Geralt might make a living in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt by slaying monsters and claiming the reward from local villagers, but there is gold buried across the land hidden behind deceptive treasure maps and secret notes. For example, there is a stash of gold hidden in the White Orchard region that players might learn of through a mysterious message on a corpse, but they might know where to go next.

The "Deserter Gold" quest can be frustrating to some players, as it's closely tied to a separate quest called "Temerian Valuables," and it's possible to start elements of both quests out of order. Players can do these quests event after beating The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, so they shouldn't worry about missing out on this quest. Monster hunting gear can be expensive in The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt, and Geralt needs all the coin he can get, so Screen Rant has created this guide to help players track down the deserter's gold.

How To Start The Deserter Gold Quest

Fast travel to the Mill signpost in The Witcher 3's White Orchard region and head northeast. The player should seek out a hill in the wilderness with an abandoned camp. The hill can also be found northwest of Cackler Bridge if the player is in the vicinity, as seen in the map above. Once the player reaches the hill, they can find the Spy's notes in a nearby chest, pointing them to the gold's location.

Deserter Gold Location

The Spy's notes mention an abandoned hut near the mill. The player should fast-travel back to the Mill signpost and seek out the windmill in the area. There is a hut northeast of the windmill with loose floorboards that Geralt can by to reach a door that can be shattered with the Aard sign. This leads to a room filled with chests that the player can loot to complete the quest.

How To Open The Locked Chest

If the player hasn't started the "Temerian Valuables" quest, they might be puzzled by the locked chest found in the room with the deserter's gold. However, the locked chest is actually part of a different quest, and the player needs to seek out the key for it in a separate area.

To find the key, the player must head west from the Mill signpost and follow the road to a bridge. Geralt must slay a few drowners and search the bridge for a corpse. If Geralt searches the corpse, then he will find a key. Next, Geralt can open a chest in the nearby river with the key, where he will discover Blood-soaked military orders. The player can then return to the hut near the windmill and open the final chest to collect loot that will benefit them through their The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt journey.