The Third Stone

Walkthrough

Getting the quest

Davian Martikov starts it at The Wizard of Wines when you agree to clear his house ("We'll clear your house." in The Wizard of Wines). He tells you that one of his three vine stones was stolen last autumn, and his ravens followed the thief to Berez. The journal opens at Told. A raven at the winery tells you the same thing if someone in the party has Speak with Animals running. Its version is that the stone is "in the old woman's hut that walks".

The Ruins of Berez is on the travel map from the start. It's two hours from the Wizard of Wines by "the ravens' way along the Luna", or three hours from Vallaki by the marsh track. The region expects a party of level 8–9, well above the winery's 6, so most players come back for this stone later.

Step by step

1. Find the stone. It's in Baba Lysaga's hut, on the great stump in the middle of the drowned village. It's tucked under the chin of a marsh root she has trimmed into the shape of a baby and laid in a cradle. While she's alive and still in charge of her hut, examining the cradle only shows something green glowing under the blanket, and she watches your hands until you step back. There are three ways to get the stone out. The witch's side of this is covered in The Witch of Berez.
   • Blackmail (no fight). Get yourselves invited up. "We're only travellers, grandmother. We'd be glad of a fire." at her window always works. Once you're in the hut, examine the doll hanging over the hearth: any choice there tells you that she killed Marina with it. At her hearth, pick "He'll hear about Marina from us, unless you make it worth our silence." and then "The green stone from the cradle, and whatever's in your kitchen." She drops the stone into your hand, and the journal moves to Found. You can also try Intimidation DC 15 to demand the wizard's memory jar as well; you get the stone even if that roll fails. This costs Liriel Dawnsong −2, Godrick Pendlebrook −2 and Kip Smudgewick −1. Don't try it with Ireena in the party: with her there, the threat goes straight to a fight.
   • Kill her. She can be fought on her stump with the hut itself ("Come down, witch. We've come for the green stone."), inside the hut ("Enough games. Give us the green stone, or we'll take it."), or at Marina's monument if you light the grave-lamp there. Once she's dead, the cradle offers "Take the green stone." and the journal moves to Found.
   • Let Strahd learn the truth. If you tell Strahd von Zarovich at Marina's monument at night that his old nurse killed Marina, he wrecks her hut. Come back and she's sitting in the mud by the wreck. "Then you know how Marina's family felt. We'll leave you to it." makes her throw the stone at your feet (Found). Once Strahd knows, the cradle in the wrecked hut also lets you take it.

   Whichever way you choose, Berez's own milestone comes with ending the witch's story there.

2. Bring it home. At the Wizard of Wines, tell Davian "The witch's stone, from Berez." He doesn't take it at once, and his face does something it hasn't done since you met him. What he says next depends on the stones already in the ground: if the other two are home, this makes three; if not, he tells you it isn't three yet, but it's one more than he had that morning. The journal ends at Returned. If Davian is travelling with you as an ally, ask Stefania "We have news for the family." instead.

Choices and endings

The quest has one ending, Returned. Davian pays you in thanks rather than coin, but the stone counts toward everything the winery gives you for its stones:

• One stone back after the winery is reclaimed starts the press. If this is the first stone you've handed over since then, you choose where the first cart of wine goes, and Davian's wine shop opens.
• Two stones back with the winery reclaimed earns the Keepers' oath, which opens Urwin Martikov's secret stores in Vallaki (see The Wizard of Wines).
• Adrian's answer to "How's the wine?" changes once two stones are in the ground: the vines put out green leaves overnight.

The only approval in this quest is the blackmail penalty above.

If you're stuck

• No "The witch's stone, from Berez." in Davian's menu. The option needs the journal at Found, which it reaches the moment you take the stone in Berez.
• The cradle won't give up the stone. It won't while Baba Lysaga is alive and well. Bargain with her, kill her, or let Strahd break her.
• You can't get up into the hut. The root ladder only comes down for invited guests, after a bargain, once she's dead, or after Strahd has wrecked the place.

Rewards

• A level (milestone)

What your companions think

• Liriel Dawnsong: -2 you blackmailed Baba Lysaga over Marina's murder
• Godrick Pendlebrook: -2 you blackmailed Baba Lysaga over Marina's murder; +1 you promised Davian you'd clear his house
• Kip Smudgewick: -1 you blackmailed Baba Lysaga over Marina's murder; +1 you promised Davian you'd clear his house
• Ratatouille: +1 you promised Davian you'd clear his house

Journal

Related

• People: Baba Lysaga, Davian Martikov, Stefania Martikov, Ionel, Tereza, Horia, Ovidiu, Andrei, Old Silviu, A Raven, A Raven, A Raven
• Places: Baba Lysaga's Hut, The Ruins of Berez, The Wizard of Wines
• More in The Wizard of Wines: The Black Row, The Son Who Didn't Fly, The Wizard of Wines