While many of the Hallucination Challenges in Assassin's Creed Valhalla are quite easy to complete, that is certainly not the case for absolutely all of them. One that players may find particularly difficult to finish comes upon eating the Fly Agaric in Essexe, as the puzzle at its center is somewhat opaque.
Fortunately, AC Valhalla players that follow the instructions outlined in this guide should have little trouble solving the Essexe mushroom mystery. It's worth mentioning that positioning is the key to this puzzle, so be sure to take careful note of where to stand and which brazier to activate.
Updated January 1, 2022 by Stephen LaGioia: Assassin's Creed Valhalla fans have been treated to a rich epic that continues to expand by way of DLC along with added events and challenges like the exciting River Raids expeditions. A slew of cool new weapons and gear, lavish new locales, and added Mysteries and Books of Knowledge have rounded out the Siege of Paris and Wrath of the Druids DLC to help Eivor progress.
In the meantime, though, we felt it fitting to update and fill out this list with further details regarding this particularly cryptic Mystery to help players prepare for the trials ahead.
About The Fly Agaric Mushrooms
There are a number of interesting puzzles for Eivor to decipher and crack, but there are few more unique than those invoked by a hallucinogenic mushroom by the name of Amanita Muscaria – more commonly known as Fly Agaric.
These strange white shrooms are scattered about the vast wilderness of AC Valhalla, with the amount currently standing at 15 between England and Norway. Consuming these mushrooms yields a hallucination for a short period of time, which warps and changes Eivor's perception of the world around them.
In gameplay terms, however, this means setting the stage for various puzzles within the environments to tinker with. Once the puzzle or challenge is complete, Eivor will begin regaining lucidity and pass through a portal back to reality.
Where Is The Essexe Fly Agaric Puzzle Located?
The Fly Agaric puzzles can prove tricky and cryptic at times, though it can often be a challenge to simply locate them within the vast regions of England and Norway. That's where this portion of the guide comes in.
For the Essexe Fly Agaric challenge, head to the northern region of Essexe, just south of the Stour river junction on the southern end of East Anglia. It lies to the east of Walden and northwest of Colcestre, not too far from the Halstead Outpost. Take note of the white mushroom icon on the map.
The suggested power level here is 160, so it's a good idea to have Eivor at least around this level before venturing forth. However, there shouldn't be too much hostile activity around this area, as it's fairly desolate. Thus, players should be safe provided they avoid the Halstead Outpost a little way to the southwest. Eat the nearby mushrooms to begin the challenge.
How To Complete The Essexe Fly Agaric Puzzle
To get right to it, players trying to complete the Essexe Hallucination Challenge in Assassin's Creed Valhalla should begin by turning their backs toward the inactive gate so that they face the Six Flaming Braziers. Starting from the LEFT, they should then interact with the FIRST, FOURTH, and FIFTH braziers to turn them BLUE, while leaving the others alone.
Correct Order Of The Braziers
For full clarity, this will set the pattern of the flames, from LEFT to RIGHT (while facing the statues head-on from the gate):
- BLUE > RED > RED > BLUE > BLUE > RED
After that, players will be free to walk through the now-unlocked gate once the correct color order has been applied. Players can take a look at this video for added visual reference. The reward for the player's efforts will be experience points. Completing this puzzle should give players a basic idea of how to complete these Fly Agaric conundrums. Eat the mushrooms. Solve the puzzle or challenge. Repeat.
Why This Pattern?
For those fans that may be curious about the logic of this pattern, it relates to the statues that sit behind the braziers. More specifically, flames that are in front of the Female statues are to be turned Blue, and those that are in front of the Male statues remain Red.
While players seem to be generally confused why this is the case, perhaps it is connected specifically to the bloody battlefield upon which the Essexe Fly Agaric puzzle sits or more broadly to the shield-maidens from Scandinavian folklore.
Additional Treasures Of Essexe
After players have completed this Fly Agaric Mystery, they may want to search for some of the other collectibles and Wealth that are located in Essexe, of which there are several.
For instance, there are two Treasures of Britain to be found underground in this territory, and they play a key role in unlocking Excalibur in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Considering that this is one of the best weapons in the game, fans should not miss this opportunity to set the process for obtaining it into motion.
Additionally, there are a variety of Wealth chests and Artifacts in Essexe, and there are even some more Mysteries to uncover. While players are certainly not required to hunt down all of these collectibles, they do provide opportunities to prolong a playthrough. Some of them also serve to power up Eivor and will help fans as they continue on their adventures through Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia.