An Impromptu Witcher Lets Play - now with the Witcher 2!

[Bara_no_Hime]

Update: The End of Chapter 2

So, time to break that curse. Geralt heads into the mists - and is immediately possessed by a ghost. Um... not a great start. And now I'm controlling one of the undead. Weird.

First up, I kill some dudes. I can't loot, and each section begins and ends with a cut scene of ghosts doing stuff, so it is a little confusing. Also, at on point the game crashes, although upon reloading I didn't lose anything.

Next, I get to run between cover while arrows rain down upon me. Fortunately, my Geralt is pretty tanky, so I can take a few arrows to the face if need be. It isn't pleasant, but I can certainly get to cover to avoid the next volley. At the end, it turns out it was my OWN SIDE shooting me, so... good job idiots.

After that, I possess the ghost of some really awesome guy who keeps challenging people to duels. He wants to fight the leader of the other side, who is this big guy and a real jerk - he threatens to execute his Sorceress, so she calls down a firestorm to kill both sides and create the curse I'm currently breaking. It just goes to show - do NOT piss off your sorceress.

Geralt, meanwhile, is having an argument with the ghost. The ghost wants to fight the big dude, but Geralt needs him to lead his troops to the afterlife. The ghost reluctantly agrees and Geralt faces the leader dude, a GIANT Draurg who is also On Fire.

Rolling rolling rolling around the boss. Fortunately, he's slow as shit. Unfortunately, he has a fucking tower shield that soaks damage and lets him turtle like... like a fucking turtle. Yeah, should've thought out that simile a bit more before I wrote it.

Anyway, there is one helpful aspect - if the big guy is blocking, he isn't attacking - because his attacks hurt.

Between his slowness and my rolling and quickness, I eventually chip him down without getting squashed. Win.

And now I'm an undead priest. I need to lead my people to the promised land... without getting hit by fucking meteors. Mission... failed, because I get hit by not one but THREE of the fuckers. It is a good thing that Geralt has a lot of HP, because damn.

And that's... it.

Hm. Hatred, vengeance, courage, and faith. Did I just play one ghost mini-game per artifact? That's... actually pretty awesome. Well written.

Okay, so the curse is broken. Geralt pops up back at Phillipa's and it's time to get moving. With the death mists gone, King Asshole can attack. Not good. ... wait, why did I just break that curse? Wasn't it like an awesome tactical advantage? "Hey, asshole - bet you can't break through our giant wall of angry fucking ghosts!" Who needs archers in that case?

Oh, never mind. It probably makes more sense during Roach's path.

Anyway, it's time to meet Zoltan and man the walls. Which Geralt does. There's a brief bit with boiling oil that's amusing. I hang around afterwards to loot some corpses and then join Zoltan at the main wall with Saskia.

I try setting fire to the ladders, but the game doesn't seem to recognize that as an option. Then I try using Aard to knock them over. That doesn't work - BUT it does send some (not all) of the troops climbing the ladders flying. HA! I take some time trying to perfect the technique, but as soon as one heavily armored knight climbs up who I can't send flying, it gets screwed up because I have to stop and kill them before I go back to launching people into the air.

This goes on for... well, quite a while actually. Just when it starts getting a bit tedious, it ends. Oh good.

Saskia wants Geralt to head into some tunnels... because the scouts she sent in went missing. I try to suggest that maybe the leader should stay HERE and man the walls, but the game makes Geralt be stupidly condescending about safety (rather than 'leader should stay on the walls') and she insists. Ah well. At least I'm not taking three dwarves this time.

We head in and - THESE ARE THE CAVES WITH THE BLOOD SWORD!!! I attempt to find the sword, taking all the side passages and checking around and - plot. Enemy soldiers and an enemy mage. Okay, kill them and then maybe Saskia will let me loot. I beat past the minions and take on the mage and - cut scene. Geralt is... knocked out. So, Saskia has to save me. Well, since she handed plenty of dudes on the wall, I'm sure this isn't beyond her skil--

And she's a "gold" dragon.

Yeah, that was kinda spoiled earlier in thread. Still I wasn't expecting it to be revealed like THAT. Yikes. And... damn it! She collapsed the rest of the passages. No blood sword for me. **pout**

Ah well. Back to the battle. After a little more wall-guarding, Ivo Squirrelnik shows up and rains arrows on the enemy. Then Zoltan and I head back to the gate mechanism to close the gates and trap King Asshole. Which works. Yay!

The King surrenders. In a cut scene, Saskia and Philippa dictate terms. King Asshole agrees to forever foreswear any claim to Upper Aedirn and recognized Saskia as... queen? I guess? And pay for damages. Ah good - victory is had. All is right with the -

Zoltan et al think that something's wrong with Saskia. Apparently that wasn't like her. Securing freedom for her people isn't like her? Or setting herself up as Queen? I think I missed something here. Zoltan wants me to talk to her, so Odin and I go to do so, but Phillipa opens a portal for them. I run LITERALLY THROUGH the portal... and the game says "NOPE!" and Geralt ends up with a face full of wall while Saskia and Phillipa teleport to that mage meeting where they took Triss. DAMMIT!!! Now I'll have to walk.

Igor thinks that we might learn something in Philipa's house, so we head inside and find a book on poisoning. It turns out we did NOT need a Rose of Rememberance... which means we could have lifted the curse FIRST and then saved Triss, and saved one of those annoying owl trips. Well crap. Also... and I can't believe I'm going to say this....

The Lesbomancy was Sinister.

Damn it Witcher Writers! Every time you impress me (with the curse breaking ritual) you turn around and piss me off. The ONLY canon gay character (that I recall) in the Witcher games so far... and she betrays the party and mind-controls her allies for Evil purposes.

Of course for every Triss and Yennefer, there's Sabrina Glevissig, Síle de Tanserville, Philippa Eilhart and her scheming apprentice

You're not helping your case here. You seemed to be before, but now....

Triss, Yennifer, AND Saskia, loyal female characters, ALL get kidnapped and used as plot bait.

