The Secret of the Sands marks a turning point early in God of War Ragnarök‘s epic narrative. Sent by the wily witch Groa to uncover Asgardian knowledge from the Dark Elves, Kratos and Atreus stumble upon a sinister plot brewing in Alfheim’s deserts.
This sprawling network of caves illuminated in hues of violet serves to contain and torture an ancient creature for the Dark Elves’ ritual magics. By rescuing the magnificent Hafgufa jellyfish beast, our heroes strike a blow against the spread of death magic while forging their father-son bonds even tighter.
As an avid gamer and content creator specializing in God of War tips, secrets and lore, I‘m thrilled to provide the definitive guide to completing The Secret of the Sands favor from beginning to end on God of War Ragnarök‘s Give Me God of War difficulty.
Table of Contents
- Lore Behind the Secret of the Sands
- Combat Statistics and Enemy Overview
- Walkthrough Part 1: Traversing the Hive Caves
- Walkthrough Part 2: Freeing Hafgufa
- Secret of the Sands Rewards
- Implications for Kratos and Atreus
The Lore Behind the Secret of the Sands
In God of War (2018), the reappearance of Jötnar shrines across Midgard confirmed for Mimir that Ragnarök was imminent. The foul schemes of Odin and Thor to control this apocalyptic fate sets up the conflict with Norse gods that intensifies in Ragnarök.
There are major implications wrapped up in this small Alfheim side quest. The torture of magical Hafgufa reveals that all the Nine Realms are threatened by the eruption of death magic seeking to tip the balance in the Aesir‘s favor.
While his origins remain obscured in mystery, Hafgufa appears akin to Jörmungandr the World Serpent as a beast destined to herald sweeping change across the realms. By rescuing him from the Dark Elves, Kratos and Atreus let life and light magic regain ground lost to Odin and his scheming.
This quest also continues the frequent theme of freeing tortured souls in God of War games. From Pandora‘s Box to the Titans to Hades himself, our protagonists seem magnetically drawn towards those imprisoned by unjust gods.
There may even be one more piece of foreshadowing contained in the Secret of the Sands. Mural depictions show Hafgufa battling with Thor during Ragnarök itself. If Hafgufa returns for a future confrontation with Odin‘s warmongering son, Kratos and Atreus may again stand side-by-side with their jellyfish friend against the Aesir.
By The Numbers: Enemy Statistics and Data
The Secret of the Sands throws a wide mix of Dark Elf adversaries against Atreus and Kratos as they plunge into danger to find Hafgufa. Here are some of the key stats for enemies fought in the cavern depths:
| Enemy Class | Health (Give me God of War) | Attack Rating | Runic Attacks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Elf | Level 4 | 50 | None |
| Dark Elf Lord | Level 6 | 150 | Meteor Swarm, Dark Realm Eruption |
| Dark Elf Summoner | Level 5 | 100 | Summon Allies, Soul Drain |
In addition to basic sword and spear attacks from Dark Elves, players need to watch out for the following abilities:
- Meteor Swarm (Dark Elf Lord): Summons swirling boulders from the air
- Dark Realm Eruption (Dark Elf Lord): Area attack draining Health over time if hit
- Summon Allies (Dark Elf Summoner): Brings 2x Dark Elves to attack you
- Soul Drain (Dark Elf Summoner): Channels to inflict major HP damage
Here is the breakdown of enemies encountered throughout the Secret of the Sands favor:
| Section | Dark Elves | Summoners | Lords | Nightmares |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Trek | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cave Entrance & Totem Run | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Pre-Nornir Battle | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Post-Nornir Descent | 6 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Hafgufa Antechamber | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Total Enemies | 18 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
These foes stand between Kratos & Atreus and freeing Hafgufa from his torturous imprisonment. Now let‘s see how our heroes can overcome the Dark Elf threat!
Walkthrough Part 1: Traversing the Hive Caves
Launching the Desert Quest
From the shattered remains of Groa‘s temple, head out into The Barrens desert until Atreus notices beast cries ahead. Ride sand sleds downstream using Phosphor to manifest currency caches on each bank.
Passing Sindri‘s makeshift shop is the point of no return! Have Atreus ignite the nearby brazier for health & rage stones in the trial ahead.
Approach the massive hive structure and use Blades of Chaos to traverse the initial fissures. Descend into The Below, shattering Dark Elf pottery for bonus hacksilver as you go.
The initial hive pathways teach players key skills for overcoming obstacles down the road. Look for clusters of environmental crystal that transmit Leviathan Axe shockwaves to shatter barriers and Hive Bulbs in sequence.
