The Warble of a Smitten Knight

The Warble of a Smitten Knight is a secondary quest in the .
 this quest will fail if it is not completed before meeting Captain de la Tour in Capture the Castle.
== Walkthrough ==
The quest is started after defeating the Shaelmaar during The Beast of Toussaint. A fair few events will follow that battle and so it can be easy to miss in the moment, but it is present in the quest log just after that, directing you to the Tourney Grounds medic's tent, where Guillaume de Launfal will be waiting for Geralt.
Guillaume will ask Geralt to help lift a curse off Vivienne de Tabris. She will be the host of the Knight tournament, which Guillaume wished to take part in but can't due to his injury. Geralt will have to take his place so that he can stay close to Vivienne and investigate. Now haggle the price if you wish and agree to help, after that Guillaume will explain the competitions to Geralt and you will have the option to practice first or not. You should at least take practice for the race as it's not like the other races you may have done, as Guillaume points out.
=== Enlisting ===
Having practiced or not, Geralt has to officially register for the tournament. Find the scribe, who is well informed and knows Geralt has two knight titles. You can take part in the tournament as "Geralt of Rivia" or as "Ravix of Fourhorn." This choice will change the labelling and coat of arms on customized reward items you receive, but the only practical difference is an event where Geralt will get challenged by one of two knights and, as Geralt you would have a mounted combat duel, while as Ravix you would have a fistfight. However, picking "Geralt of Rivia" also unlocks an option to gain "Proof of Honor" for There Can Be Only One depending on another choice, but there are other alternatives for that. After that you can make an oath for the competition, but that only alters some announcements by Le Papillon at the end of the tournament.
When done, you'll receive a souvenir shield and be equipped with customized armor. This equipment does not have to be used during the tournament and can be replaced and even sold right away. You can also loot a note from the desk, then proceed with the tournament.
=== Shooting range ===
At the shooting range you will again meet Palmerin de Launfal, who will offer to swap places with you if you beat him at Gwent, explaining that Geralt will have the sun in his eyes which may hinder his performance. You can play for fun, but obviously the sun makes no difference to a witcher, and oddly it doesn't change who you compete against either.
To win the competition you have to shoot all the red targets before your opponent shoots all of the blue ones. If you win, you'll be awarded 100 and a customized crossbow by Vivienne. Geralt will notice his medallion is reacting while she is near him, but she explains that's due to her perfume made by a sorceress. This conversation doesn't occur if you lose though.
=== Vivienne's tent ===
Win or lose, Guillaume will then propose to search for clues in Vivienne's tent while he acts as the lookout, and you'll also have the option to pause the quest here if you wish. Inside the tent you can find some notes and inspect a few things, but the search will be interrupted before you can examine everything. This doesn't affect anything except some minor remarks though, namely if you examine both the claw marks and oriole feather, Geralt will suspect that Vivienne may be a bruxa. When all but the last clue are examined, Guillaume will tell Geralt someone is coming and a lady will shoo you away from the tent. Go to the next competition then.
 It's actually possible to examine all clues by quickly interacting with the last one while Geralt is still commenting, but doing so doesn't seem to change anything.
=== The race ===
Approach the racing area to trigger a cutscene, and at its end you will meet a new "friend". If you entered as Geralt of Rivia, Prince Anséis of Lyria and Rivia will recognize Geralt and be angry for past events from . If you entered as Ravix of Fourhorn, instead Arthur Tailles will be angry with Geralt for an encounter during , though you may also remember him from prologue.
As during the training, the race is time-based and you have no opponents, but your time is constantly running out and you have to finish before it depletes. You will have dummies to hit with your sword along the way and targets to shoot with your crossbow. Every time you hit a dummy and shoot a target you are given additional time. If you hold your attack button time will slow down thus it will be more easy to hit the dummies. Same goes for holding the crossbow button, though for some reason Roach can slow down her gallop while shooting. The dummies can also be shot with the crossbow and auto-aim works for them.
 do not use explosive crossbow bolts, as it will be considered cheating just like leaving the track and/or missing checkpoints.
If you win, you'll be awarded 100 and customized saddle by Vivienne, who this time comments on someone being noticed snooping around her tent and doesn't buy Geralt's excuse. This conversation doesn't occur if you lost, though she'll still deliver a veiled remark for Geralt publicly. The day will then end and you'll automatically advance to the next section.
