Tough Love

Tough Love is a side quest in Kingdom Come: Deliverance. After hearing a rumour from the Innkeeper of the Broken Wheel Tavern, Henry will ride to Gallows Hill near Rattay. A woman named Elishka is crying outside the executioner's home, and you should speak to Executioner Hermann to find out what is troubling her.

Background

Herman the Executioner is trying to help the widow Elishka. Only living with an executioner brings all sorts of problems.

Simple Walkthrough

• Find out about the weeping woman from the executioner.
  • Talk to Elishka.
    • (Optional) Find out more from the Bailiff.
      • Find out more about Elishka´s husband´s family from the scribe.
        • Get embrocation for the scribe.
          • (Optional) Go and see Elishka´s husband´s family.
            • Find a home for Elishka
• Go back to Hermann and Elishka and decide what she should do.
  • (Optional) Talk to Executioner Hermann.

Detailed walkthrough

After riding past Gallows Hill, Henry will notice a young woman named Elishka sobbing outside the home of the executioner, Hermann. She is not interested in talking though, so speak to Hermann instead. As it turns out, Hermann executed Elishka's husband and took her in, as she has no kin.

Hermann tries vainly to comfort Elishka

Since then, Elishka has been deeply unhappy despite Hermann's kindness. Hermann confesses that he wants her to stay, but sadly acknowledges that his life is not for everyone. Being an executioner may be well paid, but it makes Hermann and anyone he associates with a pariah.

Hermann asks Henry to ask around, as Elishka's husband might have some family who will take her in. Speak to the sobbing Elishka, who will reveal her family all died of the plague, and she married a man with a bad reputation. She does mention that her husband has some family, but she never saw them. Given her husband's shady record with the law, she expects the Bailiff might be of more assistance.

Records on Elishka's in-laws

Head over to Rattay to speak to the Bailiff. At first he is not eager to help, but he can be persuaded to help Henry out. In this case, he will refer Henry to the Scribe of Rattay. If the player fails to persuade him, the Bailiff will instead warn Henry not to bother the scribe, inadvertently providing a lead anyway.

The Bailiff asks about Mishek's 'nice polite son'

Ask the Scribe about the records, or tell him the Bailiff sent you. While the latter case will get him to speak to Henry immediately, the former will cause him to dismiss Henry. As it turns out, the Scribe is consumed by his knee pains and needs an Embrocation potion. Fetch him one and he will agree to talk.

Unfortunately, the Scribe informs Henry that Rathaus records are for important matters, not inconsequential things like serfs. However, it turns out that he used to play dice with Mishek, Elishka's father-in-law, and tells Henry that they live just east of Rattay. Go to their farm, where Mishek lives with his elderly wife.

Henry gets chewed out by Elishka's mother-in-law

Meeting Elishka's in-laws

Question the elderly woman, who bluntly states she is not interested in helping anyone, much less a "useless girl" she has never heard of. Insulting her will get Henry nowhere, so either convince, bribe or intimidate her into letting Elishka stay with them.

If the player is successful with persuasion, the old woman will agree, but makes it clear she has no intention of treating her daughter-in-law well. Travel back to Gallows Hill and speak to Elishka and Hermann.

A stoic Hermann lets Elishka go

Finding Elishka a home

Back at Gallows Hill, Henry will have two options. The first is to convince Hermann and Elishka that leaving is the best thing for her. The two will say their goodbyes, and Hermann makes Elishka promise that she will be happy. She swears to it, and the two part, with Hermann clearly struggling with internal conflict, and Elishka looking back over her shoulder. At the end, talk to Herman and he will give Henry 125 .

The second option is to tell them the truth. Elishka's in-laws are not very nice, and she will likely be unhappy there. Ask Hermann if he wants her to stay, and he will confess that he has had feelings for her for years. In a cruel twist of fate, she is now living under his roof, yet that only causes her grief. After getting this confession, go back to Elishka and tell her she should stay with Hermann.

Hermann is overjoyed that Elishka wants to stay

At first, she is hesitant, pointing out she will be an outcast if she stays with Hermann, even if he treats her well. Reveal to her that Hermann has been in love with her for years, and she will agree to give him a chance. Elishka then timidly asks Hermann if she can stay and a clearly elated Hermann agrees, sweeping her into his arms. At the end of this route, Hermann will reward Henry with 200 .

Strategies

• If the player previously helped the Bailiff in Aquarius, Henry can bring up that the Bailiff owes him. This will always succeed in persuading him to help.
• While the player can attempt to go straight to the Scribe, it is better to seek the Bailiff first, since he will save Henry the trouble of finding an Embrocation.
• Elishka's mother-in-law is easier to convince with Speech than Badassness, though this is still modestly difficult. The easiest option is simply to bribe her.
• Killing Elishka's in-laws is a hidden option that bypasses the need for persuasion. With nowhere else to go, she will automatically agree to stay with Hermann and even be optimistic.

Notes

• The cash reward from Hermann does not happen automatically. The player must talk to him once more after the quest is completed.
• Murdering the old couple will lead to unique dialogue. Henry will awkwardly state that they died, and Elishka will wonder if this is God's way of telling her to stay with Hermann.
• If Elishka is convinced to live with the old couple, she will appear at their residence within a day's time, but cannot be spoken to. Otherwise, she will continue to live at Hermann's house.