You’re standing on a cliffside in Skellige, the wind is howling, and everyone around you is wearing enough fur to keep a small village warm. This is the moment. The King is Dead – Long Live the King Witcher 3 quest kicks off exactly how you’d expect a Viking-inspired funeral to start: with heavy drinking, insults, and a giant race up a mountain. It’s easily one of the most memorable sequences in CD Projekt Red's masterpiece because it stops being a monster-hunting simulator for an hour and becomes a high-stakes political drama mixed with a messy first date.
Honestly, it’s brilliant.
Geralt is clearly out of his element here. He’s a Witcher. He’s meant to be in a swamp, knee-deep in drowner guts, not squeezed into a doublet trying to impress Cerys an Craite or making small talk with a bunch of Jarls who would just as soon gut him as look at him. But that’s the charm. This quest is the gateway to the entire Skellige storyline. If you mess this up—or rather, if you don't pay attention—you miss the nuance of who should actually rule these islands.
Dressing for the Occasion (and Why Yennefer is Scary)
Most people remember this quest for the clothes. Yennefer tells you to dress up. Do you listen? If you show up in your grimy, blood-stained Griffin armor, she’s going to let you hear about it. It’s such a human moment in a game filled with dragons and curses. You have to go to her room, find the formal Skellige attire, and actually look like a person of standing.
It’s about respect.
But it’s also a power play. Yennefer is using the wake of King Bran as a cover. While the Jarls are arguing about who gets the throne, she’s eyeing Ermion’s laboratory. This is where the quest shifts from a social gathering to a heist. You’re not just there to drink mead. You’re there to steal the Mask of Uroboros.
The tonal shift is wild. One second you’re racing Cerys to the top of a peak—which, by the way, you should definitely try to win if you want to see her smugly mock you later—and the next, you’re sneaking into a druid’s secret stash. The pacing is weirdly perfect. It mirrors the chaos of a funeral where nobody actually liked the guy who died all that much.
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The Laboratory and the Mask of Uroboros
Entering Ermion’s lab is where things get "Witchery." The room is filled with taxidermy that looks a little too real. And, because this is a fantasy RPG, the animals eventually come to life. Fighting off a bunch of stuffed bears and wolves in a cramped room while wearing fancy leggings is peak Witcher 3. It’s clunky, it’s frantic, and it’s a great reminder that Geralt is never truly off the clock.
Then you find it. The Mask.
The lore behind the Mask of Uroboros is heavy. It can see the past, but it can also trigger a cataclysm. Yennefer doesn’t care about the risks; she needs to know what happened to Ciri after the magical explosion in the forest. This creates a massive rift between Geralt/Yen and Ermion. Ermion represents the old ways—tradition, caution, the balance of nature. Yennefer represents the "at any cost" mentality.
Why the Choice Matters
You see the tension between the mainland mages and the islanders. It’s a cultural clash. The Skelligers view their land as sacred. To them, Yennefer isn't just a guest; she's a looter. This sets the stage for the later quest, Possession and Lord of Undvik, where you eventually decide the fate of the crown.
If you haven't played this part in a while, pay attention to the dialogue between the Jarls during the feast. Donar an Hindar and Madman Lugos are at each other's throats. It isn't just flavor text. These interactions are the groundwork for the "Kingmaker" subplots. If you ignore the politics during the wake, the later choice between Cerys and Hjalmar feels hollow.
That Famous Unicorn Scene
We have to talk about it. If you’ve played The King is Dead – Long Live the King Witcher 3 quest, you know exactly what happens after you escape the laboratory's gas trap. The teleportation goes wrong (as it always does with Yen), you end up in her room, and the game offers you a choice.
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It’s probably the most infamous romance scene in gaming history.
But beyond the meme of the stuffed unicorn, this scene is crucial for the Geralt/Yennefer dynamic. It’s a moment of levity and intimacy in the middle of a world-ending crisis. It’s also where the game forces you to decide if you’re "Team Yen" or "Team Triss." If you commit here, you’re setting a path that’s hard to walk back.
The transition from "we almost died in a gas-filled room" to "let's celebrate being alive" is a classic trope, but CDPR executes it with enough wit that it doesn't feel cheap. It feels like two people who have known each other for decades and are exhausted by the world.
Navigating the Political Minefield
After the lab heist and the potential romance, you head back to the wake. This is where the quest technically "ends," but the fallout lasts the rest of the game.
You meet the candidates for the throne:
- Cerys an Craite: The logical, calm, and strategic choice.
- Hjalmar an Craite: The hot-headed, glory-seeking warrior.
- Svanrige Bran: The dark horse who actually has a pretty interesting (and bloody) path if you ignore the Craite children entirely.
Most players skip over the conversations with the minor Jarls, but that’s a mistake. Talk to Udaryk. Talk to Holger Blackhand. The game is giving you a masterclass in world-building. You learn that Skellige isn't a monolith. It’s a collection of feuding families held together by a thin thread of tradition. King Bran was the glue, and now that he’s drifting away on a burning boat, the glue is gone.
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Practical Tips for Your Next Playthrough
If you’re diving back into the Skellige Isles, here is how you should handle this quest to get the most out of it.
First, buy the maps from the merchant in Kaer Trolde before you start. It makes getting around much easier later. Second, when you’re in the lab, use your Witcher Senses on everything. There are a few small loot items and lore bits that are easy to miss when you're rushing to stop the gas.
Third—and this is the big one—don't be a jerk to Ermion. Yes, he’s annoying and traditionalist, but his anger is justified. Understanding his perspective makes the later Druid quests much more rewarding.
Finally, if you want to see a completely different side of Skellige, try failing to help both Cerys and Hjalmar later on. It leads to a "secret" king that most people never see in their first 100 hours of gameplay.
Taking Action in the Isles
To truly master the Skellige arc, you need to treat The King is Dead – Long Live the King Witcher 3 as your orientation. Don't just rush to the objective marker.
- Listen to the NPCs at the wake. They reveal the true motivations of the clans.
- Challenge yourself in the race. Winning against Cerys gives you a small boost in "reputation" dialogue later.
- Check your gear. If you’re playing on Death March, that fight in the lab with the animals can actually be surprisingly tough because of the tight space. Use Igni to keep them at bay.
- Decide your romance path now. This quest is the point of no return for the Yennefer storyline. If you’re aiming for the "happily ever after" with her, don't pass up the opportunity in her room.
This quest is a pivot point. It moves the game from the search for Ciri into the realm of high politics and ancient curses. It’s the moment the stakes get real for the entire region. So, put on your best tunic, grab a horn of mead, and try not to let Yennefer get you killed.