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God of War Walkthrough – The Journey | The Marked Trees

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God of War is now available on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro. When you first begin the game, you’ll start up The Marked Trees, the very first mission in the campaign. Reading through our God of War walkthrough of The Marked Trees, you’ll be introduced to all of the different collectibles, story, and combat mechanics as well as defeat Dauoi Kaupmoar, the first boss. This spoiler-free walkthrough for The Marked Trees will show you how to complete each objective as well as find the solutions for each riddle found in the area.

Follow the River Downstream

After chopping down the tree, pick it up and walk it down to the boat just a short distance away. Listen closely to what Atreus and Kratos say, and once you reach the boat, hop in and paddle a short way up stream. Climb out and then follow Atreus along the path until you reach the house.

Hunt with Atreus

Once the cutscene ends, it’s time to go hunting with Atreus. Head through the gate a short distance away and follow him until you find a set of tracks. This will kick off the hunt. Head forward until you reach a set of stairs. Down below these stairs you can find a chest with a bag of Hacksilver. Grab it before you continue.

Once you have the Hacksilver, keep following Atreus. For the most part he’ll do the leading in this portion of the game, so just continue following him as you learn the different mechanics of the game. During the following segments you’ll be introduced to jumping (Circle), vaulting (Circle + Left Stick), as well as how to throw your Leviathan Axe (L2 + R2 or R1) and even how to recall it (Triangle).

After continuing and breaking through the wooden barricade at the end of the bright, a short cutscene should trigger. After the cutscene you’ll find yourself face to face with your first bit of combat, where you’ll learn how to fight basic enemies in the game. When it comes to basic attacks you can use a Light Attack (R1), a Heavy Attack (R2) when you have the axe out (you can sheathe and unsheathe the axe at anytime by pressing Right on the D-Pad). You can also block enemy attacks by pressing L1, doing this at the right time will give the enemy a short stun, allowing you to counterattack before they recover. To dodge you can make use of the Left Stick and pressing X. This will cause Kratos to roll out of attacks from enemies.

When the enemies are defeated, continue forward into the ruins. Here you’ll find a Healthstone, which can be broken to recharge your health. Keep an eye out for these throughout the game world, as you’ll need them later on as you lose health and need to replenish. Simply approach them and press Circle to break them open and refill your health. There are three different directions you can go from here.

Move to the right and up the stairs from here to find a chain that you can climb down. Down at the bottom you’ll find a casket that can be looted to find more Hacksilver. This is an important item to keep an eye open for, as it will work as a means of currency throughout the game. Grab any other goodies around the area, then head back to the ruins where you find the Healthstone.

Now, head directly up the path in front of where you originally entered from to find a wooden barricade. Break open the barricade to find the first Nornir Chest you’ll come across. These chests can be unlocked by finding all of the runes that are marked on their sides. For this one, you’ll need to look around the immediate area to find the seals with the runes marked on them. The first rune can be found to the left of the chest. Break it by throwing Kratos’ axe at it. Next look for the second seal to the right and break it as well. Finally, the last seal can be found behind Kratos when he is looking at the Nornir Chest. Look for the seal next to the stairs and break it as well. This should open up the chest, allowing you to pick up the Idunn Apple inside.

With the other two paths explored, head back to the Healthstone and make your way down the final path. This is where the campaign continues, and it will lead Kratos and Atreus to a massive set of temple ruins. Head inside and then turn to your left. Hop over the gap and follow Atreus down the stairs until you reach another group of Draugr. Take them out and then look for the two gates in this area. Once can be opened by pulling on a chain to your left. Interact with it and raise the gate, Atreus will run forward. Don’t let go just yet, though.

Instead, press L2 and then aim your axe at the large mechanism above the gate. Throw your axe at it and wait for it to hit. This will freeze the gate in place, giving you the ability to pass beneath it with ease. Before you do so, though, look at the second gate to the right of you and head inside to loot the casket inside for some Hacksilver. Now you can head through the main gate, following the boy. Once you’re through the first gate, recall your axe and then the second gate will open.

From here you’ll exit the temple, and there are three different paths that you can take. The first path is behind you. Head up the chain and then throw Kratos’ axe at the mechanism above the gate with the debris blocking it. This will cause the oil light to fall, blowing the debris to pieces, giving you access to the room. Grab the goodies out of the room and then head back out and up the steps to the right.

Break through the barricade up here and approach the large wooden structure at the end of the hall. This is a Jotnar Shrine. There are a total of 11 Jotnar Shrines in God of War, and we’ll have more details about them in a separate guide. Interact with the shrine to have Atreus translate it. Once you’re done, backtrack to the chain and head back down to find the second path. Head directly forward to find a casket with some Hacksilver inside.

Now that you’ve explored the other paths, head back to the temple exit and continue forward, following Atreus until he stops. Here you’ll have to aim at the deer that you’re hunting. Wait until the reticle turns red completely and then press Square to take the shot. This should trigger another set of cutscenes.

Defeat Dauoi Kaupmaor

Having completed the hunt, you now find yourself face to face with your first mini-boss fight in God of War. There are a ton of boss fights you’ll need to conquer and survive in God of War, so make sure you’re prepared for each and every one of them.

While this boss may be big, he’s pretty easy to take down if you have an understanding of the combat controls in God of War. The good news is you’ll be able to make use of Atreus in this battle—as well as other battles down the line—and while his bow attacks aren’t the most powerful, they do make for a good distraction, which you’ll want to learn to make use of. You can press L2 at any time and aim at the enemies around you and press Square to trigger Atreus’ attack. Remember to make use of it to distract enemies during intense fights.

The Dauoi Kaupmaor has two basic attacks to keep an eye out for in the opening portions of the fight. First, he’ll slam his massive wooden club into the group, trying to squash Kratos and Atreus. He’ll also swing it like a battering ram, sending you flying backwards if you’re caught in its force. The best way to deal with this boss is to stick close and attack him with a variation of Light and Heavy Attacks. If you find yourself taking too much damage up close, then be sure to back up and throw your axe at the boss. This will cause a fairly good bit of damage while also keeping you out of the line of fire.

Once you reach the halfway mark of the boss’ health bar, a new set of attacks will join the mix as it becomes enraged. From here on out you’ll need to deal with the original attacks, as well as more aggressive slams and swings. You’ll also have to start worrying about a stomp attack, which can knock you back and stun you for a short moment. The key to this portion of the boss fight is to roll around and stay just within range enough to attack. Whittle down the boss’ health and once it reaches a certain point, press R3 to finish the fight and trigger the killing scene.

Return to the House

Now that the fight is over grab any items left around and make sure you pick up the Hacksilver where the Dauoi Kaupmaor died. Now it’s time to push forward and head back towards the house.

Follow Atreus like usual and he’ll eventually stop a short way up the path when he spots a group of enemies ahead. Here you’ll learn about stunning enemies and hand-to-hand combat. You can use arrows to attack enemies from afar and stun them. This allows you to run up to them and press R3 to perform an insta-kill on the stunned enemy. You can also stun enemies by attacking with your bare hands, which can be very useful for dealing with smaller groups of enemies that you want to take out quickly. You can see how likely an enemy is to be stunned by watching the bar below their health bar. Once it fills up, you can press R3 to initiate the stun kill.

After taking out the enemies, grab any goodies, then continue down the path until you spot a large door with a metal lock over it. This is the first Hidden Chamber in God of War. You can’t open it just yet, but it is something that will become available to you later down the line. For now, just know that there are seven of these Hidden Chambers in God of War, and each one contains valuable items for your journey. Turn back from the Hidden Chamber and climb over the wall nearby. There are a few more enemies beyond, so take them out to spawn a final enemy, one that is immune to the Leviathan Axe. Here bare-handed attacks will become important, as you won’t be able to use your axe to attack this enemy.

With the new enemy dead, climb up the wall nearby and break down the gate blocking your way by hitting the mechanism holding it up with your axe. This should allow you to reach your yard. Look around for any additional items and then head to the front door of the cabin to start up a few more cutscenes.

Defeat the Stranger

After the cutscenes play, you’ll be introduced to the first real boss of the game. If you thought the Dauoi Kaupmaor was tough, then The Stranger is definitely going to be a bit tougher. This enemy’s health bar is broken down into five different sections, each section of the bar must be drained in order to move from the first portion of the fight to the final portion. This fight is all about patience and timing, so pay close attention to The Stranger and make use of some quick combos to whittle this boss’ health down. Continue fighting until a cutscene takes over.

With the health bar drained fully, you’ll be witness to some fight scenes which end with you being introduced to Spartan Rage (activated with L3 + R3). Once you activate Spartan Rage, deal as much damage to The Stranger as possible.

Once you regain control, The Stranger’s health will be full again. This time around he’ll have some new attacks as well. On top of the previous attacks, you’ll need to look out for a launching attack, which can be extremely painful for Kratos, as well as some additional movement attacks that can be tough to dictate and defend against. Simply keep dodging, attacking when you can, and always keeping an eye on him until you manage to whittle The Stranger’s health down to zero. Once this happens, another cutscene will trigger.

After the last cutscene, you’ll find yourself facing down against The Stranger once more. His health has again been fully restored, and you can expect this final leg of the battle to be one of the tougher if you aren’t careful. This time around, though, you’ll finally be able to use the Leviathan Axe to take attack The Stranger, so as long as you are blocking and dodging, you shouldn’t have too difficult of a time dealing the final bits of damage to this boss and bringing the fight to an end with another cutscene.

You’ll continue your journey from here in the next mission for the campaign, The Journey – Path to the Mountain . For more help with other items like Jotnar Shrines, Hidden Chambers, and other collectibles, head over to our God of War walkthrough hub.

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Path to the Mountain

God of War  — Guide and Walkthrough (PS4)

GameFAQs

Guide and Walkthrough (PS4) by GfaqCodebreak

Version: 2.02 | Updated: 04/10/2020

  • Previous: The Marked Trees

Table of Contents

  • Next: A Realm Beyond
  • Introduction
  • The GameFAQs
  • Combat Tactics

The Journey

  • The Marked Trees
  • A Realm Beyond
  • The Light of Alfheim
  • Inside the Mountain
  • A New Destination
  • The Magic Chisel
  • Behind the Lock
  • The Sickness
  • The Black Rune
  • Return to the Summit
  • Escape from Helheim
  • A Path to Jotunheim
  • Realm Between Realms
  • Jotunheim In Reach
  • Mother's Ashes
  • Leviathan Axe
  • Blades of Chaos
  • Guardian Shield
  • Enchantments
  • Wayward Spirits
  • Free Dragons
  • The Realm of Fire
  • The Realm of Mist
  • Treasure Maps
  • Special Items

After the battle with The Stranger, Kratos will begin to leave the house with his son Atreus. Right near the house as we walk towards the new crevice in the area will be the Husked Toy . Be sure to pick this up as it is an Artifact of The Lost and Found artifact quest. Begin traveling through the crevice, by auto-jumping and climbing with Atreus on your back. Pick up some Hacksilver in the corner of the mountain before we climb to the next puzzle.