Sabrina, Sile, Philippa, and Cynthia are ALL traitors.

So, women in this game can be victims or Evil. Or, to quote Revolutionary Girl Utena, "all girls end up being either Princesses or Witches". Likewise, all women in the Witcher eventually become either "Damsels in Distress" (Princesses) or Backstabbing Traitors (Witches).

Note that I'm not saying that the men are better. There are plenty of male victims and traitors too. However, men have roles BESIDES those two. Men can be loyal (like Zoltan), idealists (like Dandelion), extremists (like Iorveth), or obsessive (like Roach). They can be bad-guys without being traitors (like Letho).

When I talk about the game being sexist, in the case of the Witcher 2, it is because the game really does seem to have a very low opinion of women. Women are either rendered powerless, betray their allies, or both. Women (aside from Saskia, who is a dragon) never face their enemies head-on, but instead pretend to be their allies and then betray them. The "female traitors" are so think in this game they start to pile up.

Cynthia is a Milfguardian spy traitor spying on Phillipa who is a traitor, but who was in turn betrayed by Sile in what appears to be a bid for power in their secret organization. And they all betrayed Triss, who they were afraid would betray them to Geralt.

Since I'm complaining anyway, I'm gonna jump ahead a little bit and mention that the spell apparently makes Saskia LOVE Phillipa... the only canon gay character so far (as far as I remember). The way it was implied, Saskia is basically Phillipa's willing sex slave. That's rape via mind control spell. So the old "lesbian rape" trope comes crashing down on things.

When Phillipa was revealed to be gay, I was like "oh, this is refreshing - a positive gay character" - and then she goes evil and lesbian rapes the "virgin" paladin. Really? Fucking REALLY?!

**headdesk** **headdesk** **headdesk** **headdesk** **HEADDESK**

....

**cleans up the head blood from headdesking too hard**

Anyway....

Geralt lies about why Saskia left and appoints Zoltan and Dandelion to hold things together while he goes to bring her back. Great. Now there are two Damsels to rescue. **grumble grumble gripe**

And, with that, we're off into Chapter 3.

And, with that, I'm off to have a drink.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

One triple Rum and Cranberry Juice later....

Update: Chapter 3 Begins

Triss has arrived, still shrunken, in the city with the conference. Another Sorceress restores Triss, naked and spasming, to her normal self and then - surprise surprise - the Sorceress whose name I missed gets stabbed to death by the Milfguardians.

Meanwhile, Geralt and Mr. Friday are heading in on foot.

-- Actually, let me back up briefly. I forgot to mention last time that Geralt remembered a little more last time after breaking the curse. Apparently Letho if a member of another group of Witchers who use the snake (rather than the wolf) as their symbol.

Anyway, back in the current situation, Ivo catches Geralt up on the city's history... while fighting harpies. It was built by some ancient race that was slain by disease. I'm not entirely clear on what sort of race they were supposed to be, but they apparently predated the elves, which is pretty impressive.

Anyway, we get to the city and learn that Phillipa has been imprisoned. Because the traitors are running so thick now that everyone is being betrayed by everyone else (hence the Sorceress getting stabbed earlier). So now we need to break her out of prison. Lovely.

Igor suggests that I sneak in through the sewers. I have the option to have Geralt get caught instead, but that is clearly a STUPID IDEA so I don't have him say it. Besides, sewers have monsters, and I like monsters.

Of course, now I have to sneak my way there. I avoid some guards and fight some "gargoyles" who explode. They look more like Magma Elementals to me, but whatever. I find a stairway down to what I THINK is the Sewers, but it turns out to be a weird room with runes on the wall and a glowing chest. There's a clue in gibberish. Hm.

As with the candle puzzle last chapter, I handle this the old fashion way - random guess work, process of elimination, and tanking the lighting bolts I get shocked with. After a couple of tries (try clockwise, starting with each rune, then try counterclockwise, starting once with each rune) I figure it out and open the chest. It has plans for some armor bits.

I go into the next building, avoiding the guards, and - cut scene? Oh, it's that guy I wrestled in the last chapter. He wants revenge and is going to kil-- oh, wait no, he wants to wrestle again. Oh. Okay.

I kick his ass again. Quest over. Yay! I also play some dice poker. Um... yay?

I continue to sneak through the town and end up fighting some harpies - and then fighting some guards. Crap crap crap - oh... never mind. Once they're dead, no one cares, even the shop-keepers who saw me murder them in broad daylight. Huh. Why am I sneaking again?

Fuck it. MURDER! **kill kill kill kill kill**

Ahem. Anyway, that taken care of, I go around and check out the shops. I bump into those guys from the Asylum back in Chatper 1. They want some help with a crypt thingy. I agree to help - for a payment up front. They pay up.

I also pick up some quests on the quest board. And it turns out that rune thing was part of the Gargoyle quest. Huh. Okay then.

I poke around some more, loot some stuff, and find another basement with runes. But no sewer. I complete that one with more random guessing.

Then I find an entrance to the sewer... but it is locked. Well crap!

I also find a craftsman who wants a weird list of alchemical crap to do something to some documents that I found. Not sure I understand what, but apparently there's a cool sword for me if I get it done. He needs some monster parts - parts that I've been keeping in case I ever needed them! I hand them over and he gives me the plans for the sword - which is ridiculously cheap. Awesome sword!

Oh, and apparently he's the person with the gargoyle contract. He also makes me some gloves and boots from those plans I found in the last two gargoyle basements.

Anyway, time to get serious. I explore around some more - and get chased by some guards - and then I finally find the sewers! And... I meet a face. A red glowing face who speaks gibberish. And I get a quest about it. Weird.

Further on, I kill some monsters and then find some REALLY GOOD ARMOR! +28 Armor! Nice. Oh, and apparently this is part of the Mystic boat quest. It seems I'm supposed to make this armor, but I need a special craftsman....

I run back to the gargoyle guy, and sure enough, he can make it. So I make the armor. +30 Armor for the win! With +40 vitality and +70% resistance vs Bleeding, Incineration, and Poison! Holy crap!

