How to Improve Coen’s Mother’s Condition In The Blood of Dawnwalker

TL;DR

• Esme’s condition is improved through the Withering Away quest in the Prologue
• Go to Anca in the southeastern part of Laslea Glen — she is not home, so find her by the river
• Pay for the herbs (50 Denarius, or less if you cannot afford it — she will still help you)
• Read Anca’s instructions before brewing — the game does not let you check them at the stove
• The correct recipe: Hot water (not boiling) + Three spoonfuls of herbs
• Complete the quest before the Sacred Covenant / Blood Mass or Esme will die
• The force-feed choice at breakfast has no real consequences — the story plays out the same either way
• Rewards: 500 XP + 100 XP for completing the quest correctly

How to improve Coen’s mother’s condition in The Blood of Dawnwalker is one of the most important things to sort out in the Prologue. Esme has lost her will to eat, her health is failing, and the vampire boyars expect everyone to be in shape for the evening Blood Mass. Get this wrong and the consequences are permanent. This guide walks through every step of the Withering Away quest so you know exactly what to do — and what to avoid.

If you want to know more about the Prologue and how it feeds into the rest of the game, our Blood of Dawnwalker release date, platforms, and editions guide covers everything you need before starting. And once you’ve completed the Prologue, don’t miss our guide on how to unlock Eclipse Edition DLC content in Blood of Dawnwalker, which becomes available right after.

Why Esme’s Condition Matters in The Blood of Dawnwalker

Esme is Coen’s mother. She has been deeply affected by the plague that swept through the region and the arrival of the vampire boyars who now rule the land. She has stopped eating and barely has the strength to function. The problem is that the Blood Mass is happening at sundown — and during that ceremony, Knyaz Brencis and his Vrakhiri boyars drain blood from every participant in the village.

If Esme is too weak and her blood is too thin, Brencis will not accept her. That leads directly to her death. The only way to prevent that is to make sure she has taken the medicine before the Mass begins.

This is not an optional side activity. It is a time-sensitive main quest, and failing it has real story consequences.

The Force-Feed Choice — Does It Matter?

Early in the morning, Pieter (Coen’s father) tries to get Esme to eat. You are given a choice: try to force-feed her, or refuse to do it against her will.

The honest answer is that this choice does not change anything. Both options lead to the same outcome. If you try to force-feed her, Esme bats the spoon away and becomes distressed. If you refuse, Pieter tries instead and she still pushes the spoon out of his hand. Either way, the food does not go in, and Pieter tells you to go see Anca for stronger herbs.

It is more of an introduction to the game’s choice mechanics than a real decision. The only difference is emotional tone — choosing not to force-feed her is a slightly less upsetting scene. The story outcome is identical.

The only thing that actually improves Esme’s condition is the medicine from Anca. That is the only path forward.

How to Improve Coen’s Mother’s Condition – Withering Away Quest Walkthrough

Step 1 – Get Dressed and Do Your Morning Chores

The Withering Away quest begins automatically after completing the first quest, All Good Things. Coen wakes from a nightmare and Pieter already has tasks waiting. Open the chest beside your bed and take out your clothes. Equip the Comfortable Tunic, Trousers with Wrappings, and Grey Loafers from the inventory menu.

Head into the yard, pick up the axe, and complete the chore. Then go back inside and put firewood in the stove. During breakfast, Esme’s condition becomes clear — that is when the force-feed dialogue plays out. Once it is over, Pieter asks you to go and get stronger herbs from Anca.

Before leaving the house, grab your sword from the room next door and equip it. You also unlock a recipe for Minor Mending Ointment from a chest here.

Step 2 – Go to Anca’s Hut in the Southeast of Laslea Glen

Anca is the local herbalist. Her hut is in the southeastern part of Laslea Glen. Head there and knock on the door — she will not answer because she is not home. The game will activate Focus Mode here, which highlights interactive objects. Use it to inspect the clues around her hut: check the partially watered vegetable garden and the nearby empty water barrel.

These clues point you to the river. Follow the path around the back of her hut and you will find Anca by the water. You can call out to her or observe her briefly before approaching — it does not affect the outcome.

Step 3 – Speak With Anca and Get the Herbs

Follow Anca back into her hut. She explains the remedy and gives you detailed instructions for how to prepare it. She tells you the key recipe: “Brew three scoops of this mixture with water that’s hot, but not quite boiling.”

Then she names her price. The herbs are rarer than usual and cost 50 Denarius. Here is how the payment options work:

• If you have 50 Denarius, pay in full
• If you only have 25, ask her to take that amount — she will agree begrudgingly
• If you cannot afford anything, tell her honestly — she will give you the herbs in exchange for a promise to pay her back later

No matter what you pay (or promise), Anca still gives you the medicinal herbs and a printed sheet of Instructions from Anca. Both go into your inventory.

There is also an optional moment here: Anca notices it is raining and asks if you will stay until the storm passes. She mentions she has missed giving Coen lessons in Latin. If you stay, this opens the side quest Page-Turner but costs an extra time segment. It is your choice, but do not let it eat too much into your remaining time before the Mass.

There is a Shrine just outside Anca’s hut. By the time you leave, you will likely have enough XP to level up and earn a skill point. Use the Shrine to unlock a new perk — it also teaches you how the perk system works.