Path to the Mountain ( Chain and Bridge Puzzle )

We will make it inside a cave within the mountain. There is a chest in the right corner of the area, break it open for more Hacksilver. There is also some more Hacksilver and health lying around the area, within old crates and other breakables. Players should next head to the mechanism in the back of the area. Use the mechanism and hold the L stick down to move it. This will close the bridge to form a path for Atreus. Command Atreus to lower the chain and now Kratos can climb above. The problem is that we must once again go across the bridge with both Kratos and Atreus.

To solve the puzzle, head back down the chain and go back to the Mechanism . Use the mechanism, except this time hold the Mechanism in place and draw the axe with Kratos other hand. Throw the axe at the runic symbol in front of Kratos and this will freeze the bridge in place. Afterward, simply climb up the chain and cross the bridge.

Make your way up and out of the area with Kratos and Atreus. We can break more objects for possible Hacksilver and health. Continue along the linear path until we reach Wildwood's Edge. This is actually The Riverpass region, which is the second region of God of War . Be ready for the toughest battle yet on Give me God of War Mode.

Battle Tactics #4 - Dragur ( Projectile )

This is the hardest fight I have come across so far in the game. There will be 3-4 Waves of successive Dragurs and fire tossing Dragurs to defeat. Players should definitely take note of the health pack in the corner or crevice within the area. This crevice will also serve as a semi-safe spot from the Fireballs that the Projectile Dragur will toss at Kratos and Atreus.

Remember that Back Attacks and Fist attacks add more Stun Damage to enemies. When Kratos performs a Stun-Kill, foes are more likely to drop an item, such as Health or Spartan Rage. Your Spartan Rage meter also fills quicker this way. It is important and very helpful to get Spartan Rage during this segment, so try using your fist and stunning opponents.

Always be firing off arrows with Atreus! If Atreus is sitting with three arrows for more then a few moments, you are probably wasting time or doing something wrong. More damage output equals the quicker and more efficiently we can complete the waves/battles. It also means death to our foes, rather than death to Kratos. Also, stun meter will build up quicker when arrows are shot. Unfortunately, it is rather hard to Stun level two Dragur. With that being noted, we should attempt to take out the level one Dragurs as quickly as possible, with Fist and Guardian Shield attacks.

Players should also acquire a very important Stun inducing skill for this battle. This skill is called the Guardian Sweep and cost 500 XP to unlock. The Guardian Sweep will trip weaker Dragur and deal extra stun damage. It can even trip up two or possibly three weaker Dragur ( level one ) at a time. Remember, knocking foes back into a wall and back attacks also increase Stun Damage.

Once the first wave is down a Fire Dragur will appear, these Dragur have much lower hit points than the others. We should immediately kill the first one that spawns. Note, that the Guardian shield can block and parry the fire projectile attacks from the Dragur. Another Fire Projectile will appear to the right of the large brown tree in the middle of this "arena". Immediately kill this one as a major priority! It will spawn with 2-3 other Dragur and if you don't take this one out quickly enough it will have great position on Kratos.

Try and not take damage early on. If you get lucky from your stun kills, conserve the health unless you are below half-health. There is also a health item in the back of this area. Use this area, especially during the final wave! In the final wave, there will be five Dragur to kill in total. There will be three Sword-wielding Dragur and two Projectile Dragur. Standing in the crevice near the health will have the Fire Projectile Dragur above, almost always miss Kratos with his fireball attack. We can save that Dragur for the last foe in this case.

While in the crevice, stay in the corner, but do not get completely cornered or you will die! Use the Guardian Shield and get perfect parry's on the Dragur. Try chipping away at them slowly combining the parry and light attacks, do not get greedy or you will have to start all over. When Spartan Rage becomes active, quickly attack and defeat at least one of the Dragurs, this could be a Fire Projectile Dragur , whatever makes you feel more comfortable.

Once the three Dragur are down and the second to last fire tossing Dragur, we can throw our axe at the one standing on the mountainside above Kratos and Atreus. Don't get greedy here, Dodge its fireball, and throw the axe with R2 tosses, it is a tough battle, but perseverance and practice will pay off!

Path to the Mountain - Ruins

Shortly after a tough fight, we will encounter another strange Blue Enemy. There are only one of these guys and we have reached a checkpoint. This is a simple defeat, that I am sure will get worse later on when they are in packs. After the quick fight, open the Legendary Treasure Chest. Inside this chest will be our first Rune, Hel's Touch. Don't forget to read the Rune Lore , after the previous boss battle in that same location.

Hel's Touch can be equipped with the Light Runic Attack cube in the weapons section of the Main Menu. Equip the rune and press L1 + R1 to use it. At the start, it has a 45-second cooldown ratio. It hits all enemies within a range in front of Kratos. It can also stagger them for a few precious moments as well as deal some damage. It will be an asset in the next amazingly tough battle segment on Give me God of War Mode.

Battle Tactics #5 - The Ruins Battle

If you thought the last fight was tough, this one is about 60 deaths harder! Players will fight Dragur in the Ruins and there will be around 7-8 of them on the screen at a time. There will also be two Fire Projectile Dragur on top of the area in the second wave. If that wasn't enough there is no place to hide from them this time. Finally, there will be a Melee Fire Projectile Dragur on the ground floor that spawns with the other two! It was insanely difficult that I made a 20+ minute video with a breakdown on the fight as well as the text here.

First players want to attack the Dragur near the pit on the left. Players can knock this Dragur off with a Heavy R2 attack, into a light R1 attack. Quickly afterward, switch to Fisticuffs. Make sure that you have the Guardian Sweep skill for the Guardian Shield. Also, Executioner's Cleave and possibly Pride of the Frost skills. If you like the Grinding Storm skill you can use that as well. However, I find it difficult to use. See our Skills section for more information.

Using your fist, and constantly shooting areas with Atreus, pound away at the Dragur. Make sure to get that Stun meter up and finish with an R3 grab attack. Attacks from the back with the Fisticuffs will deal much more Stun meter points and even damage. Always keep an eye on your Hel's Touch cooldown, and use it as often as possible. Once there are three Dragur left in the first wave, focus on the higher level Dragur. Once there are two Dragur left the next wave of horror will begin.

There will be the remaining Dragur from the first wave which is two. There will be two fire projectile dragurs above and the melee fire dragur. 1-2 more level one dragurs may also spawn. The reason we kill the higher level dragur is because he is more powerful with his strikes. Since this segment is so difficult it will also be wise to chip down the remaining two Dragur from the first phase and finish them off with a Hel's Touch in wave #2.

Players must throw the Leviathan Axe at the Fire Dragurs above. This should be done very quickly, most essentially as they Spawn. Once the first one is down, attack the second one. Players may want to Lock-On with Atreus, which can be difficult but it works as he can chip away at their health and even kill them. Once both of those enemies are down.

We can focus on dodging the Melee Fire Dragur. All the while we will be spamming Atreus arrows and waiting for Hel's Touch to be active. At this point begin playing ranged to make things much safer. Players should have the four health crystals from the breakables in the area untouched. If you used too many of them in Wave #1 , you might be in big trouble in Wave #2 . Players want an Excellent or Perfect first Wave. Rinse and repeat the ranged attacks and when there is only the Fire Dragur with Melee capabilities left, also finished him off safely from a distance.

That will complete this amazing tough battle segment, Please see the video if you feel like it will help you more. The hardest part of the fight was dodging the fireballs. They can add damage over time and just make your life as Kratos a living hell. Try and conserve the health crystals for wave #2, specifically after at least one of the Dragur ( Projectile ) enemies are down. In conclusion, practice and these tips will make perfect and the bragging rights are well worth it!

After the fight, there will be some rune inscriptions to read on a totem of stone. Be sure to read them and pick up the Lore . There will also be one of Odin's Ravens nearby above Kratos. He seems to glow a bit green and your axe aiming reticule should change slightly if its targeted. Throw your axe at the raven to unlock another labor called " Eyes of Odin ". After getting the collectibles, and inspecting the Rune Totem, there will be a crashing noise. Inspect the crashing noise and a Heavy Dragur will pop out and do battle with Kratos.

Battle Tactics #6 - Heavy Dragur ( Ruins )

Thankfully, this fight is two very small waves and is much easier than the hellacious previous battle. Heavy Dragur is a new enemy to add to our bestiary, and they can be difficult in our first encounter here. I like to use Executioner's Cleave for the extra damage. However, this is only to be used after a perfect parry on their " Strong " attack. Their strong attack is telegraphed by the Yellow Ring that surrounds their weapon prior to attacking Kratos. They may also poke attack Kratos with their Halberds shortly after. This attack is blockable and will not stagger Kratos upon blocking. This attack can be perfectly parried as well, however, the opening time to hit the Heavy Dragur afterward is not very big.

There will be two Dragur in the first wave, once the first Heavy Dragur goes down, 2-3 lesser Dragur will appear along with the other Heavy Dragur. Players should also note that Heavy Dragur can grab Atreus . If Atreus is grabbed, players can either throw or melee attack the Heavy Dragur to have them release his son. If you fail to do this, Atreus will be incapacitated for a time and Kratos must Revive him by going near his body and holding down the Square Button.

There are only about five enemies in this fight and it can still be tough, but after the previous battle, we should handle this one rather easily. These Heavy Dragur will be much tougher later on in the game in packs I suspect. After the battle, we can now climb the rubble into the next area which is the Caverns as we progress onward to the Mountain. Please watch the video below on Battle Tactics #5, the battle prior to the Heavy Dragur in the Ruins.

Path to the Mountain - ( Ruins )

After climbing the mountain-side and its rubble, we will enter into some Caverns on the side of the mountain. We will hear some very creepy singing and we should follow it to see where it leads. To the left of the Caverns entrance is a brown wooded barricade, break it down and we will see a dead body. On that body will be some Hacksilver. After the collection, continue into the caverns and we will fight our first Revenant.

Battle Tactics #7 - First Revenant Encounter

The first Revenant can still be pretty difficult even one on one. Many players know to shoot the Revenant with Atreus bow and arrows because Kratos axe is too slow. After the enemy is Stunned, sprint towards it, and then we can follow up with some Axe attacks. Grinding Storm or Pride of the Frost are good options here. Hel's Touch Light Runic attack will also work, use it when it is off cooldown.

Atreus Arrows do a nice amount of damage to the Revenant. Try and dodge the Revenants ground fusion trail attack. It comes twice, so dodge appropriately. The Revenant also has the awesome ability to Poison Kratos. Poison Damage is like fire damage, and it will drain Kratos health over time. There is a Health Crystal , in some breakables to the left of this "arena" use the health crystal when needed.

I really suggest playing ranged vs this Revenant in this first encounter. Fire off arrows with Atreus, and get close in enough so we can lock-on to the Revenant and so Atreus arrows do not hit walls. Dodge the ground burst fusion poison attacks, twice each time. Next, we can throw our Leviathan Axe at the head of the Revenant everytime it is stunned from one of Atreus Arrows, this should get us out of the situation.

Save your Spartan Rage Ω

Proceeding after the Revenant battle, players will come to a fork in the road. First, take a look outside with Atreus, after crossing the gap. To the east of the view, there will be a Coffin Treasure Chest with Svar Steel inside. There are now also three Optional Paths to take before lowering the bridge. The first one is a Nonnir Treasure Chest . We will have to hit the three Seals to break this seal on the chest and open it. The First Seal is in plain sight, The second one is above and behind Kratos if he was looking at the treasure chest.

The third seal is tricky and can not be hit until the bridge is lowered. We must lower the bridge, by hitting the obstacles to have it fall down. Do Not take the path to the right just yet. If you look forward from the first side of the bridge you should see the Third Seal. Throw the Leviathan Axe at the seal and return to the Nonnir Treasure Chest. Inside will be our second Idunn Apple . ( Food of the Gods )

I mentioned a disclaimer above to save your Spartan Rage. If you notice a Rage Crystal on the ground right near the Nonnir Treasure Chest, do not hit it just yet. We have another path to take for some XP and Hacksilver . There is also a Lore Shrine after the battle. Take the path to the West of the Treasure Chest, this will lead to another battle segment. It is Optional, but we will gain XP and Hacksilver after the breakables in the area. If we climb the stone in this area, there was a strange red crystal I crushed. However, it disappeared on my second load of the battle after a death.

We will have to battle Melee Fire Dragur and several Fire Projectile Dragurs. it seems tough, but that is only if we don't use the walls in the area to our advantage. Kratos and Atreus can poke out of the walls and just throw the axe at the foes. Try and lead some of the weaker Dragur out and face them one at a time. Later we can mop up the projectile enemies with Long Range axe tosses and Atreus arrows. Hel's Touch is avoidable because if you get too close, the Three fire tossers can burn Kratos easily. In Give me God of War mode, this most likely means Game Over.

Use your Spartan Rage Ω

Players may have noticed another Coffin Chest below the area we fought the revenant. Players may also have checked out this area, after the first coffin chest and checking outside the area with the Square Button prompt with Atreus. The enemy down below is a Level 3 Heavy Dragur and he is almost out of our league. He will deal Red Ring attacks. This means they cannot be blocked, Kratos will just take damage, in this mode, it is a one-shot kill. However, Kratos can dodge these attacks. Two will come in succession, so dodge them both.

Use your Spartan Rage here and preferably Fury Drive , or the R1 attacks in rapid succession. This should lower about 50-70% of the Heavy Dragurs health bar. Afterward, players can fire arrows with Atreus and Throw the axe at the beast until it dies. This will work and its probably a good idea to acquire the Coffin Treasure Chest. It Contains some Hacksilver, Aegir Gold (11), and Svar Steel in Give me God of War mode.

The next battle will also be coming up and you may wonder why I used my Spartan Rage at this point. I felt the Heavy Dragur was the toughest encounter in this location. More so, we can now backtrack and smash the Rage Crystal near the Nornir Treasure Chest from Earlier. Finally, we can take the path to the east over the bridge. This once again is another battle segment, but there will be another Rage Crystal in the breakables around the area. Those two Rage Crystals will bring our Spartan Rage Meter , back to full.

Battle Tactics #8 - Revenant + Heavy Dragur ( Ruins )

We can finally cross the bridge and continue our journey through the ruins, towards the mountain. However, there will be another tough battle segment here vs a Revenant, two Heavy Dragur, a Melee fire Dragur, and a fire projectile Dragur. This fight can also be tough if you don't get off to a good start. Since we once again have a full Spartan Rage Meter, and we can take a look at the Rage Crystal in this location. Knowing this it would be a safe bet to Start out this battle using Spartan Rage. Note ( There will also be a Frost Reaver here, but he is easy and alone )

Using the Spartan Rage, players should attempt to knock the first Heavy Dragur that appears on the right side of this arena. Try knocking him off the ledge. Players can afterward focus on the Revenant. To do this while still in Spartan Rage , make sure to shoot the Revenant with Atreus arrows. Remember Spartan Rage will dissipate normally, it goes down faster when you use your Rage Skills. Knowing this you could save precious time in rage mode, players can also Cancel Spartan Rage Mode at any time to conserve some Rage Meter. Once again, try knocking the Revenant off the edge of the arena. If you can get both the Heavy Dragur and the Revenant at the start of the fight, you are looking excellent.

Knocking off the enemies is only part of the battle, however, but it gets easier from this point if it is accomplished. If you fail to knock them both off, I don't suggest giving up, as practice makes perfect. Instead, go for the Heavy Dragur first, and practice killing the Revenant. After the Revenant goes down, Players can use the corner where the bridge is. Players can have the Heavy Dragur walk towards Kratos and he can deal with them one on one. Finally, we can use ranged Leviathan Axe attacks, by poking out and retreating to dodge the fireballs from the Fire Dragurs.

As for crossing the bridge, Notice the opening in the gate when holding the circular mechanism with Kratos after the battle. If you hold the mechanism and release it or pull it halfway, we should see a Target for our Leviathan Axe near that gate. Toss the Axe at that target and the bridge will drop completely, making a constant way through, for Kratos and Atreus.

Fight off the Reavers

After that battle segment, there will soon yet be another. This one is rather simple if not extremely easy. We will be fighting mortal men at this point. They are all level one and have really low hit points and damage output. After we wipe them out, there will be some Frost Reavers that spawn from their dead bodies. These guys are a bit tougher, but using Fist attacks and Spartan Rage will make quick work of them.

Path to the Mountain - ( Spike Room Puzzle )

If Kratos touches the spikes he will lose health. Players may notice one piece of the first spike wall that doesn't have any spikes on it. Throw your Leviathan Axe at this wooded piece and the door will open. Do this to get through the areas first few doors. There will be a few enemies in this area, but we can crush them by utilizing the Spike Roof Mechanism. There aren't many enemies and it's really nothing to worry about even in Give me God of War Mode. Once we learn the puzzle the tough part is opening the Nornir Chest.

Players will have to circle around this room a few times. Lowering and going on top of the spiked roof by using the rotating mechanism. The first two seals are easy enough, The third seal can be tricky, players should stand atop the spiked roof and on the right side of the roof looking down at the Rotator we threw the Leviathan Axe at earlier. Throw the axe at this rotator and it will raise or lower the spiked roof. Either way, the third and final seal should be in sight at this point. Open up the Nornir Treasure Chest for our first Horn of Blood Mead , special item. Collecting Three of these will increase Kratos Rage Meter.

Meeting Brok ( Path to the Mountain )

Players will hear a voice in the distance, if we take the alternate path down via the chain, we can come across a shortcut that leads back to the ruins. There is also a Coffin Chest here with some Soft Svar Steel . Heading back and taking the next corner will be a corpse and near that corpse will be our first Mask. Collect the mask to start another Artifact quest called, The Faces of Magic , collecting them all will sell at the blacksmith and reward us with some XP . See our Artifact section for more information.

After meeting Brok he can now upgrade our Leviathan Axe. He has given us some Frozen Flame, which is required to upgrade the axe. Finish the Tutorial and upgrade your axe. You can also upgrade the Talon Bow and purchase or upgrade some Armor. I went with the Boars Hide Armor and the Melee ( red ) armor for Kratos and Atreus. These increase strength mainly and in this difficulty setting, where enemies have much more HP ( hit points ) I felt it was a good idea. Players can still purchase the other armors if they have enough Hacksilver, so don't worry if you change your mind on your statistic choices later.

Players should be sure to equip their Armor Enhancement Slot via the menu, the Tutorial does not tell us this and the current gem to slot it with is already in our inventory. This will further increase our defense. Deal with the somewhat easy battle by using the arena near Brok to your advantage. Brok has a small inventory at the moment, so get what you can afford for now. Before continuing towards the mountain through the large gate, we can take the bridge. The bridge will lead to a shortcut back to the ruins. I may have mentioned this earlier. If you missed it, pick up the Coffin Chest and the Svar Steel inside. Following this path will also lead to another Mask for The Faces Of Magic artifact quest.

Breena Daudi [ Troll ]

Players will come across a huge troll shortly after meeting Brok the Blacksmith. This troll deals fire damage and can be tough. The biggest killer for me was the Shadow Reavers that toss poison balls at Kratos. Take those guys out with Ranged attacks whenever you see them. Remember our axe is now Level Two. This means we can get some more powerful skills. I suggest going with the Ranged Skills for now against this Troll ( Breena Daudi ).

Players should look our for one attack mainly from Breena Daudi. This is when the beast stomps the ground with fire. Fire wil spawn right near Kratos shortly after and he must roll or avoid it by sprinting. This attack has tons of range and can get Kratos rather easily if you are not careful. There are tons of Health Crystals in this area to make things easier. There will also be a Spartan Rage Crystal. This should give us at the very least Two Spartan Rage usages during this fight. Start off the fight and use the Leap Smash Rage Skill . This skill deals nice damage to the troll and we can jump at least three times with it. It can also take out nearby Shadow Reavers due to the AoE ( Area of Effect ).

Continue fighting the beast using charged Levianthan Axe throw attacks and always fire off the arrows with Atreus bow. We can also run in and use some Executioner's Cleave attacks which deal nice damage. However, if you are not careful the fire from the Troll can cost your life. Kratos burning is never a good thing, so beware the fire that oozes from the beast as well as the fire it tosses. Our Rewards for this battle will be excellent! We will gain a New Rune , a Legendary Resource item and tons of XP + Hacksilver, Congratulations!

Meeting the Witch ( Path to the Mountain )

Shortly after the troll battle, we can inspect this area. There will be three bells to ring near the chest. The first two are on the left and right sides of the Nornir Treasure Chest. The final bell is behind it near the water to the left. Ring all three bells quickly and the chest will open, it contains another Idunn Apple #3.

Continuing onwards we can go through the tunnel and we will end up finding the boar. This boar is magical and Atreus shot will bounce off of it. Continue chasing the boar through a burnt down village. Inspecting the back end of the village will result in finding another Mask , for the Faces Artifact Quest. The area is also filled with tons of small chest and hacksilver as well as some other materials such as Steel. It has a few reaver enemies and smaller encounters, but nothing major.

After the village, we will reach the boar once again. This time Atreus will nail it with a deathly arrow. The boar will run off and we will lose Atreus for a bit. The music changes here as Kratos begins to panic in the fog. We must find Atreus! The area is rather linear so it is hard to get lost if you hit a dead end just turn around. Eventually, we will find the boy with a beautiful woman, this is the Witch . This is a beautiful area we can admire as we carry the boar to the Witches abode. Once inside she will ask us to gather some Sheeps Cress. This is easy to find to the left of Atreus as he is in the garden. Return the sheeps cress and we will earn the Story or Key Item, the Witch Compass .

With the Witch Compass, we can pin-point marker locations on our map and they will also show how close or far they are in the HUD. We can next get into the boat, but first, we should explore this area a bit. We will run into Nightmare enemies for the first time. In this first encounter, they are rather simple. They can nearly one-shot kill Kratos even at full health with their Flash of Death attack. The Nightmare will fly towards Kratos a explode. This attack will not only blind Kratos and the player but deal massive damage. Be sure to take these guys out first with Axe throws, or the best method possible.

There is also a legendary chest over a jump in this location. Open up the chest for a new Talisman, which is common in rarity. This Talisman can give Kratos a health burst when used with L1 + Circle. We will find many more of these in the game and some have passive abilities. Now we are ready to get into the boat and head down the stream towards the Lake of the Nine.

Lake of the Nine ( World Serpent )

Head towards the marker which is the glowing statue. Once we are there read the Inscription with Atreus. Kratos will toss his Axe in the water and the World Serpent will appear. The game states the axe gets Imbued with something after the World Serpent returns it to us. Don't worry about that for now, just continue with the quest. The tide will lower and there will be plenty more to explore now. However, I suggest sticking to the main quest. I will cover the optional areas at the end of this guide and possibly in a different section.

Broks New Shop

We will meet Brok again shortly after docking at the marker. Make sure to upgrade your armors and weapons, we will also gain the stone of the World Tree, which will allow us to make waypoints through the realms. Ignore that for now as there are no other waypoints at the moment. Once you are finished upgrading you can exit the area and head all the way down to the opposite side. There will be some Poison Reavers here, these guys are easy even at the games Hardest Difficulty. Atreus will now be able to assist us with melee attacks, use this to your advantage and defeat the reavers.

Meeting Sindri (Path to the Mountain, Foothills)

After making it through the poison areas and dealing with our first Tatzelwurm we can meet Sindri outside. The first Tatzelwurm is simple, these guys are much tougher in the next battle, especially if you don't know how to beat them. Sindri will offer pretty much everything Brok has at the moment with a huge exception. Resurrection Stones can be purchased, they have rarity levels and can revive Kratos by use of Atreus. Currently, we can only carry one at a time. These stones will bring Kratos back to around 25% of his health . If you die often I found the stone does not reload correctly. Sometimes I died and the stone reappeared, other times I died and stone would be lost and I would lose Hacksilver purchased along with it.

The next battle segment is tough, I suggest getting a Resurrection Stone, and leveling up your armors as much as you can. You may want a different armor for Atreus of your choosing. Players should undoubtedly level up and take new Leviathan Axe skills, Precision Throw is excellent and one of my favorites. Frost Rush is also nice and easy to use. Finally, my current favorite is Permafrost . This skill will increase the damage we do with the axe as long as we consecutively hit enemies without taking damage or interruption. The kicker is the Axe Icon on the bottom left of the screen fills with a frost after effect, it's really an amazing touch!

Battle Tactics #9 - Tatzelworms at the Foothills

The biggest problem here is the Tatzelworms , these enemies explode if you are too close and hitting them in succession while they are on the floor will only get Kratos killed. The trick is to block there attack and then use a Heavy Attack with R2. Only when these enemies are airborne can we safely attack without them exploding in fire. They are still tough and there will be tons of other Poison Reavers that spawn, as well as Two Tatzelworms total. This battle is much easier if you use R2 Heavy Attack , I provided a video with no commentary below if you are still stuck.

After that battle, we can explore the area a bit. There is a Nornir Treasure Chest to the east. To open it we will have to remember the three sigils and use a bit of trial and error to solve the seal puzzle. If we do this we can pick up another Horn of Blood Mead #2 . Next, if we freeze the poison pod nearby with the Leviathan Axe we can open the Coffin Treasure Chest which contains Arcane Wasit Guards ( Wasit Armor ). If we head down the road to the north we can find another poison pod, freeze this poison pod and open the Coffin Treasure Chest. Inside we can find the Arcane Wrist Guards. Finally, we can head towards the main objective.

We will encounter tons of poison pods here and a Revenant. If we freeze some of the pods and take the left path we can acquire the Arcane Shoulder Pads. Afterward, we can defeat the Revenant just be sure to dodge the poison appropriately. Once the Revenant goes down there is a hidden chamber to locate if you would like to the west. To the east is the path to the mountain and an odd blue crystal structure. Ignore the structure for now and head towards the Mountain.

Before going near the door we can open another two chest. One of them is a coffin treasure chest which contains some materials or the Arcane Shoulder Pads. The second chest is a Legendary Treasure Chest, which contains a Light Runic Attack Rune . This is the Charge of the White Bear, which is really awesome, equip it and level it up if you would like. Just be sure to blow up the Urns so the boulders explode then freeze the Poison Pods so we can open both treasure chest. Afterward, head to the doors and we will battle an Ogre next.

Battle Tactics #10 - Ogre at the Foothills

The Ogre and the Poison Shadows that surround him can be a tough encounter. Players should have saved their Spartan Rage for this battle. If not they are going to have a much harder time and may want to take down the Ogre first. If they do, we can ride the Ogre and knock the Shadows off the mountain. However, there may be two waves of shadows even if you defeat the Ogre first.

If you have your Spartan Rage , use it immediately in the center of the arena. This will knock tons of Poison Shadow Reavers off of the map. Make sure to use the Leaping Smash Rage Skill. This should leave only one or two Poison Reavers/Shadows left. This makes the fight much easier. Focus on the remaining reavers while sprinting away from the Ogre. Always have Atreus firing off arrows to distract and damage whomever he can. The reavers can heal all their health back, so be sure to kill the one you are focused on. Once the reavers are dead its time to kill the Ogre.

The Ogre has one attack that can Blind and deal massive damage. This is when he charges at Kratos and a red unblockable ring forms around the Ogre. Players must be quick with either Sprinting or a back roll to dodge this attack. Players can get close to the Ogre and he will not do his charging attack. This is recommended, just parry his yellow ring attack. His basic attack is quick and can catch you off guard, it is probably the most dangerous, but it doesn't drain as much health as the red ring attack. Finally, the Ogre may Push Kratos , this looks like an attack but it deals no damage. However, it will knock you back a bit so be ready.

Once the Ogre is at low health it is susceptible to the grab. Hurry and grab the ogre to ride him. Be very quick here as new Poison Shadows will appear on the mountain. Knock them off or kill them quickly while riding the Ogre. Once we come off the Ogre finish it as quick as possible. If there are any reavers left, finish those off as well. If there are too many Shadows/Reavers on the map at this point you may need to reset. Have the following skills and items.

  • Hel's Touch - this is a quick attack and interruption of all the Ogre and Reaver attacks.
  • Ivaldi's Hammer - not many other options at this point in the story.
  • Simple Resurrection Stone, Use only when you are confident you can finish the battle.
  • Talisman of Concentrated Vitality - Health Burst is always nice!

Please see the video below for the battle if you want a bit more assistance. Once we have beaten the Ogre we can travel towards the Mountain. We will meet the Witch and see some black smoke that blocks our path. The Witch will tell us we need to go to another Realm to solve this problem. This will finally complete the Path to the Mountain Main Quest! Congratulations! See our next section which is " A Realm Beyond ".

the journey puzzle god of war

God of War Nornir Chests: All Locations and Puzzle Solutions

God of War's Nornir Chests will give you upgrades to health and rage. If you're wondering where to find them, this guide will show you where they are and how to solve their rune puzzles.

the journey puzzle god of war

Nornir Chests are just one of many different chest types to collect in God of War  on the PS4 and PC. Most contain hacksilver, while others will contain runes. Nornir Chests, however, contain upgrades for Kratos, such as health and rage boosts. You’ll want to take advantage of these upgrades, but their boons are locked behind rune puzzles .

To unlock Nornir Chests in God of War , you’ll need to solve the puzzles guarding them by breaking the three seals locking them. Some runes will be easy to find, while others will take some ingenuity to destroy. This guide will show you how to find each Nornir Chest, as well as where to find each and every rune-covered seal. 

Jump to a specific location by clicking the links below: 

  • River Pass + Witch’s Cave
  • The Mountain
  • Lake of Nine
  • Fafnir’s Storeroom
  • Tyr’s Temple
  • Veithurgard

All God of War Nornir Chest Locations and Rune Puzzle Solutions

Wildwoods: 1 nornir chest, nornir chest #1: after your first battle (health upgrade).

the journey puzzle god of war

Once you’ve defeated your first set of Draugr in the Wildwoods, head straight ahead. Go past the life stone on the ground and toward the blocked passage in front of you. Break through the wood to find this Nornir chest. 

  • Seal 1: As you walk into the alcove, the first rune seal is immediately to your right  — on the other side of the stairs. Throw your ax to break it. 
  • Seal 2: The second rune is to the right of the Nornir Chest, sitting against the wall. 
  • Seal 3: The third rune is on the left-hand side of the room in a stone sarcophagus. 

River Pass and Witch’s Cave: 5 Nornir Chests

Nornir chest #1 after the revenant (health upgrade).

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Just like with the first artifact in this area , it will take you a while to get to the first Nornir Chest in the River Pass. After you fight the Revenant, who will come after the Heavy Draugr, climb up to the second story and turn right. You’ll see the chest among some debris straight ahead. 

Note: If you turn left instead of right, you’ll find a shrine. 

  • Seal 1:  In the top right-hand corner when facing the Nornir Chest.
  • Seal 2: Turn around and look upward. To the left of the bridge in the distance (not the one closest to you) and past the chain, you’ll see a second rune. 
  • Seal 3: Lower the bridge closest to you and go across. Once you cross over, stop and look up and left. The third rune seal is in an alcove there. 

