TL;DR
- No — you do not need to pay Anca anything to get the herbs
- There are three payment options: 50 Denarius, 25 Denarius, or nothing at all
- None of the three choices change the story, the medicine, or Esme’s outcome
- Anca gives you the herbs regardless of what you pay
- If you pay nothing, her price jumps to 100 Denarius if you try to pay her back later
- Best choice: pay 25 Denarius — she accepts it, no bad reaction, and you owe nothing after
- Paying 50 Denarius gives a slightly warmer reaction but costs double with no extra benefit
- If you want to pursue an Anca romance, paying 50 is listed as an early step — but it is not mandatory
Do you need to pay Gold to Anca in The Blood of Dawnwalker? Short answer: no. Anca will hand over the herbs no matter what you choose. The payment dialogue during the Withering Away quest is one of the first choices the game puts in front of you, and it feels important. But it is not a test. It is a chance to see a bit of Anca’s character — and save yourself a few Denarius while you’re at it.
This guide covers every payment option, what each one does, and which one is actually worth choosing. If you are still in the middle of the Withering Away quest and need the full walkthrough, our guide on how to improve Coen’s mother’s condition in The Blood of Dawnwalker covers every step from start to finish.
Why Does Anca Charge for the Herbs?
Anca is the herbalist in Laslea Glen. Coen’s father, Pieter, sends him to her to get stronger herbs for Esme — his mother — who needs to make it through the evening Blood Mass without looking too weak in front of the vampire boyars.
When Coen asks Anca for the medicine, she explains that the herbs needed for this particular remedy are rarer and harder to source. She normally charges 25 Denarius for standard herbs, but this batch costs double — 50 Denarius. She is not being unreasonable. She just does not want to work for free, especially for something this uncommon.
That said, she is also a decent person. She will not let money get in the way of helping Coen’s family.
All Three Payment Options Explained
Option 1 – Pay 50 Denarius (“I understand.”)
This is the full asking price. If you have 50 Denarius saved up, you can pay it without question.
Anca’s reaction: she is pleased. She mentions that people usually argue with her over the price, but that Coen is different. It is a warm moment and a small positive impression for their relationship.
Should you pick this? Only if you are actively trying to build Anca’s relationship score toward a romance. Paying full price is listed as one of the early prologue steps in the Anca romance path. Outside of that, paying 50 when 25 works just as well is not good Denarius management — especially in the Prologue when every coin counts.
Option 2 – Pay 25 Denarius (“You know things are tight for us right now.”)
This is the half-price option. Coen explains that money is tight for the family right now, which is true.
Anca’s reaction: she is slightly annoyed. She says she doesn’t want money to get between them and accepts the usual 25 Denarius — which is what she would normally charge anyway. No hard feelings, no debt, conversation moves on.
Should you pick this? Yes. This is the smartest choice in most cases. You keep 25 extra Denarius in your pocket, Anca holds no grudge, and you walk away with zero debt. The quest outcome is identical to paying 50.
Option 3 – Pay Nothing (“Sorry, can’t afford it.”)
You can also tell Anca you simply cannot pay right now. She does not turn you away. She says she trusts Coen to pay her back and hands over the herbs on credit.
Anca’s reaction: understanding. She gives you the herbs for free on the spot.
The catch: If you speak to Anca again later and want to settle the debt, the repayment price has gone up — it will cost you 100 Denarius to pay her back, four times the usual amount. That is a steep jump for a debt you did not have to take on.
Should you pick this? Not really. Saving 25 Denarius now is not worth owing 100 later — especially since the Prologue quest rewards give you enough Denarius to cover the 25 easily. The 0-payment option is only worth it if your wallet is genuinely empty and you have no other way to scrape 25 together.
Important note: There are no story consequences even if you never pay the 100 Denarius back. Anca will not punish you, cut off services, or change how she treats Coen. Not repaying is just something for your conscience.
Do Any of the Payment Choices Affect the Game?
No. The core outcome is the same in all three cases:
- Anca gives you the herbs
- Anca gives you the printed instructions sheet
- The Withering Away quest continues normally
- Esme’s fate is decided entirely by how you brew the medicine, not by how much you paid
The only thing that changes between the three options is Anca’s immediate dialogue reaction and whether you leave with a debt or not. Nothing else is affected — not the story, not the romance path (beyond one early impression point), not the medicine’s effectiveness.