Well, I am now super equipped. Okay, time to continue. Back to the sewers!

I kill rot fiends until I make my way through to the Prison. I switch to my steel sword and hide in the hallway, and listen....

Listen as Phillipa asks King Radovid why he betrayed her. And the answer is... because she didn't bow to him? He taught her to stand up to everyone, so because she won't bow to him, she... gets her eyes cut out. Wow.

I run up the hall to show him what I think of people who cut out the eyes of helpless women, but sadly he's gone. So I slaughter everyone else there and head inside to her cell. This... doesn't result in much, so I go in the cell next to her, kill the guard, and beat up the Milfguardian ambassador. Aka Map Guy.

Now Phillipa talks to me. This is where I learned the nature of the mind control lesbian rape bit, by the way. I also learn that the game is going to be a dick and only let me save one person - either Triss or Saskia, but not both.

I will ***** about that momentarily. First, though, onward. I choose Triss, because what else was I going to choose this playthrough?

This means I take the Milfguardian hostage. Nifty. I escort him outside and his people... shoot him. Lovely. So much for that. So Geralt, who is in no mood for this bullshit, slaughters them to a man. Then, after looting, I head down into the dungeon and rescue Triss. Finally.

I talk to Triss about her secret organization. I also tell her I trust her. It seems that they cut her off from the secret part of the secret organization after she and Geralt started dating. Huh, fancy that. Also, Philipa and Sile are the leaders, and are competing for power. Well, since Philipa just got stabbed in the face, I think Sile won.

Anyway, I escort Triss out, and she comments on the massive pile of corpses (now being eaten artistically by crows) that Geralt left in his wake. Nothing says "true love" like a pile of crow-eaten corpses. ^^

Outside, Triss is going to go get ready for the Big Meeting where the Major Plot is going to be. She gives Geralt the "I'll meet you there" bit which means that the plot won't move forward until I show up. That's nice.

Meanwhile... I promised to help those idiots with another tomb raiding. Time to get to it.

Also, I have one more gargoyle basement to find for the awesome crafter guy.

And the dice champion to play, if I feel like it.

And...

....

... why isn't the game showing my progress to the next level? I should be most of the way to level 36, but the game seems to be stuck on level 35. Is this a glitch? Level 35 can't seriously be the level cap, can it? I'm only half-way through the game!

Aren't I?

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

As promised above, my comments on why the "choice" of saving Triss or Saskia is bullshit.

As it is, the game seems to assume that Phillipa will die if Geralt leaves her, thus dooming Saskia.

I took the Milfguardian hostage. Since I already opened the door to her cell, there is no reason why I could have had Phillipa just put her hand on my shoulder and follow us out. She could have hid behind the wall while I slaughtered the guards. (Or, if the game really wanted to pull the "you can't save both" bullshit properly, it could have had the guards kill her thus preventing it.)

That way, once I saved Triss, I could THEN save Saskia since, by coming with me, I'd have saved Phillipa.

So that "game changing choice" felt artificial and pointless. If I was breaking Triss out, there is no reason I couldn't have also broken Phillipa out. Hell, for that matter, Geralt and Triss could have gone back into the PRISON afterwards. It was right there. I killed everyone who might have executed Philipa - there's no way Phillipa is already dead.

So yeah... I call bullshit on that "choice".

Secondly... if the curse isn't broken, then Saskia will forever love Phillipa... who will soon be dead. So Saskia will be sad about her dead girlfriend for all eternity? Um... so what? Yeah, it will suck for Saskia personally, but with Phillipa dead, Phillipa will no longer be able to influence her.

Anyway... that being the case, it seems kinda stupid to go after Saskia. She'll be fine, if sad. Triss will be DEAD if I don't save her. Dead beats sad.

So yeah... shitty choice. Not nearly as good as Roach vs Ivo.

 

[InsanityHalls]

Hey, I made this account pretty much just to respond to this. I've been reading your play through and just wanted to throw this out there. t you are about to finish the game. There are only 3 acts in this one, and the third act is the shortest of the 3.

Spoilers about the Triss/Saskia rescue.

Spoiler

If you chose to rescue Saskia then someone else will rescue Triss, you don't *lose* her. From a roleplaying standpoint however it makes sense for Geralt to be like uhh, sorry I have to go for Triss, seeing as he doesn't know she'll be rescued otherwise.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Hey, I made this account pretty much just to respond to this. I've been reading your play through and just wanted to throw this out there. t you are about to finish the game. There are only 3 acts in this one, and the third act is the shortest of the 3.

Spoilers about the Triss/Saskia rescue.

Spoiler

If you chose to rescue Saskia then someone else will rescue Triss, you don't *lose* her. From a roleplaying standpoint however it makes sense for Geralt to be like uhh, sorry I have to go for Triss, seeing as he doesn't know she'll be rescued otherwise.

First of all, thanks for making an account for me! **blush** I hope you stick around and give it some use now that you have one.

Secondly - wow, only three chapters. So I really am almost done? 35 really is the level cap? This game seemed to go so fast. I can't believe I'm at the end of it already....

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Update: Chapter 3 Faffing About

Some exploration and I found the final gargoyle lair. After killing them - and DAMN there were a lot this time - I headed down and worked on the puzzle. This one was more complex and required a pattern other than clockwise and counter-clockwise. Eventually a Z pattern worked and I got the last chest. Pants! Or plans for pants anyway.

That done, I went to turn in the quest and make some pants.

After that, I switched my quest to the one where the guys already paid me and got to it. I met them down a very long spiral staircase (skipping a door on the way down). And there I met the other two members of the group - a Milfguardian mage and... Cynthia the Traitor. Oh, this is going to go well. /sarcasm

So we head in. Geralt's job is to kill any monsters, so that's what I do. The monster murder continues until we hear some troops above trying to make their own way in. Huh. And then... we reach an Eye. A riddle telling Eye. One of the two idiots takes a guess and gets INCINERATED for his trouble. Now... it's Geralt's turn.

I fucking SAVE first.

