She's No Early Bird is an optional quest in Chapter I: Geralt finds Vesna, a local barmaid, in trouble on her way home from work.
Walkthrough[]
Vesna remains at the inn until after Geralt speaks to her. Then she will leave every evening at 20:00, and can be found in danger as early as about 20:15. If Geralt leaves the inn and heads north at this time, he will see a group of men threatening to rape her. If he approaches, he must decide whether or not to help her.
If Geralt kills her attackers, he can offer to walk Vesna home. (If he lets her go home alone, she will be killed.) She lives with her grandmother southwest of the Reverend's chapel; if you can get there before 21:00 you will only have to fight two scripted groups of barghests (each near a shrine). After 21:00 you risk additional barghests, ghouls, and (if you take the long way) drowners. Vesna is vulnerable to attacks, so make sure you direct monsters away from her (she can still knife-fight in a pinch, though - let her pick off stunned enemies).
After a successful escort, Geralt can suggest another meeting, giving you a chance of receiving her Romance Card.
Notes[]
- Vesna arrives on the road at 20:00, and the thugs arrive a short time later. She will not ask for help until then.
- Geralt does not have to resolve this encounter at first sight; it will remain available after 20:00 every night, until either Geralt infiltrates Salamandra or the Reverend tells everyone to stay inside. To avoid starting the quest, simply keep away from the altercation.
- Instead of taking the direct route to the house (west, then north), you may bypass the scripted barghest encounters by taking the long way around, along the south side of the river; this is technically the safest option if the escort begins and ends before 21:00; otherwise you can plan on keeping drowners away from Vesna.
- If you fail to meet Vesna at the Old Mill the following evening, don't worry - she diligently waits there at every sunset until you meet her.
- Vesna attempts to fight any nearby foes, often making her a more attractive target than Geralt. Sometimes it is best to run ahead of her and keep monsters focused on Geralt. She may even 'steal XP' by giving stunned opponents coups de grace.
- If Vesna is killed after the quest is completed (e.g. by barghests spawning near grandma's house), the rendezvous cannot take place.
- This quest can fail before it begins, a ghoul sometimes spawns by the nearby abandoned hut, and it will sometimes attack and kill both Vesna and her harassers. If this happens the quest never becomes available.
- This bug has been fixed in some versions by making the Ghoul cease to spawn for as long as the quest isn't completed.
- Exploit: After agreeing to guide her home, meditate until dawn at a fire inside the palisade; Vesna will still be waiting for you, and a walk home in daylight is substantially safer.
- Exploit: Rather than waiting for her to recover from wounds, enter a hut. When you exit, she will be waiting outside the door with full health. (This still works with Patch 1.3, EE 1.4 patch and 1.5 patch.)
- Exploit: Another way to heal Vesna is to meditate for an hour.
- As the internal quest ID suggests, her original name was apparently Rita, and her romance card file is called cs_sex_rita1.bik.
Phases[]
The Rescue[]
- Successfully defend Vesna: Some bandits tried to rape the waitress from the inn. I decided to help her. I decided to help the waitress. (500 XP)
- Fail to save Vesna: I failed. Vesna Hood is dead. (1000 XP)
To Grandma's House / Lonely Vesna[]
- Walk Vesna home: I decided to help Miss Hood get to her grandma's place in the Outskirts. I need to protect her from the creatures she could encounter on her way. I should protect Vesna on the way to her grandmother's house.
- Tell her to get lost: I decided not to help the waitress in distress. I'm sure she can take care of herself. I decided not to help the waitress.
Barghests Attack[]
I managed to defend Vesna from the barghests. We have to move on, get to her grandmother's house. I should protect Vesna on the way to her grandmother's house.
Another Attack[]
- Successful walk Vesna home: Another group of barghests. I wonder where they all come from. Apparently, we don't have far to go. I must protect Vesna as we near her grandmother's house.
- Fail to get Vesna home:
Vesna[]
- I failed. Vesna Hood is dead. (1000 XP)
A Date / Parting[]
- Get a date: I walked Vesna home and we agreed to meet by the Old Mill after sunset. Vesna asked me to bring some wine. I should show up at the Old Mill after sunset with a bottle of wine. (1000 XP)
- Skip the date: I said goodbye to Vesna. She's a nice girl... I got Vesna home safely. (1000 XP)