Also along the path back home, you can find Gavril working in his field. Speaking to him picks up another side quest if you want it.

Step 4 – Read Anca’s Instructions Before You Get Home

This is the step most players miss. The game does not let you read the Instructions from Anca while you are standing at the stove. The inventory sheet is locked during the brewing process. If you have not already memorized the recipe, you will be guessing at that point.

Open your inventory on the way back to the house and read the Instructions from Anca item before you get there. The recipe will stick in your mind and you will have no trouble at the stove.

The game’s quest log does remind you to read the instructions when you return to Pieter, but by then you may already be moving through the scene too quickly to act on it.

Step 5 – Return Home and Hand the Herbs to Pieter

When you get back, Pieter will be outside talking with Vladimir. Wait for that conversation to finish, then hand over the herbs. Pieter tells Coen to go prepare the medicine at the stove inside.

Step 6 – Brew the Medicine Correctly at the Stove

This is the moment that decides Esme’s fate. At the stove, you are given two separate choices:

Choice 1 – Water temperature:

• Use Cold Water
• Use Hot Water ← correct answer
• Use Boiling Water

Choice 2 – Amount of herbs:

• Add One Spoonful of Herbs
• Add Two Spoonfuls of Herbs
• Add Three Spoonfuls of Herbs ← correct answer

The correct combination is: Hot Water + Three Spoonfuls of Herbs.

Anca’s instructions say “brew three scoops with water that’s hot, but not quite boiling.” Hot — not cold, not boiling. Three scoops. That is it.

Step 7 – Give Esme the Medicine

After the brew is ready, Pieter and Coen bring it to Esme. She is resistant at first. Coen sings a lullaby to calm her down while she drinks. Once she takes the medicine, the Withering Away quest is complete.

Pieter will invite Coen outside for sword practice after this, which automatically starts the next quest, Like Father Like Son. You will also receive:

• 500 XP for the Anca portion of the quest
• 100 XP for successfully administering the herbs
• 25 Denarius as a quest reward

What Happens if You Brew the Medicine Wrong?

If you use the wrong water temperature or the wrong number of spoonfuls, the medicine does not work. Esme’s condition does not improve. She goes to the Blood Mass still extremely weak and causes a disturbance during the ceremony.

When Brencis tries to take her blood, he is furious at what he finds. The other Vrakhiri then move on Esme and she is killed. It is a permanent outcome — Esme does not come back if this happens.

The good news: the game has auto saves. If you realize you made a mistake at the stove, you can reload your most recent save and try again before things escalate at the Mass.

What Happens if You Run Out of Time?

The Withering Away quest has a hard deadline. You must complete it before the Sacred Covenant / Blood Mass begins at sundown. If you spend too many time segments on side quests and optional activities and do not finish the quest before that point, Esme will die at the Mass regardless of whether you had the herbs or not.

The core quest only costs one time segment. The optional Latin lesson with Anca costs a second. Do not burn through your remaining day segments on unrelated activities before visiting Anca. Get the herbs first, then explore.

What Happens if You Brew the Medicine Correctly?

If you follow Anca’s recipe correctly, Esme is still weak at the Mass — the medicine does not make her healthy. But she is stable enough. When Brencis tries her blood, he is unhappy with her state and makes a comment about culling the herd. However, he does not act on it. Esme survives the Blood Mass and continues into the story as a prisoner of the boyars rather than dying in the Prologue.

Her survival keeps the option open for Coen to rescue her later. That is one of the main drives of the whole story — getting his family back.

Can You Skip This Quest?

No. You cannot skip it, and you cannot find another way to help Esme. There is no alternative route around the Blood Mass. One player tried speaking to Father Florin to get Esme excused from the Mass entirely — it does not work. Esme must attend, and the only way to protect her is the medicine from Anca.

Tips for Managing Your Time on This Quest

• Prioritize the Withering Away quest first — do side quests only after you have the herbs in hand
• Read the Instructions from Anca in your inventory before you reach Pieter’s house
• Remember the recipe without looking it up: hot water, three spoonfuls
• Use the Shrine outside Anca’s hut to spend any skill points you have earned
• Skip the Latin lesson with Anca if you are short on time segments — Page-Turner can wait
• If you mess up the brew, reload your auto save before the Mass starts

Keeping track of the shrine system is also important early on. If you are working out the collectibles and landmarks in the opening area, our guide to all Laslea Glen shrine locations in Blood of Dawnwalker covers every one you can find before leaving the Prologue area.

Quick Answer – How to Improve Coen’s Mother’s Condition

1. Complete morning chores and the breakfast scene
2. Go to Anca’s hut in the southeast of Laslea Glen
3. Use Focus Mode to find her by the river behind her hut
4. Buy (or promise to pay for) the herbs — she gives them regardless
5. Read the Instructions from Anca in your inventory before returning home
6. Give the herbs to Pieter and go to the stove
7. Choose Hot Water and Three Spoonfuls of Herbs
8. Sing the lullaby and give Esme the medicine
9. Complete before sundown / the Sacred Covenant

The Blood of Dawnwalker is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. For a full look at what the rest of the game holds and how long it will take to see everything, check out our Blood of Dawnwalker how long to beat guide.