Pricking the Needle

Follow our step-by-step guide to complete the 'Pricking the Needle' quest in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, including finding the Trade Depot, Coppergate Market, and defeating The Needle.

Alright, let's get this done! We're diving into the 'Pricking the Needle' quest in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. It's all about uncovering some Order of the Ancients business in Jorvik.

Investigate the Trade Depot

First things first, we need to get into the Trade Depot. You'll find it in the southeast part of Jorvik, just a hop, skip, and a jump east of the docks. Now, here's the catch: all the ground-level entrances are blocked off, so you'll need to enter from the roof. Sneaky, right?

Once you're inside from the roof, you'll notice guards patrolling all over the place. Your first job is to take out the guard chilling on the highest level. Right next to them, you'll find a note that's super important – it'll give you the lowdown on what we're looking for. After that, it's time to clear out the rest of the guards. There are six in total, and one of them is a real tough cookie, a Woe-Bringer. To make quick work of him, aim for the fire pot right next to him and shoot it. This should bring him down pretty fast, leaving you to deal with the remaining guards.

With all the guards dealt with, make your way to the southernmost room. Here, you'll find some exotic wares and, more importantly, the written orders. These orders are key because they tell you that any market stalls linked to the Order of the Ancients will have black cloth marking them. You'll also find some minor loot scattered around, plus a Wealth chest. If you're lucky, you might even snag the unique weapon Spinning-Death from it!

Explore Coppergate Market and the Sewers

Next up, we need to hit up Coppergate Market. Your target here is a tall guard who's rocking a two-handed axe. To make finding this guy a breeze, whip out Odin's Sight – it'll highlight the objective marker in teal. Once you spot the guard you're looking for, you'll see him chatting with another guard. After their little pow-wow, follow them. They'll be heading north-east, so stick close but not too close!

Keep your cloak on and maintain a good distance as you tail them. They'll eventually stop at a building that's marked with that black cloth we learned about earlier. This is your cue! You can now take out both guards and grab the key from the Woe-Bringer.

Use that key to get into the building where the guards stopped. Inside, you'll find a ladder leading down to the sewers. Follow the path through the sewers until you reach a room with a few more guards and some civilians. Take care of the guards, grab any silver you find, and then head through the door to the north. A cutscene will kick in, revealing that the dockmaster, Grigorii, is actually 'The Needle'! After the scene, he'll make a break for it, and you'll have to fight off some guards before you can chase him.

The guards you'll face include a Wolf-Stormr and a Rabid Wolf. This combo can be brutal in tight spaces, so your best bet is to retreat back through the door you came in. This gives you more room to dodge the wolf and its master. Be warned though, this also exposes you to more guards. Use the environment for cover, and try to take down the wolf first. You'll also need to watch out for the Wolf-Stormr's traps, but it should be manageable in the larger area.

Kill the Needle

Once all the guards are down, follow the teal objective marker leading west from the sewers. This will bring you back outside, right to Grigorii. Another cutscene will play, and then it's time to take him down. Honestly, this part is super easy – he only needs one or two hits to go down. After the cutscene following his demise, the quest will be complete!