Can You Save Anna from the Crones in The Witcher 3? A Definitive Guide
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Yes, you can save Anna from the Crones in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, but the path to her salvation is paved with difficult choices and morally gray consequences. There are multiple outcomes stemming from the “Ladies of the Wood” and “The Whispering Hillock” quests, and each impacts Anna’s fate differently. No single decision guarantees a perfectly happy ending for everyone involved.
Understanding the Key Decisions
The central dilemma revolves around two interconnected quests:
- Ladies of the Wood: This main questline involves Geralt investigating the Crones of Crookback Bog and their connection to Ciri’s whereabouts.
- The Whispering Hillock: This quest requires Geralt to deal with a mysterious entity trapped beneath a hill near the bog.
The order in which you complete these quests, and the specific choices you make within them, determine the ultimate fate of Anna, the orphans in Crookback Bog, and the villagers of Downwarren. It is a complicated quest line with lots of different endings.
Outcome 1: Killing the Tree Spirit for the Crones
If you choose to kill the Tree Spirit as the Crones instruct, several things happen:
- Anna lives: The Crones will lift the curse they placed upon her.
- The Orphans Die: The orphans at Crookback Bog are either eaten or enslaved by the Crones.
- Downwarren is safe: The village of Downwarren is spared from the Tree Spirit’s wrath.
- The Baron lives: The Baron goes to seek a cure for Anna’s mental illness.
This is often considered the “lesser evil” outcome, as it prioritizes the safety of a larger population at the expense of a smaller, vulnerable one.
Outcome 2: Freeing the Tree Spirit Before “Ladies of the Wood”
Choosing to free the Tree Spirit before beginning the “Ladies of the Wood” quest has different repercussions:
- Anna lives: Once again, Anna survives, albeit with a tragic twist which we will discuss later.
- The Orphans Die: Even though the Tree Spirit is free, it does not save the children.
- Downwarren is destroyed: The Tree Spirit unleashes its fury upon Downwarren, slaughtering the villagers.
- The Baron lives: The Baron takes Anna away to try and find a cure.
This path highlights the dangers of unintended consequences. While the intention might be noble, the result is widespread destruction.
Outcome 3: Freeing the Tree Spirit After “Ladies of the Wood” but Before Dealing with Anna
This is the path some consider the most complex and ethically challenging:
- Anna Dies: Because the children are released from the Crones’ service, the Crones punish Anna, and she dies.
- The Orphans are Freed: The Tree Spirit, in its diminished capacity, will still rescue the orphans.
- Downwarren survives: The Tree Spirit has diminished enough to be unable to attack Downwarren.
- The Baron attempts suicide: Because Anna has died, the Baron attempts to hang himself.
This ending requires you to make tough decisions and is one of the bleakest in the game.
The “Best” Outcome? There Isn’t One
It’s crucial to understand that there is no universally “best” outcome. Each choice involves sacrifice, and the most “positive” result depends entirely on your personal moral compass. The story of the Crones and the Whispering Hillock is a stark reminder of the morally ambiguous world of The Witcher 3, one that mirrors complex real-world ethical dilemmas. These kinds of difficult decisions are often explored through games-based learning in educational settings. The Games Learning Society, for example, explores the potential of games for education. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more about the intersection of games and education.
Choosing the Doll: A Critical Moment
During the “Return to Crookback Bog” quest, you’ll have to choose a doll for Anna. This choice directly impacts whether she is cured of her curse and returns to human form.
- Choosing the correct doll: This is the doll with the violet hollyhock bloom. This will lift the curse but leads to Anna’s death, as the curse was tied to her life force. This path still leads to her death in front of the Baron and their daughter.
- Choosing the incorrect doll: This causes Anna to burst into flames, killing her instantly.
Even with the “correct” doll, Anna will die because she was cursed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I save both Anna and the children?
Unfortunately, no. There is no way to guarantee the survival of both Anna and all the children. Saving one group almost invariably leads to the detriment of the other. It’s a difficult choice that forces players to consider which lives they value more.
2. What happens if I kill the Tree Spirit?
Killing the Tree Spirit ensures Anna’s survival and protects Downwarren but dooms the orphans to a gruesome fate at the hands of the Crones. It’s a strategic decision that prioritizes the greater good, albeit at a heavy cost.
3. What happens if I free the Tree Spirit?
Freeing the Tree Spirit results in the destruction of Downwarren. It is the children who are saved.
4. Does the order in which I do the quests matter?
Yes, absolutely. Completing “The Whispering Hillock” before “Ladies of the Wood” changes the dynamics of the latter and affects the available outcomes.
5. How do I cure Anna’s curse?
During the “Return to Crookback Bog” quest, you must select the correct doll (the one with the violet hollyhock bloom) to lift the curse. However, even if you lift the curse, Anna will still die because the removal of the curse is fatal.
6. What is the significance of the dolls?
The dolls are magical representations of Anna, imbued with the curse placed upon her by the Crones. Choosing the right doll is crucial for attempting to lift the curse.
7. Why do the Crones curse Anna?
Anna turned to the Crones because she did not wish to give birth to the Baron’s child. The Crones granted her wish in their own, twisted way, cursing her.
8. What happens to the Baron after the questline?
Regardless of the final outcome, the Baron leaves Crow’s Perch. He either seeks a cure for Anna or, in the worst-case scenario, attempts suicide due to despair over her death.
9. Is there a way to avoid the negative consequences altogether?
No, there is no way to completely avoid negative consequences. The “Ladies of the Wood” and “The Whispering Hillock” quests are designed to present morally challenging choices with no easy answers.
10. What is the “canon” ending for this questline?
CD Projekt Red has not explicitly stated a “canon” ending for this questline. The ambiguity is intentional, allowing players to grapple with the difficult decisions and shape their own narrative.
11. How does Ciri factor into this questline?
The “Ladies of the Wood” quest is initially undertaken to gather information about Ciri’s whereabouts. Your choices regarding Anna and the Crones indirectly impact the information you receive and the subsequent events in the main storyline.
12. Does looting the Baron’s family room have any consequences?
No, looting the Baron’s family room does not have any direct consequences on the questline or your relationship with the Baron.
13. Should I fight the Crones?
You will eventually face the Crones as part of the main storyline, regardless of your choices in the “Ladies of the Wood” quest.
14. What happens if I don’t complete “The Whispering Hillock” quest?
If you ignore “The Whispering Hillock” altogether, the quest will eventually fail. This typically leads to the Crones succeeding in their plans, and Anna’s fate will be determined by your choices within the “Ladies of the Wood” quest.
15. Is this questline inspired by any real-world mythology or folklore?
Yes, the Crones and the themes explored in this questline draw heavily from Slavic folklore and mythology. The depiction of powerful, ancient female figures with ambiguous moralities is a recurring motif in these traditions.
Ultimately, the decision of how to deal with the Crones, the Tree Spirit, and Anna’s fate rests with you. Consider the consequences, weigh the options, and choose the path that best aligns with your Geralt’s moral compass. There is no right answer, only the one you are willing to live with.