You’re rowing around the Lake of Nine, the water is shimmering, and Mimir is telling some long-winded story about Odin’s paranoia. Suddenly, you spot a glowing scroll tucked away in a corner of a shipwreck. You pick it up. It’s a God of War treasure map. Great. Now you’ve got a blurry sketch of a rock and a cryptic poem that sounds like it was written by a frustrated riddler.
Most players just ignore these. They think the rewards are just some basic hacksilver or common crafting components. Honestly? They’re wrong. These maps are the secret sauce for upgrading Kratos into a literal walking tank before you hit the endgame. If you want that sweet, sweet Legendary enchantment or the rare resources needed to max out your Pommels, you need to stop rowing and start digging.
The 2018 reboot of God of War doesn’t hold your hand with these. There are no quest markers. No waypoints. Just your eyes and a bit of spatial reasoning. It’s old-school. It’s annoying. It’s also incredibly satisfying when you finally find that one specific patch of dirt that looks exactly like the drawing.
Why the God of War Treasure Map System Is Actually Genius
Santa Monica Studio didn't just throw these in as filler. Well, maybe a little. But primarily, they serve as a brilliant "guided tour" of Midgard. Each God of War treasure map forces you to actually look at the environment instead of just sprinting toward the next golden objective marker. You start noticing the architecture of the Lookout Tower or the specific jagged peaks of the Cliffs of the Raven.
The loot scales too. Early on, you’re getting basic stuff. By the time you’re hunting down the "Njord’s Oarsmen" or "The Historian" maps, you’re looking at items that significantly boost your Runic and Luck stats. It’s the difference between struggling against a Valkyrie and actually having a fighting chance.
The Maps Everyone Misses
Some of these are tucked away in places you only visit once for a side quest. If you don't grab them then, you're backtracking for twenty minutes later. Take The Turtle’s Tribute. You find it near the Witch’s Woods, but the actual treasure? It’s buried right under the nose of the giant turtle (Chaurli). Most people walk over it six times before realizing the "hollow" mentioned in the poem is literally the crawlspace they just used.
📖 Related: Steal a Brainrot: How to Get the Secret Brainrot and Why You Keep Missing It
Then there’s Dead and Bloated. You find this one in the Volunder Mines during the "Second Hand Soul" favor for Brok. The map itself is easy to find, but the treasure is near the corpse of a dead giant in the Cliffs of the Raven. The game uses visual storytelling here—the map tells you where the giant "breathed his last." It’s morbid, sure, but that’s God of War for you.
Don't Ignore the "Finder’s Fee"
This one is a pain. You find the map in the Caves of the Forgotten. The treasure? It’s over at the Northri Stronghold. You have to climb up a very specific tower that most players assume is just background scenery. If you're hunting for the "Unyielding Cinders" or high-level enchantments, this is mandatory.
It’s worth noting that the rewards aren't just random. They are fixed. If you need a specific type of Corrupted Remnant or a rare Ore, certain maps are guaranteed to drop them. This makes the hunt feel less like a gamble and more like a tactical resource run.
Breaking Down the Hardest Locations
Let's talk about The Boatman's Reward. You find this in the Forgotten Caverns. The hint mentions a "tribute" and a "boatman." Naturally, you’d think it’s near the ferryman's spot, right? Sorta. It’s actually tucked away in the Isle of Death. This is one of those maps that tests your memory of the Lake of Nine’s layout before the water level drops for the second time.
If the water hasn't dropped yet, some of these locations are physically impossible to reach. This is a common point of frustration. You’ll have a map in your inventory for five hours, unable to find the landmark because it’s currently a hundred feet underwater. Patience is key. Wait until the World Serpent moves again before you go on a dedicated hunting spree.
👉 See also: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Unhealthy Competition: Why the Zone's Biggest Threat Isn't a Mutant
The Hunter's Kingdom
Found in Lookout Tower. This one is a classic. It leads you to Veithurgard, which is already one of the most hidden-in-plain-sight areas of the game. The treasure is buried right in front of the massive stone doors leading to the castle. The poem talks about "the king's pride," which refers to the statues. If you haven't freed the dragon in Veithurgard yet, you're going to have a much harder time digging this up while dodging lightning breaths.
