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God of War Ragnarök Nornir Chests locations and puzzle solutions guide

Byadmin

Nov 9, 2022


God of War Ragnarök brings back the tantalizing yet infuriating Nornir Chest puzzles, which will allow you to increase your health and Rage meters.

To unlock these chests, you’ll need to interact with three objects — be it a series of bells, totems, or braziers — in the chest’s relative vicinity. By solving the puzzle, you’ll be able to claim your treasure and improve Kratos’ chances of survival.

Nornir Chests can reward one of two items: Idunn Apples (which increase your health meter) or Horns of Blood Mead (which increase your rage meter). The game alternates which one it gives you based on the previous Nornir Chest you opened. So even if you get the Nornir Chests in a different order than we display below, you’ll never get two Idunn Apples back to back. Each time your meters go up, you’ll need more of the resource for the next upgrade. So the first time you’ll only need one of each, but then you’ll need two, three, and so on to upgrade your health and rage further.

In this guide, we’ll show you where to find every Nornir Chest in God of War Ragnarök and how to solve the associated puzzles, plus learn some general tips for solving Nornir Chest puzzles across the nine realms.

Note: This guide will show you all the Nornir Chests you can get during your first visits to Svartalfheim and Alfheim. As you might expect, you’ll be back to both of these locations later in the game and will be able to access previously inaccessible areas with new equipment. If you reach the end of one of the sections in this guide and still notice you’re missing a Nornir Chest or two, it means you simply can’t unlock it yet. We’ll update this guide to include information about the rest of the game’s Nornir Chests by the time you can reach them.


God of War Ragnarok’s different types of Nornir Chests

Kratos lights a brazier in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

God of War Ragnarök features five different kinds of Nornir Chests. You’ll need to interact with three items in the environment for each, but the type of item varies with the different types of chests. Below we’ve listed out some tips for taking on these Nornir Chests based on their type.

Totem Nornir Chests

The Totem Chests are by far the easiest in God of War Ragnarök. Once you find the Nornir Chest, all you need to do is look around for the nearby Totems. They are always relatively close by.

Our only real tip for these is to look behind objects like waterfalls and geysers (which you can freeze with your axe. Santa Monica Studio loves to hide these Totems behind things.

Switch Nornir Chests

Switch Nornir Chests are the second easiest to deal with and just require a bit of memorization. Look at your Nornir Chest and remember the Rune symbols you see. You can also take a quick screenshot on the PS5 and pull it up via the screenshot tool as a super quick reference if you forget!

Armed with knowledge, look for the giant switches (which the game also tends to hide behind things). Spin them until you reach a rune you recognize, then move onto the next. If this doesn’t end up opening the chest, consider checking the runes again to make sure you didn’t mistake an N Rune for an n Rune or something like that.

Bell Nornir Chests

Bell Nornir Chests are relatively straightforward and easy to find, namely because the bells are so damn big. However, they can definitely cause you some trouble if you don’t activate them in the right order. Each of the three Bells for each Nornir Chest rings for a different amount of time. So you almost always want to ring all three from the start, listen for how long the sound goes for each one, and then ring them in order from longest to shortest.

In this guide, we’ve tried to organize the Bells in the order we think you should hit them.

Brazier Nornir Chests

Brazier Nornir Chests are brand new to Ragnarök, and can only be activated by the Blades of Chaos. The idea here is that you use the Blades’ heavy ranged attack to set the torch aflame. There are two tricks to this kind of Nornir Chest.

First, be warned water will extinguish any lit braziers. There are certain puzzles where you’ll need to freeze water and keep it frozen in order to stop it from putting out your hard work. In puzzles like this, we mention the order we recommend you should light the braziers in.

The bigger pain in the ass with this type of Nornir Chest comes when you have to light braziers that are far away. Eventually you’ll gain access to hex arrows, which let you paint a sigil on a wall that you can then detonate with your Blades of Chaos. Unfortunately, the Blades are chained to your wrist and thus can’t extend very far. You’ll need to chain these hex sigils (you can place up to three) between a point you can hit with your Blades of Chaos and the Brazier, which can be pretty finicky.

Sigils glow and rotate quickly if they’re overlapping, which is a good way to tell if you’ve lined them up properly or not. You can also make hex sigils bigger by shooting multiple arrows at them — up to two extra times, drastically increasing the base size. However, by making the hex larger, you also destabilize the sigil a bit, causing them to automatically detonate after a bit. Bigger hex sigils are easier to deal with, but you need to be quick and efficient with them. Have a plan and full arrows before you fire.

