Increasing Kratos’ power in God of War is absolutely essential if you want to take down some of the tougher bosses and challenging side quests, which is why it’s a good idea to track down the Nornir chests. Nornir chests are unlike any other chest in God of War, as they require you to crack a sort of riddle by finding and interacting with three runes in the environment. Each Nornir chest rewards a valuable item, so take the time to find them all.
All Nornir Chest locations
Nornir chests can be found in just about every single region in God of War. Taking the time to find them, and figure out how to unlock them, is critical for Kratos’ journey. Nornir chests reward you with Idunn Apples, which increase your max health when you collect three, and Horns of Blood Mead, which increase the rage meter when you collect three.
As mentioned above, each Nornir chest must be unlocked by interacting with three runes in the environment. These will always be in the immediate area around the Nornir chest, so you won’t have to search far.
Nornir Chest 1
The first Nornir chest can be found in the first mission of God of War in the Wild Woods section of Midgard. Continue the hunt for deer with Atreus until you reach a temple foyer area with three different paths to take. Going straight takes you to a wooden barricade, and smashing through it reveals the Nornir chest. There are three runes in the room which must be destroyed to open the chest. This Nornir chest contains an Idunn apple.
Nornir Chest 2
The second Nornir chest is located during the second mission, Path to the Mountain. After falling down the rotten bridge, fight through the caves until Kratos must jump a small gap and continue left or right. Going right leads to a drop down into an arena area where the Nornir chest is sitting. Throw the Leviathan axe at the runes to unlock the chest. One rune is to the immediate right of the Nornir chest, the second is up high to the left of the bridge, and the final is over the bridge and in a cave. Use the Leviathan axe to break the chains, releasing the bridge. This Nornir chest contains an Idunn apple.
Nornir Chest 3
The third Nornir chest is found in the mission, Path to the Mountain. Kratos and Atreus will enter a cave system filled with spikey walls after speaking with Brok for the first time. One section requires raising a spiky roof trap. Get to the other side of the room, and then climb on top of the spiky trap to spy the Nornir chest in the corner. One rune can be found by raising the platform as you stand on it, the rune is behind a wooden beam. Another is found around the roof of the area, and the last is through the cave connected to the spiky roof. This Nornir chest contains a Horn of Blood Mead.
Nornir Chest 4
Another Nornir chest can be found after defeating Brenna Dauoi, the troll. Head to the left of the area to find the Nornir chest sitting in the open. To open this Nornir chest, Kratos must throw his Leviathan axe at all three runes within the time limit. Two runes can be found hanging near the chest, with the third back in the area where you fought the troll. This Nornir chest contains an Idunn apple.
Nornir Chest 5
This Nornir chest is located beneath the Witch’s home and is first spotted during the second mission, Path to the Mountain. Reaching the Nornir chest can be done by following the path down to the left where a slab of rocks can be pushed into the water. Unfortunately, this Nornir chest cannot be unlocked until you have finished the mission, Inside the Mountain, and have gained the ability to interact with the blue crystals.
Return to this Nornir chest on the way back to the Witch’s house. Use the newly acquired arrows to create the bridges and destroy the World Tree Sap. This Nornir chest requires you to find three runes and destroy them. The first is located to the right of the elevator, inside the well needed to climb to exit the caves. The second is to the left of the block Kratos pushed into the water. The third is to the left of the Nornir chest, up the wooden wall, and near the entrance to a Hidden Chamber.
Nornir Chest 6
The last Nornir chest in The River Pass region can be found in front of the Witch’s house. To unlock this chest, you must return once you have visited Helheim as part of the main story. Repair the broken structure to free the Legendary chest, then move the charge from one side to the other, climb the chain, and collect the charge. The charge can be slotted into the receptacle part way down the path. The key to solving this Nornir chest is to make sure all the runes are visible. Make the top spinner B pointing right, the middle is a B point up, and the one with the charge should be a B pointing left (but it will look like “up” because the spinner is knocked over). Once the spinner is correct, remove the charge and put it into the receptacle near the Nornir chest. The reward is a Symbol of Courage, an Enchantment that increases the Strength stat.
Nornir Chest 7
A Nornir chest can be found as soon as you reach the Lake of Nine. Once the water lowers, turn around and go to the dock behind you. There will be a Nornir chest with three bells locked behind spikes. Throw the Leviathan axe at the spinning contraption to lower the spikes, giving Kratos a short amount of time to throw the axe at all the bells. This Nornir chest contains an Idunn apple.
