The Skellige Isles in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt are teeming with side quests and Witcher Contracts, offering numerous opportunities for Geralt to explore and engage with the rugged northern region. This guide details all available side quests within the Skellige Isles, providing a walkthrough for each.
Skellige Isles Side Quests
The Mysterious Passenger
This quest becomes available after completing 'Nameless.' Travel to Larvik and proceed to the longhouse in the northeastern part of the village. Speak with the jarl there and inquire about a specific creature.
The Last Wish
Head to Larvik and find Yennefer in the tavern. Follow her to a boat and interact with the prow. After she casts a spell, navigate to the designated location, enter the underwater cavern, defeat the drowners, and use your Witcher Senses to examine the boat wreck. Repeat this process at subsequent locations. During one underwater segment, defeat sirens, loot nearby items for a seal fragment, and return to the boat. Later, after reaching a mountaintop, examine the ship's remains with your Witcher Senses, particularly on the lower deck and near an overturned bookcase. Prepare to fight a djinn, utilizing Dimeritium and Elemental Oil. Dialogue choices can influence a potential romance with Yennefer.
The Lord of Undvik
Begin by speaking with the innkeeper at the New Port Inn in Kaer Trolde, followed by Javor and Tante. Sail to Undvik and follow the quest marker, using your Witcher Senses to examine clues along the way. After a cutscene, confront and defeat the sirens, who are vulnerable to Aard, Igni, grapeshot, and Hybrid Oil. Assist Octo in the boat, then follow the giant's footprints to Hjalmar's camp. Continue tracking the giant's trail to a troll cave. Battle the ice troll, then follow the blood trail through the cave, engaging in a riddle challenge with other trolls. Escape and proceed to Urskar, collecting the Hornwall Horn en route. Examine the signs of battle in Urskar and ascend to the caves. Descend into the water, fight erynias, and continue examining clues, battling harpies. Ascend via a ladder to find more trails leading out into daylight. Enter a building to fight devourers, then exit and turn left to find a rock troll guarding tools essential for the Master Armourers' quest. Follow Hjalmar's footprints to aid him against harpies, then proceed to the giant's cave. Free Vigi from his cage and then engage the giant in combat, utilizing the distraction provided by other party members.
Possession
Speak with Udalryk and journey to a haunted house. Inside, use your Witcher Senses to locate Cerys's unconscious body. Find the cellar key in the first room on the right, and descend into the cellar to retrieve a sword. Return Cerys to Udalryk. Travel by boat to a marked location, neutralize sirens, and search for a corpse. Examine the body and return to shore. In the haunted house, use your Witcher Senses to investigate the stove, a broken picture, a plank, and a crib. Speak with Cerys again and, following her instructions, place the baby in the oven.
King's Gambit
Report to Crach, receive a sword, and defend the castle from bears. You must then choose to accompany either Cerys or Hjalmar.
Cerys's Path: Use Witcher Senses to investigate the hall, focusing on the bear and the bowls on the floor to find a scent trail leading to a horn. Speak to Hjort outside and proceed to the basement. Examine and clear the barrels. Follow the passage, noting a Place of Power, until you reach the cellar again. Examine the mess and follow footprints to a cloth fragment. Pursue Arnvald, knock him off his horse, and reveal the truth.
Hjalmar's Path: Investigate the village using Witcher Senses, following a scent trail from the shrine to footprints and a trapdoor. Enter the cave and fight a man who transforms into a bear, followed by a druid and another bear.
Abandoned Sawmill
Discover the abandoned sawmill located approximately two-thirds of the way across the island from Crossroads. Use your Witcher Senses to search the area and defeat the leshen that ambushes you.
Armed Assault
Locate a hut southeast of The Nithing, occupied by bandits. Defeat them and knock on the door to complete the quest.
A Bard's Beloved
North-east of Palisade, find a cave entrance by following a path south-east from a large lake. Speak to a troubadour inside and defeat the water hag.
Call of the Wild
East of Arinbjorn, outside the village, you will be attacked by white wolves and a werewolf. Defeat them to complete the quest. Multiple visits may be required for the werewolf to appear.
Crime and Punishment
On the northern coast of the island, accessible by boat, kill harpies attacking a chained man on a cliff. Speak to the man and free him.
The Family Blade
Obtain this quest from the noticeboard in Kaer Trolde Harbour. Follow the marker, eliminate enemies in a camp, and loot a journal. Proceed to the next location, defeat all enemies, find another journal, and then travel to the whales' graveyard. Eliminate more thieves and retrieve the sword. Return it to Kaer Trolde for a reward.
