The Blood & Wine expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt brings the long and arduous tale of Geralt of Rivia to a close. Though a new trilogy may be forthcoming, for now, this new selection of content represents the swan song for the series.
In Blood & Wine, Geralt is tasked by Duchess Anna Henrietta herself with discovering the conspiracy behind a grisly series of murders plaguing the noblemen of Toussaint. Found in the early stages of this tale of terror, "Where Children Toil, Toys Waste Away" finds Geralt accompanying Regis, an old friend making his Witcher 3 debut, on a search for the higher vampire Detlef van der Eretin.
Geralt Finds the Bootblack
Following "La Cage au Fou," Geralt will be required to locate the bootblack in Beauclair Port. Geralt and Regis believe the young shoeshine is in contact with Detlef.
Remember! The bootblack is only available during working hours, 8:00AM - 8:00PM. Arriving to his location outside this window of time will require Geralt to meditate until morning (or complete other tasks).
Compete the following tasks to advance:
- When Geralt arrives, the young boy is being harassed by a group of hostile NPCs.
- Geralt will have three choices of how to respond: Father, Witcher or Not Their Concern.
- Regardless of how Geralt answers, the men force Geralt into a fistfight. Losing the fight will not end the mission.
- Once the fight concludes, a guard will arrest the men. Geralt is free to talk to the boy.
Talking to the bootblack:
- The boy does have the information Geralt is looking for, though there are several options for how to acquire it.
- The bootblack will ask for 500 crowns. It is possible to negotiate down, but paying the full amount will satisfy the generosity requirement for "There Can Be Only One."
- Geralt can also use Axii to coax the boy into giving up the information, provided he has Lvl. 2 Delusion.
Searching Detlef's Safehouse
Once Regis joins Geralt in his conversation with the bootblack, the boy will give up Detlef's location. This leads the two sleuths to the next location: The Rocking Horse. While searching the old building, It becomes apparent that this former toy store was used by Detlef to plan the first murders. The area is filled with several toys, but the items with significance to the mission are as follows:
- Near the stairs leading to the top floor sits a small bottle containing the suspicious letter.
- To the right of the upstairs work table, another letter can be found.
Each item will initiate a conversation with Regis, though how Geralt responds will have no bearing on the outcome of the mission. Once a lengthy conversation between Geralt and Regis ends, the quest will come to a close, leading directly into "Wine is Sacred."
Warning! The secondary mission "Amidst the Mill's Grist" is only available between "La Cage au Fou" and "Where Children Toil, Toys Waste Away." If it is not completed before beginning "Where Children Toil, Toys Waste Away," it will be considered a failed quest.