The KCD2 hermit quest is Radovan's investigation-and-forging story during Wedding Crashers. The man in Apollonia is not Ambrose but Knight Konrad, who assumed his dead friend's identity. For the most complete outcome, investigate every witness before confronting him, complete the missable A Sinful Soul task, save Konrad from the knights, take Ambrose's broken sword from the grave marker, and forge the wedding sword for Radovan.
Quick answer: Bring a spade, exhaust Innkeeper Betty's KCD2 hermit dialogue, question Gerda and Stanislav, dig beneath the conciliatory cross, inspect the black horse in Apollonia, and use that evidence on Konrad. The KCD2 hermit sword sticks out of Ambrose's grave near the hut; you do not need to dig up that body.
How to Start the KCD2 Hermit Quest
Speak to Blacksmith Radovan in Tachov after completing his introductory work. On the blacksmith route into the wedding, the KCD2 hermit mission normally follows The Blacksmith's Son and The Jaunt. If Henry already entered the wedding through Miller Kreyzl's route, Radovan can offer it after The Blacksmith's Son, skipping The Jaunt as a requirement.
Radovan needs the rare metal in an old broken blade to make a wedding gift. He directs the KCD2 hermit search to Troskowitz, starting with Innkeeper Betty. Ask about the KCD2 hermit rumor, say you want to talk to the hermit, then reopen the subject and exhaust every question about the apparition, the cross, the herdsboy, and the route to Apollonia.
Do not rush straight to the hut if you want all content. The KCD2 hermit witness objectives are optional for finishing the sword, but completing them is required to expose Konrad peacefully and trigger the highly missable A Sinful Soul task.
KCD2 Hermit Investigation Checklist
Carry a spade before starting the KCD2 hermit evidence route. The trader in Troskowitz sells one if Henry has none. Complete this KCD2 hermit checklist before approaching Konrad:
- Question villagers: Ask people around the Troskowitz tavern about the hermit and apparition until the objective completes.
- Talk to Gerda: The apothecary's wife can be persuaded or paid 12 Groschen. Promise to discover what she saw.
- Investigate the conciliatory cross: Dig beneath the cross west of Troskowitz. Loot and read the chronicle, Ambrose's decree, and the old letter; merely carrying them may not unlock every dialogue.
- Talk to Shepherd Stanislav: Find him east of Troskowitz. Pass a check, pay 12 Groschen, or offer schnapps, then ask every question about the mounted apparition.
- Explore Apollonia: Examine the well-kept black horse inside the abandoned enclosure. The KCD2 hermit “devil” was a human rider, and this horse is another piece of evidence.
This route also gives context to the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star. More importantly, it changes the KCD2 hermit conversation from a hostile dead end into a complete interrogation with the option to help Konrad.
Where to Find the KCD2 Hermit in Apollonia
The hut is hidden among the rocks of Apollonia, on the western side of the yellow search area. Follow the narrow paths uphill and look for a passage squeezed between two large boulders. The KCD2 hermit camp contains a small hovel, campfire, drying rack, and stairs to an upper storage level.
Make a save before entering. If Konrad warns Henry away or becomes hostile before dialogue begins, leave his private area and return when he is calmly sitting inside. Do not repeatedly trespass, bring Mutt too close, or steal in front of him. Current patches fixed several KCD2 hermit aggression bugs, so update the game before relying on old workarounds.
Start with “I learned some strange things about you” and present the cross stash, crusader clothing, money, documents, and black horse. Press him after using every clue. A successful KCD2 hermit interrogation reveals that the real hermit, Ambrose, died years earlier. Konrad is a fellow knight hiding under Ambrose's identity, not Ambrose himself.
KCD2 Hermit and A Sinful Soul
When Konrad trusts Henry, he gives him Ambrose's cross and asks that a message of forgiveness reach Widow Margaret in Troskowitz. This begins A Sinful Soul, the most easily missed part of the KCD2 hermit story.