Farting Trolls
This is an unmarked point of interest on the eastern edge of the mountain range in the southeast of the island. Enter the cave and defeat the trolls within, or choose to leave.
Finders Keepers
On the Giant's Toes, off the north-east coast, eliminate pirates near a shipwreck. Use Witcher Senses to examine crates, then travel to Svorlag and speak with the merchant to claim a finder's fee.
From a Land Far Far Away
Sail to a small island east of Redgill. Pick up a journal, use Witcher Senses to examine a body and a boat crest, then read the journal. Dive to a nearby wreck to find a letter and the captain's log. Travel to Ursten in Novigrad and speak with a foreign guard. Follow the marker to a second wreck, examine its crest, and follow footprints to a building. Pursue a woman to a cave and decide whether to protect her from the guard.
A Hallowed Horn
Accept the 'Contract: Stolen Horn' from the noticeboard north of Holmstein's Port. Travel to a small island with a stone obelisk, defeat enemies, and recover the horn and a journal from a chest. Return to Kaer Muire and speak with Mathios.
Hard Times
South of Miners' Camp, after killing a cyclops attacking near an overturned cart, use Witcher Senses to examine the scene. Follow footprints to a nekker ambush. Continue tracking to a body, loot it, and read the letter. Travel to Kaer Trolde and deliver the letter to the blacksmith.
In the Heart of the Woods
Activate this quest by reading the noticeboard in Kaer Trolde Harbour. Proceed to the marker and speak with the crowd. Use Witcher Senses in the marked area to follow a trail, examining clues such as a dead dog and a crushed body. Fight white wolves and examine standing stones for markings. You can then choose to side with Harald or Sven.
Harald's Path: Agree to Harald's plan, kill five white wolves at the marker, collect their hearts, and place them on the altar. Return to Harald for a reward and decide Sven's fate.
Sven's Path: Speak with Sven, find the girl near the stream, and follow three markers. Use Witcher Senses to examine each area and chop down the highlighted bush. Beware of white wolves. Proceed to the next marker and prepare to fight a leshen. Track its reappearance using ravens and dodge its attacks. Loot the remains and head to the marker. Confront Sven and decide whether to accuse him or remain uninvolved.
Never Trust Children 2
East of Arinbjorn, a child leads you into a bandit ambush. Defeat the bandits.
The Nithing
Southeast of Rannvaig, approach a hut where a man is praying. Offer assistance and follow the marker to examine a horse's head on a stick. Use Witcher Senses to follow footprints to a woman's shawl on a tree. Follow the scent trail back to the village, then proceed down a path to find a woman by the water. Question her about the shawl, then find Jonna. Decide whether to let Jonna live or kill her by inscribing her name on the nithing.
Peace Disturbed
North of the Crossroads signpost, take the first right and follow the track to an archway and two women. Enter the cave, descend, and defeat wraiths. Exit and speak to the women.
Practicum in Advanced Alchemy
Speak to a druid near a pond north of Gedyneith. Chase him down and inquire about another druid. Return to Gremist and accept three fetch quests.
Fritjof: Go to Blandare, speak to Fritjof, and defend him from foglets.
Pimpernel: Investigate a bush at the marker, then follow hoof prints with Witcher Senses, which merge with boot prints. Side with the druid or the succubus. If you fight, follow the scent trail to her cave. If you choose peace, she leads you there. Use Witcher Senses in the cave to find the pimpernel.
Distillery: Travel to the marker, defeat three alghouls, and find a cave with a cyclops. Kill the cyclops and locate distilling instructions and a logbook in a nearby building. Return to the cave, climb a ladder to find mash, place it in a metal tank, and use Igni on a larger tank until it's hot enough. Pull the right lever, then the left. Collect the booze and return to Gremist. Meditate for 24 hours and collect your reward.
The Sad Tale of the Grossbart Brothers
Head to Blandare, speak to Djange Frett, and agree to help. Instead of going to the marker, take a boat east from Fyresdal or Ruined Inn to reach the Grotto. Enter and proceed to meet Frett and confront the brothers.
Shock Therapy
Go to the marker and interact with the druid. Use Aard on his belongings when he moves. Provoke him by Aard-ing a hornet's nest, and then extinguish his fire. Speak to the first druid to claim your reward.
Siren's Call
East of Arinbjorn, save a shepherd from sirens. The Hornwall Horn from 'The Lord of Undvik' can be helpful.
