God of War Ragnarök is a massive game full of thick lore, intense combat, and an obscenely massive world with many secrets to discover and locations to find.
Perhaps the best benefit of the game is just the discovery of the Lake of Nine artifacts since these give a clue to the world of Midgard and some cool bonuses.
In this article, we will consider the Lake of Nine artifacts, discussing their significance and where precisely you can locate them. All these are included in the “Stolen Treasures” pack and are necessary for players undertaking 100% completion.
About The Lake of Nine
It is rewarding in itself to collect all of the artifacts throughout the Lake of Nine, not only enriching the game’s lore but also rewarding the player with additional Hacksilver if sold to the dwarves, blacksmiths Sindri and Brok.
Overview of the Lake of Nine Artifacts
There are three major Lake of Nine artifacts:
- Janbiya – Historically, a curved Jötunheimr dagger was employed in giants’ duels.
- Kila – Historically, a Vanaheim wedding ceremonial armlet has been traditionally applied to ceremonies at weddings.
- Maya – Egyptian representation of life, strength, and survival in an ankh form.
Every relic adds another cog to Midgard’s history puzzle and makes one wonder about other worlds and civilizations of the God of War universe.
All Lake of Nine Artifact Locations
1. Janbiya Artifact
How to Find:
- Move towards the northeastern section of Tyr’s Temple in the Lake of Nine.
- Find an entrance into a cave that is half-encased with ice within the Raider Stronghold.
- Eliminate the ice on the entrance path with the help of the Leviathan Axe.
- Head inwards into the cave and keep going until you can see the Janbiya relic on the ground beside a body.
Significance: The Janbiya is a Jötunheimr giant favourite dagger. The Janbiya symbolizes warrior culture and leadership in God of War Ragnarök. Locating it helps in the completion of the Stolen Treasures set, which is among the game’s artifact sets.
2. Kila Artifact
How to Find:
- Walk northeast from Tyr’s Temple until you reach a small rocky island with stairs leading up to it.
- Go up the stairs and continue up to the island’s top.
- Right beside the wreckage of a destroyed warrior, the Kila artifact will be lying on the ground in the snow.
Significance: Kila is a Vanaheim ceremonial bracelet that is employed in wedding rituals. The artifact tells us something about the religion and tradition of the Vanir, the Vanaheim gods, who are associated with nature and magic. The bracelet is a beautiful piece of work that shows the religion and culture of the Vanir.
3. Maya Artifact
How to Find:
- Go to the western side of Tyr’s Temple and locate the large stone bridge.
- Underneath the bridge, search for a climbable ledge.
- Climb onto the ledge, and you’ll find the Maya artifact next to a fallen dwarf.
Significance: The Maya relic is an Egyptian mythology ankh, a representation of life and unmeasured power. That such is found in the Lake of Nine indicates Midgard’s history civilizations knew of or had shared ancient Egyptian history. Such is added to God of War Ragnarök’s theme of combining mythologies and the like cultural influence.
Why Collect Lake of Nine Artifacts?
Having all three of the Lake of Nine artifacts has some advantages:
- Expands the Game’s Lore: The artifacts provide us with background about various civilizations in the God of War world. From Jötunheimr’s giants to Vanaheim’s Vanir and even Egyptian, the artifacts inform the player more about the game’s interwoven mythologies.
- Rewards Hacksilver: Artifacts are very easy to sell for Hacksilver, which is equipment and weapon upgrades as well as resources to be purchased using this in-game money. Artifacts don’t have a use besides collecting, so it’s a speedy way of amassing money for trade-ins of more decent gear and improvements.
- 100% Completion Contribution: For completionists, some must be found in the Lake of Nine to have complete completion in Midgard. It contributes to the total progress percentage on the game map and unlocks rewards and accomplishments.
Other Collectibles in the Lake of Nine
In addition to artifacts, the Lake of Nine also has other collectibles and challenges that are worth it:
- Odin’s Ravens: These spectral birds can be seen throughout the game and are spies of Odin. They assist in the “Eyes of Odin” favour when they are killed. One of the Ravens in Lake of Nine can be seen on a stone archway near the Raider Hideout.
- Draugr Holes: Draugr Holes are combat challenges where Kratos battles waves of Draugr enemies. One hole is northeast of Tyr’s Golden Helmet.
- Buried Treasures: Buried Treasures hold poor resources and Hacksilver. You only find these if you’ve already secured the respective Treasure Map. One such example is Viking’s Gift, which you can find a little outside of Raider Fort.
Final Words
The Lake of Nine in God of War Ragnarök is equally one of the most varied territories when it comes to exploration and lore.
The dispersed artifacts in the region tell us about various mythologies and old civilizations, further enriching the already multi-layered lore of the game.
Collecting all the artifacts in the Lake of Nine gives players more information about the history of Midgard, earns them Hacksilver, and pushes them closer to 100% completion.
Venturing through the Lake of Nine in its entirety will be a treat for treasure-seekers, brutal fighting, and further lore revelations. As a completionist, a lore-lover, or someone who just likes to collect everything, these rewards are part of playing God of War Ragnarök to its full extent.
So go ahead, go slow, search every nook and corner, and reveal the lost pieces of history. The Lake of Nine awaits!
