After making their way through The Barrens, God of War Ragnarok players will gain access to a new area of Alfheim known as The Forbidden Sands. Like the previous area, there are an awful lot of things to see and do here, with multiple favors, another stranded Hafgufa, and two Nornir Chests being just a few of the things that are on offer to players.
Though one of the Nornir Chests in the Forbidden Sands is relatively easy to find and open, the other is surprisingly well-hidden and requires a complex solution involving Sigil Arrows, Sonic Arrows, and Kratos' iconic Blades of Chaos. With a little help though, God of War Ragnarok players shouldn't have too much trouble with it, as knowing where to look can make life a lot easier.
The Forbidden Sands Nornir Chest #1
The first Forbidden Sands Nornir Chest can be found behind a moveable pillar in a small alcove to the southwest of the region. Players will probably want to complete the Song of the Sands favor first though, as although the chest can be opened during the sandstorm, the process becomes much easier after the second Hafgufa has been set free and players can see what they are doing.
Like many of the other Nornir Chests in God of War Ragnarok, opening this one will require players to ignite three torches, the first of which can be found in the enclosed area with the chest. The second is on a stone pillar opposite the pillar that players need to move in order to access the area with the chest, though this one will need to be ignited using a combination of Sigil Arrows and the Blades of Chaos rather than just the latter.
The third and final torch is over to the right of the second one up on a large rock shelf. It's a little hard to reach due to how high up it is, but with some smart use of Sigil Arrows, players should be able to get it lit after a few attempts. For those unaware, firing three Sigil Arrows at the same spot will increase the blast radius of the arrows, thus making it much easier for players to chain arrows together and create larger explosions.
With all three torches now lit, players can return to the Nornir Chest and claim their reward, which will either be an Idunn Apple, a Horn of Blood Mead, or some other less desirable item like Hacksilver or Shattered Runes. While they're here, players should also be sure to grab the ingredient for the Across the Realms favor, which can be found buried in the ground near the first torch.
The Forbidden Sands Nornir Chest #2
The second of the Forbidden Sands' Nornir Chests is fairly difficult to find if players don't know where to look for it. Thankfully, for those who do, it ends up being somewhat simple, with players just needing to break through the debris in the lower wall of the library in the northeastern part of the area. The destructible part is right beneath a grapple point, making it much easier to locate.
After breaking through the debris and following the path to the chest, players will need to destroy all of the Hive Matter in the vicinity. This can be accomplished by throwing Kratos' Leviathan Axe at the pink Twilight Stone up and to the left of the chest, being sure to position the shot so that the line turns blue. Players can then look around the room to find the three torches that need to be ignited in order to open the chest.
The first torch is on a cliff edge over to the left, though lighting it can be a little tricky. Players will need to fire Sigil Arrows at it and then create a trail of arrows toward the campfire to the left of the torch. They can then shoot the campfire with a Sigil Arrow, which will cause a small explosion that ignites the torch. There's another torch off in the distance to the right of the chamber which will need to be lit in a similar way.
After igniting the first two torches, players should examine the area above the campfire on the right and look for the patch of Hive Matter that responds to Sonic Arrows. Firing a Sonic Arrow at it will reveal the third torch, after which, players should quickly switch to Sigil Arrows and fire a few at the torch before the Hive Matter closes. They'll then need to quickly create a trail of arrows down the pillar, re-open the Hive Matter with another Sonic Arrow, and then fire a Sigil Arrow at the second torch to create an explosion.
If done correctly, all three torches will now be lit and the seal on the Nornir Chest will be broken. Players will then be free to open the chest and claim their reward, which, assuming they have opened fewer than 30 chests at this point, will either be an Idunn Apple or a Horn of Blood Mead. The former can be used to increase Kratos' maximum health, while the latter will increase the size of his Spartan Rage meter.
God of War Ragnarok is available now for PS4 and PS5.