Nornir Chest #2: After the Spiked Ceiling Puzzle (Rage Upgrade)

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After completing the spiked ceiling puzzle (and after Atreus joins you on the other side), turn around and climb on the spike contraption. Look right and find the Nornir Chest. 

  • Seal 1: Turn around from the Nornir Chest and see the rune seal on a rock. 
  • Seal 2: From 1, turn left and look up. 
  • Seal 3: This one is a bit tricky. From 2, look left again and see the blue wisps of the seal behind a beam. Raise the platform you’re on to get a good angle from which to throw your ax. 

Nornir Chest #3: After the Sand Puzzle and Troll Fight (Health Upgrade)

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Once you’ve completed the sand puzzle, you’ll go through a cavern and fight a troll on the other side. Defeat them and look to the left of the area. At the edge, you’ll find this Nornir Chest. The seals here are bells, and you must ring them in quick succession to open it. 

  • Bell 1: Just above the chest. 
  • Bell 2: Look left and up. This bell is right behind you on the cliff overlooking the waterfall. 
  • The easiest method is to hit the bells in this order: 3,1,2 . You’ll only have a few seconds to strike each bell. You’ll get an Idunn Apple for your troubles. 

Nornir Chest #4: In the Witch’s Cave (Cannot Reach on First Visit)

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This Nornir Chest can be found in the witch’s cave after you beat the nightmares. From the bridge, turn around and look toward the back of the area (toward the witch’s house). Down below, you’ll see the chest in the water. 

You can’t get this Nornir Chest yet, though. You can revisit when Atreus can build bridges. 

Nornir Chest #5: Exiting the Cave Through the Well (Cannot Reach on First Visit)

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Since you’ll also need Atreus to get you across the water in the cave, you won’t be able to exit through the well the first time you visit this area. But once you can reach the Nornir Chest, you’ll need the Winds of Hel  to open it. We’ll update this guide with a screenshot and steps when we access this area. 

Foothills: 1 Nornir Chest

Nornir chest #1: after meeting sindri.

the journey puzzle god of war

Eventually, you’ll meet Brok’s brother, Sindri. After speaking with him, leave his camp and go straight ahead. Enemies will spawn and a protracted conflict will ensue. Once you’ve defeated all of the enemies, head up the hill and go right. In the back of the area, you’ll find this Nornir chest. 

To open it, you’ll need to align each of three turnable poles to the runes on the chest. It does matter which poles show which runes since each pole doesn’t have all of the runes carved into them. Here’s what you need to do: 

  • Pole 1: Directly to the left of the Nornir Chest. This one should be turned to the “squiggly” symbol . 
  • Pole 2: Turn around and go back down the hill. Turn left, and you’ll see this pole nestled in the cliff just above eye level. This one should be turned to the “P” symbol . 
  • Pole 3: Turn right and follow the path around to the fallen tree. This pole will be mostly obscured by the poisonous fog. Throw your ax at the fog pole to reveal the rune. This one should be turned to the backward “B” symbol . 

Alfheim: 4 Nornir Chests

Nornir chest #1: light elf sanctuary (health upgrade).

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After defeating the enemies on the beach at Light Elf Sanctuary, follow the path until it forks. Take a left and you’ll come to the area pictured above. The Nornir Chest is inside the shelter. 

There are no runes on the bells in this area, but the sequence to open the chest is this: 

  • The bell above the doorway
  • Turn left and ring the third bell
  • Turn left and ring the sixth bell 

Inside the Nornir Chest, you’ll find an Idunn Apple .

Note: If you don’t know how to get to Light Elf Sanctuary, turn right as soon as you enter the Lake of Light. Go all the way to the end. Then turn right and follow the channel around. You’ll find the shore and can dock there. 

Nornir Chest #2: Ringed Temple Trench (Health Upgrade)

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After you enter the Ringed Temple, prepare yourself for a fight against the Dark Elves. Once you’ve defeated them, continue along the trench on the left side. Eventually, you’ll come across the next Nornir Chest nestled in the wall. 

Go to the right side and activate the wheel so that the middle section in front of you descends. Throw your ax to cement it into place. 

  • Seal 1: Drop down. Across the platform in front of you. 
  • Seal 2: Turn around. On the wall behind the wheel. 

Now climb back up and turn the wheel all the down so that both pieces of the floor (the middle part and the part you’re standing on) descend. Throw your ax to cement it into place. 

  • Seal 3: Turn around. Climb up the ledge to find it nestled in the wall. 

You’ll get an Idunn Apple for all your efforts. 

Nornir Chest #3 Ringed Temple Sealed Doors (Rage Upgrade)

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When you reach the Ringed Temple proper, the blue doors in front of you will be locked. Before continuing with the story, turn left and follow the steps downward toward a Nornir Chest. At the bottom, turn right, and you’ll see a gate with two nodes, one holding it shut and the other hanging from the ceiling behind. Throw your axe and destroy both at the same time. 

Once the gate is open, you’ll need to ring three bells in quick succession. 

  • Bell 1: At the end of the corridor above the chest. 
  • Bell 2: To the left of the gate, nestled in the wall. 
  • Bell 3: Behind you, turned at an angle. 

There’s no easy way to open this chest other than being fast. We found that the sequence 3,2,1 was most effective . Claim your Horn of Bloodmead .

Nornir Chest #4: At the Gate (Rage Upgrade)

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After Atreus receives the ability to build light bridges, you’ll eventually make it back to the temple’s main doors, the ones you could not near Nornir Chest 3. But don’t go through the doors just yet! Instead, turn around and place the crystal in the socket under the shelter. 

Once the light bridge is created, climb to the top to find the fourth Nornir Chest. Opening this one is another test of speed and accuracy. 

  • Bell 1: Inside the shelter, just above the chest.
  • Bell 2: Above the stairs on the right (where you climbed up). 
  • Bell 3: Outside the window on the opposite side of Bell 2.

A Horn of Bloodmead will be inside. 

The Mountain: 2 Nornir Chests

Nornir chest #1 inside the mountain (rage upgrade).

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After you complete the light puzzle when you first enter the mountain (where the deer god sits on the throne), a passageway will open on the right side of the room. Go through and follow the path. After fighting the Revenant, climb up the ledge and defeat all of the Draugr. 

From the ledge you originally climbed to get into this area, go left. Have Atreus create a lightbridge and go up it. You’ll find this Nornir Chest there. And like the chest in the Foothills, you’ll need to align runes on three turnable poles. 

  • Pole 1: At the foot of the bridge to your right. This pole should show the “R” symbol.
  • Pole 2: Go to the ledge you climbed to get in this area. Look up and left to find it nestled on the cliff above. This pole should show the “B” symbol. 
  • Pole 3: Drop down off the ledge from Pole 2 and turn immediately right. This pole should show the “N” symbol. 

You’ll be rewarded with a Horn of Bloodmead . 

Nornir Chest #2: After Getting Shock Arrows, Where Hel-Walkers Worship (Health Upgrade)

the journey puzzle god of war

After finding Artifact 3 at the bridge and using the sap bucket there to make a new path, you’ll pass an alcove covered in sap. It won’t have a crystal to shoot. 

However, move toward the Hel-Walkers worshiping ahead. You’ll they are worshiping the next Nornir Chest. Defeat them and use the sap dispenser to open the alcove that was previously locked (there is also a Shrine in the alcove). 

  • Seal 1: In the room with the shrine. Turn right and look up. 
  • Seal 2: Go back to the room with the sap dispenser and use the sap to lower the bridges. As you cross the bridge, look right. There is an opening with the Seal inside. 
  • Seal 3: After defeating the enemies across the bridge, use the wheel to raise the bridge to the next level. Freeze the gears next to it. Go up the bridge and look right. The Seal is along the wall. 

You will receive an Idunn Apple for your efforts. 

Lake of Nine: 4 Nornir Chests

Nornir chest #1: lookout tower’s spike trap (health upgrade).

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Go to the end of Tyr’s Bridge (toward the Foothills) and take a right. Drop down and head straight. After a few steps, you’ll see a Nornir Chest on your left. You’ll need to ring three bells to open this one  — but they’re stuck behind three spike traps. To lower the spikes, hit the turnable pole above the chest. 

  • Bell 1: To the left of the turnable pole. 
  • Bell 2: Up and right of the Nornir Chest. 
  • Bell 3: Right of Bell 2. 

Claim your Idunn Apple . 

Nornir Chest #2: On the Shore at Forgotten Caverns (Health Upgrade)

the journey puzzle god of war

You really can’t miss this Nornir Chest. You’ll see it on the shore as soon as you dock at Forgotten Caverns. Take out the enemies first, then head to the left to find the seals. They’re all in one place this time, but the puzzle is a bit different. 

The seals are on individual rotating arms. Hit one, and all of the arms will spin. Hit another, and the arms will spin faster. You only have a few seconds to hit all of them, so the best sequence is:  Bottom, Middle, Top or Top, Middle, Bottom. 

Hitting the middle seal second stops all of the seals from spinning . Complete the puzzle and open the Nornir Chest to get an Idunn Apple . 

Nornir Chest #3: Light Elf Outpost After Water Descends Second Time

the journey puzzle god of war

After the water in the Lake of Nine descends a second time, Light Elf Outpost will be revealed. It’s to the left of Helheim Tower  — the area with the ruins in the water. There’s a Level 5 Troll on the island, as well as a handful of high-level poison enemies. 

Defeat your adversaries and look to the left of the gate. Smash the boards to reveal a crystal. Create a light bridge up to the Nornir Chest. 

  • Seal 1: Look toward the cliff behind the Nornir Chest. The seal is at eye level on the opposite side of the ruins. 
  • Seal 2: From the chest, turn right. Go through the gate and stop. Turn right again and look out to the broken bridge in the water. The seal is on the column closest to you. 
  • Seal 3: From there, go left and down the path. Follow it all the way around  — until you can either climb up the wall or down the chain. The seal will be nestled in the gate wall in front of you. 

Nornir Chest #4: Cliffs of the Raven Using Winds of Hel

the journey puzzle god of war

Another area that will be revealed after the water in the Lake of Nine descends a second time. Dock at the new landing at the Cliffs of the Raven. Make your way around the path, and you’ll eventually come to the Nornir Chest naturally. To destroy the seals, you’ll need to clear out the growth found here, as well as use the Winds of Hel to select the correct runes. 

Note: To select the runes on the pillars around the area, activate each pillar with the Winds of Hel and let the runes rotate. When the rune you want appears, remove the Winds of Hel from the node to another node. That final step will lock the rune into place, ultimately giving access to the Nornir Chest . 

