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Secret of the Sands
God of War Ragnarök

Secret of the Sands

Follow our guide to complete the Secret of the Sands favor in God of War Ragnarök. Learn how to start the quest, defeat enemies, solve puzzles, and find collectibles in Alfheim.

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Follow our guide to complete the Secret of the Sands favor in God of War Ragnarök. Learn how to start the quest, defeat enemies, solve puzzles, and find collectibles in Alfheim.

Walkthrough
  1. 1
    After completing Groa's Secret in Alfheim, return to the Mystic Gate. A new area, The Canyon, will have opened northeast of the gate.
  2. 2
    Enter The Canyon and follow the path until you find Sindri's shop. Talk to him to start the "Secret of the Sands" favor.
  3. 3
    Proceed to The Barrens, a large desert area. A Gulon-drawn sled will be available to help traverse it.
  4. 4
    Drive the sled to the south-center of The Barrens to find a cave leading to The Below.
  5. 5
    Enter The Below and follow the linear path. You will encounter hive tendrils blocking your way. Use the Leviathan Axe to destroy them.
  6. 6
    Continue forward and defeat the Dark Elf.
  7. 7
    You will encounter a barrier sustained by three hive tendrils. Use the Twilight Stone to the left to bounce your Leviathan Axe and sever all three tendrils simultaneously.
  8. 8
    Defeat the two Dark Elves that appear.
  9. 9
    Continue downhill, loot a chest, and go through a doorway to the east.
  10. 10
    Kill the Dark Elves in the first side chamber.
  11. 11
    Advance further into the room, which will trigger more Dark Elves to spawn. Kill them.
  12. 12
    Note the hive tendrils to the east. Ignore the red herring Twilight Stones. Climb a wall to the north.
  13. 13
    Head east, then south. Look down a ledge for hive tendrils. Line them up and cut them down to remove the hive.
  14. 14
    Drop down two ledges to find the "Rune Reads - Patience" collectible on the wall to the right and a chest to the southwest.
  15. 15
    Climb back up the ledges to the north. Return to where you climbed the wall earlier.
  16. 16
    Look southwest to spot a Loot Lizard. Use the Leviathan Axe, either by free-aiming or bouncing it off the opposite Twilight Stone, to defeat it and collect crafting materials.
  17. 17
    Climb back up the wall, turn left (west), and climb another ledge to return to the main cavern area.
  18. 18
    Slide down a rope to a ledge to the north. Turn around, drop off a cliff, and loot a chest.
  19. 19
    Climb back up and follow the walkway to an apparent dead-end. Use the Blades of Chaos to grapple across a chasm.
  20. 20
    Upon landing, note a closed door to the east. Drop down to the southwest.
  21. 21
    Kill a few Wretches.
  22. 22
    Turn northeast to find a Twilight Stone overlooking a line of hive tendrils. Use the Leviathan Axe, rebounding off the Twilight Stone, to cut all the hive tendrils.
  23. 23
    Note a Nornir Chest to the southeast (inaccessible for now). Open the door leading back to the room where you last fought Dark Elves. Be cautious of exploding Wretches and a Nightmare as you drop down.
  24. 24
    Climb back up the ledges to return to the chasm you grappled across. Use the Blades of Chaos to traverse it again, this time grappling to a spot previously obscured by hive growth.
  25. 25
    After a conversation with Atreus, climb up and around a stone column, using the Blades of Chaos to reach another ledge.
  26. 26
    Make your way south to a ledge with a rune gong in a window.
  27. 27
    Drop down to the south, turn right (west), and open the door. This allows you to complete the Nornir Chest puzzle.
  28. 28
    Stand in the doorway and look up at the rune gong. Hit it with the Leviathan Axe.
  29. 29
    Exit through the doorway and drop down the ledges to reach the Nornir Chest.
  30. 30
    Hit a second rune gong just northeast of the Nornir Chest.
  31. 31
    Head through the door to the east to find the third and final rune gong on a ledge just through the doorway. Hit it.
Tips
  • The "Rune Reads - Patience" collectible is found on a wall after clearing a hive tendril barrier and climbing down two ledges in The Below.
  • The Loot Lizard can be defeated by free-aiming the Leviathan Axe or by using a Twilight Stone to bounce the axe off it.
  • To solve the Nornir Chest puzzle, you need to hit three rune gongs in sequence. The first is visible from a window, the second is northeast of the chest, and the third is through an eastern door.
  • Completing the favor rewards you with experience points and potentially other items depending on your progress and choices. The primary reward is the "Rune Reads - Patience" collectible and access to the Nornir Chest.

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