Witcher: Sovereign of Magic

The trail of Dandelion led Geralt deeper into the labyrinthine alleys and opulent mansions of Novigrad's underworld. The city, a vibrant tapestry of sights and sounds by day, transformed into a shadowy realm of intrigue and danger by night. His search brought him to the bathhouse, a place of supposed relaxation that reeked of secrets and hidden agendas. He found Dijkstra there, a man whose imposing presence and sharp intellect made him a force to be reckoned with, alongside Cleaver, the King of Beggars, a figure as cunning and ruthless as his title suggested.

"Geralt," Dijkstra greeted, his voice a low rumble. "You're a long way from the wilds. Business or pleasure?"

"Business," Geralt replied, his gaze sweeping over the opulent surroundings. "I'm looking for Dandelion."

"Dandelion? Our flamboyant bard seems to have a knack for getting into trouble," Dijkstra chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "Last I heard, he was planning to rob me blind."

Before Geralt could respond, the bathhouse doors burst open, and a group of thugs, bearing the insignia of Whoreson Junior, stormed in, weapons drawn. The air crackled with tension as the room erupted into chaos.

"Whoreson sends his regards," one of the thugs snarled, lunging at Dijkstra.

Cleaver and his men swiftly retaliated, a brutal ballet of violence unfolding. Geralt, ever the pragmatist, joined the fray, his silver sword flashing in the dim light. The fight was short and brutal, the thugs quickly overwhelmed. As the last of them fell, Dijkstra turned to Geralt, a glint in his eye.

"Seems our friend Dandelion has made some powerful enemies," he remarked. "Whoreson Junior, to name one. He's also indebted to me, though not for much longer, I suspect."

"What do you know about Dandelion's whereabouts?" Geralt asked, his voice impatient.

"Information comes at a price, Geralt," Dijkstra replied, his gaze unwavering. "I need your help with a little… problem. Someone has stolen a rather substantial amount of gold from my vault. Find the culprit, and I'll tell you everything I know about Dandelion."

Geralt hesitated. His priority was Ciri, not some stolen gold. But Dandelion was the only lead he had. "How much gold are we talking about?" he asked.

"Enough to fund a small war," Dijkstra said, a hint of steel in his voice. "Let's just say it's… a considerable sum."

Geralt sighed. "Fine," he said. "Tell me what you know about Dandelion, and I'll look into your missing gold."

Dijkstra smiled, a predatory expression that sent a shiver down Geralt's spine. "Excellent. I believe our bard friend has also crossed paths with Vernon Roche. He might be able to lead you to someone who knows more about Dandelion's current… endeavors. A certain King Radovid, who seems to have taken a liking to Whoreson."

This new lead took Geralt into the political machinations of Novigrad. He sought out Roche, who, after some persuasion, agreed to arrange a meeting with King Radovid. The meeting took place in Oxenfurt, where Radovid had taken Whoreson under his protection. The king, a man of cold calculation and ruthless ambition, offered Geralt a deal: Whoreson in exchange for a future favor. It was a chilling reminder of the power Radovid wielded.

Geralt accepted the deal, his mind already focused on extracting information from Whoreson. He brought the crime lord back to Novigrad and, through a combination of intimidation and Witcher senses, forced him to reveal what he knew.

"Alright, alright! I'll tell you everything," Whoreson whined, his face pale and sweaty. "Ciri and Dandelion came to me. They needed someone to fix a… trinket. A phylactery, Ciri called it. They promised to give me Dijkstra's gold in exchange. But they never delivered! The gold… it was confiscated by Menge's men."

"Menge?" Geralt asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Yeah, the head of the Eternal Fire," Whoreson replied, his voice trembling. "He's got the gold. And Dandelion… he was working with some dwarf, Dudu. They were planning the heist together."

"And Ciri?" Geralt pressed, his voice urgent.

"She… she got spooked," Whoreson stammered. "She freed Dudu and ran off. I don't know where she went."

This information dump provided crucial details: Ciri's presence in Novigrad, her connection to the phylactery, Dandelion's involvement in the heist, and the fact that the gold was now in Menge's hands. It also revealed the importance of this Dudu.

Geralt returned to Dijkstra, who, unsurprisingly, was less than pleased to hear that his gold was now in the hands of the Eternal Fire. He directed Geralt to investigate the vault robbery further, specifically the Henkel impersonator mentioned by Whoreson.

Geralt followed this lead, which took him to Henkel's house. There, he discovered a hidden room filled with maps and plans, clearly used for planning the heist. He also found a letter from Dudu to Ciri, warning her that the Temple Guard had the gold and had captured Dandelion. This letter not only explained the heist's details but also revealed that Dandelion was now a prisoner of the Eternal Fire, adding another layer of urgency to Geralt's search.

Returning to Dijkstra, Geralt made a difficult decision. He lied, telling the crime lord that Menge had taken the gold directly, omitting Dandelion's involvement. He knew Dijkstra wouldn't hesitate to use Dandelion as leverage if he knew the bard was involved. He then confided in Triss, revealing his true motive: Dandelion had information about Ciri.

The next step was clear: they needed to infiltrate Menge's compound. Triss, posing as Geralt's prisoner, accompanied him. The raid was a chaotic affair, with Triss being subjected to Menge's cruel interrogation tactics. During the commotion, Menge revealed that Dandelion was being held on Temple Isle, awaiting transfer to Oxenfurt. Triss, in a fit of rage, killed Menge, forcing them to escape before the guards could react. In the confusion, Geralt managed to find the key to Dijkstra's vault on Menge's body.

After the escape, Geralt returned to Dijkstra, who had learned of Geralt's deception. He warned Geralt to never lie to him again. Geralt, in turn, gave Dijkstra the key to his vault, receiving a meager reward for his efforts. He then turned to Priscilla for help in locating Dudu. She suggested staging a play, a performance designed to lure Dudu out of hiding. The plan worked, and Dudu, believing he was safe, sent Dandelion, disguised as Menge, to meet with them. Geralt and Zoltan ambushed the convoy, freeing Dandelion from the Eternal Fire's clutches.

Finally, Geralt had Dandelion. The bard, shaken but unharmed, explained that the gold had been confiscated because the Temple Guard was on Dudu's tail, who was an accomplice in the heist. He confirmed that Ciri had been trying to lift a curse with the phylactery and, most importantly, revealed that she had left for Skellige. This information gave Geralt the lead he desperately needed, the path that would take him to Ciri. The tangled web of Novigrad had finally yielded its secrets, and Geralt was ready to embark on the next leg of his perilous journey.