In the first The Witcher video game, Geralt visits a region called the Swamp Forest in chapters 2 and 3. This swamp features ten mysterious monoliths (also called obelisks), and it's not fully obvious what they're for.
However, players of The Witcher will eventually discover that the monoliths are part of a quest called "A Mysterious Tower," which is a primary quest for chapter 2. This means players will need to figure out what these monoliths do and how to activate them if they want to complete the game. Fortunately, finding the obelisks and gathering the sephirah that activate them is easier than one might expect.
The Monolith Locations
All told, there are ten monoliths in the Swamp Forest region. Each one has a unique name, and each one shows up on the in-game map as a point of interest until Geralt activates them. Normally these points are black, but the above map shows them in light purple to make them stand out. Geralt can interact with a monolith and place an item inside, but the only items the obelisks accept are the sephirah with the same name.
The sephirah are key items that Geralt collects throughout chapter 2. They all come from different locations, and while the game provides hints it's up to players to track them all down. Notably, the word "sephirah" and both the names and locations of the monoliths are references to the Tree of Life, an ancient concept from the Jewish Kabbalah.
Starting "A Mysterious Tower"
The quest "A Mysterious Tower" can begin the moment Geralt speaks with Kalkstein, who lives on the north end of the Temple Quarter in Vizima. Kalkstein wants to open a magically locked tower in the swamp southwest of the city, and the first things he needs are a pair of books: The Secret Gates and Ain Soph Aur. Both books can be obtained from the dwarf Golan Vivaldi, although players may have trouble speaking to him depending on their choices in chapter 1. Players can also get a second copy of Ain Soph Aur from Gramps' Hut in the Swamp Forest, which is the solitary hut north of the brickmakers' village.
Geralt can read the books to get hints on where to find the sephirah and what to do with them, but the best option is to give them to Kalkstein straight away. Kalkstein will read the books and create a set of notes, and these notes provide far more useful hints.
The Sephirah Locations
Some sephirah are only available after Geralt brings the books to Kalkstein, while others can be obtained early.
- The first sephirah players will have is Maal'kad (Kingdom). It's on the cockatrice Geralt has to kill to access Vizima.
- Geralt gets Chocc'mah (Wisdom) for free. Kalkstein will hand it over once Geralt gives him the two books.
- Tipperath (Compassion) is held by Declan Leuvaarden, a merchant in the dike area. Leuvaarden will only sell the sephirah for 500 orens, and only after Geralt brings the books to Kalkstein, but players can get 400 of that by completing his quest "Safe Haven."
- Kezath (Mercy) is a quest reward given by Vaska for completing the quest "Clay Pits." Vaska is the leader of the brickmakers in the Swamp Forest.
- Neh'tza (Victory) must be taken from the corpse of the Sentry Golem. To kill it, Geralt must first activate it by completing the quest "The Sentry." This quest also begins by speaking to Vaska, but only after Kalkstein has his books.
- Veen'ah, Ghe'vrath, and Oth (Understanding, Power, and Glory) are all gained by sacrificing to a shrine of Melitele, either the one in the Vizima hospital or the one in the Swamp Forest. Any kind of food will do, including meats.
- Y'esath (Foundation) is in the Swamp Forest cave, in Vran's Sarcophagus.
- Geralt gets Keth'aar (Crown) near the end of "Vizima Confidential," which is the main quest of chapter 2. The last part of it takes place in the mage's tower, which is why "A Mysterious Tower" is a primary quest.
Once all the sephirah are in place and the monoliths all activate, the door to the tower will open and chapter 2 will be almost complete. As such, players should make sure they complete every side quest before placing the last sephirah. Geralt can return to Vizima and the Swamp Forest in chapter 3, but not every quest will still be active.
The Witcher: Enhanced Edition is available now on PC and macOS.