Dragon’s Dogma 2: Riddle of the Will Answer and How to Escape the Mountain Stronghold

In Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen, Seeking the Sage—the Forsaken Dominion main quest—includes three puzzles from the Norgan Sphinx. For the Riddle of the Will, she requests an object that embodies “the will to defy ruin,” rather than a verbal response. Bringing it to her immediately triggers a fight you cannot avoid.

Quick answer: Bring the Decorative Brooch from the floor at the Mountain Stronghold, the site of your Fallen Dragon battle. Pick it up, survive the ghoul ambush, get out, and take it to the Sphinx.

What the Riddle of the Will asks for

Speak to the Sphinx at the Shrine of Wisdom and pick “Hear the Riddle of the Will.” Her verse runs: “Defiance is a common thing, I remark it not; ’tis the will to defy ruin that I would have sought.” She tells you that you already know where to look and to recall everything you have witnessed in Norgan.

That memory points to your first battle with the Fallen Dragon at the Mountain Stronghold, and the stranger who stepped in to fight it in your place. The brooch left behind there is the item the Sphinx is after. It reads: “A brooch found in the mountain stronghold. Though quite old, it was clearly well-loved, and the stone has not yet lost its luster.” It cannot be sold.

Sphinx Dialogue: Riddle of the Will — Selecting "Hear the Riddle of the Will" opens the Sphinx's verse about the will to defy ruin. Shown at 00:07 in Ghosts of Reykjavik’s video. Image: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

How to find the Decorative Brooch

Head back to the Norgandian Settlement and find Polyeidus at his tent beside the campfire. Look for the dark tent with a circular gold emblem and a brazier outside. Ask him about the Riddle of the Will. The quest objective changes to “Hunt for clues about the Riddle of the Will.”

First Consultation with Polyeidus — Your first talk with Polyeidus at the Norgandian Settlement opens the clue hunt. Shown at 00:44 in Ghosts of Reykjavik’s video. Image: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

Rest at the settlement until morning, then speak to Polyeidus a second time. He deduces that the article lies at the Mountain Stronghold where you confronted the dragon. The log updates to “You sought further advice from Polyeidus” and then “Scour the mountain stronghold for clues.”

Second Consultation with Polyeidus — After resting to morning, the second conversation sends you back to the Mountain Stronghold. Shown at 01:27 in Ghosts of Reykjavik’s video. Image: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

Travel to the Mountain Stronghold, north of the settlement up Valgr Ravine. If you set a Norgan Portcrystal nearby, you can use an Eternal Ferrystone to warp in and skip the trek; the Rivercave Campground Portcrystal also shortens the walk.

Fast Traveling to Mountain Stronghold Area — Warping to the Norgan Portcrystal drops you beside the Mountain Stronghold. Shown at 02:19 in Ghosts of Reykjavik’s video. Image: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

Ascend the lengthy stone steps beneath the icicles, then battle across the snowy courtyard; its enemies remain active after dark. At the base of the broad staircase, open the ornate chest for a Norgan Portcrystal, which you can place here as a fast-travel point.

Entering Mountain Stronghold Ruins — The snowy staircase into the Mountain Stronghold ruins, where the area label changes. Shown at 02:55 in Ghosts of Reykjavik’s video. Image: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

At the broad staircase’s summit, pass between two square stone pillars and go up a few steps over the rubble to reach a chamber without a roof. On entry, you’ll speak with Wash, a hooded archer carrying a lantern. Head across to Chrona, the soldier with a shield, and hear all of their dialogue.

Look on the frozen stone floor near the back, below the hole in the rear wall. A thin beam of light marks the Decorative Brooch; stand over it for the “Pick Up” prompt. Taking it plays a short scene with Chrona and adds the brooch to your pack.

Collecting the Decorative Brooch — Picking up the Decorative Brooch from the frozen floor solves the clue hunt and springs the ambush. Shown at 04:34 in Ghosts of Reykjavik’s video. Image: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

Escape the Mountain Stronghold

The moment you pick up the brooch, a horde of monsters storms the stronghold and the objective changes to “Escape the mountain stronghold.” There is no map marker, so the exit reads as “No Destination.” You have to fight your way out.

Deal with the chamber’s enemies before anything else. Ghouls rush in beneath hovering blue spectral flames, and a larger enemy is part of the opening wave. Keep to the edges and wear them down to avoid getting surrounded. Ghouls leave Pulsating Scarthe; collect any other items from the floor once the fight is over.

A collapse has sealed the archway you came through, so the broad staircase is no longer reachable. Find the big heap of blocks by the chamber wall, scramble up the stones leaning against it, and drop off the other side into the lower courtyard.

Fight through the lower courtyard and the nearby ruins lined with pillars. Ghouls emerge from the darkness singly or in pairs; lure a charging one into a wall to briefly leave it vulnerable. Continue downward through the ruins, passing the square pillars and barred iron door as you make your way toward the main entrance.

When the last ghoul falls, a scene with Wash and Chrona plays and the banner reads “You escaped the mountain stronghold,” followed by “Take the decorative brooch to the sage.” Clear every enemy, or the cutscene will not trigger.

A shield-carrying character stands in a dark ruined stone hall while subtitles from Chrona discuss a missing man. — Chrona tells the player that Amos has been gone a long time and may be stranded out in the Norgan Snowfield.

Deliver the brooch and confirm the reward

Return to the Sphinx at the Shrine of Wisdom. If you placed the portcrystal there, it appears on the map as “Norgan Portcrystal: Shrine of Wisdom.” Speak to her, choose to answer the Riddle of the Will, and select the Decorative Brooch from the Valuables tab, then confirm the delivery.

Delivery menu with a Letter to Dorin item selected, its description at right and a character portrait at far right. — The Deliver menu lists the Letter to Dorin, a sealed letter from Ilda to Dorin, ready to be handed over.

You know it worked when the Sphinx accepts the brooch and the banner reads “Completed: Sage’s Wisdom – Riddle of the Will.” The reward is 25,000 XP and 20,000 G. Walk up behind her and open the stone chest on the terrace to collect an Eternal Wakestone.

Solving all three riddles is required before Seeking the Sage will finish. After the last one, you are prompted to return to Polyeidus at the Norgandian Settlement, which ends the quest and starts Sealed History.

All three Sage’s Wisdom riddles and their items

Each riddle wants a single object handed to the Sphinx, and each pays out the same quest reward. All three branch from Chilling Tidings. Use this to line up which item goes with which riddle before you make the return trip.

Riddle	Item to deliver	Where	Reward
Will	Decorative Brooch	Mountain Stronghold	25,000 XP / 20,000 G
Body	Mournful Giant’s Tusk	North of the settlement	25,000 XP / 20,000 G
Soul	Frozen Wyrmslife Crystal	Beorcan Stronghold	25,000 XP / 20,000 G

Completing each riddle unlocks one of the Sphinx’s chests behind her. The Will chest holds an Eternal Wakestone, the Body chest a Norgan Portcrystal, and the Soul chest Rift Crystals. Because the chest rewards are sequential, you receive the full set whether you solve the riddles one at a time or all at once.