White Orchard is a trap. Most players treat it like a generic tutorial area, rushing through the grass to find Yennefer, but CD Projekt Red uses this swampy backwater to teach you how the world actually works. It's miserable. It’s muddy. And it’s where you’ll run into the Twisted Firestarter Witcher 3 quest, a tiny side objective that carries way more weight than its "short" length suggests.
You’ve probably seen the smoke.
Willis, the dwarf blacksmith in the village, is standing outside his charred forge, swearing at the sky. Someone burned his livelihood down. In any other RPG, you’d just find the bad guy, kill him, and get a gold reward. In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, things get messy fast. This quest isn't really about fire; it’s about the underlying xenophobia that defines the Continent. It’s about how Geralt, an outcast himself, chooses to interact with a community that hates him almost as much as they hate the dwarf they’re trying to burn out.
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Finding the Drunkard in the Dark
To get things moving, you talk to Willis. He’s angry, and for good reason. He’s the only blacksmith for miles, but because he’s a dwarf—and because he’s "collaborating" with the invading Nilfgaardian army by shoeing their horses—the locals want him gone. He offers you coin to find the arsonist. You use your Witcher Senses, which highlight a set of footprints leading away from the forge.
This is where the game starts playing with your expectations.
The tracks lead you under a bridge, where you find a couple of drowners. Chop them up. It’s standard work. But then the tracks change. You see where the arsonist took off his boots to avoid making noise, and eventually, you find a pair of discarded, soot-stained clothes hidden in a bush. The trail leads straight to a house in the village. Inside, there’s a man named Napp. He’s drunk, he’s bleeding from a drowner attack, and he’s not exactly a criminal mastermind.
Honestly, Napp is pathetic. He’s a local who thinks he’s being a patriot by burning down a "non-human" shop. When you confront him, he doesn't reach for a sword. He reaches for his coin purse. He offers you a bribe to just walk away and tell Willis you couldn't find anyone.
The Three Paths of the Twisted Firestarter Witcher 3 Quest
You have a choice here. It’s the first time the game really tests your personal "Witcher Code." Do you take the money? Do you force him back to Willis? Or do you just let him go because the village is already a tinderbox of racial tension and you don't want to make it worse?
If you take the bribe, you get some crowns and a bit of experience. Quest over. Willis stays mad, Napp stays free, and Geralt stays neutral. It’s the "mercenary" way to play, but it feels hollow. Most people who play Geralt as a protector of the downtrodden find this option distasteful.
Then there's the "Lawful" route. You use the Axii sign—assuming you’ve leveled it up enough to influence dialogue—or you just beat him into submission. You drag him back to Willis. This is where the gut-punch happens. You might expect a trial or a lecture. Instead, Willis calls over the Nilfgaardian guards.
The Nilfgaardians don't do trials.
They take Napp behind a building and hang him. Right there. On the spot. Willis gets his "justice," but you realize you’ve just sent a man to the gallows for arson in a world where the punishment rarely fits the crime. The blacksmith isn't even happy about it; he’s just exhausted and bitter. He knows the village will hate him even more now. You helped him, but you also probably guaranteed he’ll never have a peaceful night’s sleep again.
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Why the Choice Actually Matters
Wait, there’s a third option. You can refuse the bribe but also refuse to turn him in. This is the rarest choice because most players want the "complete" quest reward. But by just walking away, you acknowledge that the situation is a lose-lose.
- Bribe: Easy money, zero moral resolution.
- Justice: Napp dies, Willis is "safe" but isolated, and the Nilfgaardians tighten their grip.
- Mercy: Napp lives, Willis is ruined, but no blood is on your hands.
The game doesn't give you a "Golden Ending" here. That’s the point. Whether you're playing on a PC or a Next-Gen console update, the bleakness of the Twisted Firestarter Witcher 3 quest remains the same. It sets the tone for the rest of the game: your "good" deeds often have violent, unintended consequences.
Technical Details and Missable Loot
Don't forget the practical stuff. If you're looking to optimize your early game, Willis is your best friend. He’s one of the only early-game smiths who can craft the Serpentine Steel and Silver swords—the best weapons you can get in White Orchard. If you don't finish this quest, or if you piss him off, your gear progression slows down significantly.
Also, check the house where Napp is hiding. There’s usually some minor loot, but the real prize is the XP. Completing this quest early gives you a much-needed boost before you head off to fight the Griffin. If you wait too long—specifically, if you finish the main quest "The Beast of White Orchard" and leave the area—this quest will fail automatically.
The game world moves on with or without you.
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The Deeper Context of Non-Human Racism
You can't talk about this quest without talking about the "Pogroms" and the history of the North. The Witcher universe is famously dark regarding its treatment of elves and dwarves. Willis isn't just a shopkeeper; he’s a symbol of the racial divide. By choosing how to handle Napp, you’re deciding where Geralt stands in the larger political landscape of the Northern Kingdoms.
Is he a tool of the state? A protector of non-humans? Or just a guy trying to get enough coin for a bottle of Temerian Rye and a room at the inn?
Most experts in Witcher lore, like those over at the Witcher Wiki or longtime community contributors on the CDPR forums, point to this quest as the "Litmus Test." If you find the hanging of Napp too brutal, you're going to have a very hard time making choices in the later acts involving Novigrad and the Witch Hunters.
How to Handle the Quest Right Now
If you are sitting at your desk or on your couch with the game paused right now, here is exactly what you should do to get the most out of this encounter.
First, make sure you have Delusion Level 1 (Axii) equipped. It makes the confrontation with Napp much smoother and grants extra experience points. Second, search the area around the forge thoroughly before talking to Willis; there are some crafting materials in the nearby crates that are easy to miss. Finally, think about your version of Geralt.
If you want the most "Witcher-like" experience, turn Napp in. It’s harsh, but Geralt usually sticks to the contracts he signs. If you want to play a more empathetic Geralt who hates seeing the "Big Black" (Nilfgaard) execute peasants, take the bribe or let him go.
Just remember that Willis will remember what you did. He’s one of the few NPCs who will actually comment on your choices if you return to his forge later in the game. It’s a small detail, but it’s why people are still talking about this game a decade after it launched.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
- Trigger the Quest Early: Don't wait. Talk to Willis as soon as you arrive in the village to ensure the tracks haven't been "overwritten" by other world events or bugs.
- Use Witcher Senses Under the Bridge: This is the part people skip. Look for the blood and the discarded boots. It adds context to Napp's desperation.
- Check Your Inventory: Before turning the quest in, ensure you have all the crafting components you need from Willis. If you choose an outcome that makes him move or stop working temporarily, you don't want to be stuck with a broken sword.
- Observe the Aftermath: After the quest ends, wait a few in-game hours and go back to the spot where the guards took Napp. The game world actually updates to show the results of your "justice."
This quest isn't just a checkbox on a map. It’s a lesson. In the world of The Witcher, the monsters aren't always the ones with fangs and claws; sometimes, they're just drunk guys with a torch and a grudge.