The Applecore is a major region in Svartalfheim, and one you visit mandatorily as part of The Quest for Tyr. It connects the Jarnsmida Pitmines to Sverd Sands and the Aurvangar Wetlands. Filled with Grims, Wretches and even a Bergsra or two, the layout will be initially confusing due to its maze-like pathing. Notably, The Applecore cannot be fully explored again until you progress the story beyond a certain point. Further, you'll technically be going through the area backwards compared to the first time.
Collectibles[]
The Applecore has multiple collectibles you can acquire during your visit. They are listed below.
| The Applecore Collectibles | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Visit | |||
| Lore 2
Cooperation |
Things Left Behind 5
Althjof's Statues |
Things Left Behind 6
Durinn's Stone Statue | |
| Draugr Hole 1 | Legendary Chest 1 | Odin's Raven 1 | |
| Post-Forging Destiny | |||
| Lore 3
Demise of Dagestr |
Nornir Chest 1 | Kvasir's Poems 13
Sanguinity |
Buried Treasure 1
Mining Glory |
| Nornir Chest 2 | Yggdrasil Rift 1 | Legendary Chest 2 | |
The Applecore - Lore 1 - The Vault[]
- Type: Rune Read
This Lore is found at the start of the Applecore, where you stop on the boat ride just in front of Sindri's workshop. From here, head left up the curved path to the end. You'll see a wooden wall here with a Soundstone plate on it: have Atreus shoot it down with a Sonic Arrow, and you'll see the Rune Read in the dark on the other side.
The Applecore - Lore 2 - Cooperation[]
- Type: Lore Marker
This Lore Marker can be found after crawling through a crawl-space, after which Atreus spots a second wooden door. You'll then have to go right and jump over a water trough: on the other side, go right and smash a wooden wall. In the lower area on the other side will be the Lore Marker.
Things Left Behind 5 - Althjof’s Statues[]
This Artifact is rather missable, because it's at the very end of an optional side path. Your starting point will be soon after Atreus spots his second door, you jump over a water trough, turn left to go up a curved path, then turn left again to go down a bridge. From here the path will split: left to a water trough puzzle, and right to some gold rocks. The path is right to the gold rocks, but to destroy them, you'll have to hop down the left-hand path for a bit: this will give you the angle to throw the Leviathan Axe at a red pot behind the gold rocks, which will destroy them and clear the way.
Head down the right-hand path now, crawl under the wall, and you'll have to fight some Grims, Wretches and a Bergsra Monster. In the process of killing them all, you'll have to grapple across a blue-lit gap on the left and then leap up a wall to the upper area. Once the battle is over, at the upper area, check the left-hand side for a large door you can go through. On the other side, look to your left to see a small ledge you can climb up: at the end you'll see the Artifact.
Things Left Behind 6 - Durinn’s Stone Statue[]
The final Artifact in the Things Left Behind set is found after you pick up your first Relic in the flooded room. Shuffle through the crack in the wall, then destroy some hanging Soundstone rocks with Sonic Arrows so you can grapple to the other side. Once you've done this, you'll walk through a curved wooden walkway. At the end of the wooden walkway, turn left and grapple across the gap, then turn left again: you should see a lower area with the Artifact sitting on a wooden barrel behind some Soundstone rocks. Destroy them with a Sonic arrow and claim your prize.
The Applecore - Draugr Hole 1[]
- Rewards:
- Weapon Upgrade - Chaos Spark
- 2 Sovereign Coals
- 15 Dust of Realms
- 500 Hacksilver
This Draugr Hole can be found just after you pick up the Artifact described above. Go through the door to the right of the Artifact and you'll find the Draugr Hole on the other side. Defeat The Hateful here, and your rewards will drop in the middle of the hole.
The Applecore - Legendary Chest 1[]
- Contains: Axe Attachment - Fortified Frost Knob
This Legendary Chest can be found in the room described above where you find the Draugr Hole. It'll be in the back-right portion of the room, in the raised section. The chest contains the Fortified Frost Knob for your axe. With 4 Strength and 5 Cooldown, it's a good replacement for The Furious Maul if you don't intend to upgrade that. It also has the Frost Resolve Perk, boosting Defense and Stagger Resistance when you use Frost Awaken.