=== Confrontations ===
Guillaume will now take Geralt for a drink and he will explain his findings. Now your new "friend" will interrupt them and, if it's Arthur Tailles, he will pull you into a fistfight with 2 other thugs he brought, but you'll have Guillaume at your side. If it's Prince Anséis, he will challenge Geralt to a mounted duel. You can attempt to refuse but Guillaume will tell you it is dishonorable to refuse the challenge and you would thus be thrown out of the tourney, forcing you to do the duel anyway. So you may as well agree.
 If you agree to the duel and win, it will count as "Proof of Honor" for There Can Be Only One.
After that Vivienne will head out into the woods and Guillaume will ask Geralt to follow her. However, after reaching her tent you will not find her there and instead see an Oriole bird flying off, apparently showing Geralt where to go, so follow it. While following the bird, it will stop at times where you will encounter panthers, but you can just run past them to the bird and make it continue its flight. Eventually, it will fly over a hill and Geralt will comment that it's probably easier to go through the cave passage under it. You can go over or around it, or going through the cave as intended you will encounter a Wight and Barghest. The bird will be waiting at the other exit, where you continue to follow it. Soon you will find Vivienne who turns out is indeed cursed and appears like a half-human half-bird hybrid. (50) She is expecting Geralt to kill her and asks to make it quick. However, Geralt obviously has no such plans and tells her that he can try to remove the curse in 2 ways: move the curse from her to someone else which will make it much weaker on the recipient, or use the egg of an oriole, but possibly shortening her life to that of an Oriole, which is around 7 years. Vivienne doesn't hesitate to choose the second method, but Geralt will tell her to think about it first. After this, you can return immediately with her, or stay there and return later to Guillaume when convenient for you.
 If you wish to win the tournament and need to make adjustments to your equipment, it's better to stay at the clearing here. Otherwise, you won't have access to inventory until after the tournament, and unfortunately all temporary buffs except blade oils are lost at the start of the next challenge.
Upon returning to Guillaume, he will wish to know what Geralt has found out and you have an important choice:
* keep Vivienne's secret, and you will only be able to use the oriole egg method
* reveal her secret, and Guillaume will volunteer to reflect the curse upon himself
Note that the choice you make here is final and will determine what happens, even though Vivienne technically hasn't decided yet. There will be a morally righteous spin put on whatever choice you wish to make, but the long-term consequences are significant for both Guillaume and Vivienne. See the consequences section if you don't like surprises.
 Refusing to reveal the secret will count as "Proof of Honor" for There Can Be Only One.
When done conversing about Vivienne, as you no longer need the tournament to remain around her, you can choose to continue your participation or not, though you will be missing on possible further rewards if the latter is chosen.
 Remaining in the tournament and winning it will count as "Proof of Valor" for There Can Be Only One.
=== The battle ===
If you remained in the tournament you will be taking part in a re-creation of a battle along with your team and the last man or men standing wins. It's a 5 vs 5 fight, but not as easy as you may think, as your team members have a good chance of going down and leave everything in your hands, so dispose of as many opponents as you can while opponents are engaged in battle with your teammates, before they all go down. Even worse Signs and Bombs are disabled, inventory will be inaccessible, and you may only use potions if they are in your quick slots. Undying will also not help, thus even though you may feel confident for this part it may prove very difficult, especially on higher difficulty settings. This is one of the battles where Gourmet can prove to be invaluable.
If you win the battle, you'll be awarded 100. Then, if you also won the shooting and race competitions, you will now be facing Gregoire de Gorgon, the previous tournament's winner.
 At the start of this one-on-one battle, you have a small period during which you can save to avoid having to reload.
He does not block much but his attacks are strong and unblockable. He will also use a very strong attack sometimes where he will hit the ground real hard leaving him vulnerable. A good hint is to hit him with a strong attack and them jump away, strong attack, then jump away, and you'll manage to win with no problem. An Iris charged strong attack can one shot him. All restrictions from the mock battle still apply though. Losing this battle is treated as death, so you have to win, and are then awarded 250, a customized sword, and the Tourney champion's laurels.
=== Lifting the curse ===
Whether you completed the tournament or not, Geralt will now be at Vivienne's tent and it's time to lift her curse, though you will have the option to pause here and return later. As you talk to her, Guillaume will appear and interject, wanting to help even if you didn't reveal Vivienne's secret to him. However, even though questions are asked and Geralt can give his opinion on the best route, your choice is already set and this is only where it plays out. If you revealed the secret, Guillaume will convince Vivienne to attempt transferring the curse onto him, and you will go with both of them to the lake to do so. Otherwise, she will banish him and you will go with only Vivienne to perform the egg ritual.
