The Witch's Apprentice
The Witch's Apprentice quest is a multi-stage adventure that sends you searching for a missing apprentice, hunting imps, confronting the mischievous imp Zeefzorpul, and gathering ingredients for the Hag's Magic Brew Recipe. The quest involves combat, exploration, and a memorable encounter with the drunken pirate Captain Blackheart.
Starting the Quest
Speak with Grizelda the Hag at her house west of Yew. She will tell you that one of her apprentices has gone missing along the road between Skara Brae and the Yew Graveyard and ask you to go find him.
Note: You cannot start this quest if you already have another quest active from Grizelda. Complete or abandon your current quest first, then return.
Quest Walkthrough
Step 1: Find the Apprentice
Travel west from the Hag's house along the road between Skara Brae and Yew's graveyard. Search carefully along the road for any sign of the missing apprentice. When you get close enough to the right location, the apprentice's charred and bloodied corpse will appear on the ground with a dramatic visual effect.
You will witness a strange imp stealing a scrap of paper from the corpse before vanishing in a puff of smoke. Upon inspecting the body, you'll find that the apprentice has been scorched by fire and magic and clawed by vicious talons — the work of the imp Zeefzorpul.
Tip: Stay on the road and run the full length between Skara Brae and the Yew Graveyard. The corpse can appear at several different spots along this route.
Step 2: Report Back to Grizelda
Return to the Hag and tell her what you found. She will be furious to learn that Zeefzorpul murdered her apprentice and stole the Magic Brew Recipe — a list of ingredients she desperately needs. She will demand that you hunt down Zeefzorpul and recover the parchment.
The Hag doesn't know where Zeefzorpul hides, but she suggests that if you rough up some of his imp friends, they'll give up his location.
Step 3: Kill Imps
Hunt and kill Imps anywhere in the world. You will need to slay between 1 and 4 imps (the number is randomized each time you do the quest). Any Imp creature counts toward your goal.
Once you kill enough imps, the last one will beg for mercy and reveal Zeefzorpul's hiding place. You will receive two items:
- A Map — Shows the location of Zeefzorpul's hiding spot with a pin marker.
- A Magic Flute — Required to summon Zeefzorpul when you reach his location.
Step 4: Find and Confront Zeefzorpul
Open the map you received and travel to the pinned location. Zeefzorpul's hiding spot is chosen at random from many possible locations across the world, so check your map carefully.
When you arrive at the correct spot, play the Magic Flute to summon Zeefzorpul. He will appear in a puff of brimstone-scented smoke. After ranting about how impossible it should have been for you to find him, Zeefzorpul will reluctantly hand over the Magic Brew Recipe — but not before snatching the Magic Flute back from you and fleeing.
You will receive the Magic Brew Recipe in your backpack.
Step 5: Return the Recipe to Grizelda
Bring the recipe back to Grizelda. She'll be pleased you recovered it, but she still needs someone to actually gather the ingredients on the list. She informs you that if you want your reward, you'll have to complete the ingredient-gathering tasks she had originally assigned to her late apprentice.
Step 6: Gather Three Ingredients
The Hag's recipe requires three ingredients, assigned one at a time in sequence. Each ingredient is chosen at random (without repeats) from the following list:
| Ingredient | Source | Quantity Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Sheep Liver | Sheep | 5 |
| Rabbit's Foot | Rabbit, Jack Rabbit | 5 |
| Mongbat Wing | Mongbat, Greater Mongbat | 5 |
| Chicken Gizzard | Chicken | 5 |
| Rat Tail | Rat, Giant Rat, Sewer Rat | 5 |
| Frog's Leg | Bull Frog | 5 |
| Deer Heart | Hind, Great Hart | 5 |
| Lizard Tongue | Lava Lizard, Lizardman | 5 |
| Slime Ooze | Slime | 5 |
| Spirit Essence | Ghoul, Spectre, Shade, Wraith, Bogle | 5 |
| Swamp Water | Gathered from the world | 1 |
| Freshly Cut Red Mushrooms | Gathered from the world | 1 |
| Bones Buried in Hallowed Ground | Gathered from the world | 1 |
| Star Chart | Gathered from the world | 1 |
| Captain Blackheart's Whiskey | Captain Blackheart | 1 |
Creature-drop ingredients (quantity of 5) are obtained by killing the listed creatures. Each kill of a matching creature drops one ingredient toward your total.
World-gathered ingredients (quantity of 1) are obtained by interacting with specific objects or locations in the world.
After you complete each ingredient, the quest automatically advances to the next one until all three are gathered.
Special Case: Captain Blackheart's Whiskey
If one of your three ingredients is Captain Blackheart's Whiskey, you will need to visit Captain Blackheart at the tavern. However, the old pirate will refuse to share his brew with a landlubber. To earn his respect, you must meet both of the following conditions:
- Wear a Tricorne Hat — You must be wearing a tricorne hat to look the part of a pirate.
- Be Visibly Drunk — You must have consumed enough alcohol to appear inebriated.
If you visit Blackheart without meeting both conditions, he will taunt you and send you away with hints about what you're missing:
- Hat only — He'll acknowledge you look the part but say you don't have the stomach for it and need to fill your belly with rotgut.
- Drunk only — He'll note your belly is full of liquor but say you still don't look like a pirate and need the right cut of cloth.
- Neither — He'll call you a landlubber and tell you to come back when you look and act like a real pirate.
Once you arrive wearing the hat and sufficiently drunk, Blackheart will be impressed and hand over a jug of his famous whiskey. The quest then advances to the next ingredient (or to the final step if this was your last one).
Step 7: Return to Grizelda
Once all three ingredients have been gathered, return to the Hag. She'll be surprised you survived and — in her own grumpy way — reward you for your efforts before shooing you away.
Reward
Upon completing the quest, Grizelda will give you an enchanted reward item.
Tips
- The quest has a 5-minute cooldown after completion before you can start it again.
- The number of imps you need to kill (1–4) is randomized each run, so some completions will be faster than others.
- Stock up on Ale or other alcoholic drinks before starting, in case Captain Blackheart's Whiskey comes up as one of your ingredients. Bring a Tricorne Hat as well.
- Creature-drop ingredients require killing 5 of the listed creatures. Plan your route based on what ingredient you receive — for example, Sheep are found in pastures near Britain, while Lava Lizards are found in dungeons and volcanic areas.
- Zeefzorpul's hiding location is randomized from 20 possible spots across the map. Always check your map item rather than guessing.