The Siege of Vergen – Witcher 2 Quest

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

Map Legend

1 – Vernon Roche
2 – Female troll
3 – Male troll
4 – Vergen tunnels
5 – Pangratt’s lackeys
6 – Adam Pangratt & Dethmold
7 – Tunnel exit, Zoltan
8 – Iorveth
9 – Rope bridge
10 – Philippa Eilhart’s house, Henselt

Background

After completing Conspiracy Theory, Roche will enter a berserking rage, ready to kill every Kaedweni he meets. As such, you’ll be preparing to go over to Vergen and disrupt the siege if possible.

Walkthrough

Once you start from the cantina (#1), Geralt will mention that he knows secret tunnels (#4) below Vergen (the ones he used in the quest Hatred Symbolized). He’ll also advise Roche to calm down and think before he acts. The way you’re supposed to traverse is marked by red dots.

During your journey, you’ll be attacked by groups of Kaedweni soldiers. Somewhere around #2, you’ll meet a female troll. You can either kill her or ask her for some information on the area. She’ll tell you that she saw Letho, but couldn’t really ask him anything as he was aggressive. She’s also seen Sile, the sorceress who continued on to Vergen.

At the same site (#2), there’s a large shipwreck which you can search for a chest containing journal of Eyla Tarn, which starts and finishes the quest Mystic River.

Anyway, once you’re done with the female troll, continue on your way and you’ll meet a male troll at #3. He’ll be fighting a group of Kaedweni soldiers so help him out. Now, if you didn’t kill the female troll, you can tell the make troll that she’s fine as long as she doesn’t run into Kaedweni. Then he’ll go and distract a lot of Kaedweni soldiers at the gate, effectively helping you. If you killed the female troll and tell him openly about it, he’ll attack you and you can kill him too. The troll story ends here.

Your next destination is the tunnel entrance at #4. Once inside, it is advisable to drink Cat potion to be able to see anything (or you can max out gamma and brightness in the video options and revert once you get on the sunlight). Adam Pangratt, the mercenary from the camp will be waiting at #5. He’ll fall back, but will leave his mercenaries to kill you. It’s not going to work, so just slash them away and continue on your path.

Carefully navigate your way through the tunnels. You’ll notice a lot of mercenaries fighting rotfiends, which you can use to your advantage by killing rotfiends and making them explode in the middle of mercenary groups. When you reach #6, you’ll be fighting against Dethmold, Adam Pangratt and a few mercenaries.

Dethmold is a spellcaster and a relatively dangerous one as he frequently casts protective shield and lightning bolts. If you damage him enough (to ~20% or so) he’ll teleport over on the other side of the magical barrier and simply watch as you beat down the other mercenaries. Dethmold will teleport himself away once the whole fight is done, and Adam will be lying almost dead. You can decide to let him go or kill him. It doesn’t influence future events or Act III in any way. He’ll also give you his sword or you can loot it for him in the other choice (Nevde Seidhe, a strong silver sword with a chance to cause bleeding and extra damage to wraiths).

Either way, the magical barrier will subside and you can reach Vergen using the exit at #7. After going through the whole tunnel you’ll come outside and spot Zoltan and the others in the heat of the battle. Zoltan will charge at you as if you’re the enemy and then realize what’s going on. He’ll tell you about possible whereabouts of Sile as she might be in league with Philippa Eilhart, who has a house at #10. Optionally, you can also help Iorveth in the town hall (#8).

Helping Iorveth doesn’t influence anything much, it’s completely optional, so you might can choose what you’d want to do with that. If you decide to help him, head to the town hall (#8) and battle the Kaedweni soldiers. On your way towards either side, Roche will head over to the rope bridge (#9) Zoltan spoke about. Once you relieve Iorveth, he’ll feel bitter about the whole situation for which he claims to be lost. After this short conversation with him, head to Philippa’s house (#10).

On your way there, you’ll also meet a golem. Use Yrden to trap it and kill it and be sure to avoid its lethal charging attacks. After it’s defeated, enter the house only to see Sile instantly teleporting away (presumably to Loc Muinne). Afterwards, Henselt will enter the house with four Kaedweni officers. He’ll throw a few menacing words and an event will start where you’ll have to defeat a pair of soldiers first who wear two handed swords. After they’re dealt with, Henselt himself will attack with the two shield-bearers.

There’s not a lot of place to move around here and the opponents hit relatively hard so it might get a bit problematic on higher difficulties. Make sure to use Quen and Yrden and to kill them as fast as possible. Mages will have an easier time torching everything with Igni.

Henselt will be wounded, but he’ll get up on his feet and Roche will soon enter the place. The king will give a lengthy speech about new world order and border changes bound to happen in Loc Muinne. Roche will want to execute the king on spot. You can interfere here and stop him or just let him kill Henselt. It bears minor consequences on Act III as Kaedweni forces will be led by Dethmold instead of the king (who only appears during the talks).

Either way, a cutscene ensues and soon enough Geralt and Roche will travel to Loc Muinne to seal the whole story. You’ll receive 2500 experience points for completing this quest. Congratulations on beating Act II!