If you’re really struggling with these, consider upgrading Atreus’ quiver to hold four arrows instead of three as early as possible.

Regenerating Totems Nornir Chests

Another new kind of Nornir Chest, these Totems regenerate too quickly for you to destroy all three — at least when you first start out. You’ll need a different kind of tool to interact with these Nornir Chests, which you won’t get until later in the game. (The game will tease you with these types of chests in early parts of Svartalfheim and Alfheim, however.)

We’ll update this section with a spoiler marker and more details before you’ll get far enough to need our help.


Svartalfheim

Svartalfheim is the first area where you’ll really be able to collect and explore things in God of War Ragnarök, and is therefore the first realm where you can increase your max health and rage with Nornir Chests. There are 10 in this realm, and you’ll be able to get six your first time through.

Aurvangar Wetlands – Nornir Chest 1

A map of Svartalfheim in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Use the Mystic Gateway to get to the Aurvangar Wetlands and grab the boat on the beach. Paddle until you reach the first area you can embark on, which will be on your right immediately preceding the water wheel.

Kratos opens a Nornir Chest in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

When you get off on the island, freeze the geyser and jump over to the other side. Hang a right and jump a small gap to reach a small landing with a Nornir Chest on it.

Totem 1

Kratos prepares to break a Seal in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

For the first Totem, walk backward away from the Nornir Chest and back toward the geyser you just jumped over. Freeze the geyser next to the one you previously froze (on your left, if you’re facing the river) and you’ll reveal a grapple point in the cliff. Climb up and turn to your left. Sitting next to a large tree, you’ll see the first totem. Break it with your ax.

Totem 2 and 3

Kratos stares down two Seals in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

With the first totem broken, return to the Nornir Chest and face it. On your right, on the nearby cliff, you’ll see the second totem. Break it.

Further away and on your left, on the island directly behind the Nornir Chest, you’ll see the third totem. Break it and open the Nornir Chest.

Aurvangar Wetlands – Nornir Chest 2

A map of Svartalfheim in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Progress along the Aurvangar Wetlands river until you reach the bend that takes you right toward Nidavellir. Instead of going to the dwarven city, look for a little cave in the rock and row your boat into it. Park your boat when you reach the beach.

Kratos checks the Runes on a Nornir Chest in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Walk forward until you reach the destroyed dwarven structure. You’ll see the Nornir Chest sitting directly in front of it. The symbols for this one are: right flag, B, and N.

Switch 1

Kratos flips a switch in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

For the right flag switch, look to your right from the Nornir Chest and walk toward the giant cog buried in the ground. Freeze the geyser and you’ll see the switch. Recall your Leviathan Axe and throw it through the geyser to hit the switch. Freeze the water again to check on the rune. Repeat this process until the switch shows the little right flag rune seen above.

Switch 2

Kratos flips a Sigil switch in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Turn left from the cog and the first switch. You’ll come across a large pit — which you likely cleared of enemies when you first landed here — but don’t jump down. Instead, look at the cliff on your left and you’ll see another switch. Hit it until you see the B rune.

Switch 3

Kratos flips a Sigil switch in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Return to the Nornir Chest and take the path to the far left, grappling up the side of the rock. Walk forward and turn around to face the largest part of the volcanic rock formation. You’ll see a switch sitting up there, clear as day. Hit it until you get the N rune.

Dragon Beach Nornir Chest

A map of Svartalfheim in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

When you first leave Nidavellir via boat, take a right and land at the first location you can. This is Dragon Beach, named for the dope dragon statue and the massive dragon skeleton nearby.

Clear the area of enemies and then walk under the bridge. Here you’ll find another totem Nornir chest.

Totem 1

Kratos prepares to break a Seal in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

To break the first totem, turn around and head toward the water, staying between the two landing zones. You’ll see a geyser sitting behind a crane. Freeze the geyser with your ax to spot the totem. (Or just take our word for it and chuck your ax blindly through the water. You won’t get in trouble.)

Totem 2

Kratos breaks a Seal in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

The second totem can be a little tough to see. If you turn right from the Nornir Chest and freeze the geyser near the dragon statue, you’ll see the totem behind a metal grate, but you won’t be able to break it. Walk around the opposite side of the statue until you can see its tail. To the right of the tail you should see the totem poking out of the grass. Use your ax to destroy it.

