Thou Shalt Not Pass Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Quest
Suggested level: 7
Group: Secondary Quests
Location: Novigrad
This quest can be started by talking to Redanian Soldier on the bridge over the Pontar River leading to the Border Post or to Redanian Soldier on the bridge leading to Oxenfurt.
Until this quest is completed, you will not be able to get to the other side of the river through the main passages. However, you can swim across the river and then use the fast travel option to the points you have unlocked.
The Redanian army had placed blockades on the crossings of the Pontar, something which at one point proved quite inconvenient to the witcher. The guards refused to let him cross without showing a special pass issued by high command.
Related points of interest
Redanian Soldier
Velen / Novigrad
Redanian Soldier
Velen / Novigrad
Quest stages of Thou Shalt Not Pass
1. Acquire a pass granting permission to cross the Pontar.
There are several ways to get a document that will allow you to cross the border:
1. You can get it by completing the Contract: Woodland Beast quest. At the end, you have to tell the commander of the guardpost that it's the elves who are attacking the transports.
2. You can buy a counterfeit pass from the Shady merchant for 100 crowns (default price), 50 crowns with Axii sign, or 25 crowns, if you helped his brother-in-law in the Fake Papers / Bitter Harvest quests (Albin can not die!).
3. You may receive a pass from the baron, who will give it to you so that you can visit Oxenfurt at the end of the Family Matters quest.
2. Use the pass to cross the Pontar.
Once you have one of the passes, it doesn't matter if it's real or counterfeit, approach the soldiers guarding the border and show them the pass and you will be able to cross the border without any problems.
Luckily Geralt managed to get his hands on just such a pass and from then on could cross the Pontar border at will. I hope he did not abuse this privilege, jumping back and forth across the border, making faces at the poor wretches stuck on one side and taunting the guards who had no right to stop his antics. He mentioned nothing of the sort, true, but that's just the kind of thing one might choose to keep to oneself.