The Witcher 3: How to Get Both Viper School Diagrams in White Orchard

White Orchard is the prologue zone of The Witcher 3, and it holds the first Witcher gear you can collect. Two diagrams from the basic Viper School set are hidden here, both tied to the Scavenger Hunt: Viper School Gear treasure hunt. Together they give you the two strongest weapons available this early in the game.

Quick answer: Find the Diagram of the Serpentine Steel Sword in a chest inside the forest ruins across the bridge, then follow the letter to the Cemetery by the Mill and loot Kolgrim’s corpse in the crypt for the Serpentine Silver Sword.

This is the basic two-piece Viper set. A stronger version, the Venomous Set, becomes available later during the Hearts of Stone expansion.

Serpentine Steel Sword diagram in the forest ruins

Reach the inn in White Orchard and finish the tasks there. Mount up and ride out of the village toward the bridge.

Image credit: CD Projekt Red via YouTube/@Kyle Louden

Cross the bridge and head into the forest. Look for a set of ruins sitting on raised ground, then climb up to them.

Four bandits guard the ruins. Clear all of them so you can move through the area freely.

Enter the tower and open the chest to collect the Diagram of the Serpentine Steel Sword. Read the letter stored in the same chest to mark the location of the second piece.

Serpentine Silver Sword diagram at the cemetery crypt

After reading the letter, your map automatically points you to the Cemetery by the Mill. The remains you need belong to Kolgrim, hidden inside the crypt.

As you approach the crypt, a Wraith attacks. Fight it until its health drops low enough that it retreats back inside the crypt.

Enter the crypt. The Wraith ambushes you one last time. Cast Yrden to slow it and stop it from phasing, then finish it with quick light attacks.

Explore the crypt and go to its extreme right, relative to the entrance, to locate Kolgrim’s remains. Take the Serpentine Silver Sword from the body to complete the treasure hunt.

There is a bug where the Wraith stays active even after its health is fully drained. This happens only when you are too far from the crypt entrance. Run closer to the entrance to trigger the Wraith’s retreat and fix it.

Serpentine sword stats

Both weapons come with poison-focused bonuses and extra experience gains, which makes them a reliable pair for the early hours of the game.

Sword	Bonuses
Serpentine Steel Sword	+15% chance to poison; +5% bonus experience from humans and nonhumans
Serpentine Silver Sword	+10% Aard Sign Intensity; +10% chance to poison; +20% bonus experience from monsters

You can round out this early setup with other gear in White Orchard, crafting pieces at the blacksmith or buying them from the vendor outside the inn. With both Serpentine swords and some solid armor, you will be ready to take on the area’s contracts safely.