Totem 3

Kratos stares at a Seal in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Back by the Nornir Chest, look up and to your left for another geyser. Freeze it and you’ll find the third totem lurking behind it. Reclaim your ax to unfreeze the water, then aim carefully. Break it and you’ll gain access to the Nornir Chest.

Radsvinn’s Rig Nornir Chest

A map of Svartalfheim in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Land by The Watchtower dividing island in the Bay of Bounty. Then, instead of taking the Watchtower path from Sindri’s shop, go up the hill and head to Radsvinn’s Rig. To the left of the rig, overlooking Lyngbakr Island, you’ll find a brazier Nornir Chest.

Brazier 1

Kratos lights a brazier in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

The first brazier is directly next to the Nornir Chest, on your left. Use your Blades of Chaos to light it.

Brazier 2

Kratos lights a brazier in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Walk behind the Mining Rig and then take a left on the back part of the lower deck. You’ll see some barrels blocking a hole in the wall. Use Atreus’ sonic arrows to create a hole and reveal the second brazier. Light it.

Brazier 3

Kratos lights a brazier in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

From the back deck, walk to the left and climb up to the upper deck. Look over to the right, by the cliff, and you’ll see a brazier stuck behind a metal fence. Move as far left as you can to get a vantage point on the explosive barrel also inside the grate. Hit it with your ax to light up the brazier and unlock the chest.

Alberich Island Nornir Chest

A map of Svartalfheim in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

At the very north of the Bay of Bounty you’ll come across a small area called Alberich Island. There won’t be much to do here at all until later in the game, but you can get the bell Nornir Chest immediately. You’ll find it just to your right when you land on the beach.

Bell 1

Kratos aims at a bell in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

The first bell is also the longest ringing bell, and it’s located immediately to your right from the Nornir Chest. Hit it.

Bell 2

Kratos aims at a bell in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Do a 180º turn from the Nornir Chest and look for the crane. Hanging from this crane is your second bell. Use Atreus’ sonic arrows to cripple the crane and bring the bell down to a level where you can hit it. This is the second-longest bell, so ring it after the first.

Bell 3

Kratos aims at a bell in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

The third bell is both the shortest ringing and the most annoying to get. Take a right from the crane and look at the back of the area, across from the beach where you landed. Use your ax to hit the paddle switch on the left two times, raising the bell to where you can hit it. Quickly recall the ax and hit the bell third to unlock the chest.

Jarnsmida Pitmines Nornir Chest

A map of Svartalfheim in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Follow the path into the Jarnsmida Pitmines and you’ll eventually walk face-first into a Nornir Chest — the game is trying to teach you the brazier mechanic you already learned at the Rig. You can either skip the chest by walking right, or you can open it by lighting the three brazier. Let’s do the latter.

Brazier 1

Kratos looks at a brazier in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

The first brazier is to the left of the Nornir Chest. Light it on fire and move on.

Brazier 2

Kratos grapples over a gap in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Drop down to the left of the Nornir Chest and ignore the Brazier sitting under the water in front of you. Turn left again and use the grapple point to cross to the other side of the area. Look up on the cliff to find the second brazier. Use your Blades of Chaos to light it.

Brazier 3

Kratos lights a brazier in God of War Ragnarök

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Grapple back over to the Brazier you skipped, which is left of the grapple point when you return. It’s sitting under the water wheel, which is constantly pouring water. Use your Leviathan Axe to freeze the water above the Brazier and then light it. Once all three Braziers are lit, the three Seals will break and you’ll be able to safely recall your ax and claim your loot.


Alfheim

Alfheim is the second major location you’ll visit in God of War Ragnarök. It has seven total Nornir Chests, but you’ll only be able to open four of them on your first visit. You will run into a fifth, but you won’t be able to open it just yet.

The Strond Nornir Chest

A map of Alfheim in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

When you first enter Alfheim via the mystic gateway, take the path up the ramp toward the Temple of Light. When you reach a wall you can squeeze through, do it, and then immediately turn left and jump off the ledge.

Kratos stands in front of a Nornir Chest in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

You’ll land right in front of a Nornir Chest. This is one of the brazier chests, which requires you to light three nearby braziers to open.

Brazier 1

Kratos lights a brazier in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

The first brazier is immediately behind you if you’re looking at the Nornir Chest. Turn around and you’ll see a brazier hidden in the rocks. Use your Blades of Chaos to light it.

