You’re wandering through the mud and misery of Velen, just trying to survive the aftereffects of a Nilfgaardian invasion, when you stumble upon a locked door and a corpse. This is basically the initiation ritual for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Specifically, I’m talking about the treasure hunt Out of the Frying Pan Witcher 3 players often find by accident near the Military Camp or the Nilfgaardian Central Army Camp. It's a tiny quest. It's brief. Yet, it perfectly encapsulates why CD Projekt Red’s world-building works so well—and why the game's mechanics can sometimes be a bit of a headache if you aren't paying attention to the environment.
Honestly, most people find this one because they’re loot goblins. You see a shack, you see a locked chest, and your brain immediately demands the key. But if you’re looking for a world-shattering narrative or a legendary sword that glows like the sun, you might be slightly disappointed. This is a story about a desperate man, some hidden coins, and the brutal reality of being a peasant in a war zone.
Finding the Note and the Key
You'll find this quest in the southeastern part of the Velen map. It’s nestled in a cluster of destroyed huts just a stone’s throw away from the massive Nilfgaardian camp. Look for a body. There's always a body, isn't there? This one belongs to a fellow who clearly didn't have a great Tuesday. On him, you’ll find a "crumpled note."
Read it. Always read the notes in this game.
The note tells a short, tragic story about a guy who hid his valuables because he knew the "Black Ones" (Nilfgaardians) were coming to strip the land bare. He mentions a hidden stash inside one of the nearby houses. The problem? Most of these shacks are burnt husks or filled with junk. You need to find the specific one that hasn't been completely leveled.
Here is where the frustration usually starts. The quest marker for Out of the Frying Pan Witcher 3 can be a little finicky. It points you toward a house, but if you just run in blindly, you’ll miss the interactive element. You need to use your Witcher Senses. If you don't, you’re just a guy in leather pants standing in a dusty room.
Breaking Down the Door
There’s a house nearby with a door that looks like it's seen better days. It's locked. Or rather, it's barred. You can’t just turn a handle. You’ve got two options here, but really, only one feels like something Geralt would actually do. You can try to find a way around, or you can just blast the thing open with Aard.
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I always go with Aard. There is something deeply satisfying about the telekinetic blast shattering wood. Once you're inside, the place is a mess. It's dark, cramped, and smells like old straw and failure.
Locating the Secret Stash
Once you’re in the shack, don't just look for a big glowing chest in the middle of the room. This guy was trying to hide his life savings from an imperial army; he wasn't going to leave it on the coffee table. You’re looking for loose floorboards.
Use your Witcher Senses again. They’ll highlight the specific spot in red. It’s usually tucked away in a corner or under some debris. You interact with the floor, Geralt does his little "looting" animation, and you get the goods.
What’s actually inside?
- Some Floren or Orens (currency).
- A few crafting components.
- Maybe a mediocre weapon or piece of armor that you’ll immediately sell to the nearest armorer for a handful of crowns.
It’s not a King’s ransom. It’s barely a Witcher’s lunch money. But that’s the point. This quest is a "Treasure Hunt," but the "treasure" is relative. To the guy who died outside, this was everything he had left in the world. To Geralt, it's enough to pay for a repair on his silver sword.
Why This Quest Matters (Even if the Loot Sucks)
You might be wondering why anyone bothers with these micro-quests. If the loot isn't "meta" or "end-game," why do it?
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Because The Witcher 3 isn't just about killing griffins and finding Ciri. It's about the texture of the world. Out of the Frying Pan Witcher 3 is a prime example of environmental storytelling. It shows the desperation of the Velen peasantry. These people weren't heroes. They were just trying to hide their bread and their copper from soldiers who would kill them for a look.
When you do this quest, you aren't just checking a box on a map. You’re witnessing the aftermath of a small, private tragedy. The guy made it out of the frying pan (the initial invasion) only to land in the fire (death by the roadside while his house was ransacked).
Common Glitches and Workarounds
Let's get technical for a second. Some players report that the quest won't trigger or the key won't appear on the body. This usually happens if you’ve already explored the area and accidentally picked up the note without reading it.
- Check your quest items tab. Look for the "Crumpled Note."
- If the door to the shack won't break with Aard, try reloading your save. Sometimes the physics engine gets weird.
- Make sure you aren't in combat. If there are Wild Dogs or Bandits nearby, Geralt might refuse to interact with the floorboards.
I've seen people spend twenty minutes trying to find the "hidden" entrance when the answer was literally just hitting the door with a magic blast. Don't overthink it. This isn't a complex dungeon in Elden Ring. It's a shack in a swamp.
The Reality of Treasure Hunting in Velen
Velen is a dump. Let’s be real. It’s a war-torn, muddy, depressing bog. But it’s also the most densely packed area for these kinds of hidden gems. Out of the Frying Pan Witcher 3 is one of dozens of small-scale stories.
If you like this quest, you should keep an eye out for others like "A Dog's Life" or "The Last Goods." They follow the same pattern: find a note, follow the trail, realize everyone is miserable. It builds a sense of place that most open-world games fail to achieve. In Skyrim, you find a cave and kill a draugr. In The Witcher, you find a shack and feel bad about the economy.
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Maximizing Your Rewards
While the loot is scaled to your level, it's rarely amazing. However, if you're early in the game (Level 4-8), those few Florins actually matter. Go to a banker in Novigrad later to exchange those foreign coins into usable Crowns. It's the difference between buying a new potion recipe and eating raw wolf meat to heal.
Also, scrap the junk. If you find "Velen Longswords" or "Blunt Axes" in these chests, don't just sell them for 5 crowns. Dismantle them if you need iron or steel. The components are often worth more than the sell price of the weapon itself, especially when you start crafting the Witcher School Gear (Griffin or Cat) later on.
Final Steps for the Completionist
If you’ve finished the quest, the icon on your map will turn grey. If it’s still white, you missed a container. The game is very picky about what constitutes "finishing" a treasure hunt. Usually, there is one main chest that triggers the completion, but you should loot everything else anyway.
- Step 1: Kill any nearby threats. The last thing you want is a Drowner interrupting your reading.
- Step 2: Read the note immediately. Don't let it sit in your inventory.
- Step 3: Use Aard on the door. It’s faster and cooler than looking for a key.
- Step 4: Loot the floorboards. Use the red highlight from your Witcher Senses.
- Step 5: Get out of Velen as soon as you can. Seriously, that place is depressing.
By the time you reach the end of Geralt's journey, quests like Out of the Frying Pan Witcher 3 will be distant memories. But they are the foundation of the game's atmosphere. They remind you that while you’re a powerful mutant who hunts monsters, the "real" monsters are often just the circumstances of war and the poverty it leaves behind.
Don't skip the small stuff. Even a tiny treasure hunt contributes to your XP bar and your understanding of the Continent's lore. Plus, you might actually find enough coin to buy a decent loaf of bread.
Next Steps for You:
Now that you've cleared the shack, head north toward the Inn at the Crossroads. There are several more "Hidden Treasure" markers along the riverbank that follow a similar narrative thread. Be sure to check underwater near the wrecked boats; Velen’s waterways are notoriously full of sunken chests that most players ignore because they hate the swimming mechanics.
Make sure your inventory isn't full before you head out. These small quests add up, and you don't want to be overencumbered when a level 20 Basilisk decides to drop in on you. Sell your junk to the quartermaster at the Nilfgaardian camp—he has a decent amount of gold and will give you a fair price for the "treasures" you just dug out of the dirt.