The Flame that Cleanses

Follow our detailed walkthrough for 'The Flame that Cleanses' quest in The Witcher, covering the Hospital, Old Vizima, and the Striga's lair.

Alright, so you've just finished a cutscene and find yourself with White Rayla. She's not exactly thrilled about Toruviel, but she wants to play a little game of 'kill the nonhumans' on the way to the Hospital where Siegfried's waiting. Since you're buddy-buddy with the Order right now, their soldiers won't bother you. Honestly, there's not much point in fighting the Scoia'tael here either, as they just keep coming. Just head south until you hit the Hospital.

Once you get to the Hospital, White Rayla will spill some info about Raven's Armor and then declare your little elf-hunting game a tie. Siegfried will be there, looking a bit rough and complaining about dwarves. Then Shani shows up – whether she's friendly or not depends on if you handed Alvin over to her back in Chapter 3. Just as you're wrapping things up, a guard bursts in to tell Geralt that the Striga's been spotted near the tallest tower in Old Vizima. This'll update your quests: “Armor”, “Her Highness the Striga”, and of course, “The Flame that Cleanses”.

Now, head out of the Hospital and make your way to the Old Forge, which is just south of it. Your old pal, the Order armorer you met in Chapters 2 and 3, is hanging out inside. Chat him up about Raven's armor, and he'll give you a rundown of what you need. This kicks off the “Saint Gregory’s Litany” quest and updates “Armor”. You can also take a breather here, maybe rest up or do some shopping if you need to.

The Mutant and the Striga

Time to hunt down that Striga! Head south until you find Kalkstein’s Laboratory, then take a left (north) into an alley filled with some Temerian soldiers. You'll trigger a cutscene near the base of the tower, and then a Mutant will drop down. Take it out using the Fast Steel Style. Kalkstein will show up afterward, looking way too interested in the creature, which is pretty typical for him. He'll call it a mutant and make a rather unsettling comparison to Geralt, noting that Salamandra's getting scarily good at creating beings like us. He'll also mention a rumor about an old church in the Swamp Cemetery being the Striga's likely hideout and give you the book “Striga’s Urge”, just in case you manage to defeat the Striga. This updates “Her Highness the Striga”, “The Flame that Cleanses”, and “Sweet Revenge”.

Defending the Hospital

Head back to the Hospital, where Shani will be waiting. Your reunion will be cut short by a squad of Scoia’tael rebels who barge in, completely ignoring your obvious awesomeness and trying to kill everyone. Deal with them, and then chat with Shani again. She'll probably complain about the Scoia'tael's methods.

Now that you've fended off those Scoia'tael fanatics, things should be smooth sailing... maybe. If you gave Alvin to Shani in Chapter 3, this is your chance to discuss your relationship. Whatever you choose to say, just like with Triss earlier, you can either declare your love or tell her it's all just a dream.

Rescuing Rayla

Head back outside, and you'll find White Rayla attracting some unwanted attention from a group of Elves. Given the current situation, it's definitely not friendly. Fight off the Elves, and White Rayla will invite you to the Order’s Command Post to the west. Once inside, an Order commander will start bothering you, wanting your help to take down barricades held by the Scoia'tael. If you don't help, the nonhumans might take over Old Vizima. Sure, you'll get to it. First, pick dialogue option #1 to talk to White Rayla. When you get the chance to respond to her, pick any option. Then, when you see the choice between “I know other ways to tame you…” or “You’re mad,” pick the first one to snag the “White Rayla” Sex Card.

Breaking Through

You'll have a chance to rest now, which honestly isn't super necessary on normal difficulty. Feel free to rest, prep your potions, level up, or skip it. Then head back outside. Siegfried will approach and let you know that Rayla is trapped at the barricades, suggesting you flank them. What, you didn't think you were done driving the Scoia'tael out of Old Vizima, did you?

Take the road heading southwest from the Hospital to reach the barricade opposite the Dike. Take down the Scoia'tael rebels you encounter and head south until you reach a blocked door leading to the Solitary Tower. Then, turn west and blast the debris with the Aard sign to clear the path. Take the new route you've just opened and travel between the burning ruins, taking out another group of Scoia'tael. Siegfried will encourage you to keep up the good work. Eventually, you'll meet up with White Rayla again. When you hit more debris blocking your way, blast it with Aard and slaughter the final group of Scoia'tael. Once they're all down, watch White Rayla get shot before you and Siegfried press on towards the Swamp Forest. Another brave warrior fallen to treacherous nonhumans. This marks the end of the quest “The Flame that Cleanses”.