[SPOILERS] Ladies of the woods quest discussion.

[Z the Wolf]

Did anyone else screw up by releasing the tree demon? I always just bare with consequences of my choices in RPGs.. But the fact that the whole village died because of my, and then the Bloody Baron and his wife... It's just difficult not to think about it. >_< The demon promised to free the children... We still don't know what happened to them. :/ Do we know what happens to them if we just kill the demon?

[Tom]

That's what I love about the game. I knew not to release him because I read "She Who Knows". I really really pays just to be curious.

[DUNK]

Escrito originalmente por Tom:

That's what I love about the game. I knew not to release him because I read "She Who Knows". I really really pays just to be curious.

That assumes that what the book says is even true. I read it before I did the quest and I don't regret my decision. It's unfortunate that some of the villagers died, but the children were saved, and their lives went on. The stuff in book could easily have been rumors perpetuated by the Crones to keep this spirit locked away, allowing them free reign to do whatever they want. The Crones don't show any motivation at any point other than to further their own interests. To me, there's no evidence at all that they've done any good.

[tamoni4]

When you release the spirit, notice that the horse is called - Black Mare. In Slavic mythology, Mare is an evil spirit that brings bad dreams - that's why they are called nightMAREs (remember the village elder said something about seeing nightmares?). I have a theory that the dead bodies around that area with a tree are not the unfortunate travelers, I think that the spirit was luring them on purpose and it was 'playing innocent' with Geralt because it felt that he is strong enough to kill it and to trick him. Anyway this spirit is obviously evil, I don't think that Geralt would let it free. Letting children die is a lesser evil because this way the village will be saved, the Baron and his wife would be alive and the spirit will not be able to do any potential harm (even if you save the children, do you think they would survive alone and won't be killed by any monster?).

[Wrane]

Escrito originalmente por tamoni4:

When you release the spirit, notice that the horse is called - Black Mare. In Slavic mythology, Mare is an evil spirit that brings bad dreams - that's why they are called nightMAREs (remember the village elder said something about seeing nightmares?). I have a theory that the dead bodies around that area with a tree are not the unfortunate travelers, I think that the spirit was luring them on purpose and it was 'playing innocent' with Geralt because it felt that he is strong enough to kill it and to trick him. Anyway this spirit is obviously evil, I don't think that Geralt would let it free. Letting children die is a lesser evil because this way the village will be saved, the Baron and his wife would be alive and the spirit will not be able to do any potential harm (even if you save the children, do you think they would survive alone and won't be killed by any monster?).

They do get to Novigrad safely, and are in the school for tots later on in the main quest line.

[DUNK]

Escrito originalmente por tamoni4:

When you release the spirit, notice that the horse is called - Black Mare. In Slavic mythology, Mare is an evil spirit that brings bad dreams - that's why they are called nightMAREs (remember the village elder said something about seeing nightmares?). I have a theory that the dead bodies around that area with a tree are not the unfortunate travelers, I think that the spirit was luring them on purpose and it was 'playing innocent' with Geralt because it felt that he is strong enough to kill it and to trick him. Anyway this spirit is obviously evil, I don't think that Geralt would let it free. Letting children die is a lesser evil because this way the village will be saved, the Baron and his wife would be alive and the spirit will not be able to do any potential harm (even if you save the children, do you think they would survive alone and won't be killed by any monster?).

Why is it a lesser evil for the children to die, who are innocent in the entire ordeal, than the people who sent them there in the first place? Those villagers lived a long life, certainly longer than the children. You're breaking the cycle.

[Vellari]

Escrito originalmente por Savage:

I've no remorse for the village that was destroyed (although I've yet to see it destroyed in my game, I recall only seeing a single hut being burned down)

Not sure how people can have missed it, Downwarren is the place where you go to meet the Baron to start the Return mission. Even a little bit of dialog takes place on the slaughter where Geralt correctly assumes the tree spirit being responsible.

It isn't literally erased from the map or burned down, but the villagers have been killed.

[Ashyne]

I found a book in Yennefer's room titled "She Who Knows". And it explains that the "tree demon" at Whispering Hillocks is actually the 3 Crones' mother- their Creator.

The 3 Crones, who took on the title of Ladies of the Wood, killed their creator and imprisoned it under the tree in the Whispering Hillocks and usurped the title of the original Lady of the Wood, who created the 3 Crones from dirt and water to help the local people and who originally served as her voice and hands.

[Lumicko]

Escrito originalmente por Ashyne:

I found a book in Yennefer's room titled "She Who Knows". And it explains that the "tree demon" at Whispering Hillocks is actually the 3 Crones' mother- their Creator.

The 3 Crones, who took on the title of Ladies of the Wood, killed their creator and imprisoned it under the tree in the Whispering Hillocks and usurped the title of the original Lady of the Wood, who created the 3 Crones from dirt and water to help the local people and who originally served as her voice and hands.

Yeah but each spring sacrifices of grain , animals and men were made to the Lady of Wood ( the spirit ) and as years passed she was getting more and more mad and madness spread over the lands....

[Savage]

Escrito originalmente por Lumicko:

Yeah but each spring sacrifices of grain , animals and men were made to the Lady of Wood ( the spirit ) and as years passed she was getting more and more mad and madness spread over the lands....

Which in a way is a good thing.

3 crones demand complete obedience and the occasional sacrifice of a child. Essentially tyranny.

