Woe to the Vanquished

Woe to the Vanquished is a quest in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Geralt witnesses conquering soldiers mistreating the inhabintants of the town and may decide to intervene.

Walkthrough
This quest is failed if Geralt enters the underground passage leading to the monastery before solving it, as returning is not possible.

Journal Entry

 * An easy victory behind them, Foltest's soldiers grew cocky. They brazenly terrorized the town's inhabitants. Geralt watched their acts of cruelty with growing disgust.


 * When Geralt saw a soldier shoot a fleeing woman, it proved the last straw and the the witcher intervened. He had often taken the side of the oppressed, and this time was no different. Clearly, something very wrong was going on inside the house from wich the woman had fled.


 * Inside, a group of Foltest's soldiers were threatening to kill some townsfolk unless they surrender their gold and valuables. The witcher managed to calm the hot-headed fighters, and it seems a massacre had been averted. Moments later Geralt learned that elsewhere soldiers were herding townsfolk into a single home. Genocide was in the air.


 * Eager for blood and booty, the soldiers intended to set fire to the house in wich they had imprisoned the townsfolk. The subjects of the La Valettes were in mortal danger, and only the witcher could save them. Therefore, our hero approached the unit's commander and a sharp exchange ensued.


 * The negotiations grew so heated that the negotiators soon drew their swords. Geralt knew perfectly well that if he could defeat the Temerian commander in a duel, his men would stand down and refrain from killing the townsfolk.


 * And so it was. Seeing their commander yeild to the witcher, the soldiers lost their zeal for tormenting civilians. They sauntered off like beaten dogs, and the townsfolk were saved.

If you don't ask for reward in the end
 * The witcher then freed the civilians trapped inside the house and - the true hero that he was - refused to take any reward. It is through such deeds that Geralt inspired me to write up-lifting ballads.

Bugs

 * In game (inc. day one patch) when Geralt is prompted to enter a house following the incident with the woman and the crossbow bolt, nothing happens and the quest becomes unsolvably stuck.

Video
thumb|500px|left|"To the Temple" and "Woe to the Vanquished" Quest