You’re out in the woods near Apollonia, trying to find a legendary sword because Radovan the blacksmith won’t let you into a royal wedding without a fancy gift. Typical Henry problems, right? You track down a "hermit" living in a hole in the rocks, and suddenly you're caught in the middle of a medieval assassination plot involving the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 loves to put you in these spots where nobody is clearly the "good guy." The Hermit quest—which is technically the climax of the Tachov blacksmith questline—is exactly that. It’s a mess of identity theft, religious orders, and a broken sword that has more value as scrap metal than as a weapon.
Honestly, if you just rush through this to get the steel, you’re missing the best part of the game’s writing.
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What’s Actually Happening with Konrad and Ambrose?
Most players walk up to the hovel and get yelled at by a grumpy guy in a hood. If you haven't done your homework, he won't even talk to you. You’ve basically got two ways to handle this. You can play detective or you can play the thug.
If you want the full story, you have to talk to Innkeeper Betty in Troskowitz first. She’s the one who sends you to Gerda, the apothecary’s wife. Gerda is terrified because she saw a "devil" near a stone cross. Spoiler: it’s not a devil. It’s just a man in a dark cloak.
The Hidden Backstory
If you investigate that stone cross (look for the big withered tree), you find a grave. Digging it up reveals evidence that the man in the hut isn't actually the hermit everyone thinks he is. The real hermit, Ambrose, is dead. The guy living there now is actually Knight Konrad.
Konrad is on the run. He claims he's being hunted by his own order because he found out about a murder committed by a high-ranking official named Zdenyek. The knights chasing him? They say he’s just a murderer who lost his mind.
The Crossroads: Knights vs. Konrad
This is where the quest gets stressful. After you run an errand for Konrad (delivering a cross of forgiveness to Widow Margaret in Troskowitz), you come back to find three Knights of the Cross waiting for you.
- Side with the Knights: They’ll ask you to set fire to some hay to smoke Konrad out so their crossbowman can get a clear shot. If you do this, Konrad dies.
- Side with Konrad: You’ll have to fight the three knights. It’s a tough fight if you’re early-game, but the loot is significantly better.
- The "Pacifist" Loot Goblin Way: Some players have found that if you're quick, you can knock out the knights or Konrad before the scripted fight fully triggers, though the game usually forces a lethal conclusion.
Pro tip: Siding with Konrad is generally considered the "better" narrative path by the community because you get to hear his full side of the story. Plus, the knights’ armor is worth a small fortune at the local trader.
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Where to Find the Hermit's Sword
Regardless of who lives or dies, you still need that steel for Radovan. If you killed Konrad, you’ll need to find his diary on the upper floor of his hut or on his body. Read it. It mentions a grave marked by two entangled birch trees.
The grave is just north of the hovel, near a meadow. You’ll see a mound of dirt with a sword sticking out of it.
- Interact with the sword to pull it out.
- Don't bother digging the grave itself unless you just want to see a skeleton.
- The item you need is the Broken Andalusia Sword.
Forging the Toledo Steel
Once you have the broken bits, head back to Radovan in Tachov. This isn't just a "hand over item" quest. You actually have to get on the anvil and do the work.
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You’ll be making a sword out of Toledo Steel. It’s the same minigame you did in "The Blacksmith’s Son," but the stakes feel higher because you only have one shot at the materials. Heat the steel until it’s a bright yellow. Hammer it evenly from the tip to the hilt. If the color fades to a dull red, put it back in the fire.
Once Henry says it’s ready, quench it. Congratulations, you’ve got your ticket to the wedding.
Actions You Should Take Now
- Get a Spade: You cannot finish this quest without a shovel. Buy one from the trader in Troskowitz before you head into the woods.
- Save Before the Hut: The fight with the knights is surprisingly fast and brutal. If you’re not wearing decent gambeson or mail, they will end you in seconds.
- Read the Documents: Don't just skip the letters you find in the grave by the cross. They provide the speech checks you need to make Konrad talk without having to punch him.
- Check the Widow's Grave: When Margaret asks you to bury her brother-in-law's bones, do it. It’s a small bit of Groschen, but it boosts your reputation in Troskowitz, which makes the traders there give you better prices later.
The beauty of KCD2 is that you can actually stumble upon the dying Ambrose even before the quest starts if you explore the area early enough. It doesn't change the outcome, but it’s a haunting detail that shows just how much Warhorse cares about the world-building. Go get that sword and try not to get skewered by a knight's poleaxe on the way out.