The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Skellige Main Quests – The King is Dead: Long Live the King, The Calm Before the Storm

This guide tells you how to beat all of the Skellige main quests in The Witcher 3. Quests include Destination Skellige, The King is Dead: Long Live the King, Echoes of the Past, Missing Persons, Nameless and The Calm Before the Storm. During which, you’ll battle pirates, use the Mask of Uroboros and fight the Wild Hunt. 

Main Quest: Destination Skellige

Visit Novigrad and look for three marked areas on Geralt’s map. Go to each location and speak to people about finding Captain Wolverstone. Now go inside the Golden Sturgeon and speak with the captain. Unfortunately you’ll need to fork over 1,000 Crowns to sail with him to Skellige. Seems like a lot, but you’ll get it back momentarily. 

Watch the cut scene and then pirates board Captain Wolverstone’s ship. Kill the pirates and watch another cinematic where his ship smashes into an iceberg. There’s another cut scene and you talk to Steingrim. Respond rudely and you’ll have to fight. If you go this route use your fists, because withdrawing your sword means having to kill Steingrim. If he dies, you won’t see him during the King’s Gambit secondary quest. For that reason, we suggest being nice to Steingrim.

Before exiting the ship, look for and then search Captain Wolverstone’s corpse. Take back the 1,000 Crowns, go east and follow the path north.  Turn west before reaching Kaer Trolde. Go to the harbor’s west side, watch the cinematic and talk to Yennefer to end this main quest. 

Main Quest: The King is Dead –  Long Live the King

Walk into Yennefer’s room and then use Geralt’s Witcher Senses to examine the area for some clothing that you’ll find inside a chest. She wants you to wear black and white, but this is entirely optional and you can slip into whatever you want. If you do as she wishes, put on the clothes or the outfit from the Imperial Audience main quest. 

Travel to the marker on the map and watch the long cinematic. Agree to race Cerys, and when things kick off, run towards the lit torches while navigating your way up the mountain. When you encounter deep snow, jump so it doesn’t slow you down. Similar to Yennefer’s clothing request, this race is optional. 

Accompany Yennefer around the main hall and look at the exclamation points on the map, which signify people Geralt should speak to; you’re able to toast or fight people.  Since none of these decisions impact the quest overall, do whatever you want. 

When you finish chatting, go downstairs and stick close to Yennefer as she walks to Ermion’s workshop. We suggest staying behind her, otherwise you will run into trouble. Now walk to the open window and step onto the balcony to discover another window.  Open this window and go inside.  Now walk down the steps, activate Geralt’s Witcher Senses to discover and do the following: 

• Animals that come to life. Defeat them to survive.
• Ermion’s workshop.
• The Mask of Uroboros.
• A secret chamber.
• An Earth Elemental in need of a beating.
• A way to escape the toxic gas trap. 

Locate the side door, walk through it and then lay the smackdown on those animals. Now take the door to the west and walk down the steps  into the lab. Use your Witcher Senses and examine this place, checking out every object highlighted red. 

When that’s over, walk down the steps into the cavern. Kill the Earth Elemental we already said you’d find. If this monster is bothersome, rely on Quen Sign magic to make the fight easier. With the magic active, hit the monster one time and then retreat. Do this until you emerge victorious. 

When the Elemental dies the room fills with toxic gas. Pick up the loot as fast as possible and tell Yennefer you want to kiss her. This leads to a fun encounter we detail in our Witcher 3 Romance guide. If swapping spit with Yennefer does not interest you, tell her you will die and she teleports you back to the hall. 

Watch the cut scene that follows and tell Crach you’ll help out to end this main quest. Beating it gives you access to the Echoes of the Past main quest, along with The Lord of Undvik and Possession secondary quests. 

Main Quest: Echoes of the Past

Find a boat and sail to Redgill village, close to the eastern coast of Ard Skellig.  Walk up the steps until you discover and Druid camp and Yennefer. Chat for a bit, then give her a hand battling some Foglets.  Now put on the Mask of Uroboros. 

Follow Yennefer to the next area and kill the Foglet, using the mask when necessary. Watch the cinematic and then slaughter yet another Foglet. 

Stick close to Yennefer and she’ll tell Geralt to put on the mask.  Watch the cut scene and go south.  She then offers to teleport Geralt, which leads to the next quest. 

Main Quest: Missing Persons

Yennefer teleports Geralt to the Isle of Hindarsfjall. When you reach it, travel north to the middle of the village.  During the conversation respond however you’d like, then walk with Yennefer to Freya’s Garden. Alternatively you’ll also find her by the gates. 

During the cut scene a werewolf appears and then takes off, ending the quest. 

Main Quest: Nameless

Continue following Yennefer as she leads Geralt up some steps and then across bridges. You will then go northwest and see a giant tree. Search using Geralt’s Witcher Senses, then find traces of a Craven and follow the prints. 

Get over the wall and travel northeast to find a wooden wall. Move to the arched doorway to the right and watch out for a wolf nearby.  Jump into the canal and use your Witcher Senses to locate footprints. 

Climb the ladder and you will discover two levers. The one on the left adjusts the gears to open one of the three gates. Continue interacting with this until the gate you desire is open.  The right lever, meanwhile, moves the gate, and the middle gate allows you to investigate other parts of the garden. Finally, the right most gate beneath the waterfall will take you through a cave where there’s a key for the In Wolf’s Clothing secondary quest. When you’re done with this area, exit through the left gate. 

If you wish to continue this main quest, open the middle gate, jump into the canal and go for a swim. Look right and climb onto the rocks, then walk north. With Geralt’s Witcher Senses, search for some claw marks, then return to the outer garden and walk over to the well near the tree. Drop down and take the tunnels, stopping to inspect the body all the way at the end of this path.  Watch the cut scene and the game briefly pauses this quest to begin the next one. 

Main Quest: The Calm Before the Storm

When you gain control of Ciri, stick close to Astrid.  Go into the changing room and inspect the mirror, then decide if you wish to use the towel.   

Walk into the sauna, step into the cold water outside and drink some whiskey. Doing these things imbues Ciri with health regeneration. 

Return to the changing room, dress and head further into the village.  When you reach the stables talk to Skjall, then go outside to battle Riders and Hounds from the Wild Hunt. Skjall should interrupt the fight. 

Skjall leads Ciri out of Lofoten to the south.  Although enemies appear during this point in the game, using the horse’s gallop ability will let you avoid these foes. When no enemies are nearby, slow down to regain stamina and then continue galloping when more show up.  Head to the marker on the map, watch the cinematic and this quest transitions back to Nameless, where you can talk to Yennefer to complete it.

Now that you finished every Main Quest in Act 1, proceed to Act 2: The Great Battle. If you need Gwent tips and the best way to repair your sword, go to Prima’s free The Witcher 3 hub.