This guide is a walkthrough of a side quest in the Witcher 3: Blood and Wine DLC. The guide is composed of a map, map legend, and walkthrough to show readers exactly where to go and what to do to complete the quest.
Background
You’ll trigger this quest during the quest The Beast of Toussaint, after saving Guillaume de Launfal from the shaelmaar in the arena.
Walkthrough
When you meet with Guillaume in the medics’ tent at the Tourney Grounds in Toussaint South (#1), he’ll talk to you about Vivienne, his paramour. He’ll tell you that she often disappears in the woods at night, and that one time when he was walking her home, she gave out a “hideous shriek” and ran away. Guillaume will suspect that Vivienne has been cursed, and he’ll ask you to look into the matter.
To help out Guillaume, you’ll need to take his place in the upcoming tournament — since the winner will get to meet with Vivienne, and since Guillaume is in no condition to participate. This will require you to win three events. Guillaume will offer to train you in these events, but the only one you might need to practice is the horsemanship event, since it’ll require you to fight and ride at the same time.
When you’re ready to participate in the tournament, you should head over to the inscription tent (#2). The scribe there will request your name, he’ll explain the rules to you, he’ll ask you for a vow, and he’ll give you a shield and a leveled suit of (blue) heavy armor. Your dialogue choices during this conversation won’t make much of a difference. They’ll just change what your prizes look like and what they’re called, and who challenges you to a duel after the horse race (see below). After talking to the scribe, you’ll automatically equip your tourney armor, but you’re not required to use it. You can safely switch back to your regular armor if you want.
You’ll then need to participate in the tourney events:
- Marksmanship. When you reach the shooting range (#3), you’ll meet Palmerin de Launfal there. He’ll offer to play you at gwent. If you beat him, then you’ll get to swap starting times with him, which means you’ll get to avoid having the sun in your eyes. The sun isn’t a great hindrance — it’ll just make it tougher to tell which targets are yours — so skipping or losing the game isn’t a big deal.
When it’s your turn to shoot, you’ll face off against Horm Akerspaark. He’ll be aiming for the blue targets while you’re taking down the red one. Horm won’t shoot quickly, so you should be able to beat him easily. If you win, then Vivienne will give you a (yellow) crossbow, and you’ll earn 100 xp. When Vivienne approaches you, you’ll notice that your medallion is humming, verifying that there is something magical about her.
After the match, Guillaume will come up to you and tell you that he’s learned where Vivienne’s tent is. He’ll then take you there. At the tent (#4), you’ll need to turn on your witcher senses and do some snooping. You’ll spot claw marks, an oriole feather, concealing ointment, and more. Once you’ve examined enough items, Vivienne’s handmaiden will show up, and you’ll be forced to vacate the tent.
- Horsemanship. For this event, you’ll need to show up at the race track (#5), but you won’t actually be racing anybody. You’ll just need to finish the race ahead of a timer. Hitting dummies with your sword or targets with your crossbow will add extra time. You’re not required to hit all of the dummies and targets. If you can hit half or more, then you should be fine. If you win the race, then Vivienne will give you a unique saddle (the equivalent of a Knight Errant’s Saddle), and you’ll earn 100 xp.
Note: Hitting the targets with your crossbow should be straightforward. But for the dummies, the easiest way to connect with them is to hold down your attack button during your approach. This will slow down time when you get close enough to the dummy, making it easier to hit it.
After the race, all of the tourney entrants will be invited to a feast (#6). However, while you’re eating (and perhaps drinking) with Guillaume, you’ll be challenged to a duel:
- If you entered the tourney as Geralt, then Prince Anseis will challenge you to a mounted duel. To defeat him, you should just follow the same strategy for hitting the dummies during the race. That is, you should hold down the attack button. Then when Anseis approaches you, time will slow down, making it much easier to connect with him. If you win the battle, then Anseis will forgive you. If you lose, then you’ll die, and you’ll have to load your game.
