You’re wandering through the Inn at the Crossroads, probably looking for a round of Gwent or a cheap ale, when you see it. A notice. Bruno Biggs is desperate because his brother Mikhal went into the old mine and hasn't come back. On paper, Witcher 3 Missing Brother looks like any other monster hunt. You track some prints, kill a beast, and get paid. But if you’re under-leveled or rushing through the Velen storyline, this quest is a wake-up call that Geralt isn’t invincible. It’s actually one of the most mechanically demanding contracts in the base game, mostly because the boss at the end doesn't play by the usual rules.
Honestly, the "Recommended Level: 33" tag isn't a suggestion. It's a warning. If you try to tackle this shortly after arriving in No Man's Land, you’re going to get shredded.
Finding the Mine and Following the Trail
To get things moving, you talk to Bruno at the inn. He’s grumpy, worried, and basically offers you a handful of crowns to find his sibling. The trail leads to a mine north of the inn. Once you step inside, the atmosphere shifts. It’s damp. It’s dark. You’ll need Cat potion or a torch unless you want to stumble into the flooded pits.
As you push deeper, you find more than just some missing miners. There’s gore. There are tracks that don't look like a ghoul or a drowner. Geralt notes the size of the footprints. They’re massive. You’ll eventually find a survivor hiding on a high ledge, and he’s terrified. He tells you about a "big thing" that took the others. From here, you’re not just looking for a person; you’re hunting a monster that the game calls Harrisi.
Harrisi is a venomous arachas. If you've fought them before, you know they're annoying. This one is worse. It’s faster, it hits like a freight train, and it has a nasty habit of summoning help when you think you’ve got the upper hand.
How to Survive the Harrisi Fight
The Witcher 3 Missing Brother contract peaks in a large, circular chamber. This is where you find what’s left of the miners—and it isn't pretty. Before you even trigger the fight by approaching the eggs, you need to prep. Don't be "that" player who just swings a silver sword and hopes for the best.
Golden Oriole is mandatory here. Superior Golden Oriole is even better because it turns poison damage into healing. Harrisi spits venom that can drain your health bar in seconds. If you have the potion active, that venom becomes your best friend. You’ll also want Insectoid Oil on your blade. That 50% damage boost is the difference between a five-minute slog and a clean kill.
The Mechanics of the Encounter
Harrisi doesn't just bite. It uses a web-pull mechanic that drags Geralt toward it, followed by a devastating frontal strike. You see the silk fly, you dodge. Not roll—dodge. Rolling eats stamina you need for Quen or Igni.
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Wait for the small arachasae. Midway through the fight, Harrisi calls in its "kids." These tiny spiders are fast and can stun-lock you if they surround you. This is where Northern Wind bombs or a well-timed Igni blast come into play. Clear the adds immediately. If you focus only on the boss, the small ones will chip away at your Quen shield and leave you open for Harrisi's heavy hit.
The Grim Reality of Mikhal’s Fate
You don't find Mikhal alive. That’s the "Witcher" way, isn't it? After the fight, you search the room and find the remains. It's a grim scene. Geralt picks up a distinctive boots or a ring—proof for Bruno. You have to head back to the Inn at the Crossroads to deliver the news.
This is where the quest gets spicy from a role-playing perspective. Bruno is devastated. He’s also a bit of a jerk. When you tell him Mikhal is dead, he might try to stiff you on the pay.
- You can use Axii (if your Delusion level is high enough) to force him to pay up.
- You can demand the money, which results in a tense standoff.
- You can walk away, but why would you? You just fought a Level 33 arachas.
Most players find that Bruno’s reaction is one of the more "human" moments in Velen. He’s grieving, he’s broke, and he’s taking it out on the mutant who couldn't perform a miracle. It's a reminder that Geralt is a professional, not a hero in a fairy tale.
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Why Missing Brother is a Milestone for Players
When we talk about the Witcher 3 Missing Brother quest, we're really talking about the jump in difficulty between "early game" and "end game" contracts. Most of the stuff you do in Velen feels manageable. Then you hit this. It forces you to actually look at your Bestiary. It makes you care about Alchemy.
I remember my first playthrough. I thought I was hot stuff because I’d killed the Griffin in White Orchard without taking a hit. I walked into that mine at level 20. Harrisi one-shot me with a web-pull combo before I even got a sign off. It’s a humbling experience.
Practical Tips for the Final Encounter
- Quen is your lifeline: Keep it up constantly. The arachas has a jump attack that can bypass your parry.
- Aard is surprisingly effective: While Igni does more damage over time, a high-intensity Aard can knock the boss back and give you breathing room when the small spiders swarm.
- Check the eggs: Before the fight starts, you can actually destroy some of the egg sacs around the room. It’s a small detail, but it feels like something a real Witcher would do to tilt the odds.
- Superior Insectoid Oil: If you don't have the recipe yet, go find it. The alchemy grind pays off here more than almost anywhere else in the Velen/Novigrad region.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough
If you’re currently staring at this quest in your journal, here is how you handle it properly. First, check your level. If you aren't at least 30, go do the Skellige main quest or finish up the Novigrad gang wars. You need the stat points.
Next, craft the Superior Golden Oriole. You can find the manuscript for it at various herbalists, like the one at the Abandoned Site in White Orchard or the Pellar in Velen. Having this potion makes the fight a joke because the poison clouds Harrisi leaves behind will actually heal you.
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Finally, don't rush the dialogue with Bruno at the end. It's tempting to skip through, but the voice acting captures that specific Velen brand of misery perfectly. Take the crowns, head back to the path, and look for the next contract. That’s the life of a Witcher. There’s no happy ending for Mikhal, but at least the mine is clear for the next poor soul who tries to make a living underground.