High Spirits with Caesar Bilzen

Meet Zoltan at Caesar’s house, in the southeast corner of the Town Square, and talk about hoodwinking the dwarven fisherman. You must sneak upstairs while Zoltan keeps him occupied with some Mahakaman spirit.

The ruse begins while Caesar asking if you fish. Answer however you wish. As the drink starts to flow, you’re asked how zander tastes (answer how you wish), and how you enjoy catching fish (bombs or live bait; answer how you wish). When Zoltan nudges you to find more to drink, take this (or the previous choices to leave) as a cue to start searching the premises.

Atop the stairs, inspect the large room using your Witcher Senses. The cabinet with the knife on it opens when you inspect the knife itself. Inspect the drawer, and gather a Triangular Key. Now head over to the bookcase. The right one has a triangular hole in the wall. Insert the key, and the left bookcase slides open to reveal a secret door.

Open the secret door, climbing more stairs to a hidden top floor. Here, there’s a variety of treasure to gather or leave, but before departing, be sure to grab the Jade figurine on a small cabinet, and the Fringilla card on a display table ahead and left of the top of the steps (after you enter the room).

Head back down to the drunken dwarves, and let Zoltan know you’re ready to leave. Caesar is about to protest you not returning with any spirits, when two masked dwarfs crash through the front door. They are henchdwarves of Cleaver, one of the “Big Four” crime bosses of Novigrad. You can:

• Stay and stop the abduction.
• Leave, and not fight the two henchdwarves.

Afterward, you can tell Zoltan about Caesar’s collection and his obsession with the Nilfgaard. Tell Zoltan about the Jade figurine you pocketed, and he suggests you show it to Triss (beginning Secondary Quest: The Soldier Statuette).

End: The Catfish is the King of the Pontar!

With all three cards pocketed, you can now meet Zoltan’s Gwent card buyer, over by the city wall, through the brick archway. Standing over the corpse of the buyer is the Duke, who has murdered the poor fellow. As bandits surround you, Duke flees. Give chase while Zoltan mops the floor with the mercenaries.

Sprint to the open door opposite, climb the two ladders in the stone towers, passing a fallen guard with Duke’s fist imprinted in his face. Turn right (southeast) and run along the city wall battlements, through a small tower, then another, and into a second larger gatehouse. Descend all five ladders until you reach the sewer entrance.

Enter the sewers, ignoring Duke ahead of you (the grating between you both is locked). Turn right (northeast), heading down a tunnel ramp and engaging two drowners in combat. Face left (northwest) and use Aard to destroy a weak wall. Then sprint ahead, into a cistern chamber where drowners have sliced into the hapless Duke, who lies wounded on a wooden platform. Choose to leave him to bleed out, or kill him quickly.

Back at the meeting place, Zoltan has dealt with the bandits. Inform him of Duke’s demise, and then choose whether you want to claim the dwarf’s three Gwent cards (to add to your collection), or share the bag of coin. The quest then concludes.