Well, if you are not that loyal type to believe the propaganda, the elves were inhabitants oppressed by newcomers. They were fighting for their home and tradition against the spreading humans. They are not "terrorists", jeez:) Just for those in the Kings Courtyard. In this point of view the french army was made by terrorists against the nazy occupation in WW2.

I agree that they do a guerilla warfare, but they have much more reason to kill humans that humans against elves. Completely agreed. Except, I would add that the Roche side is the manlyest side. Ruthlessness, war and lust of power everywhere. Only Dandelion maintains some kind of presence of sensuality in the camp. Noone is friendly, people are just opportunities for others, just like on Wall Street: business.

I have chosen Iorveths path at first, since he is a more stable and original charachter for me, rather than the fumbler Roche. I always have an impression that near Roche, you never can be safe. Even the branches are falling at you near a tree with him, I can tell for sure.
With Iorveth you are fighting for simple people, for a better future, for a mutlicultural future. Its more like a liberal party for me than a terrorist group:P With Roche, the only stable aim is to catch the Kingslayer for clearing your name, and vengeance of course. Contrary to the liberal ideas of Iorveth, clearing your pitty name in front of a dynasty is like pebble in a river. But the quests aren't that interesting than the ones in Roches path.
The only thing which fed my demands more than the Kaedweni camp was the defense agianst the siege. It was the best part of the path for sure:)

Aaand Mistress Philippa vs her slavegirl:)) I was expecting more, though:P. I burst out of laugh what kind of explanation she gave to Geralt about the first dubious act of theirs:) A "unique relationship"!lol:D

My first run was based solely on how I would decide if I was Geralt.

I think Iorweth is better choice.

Triss gets teleported with Letho, dangerous criminal somewhere far away.
Elves want to go exactly there.
Roche wants to raid Loreto.
Geralt wants to save Triss.
= Geralt wants to go with Elves.

Yes, you are right. They are fighting with inapropiate methods for appreciation. Still, we cannot deny their wil of fight back, since they would be well in their little bushes and trees without humans. Humans clearly made a condemning act against elves, a really serious one (endangering their race and inhabitat) which enrights them to react with their means.

If a group of bandits break into my house and begin to slaughter my family, I wouldn't give a damn about self protection rules and laws. I would grab the pistol and shoot the bastards. Whatever, depending on the situation, but I would do as many things as possible to get rid of the threat with minimal injuries both in my family and them. In my point of view, elves are shooting the serial killers arm and leg.

OFF: sorry for my previous topic, it was "under construction" when you replyed on it, and the second quote was to be followed by an opinion.:)

But what I see is that the elves are actually being duped into thinking these are effective acts of self-defense. They are actually carefully provoked by the puppet masters to sow fear and hatred among the humans and create backlash against the elves. No matter how good a guerrilla leader Iorveth (or that fool blowhard Yaevinn) is, no matter how sincerely he believes in his cause, while he thinks he's fighting for his people's freedom, he's actually fighting for their destruction.

This is true of the puppet kingdom of Dol Blathanna, true of Yaevinn's commando in Temeria, true of Iorveth's band around Flotsam, and lastly it's even true of Iorveth's and Saskia's free Upper Aedirn, which (now that the sorceresses who set them up to it are on the run) will last precisely as long as it serves Radovid's and Henselt's interests.

Well, Triss is claimed by Sile on some point of the game (I think on the very end) speaking with Geralt to be lost from the control of the lodge, and she didn't has anything to do with the assasinations and the Battle Curse. Whatever it means, it has its purpose to lift her deep involvement in these evil acts, or some of the suspicions relating to her.
Its true that she hides information about her whereabouts, which could really help Geralt.

Even if she is truly into Geralt, which is undisputable if you read between the lines, she witheld serious info about Geralt pasts too. Geralt cannot fully trust her until he cannot put in contrast the two women in his life :
The lying Triss and the unknown lover, Yennefer.

So in this case, deciding whether give a huge amount of interest in Triss can wait until saving Yennefer.

For me, after the tells, Yennefer is more promising than the present beauty, Triss.

btw, Yennefer was in the first sequel? I didnt played it, but planning to:P

Understood. It wasn't clear for me why you oppose fighting with them. Because from an upper view, in this manner, its a lost cause.
Still the idea of fighting for multicultural Pontar Valley is good. Just the way of fight should be radically changed.

It is a lost cause, even Iorveth says so. But at this point they're probably doing it out of desperation. Quietly surrendering to extinction is their only other option, and Elves are too proud to do that.

Well quietly surrendering to extinction would prove that they are a weak race of nature. Which they aren't, I suppose. There are far more and many options to make appreciation among humans. But hostility isn't among those. I would think about some strategies during my sleep, if you mind :) But not now.

Anyway, we should leave this topic to another thread, because we are far beyond the discussion of Iorveth /Roche path preferences.

law and order>idealistic hogwash

About Pontar Valley/s free state... although Radovid and Henselt would try to conquer it when it is no longer of use for them, don't forget that state has a weapon far more powerful than sorceresses' protection, Scoia'tael assistance, peasant and dwarven troops... Saskia herself. As a dragon, if she has to use the power she has in order to preserve her kingdom, he will do... too bad for the Redanian and Kaedweni footmen -those of lower rank, who were recruited by force or enlisted just to have something to eat-, although I don't give a shit for knights or noblemen...

Of course, Saskia didn't use her power in the siege of Vergen... but then she had Philippa Eilhart and Geralt of Rivia assistance. Then she won't have that support, so eventually he will use her dragon's powers.

By the way... I remember during the Epilogue -in Iorveth's path, saving Triss- having heard from Triss that Roche refused to serve king Radovid and became a fugitive, who wil try to make Temeria independent again. Does that have any relevance? If you don't choose Roche's path, and therefore don't rescue Anais La Valette, Roche manages to rescue her anyway?

I suspect that is the case, but I have not heard anything in game indicating that Roche took Anais with him when he got out of Dodge. At least it is the sort of patriotic boneheaded stunt he would try.

Anyway, Temeria is independent but at civil war and easy prey -- unless John Natalis, who is unaccustomed to such duty, can cobble together a truce.