God of War Ragnarok: How to Unlock the Nornir Chest on Alberich Island

Most chests in God of War: Ragnarok only require a bit of leverage or a single punch before they give up their contents. However, some chests are locked by ancient magic (and video game logic), and the only way to open them is by solving a simple puzzle. Well, in some cases, the word “simple” is relative.

If players take their time to explore Svartalfheim, most of the islands they find will tie back to the Favor called “In Service of Asgard.” The northernmost island, Alberich Island, does not. In fact, you can’t do much on this island until later in the game since most of its challenges require items you don’t have yet. However, the Nornir chest located on the island is ripe for the plundering. The chest is locked via three runes, but you can easily find them without any additional equipment. However, you can’t treat the Alberich Island puzzle like prior Nornir chests.

Up until this point in God of War: Ragnarok, Nornir chests have featured three distinct kinds of rune locks. These include breaking three statues that hold runes, hitting three turbines to make runes match those on the chest, and lighting three braziers perched on runes. If you take the time to look around Alberich Island, you might notice hanging bells emblazoned with runes. Obviously, you have to smack these Norse gongs with a well-aimed Leviathan Axe toss, but that is only half the challenge. You also have to find all three gongs and hit them within an invisible time limit. Take too long, and you have to do the process all over again.

As previously stated, all Nornir chests in God of War: Ragnarok involve a scavenger hunt within spitting distance of the chest, and the same applies to Alberich Island. The first rune bellt is located on a rock outcropping just above the chest; if you’re looking at the container, you can see the bell. The second hanging gong should be right behind you hanging from a crane, just to the left of an elevated wooden platform. However, the bell is blocked by a fence the Leviathan Axe can’t penetrate. In order to actually hit the bell, you need to launch a Sonic Arrow at the green, glowing section of the crane. If your aim is true, the resulting impact will splinter the wood and lower the bell enough to hit. The third and final bell is to the right of the wooden platform, blocked by yet another invincible fence. To smack this rune-embossed chime, you need to hit the spinning wooden target just to the left of the fence blocking the bell. Toss the Leviathan Axe at the white section of the plank to raise the bell. Ideally, you should hit the target until the bell can’t rise any further, then lob the axe at it. If your timing or aim are off, you will have to hurl the Leviathan axe at the target again to raise the bell…again.

Since the Alberich Island Nornir chest is timed, you should hit the bells in the following order: The one linked to the spinning target, followed by the one on the crane (after it’s been lowered), and finally the one above the chest. Since the timer doesn’t start until after you hit a bell, you won’t have to worry about wasting time by missing the spinning target or its associated bell. After you have hit all three gongs, the Nornir chest will unlock, and you can open it and claim the Horn of Blood Mead inside. Depending on how many you’ve collected prior to Alberich Island, you might finally have enough to increase Kratos’ Rage meter.

Alberich Island isn’t the only location with a Nornir chest that forces players to smack gongs while on a time crunch. You will encounter more as you explore the realms of God of War: Ragnarok, but with the lessons you’ve learned from Alberich Island (and this guide), you should find these bell-centric Nornir chests easier.

God of War: Ragnarok is out now on PlayStation 4 and 5.