Act I: Kaer Karreg, Lublow & Woodland:
Geralt begins the story recovering in the Sanctuary of Freyja in Lublow. Ylva the priestess tells him he is healed, and that jarl Harald, who employed him, can be found up at castle Karreg. Both Harald and Ylva will also point Geralt towards Ingrid, the pregnant woman that Geralt was trying to save in the opening cutscene. Ingrid confirms that she also saw the Masked Woman. As Ingrid begins to show signs of illness following the attack, Geralt tracks down another woman who was attacked many years ago by the beast. Her story is similar to Ingrid's, and she suggests that Ingrid may suffer the same fate as she did – to give birth to a monster. Ylva is unable to offer a cure for Ingrid, and in desperation, Ingrid and her husband beg Geralt to visit the Wise Woman in Han Cross. This opens Act II.
In parallel, Geralt investigates Lublow and its surroundings and takes on regular contracts. Astrid, Harald's daughter, fearing that her father will continue to blame the non-humans for the disappearances around Lublow, offers her help to Geralt, becoming available for several of the monster hunts as the game progresses.
Gisla, Lord Harald's second wife, also urges Geralt to find the monster and the Masked Woman he saw. The villagers confirm to Geralt that Gisla has hired Bounty Hunters to do the same task in the past, and Gisla confirms this, telling Geralt that the Bounty Hunters were killed or that one, a woman, disappeared. She asks Geralt to purchase swords quietly from the smith in Han Cross, in order to form a militia to defend Lublow from the beast. Geralt must be circumspect however; thralls are not entitled to bear arms, and Gisla would rather not have to explain herself to Harald until such an action has proven its worth.