Attacking the overhead dissenter‘s bell, for example, drops rare resources like Petrified Bone, Gravity Stone, and Quarried Stone for future crafting.
Be ready to capitalize on stun attacks for heavy runic combos when facing early Dark Elf skirmishers. Using Chaos Rift to trap them beats allowing distance for their ranged spectral attacks.
Atreus and his elven bow will soon become invaluable for drawing isolated enemies from the pack. Their teamwork shines in close quarters hive tunnels!
The Totem Run Mini-Game
A common puzzle challenge awaits just ahead – the dreaded Totem Run! Match Atreus‘ sprinting speed by hitting all totems before he triggers their gates.
mistime your axe throws and Atreus slams into an invisible barrier, costing precious seconds. Here is the precise sequence for avoiding that wipe and nabbing the prize Nornir chest:
- Upper left totem
- Upper right totem
- Straight ahead totem
- Lower right totem
- Sprint alongside Atreus through the final gates!
Completing this light beam maze under pressure pays dividends in the form of an Idunn Apple or Horn of Blood. Having that extra vigor is key for the multi-phase boss battle looming ahead.
Walkthrough Part 2: Freeing Hafgufa
Contending with Dark Elf Sorcerers
A coordinated ambush awaits at the bottom of the Totem Run, mixing in dangerous Summoners for the first time. They unleash Meteor Swarm and can generate fresh grunts if left unchecked.
The arena itself works to your advantage here. Notice the Explosive crystal formations scattered around its circumference. Baiting enemies into detonation chain reactions softens the numbers game substantially!
With grunts cleared rapidly, straight axe throws or execution moves like Hyperion Grapple make short work of the remaining Sorcerers. Their segmented health bars melt under Sustained Runic Attacks like Frost Awaken.
Descending Towards Hafgufa‘s Cries
Veer left at the next fork to discover a violet crystal wall perfect for indirect Leviathan Axe traversal. Carefully align split shots to shatter Hive Bulb clusters barring the path forward.
Have Atreus translate memorial runes along the way down confirming trapped beasts below. Stock up on Health & Rage stones from convenient ceiling clusters when available.
Approaching Hafgufa‘s antechamber, stay vigilant for Nightmare phantom patrols foreshadowing Tyr‘s test in the quest Beyond Ragnarök. Use Atreus‘ Sonic Arrows to detonate their vunlerable red cores from behind cover.
Freeing Hafgufa From His Bonds
You‘ll know Hafgufa‘s chamber by the distinctive lightshow and the mammoth jellyfish form at its heart. Don‘t be afraid to spend Spartan Rage on the remaining elite Dark Elf defenders.
Once you clear the arena, quickly trace environmental explosion points back to their Hive Bulb sources. Detonate them along with the initial crystal wall barricades to finally drain the pool trapping Hafgufa.
This releases The Hafgufa with a crescendo of light, exposing the exit plus loot for crafting Whispering Band talismans. Don‘t forget to grab the Shoulder Straps of Radiance en route back to the desert.
Secret of the Sands Rewards
Here are the major rewards on offer for saving Hafgufa from the Dark Elves:
Armor: Shoulder Straps of Radiance (Legendary)
- Perk: Low chance of Health Burst on any successful attack
Crafting Material: Whispering Slab (Legendary)
- For crafting Talismans
Nornir Chest Special Item: Idunn Apple or Horn of Blood Mead
Hacksilver: Found in chests and destructible objects
The Shoulder Straps of Radiance grant vital sustain that can offset devastating enemy combos on higher difficulties. Paired with a high Luck build, Health Bursts activate reasonably often to save Atreus or Kratos from the brink!
Implications for Kratos and Atreus
It‘s heartening for once to see our protagonists rescue innocents cursed by savage gods or magic. The monstrous Hafgufa evidently spent untold years suffering under the Dark Elves‘ experiments.
In some small way, this quest rights the scales from wars and loss suffered in the past by both Kratos and Atreus. The son learns to become wiser guide for his father, navigating literal and metaphorical darkness side-by-side. It is one more lesson as Loki comes into his own while averting ancient Ragnarök.
Most intriguingly, Hafgufa may resurface when Fimbulwinter descends for the fated showdown with Thor. For now, whitesands shine again and life magic flows back into Vanaheim‘s world tree thanks to our heroes’ compassion. Wherever the winds may take them, the lesson of mercy rings clear as a bell.
