DawnwalkerGuide
Side QuestMajor ChoicesMissableEnding Impact

The Heart Wants What It Wants Walkthrough

Follow Ocha's quest through Andrei's mementos, the ritual and the final persuasion sequence. Several decisions can permanently change Ocha and Nora's later outcomes.

You can finish the quest while still locking in a different Ocha or Nora outcome. Use the decision sections below if you care about their epilogue states. Completing the journal entry is not the same as getting the character result you want.

Start with Quick Answers if you only need the Ring, Nora or hunger calls. Use the stuck jump if you are mid-quest. The walkthrough merges several journal objectives into decision-shaped steps instead of repeating every fetch and talk prompt.

Quick Answers

  • Correct Memento

    Choose Andrei's Ring.

    ✓ Correct ritual item

    Compare all three mementos →

  • Ritual Warning

    The ritual can succeed or fail.

    The correct Memento route sets up the successful ritual branch.

  • Nora

    Choosing [stay hidden] causes Nora to die.

    Character death

  • Ocha

    Some later answers use a hidden persuasion score.

    Open Ocha Persuasion Checker →

Quest Progress

  1. Step 1

    Continue Ocha's quest

    Objective
    Meet Ocha in Svartrau and decide whether to help her and Nora.
    What to do
    Find Ocha in Svartrau. This quest continues from A Mother’s Plea in the same Ocha line.
    What matters here
    Helping Ocha opens the memento, ritual and later persuasion sequence.
    Required
    Speak with Ocha and accept the help request.
    Optional
    None required to start.
    Next
    Andrei's hideout is inside the butcher's shop.
    Not progressing?
    Confirm you have already spoken with Ocha and agreed to help.

  2. Step 2

    Find Andrei's items

    Objective
    Get into Andrei's hideout and collect a personal item for the hex.
    What to do
    Andrei's hideout is inside the butcher's shop. Get upstairs and look for personal items.
    What matters here
    Ocha needs a personal item that belongs to Andrei.
    Required
    Reach the hideout upstairs and take a memento.
    Optional
    By day you can speak to the butcher, ask around, find silver, then show the silver to get inside.
    Next
    You will have to choose one memento.
    Not progressing?
    If the butcher path is open, try it during the day. Silver is only needed for that optional entry route.

  3. Step 3

    Choose Andrei's memento

    Objective
    Pick the item Ocha will use for the hex.
    What to do
    Choose Andrei's Ring.
    What matters here
    Only the Ring sets the successful memento condition.
    Missable warning
    This choice decides whether the ritual can take the successful branch.
    Required
    Andrei's Ring, if you want the successful ritual route.
    Optional
    You can inspect the other items, but they are the wrong ritual items.
    Next
    Return the chosen item to Ocha.
    Not progressing?
    The choice appears after you have collected Andrei’s personal items upstairs.
    Choosing the memento →

  4. Step 4

    Complete the ritual

    Objective
    Bring the memento back, mark the hideout window, then finish the ritual sequence.
    What to do
    Return to Ocha, draw the hex symbol by Andrei’s window, then get past the guard.
    What matters here
    The successful ritual branch depends on having chosen the Ring.
    Required
    Return to Ocha, draw the hex by Andrei’s window, and bypass the guard.
    Optional
    Combat can follow if the sequence stops being quiet.
    Next
    Nora’s fate is decided in the following sequence.
    Not progressing?
    Confirm the memento is back with Ocha, the window mark is done, and the guard is no longer blocking you.

  5. Step 5

    Resolve Nora's sequence

    Objective
    Free Nora after Andrei is dealt with.
    What to do
    Do not choose [stay hidden] if you want Nora to survive.
    What matters here
    [stay hidden] is a death choice, not a safe hide.
    Missable warning
    Nora can die here. That later changes an Ocha-related outcome.
    Required
    Finish the Nora sequence without taking the death choice if you want her alive.
    Optional
    None.
    Next
    Ocha asks to meet by the river outside Svartrau.
    Not progressing?
    This sequence comes after Andrei is no longer in the way.
    Nora →

