You’re wandering through the dense, rain-slicked woods of Bohemia, looking for a man who supposedly talks to the devil. Most players think Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is just about the high-stakes politics of King Sigismund and the fall of Skalitz. But then you hit KCD 2 The Hermit, a side quest that feels less like a medieval epic and more like a frustratingly brilliant detective novel. Honestly, if you haven’t felt the urge to throw your controller while trying to get a stubborn old man to talk, have you even played a Warhorse game?
This isn't just another "fetch this, kill that" objective. It's a sprawling, multi-layered investigation that links back to the blacksmithing roots of our boy Henry. It basically forces you to care about the lore of the Knights of the Cross and the tragic fate of a man named Ambrose. Most people get stuck because they try to rush it. Pro tip: don't. The game will punish you for it.
Getting Started: The Blacksmith’s Problem
To even see this quest, you've got to finish "The Jaunt" first. You’ll find Blacksmith Radovan in Tachov, looking like he’s aged ten years since the last time you saw him. He’s got a massive order for a wedding in Semine—the "Wedding Crashers" main questline—and he needs a legendary blade. Specifically, the sword of a hermit.
The catch? The Hermit is a paranoid recluse living in the rocks of Apollonia, and the local villagers in Troskowitz think he’s essentially a demon worshiper.
The Troskowitz Investigation
Before you go sprinting into the woods, you need to talk to Innkeeper Betty. She’s the gatekeeper of all the juicy gossip. If you head straight to the Hermit’s hut, he’ll literally just tell you to "go away" and refuse to interact. I’ve seen so many people on Reddit complaining that the quest is bugged when, in reality, they just didn't talk to Betty enough. You have to exhaust every single dialogue option with her.
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From there, you’ve got a few key witnesses to track down:
- Gerda: She’s usually hanging out near the Apothecary. She’s terrified. You’ll need a decent Speech check or about 12 Groschen to get her to spill about the "apparition" she saw near the cross.
- Stanislav: The shepherd east of Troskowitz. He’s a bit of a grump, but some Savvy or a small bribe will get him talking.
- The Cross in the Field: This is where the real evidence is. You’ll find a small cross west of Troskowitz. Dig there. You’ll find books about the Knights of the Cross and a letter about a fire. Read them. Henry isn't just a meathead anymore; he needs to understand what he's looking at to confront the Hermit later.
Finding the Hermit's Hovel
Actually finding the guy is a bit of a trek. He’s tucked away in the rocks of Apollonia. Look for the spot where the dark, jagged rocks meet the lighter cliffs. There’s a narrow path between two massive boulders. If you see a well-kept, pitch-black horse in a burnt hut nearby, you’re in the right neighborhood.
When you finally meet him, he goes by the name Konrad. But wait—everyone called him Ambrose, right? This is where the nuance of KCD 2 The Hermit kicks in. If you did your homework at the cross, you can actually interrogate him.
Select the "You're suspicious (Expose)" option. If you’ve read the diary and the decree, you can press him until he cracks. The truth is much sadder than "dealing with the devil." The real Ambrose is long dead. Konrad was his friend, and he’s currently hiding from the Knights of the Cross, who think he’s a murderer.
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The Big Choice: Knights or Konrad?
Eventually, you’re going to run into the Knights of the Cross. They’re looking for "Ambrose" (Konrad) and they aren't exactly the "forgive and forget" types. You have a massive decision here:
- Side with the Knights: You help them kill or capture the Hermit.
- Side with Konrad: You fight off the knights. Konrad is a surprisingly decent fighter, so the 2v3 isn't as bad as it looks.
Honestly, the "optimal" path for loot is usually siding with Konrad to kill the knights, and then... well, let's just say Konrad doesn't have much of a future in Bohemia anyway. If he dies or leaves, you can grab his diary from the upper floor of his hut.
Forging the Hermit’s Sword
Once you have the location of the broken sword—which is buried at the foot of two tangled birch trees near Ambrose’s grave—you have to head back to Radovan. But the quest isn't over. You have to forge the Toledo Steel Sword yourself.
If you struggled with blacksmithing in the first game, God help you here. It’s a rhythmic, manual process:
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- Heat the steel until it’s a glowing yellow.
- Use full hammer swings. Move the blade slowly up and down the anvil.
- Keep an eye on the color. If it fades to a dull red, get it back in the forge.
- Quench it in the water barrel once Henry gives the signal.
If you nail it, you get a Quality 3 blade. Radovan will be so impressed he’ll finally agree to take you to the wedding in Semine.
Practical Tips for the Hermit Quest
If you want to skip the headache, keep these things in mind. First, always carry a spade. You can buy one at the Nomad Camp or find one leaning against most sheds. Second, check your map for the "E" in the quest area—the grave is usually toward the upper-left corner of that radius. Finally, if Konrad won't talk to you, go back and talk to Betty. It’s almost always a dialogue trigger issue.
The beauty of this quest is that it shows how much Warhorse has evolved. It’s not just a waypoint marker; it’s a series of interconnected stories. You can even find the "real" Ambrose dying in his hut if you explore this area before the quest even starts—a level of detail that’s honestly insane for an open-world RPG.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your Speech and Charisma stats: If they are below 8, bring some Bard's Potion or better clothes before talking to Gerda.
- Grab a spade early: Don't wait until you're at the grave site to realize you're empty-handed.
- Read every book you find at the cross: The dialogue options for exposing the Hermit won't appear unless you've actually looked at the items in your inventory.