Gretka was a young girl living in Velen in 1272 with the rest of her family. However, when the third Northern War reached the area, it caused food to be scarce and Gretka's parents were struggling to feed all their children.
Biography[]
One day, Gretka was careless and broke a jar that contained all the family's milk. Her mother wanted to punish her but her father noted it'd do no good as it wouldn't bring back the precious food. So instead he took Gretka out to the nearby trail of treats and told her to follow it and come back when she was full. In reality, this trail was used to send unwanted children into Crookback Bog for the Crones to deal with.
However, Gretka got distracted by a butterfly and chased after it before getting lost in a dried up riverbed. Before she could try to find her way home though, wolves appeared and she proceeded to climb up a tree to get out of their reach.
As luck would have it, Ciri, in her haste to escape from the Wild Hunt, fell into the riverbed and found Gretka, still sitting on a tree branch. After Ciri dealt with the wolves, Gretka came down and the two set off to the other end of the riverbed while Gretka told Ciri how she ended up in her earlier predicament, before revealing there was a wolf king in the area that wouldn't let them through. Soon enough, the two came across a mangled corpse that confirmed something monstrous was in the area.
Eventually the two reached the only way out of the riverbed: a cave in which a werewolf was preparing to attack another would-be victim. As Gretka hid, Ciri took out the monster, saving the man's life. As thanks, the man brought them before the local ruler, Phillip Strenger, who could feed the two girls.
Phillip, knowing it'd be pointless to send Gretka back to a family that couldn't feed her, allowed her to stay at Crow's Perch on the condition that she help out in the kitchen. In return, she had enough food to eat and a roof over her head. Meanwhile Ciri, during her stay at Crow's Perch, kept Gretka company and, before she left, gave Gretka an emerald.
Associated quests[]
Notes[]
- Gretka can be found inside the kitchen of the Baron's castle at Crow's Perch after completing the King of the Wolves quest.
- Gretka story seems to have some inspiration from "Hänsel und Gretel" German fairy tale written by Brothers Grimm.
- In the Polish (Original) version her name is "Małgosia" which is a clearer reference as it is the name of the titular "little sister" in the Polish translation of the fairy tale - "Jaś i Małgosia"
- The fact she ends up becoming a kitchen helper is also refernce to the story, as Gretel also becomes a kitchen helper of the witch, albeit unwillingly.