What Is the Best Payment Choice?
For most players, pay 25 Denarius. Here is why:
- Anca accepts it without real complaint
- You save 25 Denarius compared to the full price
- You leave with no debt, so there is no 100 Denarius bill waiting for you later
- The quest outcome is identical
If you are going for an Anca romance, paying 50 is listed as the first prologue step on that path. But even that is flexible — romance progression later in the game depends more on other dialogue choices and quest decisions than on this single payment moment.
What Happens If You Cannot Afford 25 Denarius?
If you went straight to Anca from the house without doing any other Prologue quests, you may not have 25 Denarius yet. In that case, you have two options:
Option A – Take the debt (pay nothing now). Anca gives you the herbs. Pay the 100 Denarius later if you want, or do not bother — there are no consequences either way.
Option B – Earn some Denarius first. There are a few quick ways to get 25 Denarius in the Prologue without burning too many time segments:
- Loot the chest in Coen’s house — it contains a Parasol Mushroom, Clay Cup, and Fruit Juice. Sell items you do not need to the trader near the Laslea Centre Shrine.
- Do a quick Prologue side quest first — the Blasphemy quest gives 325 XP and 25 Denarius. The Disturbed quest also gives 250 XP. These are short and worth doing before heading to Anca.
- Loot the abandoned house north of Anca’s hut — it contains 17 Denarius, gold tableware, and other items you can sell.
- Complete the Live Bait quest — it costs only 1 time segment and gives 250 XP, and the trip helps you pick up some loot along the way. Our Live Bait quest walkthrough covers every step if you need it.
The Prologue gives you plenty of ways to earn a small amount of Denarius quickly. You should not need to walk into Anca’s hut completely empty-handed if you explore even a little first.
Does Paying Anca Affect the Anca Romance?
Paying 50 Denarius in full is mentioned as the first suggested step in Anca’s romance path — the idea being that it makes a good early impression. However, the romance itself does not live or die on this one moment.
The Anca romance arc spans multiple quests across the whole game: Withering Away (Prologue), then Echoes of Silenced Bells, Between the Words, and Where Old Devils Lie. The romance scene itself happens at the end of Stronger Than Achilles. That is a lot of game away from this payment moment.
Reviewers have confirmed that skipping the Latin lesson and not paying 50 Denarius still left the romance path fully open later. The relationship develops through consistent positive dialogue choices throughout those quests — not through one payment option in the Prologue.
So if you want the romance but do not want to spend 50 Denarius right now, pay 25 and move on. Focus the romance effort on the later conversations where it actually counts.
Should You Stay for the Latin Lesson After Paying?
After you pay Anca and get the herbs, it starts to rain. Anca offers to teach Coen some Latin while the storm passes — a habit they used to share. You have two choices:
- “Gladly — I’ve missed it too.” — Costs 2 time segments and starts the side quest Page-Turner. You will have a flirty moment with Anca over a red book and earn some relationship points. Reward: 100 XP.
- “I really have to go.” — Costs only 1 time segment. You skip the Latin scene and the Page-Turner quest does not open.
The Latin lesson gives 100 XP for 2 time segments — a poor rate compared to most Prologue quests which give 250 XP for 1 segment. Unless you specifically want the romance points or to see the Page-Turner quest, skip the lesson and keep your time for higher-value activities before the Mass.
Quick Summary – Paying Anca in The Blood of Dawnwalker
- 50 Denarius: Full price, warm reaction from Anca, no debt. Good if romancing her. Not necessary otherwise.
- 25 Denarius: Half price, mild reaction, no debt. Best all-around choice.
- Nothing: Herbs on credit, Anca trusts you. Repayment jumps to 100 Denarius later. No consequences if you never pay.
- None of these choices affect Esme’s survival. That is determined entirely by how you brew the medicine at the stove.
For everything else tied to this quest — the correct brewing steps, what to do with the instructions, and what happens at the Blood Mass — our full guide to making mother’s medicine in Blood of Dawnwalker has you covered. And once the Prologue wraps up, check out our guide on how to unlock Eclipse Edition DLC content — it becomes available right after.
The Blood of Dawnwalker is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Wondering how long the full playthrough takes from here? Our Blood of Dawnwalker how long to beat guide breaks down every playstyle.
