Harried, Hounded, And Hung

The situation seems grim. Most of the soldiers from the Nazairi cavalry where caught by the quartermaster’s men and hung in the swamp northwest of here. Begin your search there—in the area between Nilarius’ Farm (to the southeast) and Kimbolt Way (the road to the northwest). When the going gets soggy, beware of ghouls (you should slay at least four), and start using your Witcher Senses to find the following:

• Tracks showing the cavalry members fled into the swamp.
• Dog tracks, showing they were pursued.
• The remains of foes half-sunk into the mire; an easy target for
• an arbalist.
• Corpses in the swamp and hung, but with black hair. Not the red-headed man you seek.

Finally, there is the grim sight of a red-headed man swinging from a makeshift gallows. Don’t forget to look up to examine the corpse! Then peer around the ground below the swaying corpse; there is a letter to Hrodeberth’s mother on the ground.

End: Died or Deserted: A Mother’s Grief

Head back to the noblewoman, and inform her of her son’s passing, using the letter as evidence. She asks how he died, and you can say he died in battle, or deserted. The latter produces a curt response, but the letter proves your point. Either way, you receive a reward, and she receives closure.