The quests in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt have long been considered some of the best in gaming. Throughout his journey, Geralt of Rivia encounters secondary stories and missions that feature remarkable narrative depth and a variety of outcomes. The choices that Geralt is faced with are often morally ambiguous, forcing players to choose between a set of seemingly impossible options.
"Return to Crookback Bog" is a perfect example of The Witcher 3's ability to create the setting for these difficult choices, closing out one of the game's main storylines with a gut-wrenching mission to free Anna, the long-suffering wife of the Bloody Baron, from a curse that turns her into a monstrous water hag.
Before Returning to Crookback Bog
By the time Geralt initiates this side quest, most of the main narrative around Anna, Tamara, and the Bloody Baron will be complete. How events play out during Geralt's return to the bog will depend on choices made during the "Ladies of the Wood" group of quests, specifically "The Whispering Hillock."
It is possible to complete "The Whispering Hillock" in several different ways, each of which will affect "Return to Crookback Bog" differently. Geralt can discover and complete the main tasks of this mission before it is assigned, drastically altering the events of "Ladies of the Wood." The specific requirements for ensuring Geralt confronts 'cursed Anna' are:
- Do not complete "The Whispering Hillock" before beginning the "Ladies of the Wood" series of quests.
- Once instructed by the Crones to do so, follow the markers to the provided location.
- Go against the wishes of the Crones and free the spirit.
Locating Anna and Fighting the Fiend
Regardless of which choices Geralt made beforehand, initiating "Return to Crookback Bog" will find him marching back into the swamp with the Bloody Baron and his men. Upon arrival, the group discovers the Baron's daughter Tamara and her retinue of Witch Hunters searching for Anna. After a brief interaction with her father, Tamara discovers her mother in one of the huts, fully transformed into a water hag by the foul ladies who rule the bog.
Before the group can fully discuss a method of reversing the curse, Geralt senses danger lurking nearby. Several drowners and a massive fiend then rush the center of the village, attacking anyone in their path.
The fiend can be taken down using the following steps:
- Use relict oil generously. The boost to damage will end the fight quickly. The base version only lasts for 15 strikes, so remember to apply whenever necessary.
- Watch out for the fiend's special ability; its eyes begin to glow, signifying an attack that will temporarily blind Geralt.
- Stay moving, and watch out for the drowners. They are less dangerous at lower difficulty levels but can have much higher damage output at a higher difficulty.
Asking Johnny for Help
After fighting the fiend, Tamara asks Geralt for help removing the curse from Anna. This leads Geralt to seek out Johnny the Godling once again. Johnny played an important role earlier in "Ladies of the Wood," helping Geralt discover what happened to Ciri in the bog. Following the markers will lead to his home, where Geralt will have to protect him from a monster attack.
Johnny will give Geralt information about a hidden cellar inside the home of the Ladies of the Wood. With this information, the curse that holds Anna can finally be lifted,
Picking The Correct Doll
Geralt can locate the correct hut and the cellar door inside by using his witcher senses. Once inside, he is joined by Graden of the Witch Hunters, Tamara's escort in the bog. On the table before them sit several dolls with unique identifying items embedded within. Graden will explain the significance of the dolls and that in order to lift the curse, Geralt must pick the one that represents Anna. There are four dolls to choose from:
- Red-Beaded Doll: Though Anna wears red beads, she is hardly alone in this. A common necklace is not personal enough.
- Human Ear Doll: the Ladies take ears as payment, as seen in Downwarren. Unlikely to represent Anna.
- Bird Feather Doll: There is nothing tying Anna to birds, at least not that Geralt has seen.
- Violet Hollyhock Bloom: The Baron specifically mentioned this was Anna's favorite flower. This is the correct choice.
Picking the incorrect doll will cause Anna to burst into flames directly in front of the Baron and their daughter. Graden will disapprove of Geralt's handling of the situation, and Tamara will be furious.
Choosing the Violet Hollyhock Bloom will indeed lift the curse, but in a cruel twist, the Crones magically tied it to Anna's life, causing her to quickly die after being freed from it. Anna will get to have her final moments wither her family, even going as far as attempting to make some kind of peace between father and daughter.
No matter how the events in the bog ended, when Geralt returns to Crow's Perch to claim his reward from the Baron, he finds him swinging from a noose in the courtyard, unable to face the pain and anguish he caused his own family. Thus ends the tale of the Bloody Baron.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available now on PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.