While if the book is indeed 'true' cause it is written from a biased perspective, such madness and gradual increase in demands forces a 'reaction'. The 3 crones have been living in relative symbiosis for quite sometime with the village near its lands. Imagine what happens when all that goes up in smoke. People take notice. Witch Hunters take notice. Such actions calls for the attention of the Witchers. Especially now that if the spirit was released, its out for revenge against the crones.

[Lumicko]

Escrito originalmente por Savage:

Escrito originalmente por Lumicko:

Yeah but each spring sacrifices of grain , animals and men were made to the Lady of Wood ( the spirit ) and as years passed she was getting more and more mad and madness spread over the lands....

Which in a way is a good thing.

3 crones demand complete obedience and the occasional sacrifice of a child. Essentially tyranny.

While if the book is indeed 'true' cause it is written from a biased perspective, such madness and gradual increase in demands forces a 'reaction'. The 3 crones have been living in relative symbiosis for quite sometime with the village near its lands. Imagine what happens when all that goes up in smoke. People take notice. Witch Hunters take notice. Such actions calls for the attention of the Witchers. Especially now that if the spirit was released, its out for revenge against the crones.

Yes but probably wont stop after Crones. But good point. It might stop after it takes revenge on Crones but we dont know. Its really difficult choice because I dont really want Baron to die. He hangs himself and the KID stays without parents ( damn stupid Baron hanging himself when he has still a kid ) also is it true that the entire village will be dead?

[OuchThatHurt]

Escrito originalmente por Tirigon, the White Wolf:

Except that's all metagame knowledge that you as a player have.

Think as Geralt. How the hell would he know that freeing the spirit would result in what happens to Anna? How'd he know the Baron would kill himself over it? You dont know that. What you DO know is that evil monsters have you kill someone who offers a good deed.

At the time i did the quest I didn't know what would happen i saw the tree spirit as a greater threat so killed it...later I found and read the book "She who knows". Then I looked up the other out comes and was happy with what i'd picked...

[Lumicko]

Escrito originalmente por Savage:

Some people always assume that there is a clear cut right/wrong choice in these matters. There never is, and I don't think there is any clear cut right/wrong here either.

In my game I freed the spirit, and in retrospect, I don't regret it at all after finding out what would happen if I didn't. Nor do I think its the right choice, I just view it as the better out of the other one, for me personally.

I have to say the Bloody Baron is/was one of my favorite characters, and it pains me that he hanged himself, but that was his choice, and I regard it somewhat as karma - He did after all throw Anna Strenger's secret lover to the dogs in brutal uncaring fashion. The man is no saint.

This is really a case of choosing an evil over another evil. You've got the Witches who, for god knows how long, have been 'consuming' children. They certainly have a hunger for flesh, lets not forget that they wanted to eat Cirri.

At the time I was releasing the spirit, I knew that this would present as a potential new 'foe' not just to the surrounding locals but also to the witches. If one evil fights another evil, then so be it, let them at it.

I've no remorse for the village that was destroyed (although I've yet to see it destroyed in my game, I recall only seeing a single hut being burned down) since these same villagers have been sending their children off to follow the treats, and have been making great sacrifices to the witches, ever-increasing their power. Well, the Witches have now lost a good source of that power. In the end they ended up paying a greater price, its unfortunate, but at least they won't be sending any more kids to the Crones now.

Also in my own opinion I think its better that Tamara/Bloody Baron got to say goodbye to Anna, who seemed to have welcomed deaths embrace. The alternative seems rather ghastly, which causes Strenger to lose her mind altogether after finding out that the children have been sacrificed to the Crones. The likely hood for her recovering her mind is rather slim at that point, and the Baron essentially disappears with her.

As for the orphans that were 'rescued' by the spirit, who knows what their fate is. They may be dead, they may be alive. But whatever fate it is, it is probably better than ending up in the belly of the Witches, and this spirit seems rather inclined to challenge the Witches power.

Damn missed this one... Well written !!!! Totally agree :)

[Locomotive]

I hate this game and its tendency to make me feel terrible about my decisions :(. You can't save the world!! Why damn it why!!!! I also took to freeing the spirit because I don't like being misled by the crones. Additionally, I went down to the cellar of their house and noticed dead things and a sacrificial alter. Moreover, there's a dead guy in their basement lol. Now if that's not shady I don't know what is. If you look closely, I think his ear is cut off!! So, I think that eventually all the villagers with their ears cut off will be sacrificed to the crones.

As I see it, we're all responsible for our own actions and have to make due with the available information. Crones are evil and killed/imprison the spirit. I see that as justification for it to seek revenge. Is it my fault that other people died in the process of that revenge? Maybe, but I can't save everybody, only those in the immediate vicinity, and that is the children.

I think Geralt would have done the same by saving the children as well.

[Ventus]

Escrito originalmente por Tom:

That's what I love about the game. I knew not to release him because I read "She Who Knows". I really really pays just to be curious.

This ^ I failed to read that, and tried to convince myself that 'it was all for the children"

[Locomotive]

Escrito originalmente por Ventus:

Escrito originalmente por Tom:

That's what I love about the game. I knew not to release him because I read "She Who Knows". I really really pays just to be curious.

This ^ I failed to read that, and tried to convince myself that 'it was all for the children"

I didn't read it, but I investigated the cellar and found them killing/sacrificing people. So they're evil by itself. Who ever heard of a good witch? :P If you remember the children talking about how Granny cried and warned them not to go out too far because they'll get abducted. If they're under the protection of the Crones, how would they? They also mentioned some children disappeared before Geralt arrived. What else could have happened? :P