Nornir Chest 8
Another Nornir chest can be found shortly after meeting Brok’s brother, Sindri, for the first time. Hug the right-side of the area to come across the Nornir chest in the back near a rocky overhang. This Nornir chest must be opened by matching the orientation of the runes on the chest face. Throw the Leviathan axe at the spinning contraptions, one is located behind the chest, one to the right down the hill, and another further around down the hill covered in poison gas. Use the Leviathan axe on the hanging jar to halt the poison so the rune can be read. This Nornir chest contains a Horn of Blood Mead.
Nornir Chest 9
This Nornir chest is found in Alfheim and is located in an area to the right of where you first put the boat on the water. When you begin paddling the boat, stick to the right side of the area to come across a beach with three vines on the left and a path on the right. Follow the path on the right, interacting with the mechanism to raise a timed-gate. Jump across the gap and into the room and then head left to find the Nornir chest. To unlock the chest, throw the Leviathan axe at the correct hanging vases. One is above the entrance, the second is slightly to the back-left of the chest and the third is to the right of the chest. This Nornir chest contains an Idunn apple.
Nornir Chest 10
Another Nornir chest can be found after you drain the water in Alfheim lake. Take the lift down to the new area, where you’ll fight more Dark Elves. Move forward along the path on the left to see the Nornir chest in the wall, you must destroy three runes to open the chest. The runes can be found by using the wheel to lower the elevator, one is located halfway down the elevator, the second is at the bottom, and the third can only be reached by lowering the floor to the lowest point and turning around. This Nornir chest contains an Idunn apple.
Nornir Chest 11
A Nornir chest can be found after repairing the light bridge to the ringed temple as part of the mission, A Light of Alfheim. Cross the bridge and go left to see the bells handing around a small area, the Nornir chest is through a tunnel blocked by vines. Clear the vines by standing a fair distance back and throwing the Leviathan axe. Hit the bells in quick succession to unlock the Nornir chest which contains a Horn of Blood Mead.
Nornir Chest 12
To find this Nornir chest, continue through the mission, The Light of Alfheim, until you return to the door with no seal after collecting Light Arrows. Bring the Light Crystal up from the previous room, put it in the available slot, climb the nearby stairs and stop in the middle of the bridge to find the chest. To open the Nornir chest, you must hit the three bells in close succession. There is one in the path of blocks you climb to reach the chest, turn around to see it. Another is beside the Nornir chest and the last is through a broken window to the left of the chest. The Nornir chest contains a Horn of Blood Mead.
Nornir Chest 13
This Nornir chest can be found to the north-west of the Lake of the Nine, right beside the Svartalfheim Tower. Dock the boat on the shore and head to the left of the bay to see the Nornir chest on the ground and the three bells you must hit all suspended from the same spinning pole, hitting one bell spins the pole, so hitting the next two bells can be challenging. This Nornir chest contains an Idunn apple.
Nornir Chest 14
A Nornir chest can be found in Fafnir’s Hoard, located to the north-west of the Lake of Nine. When Kratos makes it into Fafnir’s Hoard, he’ll encounter Sindri at a shop. Progress to the next area, an open forest, the Nornir chest is on the right side of the area. To open the chest, make use of the Leviathan axe’s thrown ability to hit the nearby bells. Two are located directly above the Nornir chest while one more is to the left above the waterfall. This Nornir chest contains a Horn of Blood Mead.
Nornir Chest 15
Another Nornir chest can be found inside the mountain during the mission, Inside the Mountain. Kratos and Atreus will enter a dark cavern filled with light-up crystals. The Nornir chest is found by sticking to the left-hand side and looking out for a Light Crystal behind a wooden barricade. Destroy the barricade using the Leviathan axe and use Atreus’ Light Arrow to activate the bridge. The Nornir chest is in the next room, but there are no runes on its face, they are instead painted on the wall. You will need to remember these runes and then activate them on the correct spinning mechanisms. The spinning towers can be difficult to find. One is at the entrance to the cavern (n), the next is up extremely high on the right-hand side of the cavern (B), and the last is to the side of the room with the Nornir chest (R). This Nornir chest contains a Horn of Blood Mead.
