By the Gods / Stringing Up Sods – Witcher 2 Quest

This guide helps players with a specific quest of chapter 1 in The Witcher 2. It has a map, legend, and walkthrough to show you exactly how to complete the quest.

Map Legend

1 – Guard
2 – Main town square
3 – Tavern
4 – Docks
5 – Cedric

Background

Right after you finish A Rough Landing main quest, the same guard will tell you that a few non-humans will get executed at the main square. What’s more bothering, he mentioned a dwarf and a bard. Could they be your friends perhaps?

Walkthrough

After the dialog with the guard (#1), the quest will automatically get added to your journal. From here on head east towards the main square, through the door, to reach #2.

As you approach the mob in front of the gallows, you’ll also hear and notice Dandelion the bard and Zoltan the dwarf with a rope ’round their necks. in between the other stuff that’s going on, you’ll learn that Dandelion is in fact Roche’s agent and informer. Anyway, they are your friends from the books and the first game, so you should obviously free them.

After talking to the first guard right in front of the gallows (#2), he’ll brush you off as if it was none of your business. Telling him that the dwarf and the bard are your friends will loosen his tongue a bit, and you’ll learn that Zoltan is being hanged for collaborating with the Scoia’tael, while Dandelion is accused of debauchery.

There are two ways that you can stir this up: you could rally the mob against the guards, or you could get up there yourself and fight them. Either way, a fistfight commences. Fistfights are simple QTEs, so there should be no problem with that. After defeating the first guard, you’ll automatically enter another fistfight with the executioner who has just hanged an elven woman.

As soon as you beat up the executioner, the local man-in-charge will show up, a bald fellow named Loredo. During the conversation with him he’ll hang another elf and there’s no way to prevent that. No matter the dialog choices though, Dandelion and Zoltan will be set free, but they will be under a surveillance, meaning that they can’t leave the town. After freeing them, Loredo will give a private invitation to you to meet him at his estate after dark. The quest which covers that up is called Indecent Proposal, which is examined in detail on its own page. You should postpone that one until you finish everything else. Dandelion and Zoltan mentioned going to the tavern (#3).

Next, head over to the tavern to meet up with your friends. It’s directly to your left, from the way you entered the main square, facing the gallows. You’ll also find a notice board in front with a few contracts, but for now, enter the tavern to finish up this quest.

While talking to your old friends, you’ll get to know what happened with them during the previous month. Apparently, Zoltan’s wedding has been canceled because his father-in-law didn’t want a rebel in his family, and you’ll talk with Dandelion about his espionage for Roche. Then Triss will explain the recent events during which you were held captive. Following Triss’ story, you’ll conclude the conversation with what happened to you, primarily about the kingslayer and events which took place during the siege of the La Valette castle. This ends the quest By the Gods – Stringing Up Sods and grants you 300 experience points.

As soon as you end the conversation, the town will be alarmed of the incoming river monster’s attack. Head out to the docks (#4) to see what’s going on. This starts the main quest called The Kayran which is the name of the big monster itself.

Outside on the docks, there’s another mage trying to suppress the beast. Her name is Sile (pronounced as Sheala) de Tansarville. After driving the monster away, you’ll strike up a conversation with her and talk about killing the monster and making preparations. Local peasants will appear to whine even though their friend Sosek didn’t get swallowed by the animal. Simply drive them away through intimidation or Axii sign and continue your discussion with Sile. You’ll also notice that Triss is feeling a bit uneasy near Sile, and you can confront her about that later.

This isn’t part of the quest, but finishing this step will give set you on the right track to complete almost all the side quests since the conversation with Cedric (#5) opens up a few of them. Triss will meet you on the way to Cedric and then you can mention Sile to her. Afterwards, go talk to Cedric about the monster for The Kayran, Triss will then go over to the shipwrecks by using a teleport, but you should prepare for some side quests! The Kayran is further discussed on its own page.