  • Seal 1: To the right of the Nornir Chest up on the highest cliff. Should show the “R” symbol. 
  • Seal 2: To the right of the Nornir Chest, but on the same level as the Nornir Chest. Should show the sideways “N” symbol. 
  • Seal 3: To the left of the Nornir Chest, up on the cliff. Should show the “P” symbol. 

Fafnir’s Storeroom: 1 Nornir Chest

Nornir chest #1: the forest area before the storeroom (rage upgrade).

the journey puzzle god of war

After passing Sidnir, you’ll crawl through a cliff and exit in a forest area. As you make your way up from the crawlspace, you can find a Raven perched on a branch in the stream (on the left side, before you climb the first ledge). 

Continuing forward, you’ll encounter Reavers. Defeat them and look to the right side of the area for the Nornir Chest. The seals for this chest are once again bells. 

  • Bell 1: Directly above the Nornir Chest. 
  • Bell 2: Up and to the right of the chest. 
  • Bell 3: Above the waterfall at the far end of the area. 

The reward for opening this Nornir Chest is a Horn of Bloodmead . 

Helheim: 1 Nornir Chest

Nornir chest #1: after you get the “round 2” trophy (rage upgrade).

the journey puzzle god of war

When you return to Helheim, go straight ahead and look down. This chest is below on the right-hand side of the screen. You can’t get this one quite yet, but follow the story path for a few more minutes, and you’ll be able to nab it. 

Eventually, you’ll come to a ship. But instead of boarding it and continuing your journey, follow the path. You’ll end up at the Nornir Chest. 

  • Seal 1: There’s a giant block to the right of the Nornir Chest. Move it halfway out and then step into the gap to the left. The back of the block will be open and the seal will be inside. 
  • Seal 2: Move the block all the way out. This seal is behind the block. 
  • Seal 3: Climb the block after moving it completely out. Look to the right of the chest. The seal is on the pillar in the water. 

Tyr’s Temple: 1 Nornir Chest

Nornir chest #1: behind the spiked traps in tyr’s vault (symbol of bounty).

the journey puzzle god of war

As you move through the story, you’ll come to Tyr’s Vault. The security here is intense and stands in your way. The main hall has three concentric rings that require you to use Hel’s Wind to get past. Each time opens a new area of challenges. 

When you use Hel’s Wind on the second ring, you’ll open two doors. The one on your right will have a Nornir Chest, which is pretty hard to miss. 

  • Seal 1: In the room with the wheel. Turn around from the wheel to find it nestled in the wall behind you. 
  • Seal 2: Go into the room with the spiked traps coming down from the ceiling. Look on the right arm of the first trap. 
  • Seal 3: Go to the Nornir Chest and turn around. The seal is in a small hole at the bottom of the first spiked contraption. 

Veithurgard: 1 Nornir Chest

Nornir chest #1:  to the left of the dragon on a cliff.

the journey puzzle god of war

Go to the dragon tether and turn left. Continue up the path past the bridge and through the Stonehenge-like worship area. Turn right, up the steps, and right again. Climb up the small ledge and the Veithurgard Nornir Chest will be straight ahead on the cliff. 

  • Seal 1: As you approach the Nornir Chest, turn right as you get to the doorway. The seal will be in the wall. 
  • Seal 2: Continue past the Nornir Chest until you get to the small bridge. Turn right and the seal is nestled in the rocks. 
  • Seal 3: Continue from the last seal and turn right when the path branches. Go to the end of the path, which overlooks the water. The last seal is out in the rocks. 

Konunsgard: 1 Nornir Chest 

Nornir chest #1: after collecting the mythic items.

The Nornir Chest at Konunsgard is by far the most intensive Nornir Chest to find in all of God of War . It requires that you complete all of the Dwarven side quests presented to you by Brok and Sindri. Then(!), you’ll still have to go through the entire area before getting to it. 

However, after you’ve acquired the three mythic items you’re tasked with retrieving, you’ll come across a balcony on your path back. The Nornir Chest will be there. To activate the seals, you’ll need the Winds of Hel and quick reflexes. 

  • Activate the blank rune with the Winds of Hel
  • Remove the winds when the rune is still blank to activate it
  • Spin the other bell with the Winds of Hel
  • Hit the stationary bell
  • Throw the ax to hit the other two bells

Performing all of those steps should open the Nornir Chest for you. Finish the quest and get the Like Oil and Water trophy for completing all of Brok and Sindri’s side quests. 

Related guides :

  • All Hidden Valkyrie Locations
  • How to Get Smoldering Embers
  • Best Light & Heavy Runic Attacks
  • How to Get the Frozen Flame
  • What is Anchor of Fog? Answered
  • Where to Find Every Chaos Flame
  • Where to Find Every God of War Dragon

And that’s how you find all of the Nornir Chests and solve their rune puzzles in God of War . There are tons more collectibles to find along your journey. From artifacts to shrines and Odin’s Ravens , make sure to check out our other God of War guides while you’re here. 

About the author

the journey puzzle god of war

Jonathan Moore

Jonathan Moore is the Editor-in-Chief of GameSkinny and has been writing about games since 2010. With over 1,200 published articles, he's written about almost every genre, from city builders and ARPGs to third-person shooters and sports titles. While patiently awaiting anything Dino Crisis, he consumes all things Star Wars. He has a BFA in Creative Writing and an MFA in Creative Writing focused on games writing and narrative design. He's previously been a newspaper copy editor, ad writer, and book editor. In his spare time, he enjoys playing music, watching football, and walking his three dogs. He lives on Earth and believes in aliens, thanks to Fox Mulder.

More Stories by Jonathan Moore

ncesc-gaming-faq

What is the last level in God of War?

The final Baldur boss fight, how to beat Baldur, Mother’s Ashes and The Journey Home are the final steps in God of War PS4’s main story.

What is the last stage in God of War?

God of War ended with the harrowing revelation of a prophecy of Kratos dying during Ragnarok. However, evading prophecy is usually a surefire way to make it come true. Kratos witnessed as much in his time in Greece, and several characters in this game succumb to this reality as well.

How many levels are there in God of War?

God of War has 17 chapters in total, and our playthrough took about 35 hours on normal.

Who is the last boss fight in God of War?

Odin decides to kill his own son for not murdering Kratos, which he instructed him to do, resulting in the Allfather becoming the game’s final boss. Odin fights with his magical spear, using it to cast spells against the players and as a melee weapon.

Is Baldur the final boss?

Kratos must defeat Baldur one final time in God of War, but in this fight, the Norse God of Light receives assistance from his mother, Freya. The final boss fight of God of War’s main story pits Kratos against Baldur for the last time, and the Norse God of Light gains some assistance from his mother, Freya.

God of War Ragnarok – Ending & Odin Final Boss Fight + Secret Ending (4K 60FPS)

Is odin the last boss in ragnarok.

In God of War: Ragnarok, Odin is the final boss, and he can be a tough opponent, so players may wonder how to beat him.

Is Ragnarok the final boss?

In this final boss fight, there are a few tells to look out for that let you know what kind of attack Ranrok is about to do. I’ll go over what exactly you need to do to defeat him and discuss tactics for taking Ranrok down faster.

Who was Kratos hardest fight?

Here are some of the toughest bosses that Kratos has faced in the God of War series.

  • 1 Sigrun – God Of War (2018)
  • 2 Zeus – God Of War III. …
  • 3 Zeus – God Of War II. …
  • 4 Ares – God Of War. …
  • 5 Charon – God Of War: Chains Of Olympus. …
  • 6 Magni & Modi – God Of War (2018) …
  • 7 Baldur & Freya – God Of War (2018) …
  • 8 Theseus – God Of War II. …

Is Kratos a real God?

In Greek mythology, Kratos, also known as Cratus or Cratos, is the divine personification of strength. He is the son of Pallas and Styx.

Which God of War is hardest?

In these regard, here ere are some of the most difficult God of War games to beat.

  • 1 God Of War Ragnarok (2022)
  • 2 God Of War (2018) …
  • 3 God Of War (2005) …
  • 4 God Of War III. …
  • 5 God Of War II. …
  • 6 God Of War: Ascension. …
  • 7 God of War: Ghost Of Sparta. …
  • 8 God Of War: Chains Of Olympus. …

How old is Kratos?

How old is Kratos in God of War Ragnarök? In God of War Ragnarök, it’s likely that Kratos is around 1,055 years old. He’s something of an old man, but as a demigod, he is still more than young enough to hold his own and then some in battle.

How do you get level 10 armor in God of War?

The Level Cap in New Game + has been increased to Level 10. To reach this, you must upgrade your Armor, Weapon, Weapon Attachment or Shield to Level 9, then convert them at a Dwarven Shop. There are actually four levels to reach: 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, and finally 10.

How long is 100% God of War?

When focusing on the main objectives, God of War is about 20½ Hours in length. If you’re a gamer that strives to see all aspects of the game, you are likely to spend around 51 Hours to obtain 100% completion.

Who is Kratos wife?

When Kratos eventually settled in Midgard, he fell in love with a woman named Faye, whom he believed to be a mortal. They married, had a son named Atreus, and lived a secluded life. At some point, Faye learned Kratos’ true identity as a god, but kept it hidden from Atreus.

Where is Atreus after Ragnarok?

God of Peace

After the cataclysm ends, Atreus wakes up in Midgard. He walks along a spiral path, passing by all the friends he met in God of War: Ragnarok, until he gets to the top, where Angrboda is waiting.

Is God of War done forever?

Santa Monica Studio, God of War’s developer, has said Ragnarok is the end, and that God of War won’t be spun into another trilogy. But the way the game ended absolutely opens up the possibility of a follow-up that focuses on Atreus — possibly with Sindri as a villain.

Did any gods survive Kratos?

However, Kratos did not kill all the gods, and there are close to a dozen Olympians that managed to survive Kratos’ path of destruction.

Is Zeus Kratos father?

Kratos is eventually revealed to be a demigod and the son of Zeus, who later betrays him. Kratos embarks on several adventures in attempts to avert disaster or to change his fate.

Which gods Kratos killed?

Along the way, Kratos kills a host of famous gods, including Poseidon, the God of the Sea; Hades, the God of the Underworld and husband to the late Persephone; Helios, the God of the Sun, whom Kratos decapitates; Hermes, the Messenger God, who won’t be delivering any messages after Kratos tears off his legs; Hera, …

Who has beaten Kratos?

Zeus killed Kratos in God of War II (which is why Kratos has to escape from Hell), so it’s only natural that Kratos would want to return the favor. The two powerhouses face off in a heated battle between father and son.

Who is the strongest boss in God of War?

