If you‘re playing The Witcher 3, you may come across a side quest called "Where the Wolf and the Cat Play…" that involves freeing a cursed werewolf named Morkvarg who has been terrorizing a small village. In this guide, I‘ll walk you step-by-step through how to track down Morkvarg, defeat him in battle, lift his lycanthropy curse, and complete the quest.
As an experienced Witcher 3 player and fantasy gaming expert, I‘ll also provide tips to make this epic werewolf showdown much easier, explain how freeing Morkvarg compares to other outcomes, and share some fascinating lore behind werewolves in the Witcher universe. Let‘s dive in!
Step 1: Pick Up the Werewolf Quest in Kaer Trolde
The first step is to make your way to Kaer Trolde harbor on the Skellige Isles and look for a side quest called "Where the Wolf and the Cat Play…". You need to progress a bit through the main story missions on Skellige before this quest becomes available from the harbormaster.
I recommend being at least level 18 before attempting this quest, since the upcoming werewolf fight will be very challenging. Morkvarg himself is level 19, so the closer you are to that, the better.
Step 2: Talk to Chloe and Investigate the Cave
After activating the quest, travel to Hindarsfjall village and speak to Chloe, who will tell you rumors about a werewolf that attacks every full moon.
According to my experience, this gives you the basic intel you need. Next, follow the quest marker north of the village to a mountain cave. Look around the cave to find traces of Morkvarg along with some notes he wrote indicating he wants to be freed from the werewolf‘s curse.
Step 3: Battle Werewolf Morkvarg on the Coast
Once you examine the cave, the quest marker will lead west toward the coastline. Here you‘ll have your first face-to-face encounter with Morkvarg, who quickly transforms into a ferocious werewolf for battle.
This is where things get really tough. Morkvarg hits hard and can heal himself rapidly during the fight. Here are the best tactics I‘ve found through countless playthroughs:
- Use Cursed Oil on your silver sword to deal bonus damage
- Drink a Tawny Owl potion for increased sign intensity
- Cast Quen constantly to protect yourself from his savage strikes
- Use Igni and Dancing Star bombs to stop his healing ability
- Dodge frequently and disrupt his attacks to avoid being surrounded
- Hit him with Axii when he rages to stun him briefly
- Keep moving and strike between his combos for efficient damage
It takes patience and persistence, but eventually you‘ll take down enough of Morkvarg‘s health that he collapses, letting you interact with him.
Step 4: Obtain the Wolf Jawbone or Werewolf Flesh
Now comes the pivotal decision that will determine whether you can free Morkvarg from his affliction. Inside the cave near a shrine, you can find a wolf‘s jawbone that has the power to lift lycanthropy.
If you missed that, don‘t worry! You can also loot werewolf meat from Morkvarg‘s body after defeating him the first time. This flesh can be used to break the curse as well.
Step 5: Lift Morkvarg‘s Curse and Free Him
Return to the coast for a second battle with Morkvarg. Once you defeat him again, Geralt will remark that "here we are again" to prompt the option to free him.
Choose the dialogue to either hand over the wolf jawbone or feed him the werewolf meat, and this will finally lift the curse that transforms him into a monster during the full moon.
Just remember to remind Morkvarg he still owes you a reward for this favor before letting him walk away a free man!
What Are the Outcomes of Freeing Morkvarg?
If you successfully lift Morkvarg‘s lycanthropy curse, he will become peaceful once more and no longer terrorize the village of Hindarsfjall. You can find him later in Novigrad, at a pawn shop. Morkvarg will reward you with the unique Deithwen silver sword as thanks for freeing him from the werewolf.
The villagers also remain safe from attack and are grateful you removed the threat while still showing mercy on Morkvarg. After a decade under the curse slowly driving him mad, he seems open to making amends.
So freeing Morkvarg ultimately results in rewarding gear, the safety of Hindarsfjall residents, and a chance at redemption for a once fearsome raider. Your Witcher neutrality allows you to resolve the situation without unnecessary death.
Why Killing Morkvarg May Not Be the Best Idea
You do also have the option to simply kill Morkvarg instead of lifting his curse. However, I don‘t recommend this path for a few reasons:
- Defeating him is made harder by his rapid healing ability
- You won‘t be able to collect the unique sword reward
- Morkvarg won‘t get a chance at redemption after 10 years afflicted
- The curse may just pass to others, continuing the cycle of violence
Sometimes biting the proverbial silver bullet can feel justified against a dangerous monster. But WITCHER, of course, alternatives exist that can end threats peacefully. Freeing Morkvarg still protects the village while allowing him control over the beast within.
Fascinating Lore Behind Werewolves in the Witcher Universe
To really understand Morkvarg‘s plight, it helps to dive into the rich lore behind werewolves and lycanthropy in the WITCHER series:
- Lycanthropy is a supernatural curse that transforms men into deadly werewolf beasts
- During full moons, they lose all control and rational thought
- The curse originated from magical rituals and hexes
- It can now also spread via contact like an infectious disease
- Just a single werewolf bite can turn victims into werewolves as well
- There are a few cures, like silver bullets, wolfsbane, or eating human flesh
- Those freed from the curse still live with the guilt of what they‘ve done
I find the lycanthropy lore in the WITCHER to be some of the most developed and fascinating versions across fantasy lore. These are deeply cursed beings, not mere monsters. Freeing them requires great skill and care.
How This Compares to Werewolves in Other Witcher Games
What makes the Morkvarg encounter unique is the option to free him compared to other WITCHER games. For example:
- In The Witcher 1, you had to slay a giant werewolf with no way to cure it
- The Witcher 2 also only allowed killing werewolves, not freeing them
- Being able to lift Morkvarg‘s curse shows the series‘ moral evolution
So The Witcher 3 really expanded the possibilities in how to handle these complex supernatural threats. Morkvarg gives you a choice to find an alternate solution beyond just killing.
Awesome Mods to Enhance the Werewolf Experience
On PC, you can expand the werewolf gameplay even further through some amazing player-made mods:
| Mod | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Overhauled Werewolves | Improved textures, animations, abilities and A.I. |
| Wolf Gear | New werewolf-themed armor and weapons |
| Moonlight Tales | Allows playing as a werewolf with perk tree |
| Lycantrophy | Another mod for playing as a werewolf |
| Werewolf Ears | Keep the wolf ears after lifting curses |
Sites like NexusMods have a ton of options to create an even deeper werewolf experience with these mods.
Putting It All Together
Hopefully this guide has prepped you to take on the epic quest to free the werewolf Morkvarg in The Witcher 3! Here are the key steps:
- Pick up the "Where the Wolf and the Cat Play…" side quest in Kaer Trolde harbor
- Talk to Chloe in Hindarsfjall village to investigate the werewolf threat
- Track down Morkvarg and defeat him in an intense battle as a werewolf
- Obtain either the wolf jawbone or werewolf flesh to lift the curse
- Return to defeat Morkvarg again and free him from the affliction
- Reap your rewards!
While freeing Morkvarg takes patience and skill in battle, it‘s the best path for a satisfying conclusion to this morally complex quest. I hope these Witcher tips from an experienced player help you through this epic confrontation! Let me know if you have any other questions.
