The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, developed by Polish developers called CD Projekt Red, is an action role-playing game. It is the third part of The Witcher video game series, a sequel to The Witcher 2: Assassins Of Kings.
You play as the character named Geralt, who is from the city called Rivia. You enter the Northern Kingdom which has war-ravaged towns and settlements. This blood-soaked destruction has been left by an otherworldly invading army, known as Wild Hunt. You enter the unknown Continent and have a monster slayer, known as a Witcher. Your ultimate goal here is to find your adopted daughter who is on the run from the otherworldly wild hunt.
As you proceed to the roaring clash with The Wild Hunt, you will discover a perplexing, engrossing story and meet unforgettable non-player characters. The mysteries are all around the Northern Kingdoms, inside every village, tree, and shadow. Every decision you take will have implications, you will have to use your mind strategically. Your decisions will decide your journey throughout the game. There are mainly three possible endings, which will be determined by your choices at key points in the storyline.
The Witcher 3: In the Hearts of The Woods
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is full of quests that take you closer to the ending. The best about these quests is that they are all full of gray choices, there is no right or wrong option while choosing. This makes the player stay confused but thrilled throughout the story. Its mystery is its most gripping element.
Some quests can make you struggle hard with the question of morality and make it perplexing to choose between what is right and wrong. “In The Hearts Of The Woods” is one of the best examples of such a quest in the entire game. It is a witcher contract quest in Skellige.
As a part of this quest, you will be offered a choice to side with any of the two factions of a local village. Your choices and decisions will determine the life and death of many in-game characters. You will also be deciding the fate of the village for upcoming years through your choice of faction. Everything which you must know about The Witcher3: In The Hearts Of The Woods, is mentioned below. Keep your hands full with prior knowledge and make the decision you feel worthy and effective.
How to Begin
There are two ways to activate this quest in the game. The first way is through finding a note of request on a notice board. You will find this notice board at the Kaer Trolde Harbor. Just go out and look for the notice titled “Contract: Woodland Spirit.” The other way of activating this quest is by encountering the group of people on the road just Southwest of Fayrlund. This the place where the quest takes place as well.
You will get to know that some kind of monster in the area has been harming and killing the hunters. There is an argument going on between two groups of people, one led by someone called Harald and the other one led by Sven. They are deciding what should be done about this monster problem they are facing.
As you will keep approaching the area, you will find a body that has been attacked by the tree branches. You will also find a group of people arguing just there.
Witcher 3 In The Heart Of The Woods: Many young men died hunting that monster.
The Two Faction
The argument which is currently going on has split the village into two factions with their solution to the problem. Harald and the other elders of the village have concluded that the spirit should be left alone and they should do nothing about it. Their defense to the conclusion is that it will turn the villagers into strong warriors. Sven is one of the younger men in the village. He believes it to be a common beast that is killing anyone who gets too close to it.
You’ll not be demanded to choose immediately now or side with anyone just now. Prominently, you will need to discover what creature is exactly responsible for all of the chaos and arguments. After quite an investigation into the trail, you will find a dead dog and another body. Soon after, you will have to stand a fight against some wolves near a ring of stones.
When you would have dealt with everything currently, your character Geralt will notice some scratch marks. He will deduce and come to an answer to discover that it is a Leshen, an ancient woodland creature with an enormous amount of power. You may check the bestiary to know and learn more about this creature. After proper research and realizing what that creature exactly is your character, Geralt will earn 10 experience points.
Turn to Pick a Side
The time has arrived now that you make a choice to side between the elders and the younger villagers. Harald is fine with some of the deaths around the village because he believes that the creature is making them stronger warriors, maybe even the strongest in Skellige. He even believes that you should offer a sacrifice to return to the ancestral past with the leshen. Sven believes in an option better than killing the leshen. However you will be required to do something about the “marked” one in the village, otherwise, the leshen will just end up resurrected again.
If you choose to join and side with Harald and the elders, you will have to form the pact with the leshen. If you choose to side with Sven, then you will have to find the marked one.
A tip: If you will side with Harald then you will miss out on achievement if you are playing the game on PlayStation, PC, or Xbox.
If your choice is Harald
You may go through this section if you have decided Harald to be your choice.
As you will head to the altar in the forest, five white wolves will appear. You will have to kill all five and collect their heart. These hearts would be the offering to the leshen, place them on the altar and wait for him to accept the offering. This will also give you 20 experience points. Now, you may return to Fayrulund and speak to Harald.
While this conversation is going on, Sven will approach along with another person, they will inform you that they have killed the other elders and now their next target is Harald. You may choose to get in between or not. If you decide to protect him, you will need to hold off Sven and his mate before they get to Harald, which they will eventually do, even if you try to save Harald. If you choose not to get involved, they will easily kill Harald. No matter what, you will earn 50 experience points and 60 crowns.
If you choose Sven
You must read this section if you choose Sven.
Prominently, you will have to find the marked person. As you are dealing with a leshen, you will want to follow the crows. On the western side of the village, you will find a bunch of them. Your Witcher senses will reveal the marked person. This person will turn out to be a young woman called Hilde who has a romantic involvement with Sven. You may return to Sven and tell this person should be killed or exiled and then tell the complicated parts, that it’s Hilde.
Sven will agree to any method you choose. Now, you will have to go back to the woods. You will have to discover three totems and destroy them to summon leshen. It is finally the time you fight it.
Fighting the Leshen
Leshens are not easily dealt with. They will summon crows and wolves and use them as a deadly attack arsenal. They will stab you with their arm through the grounds via the tree roots. This attack would cause a great deal of damage to Geralt as it is one of the strongest ones. They will also swipe you away with their damaging claws.
You may keep an eye on them when they move both their arms in the air. This action signifies a move where the leshen disappears in a smoke and appears again nearby. A way to prevent this move is to use a Moon Dust bomb.
You can use all the fire-based attacks such as Igni, relict oil, Dragon’s Dream bombs, etc. as the leshen cannot attack when on fire.
You will earn 50 experience points when you have defeated it. You may grab the leshen trophy and return to the village. As you’ll be approaching Fayrlund, you’ll notice something strange and very wrong. While you were gone, Sven killed all the villagers after capturing them all.
Sven will tell you that your work is done and his motives have also been fulfilled. You can do nothing more now. The quest will be complete and you will earn 50 experience points and 60 crowns.
