Finding hidden portals is not easy for players roaming the dark fantasy world of Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree.

This crucial task forms part of the “Witch Coven” quest, where your exploration skills will be thoroughly tested in the interconnected realm of Faelduum.

Finding The Elusive Gateway To The Portal

The hidden Portal is present in the bewitched swamplands of Gravesip or the eerily surrounding of Old Wickham.

Those fog-laden zones conceal many secrets among their twisted trees and black waters.

The hidden Portal does not present itself easily—it requires certain triggers and a diligent eye to explore the environment.

The reliable path starts just near the area of both the Dryad and the herbalist character.

This tree-like enemy guards the way forward, whether intentionally or simply as part of Faelduum’s natural entropy.

Killing The Guardian Dryad

Fighting the Dryad will be a tough challenge. These forest creatures can deal massive area attacks and move with surprising quickness.

You must equip resistance for your character and stay on the move during the fight.

Any damage dealt to the Dryad lessens their power over the region, causing magical roots blocking the way near you to wither and remove.

This change to the surrounding environment is your first important step toward revealing the hidden Portal.

Although this new pathway may not lead directly to your goal, it is the imperfect beginning of what needs to be done.

A Never-ending Quest For More Exploration

For the Portal to even appear, one might have to do much more than the Dryad.

Many players report needing to thoroughly investigate the surrounding area multiple times before the gateway materializes.

This mechanic aligns with the game’s Metroidvania design philosophy, where repeated visits to previously explored locations often yield new discoveries.

Return to the Dryad location after going down other nearby paths. Watch for minor visual clues, such as shimmering air, unusual light patterns, or an unusual environmental feature that might point to the Portal’s position.

If they notice such details, they would almost invariably be rewarded.

Troubleshooting Portal-Related Issues

Few players find it hard to activate the Portal despite having met all the obvious requirements. This could be attributed to several causes:

Make sure that all surrounding branches have been sufficiently explored. The game sometimes requires seemingly unrelated objectives to be completed before a portal might activate.

Secondly, if you take down the Dryad but progress is still elusive, walk around the area for a while—the Portal will appear in a minute or so.

If all the aforementioned fail, chances are it’s a tech issue rather than a design choice. Recent player forums have discussed potential bugs affecting that very objective.

You must also ensure that you are on the latest version of the game—patch 1.2.5 HOTFIX was especially aimed at fixing several progression issues, including this one.