Wisdom of the Ages takes you to Fort Bulwark after the Priory of the Nine progression. To finish it, solve three rooms in order: step on the floor tiles left, middle, right, left; turn all four statues toward the central icon; then move each Rodgar item from the gold chest to the surrounding chest with the matching symbol. The final room opens the reward chamber containing the Shield of the Crusader.
How to unlock Wisdom of the Ages
The quest becomes available in the context of the Priory of the Nine storyline. The prerequisite path is the Pilgrimage and Shrine of the Crusader content, followed by Priory of the Nine and the encounter with Sir Henrik. Once the quest is active, Fort Bulwark is the destination.
Fort Bulwark is in northeastern Blackwood, east of Leyawiin. Guide descriptions of the exact approach vary, so use the active quest marker for navigation rather than relying on a fixed compass direction.
Reaching the puzzle rooms in Fort Bulwark
- Enter Fort Bulwark and take the initial route to the left.
- At the next intersection, turn left again, then turn right toward the wooden door.
- Continue through the conjurer encounters and activate the handles that open the route.
- Use the mechanism that lowers the drawbridge and continue through the fort.
- In one section, you must drop from a balcony. Approach the edge carefully because the fall can cause damage.
Traps and hostile enemies are placed along the route. Clear threats before operating handles or cranks so an attack does not interrupt the mechanism.
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Puzzle 1: Fort Bulwark floor tiles
The first puzzle has four rows. Step on exactly one tile in each row, using this sequence from the room’s left-to-right layout:
| Row | Tile to use |
|---|---|
| 1 | Left |
| 2 | Middle |
| 3 | Right |
| 4 | Left |
In shorthand, the solution is left–middle–right–left. Completing the four steps correctly opens the gate. If the gate does not open, reset your position and repeat the rows in order rather than adding extra tiles.
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Puzzle 2: align the guardian statues
The next room contains four statues, each controlled by a crank. Turn the statues until every one faces the central icon or sigil.
- Use a crank to rotate a statue.
- Check its facing against the icon in the middle of the room.
- Repeat for all four statues until their fronts point inward.
The puzzle is solved when all four are aligned: the flames go out and the next door opens. The central icon, not a statue’s original position, is the reference if you lose track of the rotations.
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Puzzle 3: Rodgar’s chest matching
The final chamber has a gold chest in the center and eight surrounding chests. The gold chest presents one Rodgar item at a time. Take that item, identify the surrounding chest marked with the matching illuminated symbol, and place the item there. Continue until all eight items have been delivered.
Clockwise item order
If you are standing with your back to the gold chest, one guide lists the surrounding positions clockwise as follows:
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- Rodgar’s Stone
- Rodgar’s Helm
- Rodgar’s Goblet
- Rodgar’s Sword
- Rodgar’s Book
- Rodgar’s Hammer
- Rodgar’s Skull
- Rodgar’s Gem
This list is a positional aid, not a replacement for the symbols. If your camera position or room orientation differs from a guide image, use the illuminated symbol on each chest as the authority. A successful placement produces the room’s confirmation response; repeat the gold-chest-to-matching-chest transfer until nothing remains to be placed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Reward and quest completion
After the eight Rodgar items are correctly placed, the door behind the main chest opens. Inside is the reward pedestal with the Shield of the Crusader. The reward area also contains potions and restore scrolls. Taking the shield completes Wisdom of the Ages and updates the Priory of the Nine progression.
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- Rediscover Cyrodiil Journey through the rich world of Tamriel and battle across the planes of Oblivion where handcrafted details have been meticulously recreated to ensure each moment of exploration is awe-inspiring.
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The shield is described as heavy armor with a chance to reflect a spell back at the caster. Its acquisition is the completion trigger, so make sure you collect it after the chamber opens.
Quick Recap
Quick troubleshooting
- Quest not appearing: confirm that the Pilgrimage, Shrine of the Crusader, Priory of the Nine, and Sir Henrik sequence has progressed far enough, then follow the active marker.
- Floor gate stays closed: redo one tile per row in the exact left–middle–right–left order.
- Statue door stays shut: rotate all four statues to face the central icon; the flames should extinguish.
- Chest puzzle seems mismatched: ignore a guide’s screen orientation and match each item to the chest carrying the corresponding illuminated symbol.
- Missing the reward: enter the chamber behind the main chest and take the Shield of the Crusader from the pedestal.
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