Quick Links
“La Cage au Fou” is the second major story mission intheBlood & WineexpansionforThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.It follows Geralt’s return to the sun-drenched hills of Toussaint in “The Beast of Toussaint,” and his meeting with Regis and the Beast of Beauclair in the brief interlude, “Blood Run.”
“La Cage au Fou” acts as a reunion for Geralt and Regis,who had been absentthroughoutThe Witcher 3: WIld Hunt.Regis, a higher-vampire who befriended Geralt prior to the events of the series, is familiar with the Beast, and believes he can convince it to stop killing. This sets the stage for the quest as a whole.
Related:Witcher 3 Next-Gen Update Adds Mysterious Easter Egg Tied To Cyberpunk 2077
Before Starting ‘La Cage au Fou’
It’s worth mentioning that once “Blood Run” has been completed, going into the center of town will trigger the cutscene that initiates “Turn and Face the Strange.” Completing this quest is not a requirement, but the benefits make it well worth doing. This quest will transform Geralt’s character page, allowing access to the mutagen abilities. Remember, if Geralt gives the child who delivers the letter a 5 crown tip, thegenerosity requirementfor “There Can Be Only One” will be met.
How to Find Regis at Mère-Lachaiselongue Cemetery
“La Cage au Fou” is automatically initiated once “Blood Run” is completed. Geralt’s first task requires him to meet Regis at his laboratory/hideout in the cemetery that sits to the east of Beauclair.
Upon arrival, Geralt will have to dispense with two archespores,acursedplant monsterfound in Toussaint. They are vulnerable toIgni, Aard,andcursed oil.
The quest marker will lead Geralt to the door of a mausoleum, but the door will be locked. The actual entrance is a former grave that is now an open pit. The entrance marker is just south of the center of the search area.
When Geralt enters the pit, he will be greeted by akikimore nest.Severalworkersand a singlewarriorwill be present to attack Geralt.Theseinsectoidsare vulnerabletoIgniandinsectoid oil. Clearing the nest will earn him 100 experience points.
Slightly further down the corridor,Geralt can useAardto blast a blockage out of his way, clearing the way into Regis' laboratory.
Geralt and Regis Discuss Dettlaff
Once Geralt makes his way into the laboratory, an expository cutscene will be triggered. The two discuss the possibility oflocating the higher-vampireDettlaff, which Regis claims is impossible if he does not want to be found. His tune changes, however, when Geralt shows him Dettlaff’s severed hand.
This quest features long stretches of dialogue between Geralt and Regis, all of which is important to the story. But for the sake of brevity, the key points to remember are:
Related:The Witcher 3: Mistakes Everyone Makes While Playing Gwent In The Beginning
Geralt and Regis Wait for the Raven
Regis asks a raven - yes, the bird - to search the area for the type of creatures that contain the needed ingredient. In this case, the ingredient turns out to bespotted wight saliva.
While Geralt and Regis wait, the player can choose to share a drink or take a nap. If Geralt chooses to share a drink, several dialogue options will become available. While this discussion is not necessary, the discussion helps establish the nature of their relationship. Topics include the nature of death and how vampires and humans experience it differently. Regis doesn’t drink human blood anymore, so Geralt is curious how that is working for him. Some aspects of the discussion can give more insight into why Regis feels indebted to Dettlaff. Regis asks Geralt whether Geralt would choose to be a witcher if he were also reborn. The player has a chance here to put their own touch on Geralt’s lore. If Geralt chooses to take a nap, he does just that, and the discussion is skipped entirely.
When the Raven returns, it reveals the existence of a spotted wight, a creature long thought extinct, in the Caroberta Woods. Regis tells Geralt that, even after the saliva, they’ll need one more ingredient, though he won’t say what it is.
Setting Out to Find Spotted Wight Saliva
Before heading out to the location marked on the map, it’s worth reading thespotted wightpage in Geralt’s bestiary. Aside from explaininghow to fight these rare necrophages, a good deal of lore can be obtained from reading the excerpt.
Reaching the Wight’s Lair
As Geralt approaches the appropriate region of the Caroberta Woods, he’ll notice some kind of howling coming from all around. This sounds comes from a large group ofbargheststhat prowl the area. According to the bestiary,these specters inhabit cursed areas, or lands tied to tragic events. Geralt will encounter several on his way to the wight’s lair, which is located on the grounds of the Trastamara Estate.
Investigating Trastamara Hunting Cottage
The home that Geralt discovers is surrounded by hundreds of spoons hanging from poles. As he gets closer to the threshold,he discovers the words of a cursescratched into the walls above the door:‘None shall sit and dine with you at your table, no spoon you have shall sate you, never again shall you wish to spy your reflection in the mirror.’
Upon entering the cottage, Geralt should begin investigating with his witcher senses. There are several items that can be interacted with, including a lot of spoons. The following list contains the most important areas and items:
Having examined enough objects in the estate, Geralt will now have the option of attempting to lift the curse when he confronts the wight. Geralt will receive 300 experience points when the threshold is met.
Related:The Witcher 3: A Guide To Witcher Gear
How to Lift Marlene de Trastamara’s Curse
Now that Geralt knows Marlene and the wight are the same person, he has two choices:
After Geralt examines the downstairs table, follow the mission marker and examine the wight’s cauldron. Geralt will discover that the cauldron is empty, so he must hide until the wight returns.
