Whoever wrote the Baron

[TheRedLady]

Whoever wrote the Baron

You are a genius. I just played the quest and I feel so sorry for the man... the questline touched me so much it made me even cry at times. I haven't finished it yet, still looking for clues regarding his wife.

But so far... I'm very impressed. Thank you for touching my emotions with your game

 

[Mixxer5]

I hardly felt sorry for the guy (Y'know- he's a rapist, murderer and so on...), but Velen is most atmospheric area in any game. And Crones/Red Baron plot beat anything I've ever seen as well.

 

[Sam2305]

Totally agree. The only part of TW3 that deserves a 10/10

 

[Garrison72]

What will make you cry even more is that a couple of the designers responsible for the quest have left CDPR. Still, I think it unjustifiably overshadows many other excellent quests that deserve attention, including ones from the past games.

 

[dasrehimblut]

Indeed, Baron for me is one of the most vivid and memorable characters in this game. Started second playthrough and and still take great pleasure in talking to him. Cheers to his "parents" :smile:

 

[draconis18491]

What will make you cry even more is that a couple of the designers responsible for the quest have left CDPR. Still, I think it unjustifiably overshadows many other excellent quests that deserve attention, including ones from the past games.

Did they? Hmm. That's a bummer to hear, but if HOS is any indication, CDP can still pull out memorable and emotional quests. Hell, I enjoyed HOS a whole lot more than the main quest line.

 

[CongoJack35]

http://kotaku.com/the-story-behind-the-witcher-3s-bloody-baron-quest-1736090893

 

[REDDorigen]

What will make you cry even more is that a couple of the designers responsible for the quest have left CDPR. Still, I think it unjustifiably overshadows many other excellent quests that deserve attention, including ones from the past games.

Just to clarify - designers that did most of that plotline still work at CDPR.

 

[swordsandroses]

Just to clarify - designers that did most of that plotline still work at CDPR.

That's good to hear, because that quest line is the star of Witcher 3.

 

[ilayoeli]

There are two problems with the Bloody Baron story arc though
The first is the other branch in the story, you know, this one. The one with the 4-month-old orphanage in the swamp somehow existing there, and the unnecessary "Johnny lot his voice" complication and the absurd "Evil Tree" which'll "Save the children" (somehow, isn't really explained how this spirit can save the children but Geralt can't) whom you have zero reason to care or believe it. Really it feels like it is written by a different person.
The second is the entire reason why we go there in the overarching story. I mean, we learn absolutely nothing of real value.... until this Uma dude springs out of nowhere because the story says that's when Geralt needs to see him, and he'll eventually mean something, very conveniently so

 

[vivaxardas2015]

There are two problems with the Bloody Baron story arc though
The first is the other branch in the story, you know, this one. The one with the 4-month-old orphanage in the swamp somehow existing there, and the unnecessary "Johnny lot his voice" complication and the absurd "Evil Tree" which'll "Save the children" (somehow, isn't really explained how this spirit can save the children but Geralt can't) whom you have zero reason to care or believe it. Really it feels like it is written by a different person.

Actually, if you read books in the world, and hear all dialogues, it makes not just perfect sense, but pretty much explains and adds to Anna's tragedy.
1. In one of the books we learn who this spirit really is, and her relationship with the Ladies.
2. Children always lived in the swamps because it was how the villagers paid for their protection. Villagers sent the children, the Ladies eat them, and all was well. Anna got posted here as was her payment for their "help" with her unborn baby.
3. Anna pretty much committed a cardinal sin by making a selfish and hateful deal with the Ladies - she asked them to kill her unborn baby, probably having no idea that their powers come from dead children. The villagers know the price and never run to the Ladies with their little crap, you know, only when they require a real protection, and their lives are in danger. The Ladies made Anna to pay in a very karmic way - made her to guard their future meals, now in full understanding of what is going on, and what she has done. That's why she started to loose her mind.
4. It was glaringly obvious that releasing the Spirit would attract an immediate attention of the Ladies, and it was exactly what the Spirit expected. It is similar to committing a crime in order to drive all city police to one place, and not to interfere with another crime. Without the Ladies watching, Anna let the children escape. When she does this, the Ladies curse her for it. If she does not have a chance - the children are taken to be eaten, and Anna looses her mind completely.

In my opinion, these two interconnected plot-lines - Family Matter and Ladies of the Wood - are a masterpiece of story-telling in games, and nothing from TW3 comes even close to them.

