Beast of White Orchard, which you must finish to continue.
Before you talk to Vesemir at the end, finish the White Orchard side quests and buy the inn's Gwent cards. That conversation takes you out of the region, and some quests fail.
Rewards: about 750 XP in total, plus a choice of 50 crowns from the merchant you save.
Lilac and Gooseberries Walkthrough
1. Ghouls at the Camp
As the witchers break camp, a pack of ghouls attacks. Use your silver sword (250 XP). Before you ride off, check the glittering spot by the path: it is the crystal skull from the opening cinematic.
2. The Griffin and the Merchant
Follow Vesemir along the road. After the bridge near the Ransacked Village, a griffin is feeding on a merchant's horse. It flies off after a short fight, wounding Vesemir. The merchant, Bram, offers a reward:
- Take the 50 crowns.
- Refuse, and the White Orchard innkeeper later gives you free roasted chicken legs instead.
Bram is also a merchant you can use later. If you miss the innkeeper's Gwent cards, he sells them too.
3. Asking About Yennefer at the Inn
Ride into White Orchard and talk to the innkeeper. She hasn't seen Yennefer and suggests asking the travelers. Vesemir sits down to tend his wound. Three conversations are marked, but only one is required:
| Who | What you get |
|---|---|
| The stranger (Gaunter O'Dimm) | Required. He remembers Yennefer, says she spoke to the Nilfgaardian captain, and gives you a Nilfgaardian lemon. |
| Mikah and Dromle (peasants) | Optional. Using Axii gets extra details and 25 bonus XP. |
| Aldert Geert (scholar) | Optional. He tells a story and introduces Gwent, starting Collect 'Em All. |
The friendly stranger in the corner matters much more later. See who Gaunter O'Dimm is (spoilers for Hearts of Stone).
4. The Fight Outside the Inn
When you leave, three local men who didn't like your face corner you for a fistfight. Axii takes one of them out and gives 25 bonus XP. Picking the option to fight just one makes the other two wait their turn. Either way you get 350 XP. Achievement hunters can save here: it is one of the easiest fights for Fist of the South Star.
5. The Nilfgaardian Captain
Head north to the Nilfgaardian Garrison and talk to Captain Peter Saar Gwynleve. Hearing that you are a witcher, he asks you to kill the griffin in exchange for what he knows about Yennefer. He points you to the hunter Mislav and the herbalist Tomira, who can help with bait. The bait is buckthorn, which also grows by the river near the side quest A Frying Pan, Spick and Span.
This starts The Beast of White Orchard. The main quest waits until the griffin is dead.
6. Leaving White Orchard
With the griffin dead, meet Vesemir back at the inn. The usual crowd has been replaced by bandits, and talking to Vesemir starts The Incident at White Orchard, a fight inside the inn. The terrified villagers want you gone, but outside a Nilfgaardian patrol is waiting, led by Yennefer herself. She takes Geralt to Vizima for an audience with the emperor, and Vesemir rides for Kaer Morhen (150 XP). On the way, the Wild Hunt attacks and Yennefer destroys a bridge behind them. That ends the prologue and leads into Imperial Audience.
Point of no return: talking to Vesemir at the inn moves the story on. Finish the White Orchard side quests and treasure hunts first, or some will fail, and buy innkeeper Elsa's Gwent cards before she becomes unavailable. See all White Orchard treasures.
Rewards
| Step | Reward |
|---|---|
| Kill the ghouls | 250 XP |
| Fistfight outside the inn | 350 XP (+25 with Axii) |
| Axii on Mikah and Dromle | 25 XP |
| Leave White Orchard with Vesemir | 150 XP |
| Bram the merchant | 50 crowns or free chicken legs |
What "Lilac and Gooseberries" Means
It is Yennefer's scent. Her letter asking Geralt to meet her smelled of lilac and gooseberries, as she always does in the books. The journal opens with exactly that detail, which is why Geralt drops everything and rides after her.
Video: Lilac and Gooseberries Walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
QWho do I need to talk to in the White Orchard inn?
Only the stranger in the corner, Gaunter O'Dimm. He tells you Yennefer spoke to the Nilfgaardian captain. The peasants and the scholar are optional.
QShould I take Bram's reward?
It doesn't matter much. Take the 50 crowns, or refuse and get free chicken legs at the inn. Nothing else changes.
QCan you leave White Orchard and come back?
Yes, later in the game you can fast travel back. But some side quests there fail once the prologue ends, so finish them before talking to Vesemir.
QWhat quest comes after Lilac and Gooseberries?
The Beast of White Orchard runs inside it, then The Incident at White Orchard and Imperial Audience in Vizima.
Next: the full list of all Witcher 3 quests, with links to every guide.
Sources: in-game quest text and journal; rewards and steps checked against the Witcher Wiki page for Lilac and Gooseberries. 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.