Note: Defeating Anseis will give you the Honor virtue for the quest There Can Be Only One.
If you entered the tourney as Ravix, then Count Tailles of Dorndal and two of his drinking buddies will challenge you to a brawl. Guillaume will join you, so the battle shouldn’t be too tough. Afterwards, Tailles will threaten to attack you again, but he won’t follow through.
After the duel, you’ll return to the feast — just in time for Vivienne to give a speech. Afterwards, she’ll head back to her tent, and Guillaume will ask you to follow her. You’ll reach the tent just behind Vivienne, but when you go inside, she won’t be there. Instead, you’ll discover a bird, which will fly off when it sees you.
When you follow the bird (turning on your witcher senses will make it easier to track), it’ll lead you far to the west and south, through a cave, and eventually to a small clearing. Along the way, you’ll get attacked by some level 34 panthers and a wight. When you reach the clearing, you’ll learn that the bird is Vivienne, and that she was cursed by a wood nymph long ago. You’ll tell Vivienne that there are two ways to cure her — by transferring the curse to someone else, which will weaken and maybe even dissipate the curse, or by performing an egg ritual, which will remove the curse but perhaps leave Vivienne with only seven years to live. Then the two of you will return to the Tourney Grounds. This will earn you 50 xp.
When you arrive at your tent (#7), you’ll meet Guillaume there. He’ll want to know what you learned. If you tell him about Vivienne’s curse, then he’ll volunteer to have it transferred to him, which will lock you into that ritual. But if you hide the truth from Guillaume, then he’ll later eavesdrop on you and Vivienne to learn what’s going on, and this will enrage Vivienne so much that she’ll send him away, which will lock you into the egg ritual.
Note: If you keep Vivienne’s secret, then you’ll earn the Honor virtue for the quest There Can Be Only One.
Next, you’ll have to decide if you want to continue on with the tournament or not. If you choose to skip it, then you’ll miss out on the final event — and possibly the grand prize — and you’ll move right on to curing Vivienne.
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- Infantry Combat. You’ll automatically walk over to the arena (#8) for this event after talking to Guillaume. It’ll be your team playing as knights against Palmerin’s team playing as bandits. There isn’t anything complicated about the event. You’ll just need to help your team defeat the opposing team. You won’t be able to cast signs, but you will be able to use potions and food, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble defeating your opponents, although you might need to dodge around for a time while you’re healing.
If your team is victorious, then you’ll earn 100 xp. If you also won the other two events, then you’ll get to face off against Gregoire de Gorgon, the winner of the previous year’s tourney. To defeat Gregoire, you can use the same strategy as from the grand melee. That is, dodge in and strike a couple of times, and then dodge away. If you take damage, then just eat and dodge around until you’re healthy. If you beat Gregoire, then you’ll earn 200 crowns, a leveled (yellow) sword, the Tourney Champion’s Laurels, and 250 xp. If you lose the battle, then you’ll die and have to load your game.
Note: Defeating Gregoire will give you the Valor virtue for the quest There Can Be Only One.
After finishing with the tournament, you’ll meet with Vivienne in her tent. This will lead to you (and perhaps Guillaume) traveling to the clearing and attempting a cure:
- Egg Ritual. The ritual will work, but Vivienne and Guillaume will go their separate ways. You won’t learn if Vivienne’s lifespan has been shortened. Afterwards, you’ll have to return to the Tourney Grounds to receive your reward from Guillaume.
Note: At some point after completing the ritual, Vivienne will head over to Novigrad, where you’ll find her on the overlook to the northwest of the Golden Sturgeon inn. She’ll tell you that she’s heading to the Skellige Isles, and she’ll give you a Feather from Vivienne.
- Transfer Ritual. The ritual will work, and Vivienne and Guillaume will live happily ever after. But later you’ll learn that Guillaume has started growing feathers on a delicate part of him body.
Either way, you’ll receive your negotiated fee from Guillaume, and you’ll also earn 250 xp for completing the quest.
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