puzzle

Ladies of the Wood — botchling vs lubberkin (correct choice)

The botchling/lubberkin scene gates the Bloody Baron's good ending. Here is what each choice does.

Botchling or lubberkin — the right choice

During the Bloody Baron line, the Baron asks you to deal with a botchling — the spirit of his unborn child, buried under the manor's threshold. You can either kill it for an easy fight + trophy ingredients, or lift the curse to turn it into a lubberkin (a household spirit). The choice has long-tail consequences.

What the choices actually do

  • Lift the curse (lubberkin path):
    1. Geralt picks up the botchling and carries it.
    2. Walk it slowly to the manor's threshold — wraiths attack along the way.
    3. Bury it under the threshold during the ritual.
    4. Result: Anna can later be cured of her curse → Baron's good ending unlocks.
  • Kill it (botchling path):
    1. Boss fight, easy with Yrden + silver sword.
    2. Result: the Crones eat Anna's soul → Baron hangs himself. No good ending possible.

Step-by-step for the lubberkin ritual

  1. Use Axii during the dialogue with the Baron — picks the calm response.
  2. Cast Igni at the bonfires along the path to keep wraiths off.
  3. Don't drop the botchling — sprinting drops it; just walk.
  4. Bury it at the prompt under the threshold.

If stuck: if wraiths are killing you mid-walk, you skipped the Yrden trap — set one before each wraith spawn point along the trail.