Beasts of Khorinis 4 is one of five hunting book quests in Gothic 1 Remake, and it is built around the Swampshark. You start it by grabbing The Bestiary of Khorinis 4 from a hut hidden deep in the swamp, then bring it to the hunter Cavalorn. The first half can be done early, but the second half asks you to kill a Swampshark and deliver an intact hide and plate, which is a serious fight for a low-level character.
Quick answer: Take The Bestiary of Khorinis 4 from Shrat’s hut at the western edge of the Swamp Camp map, give it to Cavalorn so he teaches you to skin a Swampshark, then kill one, skin it, and return the hide and plate to Cavalorn for 250 Ore Nuggets and +1000 XP.
What you need before starting
The book pickup is safe to do early, but the kill is not. Bring one item with you and plan your level before committing to the second half.
- A Sleep scroll, available from Baal Cadar or another alchemy vendor, so you can put Shrat to sleep instead of fighting him.
- For the Swampshark kill, wait until after Chapter 2. A strength build of around +60 strength with at least one upgraded chest piece is recommended.
- A two-handed weapon, which is the most effective option against a Swampshark.
How to find The Bestiary of Khorinis 4
The book sits on a table inside an isolated hut near the westernmost edge of the Swamp Camp map. The route there crosses Swampshark territory, so follow the path carefully and stay off the open water.
Return the book to Cavalorn
Cavalorn is the lone hunter who lives on the road between the Old Camp and the New Camp. Hand him The Bestiary of Khorinis 4 and he will teach you how to skin a Swampshark. He then sets the second objective, hunting a Swampshark and bringing back an intact hide and plate.
How to kill a Swampshark
The Swampshark hits hard, so wait until you are properly geared. These tactics keep the fight to one enemy and limit the damage you take.
- Use a two-handed weapon for the best damage output.
- Kite a single Swampshark toward the hollow log area, since it will not chase you past that point.
- Dodge the lunge attack, which can remove more than half of your health in one hit.
- Stay away from water during the fight so you do not pull a second Swampshark.
Rewards and how to confirm completion
After the Swampshark is dead, skin it to collect the hide and plate, then take both back to Cavalorn. He pays 250 Ore Nuggets for the pair and grants +1000 experience points. The quest then closes in your journal as completed, which is your confirmation that everything registered.
| Stage | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Take The Bestiary of Khorinis 4 | Quest starts |
| Give book to Cavalorn | Learn to skin a Swampshark |
| Kill and skin a Swampshark | Obtain intact hide and plate |
| Deliver hide and plate to Cavalorn | 250 Ore Nuggets, +1000 XP, quest complete |
Common reasons it fails to complete
If the quest does not progress, check these points before retrying.
- You waded into the water near the hut and triggered a Swampshark, which can end the run before you reach the book.
- You skipped the Sleep scroll and Shrat turned hostile while you were trying to steal the book.
- You attempted the Swampshark fight too early without enough strength or armor and got killed by the lunge attack.
- You did not skin the corpse, so you are missing the intact hide and plate Cavalorn asks for.
Clearing this quest fits into the wider Beasts of Khorinis set, where each of the five bestiary volumes teaches Cavalorn’s hunting knowledge for a different creature. The Swampshark hide and plate carry real value, so the 250 Ore Nuggets and the skinning skill make the trip into the swamp worthwhile once your character can survive the fight.
