Wine Wars: The Deus in the Machina - The Witcher 3

From the start, both Matilda and Liam insisted the problems at their vineyards had not appeared out of thin air. Naturally, they accused one another of foul play. Geralt suspected there was more to the matter, and yet again his intuition proved true. While solving the problems at the vineyards, he had happened on some notes. These suggested someone had intentionally planted archespores amidst the vines at both estates. The witcher had also found a key to the shelter where saplings of the beastly plants had been stored.

The dugout was almost completely empty. At any rate, the witcher found nothing to help him identify the individual behind the sabotage at Coronata and Vermentino. The mystery remained unsolved.

Geralt searched the dugout and learned that the sabotage at Coronata and Vermentino had been the brainchild of Count Vladimir Crespi.

Yet Geralt, for reasons known only to him, decided to keep the saboteur's identity to himself. Why, you might ask. Well, not even the greatest poets know the answer to that. Not even I know. For as they say, "witchers, like cats, walk their own paths."

What Geralt had learned shed new light on the dispute between Liam and Matilda. It seemed Count Crespi had intentionally incited the quarrel between them. They decided to do him one better. Liam and Matilda settled their differences and formed a consortium.

While roaming the wild Caroberta Woods, Geralt came upon an abandoned dugout, its door locked. Earlier, while helping Matilda Vermentino with her vineyard, the witcher had come across an abandoned camp overgrown by thorny archespores. He had found a key amidst the camp's remains. Our hero can be nosy at times, so he now tried that key in the door of the dugout. Voilà! The door swung open slowly, and Geralt entered to see what was inside…

Toussaint is a land where spilling some wine is at times a greater crime than spilling some blood. Family vendettas, killings, poisonings - essentially events that could be termed wine wars - had once been the daily fare. In this day and age, however, vintners no longer resorted to such drastic measures, yet occasional sabotage remained an intrinsic element of competition in their domain… While traversing the duchy, Geralt happened upon evidence of just such a "wine dispute." He decided to look into the matter…

In pursuing his investigation to the end, the witcher discovered a nursery full of yellow archespore saplings hidden amidst the trees at the edge of the Caroberta Woods. From the notes he found there he learned that the crafty Count Crespi had been infesting vineyards competing against him with the deadly plants. Thus, through a string of coincidences, Geralt learned just how highly the Toussaintois valued their wines, so much so they were prepared to commit murder in the name of the vine. Indeed, it seems travel does broaden the mind.