Va Fail, Elaine in The Witcher 3: Ingredients for the Decoctions and Lifting Uma's Curse
Witcher 3 Va Fail, Elaine: the six ingredients for the Decoctions of the Grasses, where to find them, and what happens when Uma's curse is lifted.
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Updated October 2026. Va Fail, Elaine is the last step of Ugly Baby: the morning after No Place Like Home, everyone at Kaer Morhen gathers to lift Uma's curse. Your part is short: brew two potions. The rest is one of the biggest reveals in the game. The title is Elder Speech for "Goodbye, beauty".
Quick answer
Brew: two Decoctions of the Grasses, from the alchemy menu.
Ingredients: mandrake, ribleaf, bryonia, albino bruxa tongue, manticore poison gland and forktail spinal fluid.
Missing something? A small chest next to you holds all six.
Choices: none that matter. The order in which you give Uma the potions doesn't change anything.
Va Fail, Elaine Walkthrough
1. The Morning After
Geralt wakes up and finds everyone gathered. It's time to lift the curse. Yennefer asks you to brew the potions.
2. Brew the Decoctions of the Grasses
| Ingredient | Where you get it |
|---|---|
| Mandrake | You may already have it; the nearby chest has it too |
| Ribleaf | You may already have it; the nearby chest has it too |
| Bryonia | You may already have it; the nearby chest has it too |
| Albino bruxa tongue | The nearby chest |
| Manticore poison gland | The nearby chest |
| Forktail spinal fluid | The nearby chest (the fluid from To Bait a Forktail is a different item) |
Brew both potions in the alchemy tab and bring them to Yennefer. For more on brewing, see our potions and decoctions guide.
3. Lifting the Curse
From here it's scripted. Your dialogue choices don't change what happens.
Spoiler below. Skip the next paragraph if you want the reveal to be a surprise.
When the curse breaks, Uma turns out to be Avallac'h, the elven sage who has been helping Ciri. He gives Geralt a magic firefly that will lead him to her on The Isle of Mists. The witchers and Yennefer quickly plan what to do next.
What's Next
When the conversation ends, Va Fail, Elaine and Ugly Baby both complete, and The Isle of Mists begins; expect a burst of quest notifications. This is also the moment to gather allies for what's coming at Kaer Morhen: see our Brothers in Arms guide.
Video: Va Fail, Elaine
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhat ingredients do I need for Va Fail, Elaine?
Mandrake, ribleaf, bryonia, albino bruxa tongue, manticore poison gland and forktail spinal fluid. A chest next to you holds all of them.
QDoes the order of the potions matter?
No. The scene plays out the same way whatever you choose.
QWhat does Va Fail, Elaine mean?
It's Elder Speech for "Goodbye, beauty".
QWhat quest comes after Va Fail, Elaine?
The Isle of Mists. Ugly Baby also completes here.
QWho is Uma?
Spoiler: Avallac'h, the elven sage who had been helping Ciri.
Part of: Ugly Baby. More: all Witcher 3 quests.
Sources: in-game quest text and journal; steps and ingredients checked against the Witcher Wiki page for Va Fail, Elaine. Screenshots: gameplay frames from YouTube walkthroughs by Jason's Video Games Source.
Kai Mercer covers game news, free games, release calendars and guides for xGamerss.
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