However, because I'm awesome, I get the riddle correct. Yay me!

Inside, we approach a door and head inside. Here is another Eye. It has another riddle, but this one is a long story problem. There are some books around, which I read, and some murals in alcoves. Hm.

Each of the three surviving party members has a theory. According to the books I picked up, I guess the three-headed dragon, the full moon, and... the last one I'm not sure about. I guess "Tower" and I'm wrong - but no one gets incinerated. Instead, gargoyles get summoned. After I kill them, I try again. I'm pretty sure about the first two, so I choose them again, but for the last one, I chose "Mine" this time. And the other idiot gets incinerated! And.. then the door opens. Why did he get incinerated if I got it right? Oh well.

Inside the next door is a golem. Hm. The golem is quite chatty. I explore all of the various dialog options, except the one where Geralt uses a Hex against it. I figure that would qualify of hostile. Then, during the "I got it" dialog option, I... fuck up. Not sure how, but I do. And the golem attacks - as do his two buddies! Shit.

This battle is not easy. Each individual golem isn't that hard, but they keep knocking me over whenever I try to fight one of the others. I end up rolling a lot to try to separate them. My "party" is no help either. Eventually I kill one of the support golems, and then the other, leaving me with just the main golem. He takes a while, and he can still fling me across the room, but at least I'm no longer getting punched in the back of the head. With much effort, I finally take him down.

I loot them, and then some of the rest of the room. Meanwhile, Cynthia has found the McGuffin she came for. The other mage with her suggests that it's time to reward me... with death. And then he divides himself into three and attacks. Cynthia supports a bit with fireballs, but otherwise it's me vs three mages. As with all mages, Aard is useful for knocking them on their butts so I can get more hits in. I kill them all, finally - and they leave no loot. Jerks.

Anyway, Cynthia chats with me about the Wild Hunt and a few items about Geralt's backstory. Apparently, Geralt rode with the Wild Hunt. Huh. I wonder if he met Thomas. (internet cookie if you get that joke)

Also, Cynthia would like to meet at the Inn later. Oh? Hm.

Once she leaves, I loot the room and then head out. The game asks if I want to return to the surface, but I say no because there are sections I haven't explored yet. I do so, killing and looting. And then... puzzle time! There's a room with four stones that shock me when I hit them. Or do anything else to them. But, I learn by accident, not when I Aard them. Two of them glow blue when I do so. But if I try it on the others, they all go blank. Hm. I try my other spells - several of which don't cast on targets besides me, so obviously not them - and eventually figure out that I need to use Igni on the other two. Yay, door open. And inside is a treasure room and a suspicious statue.

I loot everything else in the room, then go to take the sword (a sword that matches my armor) off the statue. I am 100% sure it is going to animate and attack me.

And I'm wrong! Instead, some dude appears behind me instead. The statue remains a statue.

The dude is a Wraith Mage. With a Boss Fight separate health bar. Holy shit.

The asshole spams that shield spell and fireballs. Also, sometimes he summons wraiths. Also, sometimes he creates a rune that makes it hard to move and eventually explodes. I learn to stay FAR away from those runes.

I, meanwhile, learn that Aard works just as well on this jerk as it did on the last mage. I wait until his shield spell is about to run out, and then Aard him, knocking him down - where I wail on him with Strong style until he stands and teleports. Rince, repeat. Dead wraith. This opens the way out.

Wow, okay, that was pretty impressive, all things considered. Neat quest.

That done, I head back to the surface and go see Cynthia in the inn. We chat about how she was making copies of that mage's notes about the disease that killed the Vran - the weird race that lived her before the elves - and it kinda makes it sound like Milfguard plans to use germ warfare. Hm. Good thing Geralt is immune to disease.

Also, Cynthia wants to hug Geralt. Sure, why not? Sex ensues. It's, again, a very cute sex scene. She gives Geralt a playful little shove onto the bed. The rest is so-far so-standard. Including Geralt still having his pants on and her wearing those little panties from earlier.

Well, that was a thing that happened.

After that, I head over to sell stuff to the craftsman. And he wants to talk about one of the books I found. On Vran language. And - ah! - he tells me how to respond to that Flaming Head in the sewers!

I head back and do so. It takes some effort, but I get the door to like me. And then a portal appears in its place. I head inside.

And I end up in another puzzle room!

This time, it's one of those "extinguish one flame, two more turn on" type puzzles. I know these well. I do a few experiments, and learn (to my surprise) that each doesn't activate the two next to it (as is often the case), but two other specific ones in the room. A little tracking of what does what, and them some trial and error, and I get them all turned on. And the door opens. Yay.

There's a boss looking guy down the stairs, so I save. However, he's chatty. He calls Geralt the chosen one. Well, to paraphrase Venkman, if someone calls you the chosen one, you don't tell them otherwise. He says the machine was prepared for me, so I ask him what it does, and it... hm? I tell him to go ahead and use it and - yes - it reset my skills. I reapply my skills, making only minor changes (and ignoring some of the alchemy tree since Impregnation is not retroactive and I pretty much never make potions with negative side effects.

I actually take a little more of the magic tree this time, in addition to my usual sword skills. I take enough to improve my vigor by +3 overall. I now, with current equipment, have 6 vigor. Not to shabby for a primary sword character!

And, with that, another portal opens and spits me out in the sewers where I started. Huh.

I head back to town and... yeah, I have no other quests left aside from playing dice poker.

I guess it's time... for the End Game. Time to meet Triss.

 

[DementedSheep]

The thin with Radovid cutting out Phillip'as eyes for now bowing..its not just the not owing its what it represents. From what I remember about him his dad got assassinated (possibly actually by Phillipa, she was his adviser. Sorcerers lie for a few hundred years) when Radovid was kid. Phillipa ended up being the one with most of the power and respect not Radovid. So he's kinda touchy about not being shown proper respect, especially from Phillipa.
If Phillipa dies before the curse is broken Saskia will still be following her prior orders. I thogght this was explained by that point but maybe not

Spoiler

She was told to Sile's orders. Her and Phillipa aren't competing for power they were just playing different sides form what I recal.