Regardless, as you reach the clearing you will have to kill a panther before you can perform the ritual. The curse will be lifted either way and only the scene will differ. If you used the egg, Vivienne will decide to live her 7 years to the fullest by travelling around the world, and you will have to return to the unhappy Guillaume for your reward. If you transferred the curse, Geralt will remark that he didn't think it would work, because of a yet unmentioned stipulation - true love between the people involved - and they will become a couple.
The quest then completes with Guillaume paying the reward. (250)
== Journal entry ==
: Tradition has sanctified two codes of conduct in Toussaint: the teachings of the Prophet Lebioda and the chivalric principles which guide its knights. These latter call for young men to prove their abilities through feats of daring during tourneys. One such knight, Guillaume, sought to stand out from the rest by fighting a shaelmaar and was injured as a result.
: Afterwards, he pleaded with Geralt to visit him in the medics' tent. He said he had a very urgent matter to discuss.
:If Geralt decides to help:
::In the charming fairytale duchy for which Toussaint commonly passes, love blooms and erupts into flames faster than in any other corner of the known world. I know what I say, for I too experienced my share of beautiful, passionate moments there, with the painfully lovely Duchess Anarietta, no less...
:: But to return to Geralt's adventures, he agreed to assist a young knight with his troubles in relation to a striking young lady-in-waiting named Vivienne. The youth, lacking experience in love's games, its ruses and deceits, was feverish and suspected that the lofty and inaccessible object of his love might have fallen victim to an evil spell. Wishing to help the youth get to the bottom of the matter, the witcher agreed to enter the lists and take part in the tourney's assorted challenges.
:: In observance of tradition, the witcher had to reveal a name to take part in the tourney. 
::If Geralt chooses "Geralt of Rivia":
::: He chose the immensely original moniker "Geralt of Rivia."
:: If Geralt chooses "Ravix of Fourhorn":
::: He chose the pseudonym he used occasionally - Ravix of Fourhorn.
:: While playing knight, Geralt did not dare neglect his witcherly duties. He spied on Vivienne and followed her to a forest glade, where he discovered her secret. The woman had been cursed while still in her mother's womb. Touched by moonlight, she transformed into a bird.
:: Geralt offered to help her, to lift the curse that held her. Yet he warned Vivienne that the ritual to break the spell could have dire consequences.
::If Geralt tells Guillaume the details about the curse:
::: Aided by Guillaume, Geralt performed a ritual that was to lift the curse from Vivienne and transfer it to another. Though the witcher doubted it could be effective, the rite worked and the curse passed to the young knight who had valiantly agreed to shoulder its burden. It brings a tear to the eye to think how a seemingly superficial fascination for a woman's beauty can take a turn even more beautiful...
::: If Geralt meets the couple later:
:::: Passed to Guillaume, the curse seemed much weakened, its symptoms far less powerful than those that had troubled Vivienne. When Geralt happened upon the couple some time later in Toussaint, they looked happy and in love. This only serves to confirm my observation regarding the unusual aura that seems to hover over the duchy. It almost inspires one to exclaim, "They lived happily ever after!"
::If Geralt does not tell Guillaume the details about the curse:
:::Geralt performerd a ritual aimed at reversing the curse that held Vivienne. He had warned her beforehand that it could result in shortening her remaining life to but a handful of years - the number lived on average by an oriole, the egg of which the witcher used during the ritual.
::: Vivienne had acknowledged this possible consequence and stated that she would be grateful to Geralt. For it was through his efforts that she could finally taste a normal life unfettered by the need to conceal her "defect".
:If Geralt doesn't help:
::Geralt was torn away from the tourney's entertainments by the vampires' attack. All able hands were needed to fend off this threat, meaning Toussaint's menfolk could no longer dabble in artificial feats of bravery and staged fights.Consumed by his battle against Dettlaff, Geralt had no chance to talk to Vivienne and never learned what secret she hid, assuming she hid one at all, and the whole affair was not just the product of a young lover's imagination... These can be exceptionally fertile and prone to error, as I know very well myself, being both a lover and young, at least at heart.
::If Geralt finds Guillaume's body later:
:::Geralt came across Guillaume's corpse in the city. It seemed the young knight had found bravely against the vampires before ultimately dying while defending his city.
:::Thus death won out over love, which unfortunately can happen even in Toussaint.As I write these words I tip a glass of Est Est in honor of the poor young man... So what, that I didn't know him -- Geralt said he was fine fellow, decent and true.And that's enough for me.
== Objectives ==
* Visit Guillaume in the medics' camp.
