Royally Cursed

I haven't had a ton of time to play this week, so I'm still trying to finish up my most recent revisit of The Witcher 3's Blood and Wine DLC.  I would highly recommend Blood and Wine to anyone (is there really anyone who hasn't played Blood and Wine?  I certainly hope not, but if that person is you, BUY IT!) who maybe bought a copy of TW3 and didn't grab the DLC.  I'm currently facing one of the biggest dilemmas of the DLC--what to do about Syanna?  (There will be definite spoilers.  The three of you who haven't played it yet--don't read ahead!)

First, I wanted to talk about some other exciting non-Witcher related news.  A few weeks ago it was announced that some new DLC was on the way for Two Point Hospital!  The Pebberley Island DLC looks to add three new hospital scenarios in tropical locales.  There are a bunch of whacky new diseases to treat and some unique settings (ancient ruins and unwalled hospital areas).  I, for one, did the naughty and pre-ordered it almost the second it appeared on Steam.  It releases on Monday (3/18) and I'm very excited to spend even more time managing hospitals.  If you've been on the fence about Two Point Hospital or simply would like to check it out, now is the perfect time!  It is currently having a free weekend on Steam and even features a unique infestation of headcrabs from the classic Half-Life series.  Here is the trailer for Pebberley Island:

Back to TW3:  Blood and Wine!

One of the toughest decisions of Blood and Wine surrounds duchess Anna Henrietta's estranged sister, Syanna.  Throughout the early part of the DLC, Geralt spends much of his time tracking down the monstrous murdered known as "The Beast," and learns that he is, in fact, a higher vampire.  Geralt's vampiric buddy Regis shows up and sheds some light on the issue of Detlaff van der Eretain.  Part of the puzzle is figuring out why he would commit the murders in the first place.  As Geralt progresses through the main storyline, it is revealed that someone has blackmailed Detlaff by kidnapping a human woman who he has fallen in love with and is using him to kill high-ranking members of the duchess's court.  A different thread of the main storyline reveals that Annarietta has an estranged sister who could possibly be back in Touissant...for some reason.  Geralt slowly unravels the mystery and it is revealed that the blackmailer is none other than Syanna herself.

Syanna is one of the more interesting characters in Blood and Wine.  According to what Annarietta tells Geralt, Syanna was born with the "curse of the black sun"--essentially she was born during an unfavorable lunar (solar? eclipse, maybe?) phase.  Witcher lore holds that people born during that phase are cruel, horrible people.  Syanna, it appears, has many of the characteristics of the curse.   The fact that she cruelly used Detlaff to brutally murder members of the royal court who had mistreated her, doesn't paint her in a favorable light.

The issue of Syanna might seem fairly straightforward, but it's really not.  Geralt informs Anarietta that Syanna was behind the blackmailing of "the beast," but the duchess will have none of it.  She demands that Geralt kill Detlaff and bring her his head.  She also demands that Syanna not be harmed--after all, she is still her sister.  Basically, you have a situation where Detlaff is the injured party and Syanna, the cruel abuser of his feelings, isn't to be harmed.  It's at this point that Detlaff loses patience and uses his power over lesser vampires to launch a brutal attack on the city of Beauclair.  Geralt has to choose exactly how he wants to deal with Detlaff--find Syanna and bring her to him so that they can hopefully work out their differences?  Or, find a more powerful vampire, known as a "hidden one," who can force Detlaff to stop his attack?  The second scenario means that Detlaff isn't going to be happy with the fact that he didn't get to confront Syanna.  A fight seems highly likely.  I decided to opt for finding Syanna (I know how both scenarios work out...).

One of the best parts of the main storyline in Blood and Wine is entering the "Land of a Thousand Fables;" an amazing illusion created by a powerful mage for the young duchesses.  The storybook inspired land features characters from classic children's stories--the wicked witch, Jack and the Beanstalk, the Three Little Pigs, and more!  In true Witcher style, the illusion has started to degrade and the denizens aren't very friendly towards Geralt.  He manages to track Syanna down inside the illusion and fight off attacks from various characters who aren't thrilled about his appearance.  Syanna reveals that the only way to escape the illusion is by finding the magical beans (which Annarietta has ordered scattered and hidden through the illusion) to create a beanstalk that will lead to the exit.

There are many opportunities to allow Syanna to tell her story throughout the time Geralt spends tracking down the beans.  Her story reveals the complicated nature of her relationship with the royal family of Toussaint;  she was treated as an outcast from the moment she was born.  She was abandoned by her own family--forcibly rounded up and abused by the group of knights ordered to take her by force and abandon her in a neighboring realm...as a child (and yes, the very knights who she had Detlaff hunt down and kill).  Her biggest crime is simply being born.

Syanna's story is very sad and you can't help but feel sorry for her...and yet, there's a definite streak of cruelty within her.  There's the fact that she has cruelly blackmailed Detlaff and used his feelings for her own purposes; the way that she deals with the characters in the Land of a Thousand Fables is none too gentle and they appear to be genuinely frightened of her;  she reveals that she was rescued by a group of bloodthirsty, robbing bandits in Nazair and rose through the ranks to become their leader.

If you've played through the scenario several times, you know that your choices around Syanna determine whether she lives or dies at the hands of Detlaff.  In the Land of a Thousand Fables, Geralt can purchase (or win a game of Gwent) a magical hair ribbon from Flint, the vendor.  Unbeknownst to Geralt, this hair ribbon provides magical protection for Syanna and can prevent her from being harmed by Detlaff.  Regardless of which you choose, you will be forced to face down Detlaff.  Within that fight there's another option--do you kill Detlaff or let him go?  Either option has potentially favorable or unfavorable outcomes (you just can't win!  It's one of the best parts of The Witcher 3).

The happiest ending.  It's not without its shortcomings though.

In letting Syanna live, Geralt learns that her murderous plans still seem to be in motion...and that they are particularly devious--she is targeting her own sister!  Saving her appears to have been a huge mistake.  With some skillful maneuvering involving dialogue, Geralt can convince Syanna to forgive Annarietta.  Both sisters live...granted, they aren't on the best terms and their relationship is now completely ruined for good.

In choosing to let Detlaff kill Syanna there are also multiple outcomes.  The best outcome is that Geralt can choose to let Detlaff flee (after all, he was used).  Annarietta is furious that you allowed her sister to be killed and that you let Detlaff flee.  She orders Geralt to be imprisoned for treason (luckily, Geralt is too skilled to wind up there for long.  He's definitely not going to be able to stay in Toussaint though). 

There's also a scenario where Geralt can let Syanna live AND let her carry out her murder of Annarietta.  Syanna gets her sweet revenge, but winds up being killed by Damien and the guards.  This option seems particularly brutal.