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"Contract: Missing Brother" is a side-quest often discovered in the early stages of The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt. Geralt will usually come across this request when clearing the notice board outside the Inn at the Crossroads in Velen.
At first glance it may seem to be just another early-game contract designed to help Geralt build strength as he begins his journey to find Ciri. However, examining the request thoroughly will reveal a suggested level of 33, far to high for Geralt to tackle at the outset. While it is possible for Geralt to complete the contract when first arriving in Velen, it is far less difficult to do so when he is appropriately experienced.
Find Bruno at the Inn at the Crossroads
Once Geralt is prepared to take on this quest, his first task will be locating Bruno inside the Inn at the Crossroads in northern Velen. The rural tavern can be found on the large island north-east of Crow's Perch. The notice revealed that Bruno's brother MIkel has gone missing, prompting Bruno to hire Geralt to locate him. It is possible to haggle over the price, though it gets only marginally higher.
Bruno explains to Geralt that Mikel had tried to help several women recently widowed by the war, taking them to find shelter in a certain mine. Despite mounting evidence to the contrary, Bruno refuses to believe that Mikel could be dead. Having accepted the quest, Geralt will head to the mine's location marked on his map.
Important! It is possible to unintentionally initiate this mission while exploring Velen. Geralt may interact with several of the key elements of the investigation outside the mine, triggering the contract to begin before intended. Should this happen, the option to talk to Bruno will show as failed, but it is still possible to successfully complete the contract.
Locating the Mine
The mine Bruno sends Geralt to is located south of the Border Post fast-travel point. Upon arriving it is immediately apparent that something is amiss.The entrance to the mine is littered with the savage signs of a monster attack. Following the odd looking tracks the monster left behind will lead Geralt into a dark cave system that has several interconnected chambers.
Inside the mine, Geralt will notice a raised drawbridge that cannot be lowered from the entrance. From there, following the monster tracks will lead Geralt to discover evidence of a major arachas infestation, including several more dead bodies. Eventually he will encounter a survivor of the attack, a young woman who can help Geralt locate the lever to the drawbridge and then make her escape.
Returning to the tracks will lead Geralt to an underwater passage that connects to another large chamber. Upon ascending to the surface, Geralt will find himself face to face with several clutches of arachas eggs.
Destroying the Eggs
Upon examination, Geralt discovers the eggs belong to a large venomous arachas. He realizes he must destroy each egg if he means to clear the infestation. In total, there are 3 areas with 4 eggs each. The first groups of eggs are found in the first chamber after the underwater passage. Using Igni or Aard will make quick work of them.
Using Geralt's witcher senses will reveal a scent that leads to another underwater passage. Following the highlighted path will bring Geralt to the next group of eggs, which is protected by a young arachas. Dispatching this enemy and the eggs it guarded will reveal the path to the final chamber. Here Geralt will find Mikel's body and the final four eggs. Clearing them out will trigger the final encounter in the mine.
Defeating Harrisi
The final enemy Geralt will face down during this contract is a massive venemous arachas named Harrisi. Entering this fight too early can be incredibly deadly for the witcher. If Geralt approaches Harrisi at the appropriate level, the following steps should prove effective:
- Use Insectoid Oil. The bonus damage offered by this oil can often mean the difference between life and death.
- Use any toxicity-lowering potions and elixirs. Tawny Owl and Golden Oriole work wonders with poison, which Harrisi uses to great effect.
- All witcher signs have their uses here, with Aard and Igni both being particularly effective.
- Stay clear of the three special attacks: Webs, venom projectiles and venom clouds.
- Avoid button-mashing, patience and strategic strikes are the key to victory.
Returning to Bruno at the Inn
As with all monster contracts, do not forget to procure the beast's head as a trophy before leaving the mine. With this in hand, Geralt may return to Bruno at the Inn at the Crossroads. The grieving brother will try to get out of paying Geralt on account of not bringing MIkel back alive. Geralt can respond to this in one of three ways:
- I risked my life
- Persuade with Axii
- I won't beg
Only Axii will result in Geralt receiving the agreed upon reward. Telling Bruno that he risked his life will see Geralt receive a small portion of the reward, while refusing to beg well earn him nothing (though it does get him the highest amount of experience points.) Nothing can ever be easy in The Witcher 3.