Treasure Hunt: Dirty Funds is a Side Quest in White Orchard. This quest can be found in the northern section of White Orchard, just east of the old mill, and South of the spy's camp where you can find another hidden treasure quest - Treasure Hunt: Deserter Gold.
The encampment may possibly be overrun by Wolves and Wargs so be careful as you explore the camp and the many containers. As you loot the place, look for the main chest that contains a Scrawled Note. The note seems to indicate bandits have made camp not far from here in the hills. Follow the quest marker further East and to the North, near the Cackler Bridge signpost. Here there will be a group of bandits. two to three of them will be at the foot of the camp, while another one or two will be farther up the hill (one with a bow and arrows). The last two bandits will be on the other side of the hill, including a level 4 Deserter Leader with a shield. This can make him a tough opponent to crack - try getting behind him with a short dodge and follow up with Aard to knock him off balance, or simply wait out his attacks and counter them with a well-timed parry.
Once the deserters are gone, loot the entire area and head inside the tent to open all the big chests.
Note that if you have found this bandit camp prior to locating the first site, reading the Scrawled Note will no longer start the quest.
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i have the quest in my log. It prompts me to read the letter, but when I, the quest line doesn't seem to move forward.
I noticed that the letter I am required to read "Scrawled Notes" is under my usable items and not in "Quest Items" where it looks like it should be based on the walkthrough on YouTube.
Has anyone else come across this of no of any solution as I am stuck.
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It glitches for me but only because I opened the chest related to the quest before reading the letter
Yes. It's a bandit camp fairly close to where you got the letter.
It's very easy to accidentally raid the camp first.
This isn't the only occasion something like this happens. If you inadvertently do something out of order in the game, such as exploring and completing certain ? markers or part of a quest out of sequence, you will fail or miss the quest altogether. For what is supposed to be an open world game where you should be able to do anything you wish to in any order as it occurs, comes across as extremely sloppy game design.
I failed Gangs of Novigrad because I did something else prior to the quest, and Dirty Funds and the Viper Armour Treasure Hunt quests are locked for me as well.
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Treasure Hunt: Deserter Gold is a Side Quest in White Orchard. This quest is located in the far North, to the East of the old Mill, and lies on top of a ridge near the very end of the map. Here you will find a dead body, and a small camp (and possibly a large pack of Wolves and Wargs - so watch for ambushes). Upon inspecting a nearby container, you will find a note from a spy, who saw the group deposit a large cache of valuables in a nearby abandoned building near the mill.
Head South and travel to the mill, where you'll find the very same abandoned house with a secret cellar. Hop down and force your way in to find the large assortment of chests - all with very good randomized loot. Note that the very last chest is locked, and you will need to do the other hidden treasure quest: Treasure Hunt: Temerian Valuables to find the key.
Before going toward the hidden chest be sure to pick up the Temerian lily key found from the dead body, near the wooden bridge that leads to the nearby Mill.
Quest eventually takes you to the basement of the shack in the Mill area.
Also note that if you have already completed that quest, reading the spy's notes will not start this quest.