In the Heart of the Woods

Getting to the Root of the Problem

On your hikes across Ard Skellig, stop at the woodland village of Farylund (close to the middle of the island), and listen to a group of villagers muttering close to an irrigation stream. They speak about one of their own, killed by the woodland spirit. Head to the edge of the woods to view the twisted remains of a villager, strangled, split and torn, and wrapped tight in vines. The crowd is divided into two camps; those that believe the death was due to ignoring “the old ways” (lead by Harald), while others believe this is a monster that requires eradication (lead by Sven).

After a less than friendly welcome, mention your services are for hire. You may ask about the woodland spirit, the others it has killed, and why the spirit may be out for revenge. This starts a war of words between Harald and Sven. Tell them enough, and that you’ll make up your mind after you discover what’s responsible for the deaths. Head west, into the woods.

Move to the first objective area, dealing with a possible warrior endriaga incursion. Then stoop and use your Witcher Senses:

• Pick up a trail of large footprints.
• A dead dog shows thin and deep cuts, not unlike a razor.

Follow the trail, watching for four more endriaga, moving past a possible wolf attack as you reach the second objective area.

• Inspect a tangle of tree roots that have skewered a villager into an upright stone. This has smashed the victim’s bones which takes immense strength.
• Follow the tracks in a more southwesterly direction, into an area of standing stones and marsh waters. Expect frightened deer to scarper at your arrival.

The beast sharpened its claws (or marked territory) on three of the large standing stones. Engage a couple of white wolves in combat here. You know what made these marks now—an ancient male leshen.

The Sacred and the Profane

Return to Fayrlund. You have a choice in who you inform first.

Harald is at the edge of the village, having buried the brambled man. He speaks of history, and when you tell him of ridding the area of the leshen, he argues that this entity is what made them warriors in the first place. He also has another way; a method to appease the woodland spirit. You must roam the woods with knife and spear, fighting on even terms to prove valor. You should go to the Covenant Stone within the woods, and submit to this trial by burning a sacrifice of wolves’ hearts. You can:

• Agree to try it Harald’s way (you can always change your mind).
• Disagree, and vow to simply slay the leshen.
• Think things over (and get Sven’s side of the story).

Sven is near the village merchant, usually flirting with Hilde (a villager). He speaks about the beast’s appetite for killing. You can agree (or disagree) that this is just an “ordinary monster,” before telling Sven the leshen has marked one of the villagers and that as long as the individual lives here, the leshen cannot be completely killed.

While the villagers won’t believe this story from you, if you find the marked villager (Sven reckons it is Harald), Sven will convince everyone to banish them. You can:

• Find the marked person, continuing Sven’s plan.
• Or leave the village, and begin the ritual Harald told you about.

For History and Harald: Harvesting Hearts from the Woods

Go into the woods, taking a circular rout across the higher ground to the south, and winding around to a cliff ledge overlooking the forests. Beware of wolves attacking as you reach the altar, which is just to the left of the oak tree. Once they are defeated, and five hearts are collected, the ritual can begin.

The hearts are lit using Igni. A watching raven inspects the offering. You look up to see dozens of the birds perched on the oak tree. They start to squark and circle the tree in a spiral to the sky. The woodland spirit is appeased. For now.

Harald’s Way: Appeasing a Legendary Leshen

Return to Fayrlund. Meet Harald at the tree carved totem in the middle of the village. He tells you he saw smoke rise and crows dance in the sky. You can tell Harald that the leshen will return and the killing will continue; that this is only a temporary solution. Harald is angered. You’ve not been paid to lecture him. Then Sven arrives, having killed all the other elders responsible for keeping this ritual alive. He’s ready to slay Harald next. You can:

• Tell Sven you can’t let him kill Harald. You must then fight Sven and his three guards.
• You can stay out of Sven’s business, and let him murder Harald.

Either way, the quest concludes.

Stepping Forward with Sven: Snuffing Out the Woodland Spirit

Choose Sven’s way, and begin a meticulous search of marked villagers. Sven isn’t correct about Harald. In fact, it is the washerwoman Hilde. You’ll usually find her near the irrigation stream to the north of the village, that bears the leshen’s mark. Return to Sven, who’s making unsubstantiated claims about the village elders mating with beasts. He’s taken aback when you reveal the marked villager is Hilde. His hubris shrivels away, and agrees to the banishment. This same conclusion occurs if you don’t immediately tell him the marked one is Hilde—Sven can’t change his mind now! You are now free to destroy the leshen’s three totems (see below).

Enter the woods again, and search for the three small objective areas. Beware of wolves; they are a constant nuisance during your search and destruction. When you reach a totem (a collection of animal bones and skulls fashioned into a fetish), utilize your Igni Sign and burn each into cinders. The leshen has sensed you and sends tree roots to stab and wound, and more wolves to waylay you. Keep moving and dismantling totem as you go.

When the third totem is burning, locate the objective area, and use your Witcher Senses—the echoes of the angered leshen can be “seen” as gray circular pulses. Approach them and the leshen duly appears.

Out of the forest a giant, skull-faced spirit summons its flock of ravens, three ravenous wolves, and attacks with tree roots and a variety of slashing from its mighty claws. Use trees for cover as you defeat this hardy opponent.

Sven’s Way: Usurper

Return to Fayrlund. Meet Sven at the tree carved totem in the middle of the village, where he has murdered Harald and the elders. Not to worry, your agreement still stands and your coin is awarded. Other villagers are shocked at the bloodshed.

You can:

• Tell Sven you can’t let this murder slide, and that everyone saw it happen. You must thenleave them, and stay out of his business.
• You can stay out of Sven’s business.

Either way, the quest concludes.