The Floating Prison

The Floating Prison is a quest in Chapter I of .
If Geralt sides with Iorveth, the two of them set off to free the prisoners on the barge. Iorveth, or who ever is in charge if Iorveth is currently captured because you didn't give him the sword, plans to both rescue the prisoners and use the barge to reach Aedirn.
== Walkthrough ==
* Previously helped Iorveth or not: Part of this quest depends on whether you gave Iorveth the sword or punched him in the throat during the previous conflict. If you gave him the sword, then he'll be there to lead the assault and will be willing to listen to your plan. If you got him captured, Zoltan will be explaining the plan, you cannot offer your plan (which needs Iorveth) and Iorveth will be one of the elves you're rescuing on the boat.
* Your plan: If you helped Iorveth previously, you can suggest your own plan; You pretend to have captured Iorveth and will lead him onto the barge, getting you both in place. This plan is far quicker, but also means only you and Iorveth will be on the small space of the barge to fight, making it a difficult battle on harder settings. Along your way to the barge a guard wants to 'repay' Iorveth- you can either let him hit Iorveth or convince him otherwise using axii/persuade/intimidate. It has no effect on later events.
* Iorveth/Zoltan's Plan: (Depending on if Iorveth is captured or not). This is the longer, possibly more difficult path, as you have to lead a dwarven unit to the barge, while fighting off soldiers. This involves more fighting, but you will have more back up.
No matter which plan was used, the barge is eventually taken and the results are the same. After gaining control of the vessel, they decide to sail for Aedirn, but as they are leaving, they see Bernard Loredo who threatens to burn the "elven whores" alive in the tower on the docks. Iorveth dismisses the threat saying that elven women are already prepared to die for the cause, but Geralt cannot sit idly by while these murders are committed, so he jumps off the barge and must then decide: whether to pursue Loredo, or save the elven women.
* If he decides to save the women, Loredo gets away, but Geralt does save three elven women, including Mottle, by storming the tower, releasing each one from her bonds and leaping off the top balcony into the water. (The women must be freed quickly or he will be too late.) The witcher then gets back onto the barge whereupon Iorveth thanks him for saving the women and says that the Scoia'tael owe the witcher a debt of gratitude. He also mentions that Loredo will no doubt get what's coming to him, even if he got away for now.
* If Geralt goes after Loredo instead, when he returns to the barge, Iorveth will instead monologue about the ruthlessness and selfishness of humans.
While saving the elven women has a more immediate positive response, letting Loredo live can have a more negative impact in the Epilogue. However, considering the events of , it may be that Loredo's fate is ultimately inconsequential.
== Journal entry ==
: Geralt was more eager for vengeance than ever. Above all else, however, he wanted to find Triss, for he still believed the sorceress to be alive. He was not picky about the means to his end, and it all began with a meeting with the Scoia'tael...
:: If Geralt decides to use deceit to seize the barge:
::: The witcher had to reach the barge, where the Scoia'tael were kept below decks. he racked his brain, finally coming to the conclusion that he would only be left on deck if he brought in a prisoner of high standing. Thus a bold plan was born, according to which Iorveth was to be bound and brought to the barge. And they put their plan into action. Our heroes reached Flotsam's western gate and marched toward the ship.
: Iorveth had awaited his vengeance for long, perhaps too long. When the Scoia'tael reached the harbor, they immediately began attacking humans. Willing or not, Geralt joined the attack.
: At the Flotsam harbor there stood a tower once used by toll collectors. This was where Loredo locked up captured elven women, and when the wharf was attacked by the squirrels the commander had the building set ablaze. It was an act of desperation, for the situation was already out of his control, Loredo knew that Geralt and the Scoia'tael would try to help those imprisoned in the fire, thus giving them a chance to flee. The witcher faced a dilemma: to save the elven women from the fire or to pursue the criminal?
: If Geralt chooses to save the women and let Loredo go:
:: Loredo was not mistaken. Geralt preferred to help the elven women imprisoned in the fire and gave up chasing the commander. The girls were saved, while Loredo fled and evaded harsh witchers' justice. Iorveth gnashed his teeth, but our hero quickly forgot about the commander of Flotsam's garrison. Soon he departed in his chase after Letho and Triss Merigold whom he kidnapped, for capturing the kingslayer and saving the sorceress was the witcher's primary goal.
: If Geralt pursues Loredo leaving the women to their fate:
:: However Loredo miscalculated. Geralt preferred to get him, instead of helping those imprisoned in the fire. One could write a poem about the witcher's wrath, but I'll settle on noting the facts: Bernard Loredo, the Flotsam garrison's commander, was judged, sentenced and executed by Geralt of Rivia. Thus the witcher committed a crime, openly came out against Temeria, which Loredo represented. However all that knew the commander and the deeds he committed deemed our hero's actions to be correct. And Geralt, not minding what others think of him, soon departed in his chase of the kingslayer Letho and Triss Merigold whom he kidnapped.
== Videos ==
File:The Floating Prison (The Witcher 2) Full HD|Direct Assault
File:Killing Bernard Loredo (The Witcher 2) Full HD|Trick
Category:The Witcher 2 quests
de:Schwimmendes Gefängnis
fr:La prison flottante
it:La prigione galleggiante
ru:Плавучая тюрьма