* If agreed to train (for each individually):
** Follow Guillaume to the shooting range.
** Follow Guillaume to the race track.
** Follow Guillaume to the training grounds.
*** Go to the center of the arena.
*** Defeat Knight. (will say the knight's name, but who approaches Geralt is random)
** If decided to train later:
*** Return to Guillaume.
* Go to the inscription tent and enter the tourney.
* Go to the shooting range.
** Geralt's targets. 9/9 (100)
** Horm's targets. 0/9
** If decided to continue later:
*** Talk to Guillaume.
* Use your Witcher Senses to investigate Vivienne's tent.
* Go to the entrance to the racing course.
* Win the horse race. (100)
** Checkpoints passed. 9/9
* As Geralt of Rivia:
** Defeat Anséis in a mounted duel.
* As Ravix of Fourhorn:
** Defeat Tailles and his thugs.
* Confront Vivienne.
* Find Vivienne.
* Follow the bird.
* Find the bird on the other side of the cave.
* Follow the bird. (50)
* If you continue to participate in the tourney:
** Defeat the opposing team. (100)
** If you won all competitions:
*** Fight the arena champion. (250)
* If revealed Vivienne's secret:
** Go to the glade with Vivienne and Guillaume.
** Kill the panther.
* If didn't reveal Vivienne's secret:
** Go to the glade with Vivienne.
** Kill the panther.
** Return to Guillaume.
== Consequences ==
*If you choose the option to keep Vivienne's secret from Guillaume, a few interesting things happen later:
**After the main story completes, you can meet Vivienne again in Novigrad, where she'll talk briefly of her travels so far and gives Geralt a wearable feather.
**Vivienne eventually goes to Skellige and can be observed around Kaer Trolde Harbor. After 7 years have passed, she will in fact die.@PhiWeber: Awesome find!...'
**Guillaume becomes a drunk and you can meet him again as well, though just for a passive conversation. He'll be in front of The Pheasantry.
*If one fails to do this quest, Guillaume's body can later be found during The Night of Long Fangs, around the archway just south of The Gran'place signpost. In this case, later Vivienne can be found crying at his grave in Orlémurs Cemetery.
*If the curse is transferred onto Guillaume, you can meet the happy couple at Beauclair Palace for a cheerful conversation during Pomp and Strange Circumstance. They are also seen together among Annarietta's entourage after Capture the Castle.
*If you complete and win the tournament, a woman will then wait at your tent and once encountered will start following and obsessively cheering you around the Tourney Grounds whenever you're in the area. You can also then find letters from female, male and countess admirers.
== Notes ==
* Depending on the chosen moniker, different customized items can be received during the tournament (only labelling changes, stats will match):
** Sir Geralt of Rivia's shield or Ravix of Fourhorn's shield, received upon entering the tournament, can be hung as a painting at Corvo Bianco.
** Sir Geralt of Rivia's armor or Ravix of Fourhorn's armor, also received upon tournament entry. The other armor elements received at the same point are actually also unique - they'll show as regular Toussaint knight's boots, gauntlets and trousers, but have minor differences from variants of those purchased or looted.
** Winning the race awards Geralt saddle or Ravix saddle.
** Winning the shooting game awards Geralt crossbow or Ravix crossbow.
** Winning the entire tournament awards Geralt sword or Ravix sword.
* One of the oath options while entering the tournament is to swear on the love of Geralt's lady, where he will mention either Triss or Yennefer depending on romance choices. However, if neither is his current partner he will instead say "her name cannot be spoken".
* Almost every tournament participant will have his own tent, with at least a fluff note to find in there:
** Guillaume's will have a scrap paper on which he is composing poetry for Vivienne. He can actually be heard practicing the first part of its contents while you search Vivienne's tent. Invitation to the Hare Hunt and the Noble Alondra book can also be found there, though it's unclear who's property they are, as his tent becomes Geralt's after enlisting in the tournament.
** Palmerin was likely supposed to have his own tent, as he is a notable exception without one, and a letter to him exists in the game, but can only be obtained through console commands. He can instead be seen dozing off at Guillaume's or Geralt's tent during The Beast of Toussaint quest.
** Tailles will have a letter and a book, Prince Horm's will have a different letter depending on who won the war during the base game story (Emhyr, or Redania or neither yet), and the rest only have a letter each: Anséis' letter, Letter to Donimir, Letter to Rainfarn.
== Trivia ==
* The rhyming announcer seems to be inspired by Paul Bettany's character in the 2001 movie A Knight's Tale.
== References ==
pl:Pieśń rycerskiego serca
it:Il Cinguettio del Cavaliere Innamorato
Category:Blood and Wine quests