God of War Ragnarok is out now and despite the game’s story taking center stage, the side quests offer deep insight into the motivations and actions of Kratos and his supporting cast. One particular side quest or ‘favor’ in GOW Ragnarok, ‘The Weight of Chains,’ is a poignant story of Mimir’s regrets and desire to atone for his previous deeds, even if it’s too late for such actions to be meaningful. Finding and accomplishing this favor can be tricky and a bit lengthy, so be sure to read on for more info.
God of War Ragnarok: The Weight of Chains, Getting the Key
The first thing you’ll need to do is go to the Bay of Bounty in Svartalfheim, north of Radsvinn’s Rig and west of Althjof’s Rig if you were given Raeb’s “In Service of Asgard” favor. There you’ll find a curious, small island where Mimir will ruminate on what has taken place there. This will begin the Weight of Chains favor, so keep right on the path you find which leads to some debris with a red pot — launch your axe or blades at this to blow up the obstacle and proceed. You’ll then need to take the following steps:
- In the area with the breakable floor, use the nearby wheel mechanism to lower the elevator. While still using the wheel, charge and throw your axe at the marked gear on the elevator to hold it in place.
- Take a right from that area to a small ledge you can climb further to the right, to reach the elevator. Press ‘triangle’ to call your axe back, sending you up.
- From the top, look down to the breakable floor and hit ‘circle’ to fall through. Be careful, a fight with a Bergsra Mother and her Wretch spawn is here.
- Win the fight and you’ll get the Watchtower Key. Go back to your boat and go south to the Watchtower.
- To the right of where you dock, blow up more debris, climb up the wall, and open the lock to the right.
- Go to the right side of the drum, hit ‘circle’ to hold it up, and then hit ‘square’ to have Atreus fire an arrow at it, awakening the Lyngbakr disguised as the small island you were on.
GOW Ragnarok: The Weight of Chains Fin 1
The next steps involve freeing the creature you’ve exposed. The Lyngbakr is chained at both fins on the side, and the tail, so you’ll need to break the bonds holding it in place. Follow the below steps to accomplish this:
- Get back in your boat and row north toward the creature, then east to a small dock.
- After docking, climb directly ahead. Win a small battle on the platform above. Go forward and right to find more debris, and blow it up with your axe or blades.
- Hit ‘circle’ and complete the Quick Time Event to cut through the stake tying down the first fin. Throw your axe through the link holding the chains to complete this segment.
GOW Ragnarok: The Weight of Chains Fin 2
The rest of this favor can go by more quickly now that you have a visual for what you’re trying to accomplish. From where you just cut through the first stake, turn back, and run ahead. Follow the next steps to reach fin 2:
- Take a left when you reach the first fork. Turn left toward a set of platforms you can jump across. Defeat the enemies ahead.
- Once the area is cleared, go further and you’ll see more debris, with a chain you can climb across from it. Climb the chain.
- Across from where you climb up, cross the chasm with your blades. Fight through the enemies here and you’ll see a set of chains you can kick down to form a shortcut. Climb down. You’ll see the next stake, and you know what to do here.
GOW Ragnarok: The Weight of Chains Tail
You’re at the final stretch. To the left of this stake, you just removed is a nest you can clear, which houses vital bombs you’ll need to clear the path to the tail. You can destroy it from a distance with your axe. Take the following steps to clear your path to the tail:
- From where you got the bombs, take one and turn back, you’ll see a platform with debris. Throw it at this to clear it, then grab more. Go down the path and you’ll see another dock covered in debris, so throw another bomb at that.
- Return to the area with the bombs and open the gate nearby. Proceed across to climb back down to the dock and your boat. Row to the newly opened dock you can use at the tail of the Lyngbakr. It’ll be east past the very tip, then directly west to reach this area from where your boat was docked.
- Climb up and defeat the enemies you encounter here. In this same area, there’s a set of upper platforms you can climb to reach the last stake. Destroy it, but you’re not done yet.
How to Free the Lyngbakr and Complete This Favor
The Lyngbakr has yet to show any signs that it’s aware it’s been freed. You must zipline from the point left of the stake you just destroyed. You’ll then be able to throw your axe at the link holding down the tailfin. Descend further from this area to reach a doorway you’ll need to open with your blades (a ‘circle’ prompt will appear when you get close.) Inside, to the left, there’s a chain you can descend to a boat to reach the Lyngbakr. Row along the left side of the creature to reach its eye and complete the favor.
What is a Lyngbakr and its Meaning in the Quest?
The Lyngbakr here was captured by Mimir as an ill-advised attempt to gain Odin’s favor, which succeeded. However, he left this creature trapped for all this time, felt immense remorse over his actions, and wished it to be freed. The most poignant moments come near the end of this quest where Mimir laments that all he wants is to make things right, while Kratos concedes that it’s at least better than it was, with the creature having been so used to its imprisonment.
The Lyngbakr is a Norse mythological creature resembling a whale, classified as a sea monster and known for posing as an island to deceive incoming crews. It gains its name from the Icelandic combination of ‘lyngi’ (heather) and ‘bak’ (back) for how posed as a heather-covered island. Once they reach this apparent land, the Lyngbakr would then sink into the sea, bringing the humans with it. But this Lyngbakr has lived a long and cruel imprisonment at the hands of Mimir, and the sadness of this favor is readily apparent, with Mimir’s anguish over his crimes ringing ever harder as it goes on.
This concludes the quest, although you’ll have noticed many chests with valuables and detours along the way. Keep the steps here in mind but gain all you need from this area before moving on in the realm.
God of War Ragnarok is available now on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. You can read our review of it here!