God Of War Ragnarok: 10 Hardest Boss Fights, Ranked

  • 8 Heimdall. …
  • 7 Hrist and Mist. …
  • 6 Nidhogg. …
  • 5 Thor. …
  • 4 Odin. …
  • 3 The Berserker King. …
  • 2 The Hateful. …
  • 1 The Valkyrie Queen.

What is the easiest boss in God of War?

Harđrefill is definitely the easiest of the Berserker boss battles. If players haven’t sought them out on their own yet, this will likely be the first Berserker boss they stumbled upon. Harđrefill doesn’t have anything that’s difficult to read, and most of his attacks can be parried easily.

Who will survive Ragnarok?

In Norse mythology, Lif and Lifthrasir (also spelled Life and Leifthrasir) were two people designated to be the sole human survivors after Ragnarok, the battle at the end of the world.

Is Thor the final boss in Gow?

Encountered during the seventeenth chapter, The Realms at War, Thor is the second last boss that you will face in God of War: Ragnarok.

Who will end Ragnarok?

Odin vs Fenrir,or Fenris: Odin will be swallowed by Fenrir. Vidar vs Fenrir,or Fenris: Vidar will kill Fenrir by stepping on the jaw of Fenrir (also known as Fenris) and split it all the way down through his tail. That’s when Ragnarok ends.

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God of War: The Journey - The Black Rune

The Black Rune sees Kratos diving into Tyr's vault in search of a powerful artifact.

Kevin Tucker

The  God of War experience continues in the mission titled The Black Rune. Our walkthrough follows Kratos and Atreus in their search for the namesake artifact, besting a series of puzzles and traps before culminating in a standoff with two powerful bosses.

The Black Rune Walkthrough - God of War

With Atreus back up and about, hang around Freya's hut to learn more about the game's lore. Once everyone has had chance to speak their mind, head through the door and follow the path to head back toward Tyr's vault.

Return to the Boat

Take the lift down to the lower level, then find the boat sitting on the shoreline. Start to drag the boat back to the water to have a little chat with Atreus.

the journey puzzle god of war

Return to Tyr's Vault

Once the boat is back in the water, start paddling back toward the Lake of the Nine and moor the ship outside Tyr's vault.

Use the Sand Bowl

Now that Kratos and Atreus have returned to Tyr's vault, make another attempt to interact with the sand bowl in the middle of the room. Doing so will prompt Atreus to read out a clue: "Death itself I swallow to spring forth life tomorrow." Look around the different words written on the wall to locate the rune that says Earth. Afterward, the floor of the room will begin to descend.

Retrieve the Black Rune

After the room settles, head the door on the north side to discover the location known formally as Tyr's Vault. Approach the center of the room to watch a series of rings known as the runestone move about, which will lead directly into the next mission objective.

the journey puzzle god of war

Deactivate the Vault's Defenses

Take aim at the outer spinning ring, then use the Winds of Hel energy on the ball in the adjacent room to have it drop down and disappear. Walk into the other room with the wheel, the interact with it to open a door to a corridor filled with deadly spinning blades. Use the Leviathan axe to freeze one of the remaining blades, then walk into the treasure-filled room at the end of the passage.

the journey puzzle god of war

After heading back into the main room, a number of draugr will spawn. Take them out, then grab any loot they may have left behind. With the room now clear, once again use the Winds of Hel with the middle ring, this time using its power to activate the sphere in the newly-opened vault room. A few enemies will spawn, so take them out, then spin the wheel to open up another trapped passageway.

On the other side, once again open the door back into the main room. Head out and climb up a nearby pillar to reach the upper story and get a better look at the inside ring. Take out the draugr, then hit the rings to move them about. Climb down the nearby chain to reach the floor, then hit the outermost ring and use the Winds of Hel energy on the sphere within the most recently opened room. Doing so will bring up yet another wheel, this time one that will lower the runestone.

Escape the Trap

Kratos will become ensnared by the vault's defenses. To free him, players need to help Atreus solve a puzzle involving three symbols — a sun, a moon, and a shield representing Midgard. Have Atreus pull the left bar to lower the sun, then the right to lower the shield. After that, have Atreus pull the middle bar to have the moon slide to the left. When it's in position, have him pull the right bar again, then the left, then the middle bar. With all of the symbols on the right-hand side, instruct Atreus to pull the right bar to drop the sun, the middle to slide the other two to the left, then the right to raise the sun back up.

the journey puzzle god of war

With the symbols in their proper sequence, the room will drain. Kratos isn't out of the water yet, though, as the floor panel begins to rapidly ascend toward a spike-filled trap. Here Atreus earns his keep, stopping the mechanism and freeing Kratos.

Head back into the main room and climb the chain down to the ground floor. With the area's defenses deactivated, the Black Rune will float while smoking menacingly in the center of the room. Before grabbing it, Kratos and Atreus will have another talk, so sit back and enjoy the cutscene.

the journey puzzle god of war

Their talk concluded, Atreus will use his knife to break the spell surrounding the Black Rune. To Kratos' disappointment, the rune appears to be blank until Atreus has a closer look. As soon as he does, a powerful duo of guardians will awaken.

In this battle, Kratos must face off with both the Grendel of the Ashes and the Grendel of the Frost. Tag teaming the two isn't exactly easy, as players will have to alternate between the Leviathan axe and the Blades of Chaos to take them down.

the journey puzzle god of war

Keep Kratos' back toward the center of the room, making efforts to pin the Grendels against the wall and group them together whenever possible. Whittle away at their health bars, making sure not to get attacked from behind. With persistence, the vault guardians will go down, and Kratos can claim the Tartarus Rage ability.

Exit Tyr's Vault

Head to the double doors on the south side of the room to exit Tyr's vault. Interact with the bowl of sand to rise back up through the area's entrance to the roof of the structure above.

This is the end of The Black Rune quest, but not yet the end of Kratos and Atreus' journey. Up next is The Return to the Summit . Be sure to stop by our extensive  God of War walkthrough and guide to stay current on all of the game's various missions and collectibles.

Guides Editor

Kevin Tucker is a core component of Shacknews' powerful guide development team. For questions, concerns, tips, or to share constructive criticism, he can be reached on Twitter @dukeofgnar or through e-mail at [email protected] .

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God of War guide: Behind the Lock walkthrough and collectibles

You can finally get through those magic locks. Now what?

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the journey puzzle god of war

God of War ’s “Behind the Lock” Journey begins after you get your chunk of the magic chisel . You have a lot of options, but you have to get out of the arena where you fought Magni and Modi first. This part of your journey picks up immediately after the end of the last — you’re still in the same room and everything.

A note on God of War spoilers

God of War is full of surprises, and that makes guides particularly tricky to write. We want to help you with the game. We don’t want to spoil it. So we want you to know that we’ve written every guide with spoilers in mind. 

If our guide doesn’t appear to get you every item (a chest, for example), there’s a reason for that. Rather than spoil that reason, our tables of contents and a big image in the guide indicating spoilers ahead will tell you when and why you find yourself in that situation — in the least spoilery way possible. 

Table of contents

Your first magic lock, the port contraption, northern dock, tyr’s bridge interior.

Items in this area : coffin (solid Svartalfheim steel), wooden chest, Glacial Catalyst, coffin (solid Svartalfheim steel), coffin (solid Svartalfheim steel, Symbol of Shadows), Realm Tear

 alt=

Now that you’ve got your very own magic chisel, you can start opening all those magic locks you’ve been finding. These first few you open aren’t like the rest out in the world — these are just to introduce you to the concept and get you out of the Thamur’s Corpse region. The rest of them will have a tough fight on the other side (we’ll get to one of those in a few minutes).

Make sure you’ve picked up everything the brothers dropped, then turn around from the chisel. Follow along the wall on your right to find a magically locked door. Pass the chisel over the lock with the left thumbstick. When it glows and there’s a fiery dot under it, hit R2 to stab the lock. You’ll have to do this twice for this lock — other locks require more stabbing.

On the other side, you’ll find a tunnel that leads you to a little canyon. Look to the right of the rune-sealed door first. There’s a coffin tied up with roots. Look above it for a shatter crystal. Have Atreus shoot it to knock it down, then have him shoot it again to free the coffin. You’ll get some solid Svartalfheim steel when you open it.

the journey puzzle god of war

Now let’s open the rune door. Face the door, then turn to the left and look high above you to find the first rune. Turn to the right and start climbing up the knobs sticking out of the ice wall. At the top, drop to the ledge, then turn around. Take a couple of steps to your right and you’ll see the second rune through a hole in the ruins on the other side of the canyon. Continue to the right and drop down to the next platform. Walk all the way to the edge, then turn left. There’s a tall pillar of ice in front of you — the third seal is a the very top.

The gate at the bottom of the canyon will open and you can grab the wooden chest and the loot in front of the dead troll — some hacksilver and a Glacial Catalyst crafting resource (for the Charm of Infinite Storms talisman).

the journey puzzle god of war

Climb back up those knobs on the right to the first platform. Kick down the chain ahead of you and you’ll drop back down to the Dining Hall and Sindri’s shop. Have him upgrade your Leviathan Axe with the Frozen Flame you got from Magni and Modi.

Drop back into the main part of the Dining Hall and look for the magically locked door that you can open the same way as before.

the journey puzzle god of war

There’s a hallway on the other side. Jump the first low ledge and note the root-locked coffin on your left and the empty light crystal socket ahead of you.

Take the first right you can into another hallway. Turn left at the first alcove you come to and smash the crate. Grab a shatter crystal from the root there, then carry it back to the coffin to blast it open. This will get you some more solid Svartalfheim steel and a Symbol of Shadows enchantment.

Head back to get some another shatter crystal from the root. This time, look directly above you when you come out of the alcove. Throw the crystal up and have the boy shoot it to knock down the light crystal . Carry it back to the empty socket from earlier. Have the boy shoot this crystal with a light arrow to reveal a realm tear . There’s no fight, so just grab your Dust of Realms and close the tear.

Head back into the second hallway and run past the root alcove. Continue to the end of this hall to find some doors to the next area.

Items in this area : wooden chest

the journey puzzle god of war

From the doors, head to the left side of the room. Break the disc that’s holding the platform in place and use the wheel to move it to the right side of the room.

Run over to the right side and look for a place to hoist the boy up. Head back to the wheel and shuttle the boy to the left side. Have him throw down the chain so you can climb up, then freeze the wheel on top of the platform so it won’t move.

Climb the chain and hop onto the platform. Recall your axe to let the platform slide down to the right side of the room.

When it stops, turn right for a wooden chest . Turn left and hop across the gap. Loop around to the right to kick down a chain — this is just a shortcut if you ever come back this way again.