Hey, I made this account pretty much just to respond to this. I've been reading your play through and just wanted to throw this out there. t you are about to finish the game. There are only 3 acts in this one, and the third act is the shortest of the 3.

Spoilers about the Triss/Saskia rescue.

Spoiler

If you chose to rescue Saskia then someone else will rescue Triss, you don't *lose* her. From a roleplaying standpoint however it makes sense for Geralt to be like uhh, sorry I have to go for Triss, seeing as he doesn't know she'll be rescued otherwise.

First of all, thanks for making an account for me! **blush** I hope you stick around and give it some use now that you have one.

Secondly - wow, only three chapters. So I really am almost done? 35 really is the level cap? This game seemed to go so fast. I can't believe I'm at the end of it already....

You've not really finished the game until you've done oth sides. Roche is considerably different to Iorveth and they give you different parts the plot.

Although while its good, I should warn if your annoyed at Phillipa being an evil lesbian your going to hate Deathmold much more. You can tell where this going just by the name, yeah? You should have seen him briefly already. He's gay, like every evil depraved gay man stereotype and scene in which he dies is really terrible. If there is one scene in the game that I would think would get shit for being offensive it would that one. Ves is like a plot device to establish how bad other characters are too.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

If Phillipa dies before the curse is broken Saskia will still be following her prior orders. I thogght this was explained by that point but maybe not

Spoiler

She was told to Sile's orders. Her and Phillipa aren't competing for power they were just playing different sides form what I recal.

The solution is still fairly simple - kill Sile. Then the final orders no longer apply.

You've not really finished the game until you've done oth sides. Roche is considerably different to Iorveth and they give you different parts the plot.

Fair enough. But I was still sort of imagining more game per playthrough. Chapter 2 went pretty quick, and Chapter 3 is flying by. The first game was significantly longer. And, to be fair, often duller. So I understand that they wanted something a little snappier this time, but I was just shocked to already be at the end.

Yo should have seen him briefly already. He's gay and every evil depraved gay man stereotype and scene in which he dies is really terrible. If there is one scene in the game that I would think would get shit for being offensive it would that one.

Is he coming up, or is he part of Roach's path?

Ves is like a plot device to establish how bad other characters are too.

I haven't seen enough of Ves to really have thoughts on her. She just sort of seems to be... around. Mostly with Roach. I suppose I'll see more of her on his path.

 

[InsanityHalls]

Deathmold is on Roche path, and more Ves ( I like her as a character.) I would recommend playing the game again (maybe not right away, tho that may give you more perspective) on Roche's path and even choosing different smaller choices as you go as well (like maybe the guys in the asylum and such.) The game is really quite impressive with how different it is based on your choices it's basically an entire act and a half are completely changed.

 

[Norrdicus]

It's been a short while since I've managed to read your thread, looks like you've been playing quite a lot as usual.

Rolling rolling rolling around the boss. Fortunately, he's slow as shit. Unfortunately, he has a fucking tower shield that soaks damage and lets him turtle like... like a fucking turtle. Yeah, should've thought out that simile a bit more before I wrote it.

Anyway, there is one helpful aspect - if the big guy is blocking, he isn't attacking - because his attacks hurt.

Between his slowness and my rolling and quickness, I eventually chip him down without getting squashed. Win.

Basic strength Yrden made this guy a joke for me, which makes me giggle when I see stories of people losing to him multiple times until they win by brute-forcing it. That boss just can't take back attacks.

Not good. ... wait, why did I just break that curse? Wasn't it like an awesome tactical advantage? "Hey, asshole - bet you can't break through our giant wall of angry fucking ghosts!" Who needs archers in that case?

Oh, never mind. It probably makes more sense during Roach's path.

I think it's explained in both routes that the mist keeps expanding and the wraiths keep coming out of the mists. Vergen was in much greater trouble than Henselt and his army.

The ONLY canon gay character (that I recall) in the Witcher games so far... and she betrays the party and mind-controls her allies for Evil purposes.

How would you know Philippa's purposes are necessarily evil? This is Witcher, there are about a hundred shady antagonists with a goal that's not all that bad nor sinister from many angles

They can be bad-guys without being traitors (like Letho).

*grin*

... why isn't the game showing my progress to the next level? I should be most of the way to level 36, but the game seems to be stuck on level 35. Is this a glitch? Level 35 can't seriously be the level cap, can it? I'm only half-way through the game!

Aren't I?

Nope, Act 3 is the final act. You're more like 80% through at this point

As it is, the game seems to assume that Phillipa will die if Geralt leaves her, thus dooming Saskia.

Actually that's not quite it, but you'll find out later

I took the Milfguardian hostage. Since I already opened the door to her cell, there is no reason why I could have had Phillipa just put her hand on my shoulder and follow us out. She could have hid behind the wall while I slaughtered the guards. (Or, if the game really wanted to pull the "you can't save both" bullshit properly, it could have had the guards kill her thus preventing it.)

Iorveth's still in the story you know, and he's playing an active role in it while you leave the cells and save Triss. Iorveth's going to try and save Saskia himself without your help while you fight with the guards outside

Inside the next door is a golem. Hm. The golem is quite chatty. I explore all of the various dialog options, except the one where Geralt uses a Hex against it. I figure that would qualify of hostile. Then, during the "I got it" dialog option, I... fuck up. Not sure how, but I do. And the golem attacks - as do his two buddies! Shit.

That golem's logic puzzle is kinda weird, I'm going to bet that something was lost in translation

Anyway, Cynthia chats with me about the Wild Hunt and a few items about Geralt's backstory. Apparently, Geralt rode with the Wild Hunt. Huh. I wonder if he met Thomas. (internet cookie if you get that joke)

Also, Cynthia would like to meet at the Inn later. Oh? Hm.

Did you use the spy thingamajiggy they were after?

