Part 18 - The Witcher 3 - 2nd playthrough - Death March

Geralt mocking superstition is really funny. :)

So after I wrapped up The Fall of the House of Reardon quest by talking to Dolores and gaining 20 XP, I "addressed the Allgod".

He looks exactly how I imagine gods would look if they existed.

I let him live and convinced him to go easy on the poor peasants. I picked up useful loot from his crypt and received 40 XP and 50 gold for this level 7 quest.

Only one more level 6 quest left to do which is An Invitation from Keira Metz.

I received A Towerful of Mice after speaking with Keira, but before sailing to Fyke Isle, I bought alchemy ingredients from her and created some bombs and oils. What I still need to find are more drowner tongues and endrega embryos...

Keira gave me a mobile phone which she calls a "xenovox" then I was on my way.

Arrived at Fyke Isle and was happy to see monsters lurking on the shore. I thought they were drowners but, alas, they were rotfiends.

Luckily, I ran into drowners closer to the tower, but still need more tongues...

No other location in this game creeps me out more than Fyke Isle. The bog where the crones live is only a close second.

I remember being utterly terrified while exploring the tower in my first playthrough, hearing the screams, creaks, bangs, not knowing what to expect... The permanently misty weather, the greenish light of the magic lamp and the eerie music create such an uneasy atmosphere... that Keira made me jump every time she yelled into my phone xenovox. :D

Geralt looking down on the small island from the very top of the mysterious tower.

I am level 8 now, by the way. :) I was raking in XP merely by listening to the ghosts. I reactivated Delusion in the new open slot and put two points into Melt Armor.

TMI, Geralt!! Sheesh... Poor Graham didn't need to know this.

And then this quest turns out to be one of the most emotionally powerful ones... I was horrified and moved at the same time.

With Anabelle's spirit freed of the curse and Graham - who I admire for his bravery - lying dead on the floor, this music starts to play. In 2015, when I first completed this quest, I realized for the first time that video games can be masterpieces combining storytelling, music and visuals in a way no other medium can, and that The Witcher 3 was one of those masterpieces. Seeing the fateful lovers kiss for one last time moved me to tears and made me more emotional than any movie kiss I'd ever seen, because they were reunited as a result of a decision I, the player made. A mixture of deep sadness and relief washed over me, and I knew I made the best decision possible.

(If you want to learn more about the Polish legend that inspired the story of this quest, read about it in this blog.)

I am back at Keira's. First I will help her with her lost package and let her have her way with Geralt - he deserves some fun after that depressing adventure on the island - and then I will complete level 10-11 contracts and secondary quests.