  6. Step 6

    Meet Ocha at the riverbank

    Objective
    Meet Ocha by the river outside Svartrau and talk through the last stretch.
    What to do
    Meet Ocha by the river. Avoid [give in to the hunger] if you want Ocha to survive.
    What matters here
    The hunger choice can kill Ocha in this sequence.
    Missable warning
    [give in to the hunger] can write Ocha’s death and change later Ocha outcomes.
    Required
    Reach Ocha at the river and stay in the conversation.
    Optional
    Catching crayfish is optional. The journal marks that request as time-sensitive.
    Next
    The hunger choice and persuasion answers decide Ocha’s later state.
    Not progressing?
    Ocha is waiting by the river outside Svartrau after the Nora sequence.

  7. Step 7

    Persuade Ocha

    Objective
    Use the closing answers if you want Ocha to stay or return.
    What to do
    Tick the confirmed Stay or Return answers in the persuasion tool.
    What matters here
    Stay is checked first. Return only wins if Stay has not already reached 3.
    Required
    Reach the confirmed 3-point Stay or Return threshold for a verified result.
    Optional
    Answers that are not listed below are not treated as confirmed score sources.
    Next
    The quest can complete even if Ocha’s later state is not the one you wanted.
    Not progressing?
    If neither confirmed threshold is reached, this page will not invent a fallback.
    Persuading Ocha →

Choose Andrei's Memento

Pick Andrei's Ring.

What to choose

Andrei's Ring

What happens now

The ritual can proceed through its successful branch.

Want to understand the long-term consequences?

Ring vs Cleaver vs Pendant Choice Guide →

How to Complete the Ritual Successfully

Success condition

✓ Choose Andrei's Ring

  1. Andrei's Ring

  2. Correct Memento

  3. Successful ritual branch

  4. Ritual success state

  5. Ocha later outcome

⚠

Nora's Fate

[stay hidden]

Nora dies.

    IrreversibleCharacter deathEnding impact

This changes Nora’s later Ocha-related outcome.

Can I still save Nora?

Have you already chosen [stay hidden]?

⚠ Giving In to the Hunger

Giving In to the Hunger

Choosing [give in to the hunger] can kill Ocha in this sequence.

    Character deathIrreversibleEnding impact

This can change several later Ocha outcomes.

Did you give in to the hunger?

Did you give in to the hunger?

How to Persuade Ocha

Ocha's final decision is not controlled by one dialogue choice. Several answers add to hidden Stay or Return scores.

Return Home

0 / 3(0 / 3)

Stay

0 / 3(0 / 4)

Outcome not certain yet

Neither confirmed threshold has been reached from the answers selected.

Important Choices in This Quest

DecisionSafe answer / stateRisk
MementoAndrei's RingRitual outcome
Nora sequenceAvoid [stay hidden] if saving NoraCharacter death
Ocha hungerAvoid giving in if preserving OchaCharacter death
PersuasionReach desired 3-point thresholdOcha outcome

How This Quest Can Affect Your Ending

⚠ Major ending spoilers

Quest Not Progressing?

Check the conditions this quest actually uses. These are the proven blockers, not generic reload advice.

  • Previous objective completed — Ocha accepted help, or the current journal stage has moved on.
  • Required item collected — you have a chosen Andrei memento before returning to Ocha.
  • Correct quest stage reached — hideout, ritual window, Nora sequence or riverbank, depending on where you are.
  • Dialogue sequence completed — do not leave mid-conversation if the journal is waiting on Ocha or Nora.
  • Ocha and Nora are still alive if the current stage needs them
  • Daytime, if you are using the butcher conversation route

Continue Your Playthrough

Missable Checker →

Quick questions

Which Memento is correct?

Andrei's Ring.

Is the Cleaver or Pendant correct?

No. Neither triggers the successful Memento condition.

Can Nora die?

Yes. [stay hidden] enters Nora’s death outcome.

Can Ocha die?

Yes. One confirmed death route follows [give in to the hunger].

How do you make Ocha return?

Several dialogue answers add to a hidden Return score. The explicit Return threshold is 3, provided the earlier Stay threshold has not already won.

How do you make Ocha stay?

Reach at least 3 confirmed Stay points.

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