There's a boss looking guy down the stairs, so I save. However, he's chatty. He calls Geralt the chosen one. Well, to paraphrase Venkman, if someone calls you the chosen one, you don't tell them otherwise. He says the machine was prepared for me, so I ask him what it does, and it... hm? I tell him to go ahead and use it and - yes - it reset my skills. I reapply my skills, making only minor changes (and ignoring some of the alchemy tree since Impregnation is not retroactive and I pretty much never make potions with negative side effects.

If you deny being the Chosen One, you'll have to fight the mage, and he's this game's optional superboss. The weapon he leaves behind is really fun if not mildly gimmicky

Although while its good, I should warn if your annoyed at Phillipa being an evil lesbian your going to hate Dethmold much more. You can tell where this going just by the name, yeah? You should have seen him briefly already. He's gay, like every evil depraved gay man stereotype and scene in which he dies is really terrible. If there is one scene in the game that I would think would get shit for being offensive it would that one.

It depends. If Philippa shows lesbians as cold mind-rapists, Dethmold shows gay people as.... kinda gross and ugly? Really, his sexuality is barely of any consequence. It only ever comes up in 25% of playthroughs

 

[DementedSheep]

It depends. If Philippa shows lesbians as cold mind-rapists, Dethmold shows gay people as.... kinda gross and ugly? Really, his sexuality is barely of any consequence. It only ever comes up in 25% of playthroughs

Also evil, crazy and

Spoiler

his death scenes has him acting stereotypicaly effeminate and about to sleep with a servant who was forced to be there right before Roche cuts his balls off. Maybe its just me but they way they play up his "gayness" right before cutting of his balls bothers me.

Its also kinda grating how Phillipa are presented as "hey look lesbians, hawt!' whereas Deathmold is as disguising as possible. Though this probably wasn't intentional it is an attitude I see all the damn time.
At least Philippa has a goal in mind. Given everyone else in position of power in the game she isn't that bad.

 

[Norrdicus]

It depends. If Philippa shows lesbians as cold mind-rapists, Dethmold shows gay people as.... kinda gross and ugly? Really, his sexuality is barely of any consequence. It only ever comes up in 25% of playthroughs

Also evil, crazy

Also funny, witty and enthusiastic about their profession if we're just going to link all of the character traits ever shown in any cutscene or conversation to their sexuality. I was merely comparing the scenes where the 2 characters' orientations had absolutely any visibility or relevance

Reply if you want, but I'm going to drop this discussion right here. I need to have some restraint to keep from going overboard and say something I'd regret

Captcha: "be careful"

I'll try

 

[DementedSheep]

It depends. If Philippa shows lesbians as cold mind-rapists, Dethmold shows gay people as.... kinda gross and ugly? Really, his sexuality is barely of any consequence. It only ever comes up in 25% of playthroughs

Also evil, crazy

Also funny, witty and enthusiastic about their profession if we're just going to link all of the character traits ever shown in any cutscene or conversation to their sexuality. I was merely comparing the scenes where the 2 characters' orientations had absolutely any visibility or relevance

Reply if you want, but I'm going to drop this discussion right here. I need to have some restraint to keep from going overboard and say something I'd regret

Captcha: "be careful"

I'll try

I only mentioned evil and crazy because you made it sound him being kinda gross and ugly where his only negative traits. There are lack of "good" characters in this game in the first place. Its mostly his death scene that bothers me anyway.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Aside: Rose Reviews The Last Wish

I haven't had time to play any more of the game since my last post. So, instead, I'm going to write up a review-ish post about The Last Wish short story collection.

SPOILER WARNING

Spoiler: If you plan to read this book, do not click on this.

First off, this collection has a framing story called "The Voice of Reason" which links the stories together.

The framing story is all about Geralt's visit to a temple of Melitele. During this story, we learn a number of things - including the fact that priestesses of Melitele can enter into a vision trance by having sex with the target of said vision. We meet Iola and Nenneke, the two named priestesses in the story. More on this later.

The first short story in the collection is "The Witcher" - the story about Princess Adda the Striga that many of us got included with our copy of the game, and that gets reviewed at the beginning of the game. I'd already read it, so I didn't reread. However, we do learn (in the next piece of "The Voice of Reason") that the reason Geralt is visiting the Nenneke and the temple of Melitele is to have his Striga bite treated. Thus, "The Witcher takes place directly before "The Voice of Reason" - and is the only story that is placed so firmly in time compared to the framing story.

The next few stories are somewhat less plot relevant, but no less good for it.

Geralt meets the Beast from "Beauty and the Beast" and Snow White (from Snow White, obviously). Both are reinterpretations of the stories, and I really enjoyed both versions. The only other rendition of Snow White this interesting is the one from the TV series Once Upon a Time. Actually, they're pretty similar in a lot of ways.

Next is a sort of reversed gender version of "Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady" or perhaps a version of the "Frog Prince" with Frog replaced by Werewolf. This story introduces the concept of the "surprise gift" or "surprise child" - which ends up being Geralt's price for services rendered. Ah - so THIS is where new Witchers come from.

Back in "the Voice of Reason" we've met the Order of the White Rose (template for the future Order of the Flaming Rose) and Dandelion! I thought Dandelion was a less important character in the books, but it appears not, because he makes his presence known not only in the framing story, but in the next story (framed as reminiscence about one of their adventures). The flashback also introduces two more items of interest - the fact that Geralt doesn't kill sentient monsters if he can instead reason with them, and Toruviel! She spends most of her time on screen kicking Geralt's ass, which amuses me.

Geralt brings up Yennifer and apparently he wants to give her his reward for saving Adda to help pay for her to get her sterility fixed. Nenneke points out that A) Geralt's reward is pocket change to Yennifer, and B) that if he wants to apologize, he should do it himself, and in person.

The final story is "the Last Wish," and tells the tale of how Geralt met Yennifer. It again features Dandelion, who gets injured and that injury is why Geralt ends up seeking out Yennifer. Some aspects of the story get a little confusing, such as why Geralt develops feelings for Yennifer (there's a spell, but he also sees through her facade, and Geralt's internal monologue never really makes it clear where his feelings for her got started). The story is also ambiguous about the method by which Geralt saves Yennifer, but that ambiguity is clearly intentional where as the earlier ambiguity just seems to be Geralt being vague.