 

[ilayoeli]

Actually, if you read books in the world, and hear all dialogues, it makes not just perfect sense, but pretty much explains and adds to Anna's tragedy.
1. In one of the books we learn who this spirit really is, and her relationship with the Ladies.
2. Children always lived in the swamps because it was how the villagers paid for their protection. Villagers sent the children, the Ladies eat them, and all was well. Anna got posted here as was her payment for their "help" with her unborn baby.
3. Anna pretty much committed a cardinal sin by making a selfish and hateful deal with the Ladies - she asked them to kill her unborn baby, probably having no idea that their powers come from dead children. The villagers know the price and never run to the Ladies with their little crap, you know, only when they require a real protection, and their lives are in danger. The Ladies made Anna to pay in a very karmic way - made her to guard their future meals, now in full understanding of what is going on, and what she has done. That's why she started to loose her mind.
4. It was glaringly obvious that releasing the Spirit would attract an immediate attention of the Ladies, and it was exactly what the Spirit expected. It is similar to committing a crime in order to drive all city police to one place, and not to interfere with another crime. Without the Ladies watching, Anna let the children escape. When she does this, the Ladies curse her for it. If she does not have a chance - the children are taken to be eaten, and Anna looses her mind completely.

In my opinion, these two interconnected plot-lines - Family Matter and Ladies of the Wood - are a masterpiece of story-telling in games, and nothing from TW3 comes even close to them.

By all means, the connection between the Baron's wife and the Crones and her tragedy was done right, it is anything else in the Crones quest that was done wrong.
1. The fact that the build-up and exposition to the Tree Spirit was done through a completely optional and such small mean is bad. Why? Because when all the other important events in the story have a straightforward and clear build-up then it makes the Spirit "build-up" (I have a hard time even using this term here) inconsistent and therefore bad.
2. Okay, if the kids always lived in the swamp and the Ladies eat them and all is well (in a very twisted kind of way to be sure), why then would the Crones need Anna to foster the children? Everything was fine before she came, how exactly does she "serve" the Ladies now? This is a plot-hole
3. As said, this I agree with
4. Did the Spirit told Anna to save the children? How come Anna know when do the Crones watch and when they don't? As it seems they exist in some different magical-metaphysical dimension whenever they want to. Where did the children go exactly? And that still doesn't answer my question, why couldn't Geralt save the children himself?

And that's only half of the problems with the Crones story.

I agree that the Bloody Baron is the highlight of TW3 story but I can't really agree it's a masterpiece

 

[cayblade]

You cry at the baron? oh sweet summerchild, save those tear for the ending.

 

[LadyStoneheart]

4. It was glaringly obvious that releasing the Spirit would attract an immediate attention of the Ladies, and it was exactly what the Spirit expected. It is similar to committing a crime in order to drive all city police to one place, and not to interfere with another crime. Without the Ladies watching, Anna let the children escape. When she does this, the Ladies curse her for it. If she does not have a chance - the children are taken to be eaten, and Anna looses her mind completely.

In my opinion, these two interconnected plot-lines - Family Matter and Ladies of the Wood - are a masterpiece of story-telling in games, and nothing from TW3 comes even close to them.

Except both times I've gone through the game I've killed/released the Spirit before meeting with the Crones and that's not acknowledged by them in any way, which makes no sense.

 

[Sam2305]

Just to clarify - designers that did most of that plotline still work at CDPR.

Most, not all of them

 

[saladin1701]

Whomever wrote the Baron story line deserves an award for his/her writing. Best I've ever seen in a video game.

 

[Paprikamann]

Except both times I've gone through the game I've killed/released the Spirit before meeting with the Crones and that's not acknowledged by them in any way, which makes no sense.

As far as I remember the crones do mention if you released the tree spirit. It's something like "you didn't stick to the plan".

 

[RedStar105]

If you choose to help the tree you get to see that the crones are using black magic to control humans with dolls.

The eldorman doll is there, Anna's too. We see the eldorman give his ear to the crones, he's also the head of the village so you can expect him to be the one that chooses the sacrifices for the ladies, one can assume that is his role as a servant to them.

Now in Anna's case, maybe she is the person that finds the kids for the crones. All the kids at the bog say they lost their parents in the war, so one can assume Anna found them and led them to the bogs, which makes me think that this might be her role as a servant; find children and make sure they don't run away.

Also if you decide to take Anna's doll she turns into a water hag, probably to defend the crone's territory, and that place has many water hags already.

 

[LadyStoneheart]

As far as I remember the crones do mention if you released the tree spirit. It's something like "you didn't stick to the plan".

Hmm - well both times it was before I ever spoke to the Crones and I don't remember it being mentioned when I speak to them through the tapestry.

 

[gab96]

And that still doesn't answer my question, why couldn't Geralt save the children himself?

And that's only half of the problems with the Crones story.

I agree that the Bloody Baron is the highlight of TW3 story but I can't really agree it's a masterpiece

The tree spirit said that the children's were already taken to ard cerbin and that only she could go there. It's true because you can read that in the same book that explain her ties to the ladies. Also, if you go to the orphanage during the quest to destroy the tree, you can see that the children's are already gone so its impossible to save them.