Brazier 2

Kratos lights a brazier in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Turn to face the Nornir Chest again, but this time walk past it until you reach the wall. Look left and off the side of the cliff. You’ll see a brazier sitting there waiting for you to light it. Oblige the brazier.

Brazier 3

Kratos lights a brazier in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

The third brazier is quite a ways above the second one, and you can see it if you look up. You can light it from here if you have access to Hex arrows. But if this is your first visit to Alfheim, you’ll need to go around the long way.

Head back up to the path you were on before jumping down to the Nornir Chest and proceed forward toward the Temple of Light. When you find yourself on an elevated platform with a circle on it, drop down via the left route rather than the forward one. Here, you’ll be able to get close enough to the brazier to light it, which will allow you to access to the nearby Nornir Chest.

The Temple of Light Nornir Chest

A map of Alfheim in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Partway through the Temple of Light, you and Tyr will knock down some statues to make a bridge. Across the other side, you’ll see a Nornir Chest very obviously placed in your path.

Kratos prepares to open a Nornir Chest in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

This is another of the game’s bell chests. You’ll need to hit all three so they ring simultaneously.

Bell 1

Kratos takes aim at a Bell in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Before you do anything, run down to your right and break the sonic ore off of the first bell, which is in a little alcove next to the purple crystal. Once that’s done, return to the Nornir Chest.

While standing in front of the chest, ring the first bell by throwing your ax at the purple crystal.

Bell 2 and 3

Kratos takes aim at two Bells in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Recall the ax as quickly as you can while stepping to your left. You’ll see the second bell on the nearby balcony to your left. Throw your ax at it.

Recall the ax from the second bell as quickly as you can and immediately hit the third bell, which is right next to the Nornir Chest. If you get all three fast enough, you’ll be able to open the Nornir Chest.

The Below Nornir Chest

A map of Alfheim in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

In The Below area, you’ll come across a hallway with a Bell in it early on, and see the Nornir Chest on the other side. Remember that it’s there and proceed along the main path instead. When you come up to some grapple points on a bunch of rocks, get to the other side and then drop down as far as you can by walking off the lip to your right. Here you’ll find the Nornir Chest, a Bell, and the gate leading to the first Bell you saw.

Kratos prepares to open a Nornir Chest in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

As we mentioned, this is a bell Nornir Chest, and you’re going to need to do a little bit of prep work for this one. Before you do anything, turn around and unlock the gate that’s right next to the Nornir Chest. This will save you some time later.

Bell 1

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Leave the Nornir Chest and climb back up to the grapple points. Once you remove the dark elf corruption, climb along the main path again, which will take you to a higher point. When you land, look in the window ahead of you and you’ll see the first and furthest bell. Drop down and look to your right. Open the gate here before you do anything else.

With your way clear, ring the first bell, recall your ax, and run like hell back to the Nornir Chest. (Take the path to the right).

Bell 2

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Climb down all the cliffs as fast as you can and ring the second bell, which is right next to the Nornir Chest.

Bell 3

Kratos prepares to strike a Bell in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

As soon as you hear the second bell ding, recall your ax and look into the tunnel that you just opened the gate to. Throw your ax at the third bell, which is sitting on some red rocks.

If you do all of this quickly enough, you’ll be able to open the chest and claim your loot.

The Barrens Nornir Chest

A map of Alfheim in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

In The Barrens, make your way to the island that’s between the giant skeleton in the upper-right and the small elf temple in the upper-left. At the front of this building, you’ll see the Nornir Chest up on a cliff ledge.

Kratos prepares to open a Nornir Chest in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

This is another brazier Chest, and it’s pretty simple to open if you know where to look.

Brazier 1

Kratos lights a brazier in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

The first brazier is just to the left of the Nornir Chest. Turn around and light it.

Brazier 2

Kratos lights a brazier in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

From the Nornir Chest, walk around to the right of the building. Eventually you’ll come across a brazier sitting on a fallen column. Get close and light it with your Blades of Chaos.

Brazier 3

Kratos lights a brazier in God of War Ragnarok

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Continue along from the second brazier to the back of the building. Line up the three dark elf corruption pods and throw your ax through all three at once.

With the corruption purged, return to the front of the building so you can view the Nornir Chest. Look up at the roof and you’ll see the third brazier, and a red pot sitting next to it. Throw the Leviathan Axe at or direct Atreus to shoot the pot to ignite the brazier.



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