Back when The Witcher 3 came out, CD Projekt Red released 16 free DLCs for it over the next few months. The "Fools' Gold" quest is one of them, and it's one of the most memorable side quests in the game.
Like many other side quests in The Witcher 3, "Fools' Gold" is marked with an exclamation point that only appears when Geralt gets close. Since the quest is in Velen and far away from any question marks or notice boards, players may end up missing out without even realizing it. That's why this guide will begin by explaining where players should go to start this quest.
Where To Begin
"Fools' Gold" begins in a town called Lurtch, which is just east of Lindenvale and northwest of Reardon Manor. The quest will begin close to the town's signpost, which is on the north side. The quest's recommended level is 6, but because of difficult enemies players may want to wait until they gain a few more levels.
A Fool and His Pigs
As Geralt approaches north Lurtch, he can find and speak to a group of bandits enjoying a roast pig. However, a local named Yontek is upset with them for eating the pig, and Geralt gets a timed decision to either help the local or let it play out. If Geralt does nothing, the bandits kill Yontek and the quest ends early. If Geralt saves the man, Yontek will say the pigs are magic and Geralt can investigate.
Sure enough, Yontek is right, and when talking to him again he'll mention a "Hog Hut" that turned everyone into pigs. The next step is to visit this "Hut."
The Hog Hut
Geralt will eventually reach a cave filled with bandits and a dead bear. Players may have already been in this cave because it contains the enhanced Feline Steel Sword diagram, but they can't get into the "Hog Hut" itself without Yontek's key. After investigating the empty altar, Geralt will speak to a lost pig and decide that the only way to break the curse is to bring back the pigs and the missing gold.
Geralt the Swineherd
When Geralt returns to Lurtch, he'll have to kill several wolves. Afterwards, he'll tell Yontek to get the gold while he uses Axii to bring all the cursed pigs together. Fortunately, players only have to use Axii once per hut and can let the pigs herd themselves.
Once all the pigs reach the center of town, Geralt and Yontek will need to escort them back to the pig temple. A group of nekkers will attack along the way, but they'll only go after Geralt and can't even injure the pigs. In fact, the only way to kill the pigs is with a bug involving Dragon's Dream bombs and Igni. After the fight, a cutscene will play and jump things ahead to the pig temple.
Once the curse lifts, the townsfolk will thank Geralt but blame Yontek. Geralt can choose to protect Yontek or let the villagers hang him, but the villagers will only pay Geralt 100 crowns if he lets them take Yontek. Either way, the quest is complete and Geralt has another story to tell Dandelion.
The Witcher 3 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.