Back to Act I – In Ciri’s Footsteps

The Whispering Hillock is a main quest but if you stumble across the area in your travels it will appear as a secondary quest.

If you follow the main quest The Ladies of the Wood will tell you to visit the ealdorman in Downwarren. He’ll ask you to investigate a haunted oak tree on the Whispering Hillock. Use the map marker to make your way towards it.

As you get closer to the Ancient Oak a voice will warn you to stay away. If you continue you’ll be attacked by a Werewolf guarding the entrance to a cave underneath the hill.

Follow the partially flooded tunnels to the heart of the tree embedded in the roots. Talk to the Spirit in the tree and ask it why it’s been killing those who get too close. You’ll have a difficult decision now, do you free the Spirit from within the tree or release it.

Releasing the Spirit

If you agree to release the Spirit it will ask for three things, a Raven Feather, it’s Bones and a Wild Black Horse. Use the map markers to track down the items. When you find the remains in the Spirit’s grave Geralt will remark that they don’t look human. For the wild horses you’ll need to ride up close enough to one of them to use Axii on it. Once it’s been hypnotized ride it back to the cave with the other ingredients.

When you speak to the Spirit you’ll still have three options, free the Spirit, trick it or kill it. If you release the Spirit it will enter into the body of the horse, Black Beauty. The Spirit will then save the orhpans as it promised. If you trick it Geralt will start the ritual but then stab it in the heart. If you kill it then a fight will start.

Fighting the Spirit

The Spirit is not defenseless and will summon Endrega Workers to protect it. Kill of the Endregas and then hack away at the branches surrounding the heart. The Spirit will summon another wave of Endregas. Kill them and repeat the process until the heart of the tree is dead.

Consequences

If you free the Spirit it will save the orphans from the Crones. The Crones will be so upset that they curse Anna and turn her into a Water Hag. The Baron will commit suicide as a result. The Spirit will then kill most of the villages of Downwarren.

If you kill the Spirit then the Crones will kill the orphans. Anna will go partially insane over the loss and her husband, the Baron, will take her away to seek help.

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