The Witcher 3 is basically a game about parenting, but King's Gambit Witcher 3 is where the politics of Skellige finally stop being a background noise and start hitting you in the face. You’ve spent hours sailing through Smuggler's Caches. You've fought sirens. Now, you’re at Kaer Trolde, and suddenly, the fate of an entire nation rests on whether you decide to chase after a bear or investigate a room full of smelly mead. Honestly, it’s one of the most high-stakes moments in the game that doesn't involve Ciri or the Wild Hunt.
Most players stumble into this quest after helping Hjalmar and Cerys with their respective tasks on Undvik and Spikeroog. You show up for a feast. You expect some drinking, maybe a brawl. Instead, you get a massacre. Berserkers—huge, terrifying bears that used to be men—tear through the banquet hall. It’s chaos.
The Immediate Fallout of the Massacre
When the blood dries, the Vivaldi-style politics of the Isles kick into high gear. You’re standing in a room full of dead nobles, and the An Craite name is about to be dragged through the mud. This isn't just a "whoops" moment. This is a "the entire lineage is finished if we don't fix this" moment.
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Crach an Craite, ever the stressed-out father, looks to you. Here is where the game forces a massive branching path. You have to choose. Do you follow Cerys? Or do you follow Hjalmar? If you choose neither and just walk away to go play Gwent or something, the game actually punishes the Isles. Svanrige Bran takes the throne. He becomes a tyrant. It's the "bad" ending for the region, even if it’s technically the most stable one in a dark, gritty way.
Cerys represents the cerebral approach. She wants to know how this happened. Who drugged the mead? Who let the bears in? It’s a detective story. If you go with her, you spend your time sniffing around cellars and chasing a shadowy figure through a burning building. It’s methodical.
Hjalmar? Well, Hjalmar is Hjalmar. He wants to find the village where the Berserkers live and kill every single thing that breathes. It’s the warrior’s path. It’s bloody, fast, and satisfying if you’re tired of talking and just want to swing Silver at something hairy. But it doesn't give you the full truth. Not really.
Why Cerys is Usually the Correct Choice
If we’re talking about the best outcome for Skellige, Cerys is almost objectively the superior pick. Why? Because she actually solves the mystery. By following her, you discover the involvement of Birna Bran. You find the letter. You expose the conspiracy at the council meeting.
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When Cerys becomes Queen, Skellige changes. It moves away from the constant raiding and the "blood for blood" mentality. She focuses on the people. She builds. The ending slide for her shows a peaceful, prosperous Skellige. It’s a bit of a departure from the Viking aesthetic we love, but for the peasants living there, it’s a godsend.
Hjalmar’s reign is just more of the same. More raiding. More dead sons. More glory. If you love the chaos of the Isles, Hjalmar is your guy. But he’s a blunt instrument. In the King's Gambit Witcher 3 questline, his path feels like a failure of investigation. You kill the Vildkaarls, sure, but the masterminds get away scott-free. Birna Bran stays powerful. That’s a bitter pill to swallow.
The Hidden Details in Kaer Trolde
The level design in this quest is actually insane. If you use your Witcher Senses in the aftermath, you can see exactly how the bears got in. There are scent trails everywhere.
One thing people miss? The dialogue with Arnvald. If you’re fast enough during the chase, you can catch him before he gets on the horse. If you aren't, you have to track him down. The game accounts for your level of competence here, which is something CD Projekt Red excels at.
- The Mead: It wasn't just poisoned; it was laced with mushrooms that trigger the transformation.
- The Door: Someone had to leave the side entrance open.
- The Motive: Birna wants her son, Svanrige, on the throne at any cost. She hates the elective monarchy. She wants a dynasty.
It’s a classic Shakespearean tragedy dropped into a fantasy RPG.
What Happens if You Ignore the Quest?
Seriously. What if you just don't do it?
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If you leave Skellige to handle its own business, Svanrige Tuirseach becomes King by default. This is actually a fascinating outcome because it’s the only way to see Svanrige grow a backbone. He murders a Nilfgaardian envoy during a meeting and declares himself a total monarch. No more Jarls voting. No more consensus. It’s a bloodbath, but Skellige becomes a unified powerhouse. It’s probably the "coolest" ending in terms of raw power, but it destroys the culture of the Isles.
Most players feel bad for Crach and help his kids. It’s the human thing to do. Geralt owes Crach a lot, especially considering their history with Yennefer and Pavetta.
Loot and Rewards
You don't just get a crown for someone else. You get the Fate sword if you follow certain paths, though by this point in the game, you’re probably rocking Mastercrafted Witcher Gear anyway. The real reward is the XP and the political stability.
Also, don't forget to loot the hall before you talk to Crach after the fight. There’s a lot of high-value junk and alchemy ingredients scattered around the corpses. It’s grim, but Geralt’s got potions to make.
Navigating the Birna Bran Confrontation
The climax of Cerys's path is the confrontation at the feast. You have to present the evidence. If you messed up the investigation or didn't find the specific items in the cellar, the accusation carries less weight.
Birna is a master manipulator. She’ll try to gaslight the entire room. Watching Cerys stand her ground and outmaneuver a woman twice her age in a room full of angry, bearded warriors is one of the most satisfying character arcs in the entire trilogy. It’s the moment Cerys stops being "Crach’s daughter" and starts being a Queen.
Critical Mistakes to Avoid
- Don't skip the investigation. Even if you want Hjalmar to win, do the Cerys investigation at least once in a playthrough. The lore bits you find about the Vildkaarls and the druids are essential for understanding why the Skellige religion is so messed up.
- Don't ignore the side characters. Talk to the Jarls before the massacre starts. It adds so much flavor to the betrayal later.
- Check your gear. The Berserker fight is surprisingly tough if you’re under-leveled. They have massive health pools and hit like trucks. Use Devil’s Puffball or Cursed Oil. They are technically "Cursed Ones," not beasts, once they turn.
The quest is a masterclass in choice and consequence. It doesn't just change a line of dialogue; it changes the color of the banners flying over the islands for the rest of the game.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough
- Save Manually: Create a hard save before entering the wake. This is the ultimate "point of no return" for Skellige's political future.
- Level Up: Ensure you are at least level 18-20. The Berserkers in the hall can easily one-shot a glass-build Geralt on Death March difficulty.
- Read the Bestiary: Look up "Ulfhedinn" and "Berserkers" beforehand. Knowing to use Moon Dust bombs can make the fight significantly easier.
- Loot the Cellar: When investigating with Cerys, make sure to grab every document. Missing one can lead to a less-than-perfect resolution during the trial.
- Watch Svanrige: If you’ve already seen the An Craite endings, try the "do nothing" approach. The cutscene where Svanrige takes control is genuinely surprising and rarely seen by most players.
- Check the Beach: After the quest, if Birna is found guilty, you can actually find her "punishment" on the coastline near Sund. It’s a brutal detail that proves the North doesn't forget.