The wardrobe in the opposite corner of the room will suffice. When Geralt enters, a cutscene will be triggered, showing the wight returning to brew its…meal? Potion? Wight-sauce?
Geralt, despite being the silent ninja, monster-killing witcher that he is, manages to make enough noise for the wight to hear him. This is where Geralt is faced with his two choices. He clearly has a rule against killing sentient monsters if he doesn’t have to, so lifting the curse seems the obvious choice.
To lift the curse, Geralt must choose toeat without the spoons,as the curse clearly says’no spoon you have shall sate you.‘If Geralt does this correctly, when the wight sees its reflection in the bowl, it will begin to transform, running off before it can finish. Follow the smell of the wight’s brew outside to complete the task.
When Geralt reaches the end of the trail, he finds Marlene, fully transformed. He decides totake her back to Corvo Bianco.
If Geralt makes the wrong choice when attempting to lift the curse, he can simply return to Regis with the brew, he does not need to kill the wight.
Choosing to Kill the Spotted Wight
Geralt can also simply choose to attack the wight when it hears him in the wardrobe. He will take its glands and return to Regis. This is undoubtedly quicker, but misses out on some amazing story moments, both here and later at Corvio Bianco.
Reporting Back to Regis
When Geralt returns to the cemetery to give Regis the spotted wight saliva, he is finally informed of what the final ingredient is:blood from another higher-vampire. While it seems Regis is the obvious candidate, he informs Geralt it isn’t that simple.
Related:The Witcher 3: How To Upgrade PS4 To PS5 Version
Leaving the Cemetery with Regis
Once Geralt and Regis have the discussed the events at Trastamara Estate, Regis explains they must head to the ancient vampire stronghold of Tesham Mutna to secure his blood. To do this, he must be put into an agitated state, which is the only time he can be injured. Geralt can either go with him immediately, or wait until he is ready and come back at a later time. If Geralt chooses to wait, Regis will remain in his laboratory at Mère-Lachaiselongue Cemetery.
When Geralt is ready to leave, Regis will explain some particulars about Tesham Mutna and his plan to keep Geralt safe while he is agitated. Once this is complete, the two will set out for the ruins.
Geralt and Regis Arrive at Tesham Mutna
Because the game takes over when Geralt agrees to leave, the trip to the stronghold is entirely skipped, so Geralt and Regis will show up on the front steps of the ruins. They notice a dead body near the entrance,and Geralt notes thatscurversare likely nearby.
Regis will open the ancient doorway, which was clearly meant to be accessible only to vampires.
Exploring Tesham Mutna with Regis
First Chamber:
There is a long stairwell that leads to the dungeon areas. Continue though the first chamber - look for the chest here containing the first pieces of theTesham Mutna Set.This armor is one of the rarest setsin the game, and well worth collecting.
Second Chamber:
Follow Regis through, then down a long wooden staircase. Once Geralt reaches the chamber at the bottom of the stairs, look for another chest containing the next two pieces of theTesham Mutna Set.
In the same chamber at the bottom of the wooden stairs, and in the cells that sit just beyond it, examine the markings on the wall to learn more about the vampire tribes in the area, andhow they used Tesham Mutna. Continuing down the cell-lined corridor, Geralt will find several lootable items, including multiple notes that add a tremendous amount to the story. Right before the bend in the corridor, theTesham Mutna Gauntletscan be found in a small chest.
Help Regis Prepare the Bait
When Geralt and Regis reach the main chamber in the lower dungeons, Regis will ask Geralt to set bait at four separate tunnel entrances.
Use Geralt’s witcher senses to locate the appropriate areas to place bait. Some of the tunnels are blocked by wood beams. UseAardto blast them out of the way. To place the bait, simply look for the prompts near the ground and press the corresponding button. Once Geralt has completed this task, he should prepare for the fight that is about to arrive. When Geralt is ready, speak to Regis to proceed.
Preparing to Fight:
Surviving the Fight:
The fight will consist of several tiers of enemies entering the chamber through the tunnel. Geralt must survive until Regis’ bloodlust reaches the appropriate level, which is depicted by a progress bar at the top of the screen.
Akatakanwill join the fight. At this point, survival is the primary goal. There is really no chance of killing every enemy, at least when Geralt is anywhere near appropriately leveled. Continue using Quen and Aard, create as much space as possible. Never stand still. Once the bar is full, a cutscene will be triggered.
Geralt and Regis Complete the Resonance Decoction
Once Regis reaches the peak bloodlust, Geralt is able to retrieve a small amount of blood from his palm. With this, the ingredient list for Resonance is complete. Upon returning to Regis' laboratory, Geralt completes the brew while Regis recovers from his ordeal.
Geralt takes the potion, and it works exactly as intended. The remainder of the mission isGeralt experiencing Dettlaff’s memories. The key points to remember are:
When Geralt wakes, he and Regis discuss the importance of the visions, especially the fact the bootblack shows up twice. This concludes “La Cage au Fou” and leads directly into “Where Children Toil, Toys Waste Away”
The Witcher 3: Wild Huntand its expansion,Blood & Wine,are available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
More:Hidden Surprises Discovered In The Witcher 3’s Next-Gen Update So Far