Either way, here we see Geralt and Yennifer beginning their relationship. Also, Yennifer mentions her friend Triss, foreshadowing future events.

Back in the framing story, Geralt duels a Knight of the White Rose (without touching him), and says goodbye to Nenneke and Iola at the temple. She has a vision of what I assume is Geralt's eventual death as explained in the games. Or perhaps it refers to some other bloody event that will scar him. Either way, there is something BAD coming for Geralt.

The end.

SPOILER WARNING ENDS

Overall, I very much enjoyed The Last Wish story collection. I have always been a fan of retold fairy tales. Seeing several classic tales told from Geralt's point of view - and how the events in those fairy tales might have implications beyond what the tales themselves deal with - was a really creative way to introduce the world of the Witcher and the character of Geralt. It gave readers something familiar to hold on to, while simultaneously turning that familiarity upside down.

I also liked the framing story and how it was used to introduce so many of the well known characters from the games (and obviously the rest of the books).

I will also make another interesting point. The sexism I've noticed in the games seems mostly absent from this book (and the parts I've read of the next). Renfri, in particular, was a strong and complex character. Her flaws were caused by the injustice inflicted upon her. Likewise, THIS Yennifer (and the Yennifer from the beginning of Blood of Elves) is strong, competent, and very much in control of herself. I find myself rather shocked that this is the same character I was reading in The Sword of Destiny.

Suffice it to say that I very much enjoyed reading The Last Wish and am also enjoying what I've read so far of Blood of Elves. And, before anyone says anything, yes only a chapter later Triss proves to be alive and well, although the creepy voice seems to have comments about how she's supposed to be dead. Creepy. ^^

I'm getting ahead of myself.

I feel like I should give a numeric rating to The Last Wish like a proper reviewer. However, since this is my first review, it would be a number in a vacuum.

Instead, I will say that, if you haven't yet read The Last Wish, you certainly should. I enjoyed The Last Wish far more than the first Game of Thrones book. Consider this book Recommended.

Next time: back to your regularly scheduled Let's Play.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Deathmold is on Roche path, and more Ves ( I like her as a character.) I would recommend playing the game again (maybe not right away, tho that may give you more perspective) on Roche's path and even choosing different smaller choices as you go as well (like maybe the guys in the asylum and such.) The game is really quite impressive with how different it is based on your choices it's basically an entire act and a half are completely changed.

Would you recommend playing the entire game again for Roche's path, or just loading a save file from near the end of Chapter 1?

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

**snip**

**snip**

Oh my, it seems an argument about Gay Coded characters has started without me.

I think part of the issue - at least with Phillipa/Cynthia, since I haven't met Death-whatever yet - is that so much of the cast spends the game dicking one another over. When EVERYONE is evil, even your allies (Triss is playing her own games with people), one could make the argument that Phillipa and Cynthia aren't being insulted as a lesbian or bisexual because they're just behaving like everyone else.

I am actually more willing to accept that now that I've gotten further (as of my last post). Phillipa dicked over her ally, but she did it to secure that ally's place as Queen. Phillipa is a jerk for not trusting Saskia, and she might have used mind control to seduce her (or maybe not?), but she was technically doing it for Saskia's own good. She might be a mind-rapist, but she's a well intentioned mind-rapist, and that's the sort of gray this game LOVES.

Likewise Cynthia, our resident bisexual, kills one of her nations officers to save Geralt. Rather than simply a traitor, she is actually FROM Milfguard - she is a legitimate spy with a job to do. She's still a manipulative *****, but she is honorable in her own weird way.

So, in regards to the lesbian and bisexual woman in the game, I'm feeling less upset. There are still issues with them, but they aren't quite as badly "gay coded evil" as they first appeared. Although, they still suffer from the same female role issues....

If I've been getting annoyed with the game, it isn't for individual characters but the fact that they start getting kinda samey with the women on the Princess/Witch side of things.

Or, to use the analogy from Team America World Police - all of the women in the Witcher games appear to be either Pussies (Triss, Yen, and eventually Saskia), or Assholes (Phillipa, Cynthia, and Sile). One of the reasons I liked Saskia before the mind-rape and why I liked Renfri (from The Last Wish) so much is that both of them are Princes (to use the Utena metaphor) or Dicks (to use the Team America metaphor). They're upfront and honest about their jerkiness.

Saskia won't sneak around and back stab you - she'll cut your fucking head off. Same for Renfri, even if she does so in a slightly more dickish fashion. I want to see more women in the Witcher games who are willing to punch people in the face instead of conspiring in dark rooms.

Triss has her moments of this early in the game - and those moments are solid gold AWESOME. It's why I'm annoyed that she spends two out of three chapters in the game as a hostage.

Yennifer in the first bit of Blood of Elves is equally badass. She kicks open a door and WRECKS SHIT in her very first appearance in the book. Considering that, in the Sword of Destiny she A) acted like a jerk and B) talked big but got herself captured and nearly raped when combat started, she honestly seems like a different character. I'm much more willing to accept her private quest to restore her fertility after seeing her kick ass and take names rather than get immediately captured.

However, in the games (so far), Yen is the ultimate captured Princess. Even after saving Triss (requiring two freaking chapters of the three chapter game) Yen is still a hostage of the Wild Hunt.

I hate seeing good, strong female characters getting shoved into the "captured Princess" role - the "pussy" role - just for plot convenience.

Okay, here's another comparison.
Dandelion and Zoltan need to be rescued at the beginning of Chapter 1. This takes no more than 10 minutes in game, after which they are around as NPCs that help Geralt at various times (such as the battle of Vergen).

Triss needs to be rescued for two whole chapters (end of chapter 1, all of chapter 2, first half of chapter 3).
Yen needs to be rescued for two whole GAMES.

While the men do get into trouble to, their trouble gets resolved quickly and is a single minor quest point. When the women get into trouble, they need huge amounts of time - much of the plot, in fact - to be saved.

