The Taxman Cometh

Side quest Hearts of Stone – side quests · 3 of 17 → Novigrad suggested level 32 Hearts of Stone

“The Taxman Cometh” is a side quest in Novigrad in The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone (recommended level 32). Vimme Vivaldi is involved. The first objective: Talk to the Deputy Tax Enumerator. It rewards experience.

From the journal

Though he carried several pounds of silver on his back at all times, Geralt was usually quite coin-poor. Quality witcher gear costs a fortune, the rewards for his contracts were often meager and he often found it hard to resist splurging on rare gwent cards.

Just when, despite all these obstacles, he'd managed to put together something of a nest egg... the tax office turned its greedy gaze on him!

Geralt evaded the tax man without much difficulty, however - he muddled Deputy Tax Enumerator Walthemor Mitty's mind and sent him off into the wilds. A shame us mere mortals have no such means at our disposal!

Read on (3 paragraphs) – reveals how the quest unfolds

Geralt patiently explained to the tax collector that he had made his modest fortune honestly, without breaking any of the tax codes numerous rules. Deputy Tax Enumerator Walthemor Mitty was so impressed by this honesty he awarded the witcher a commemorative vellum diploma. He advised Geralt to hang it somewhere at Kaer Morhen – above the mantle, if possible.

The audit ended with Geralt receiving a summons for the payment of back taxes. A rather unpleasant turn of events, but what could Geralt do? Fighting the Wild Hunt's one thing, but taking on the tax office… that could get him in real trouble.

The witcher thus made his way to the Vivaldi Bank's Novigrad branch and paid every crown of his tax arrears. This lightened his coin pouch considerably and put him in a foul mood, but at least he could rest assured the tax office was now off his back.