So im not sure if i should classify this as a bug or as a missed opportunity.
So during Dance with the devil, you can observe the three ladies as they head to their camp spot.
During this time of managing to get killed by the attackers numerous times I decided I would also test how many routes there are in the quest to completing it and any other things that pop up.
Issue One - It appears the item in particular, this remedy made by the herb lady is never in their possession - meaning its impossible to just steal it away from them. This could be a possible alternative ending for the quest.
Issue Two - The Woodcutters or Bandits (In this case they still appeared as Bandits to me) do not appear in their normal state but rather the more crazy outfit state even if you do not trigger the cutscene of you entering their clearing. Meaning that if you engage them and kill them even though you don’t see the cutscene you are still forced into the five hour wait and then their bodies change.
Issue Three - If you walk into the clearing the woodcutters presume you as hostile when you are not part of the chain of events. Before you even draw a weapon or attack at them.
Issue Four - If you knock the ladies out after killing the woodcutters during the trip - they die.
From what I can tell (I haven’t been able to pull off a beat them out cold with your fists attempt) to see if their is an alternative ending in which both the ladies and the woodcutters can survive. If anyone else has managed to keep them all alive I would be interested to know if another scene occurred.