There is much to explore in Valheim, and the procedurally generated map of the tenth Norse world is enormous. While Valheim is at its core a Viking-themed survival game, exploration is a major part of gameplay. Fans of Valheim are likely already familiar with the main biomes, environmentally distinct areas containing new resources, materials, terrain, and enemies. These are the Meadows, Black Forest, Swamp, Mountains, Plains, and Ocean. All but the Ocean correspond to a different boss players can summon and fight, and often it is required that players slay a boss before moving to the next location. Because Valheim is in its Early Access phase, parts of the game remain unfinished. This includes three additional biomes players can visit but will find limited gameplay: the Ashlands, Mistlands, and Deep North.
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Unlike the other biomes in Valheim, which appear somewhat randomly on each player’s map, the Ashlands, Mistlands, and Deep North have fairly standardized locations on every map. Vikings will need to be careful in all three places, as environmental dangers can still kill them. Additionally, players should note that all content in these areas is likely to change, as they are all considered temporary at the time of writing. For the particularly adventurous Viking, here’s how to get to the Ashlands, Mistlands, and Deep North in Valheim and what can currently be found there.
How to Travel to the Ashlands, Mistlands, and Deep North in Valheim
Each of the three secret biomes in Valheim currently has a specific terrain and feeling that may reveal possible identities of upcoming bosses. While enemies from other biomes may wander into these unfinished locations, the only location that currently spawns hostile creatures is the Ashlands.
The Ashlands is a smoky, flaming region with random bursts of minor volcanic activity. It appears to be a reference to Muspelheim in Norse mythology, which is guarded by the fire giant Surtr. Players can currently find Surtlings there and mine them for Surtling Core. These Surtlings behave like any others and can be defeated in all the same ways as their fellows in other parts of the map. Many Surtlings in this area will gather around Glowing Metal, and players can use their Iron pickaxe on these rocks to get Flametal Ore. Right now, there is no in-game use for Flametal Ore, but this is likely to change with future updates.
The Mistlands is slated to get its own patch in the fourth major content update during Valheim Early Access. It is a murky, twilit forest filled with ancient trees and roots. Players will find Giant Skulls on the ground here and giant spider webs, possibly hinting at creatures that will eventually be added. Some players reported finding Fenrings wandering here, though this is usually only the case if there are Mountains nearby. Fans have also speculated this area may be based on Svartalfheim from Norse mythology, which will include Magic, Dark Elves, and a thick, eternal darkness.
The Deep North is even colder and more volatile than the Mountains, and the Wolf Armor set cannot protect Vikings from freezing to death here if they become wet. There are no resources here at the time of writing. Fans speculate this area references Nilfheim, the ice realm of the north in Norse mythology and may correspond to Fenrir, the giant wolf.
Valheim fans will almost always be able to predict the location of these three secret, incomplete biomes. The Deep North, as the name implies, will always be at the northernmost part of a player’s map, often bordering Mountains and the Ocean. The Ashlands will always be the southernmost part of any map. The Mistlands are a bit of a wildcard at the moment, and players have stumbled upon them in various places, sometimes near the Mountains and other times across the Ocean.
For the brave Vikings, these areas are worth exploring and making a map marker for future reference. That way, they can easily return when more content is added.
Valheim is in Steam Early Access and is available for PC.
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