Withering Away is the prologue’s domestic opener: chores, a sick mother, and a fetch errand that turns into the game’s introduction of Anca. The journal files it second in the Prologue chapter and places it in Laslea Glen — the opening region, whose NPCs sit in an approximate level 1–8 band. Its own introduction is as small as the quest looks: “My father has a list of chores ready for me, as usual. I better get to it.”
Where the quest sits
The quest is given at home, by Pieter, and it never leaves Laslea Glen. Mechanically it is a run of housekeeping beats — firewood, clothes, sword, herbs — that teach the interaction vocabulary the rest of the game uses, then send Coen out to Anca’s hut. Because it drives the day forward towards Blood Mass, it also sets up the chapter’s fourth entry, Sacred Covenant. Complete All Good Things first; this is the next journal entry in the fixed prologue order.
Journal objectives
The journal records these eight entries, in this order:
- Split logs for firewood — “I need to chop up some firewood so we can cook breakfast.”
- Add the firewood to the stove — “I have to fetch Dad the firewood.”
- Take your clothes out of the storage chest — “I need to get ready for the day and dress up.”
- Pick up your sword — “I should get my sword – it’s a dangerous world out there.”
- Obtain medicinal herbs from Anca — “I need to go to Anca and fetch new herbs to help my mother. She’s getting worse and it’s Blood Mass tonight…”
- Look for Anca — “Anca’s not at home. I need to find her.”
- Follow Anca — “Anca agreed to help. I need to follow her back to her hut.”
- Bring the herbs back to Pieter and read the recipe from Anca — “I have the herbs from Anca – now I need to bring them back to Dad and read the recipe.”
Before you go
There is nothing to prepare for in a level 1–8 region, and no prerequisite beyond the first prologue quest. What is worth noticing is the day-night framing: the journal is explicit that Blood Mass is tonight, which is the deadline the next entries in the chapter work towards. The prologue walkthrough tracks how the five quests join up; the early game guide picks up once the valley opens.