The Skellige Wall Strikes Again

Even though I've had a hard time controlling my impulse buying habits (I bought two games from my wishlist that were on sale), I'm sticking with my main witcher bro, Geralt of Rivia.  Something I've noticed in almost every single playthrough is that once I get to Skellige, I get a bit less motivated.  There's just something about the Skellige map--it may be largely caused by my insane need to hit every single question mark on the map--that always makes me internally groan a bit.  Now, a sane person would just make the logical decision to simply skip the bulk of the exploration based tasks--but I just can't do it!  I know Geralt is going to need every penny to upgrade his gear (...at least that's what I tell myself) to the grandmaster level.

One of the things I love about The Witcher 3 is the fact that no matter how many times you play through the game, you will always find something new.  (**spoilers for the Skellige quest line ahead) In my deluded need to search every question mark in Skellige, I found the answer to a question that I've had since my first playthrough--where do they take Birna Bran after she has been sentenced to death?  I always assumed it would be within visual range of Kaer Trolde--after all, she is a rotten traitor who breaks the most sacred laws of the island nation.  Through multiple playthroughs I've searched the waters around Kaer Trolde in vain.

(*Not my Geralt) discovering Birna's body.

I'm not exactly sure how I missed it all these times, but I finally stumbled across the location of Birna's brutal execution (she is sentenced to die by being chained to a rock and left to succumb to the elements).  If you head south from Kaer Trolde down the coastline you will find the village of Rannvaig.  There is a boat conveniently located near the docks and you can use it to reach a nearby question mark located along the coastline slightly farther to the west.  Once you approach the question mark it will reveal the location as a hidden treasure--you need to find the key to unlock the chest.  There are a bunch of Ekihdnas circling around an area on the coast--once you eliminate the flying filth you can check out the giant rock jutting out of the middle of the area.  Chained to the rock are the earthly remains of Birna Bran.  I am not really sure how I missed it all these times, I guess being too laser focused on all those dang question marks has its drawbacks.

Birna is a fairly minor character and one who is immediately unlikeable.  Your introduction to her occurs when you arrive in Skellige and witness the funeral for King Bran.  As they lay Bran's body on his ship/floating funeral pyre, a horrific Skellige tradition is revealed--the wife of the king usually joins the remains of the king on his final, fiery voyage.  Everyone waits in anticipation to see if Birna will climb aboard the ship--she doesn't, and instead, Bran's much younger (and notably very teary eyed) concubine chooses to climb aboard.  A nearby peasant couple comments on how wrong it its and a dry-eyed Birna just keeps looking on.

There's not a lot of background given into Birna's character--I've always gotten the impression that she's not a Skellige native and probably not Bran's first wife.  Birna has a very distinct feeling of not fitting into Skelligan society.  Once you've helped Cerys and Hjalmar with their adventures and it's time to hold the ceremony to choose the next ruler, Birna reveals her snakelike nature--she sabotages the event by using the Vildkaarl's (a band of Skelligers who possess the druid-like ability to morph into bears) to attack the potential claimants to the crown.  Her ultimate goal was to see them all killed off, leaving only her son, Svanrige as the sole contender.  She wants Skellige to adopt a hereditary line of procession...starting with her own line.  Luckily, if you choose to help Cerys you can unravel the details of her plot and see her sentenced to a gruesome end.

Maybe Birna's right though--Skellige's system of choosing a new ruler is messy and plagued by long-running clan feuds.  Everything about Skellige seems to be wrapped up in being bold and careless rather than trying to do things in an organized way and/or plan for the future.  Supposedly there is a way to side with Hjalmar and have Svanrige crowned as king.  I could never betray Skellige that way (even if I do think their system is messy) and have never chosen it.  As king (and with momma bear Birna mostly running the show) Svanrige chooses to acquiesce to Nilfgaardian rule--a possible deathblow to the defiant Skelligan nature.  That choice feels extra icky.