Possible workaround for failed quest objectives in White Orchard [MINOR SPOILER ALERT!!!]

On my first attempt to play The Witcher 3, I left Vesemir standing at the entrance to the tavern in White Orchard Village, holding off on doing the main quest so I could go exploring. After the tavern, when I eventually talked to the Nilfgaardian Commander
at their outpost to continue the main quest, I had already failed one objective-- "Examine the site of the Nilgaardian soldiers' deaths"--and another--"Find Buckthorn"--never even showed up. One of those quests is reportedly worth 350 exp, and I could use
those points for the early game critters (not to mention that I HATE missing objectives). Restart! The problem was in finding the griffon nest and buckthorn on my own, so here's my solution. Go to White Orchard Village, but do not enter the tavern, leave Vesemir
standing there. Go to the Notice Board and collect whatever you can, then call your horse and open your world map. You'll see that there are two question marks, fairly close together, south of the village. Place a waypoint on the one farthest west. This is
a bandit camp. Travel west on the main road out of the village until you are due north of your waypoint. Head to it. There are wolves you'll want to gallop past on the way (don't fight them), because I've heard killing these might cause another objective to
fail. Kill the bandits, collect your loot, and open the world map again. The other question mark in the area, just east of you, is a Place of Power. Go get your point, but do NOT wander this area, as it is close to the griffon nest that causes the failure.
Go back to the bandit camp, then go north back to White Orchard Village's main road. Galloping, of course. Finish the tavern objectives (main quest), fight the three idiots stupid enough to ambush a Witcher outside the door, and head to the Nilfgaard Outpost.
Talk to the Commander to get the quests about finding the herbalist and the hunter. Go to the herbalist first--she will send you out for buckthorn, among other things she has for you to do. Once you complete this objective, you should be free to explore the
rest of the map. Avoid the area south of White Orchard Village, though, because you'll fail the objective until you meet the hunter. (There is nothing more worthwhile in the area, and you can still safely go to the Abandon Village for your Contract.) I collected
the Place of Power, finished the tavern scene, boogied up to the Nilfgaard Commander, and found the two quests untainted. I say possible workaround because I have yet to continue from there, but this should work.

:)

 

Swordsmith locations

I think there might be a swordsmith in white orchard. and there is the elf in novigrad that you can get through a quest - otherwise i think more unlock through quests and side quests when you are up to mid 20's levels...

 

Skyrim companion quest broken

^^^ ***(POSSIBLE) SPOILER ALERT***

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If I remember correctly is that the quest that you need to collect the witch heads from that cave for the old man? If so I think it's caused by clearing out the cave that you're ment to go in after collecting the heads prior to doing this quest.

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I too had this quest bug out on me.