Iorveth's Path -- Act II: Where is Triss Merigold?

Iorveth's Path -- Act II: Where is Triss Merigold?

According to Phillipa the only option that we have is to go through the mist to the other side, where the answers to this question are laying.  Before you begin this journey it is time to look to our kit a bit -- first you have acquired a special sword as part of your rewards for the quests that we finished called Gwyhyr so let's examine it for a moment:

Gwyhyr (Rare)
Steel Sword
Damage =  30 to 40
Vitality 20
Damage Reduction on Block 30
Stun 8%
Bleeding 20%

Already that is a very nice weapon and way better than anything we presently have for our Steel Sword Slot...  But it is not enhanced yet, and we can enhance it three times!  If we were to enhance it with a Fire Rune that adds an Incineration bonus, extra damage and resistance to Incineration, and then enhancing with a Moon Rune adds 4 to Damage Bonus to Signs.  Finally if we enhance it with an Earth Rune for the third and final boost, we end up with the following sword:

Gwyhyr (Rare)
Steel Sword
Damage =  31 to 42
Vitality 45
Resistance to Incineration 20%
Damage Reduction on Block 30 5%
Incineration 10%
Stun 8%
Bleeding 20%
Damage bonus on Signs 4

Now that is a pretty slick Steel Sword and should see us through most of the rest of the game!  Well done!  We already have a good Silver Sword, and as far as the armor that we have goes, if you have been upgrading whenever you obtain a better piece you have the best that you can have, so check your potions to see if you need to replace any, store your extra crafting and alchemy items in your storage chest, and then it is time to head for the mist!  Be sure to save your game tho...

-- Into the Mist --

After you cross onto the Battlefield Phillipa's familiar shows up to guide you -- stay inside the bubble of protection and follow the familiar owl until the Wraiths trap it, then kill them to release it and continue to follow it.  The familiar is again trapped by Wraiths and you again kill them to free it, and then you arrive at the other edge of the Mist and pass through and her familiar disappears, its duty done.  Phillipa appears and tells you she can go no further without risking Dethmold sensing her presence...  She will wait here for you.

Look on the short dead-end path above the fire to come upon a body with a set of orders from Shilard Fitz-Oesterlen on it -- they command the troops to look for and capture Triss!  Now head back to the fire and follow the main path to where you will trigger a CS at another body, and as you are examining the body after you find a small statue Roche shows up!

You can tell Roche what you like, what you tell him does not really impact the story or how he acts towards you -- the point to this is that you and he are both seeking the same thing.  He tells you that you need to sneak through the Nilfgaard camp, and he suggests that you can use either caves at the whorehouse, or sneak through the camp...  The thing is if you use the caves you will miss out on unlocking an Achievement -- so sneaking through the camp is really the way to go here...

Sneaking through the lower camp to unlock Black Ops

-- Sneaking Through the Nilfgaard Camp --

If you have any trouble with this please watch the video embedded above.  The only problem that most gamers have is actually finding the correct path to follow -- but once you find the jut of the Visionary you can follow the video and be aces mates!

We will do this by the numbers:

(1) As you proceed following the cliff walls you will find an entrance into the cuts that will lead you to the Visionary's hut -- you will battle Rotfiends on the way -- you can chat him up if you like...   After you do head into the larger opening and follow the path to the end where you come to a jump point that you can use to get down to the beach below -- this is the entrance to the back beach area and the only way into the camp you can take that will unlock the Black Ops Achievement.

(2) Jump down and then across, and then down to the beach.  Head around the bend and climb up off of the beach to the camp level, where you will encounter a drunk soldiers exiting the Canteen tent on the left.  Wait for them to move away and then carefully make your way along the right side and douse the torch in front of the tent across from the canteen and back away until darkness descends. 

(3) Ahead you will see more soldiers on the left -- wait until their backs are to you and sneak across the road and along to the next tent intersection, where you move between the tents to the wooden barricade wall, follow that to the gate and go through.

(4) Carefully make your way to the opening at the other side and wait for the patrol to pass, then turn the corner and follow the wall to the fight area, pausing halfway down to allow a soldier to move away, and then you will encounter a cook who you deal with via a QTE and cast a sign on to make him forget you. 

(5) Follow the wall loosely (you do not have to move away from it to go between tents from the QTE as you can actually fit through) so just douse the torch at the corner and then follow the wall until you reach the next gate and pass through it.

(6) On the outside you will find a guard on duty.  Knock him out by sneaking up behind him and then make your way along the path until you reach the entrance to a tunnel, at which point you will unlock the Achievement "Black Ops" (20 G) Sneak through the lower camp without raising the alarm.

Well done mates!  Good on ya!

-- The Secret Tunnel --

As you make your way through the tunnel to the other side just before the marker you will notice a short dead-end path that, when you go over, you sense magical danger -- there is a Golem here and he is worth killing because in addition to the XP you get for the killing of him in a chest you can loot is the Armor of Ban Ard, which is way better than what you presently are wearing if just because of its magical properties.  What I chose to do was to apply the Steel Plate Enhancement, and Dwarven Armor Enhancement, which gave me the following:

Magical Armor of Ban Ard
Armor Rating: 20
Vitality: 50
Reduction of damage from magic: 2%
Resistance to Incineration: 24%
Resistance to Bleeding: 24%
Resistance to Poisoning: 24%

Now while it is true that I lost a few points on the resistances than made up for by the increased AR and Vitality.  It is your call whether you do this but I recommend it.

-- Captured --

You should bear in mind that you are actually supposed to get caught here, that is how the story plays out, so do not freak when it happens.  You are taken to see the Ambassador as a prisoner.  You can tell him that you are looking for Triss -- he tells you what he knows. 

You then get a memory flashback in which you recover your memories of the battle that the Ambassador spoke of and what followed, as well as the Hunt, and then a monster hunt with a Manticore.  You see yourself following the Hunt and then you are back in the tent with the Ambassador.

The Ambassador tells you what he has planned -- and then has his men take the figuring you found -- which as it turns out is actually Triss!  It seems that the Ambassador was behind what happened to Triss -- and now he plans to use her to identify the sorceresses who plotted against the emperor. 

You are taken out to be executed -- and then Roche appears and saves you!

Being Roche's prisoner - making your way through the camp

Roche and Ves are battling the soldiers but you need to take out the mage.  What I did was place a trap that was easy to see -- the Harpy Trap works -- which gives you something to use as a center for dodging, and then whenever the mage cast protect on himself I would dodge back and forth to avoid his fireballs until his protect wore off then attack him, rinsing and repeating until he was dead.  Then I took out the rest of the soldiers.  Simpatico.

Do not forget to pick up the trap when you are done, and loot everything so you recover your kit...  Roche fills you in on what has been happening, and Geralt tells him he must return to Vergen.  Roche will take you back through the camp as his prisoner.  Before you talk to him to start that process, save your game.

As you make your way through the camp you MUST avoid officers -- basically the lead man in any patrols and the guys standing by the tents.  If you get spotted by them you die in a hail of arrows -- so don't do that, right?  You can not just head straight to the marker without stopping because a patrol appears -- what you can do is move forward until Roche says "Faster Cur!" then wait while the patrol ahead moves towards you and then to your right, and then proceed to the marker where you get a CS of Roche talking to a guard.

That gets you out of the camp and advances the quest Where is Triss Merigold!  Well done Mates!  From here head back to the marker to meet with Phillipa and she will talk to you before leading you through the Mist again, and back to Vergen.