You’re riding through the sun-drenched hills of Toussaint. Everything looks like a postcard. The wine is flowing, the armor is shiny, and then you stumble upon a bleeding tree. This is where Witcher 3 A Knight's Tales starts, and honestly, it’s one of those quests that reminds you why CD Projekt Red is basically the king of subverting expectations. Most players just rush through the main Blood and Wine story to get to the flashy boss fights, but if you skip this one, you’re missing the actual soul of the expansion.
It starts at the Castel Ravello Vineyard. You find a woodcutter named Jacob who’s freaked out because a tree is literally bleeding. He’s convinced it’s a curse. He’s right, but it's way messier than a simple spell.
The Weird Lore Behind the Bleeding Tree
Toussaint is built on the bones of fairy tales. Everything feels "happily ever after" until you look at the dirt. In Witcher 3 A Knight's Tales, we meet Daphne. She’s the woman trapped in the tree—or at least, her spirit is. The quest is basically a dark riff on the classic "knight waits for his lady" trope, except the knight, Sir Gareth, didn’t exactly have a great time on his quest.
Geralt finds a book called "Tales of the Knight and the Lady." Reading it is actually important. Don't just skip the dialogue. The game gives you two ways to handle this, and if you pick the "standard" witcher path without thinking, you’re going to get a really depressing ending. That’s the thing about this quest—it tests if you’re actually paying attention to the local folklore or just swinging your sword at everything that glows red in Witcher Senses.
How to Not Mess Up the Ritual
Most people mess this up. They go to Lynx Crag, find the witch’s hut, and start demanding answers. The witch is a cranky old woman living in a hut that looks like it belongs in a Grimm story. She tells you that Gareth died, and his soul is stuck.
Now, here is where the branching paths get tricky. You have two main options for the ritual to free Daphne from the tree:
👉 See also: GTA Vice City Cheat Switch: How to Make the Definitive Edition Actually Fun
- The Bone Method: You find Gareth's remains in a cave. It’s dark, there are spiders (arachnomorphs are the worst, let’s be real), and it feels like a standard fetch quest. If you bring his bones back and perform the ritual, it works, but there’s a catch. Daphne’s spirit is freed, but she’s bitter. She’s a wraith. You have to fight her. Jacob gets sad. It’s a "successful" quest that feels like a failure.
- The Lock of Hair: This is the "hidden" better ending. You have to convince the witch to help you. You basically have to be polite—which is hard for Geralt sometimes—and use a lock of hair. If you do this correctly, Daphne is freed peacefully. No boss fight. No grieving woodcutter. Just a quiet, bittersweet ending where she finally moves on.
It’s a tiny detail, but it changes everything. It shows that in Toussaint, silver swords aren't always the answer. Sometimes you just need to follow the rules of the fairy tale.
Why Lynx Crag is a Nightmare to Navigate
Seriously, who designed the pathing up to Lynx Crag? You’ll spend half the quest trying to get Roach to stop galloping into a fence. The verticality of the Toussaint map is great until you’re trying to find a specific cave entrance hidden behind some bushes.
When you get to the top, look around. The environmental storytelling here is top-tier. The witch’s house isn’t just a prop; it’s filled with little nods to the wider Witcher lore. You’ll see herbs hanging that actually match the alchemy ingredients in your inventory. It’s that level of detail that makes Witcher 3 A Knight's Tales feel like a lived-in part of the world rather than a "go here, kill that" objective.
The Morality of the "Witch"
Is the witch of Lynx Crag actually evil? That’s the debate. Some players think she’s a monster who trapped Daphne out of spite. Others think she’s just a victim of the "chivalric code" that men in Toussaint obsess over.
Gareth went off to prove his bravery. He died. The witch didn't kill him; the world did. Daphne’s grief is what fueled the curse. When Geralt steps into Witcher 3 A Knight's Tales, he’s not just a monster hunter. He’s a mediator between a world that wants to be a legend and a reality that is consistently cruel.
✨ Don't miss: Gothic Romance Outfit Dress to Impress: Why Everyone is Obsessed With This Vibe Right Now
Honestly, the "bad" ending where you fight the wraith is almost more "Witcher" than the good one. It fits the tone of the books. But if you’re a completionist who wants the best outcome for the NPCs, you have to play the diplomat.
Technical Glitches and "The Bleeding Effect"
One thing nobody tells you is that this quest can occasionally bug out. If you leave the area mid-ritual, the bleeding effect on the tree can persist even after the quest is "completed." It’s a visual glitch that’s been around since the 2016 launch and even popped up in the Next-Gen update.
If the tree keeps bleeding, try fast-traveling to Novigrad and back. It usually resets the cell. It’s annoying, sure, but it kind of adds to the "cursed" vibe if you’re into roleplaying.
Comparing This to "The Tower Outta Nowheres"
If you liked the meta-humor of the quest with the DRM (Defensive Regulatory Magicon), you’ll appreciate the writing in Witcher 3 A Knight's Tales. It’s not as funny, but it’s just as smart. It takes the tropes of knightly honor—the very thing the Blood and Wine DLC is satirizing—and shows the human cost.
Gareth wasn't a hero. He was a guy who got lost in a cave and died alone. Daphne wasn't a princess; she was a woman who waited until her heart literally turned to wood.
🔗 Read more: The Problem With Roblox Bypassed Audios 2025: Why They Still Won't Go Away
What You Actually Get Out of It
Rewards-wise, you aren't getting a legendary sword that breaks the game. You get some XP, some crowns, and the satisfaction of clearing a marker off your map. But the real reward is the "A Knight's Tales" entry in Geralt's journal.
The writing in the journal changes based on your choices. Dandelion (who writes the entries) has a very specific way of framing the tragedy depending on if you freed Daphne or banished her. It’s one of the few quests that feels like it has a lasting impact on the local atmosphere of that specific vineyard.
Steps to Complete the Quest Perfectly
If you’re currently standing in front of the bleeding tree and want the "best" outcome, follow this logic. Don't just rush.
- Read the book. Seriously. Open your inventory and read the quest item. Geralt needs to "know" the story for certain dialogue options to trigger.
- Go to Lynx Crag. Talk to the witch. Don't be an aggressive jerk. There’s an option to use Axii or pay her, but the best way is to just play along with her riddles and requests.
- Find the remains. Even if you want the "hair" ending, you usually have to explore the cave anyway. Watch out for the holes in the floor.
- Make the choice at the tree. Use the lock of hair. If you use the bones, prepare for a fight.
The Verdict on This Side Quest
Is it the best quest in the game? No, that’s probably "Scenes From a Marriage" or "The Last Wish." But Witcher 3 A Knight's Tales is essential Toussaint. It captures that specific mix of beauty and rot that defines the region.
You go in expecting a simple monster hunt. You leave thinking about the vanity of knights and the permanence of grief. Plus, the visual of the bleeding tree against the bright blue Toussaint sky is one of the most striking images in the entire expansion.
If you haven't done it yet, head north of Castel Ravello. Look for the woodcutter. Just make sure you're ready for a story that doesn't care about your feelings.
To get the most out of your Toussaint run, make sure your Silver Sword is oiled for specters just in case you pick the bone ritual—though, as we discussed, the lock of hair is the smoother path. Check your Bestiary for "Wraiths" and "Arachnomorphs" before heading to Lynx Crag to ensure you aren't caught off guard by the sudden spike in difficulty in those narrow cave tunnels. Once finished, head back to the woodcutter to see how the vineyard changes after the curse is lifted; it's a small but satisfying environmental shift.