Open the magic lock to open the doors back to the Northern Dock area.

the journey puzzle god of war

Climb the chain out of this area and go through the tunnel to get back to the beach. You’ve got a few choices here: You can turn to your right to open your first real hidden chamber door that leads to the Valkyrie Gunnr , you can hop in the canoe and paddle back to Tyr’s Temple, or you can take the Mystic Gateway shortcut back to the Bridge.

However you decide to get there, the next step of this journey goal is to get to the bridge, so that’s what we’re going to focus on.

the journey puzzle god of war

Head down to the lowest level of the bridge. If you canoed here, this is where the boat dock is. The door to Tyr’s Vault is right next to the boat dock. Use your chisel to get inside.

After Atreus checks out the remains of the shrine on the left, have him investigate the sand bowl in the middle of the room.

There’s nothing to pick up in here, so just focus on how totally fine everything goes in the cutscene. We’ll meet you on the other side.

the journey puzzle god of war

The next level of puzzles.

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A Path to Jotunheim

This God of War Walkthrough contains details on how to complete the thirteenth step of your journey - A Path to Jotunheim. This guide will include everything from paths to take, enemies to fight, and any Collectibles and Legendary Chests you might find along the way.

  • Journey Reward: 10,125 XP

Show Tyr’s Key Plans to Brok

Video Guide (Part 37)

With the real secret of Tyr revealed, you may have a new option now that the other door to Jotunheim is closed. You’ll need a key to enter another secret vault in Tyr’s Temple, but first you need to speak to the Dwarves.

Head through the next chamber to find a lift in the far corner to take back down to the temple. Since the door back to Helheim isn’t working, go to the World Tree and set a course back for Midgard . At this point you’ll learn some very interesting tidbits about Baldur , but more on that later. For now, head outside and go speak to Brok at the forge.

ToJotun1.jpg

With a little unexpected help, Tyr’s Key will be successfully forged for you, and the path awaits you just below the temple. Now that you’ve started finding Ciphers of Niflheim , and broken friendships have been amended, new armor and upgrades await you at the forge -so be sure to take a look before heading off!

Legendary Chest Location:

ShoreofNineLegendary.jpg

As you descend down to the outer ring of Tyr’s Temple, sprint around to the Northwest side facing Asgard Tower to find a Legendary Ches t surrounded by Hel Bramble. Break it apart to open the chest and receive Weightless War Handles - Rare Blades Pommels for your Blades of Chaos.

ToJotun2.jpg

Head to the lower outer ring around Tyr’s Temple, and look for the entrance to the vault that can be found on the East side facing the Alfheim tower. With the key in hand, approach the mysterious door and enter to the hidden chamber within.

Explore Tyr’s Hidden Chamber

ToJotun3.jpg

As you enter the long forgotten chamber encrusted with barnacles, head up the path to a light crystal, and shoot it with Light Arrows to form a path. Here you’ll find yourself in a mirrored room of the Realm Travel Room, only the floor has now become the ceiling. Above you, look for the different realm doors, and keep heading around the room until you spot a glowing orb above - similar magic to one Tyr hid the Black Rune behind.

ToJotun4.jpg

As you watch, the giant upside down Jotunheim door will open, as will two smaller doors on either side that are at your level. Enter one of the doorways and cross the small bridges of light across the gap to the other side. Look along the passage at the various tapestries before finding a way back to the Jotunheim Door on the left.

ToJotun5.jpg

Inside the Hall of Tyr, there are two giant statues holding chains that connect to the Jotunheim door. Pass by the sand bowl to the foot of the upside door and note the Rune for Jotunheim.

ToJotun6.jpg

Interact below the rune to find that the entire temple is on an axle - and its possible to flip the entire temple if you can break the chains that hold it in place.

Break the Chains

Stepping back, the two giant statues will move positions to reveal runes across their body, and the sand bowl will become active. After reading the riddle, have Atreus inspect each of the statues to reveal the writings. This will turn the bowl into a lever that allows you to descend into the bowels of the temple where the chains are linked.

Lore Location:

ToJotun7.jpg

Turn around from the lift to find a Jotnar Shrine that Atreus can translate to learn about Bergelmir.

Take a look out the balcony at the underside of the temple and the roots of the World Tree, and further beyond where the chains link. You have two paths to travel - left and right. Going right leads to a hall of traps that include spiky blocks that will slam down from above.

ToJotun8.jpg

Freeze the first block when it's down, so you can freeze the second block when it's above.

ToJotun9.jpg

Then, wait for the first block to rise to get through to the second (safety, while your axe is there), and wait for the third to rise to dash beneath it.

ToJotun10.jpg

In the chamber beyond you’ll find a ritual room of sorts, with a Coffin in the corner that holds Bracers of the World Serpent and Hardened Svartalfheim Steel .

ToJotun11.jpg

Look nearby to spot a piece of Shatter Crystal you can grab, and then look at the traps in the hall beyond to find that the spiky blocks don’t rise far enough up to get under. Thankfully, World Tree Sap has been spread on the floor here - toss the shatter crystal and have Atreus detonate it. This will let the first spiky block fall into the ground, allowing you to climb onto it when it raises up.

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However things, get a little more tricky when you realize the next block has spikes above it as well, as does the third. This means that the second the second block lowers and the third rises up, you’ll need to sprint across them, and quickly dodge roll forward when you hit the ground to escape the deathtrap into the chamber with the first chain.

Now that you’ve explored the chamber, head to the balcony and pull the chains apart. However, as you admire your handiwork, two Realm Tears will appear bringing two angry Travelers, and a trap will emerge from the center to spew fire.

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Take this fight slow and careful - remember that the Traveler with a shield doesn’t move too fast, so bait the other into lunging at you and unloading your attacks on him.

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You’ll also need to remember the positions of the rotating fire spouts - if things get too close, back off and wait for the Traveler to charge you again. Once the first is dead, you can then focus on the slower Traveler, and back off when the flame spouts get too close for comfort.

As you kill them, be sure to quickly loot them for their trophies and armor shards - then turn your attention to the incoming swarm of Hel-Reavers from previous chamber.

ToJotun15.jpg

Some of them will likely get caught in the spiky block traps, but the rest will charge forth to attack. Swap to your Blades of Chaos and mow them down, then look to the traps to freeze the closest block - and reflect projectiles from the two remaining Reavers in the far chamber, then cross once they are dead.

Back in the ritual room, another fire spout trap will appear in the middle as more Hel-Reavers start crawling out of the woodwork. The spouts can hurt them as well as it can hurt you - so be mindful when dodging around, and make use of the Spear of Chaos to hit foes from the other side of the spouts, or use Elemental Slash to hit the Reavers that hide behind ice barriers.

Eventually two Hel-Vikens will emerge, and you’ll need to be wary of dodging around their attacks and not accidentally roll into a fire spout. Once all the Hel-Reavers are gone, the trap will stop spewing fire, and you can return to the lift chamber by freezing the closest spiky block and sprinting across.

Video Guide (Part 38)

Now it’s time to enter the opposite hall filled with traps - this time, spinning saw blades!

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The amount of blades spaced out means it’s impossible to run through currently, so freeze the closest saw blade and wait for the one behind it to space to the opposite side before stopping the freeze.

ToJotun17.jpg

Now freeze the second saw blade and wait for the first one to sync up behind it before unfreezing it, and you’ll slowly spot more and more blades to freeze and unfreeze when they all align - by the end most of them will be right behind each other, letting you sprint along to one side to avoid them.

In the next chamber, a stone tomb on the left holds one of two Winds of Hel - while the hall past it has a stationary saw blade with a receptacle for the Winds of Hel, and another to the right. Place the Winds in receptacle on the right first, and it will start rotating the blade. Wait until it is in a top corner to take out the Winds and place them in the blade itself - causing it to retract back and forth.

Legendary Chest Location :

TyrsLegendary2P1.jpg

Pull out the Winds of Hel when the saw blade is retracted to one corner to keep it that way, and return it to the stone tomb in the previous chamber.

TyrsLegendary2P2.jpg

Now cross past the blade to find another with Winds in it, and return that to the stone slab as well to open up a Legendary Chest that holds Hyperion Grapple - a Heavy Runic Attack for the Blades of Chaos.

Return the Winds of Hel to the set of three saw blades to note that one on the right does not move.

ToJotun18.jpg

Grab the Winds from the top saw blade as it retracts up, and place it in the saw blade on the right so that it moves in time with the one on the left to create a brief opening to run through.

Now that you’ve made it to the last chain needed to be broken, toss it aside and get ready for another incursion of enemies.

ToJotun19.jpg

This time it’s Draugr, so swap to your Leviathan Axe and tear them to pieces, hanging back to throw your axe when the fire spouts from the central trap gets in the way.

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When you start hearing roaring, turn your attention to the balcony where the chain was to spy an incoming Ogre.

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Rush over and get behind him and rack up the stun damage with help from Atreus to get on top of the Ogre and beat up the Draugr while lighting the Ogre on fire to finish it off.

The trap-filled hall back the way you came will have changed a bit to make it easier to cross - but get ready to fight when you enter the room before, as another fire spout will emerge and several Heavy Draugr will come to fight.

ToJotun22.jpg

Feel free to hang back and backpedal out of their reach while tossing your axe and having Atreus weaken them, then dash in for the kill when you’re sure the fire spouts can’t hit you.

Flip the Temple

With both chains gone, return to the central room and take the lift back up to the upper level. Now you can grab the edge of the inner temple and pull it high enough to send the thing spinning on an axis to flip the entire thing upside down!

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Before you climb out of here, look back to find a large boat model has descended from the ceiling above the lift. There’s a small Light Crystal in the middle of the boat - and hitting it will illuminate runes on the floor around the lift.

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You can align these ghostly images with the runes engraved on the floor by hitting the sides of the boat with your axe to spin it until they all match up.

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This will lower two small doors on ledges to either side of the main entrance to the lift room, and you can climb up to find a Coffin on each ledge - besides Hardened Svartalfheim Steel , one holds the Pauldrons of the World Serpent , while the other carries the War Belt of the World Serpent .

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Now that the temple is flipped, you can climb up the side from the spot you flipped it from to enter the Room Between Realms to find it flipped now, with you looking at the world tree upside down below you.

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On this platform, head to the other side and you’ll find the mysterious object you saw earlier - and unlock it to acquire the Unity Stone - an object that allows you travel the Realm Between Realms, no longer held back by staying on the path of the World Tree. Jotunheim is finally in reach!

Continue your journey in God of War with our walkthrough guide for the next chapter:

  • Between the Realms

Up Next: Between the Realms

Top guide sections.

  • Things You Should Know Before Playing God of War
  • Tips and Tricks
  • God of War Complete Walkthrough
  • How to Defeat Valkyries

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