Nornir Chest 16
This Nornir chest is found during the mission, Inside the Mountain. Shortly after the claw elevator ride to the top, you’ll come across Sindri and need to go back inside the mountain. Follow this path until you reach an open area with a stuck bridge, the Nornir chest is right on the ground – you can’t miss it. All three runes must be found and smashed in order to unlock this Nornir chest which contains an Idunn apple. The three runes are located: in the room with the Jotnar shrine just before the Nornir chest, opposite the bridge in an enclave in the wall, and on the upper level that can be reached by raising the bridge.
Nornir Chest 17
Another Nornir chest can be found in the north of Lake of Nine at the Light Elm Outpost after the water drops for a second time. An island will become available to explore that contains an ogre as well as a lot of Light Crystal bridges. The Nornir chest is in the middle of the island on the lower level, three runes must be destroyed in order to unlock it. The first rune is to the left of the Nornir chest in the gully. The second can be found inlaid into the broken stone bridge as you follow the path around. The final rune is further around the perimeter of the island, near a climbable chain. You will need to work out the Light Crystal bridge in order to traverse the island. This Nornir chest contains an Idunn apple.
Nornir Chest 18
This Nornir chest can be found in Tyr’s Vault as part of the main story. Continue through the vault until you unlock the second trap room with spiky blocks. Use the wheel to unlock the doors, the Nornir chest is through the hallway with the horizontal spiky blocks. The three runes that must be broken can be found: in the room with the wheel on one of the shelves beside a chest, the next can be found on the beam of the vertical spiking blocks, and the last is on the backside of the horizontal spiky block, the one leading to the Nornir chest. This chest contains a Symbol of Triumph.
Nornir Chest 19
A Nornir chest can be found in Helheim during the main story quest, Escape from Helheim. Make your way through the mission toward the boat and instead of boarding the boat, go the opposite direction to find the Nornir chest sitting in the open. To unlock the chest, find the three runes and break them. One rune is inside the block you can move, Kratos will need to position it so its back is open. The second rune is where the block was sitting originally. The final rune can be located by pulling the block toward the Nornir chest, climbing it, and then looking over the edge to the right to spot it behind a pillar. This Nornir chest contains a Horn of Blood Mead.
Nornir Chest 20
Another Nornir chest can be located deep within Veithurgard, located to the east of the Lake of Nine. Progress through Veithurgard, toward the dragon, and turn left. The Nornir chest is tucked in the middle path near a locked gate. To open this chest, Kratos must smash all of the runes. The first rune can be found just on the other side of the rocks to the Nornir chest, the second is located below the Nornir chest in the circle of stones in a stone window, and the third is located on the other side of the gate buried in the rocks. The Nornir rewards a Horn of Blood Mead.
Nornir Chest 21
This Nornir chest can be found in Konunsgard, an area locked until you finish all of Brok and Sindri’s side quest Favors. When available, complete the mission, Hail to the King, which takes Kratos and Atreus on a journey through Konunsgard. After collecting the three mythical items and begin heading back to the Dwarves, follow the path around and look out for a large doorway, it’s here you’ll find the Nornir chest on a balcony. To unlock the Nornir chest, use the Winds of Hell to activate the rune bell that is blank and pull it out before the rune appears. Then insert the Winds of Hell on the other rune bell to set it spinning. Use the Leviathan axe to ring the stationary rune bell and quickly throw it at both of the spinning bells. Done quickly enough, this will unlock the Nornir chest.
Nornir Chest 22
The final Nornir chest can be located in the Cliffs of the Raven, located to the south-east of the Lake of Nine. This area requires use of the Winds of Hel, so if you haven’t made it to Helheim yet, come back later. Kratos will need to clear out several growths around the area to clear gates, allowing him room to move the Winds of Hel charge from pillar to pillar. The Nornir chest, however, is located in the middle of the area, so you should have no trouble spotting it.
Gather the charge from the left gate and place it into the statue on the side of the cliff. Go around to the Nornir chest and climb the vines to the left, peek over the edge to grab the charge and slot it into the statue facing the Nornir chest. From here, you can slot the charge into a rune statue and pull it out when the correct rune appears and place the charge back in the center to stop the runes from spinning. The left statue should be P, the right one should be Z, and the one on the upper right is R.
Each Nornir chest offers a little puzzle-solving moment to help break up the bloodlust of combat in God of War. With all the Nornir chests unlocked, Kratos should be prime position to take on the Hidden Chambers and conquer whatever stands in his way.
