Can you stop Triss from being tortured?

As an avid Witcher 3 player and game guide writer, one of the most common questions I see is "can you stop Triss from being tortured"? Many players grow attached to the vibrant, kind-hearted Triss over the course of the game and do not wish to see her come to harm. However, despite your best efforts, you cannot prevent Triss from being captured and interrogated during the Count Reuven‘s Treasure quest in Novigrad.

In this guide, I‘ll cover:

• The events leading up to Triss‘ torture scene
• Choices you can make to intervene
• Outcomes and consequences
• Does her torture affect romance options?
• Recommended choices for the quest

I‘ll also provide some additional context from my decades of Witcher lore expertise for those hungry for more backstory. So let‘s dive in!

The Lead Up to Triss‘ Torture

First, some scene-setting. Geralt is hot on the trail of his bard friend Dandelion, who has disappeared in Novigrad under suspicious circumstances. His investigations lead him to Triss Merigold, a powerful sorceress and founding member of the Lodge of Sorceresses.

Geralt discovers that Triss is also trying to locate Dandelion and has embedded herself undercover with the witch hunters, led by the ruthless Sigismund Dijkstra. She arranges a meeting with the chief witch hunter, Menge, to try to discover Dandelion‘s whereabouts.

This leads into the pivotal Count Reuven‘s Treasure quest. Triss asks Geralt to accompany her to the meeting in disguise, as back up. Here is where you as the player have the first opportunity to attempt to intervene…

Can You Stop the Torture Scene?

Triss‘ plan goes awry and Menge captures her. As a key member of the Lodge, he is determined to extract information from her by any means necessary.

At this point in the quest you have a major decision:

• Option 1: Maintain Triss‘ ruse and allow her to be tortured, in the hope Menge will eventually reveal where Dandelion is being held.
• Option 2: Try to fight Menge and his men immediately to rescue her from being captured in the first place.

If you choose Option 2 and launch straight into combat, you‘ll gain some extra XP and loot. However, the outcome is mostly the same:

• Triss will STILL be captured and interrogated, just off-screen.
• The quest will continue in Menge‘s hideout afterwards.

So ultimately, no, you cannot prevent Triss‘ torture outright through this initial confrontation. Menge ensures she is questioned one way or another.

Does Witnessing/Preventing The Torture Impact Romance?

As one of Geralt‘s most ardent romantic interests, an important question is whether Triss‘ torture impacts future romance scenes with her.

The short answer? No, absolutely not.

Triss understands the necessity of what happened and does not hold it against Geralt regardless of your choices. Her affinity for Geralt remains undamaged, as evidenced by tender moments later in Novigrad and beyond.

In fact, there are no long-term story consequences at all based on your choices around Triss‘ torture scene. It is largely an isolated vignette showcasing the stakes at play in the hunt for Dandelion.

So you can safely make whatever decision feels right in the moment without remorse. The show must go on!

Recommended Approach

Based on my extensive Witcher 3 playthrough experience, I recommend allowing the torture scene to play out. As unpleasant as it is, you gain valuable insight into the escalating brutality in Novigrad and Menge‘s interrogation methods.

The subsequent boss fight with Menge is also more rewarding after witnessing his willingness to torture non-humans and mages alike in his steely pursuit of Radovid‘s enemies.

Time for a heroic rescue!

Eventually, even Triss‘ formidable endurance cracks under the pressure. This leads into a classic Witcher-style rescue; slaying Menge in sword combat and ushering Triss to safety.

Her relief and affection for Geralt on display afterwards also adds wonderful emotional depth, enriching her character portrayal.

So in closing, while it‘s commendable to want to protect Triss from harm, sometimes difficult moments can crystallize relationships in compelling ways. You may be surprised where choosing wisdom over emotion leads!

I hope this guide gives you the confidence to make clear-headed choices when navigating these challenging story arcs. Let me know in the comments if you have any other Witcher lore questions!