I am playing Witcher 3 from after patch 1.05.
Is it possible to buy shells (pearls) from a merchant, or do I have to find them somewhere?
2 Answers
For another quest you have to travel to Skellige and meet an older man who wants a black pearl as a gift for his beloved woman.
Geralt has to dive for this rare black pearl. You have to collect many shells from the seafloor until you get one with a black (instead of white) pearl inside. The Skellige coast is one spot where you can collect them.
Otherwise you can buy pearls from merchants (but not for the above quest. I had both - a black and a white pearl in my inventory).
Lamias and sirens usually wear some sea shells as jewelry. You should travel to Skellige and look after points of interest near the coasts !