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There are plenty of amazing side quests in The Witcher 3. And in some cases, their greatness comes from the fact they feature excellent characters. For instance, the 'Ghosts of the Past' quest sees the return of Letho, who is one of the main characters in the second game. In The Witcher 3, though, the compelling former antagonist has plenty of problems.

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All of his issues revolve around people wanting him dead. Fair. Of course, this quest is only available if Letho survived the second game.

Updated on December 2, 2022 by Quinton O'Connor: One of our favorite things about the Witcher series is how it treats a few of its one-time antagonists. 'Ghosts of the Past' is one of the greatest examples of this. New players will get to experience the quest with the arrival of the new current-gen graphical update, so we'd best do our part and put a fresh coat of paint on our guide.

Starting The Quest And Aiding Letho

The Witcher 3 Screenshot Of Reardon Manor On Map

You can't trigger this quest by finding a note on a notice board or speaking to someone. Instead, you have to travel directly to it - you may go there as part of 'The Fall of the House of Reardon' contract.

The start point is at Reardon Manor, which is just north of Downwarren in Velen. Once there, you need to enter the largest building in the area while avoiding the traps. Upon going inside the barn, the quest triggers.

Whenever you start 'Ghosts of the Past', know that there's a firm deadline on ending it. If it hasn't been completed before 'The Isles of Mist' main story quest, it will forever remain unfinished.

Witcher 3 Screenshot Of Meeting Letho

Using Witcher Sense, you can easily find a ladder laid on the floor of the barn. Examine the thing to pick it up and trigger a cutscene.

During which, Geralt reunites with Letho, and the two Witchers talk. Partway through their conversation, a group of scouts appears outside, looking for the bigger monster slayer.

Letho asks you to help him take them down. Your answer doesn't really matter as you fight them anyway. The enemies aren't exactly on the same level as all the powerful monsters Geralt has to kill regularly, so they won't be much trouble. After the battle, Letho says he wants to have a 'little chat' with his old friend Louis. You have two options:

  • "Love To See That." - With this response, you choose to go with Letho and continue the quest.
  • "Good Luck." - By choosing this one, the quest comes to a premature end, and you'll never see the bulky Witcher again. Unless you are, for whatever reason, adamantly against helping Letho, we strongly suggest going the other route.

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Paying A Visit To Louis

Witcher 3 Screenshot Of Letho and Geralt With Louis

If you do indeed go with Letho, you have to follow him on horseback. Thankfully, the journey isn't too long, and Letho says some interesting things on the way.

While such a scenario is relatively unlikely, do make sure to stick close to your ally, because the quest will end if you lose track of him completely. The only way we can see this happening to you is if you should strangely decide to go off exploring on your own, but hey, just in case!

When you get there, you meet the infamous Louis. There's a short conversation, and your input doesn't really impact things. In the end, there's a fight, pitting you and Letho against a group of bandits. Once again, they are not exactly the toughest enemies in the series.

The last one left alive is always a wounded Louis. In agony, he reveals the location of the man who actually wants Letho's head. The two Witchers then set off to Lindevale.

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Dealing With The Mercenaries

Witcher 3 Screenshot Of Ghost In The Past Geralt Decision

Next, you must follow Letho to Lindevale. Again, don't go off on your own. When you get there, a cutscene will play. In it, Letho tells you to stay out of the confrontation he's about to have.

Letho ends up fighting the bounty hunters and falling. Geralt quickly runs up to them, and you're given a choice:

  • "You're Good As Dead." - You fight and kill the men. They aren't too tough, but you should watch out for the guy with the hammer.
  • "Don't Want Trouble." - You follow Letho's orders and don't intervene. Then tell them to take Letho's medallion instead of his head.

Regardless of the decision you make, Geralt realizes that Letho isn't dead and takes him inside. When he wakes, the Witcher reveals that he tried to fake his death, so they would stop sending people to kill him. The success of his plan hinges on having witnesses. Therefore, if you killed his attackers, his plan failed. But if you didn't intervene, Letho is finally free.

Either way, Letho plans on going away somewhere. If you want his help later, you can invite him to Kaer Morhen. After the conversation ends, so does the quest.

NEXT: The Witcher 3: Complete Guide And Walkthrough