Here Lies Our Father. He Died So Others May Live.

During your chat with Lazare Lafargue, you learned that Witcher Adon was hired as an escort on an archaeological expedition to the elven ruins at Termes. Now seems as good time as any to head to the expedition site, which is over on the far eastern side of Toussaint, at the Termes Palace Ruins, in northeast Caroberta Woods Territory. As you arrive, the camp is just south of the elven ruins, and the rotting tents are still visible. Conduct a search of the camp, after dealing with the plant-life here; an Archespore needs to be de-headed. Then use your Witcher Senses to find a tiny chest under a bench between two tents.

The journal is a diary of an expedition to study the elven ruins here, gaining entry using something called the “Purple Ruby of Aed Gynvael”.

It seems the investigation is to take you into the elven ruins. Make a careful inspection of the entire area around the ancient arches. Beneath them, behind a small waterfall (and a cracked wall you use Aard to break it open), is a Place of Power to optionally locate. There are a few scattered sacks and chests of loot to open on the ruins themselves. Expect to be harried by the occasional forest Boar. But you’re here to find the purple barrier pictured previously; an archway in the roughly northern part of the ruins. When you find it, you see there’s a slot on the right side of the inner archway, which probably deactivates the barrier. But where is it?

Fortunately, it’s extremely close by (and easily overlooked); it is on the right side of the tiled floor entrance you can see in the previous picture; at the foot of the fallen masonry step, and is found along with a letter. Read the letter, a haughty report about an overly-cautious Witcher in the service of “Duchamp” the lead archeologist. Now head to the purple barrier, slot in the ruby, and explore the chambers.