Taken as a Lass
North of Grotto, follow the coast to an inlet where pirates are fighting a warrior. Assist him, then follow the marker to a shipwreck on a small island. Defeat sirens, loot a chest for a note, and proceed to the next marker. Find the warrior's sister near a crowd praying to Freya.
Woe is Me
In Palisade, northeast of Fyresdal, three men will attack you. Defeat them.
Worthy of Trust
In Kaer Trolde Harbour, a man asks for money. You can refuse, give him 150 Crowns, or turn him in. If you turn him in, you will fight him and can recover your money. If you let him go and later visit Fyresdal, you will get your money back with interest.
Yustianna's Disturbed
Follow the road north from Miners' Camp into the woods, then move off the road to the right along the mountain's base to find Yustianna's Grotto. Speak to the bandit leader and defeat them. Use the Eye of Nehaleni to access a hidden area with loot.
For Fame and Glory
West of Larvik, speak to two warriors outside a disused mine. Protect them during an escort mission; if either warrior dies, the quest fails. Aard can be useful for crowd control. Entering the cave quickly may leave one warrior behind.
In Wolf's Clothing
Read the noticeboard in Larvik and speak to Josta, then Einar. Head to the garden. Find a locked gate on the west side, climb stairs, and follow the wall to a courtyard. Examine items under a tree and follow a footprint trail (part of a concurrent story quest). Continue east, drop down, and defeat a wolf. Follow a stream, cross a bridge, and climb a stone ladder. Use Witcher Senses to examine footprints and levers. Open a gate and proceed to a cave entrance. Defeat the werewolf, then use Witcher Sense to find a draft below. Enter the canal, swim through a tunnel, and loot a padlock key from bones. Return to the garden, use the gate mechanism, swim through, and climb a ladder. Examine a broken door and items inside. Defeat Morkvarg again, hand him the cursed fang, find his loot stash, and attack him. Collect your reward from the priestess, then go to Novigrad for the loot from the loan shark.
Flesh For Sale
Approach Trottheim and speak to the guards. Play along with a mistaken identity scenario. Follow the guards and speak to the chief. You can pay 500 Crowns, use Axii (level 4), or confess the mistake. The first two options lead to freeing the slaves peacefully. The third option involves fighting slavers. Loot the chief for keys, free the slaves, and collect additional loot from the chief's hut.
Free Spirit
Take a boat north from Ancient Crypt to the southernmost large island in the Snidhall Island group. Defeat a shouting warrior on the beach. He will issue a fetch quest for five items: 'Change Your Life! A Handbook,' 'The Cult of Freya,' 'Tristianna and Isador,' 'Religion and Life,' and 'The Curious Case of Virtuous Vegga.' These can be found from specific merchants and NPCs in Novigrad and surrounding areas. Return all five items to Ivar.
Iron Maiden
East of Harviken, halfway to Trottheim, climb a large hill and speak to Jutta. If she doesn't challenge you immediately, prove your mettle by either beating Gundar in a fight in Harviken or retrieving a sword from a shipwreck. Return to Jutta for a duel. No signs, bombs, or projectiles are allowed, and you cannot step out of the ring. After the fight, you can end the quest or agree to meet her later.
Master of the Arena
In Hov, speak to two guards in a watchtower and accept their job. Enter the arena and talk to Ulle the Unlucky. Fight him, but let him win by meditating for a day and then standing still while he hits you. Return to the guards for part of your reward, and collect the rest after a couple of days.
The Four Faces of Hemdall
Northwest of Trottheim, kill pirates blockading a shrine and speak to the pilgrim.
The Price of Honor
Near the jetty in northwestern Harviken, accept a job. Go to the marker, defeat drowned and sirens, and use Witcher Senses to find a dead body. Listen to the ghosts, then follow footprints to two bodies. Loot the one on the ground for quest items and examine the other. Optionally, find a sunken ship to the north and use the quest key to open a chest. Go to the marker and speak to Timmon.
The Tower Out of Nowheres
This quest is triggered by overhearing a conversation near the signpost in Urialla Harbour. Speak to a fisherman and accept the job. Enter the tower, go through the portal, and defeat a golem. Speak to the imprisoned magician. Navigate a waterlogged tunnel, defeating ghouls, alghouls, a gargoyle, and a werewolf. In the lab area, loot a box. Take the other path in the tunnel, swim underwater, and emerge in a library. Find the book, then return the way you came. Give Sigo the book and fight an earth elemental. Ask the mage to move the tower, then head to the marker to speak with villagers and receive rewards.