Give Margaret the cross and offer to help at the cemetery. The KCD2 hermit route next requires an empty grave in the cemetery's northeast corner. Then leave the wall, find the red rose bush behind the cemetery, pick the flowers, and dig beneath it to recover Old Bones belonging to Ambrose's brother Jan. Return to the new grave, bury the remains, and speak to Margaret. Completing this KCD2 hermit side task awards 45 Groschen and resolves the promise Ambrose left unfinished.
The two graves serve different purposes. Jan's remains are under the red flowers outside the cemetery wall; Ambrose's broken sword is near Konrad's Apollonia hut. Confusing these locations is one of the most common KCD2 hermit mistakes.
KCD2 Hermit Best Choice: Save Konrad or Help the Knights?
On the return to Apollonia, knights led by Brother Arn wait on the path. They accuse Konrad of murder and ask Henry to help draw him out. Agreeing to hear them does not lock the final KCD2 hermit decision, but setting fire to the hay immediately starts the attack against Konrad.
For the fullest KCD2 hermit story and most useful loot, save Konrad. Approach from a distance, do not charge while he aims his crossbow, and choose the peaceful replies. Ask where Ambrose's broken sword is before committing to either side. Then support Konrad and defeat the three attacking knights. He explains his version of the order's internal conflict, rewards Henry, and leaves on good terms.
Helping Brother Arn also completes the KCD2 hermit encounter. Kill Konrad or allow the knights to take him, then collect the clue needed for the sword. Both main combat outcomes can pay 85 Groschen from the surviving side; saving Konrad is recommended because it preserves his dialogue and lets Henry legally loot the defeated knights' equipment.
If Konrad turns hostile immediately after the fight, avoid hitting him or his property and let the knights initiate combat. Save before returning to the hut. Patch 1.4 specifically fixed Konrad and the knights attacking Henry during this KCD2 hermit sequence, so install current updates before reloading an old workaround-heavy route.
Where to Find the KCD2 Hermit Sword
Once Konrad reveals the KCD2 hermit sword location, a search area appears north of the hut. Look near the meadow and forest edge for a grave beneath a distinctive tree, often described as two tangled birches. Ambrose's broken sword is sticking out at the head of the grave. Taking that sword completes the important KCD2 hermit objective; digging up Ambrose's body is optional and yields nothing necessary.
If Konrad died or refused to talk, search the upper floor of his hovel. Move the three sacks to uncover the Diary of Knight Konrad, then read every page. The diary reveals the same KCD2 hermit grave location. It may also be possible to obtain the diary from Konrad, but moving the sacks is the reliable fallback after the confrontation.
How to Forge the KCD2 Hermit Sword
Return to Radovan with the KCD2 hermit quest item, Ambrose's broken sword, and choose “I got the hermit's sword.” He gives Henry the recipe and asks him to forge the finished weapon. The KCD2 hermit recipe appears under Longswords and requires:
- Ambrose's broken sword
- 1 Frankfurt steel
- 2 Scrap metal
Use Radovan's anvil, heat the full blade evenly, hammer both faces from tip to hilt, reheat when the glow fades, and quench only when Henry says it is ready. This produces the Toledo steel sword, despite the additional recipe metal being Frankfurt steel. Save before beginning the KCD2 hermit forge step if you want another attempt at quality.
Give the completed sword to Radovan to advance his route into the Semine wedding. If Henry already attended through the miller route, the KCD2 hermit journal instead sends him to Tomcat at the Nomads' Camp; Tomcat accepts the sword and pays 45 Groschen.
KCD2 Hermit FAQ
Do I need a spade for the KCD2 hermit quest?
A spade is required for the evidence stash and A Sinful Soul. It is not required just to take the KCD2 hermit sword protruding from Ambrose's grave.
Can I skip the KCD2 hermit investigation?
Yes, but you miss A Sinful Soul, important evidence, and Konrad's peaceful confession. The diary under the three upstairs sacks still leads to the KCD2 hermit sword.
Why is the KCD2 hermit hostile?
Leave the restricted area, return when Konrad is seated, and avoid theft or property damage. Update the game: official patches fixed several KCD2 hermit objective and aggression problems.
Is Konrad the real KCD2 hermit?
No. Ambrose was the true KCD2 hermit. Konrad is a Knight of the Cross with the Red Star who assumed his friend's identity after Ambrose died.
