Returning Memories is a quest which spans the entire game in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. It's arguably the main story-line for Geralt of Rivia throughout the entire trilogy of games.
Walkthrough[]
Generally, you will know that progress is being made in this quest whenever a cut-scene includes pictures with a more 'graphic novel feel' and a voice-over narration by Geralt concerning an event in the past. A sure sign is when these images are preceded by the camera zooming in on Geralt's left eye ...
The first of these moments comes at the end of Roche's interrogation of Geralt, just before the witcher's escape from The Dungeons of the La Valettes. Roche shares an old report that documents Geralt's involvement in a riot, including his supposed death and Yennefer's. The witcher has a brief opportunity to discuss this with Triss after they arrive in Flotsam.
Generally, both Triss and Dandelion, when they are available for conversation, can be caught up on Geralt's most recent recall of past events.
Journal entry[]
Prologue
- The interrogation in the dungeon of La Valette Castle took its toll on Geralt. The witcher's body, despite its mutations, was beat up, bruised and scarred. At one point, Geralt experienced a shock so extreme that it elicited an old memory - all of a sudden, the witcher recalled the moment of his death. Once more he relived his demise in Rivia. Once more he lay on the ground, pierced by a peasant's pitchfork. Once more he bled to death. When another vision came to him a few days later, Geralt knew he was gradually recovering his memory.
Chapter I
- Another vision also came during an interrogation, but this time Iorveth's adjutant was the one interrogated. The smell of apples brought a memory of the Isle of Avallach, a mysterious land where Geralt arrived after the events in Rivia. The witcher once more lived through the wondrous experience of that place, but he was not to cherish them for long. Wonder turned into fury when Geralt saw a woman being kidnapped by the Wild Hunt. The abducted was very important to him. The witcher realised that searching for her became his main goal in life.
- Triss Merigold decided to accelerate the process by which Geralt would recover his memory. She wanted to use magic and needed a rose of remembrance for her spells.
- However Triss Merigold was kidnapped before she could prepare an infusion from the wondrous flower. Geralt did not regain his memory and had to make do with the random visions that occured during his pursuit of the assassins of kings.
Chapter II
- After the kingslayer had expired, Geralt experienced the vision of a journey, a trek across the world in the pursuit of the Wild Hunt. Yet the Hunt, remained elusive all the while. The witcher felt the bitterness of disappointment and defeat, but also staunch determination. He now realised just how much he had invested in the search for the woman abducted from the Isle of Avallach.
- Another vision came to him after Geralt defeated the draug and passed out. The witcher realized he had known all the kingslayers earlier and had even saved Letho's life when the killer was poisoned by a manticore. In his vision, Geralt joined forces with the three mysterious men. Together they tracked the Wild Hunt.
Chapter III
- The meeting with Letho opened up another door in Geralt's mind. The witcher saw the hangman's tree, and the King of the Hunt, his wraiths and the people they had abducted. Amoung them was the woman he had been searching for - the sorceress Yennefer. Geralt had not come there alone - Letho, Auckes and Serrit were at his side. Together they fought the Hunt. When the combat ended in a stalemate, the witcher made a pact with the spectral king - he gave himself in exchange for the lives of Yennefer and Letho. He joined the Wild Hunt, but his beloved was free. Geralt belonged to the Wild Hunt for years, crossing the sky as a harbinger of war and other disasters. At that time he lost his memory and disappeared from the world of the living. Until reappearing before the walls of Kaer Morhen.