There are several cage keys in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and are usually meant to help free person(s) in distress and so they show in the quest items tab. Once used, they typically disappear from inventory.
Cage key (Border Post)
This Cage key releases the Border Post merchant, at the Person(s) in distress marker north of Hanged Man's Tree. It is dropped by the Deserter Leader near the cage.
Notes
- Because the surrounding road is used during A Deadly Plot, the bandits are despawned for the duration of that quest. If the Deserter Leader hasn't been killed yet and you can't find him, mediating nearby will respawn all the enemies.
See also
Cage key (Hangman's Alley)
This Cage key releases Claywich's barber from his cage at the Person(s) in distress marker west of Hangman's Alley. It is dropped by the Deserter Leader nearby.
See also
Cage key (Fayrlund)
This Cage key releases the Fayrlund blacksmith, at the Person(s) in distress marker on the shore northwest from the village. One of the pirates there will drop it.
Cage key (Delenfer Pass)
This cage key is from the Blood and Wine expansion, found together with Ernest Scrawler's journal, on a scaffolding around a tree near the merchant in distress at Delenfer Pass.
Associated quest
Bugs
- It is supposed to be dropped by one of the bandits at the site, and his remains glow in red like a quest item, but upon looting there are only regular drops. The actual loot location near the tree is likely a workaround for this.
Cage key (fable)
This cage key is needed during the Blood and Wine expansion to unlock Balbina the Goose's cage. It can be looted off Redbeard's body after killing him.
Associated quest
Cage key (Kvalheim Isle)
This Cage key exists in the game files, but doesn't appear during gameplay and can only be obtained through console commands.
It is part of cut or otherwise redesigned content, where the herbalist at Kvalheim Isle (south from Blandare) was originally caged like other persons in distress throughout the game.