The Applecore - Odin’s Raven 1[]
The sole Raven in The Applecore is found towards the end, where you have to use your axe to freeze a water trough to jam some Soundstone rocks dropped in by Atreus. There's two ways to find it depending on whether or not you opened up the shortcut that bypasses the puzzle. If you haven't completed the puzzle yet, then once you've got the two giant claws into position by blocking the two water troughs, grapple across to the stone block, then jump left onto solid ground. The Raven will be here on your left, perched in a wooden scaffolding nook close to a lantern. If you have opened up the puzzle bypass route, then an earthquake will have knocked down some debris that prevents you from doing the puzzle again. In this case, take the bypass route that has you shimmy along the side of a wall. Once you're on the other side, turn around to see the Raven perched in a wooden scaffolding nook close to a lantern.
The Applecore - Lore 3 - Demise of Dagestr[]
- Prerequisite: Complete the Forging Destiny main quest
- Type: Treasure Map
This Lore is found at the end of The Applecore, however you cannot access it until you've completed the Forging Destiny main quest and acquired new equipment during it. Once you've done so, return to The Applecore by going to the Mystic Gateway in the Aurvangar Wetlands, then take the ferry that goes North-West to the Sverd Sands. Here you'll find the elevator back into The Applecore. Once you're down here, look for the Rope Frame you can now use to create a shortcut. Ride down the new zipline, then make a U-Turn to the left to find a Wind Vent. Use your new equipment to plug it up and climb up the ledge. The Treasure Map will be on the ground directly in front of you. The location it points you to is in another realm: it's in Midgard's Lake of Nine.
The Applecore - Nornir Chest 1[]
- Prerequisite: Complete the Forging Destiny main quest
- Type: Totem
This Nornir Chest is found at the end of The Applecore, in the same place as the Lore described above. From the Lore's location, follow the path to the left and up a ledge, and the Nornir Chest will be directly in front of you. The N and C Runes will be directly opposite the Nornir Chest, sitting on two hanging platforms above the main path below. To get to the R Rune, climb up the two ledges to the right of the Nornir Chest, then turn around. You'll spot the totem sitting at the base of a column of rock.
Kvasir’s Poems 13 - Sanguinity[]
- Prerequisite: Complete the Forging Destiny main quest
- References: Bloodborne
This Artifact is found in The Applecore in Svartalfheim, further in than the Nornir Chest and Lore described above. To start, return to the lower area and proceed North through the tunnel. When you round the corner, you'll see a high wall with a Wind Vent on the side. Use your new equipment to plug it up, then climb up the wall to the top. At the top, head forward and you'll see a large boulder with a yellow Wind Fissure on it. Throw your new equipment into it and then detonate it with the Triangle button, destroying the boulder. The Artifact will be in the clearing up ahead, on the right-hand side next to a dead Grim with a sword in it. If you're wondering about the name of the poem, sanguine is derived from the Latin word “sanguis”, meaning “blood”.
The Applecore - Buried Treasure 1 - Mining Glory[]
- Prerequisite: Complete the Forging Destiny main quest
- Rewards:
- Amulet Enchantment - Muspelheim's Blessing
- 1 Asgardian Ingot
- 1 Luminous Alloy
- 1 Petrified Bone
- 40 Shattered Runes
This Buried Treasure cannot be obtained until you first get the Treasure Map from Svartalfheim. Both the Treasure Map and the Buried Treasure itself cannot be accessed until you complete the Forging Destiny main quest first. Once you've acquired the Treasure Map, you'll need to begin the lengthy process of returning to The Applecore and progressing through it. First, get to the Kvasir's Poem artifact described above. Head forward and then right, then use the grapple point to cross the gap and climb up the ledge. Head through the tunnel, then kick the chain down at the end so you can slide down to the next room. If you've not been here before, then you'll have to face a boss first: Miklimunnr the troll. He fights like any other troll, however his fiery attacks can take huge chunks out of your health even on the easiest of difficulties. From this room, head left through the crawlspace, then out the other side, go through the double doors on your right. Here in this room, look to your right for a spot on the wall you can shimmy across, then head down the hallway. On the other side, veer left and cross over the gap with the grapple point, onto the spiral walkway.
