Bitter Harvest

Guide through The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's 'Bitter Harvest' quest in Velen. Uncover a dark secret and make a difficult choice involving a farmer's ravaged crops.

The "Bitter Harvest" quest in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a somber side quest found in Velen that delves into the tragic consequences of war and the desperation it breeds. Geralt encounters a farmer whose crops have been ravaged, leading him to uncover a dark secret and a difficult choice.

Bitter Harvest Quest Walkthrough

This quest begins when Geralt stumbles upon a distressed farmer named Olena near the village of Midcopse in Velen. She is distraught over the destruction of her crops and the disappearance of her husband, who she believes has been taken by the Wild Hunt. Geralt, ever the investigator, agrees to help.

Investigating the Farm

Your first task is to investigate the farmstead. Use your Witcher Senses to examine the area. You'll find ss of a struggle, broken tools, and peculiar tracks that don't belong to any common beast. Follow these tracks, which will lead you away from the farm and into the surrounding wilderness.

The Trail of Despair

The tracks will guide you through a wooded area. Along the way, you may encounter some low-level monsters, such as Ghouls or Drowners, that have been drawn to the area by the recent events. Continue to follow the trail, paying close attention to any clues revealed by your Witcher Senses. You'll eventually come across a small, makeshift camp.

The Truth Revealed

At the camp, you'll discover the grim truth. Olena's husband, driven to desperation by hunger and the war, resorted to a dark ritual. He made a pact with a botchling's spirit, hoping to gain protection and sustenance. The "crops" he was tending were not for food, but for the botchling itself. You will find evidence of this pact and the horrifying nature of his actions.

Confronting the Botchling

The botchling, now a monstrous entity, will likely be nearby. You will need to confront and defeat it. Botchlings are relatively weak but can be annoying with their speed and tendency to swarm. Use fast attacks and ss like i to deal with it effectively.

The Difficult Choice

After defeating the botchling, you will find Olena's husband, who is either dead or severely injured and remorseful. You will then have a choice to make regarding Olena and her husband's fate. The game presents you with a moral dilemma, forcing you to decide whether to:

• Tell Olena the truth: This will likely lead to heartbreak and despair for her, as she learns the horrific reality of her husband's actions and the fate of her family.
• Lie to Olena: You can choose to spare her the painful truth, perhaps telling her that her husband was killed by monsters or the Wild Hunt. This might offer her a measure of peace, but it is a deception.

The quest concludes based on your decision. There is no single "correct" answer, and the outcome reflects the harsh realities and moral ambiguities often present in The Witcher 3.

Quest Rewards

Regardless of your choice, you will receive a small amount of experience points and coin. The primary reward of this quest lies in its narrative and the exploration of the grim consequences of war and desperation in Velen.