Fresh from their high-stakes ordeal trapped inside Trosky Castle, Henry and Hans are back on the road again, this time striking out to the southern fort of Nebakov at the behest of Lord Otto von Bergow.
The Lord is raising an army to take on the bandits plauging the area, but to do so, he must call on the garrisons from the forts in the surrounding countryside.
As Hans’ bodyguard and confidant, it’s Henry’s task to travel alongside his Lord and make sure no harm befalls him. But this trip can’t go as badly as their recent misadventures, surely?
After seeing your new quarters at the castle with the chamberlain and collecting a new mount for your trouble, meet up with Hans to carry out your duty.
Back in the Saddle quest guide
To start, speak to Hans at the inner gate of Trosky Castle, then saddle up on your new mount and make for Nebakov. Rile against the chamberlain when given the chance for some reputation points, then you can pick the caring option if you’ve been friendly in your choices towards Hans so far in your adventure.
Hans asks after the herbwoman, Bozhena, who nursed you back to health, and based on whether you already repaid the 150 groschen worth of services she gave you and completed the Bad Blood quest, you can net yet more positive reputation.
On the road, you can continue farming positive reputation by consoling Hans and offering a positive spin on his predicaments. Then, when he challenges you to a race, accept. Your destination is the shrine on the other side of Troskowitz, which you might be able to reach first depending on your horsemanship level. If you’re just using the new mount from the main quest then Hans’s horse will likely be too fast for you.
As you resume at a more sedate pace, chat with Hans and answer as you wish to continue your chummy or fractious relationship. You can then choose to either fast travel to the next spot or enjoy the bucolic scenery.
At Nebakov, you’re thrust into conversation with Jaromier before Hans leaves to converse with him in private. You’re taken by Michael for a drink and a tour of the fortress, but you can slip in some sleuthing too and try and work out why there are so many horses stabled at Nebakov.
How to find out what happened with the horses at Nebakov
Everyone is being so nice to you in Nebakov. Almost too nice.
Rather than following Michael immediately, if you slink off to the field, you can speak to the groom there. Don your best outfit before you talk to him if you want a charisma boost for the incoming persuasion check, but ask about the horses and he’s skittish on the details.
Based on your intimidation, knightly valor, or horsemanship, you can deflect when he challenges you to a race and press him for more information. With 17 horsemanship, the groom revealed that the men at Nebakov clashed with the local bandits, defeated them, then came away with the horses. Curious.
Now, head back to the fortress courtyard and follow Michael in an attempt to get to know him better, and he presses you on the business you’re here to discuss. He’s pleased if you divulge that von Bergow intends to take on the bandits and thinks he’ll be sent himself along with plenty of others. Michael wants to know more about Hans, and you can say how he’ll inherit a lot of wealth and influence one day, but isn’t very important right now.
Michael will then challenge you to a duel, which you should accept but not go through with. Given you’ve pleased Michael with your answers, you can then also ask about the suspicious amount of horses at the keep. He says that Jaromier inherited land that couldn’t be granted to him, so he was given horses to the value instead. That obviously conflicts with the story the groom told you, and when you press him on it, Michael has no good answer.
There’s something fishy going on and it seems an awful lot like everyone is being overly nice to try and distract you from something. So when you can end the conversation, do so, then go up the stairs to the main keep building.
Follow the wooden structure until you can get inside, then sneak into the room in front of you and grab the set of keys on the table.
Next, go all the way upstairs and you find a sleeping garrison of soldiers with a ton of equipment. Be sure to “examine” the equipment in the middle to update your journal. You can also stuff your pockets with as much choice gear as you can carry in here. The Knight’s Sword and various armour pieces are the main prizes, but have a good root around before you leave.
Now go back outside and find the door to the jail at the bottom of the fortress. Here, Guard Hertel stands waiting. Don your best outfit for the incoming charisma check, then tell him that Sir Jaromier needs him so he leaves his post. If you fail, you can always use the crouch and throw a rock trick.
Open the door once he leaves and be sure to close it behind you. Characters in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 react to open doors and it will give up your position. Inside, speak to the prisoner and he blows the whole mystery wide open: the man you’re speaking to is in fact the real Jaromier Nebakov and the bandits have taken over the fortress! Agree to report back to von Bergow, but you can’t ride off without Hans.
At the Lord’s advice, wait until the conclusion of their meeting by your horses as not to invite further scrutiny. Fortunately, because you weren’t discovered, Hans is released to the paddock and you can relay your findings before running away as quickly as possible.
Back at Trosky, speak with von Bergow at once to deliver the bad news. After a lengthy conversation – where you can draw on your knowledge of side quests to gain reputation if you wish – you’re given the task of interrogating a prisoner in the dungeon, finding out more about the bandits, and collecting a reward from von Bergow’s personal armoury as a gift for your ingenuity. This quest then finishes, and another begins: Necessary Evil.
For more quest help and item locations, take a look at our in-progress Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 walkthrough!