Geralt would be just as willing to risk his life to save Dandelion. So why not have Letho capture Dandelion and hold a sword to his throat, demanding that Triss make him a portal and taking Dandelion with him while Triss joins up with Geralt? As far as I can tell, it wouldn't have a significant effect on the plot (aside from the Rose of Remembrance being a plot point, which could be easily corrected by Letho taking her pack as well).

^^;;

Sorry to keep ranting about this. It is an issue at the moment in gaming history, and it bugs me. I like Triss. A lot. Particularly in this game. I want to do more stuff WITH Triss, and spend less time trying to find Triss.

And speaking of gender, more thoughts on that after I read more of Blood of Elves when I can talk with authority about Ciri.

 

[The Madman]

The first piece of Witcher 3 art that was released showed what looks to be Ciri in it so I've high hopes for Witcher 3 having more prominent and capable female protagonist. The main reason I figure they had Triss nabbed in Witcher 2 was two-fold; one to give a reason why Triss doesn't just magic half Geralts problems away, and two to try and give more story incentive for, let's be honest here, a majority male audience.

It's corny as hell but it works. With Witcher 3's more open world approach however hopefully that wont pop up again even if 'finding Yennefer' is a big plot point. But then we already know where she is, apparently she's in Nilfgaarde among the aristocracy there after having happily suffered from the same amnesia as Geralt and, so far as we know, now employing herself as a court sorceress or some such. I imagine if CDProjekt do it well the main problem wont be finding or even having to 'rescue' her but instead just getting to her given her surroundings and then having her remember.

And I'd say Witcher 2 is worth replaying. Chapter 2 in particular plays entirely differently based on the Iorveth/Roche choice and personally while I prefer the setting for Iorveth's path, Roche and his crew I found more interesting companions. You also get a completely different perspective on the war from what you get from Iorveth's path. Chapter 3 as well will have different quests although it does all eventually lead to the same series of events.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Geralt would be just as willing to risk his life to save Dandelion. So why not have Letho capture Dandelion and hold a sword to his throat, demanding that Triss make him a portal and taking Dandelion with him while Triss joins up with Geralt? As far as I can tell, it wouldn't have a significant effect on the plot (aside from the Rose of Remembrance being a plot point, which could be easily corrected by Letho taking her pack as well).

^^;;

Sorry to keep ranting about this. It is an issue at the moment in gaming history, and it bugs me. I like Triss. A lot. Particularly in this game. I want to do more stuff WITH Triss, and spend less time trying to find Triss.

It's a fair complaint, and I worried about this bothering you when I first recommended the game. It's about the only time I'd be tolerant of a charge of "sexist" leveled towards The Witcher 2, because for the most part I feel the female characters are competent and powerful and practically oozing with agency. But there is that problematic damsel in distress vein running through the game...most predominantly with Vess, but somewhat with Triss as well.

All I can suggest is that having Dandelion kidnapped wouldn't be nearly as emotionally compelling for Geralt as Triss. Yes, he cares about Dandelion, and yes, he'd try to save him, but having Triss taken is more of a gut punch for Geralt, and Geralt is still the titular character here. It's not a terribly satisfying defense of the decisions made re: Triss, but it's all I've got, really.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

The first piece of Witcher 3 art that was released showed what looks to be Ciri in it so I've high hopes for Witcher 3 having more prominent and capable female protagonist.

Oooh! That's exciting.

Now, here's hoping that the specs to play it aren't insane. It would be nice if I could play it on one of my current computers.

Edit: **goes to Wikipedia to look at the Witcher 3's description**

**reads Skyrim, but 20% bigger**

My Computer: "Oh gods, no! No, you can't make me! I'll kill myself first!"

**My Computer grabs a gun and holds it to its own head**

My Computer: "I'll fucking do it! Don't even try!"

**reads: also on Playstation 4**

Me: "Maybe I can use USB to transfer my Witcher 2 save files to the PS4 and load from those?"

My Computer: "Sure. That's reasonable." **puts the gun down** "But if you try to double cross me, I will fucking do it. That's a promise."

The main reason I figure they had Triss nabbed in Witcher 2 was two-fold; one to give a reason why Triss doesn't just magic half Geralts problems away, and two to try and give more story incentive for, let's be honest here, a majority male audience.

You'd think a Bro would be good enough incentive. Male or not, he is your (ie, Geralt's) best buddy.

Edit: forgot to address magic. Well, she has magic all through Chapter 1 and it doesn't really change things. She doesn't rescue you from prison (although she is waiting with a boat). Hell, Triss doesn't even offer to teleport you to quest objectives that she is teleporting herself to. Triss always makes Geralt walk. :[

And I'd say Witcher 2 is worth replaying. Chapter 2 in particular plays entirely differently based on the Iorveth/Roche choice and personally while I prefer the setting for Iorveth's path, Roche and his crew I found more interesting companions. You also get a completely different perspective on the war from what you get from Iorveth's path. Chapter 3 as well will have different quests although it does all eventually lead to the same series of events.

Yes, but do I need to replay the whole thing, or can I just use a save from near the end of Chapter 1? I don't recall any major decisions prior to the Rose of Remembrance quest.

 

[DementedSheep]

Deathmold is on Roche path, and more Ves ( I like her as a character.) I would recommend playing the game again (maybe not right away, tho that may give you more perspective) on Roche's path and even choosing different smaller choices as you go as well (like maybe the guys in the asylum and such.) The game is really quite impressive with how different it is based on your choices it's basically an entire act and a half are completely changed.

Would you recommend playing the entire game again for Roche's path, or just loading a save file from near the end of Chapter 1?

There is only one real choice I can think of that makes a difference proir to sword thing and that's whether or not you talked Aryan La Valette down in the prologue. You save him in the prison rather than his mother and it potentially would have a political effect but it doesn't pay off in this game. So if you don't want to replay the first chapter don't bother. Just load a save before you picked a side.
You might want to load a save before the Triss/Saskia choice too so you can see how that pans out.