As you go down the spiral walkway, keep an eye out on your right for a gap in the fence, with two rope-chains flanking it. Kick down the metal plate if you need to, then drop down below. Instead of going forward, turn around here and continue going down the spiral walkway. Near the bottom will be a doorway on your right with sunlight on the other side. Check at this spot for the Buried Treasure.
The Applecore - Nornir Chest 2[]
- Prerequisite: Complete the Forging Destiny main quest
- Type: Totem
This Nornir Chest is found deep within The Applecore, however you cannot get to it until you complete the Forging Destiny main quest, giving you a new piece of equipment. First, follow the instructions above to get to the Buried Treasure, up until the point where you drop down the ledge of the wooden spiral walkway. Here, instead of turning around and descending to the Buried Treasure, head forward and take a right: jump across the gap, then slip under the wooden trough (if you never took this route before, you'll have to destroy some gold rocks by going left first and blowing up the Red Pot). On the other side of the trough, use the grapple point on your left to cross over the blue-lit gap, then leap up to the top of the ledge on your right. There, go through the double doors. Next, look around on your left for a Wind Vent, close to a ledge you can mount up. Instead of doing that, head to the right-hand side of this area and use your new equipment to plug up the vent. You can then swing across the gap. Once you cross the gap, the Nornir Chest will be on your right.
The B Rune's totem can be found off to the right of the Nornir Chest. Head that way and stand on the edge of the balcony. Look for a water trough ahead and freeze it with the Leviathan Axe. This will reveal the totem, normally hidden by the water flow. Your new equipment will be able to reach it from here. The F Rune's totem is in the short hallway to the left of the Nornir Chest. It'll be close to a Mystic Gateway. The I Rune's totem is further left of the Nornir Chest. Look for the Yggdrasil Rift: there'll be some gold rocks to the right of it. Destroy them using the Red Pot, and the totem will be among the rubble.
The Applecore - Yggdrasil Rift 1[]
- Prerequisite: Complete the Forging Destiny main quest
- Reward:
- 1 Lindwyrm
- 3 Lindwyrm Scales
- 40 Dust of Realms
- 4,000 Hacksilver
This Yggdrasil Rift is found deep within The Applecore, however you cannot get to it until you complete the Forging Destiny main quest, giving you a new piece of equipment. It's found in the same location as the Nornir Chest described above, so follow the instructions there to get to it. When you arrive at the Nornir Chest's spot by crossing the gap with your new equipment, turn left and you'll see the Yggdrasil Rift down the hallway on your left.
The Applecore - Legendary Chest 2[]
- Prerequisite: Complete the Forging Destiny main quest
- Contains: Axe Attachment - Banahogg Knob
This Legendary Chest is found on the Northern end of The Applecore, however you cannot return that way until you complete the Forging Destiny main quest, giving you a new piece of equipment. Once you've done that, you'll need to begin the lengthy process of returning to The Applecore and progressing through it. Follow the instructions above to get to the second Nornir Chest and the Yggdrasil Rift. Once you arrive there, head down the hallway directly ahead: there'll be a Mystic Gateway here, and a normal metal gate that Kratos can lift up. On the other side, you'll have to fight a Wicked Grim, a Wretch, and a Wild Wretch. After defeating them, return to the doorway and face North: head left and then slip through the crawlspace. On the other side of this tunnel, leap up to the top of the wall on your left. Head down the bend, and you'll be back at the main entrance to The Applecore from the Jarnsmida Pitmines.
From this spot, head right, but keep an eye out for the Rune Slate on your left. Carve the rune into it, and a wall will open up with the Legendary Chest behind it. The chest contains the Banahogg Knob, which increases Kratos’ bare-handed damage for a duration after he throws the Axe.