Practical Tips for the Treasure Hunter
Stop looking at the ground. Look at the horizon. The sketches in the God of War treasure map menu are almost always drawn from an elevated perspective. They show the silhouette of the mountains or the specific curve of a bridge.
- Check your "Goals" tab regularly. If you’ve picked up a scroll and forgotten about it, the sketch is saved there.
- The "Glint" is your friend. When you are near a buried treasure, a small, white golden spark will appear on the ground. It’s subtle. If you’re sprinting, you’ll miss it.
- Listen to Atreus. Sometimes the kid is actually helpful. He’ll occasionally comment on something looking "just like that drawing we found."
- Clear the area first. There is nothing more annoying than trying to line up a landscape with a sketch while a group of Hel-Walkers is trying to freeze your face off.
The Reality of Completionism
Does getting every God of War treasure map grant you some secret ending? No. But it does count toward the "Treasure Hunter" trophy and is a requirement for 100% completion of the Midgard realm. More importantly, it fills out the lore. These scrolls weren't left by Kratos; they were left by the people of Midgard—thieves, historians, and servants—who were trying to hide their valuables from the Aesir.
Reading the text on the maps gives you a glimpse into the lives of the mortals who lived in the shadow of these gods. It adds a layer of "lived-in" grit to the world. You’re not just looting; you’re grave robbing or recovering lost history, depending on how noble you want Kratos to feel that day.
Total List of Maps to Track Down
If you're going for the full set, you need to account for twelve specific scrolls. Most are in the Lake of Nine area, but a couple require you to delve deep into the peripheral zones like the Mountain or the various mines.
✨ Don't miss: Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time is Still the Series' Most Controversial Gamble
- The Turtle's Tribute - Near the River Pass / Witch's Woods.
- Dead and Bloated - Volunder Mines / Cliffs of the Raven.
- Kneel Before Thor! - Landsuther Mines / Muspelheim Tower.
- Don't Blink - Fafnir's Storeroom / The Mountain (near the giant face).
- Island of Light - Mason's Channel / Light Elf Outpost.
- Njord's Oarsmen - Northri Stronghold / Near the Mason's Channel statues.
- Creation Island - Iron Cove / Buri's Storeroom.
- The Historian - Ruins of the Ancient / Fafnir's Storeroom.
- Finder's Fee - Forgotten Caverns / Northri Stronghold.
- The Boatman's Reward - Forgotten Caverns / Isle of Death.
- Hunter's Kingdom - Lookout Tower / Veithurgard.
- The Last Place They'd Look - The Mountain / Council of Valkyries.
Each of these provides a unique enchantment. Some of these enchantments, like the Stone of Fire Supremacy, are incredibly niche but powerful if you're running a specific build centered around Runic attacks.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Playthrough
Don't try to find them all at once. It’s a recipe for burnout. Instead, integrate the hunt into your natural progression through the story.
Start with the Lake of Nine. Every time the water level drops (it happens twice), do a full lap around the lake. Visit every beach. Most of the God of War treasure map scrolls are located on these beaches, often hidden behind red sap that requires shock arrows or near Nornir chests.
Focus on the "Don't Blink" map early. This one is found in Fafnir's Storeroom. The treasure is located on the Mountain, right where you find the first "Black Breath." It gives you a solid boost to your stats just as the game's difficulty starts to ramp up.
Equip Luck-boosting gear. If you’re hunting treasure for the sake of resources, having a higher Luck stat actually increases the amount of Hacksilver and the quality of some random drops you get along the way. It makes the whole endeavor more profitable.
Check your "Resources" tab. If you’re missing a specific material for an epic chest piece, look up which map drops it. Often, a ten-minute detour to a treasure site is faster than grinding for rare drops from random enemies.
Once you have all twelve, you'll find that Kratos is significantly more prepared for the trials of Muspelheim or the fogs of Niflheim. The treasure map system isn't just a scavenger hunt; it's a progression mechanic disguised as exploration. Go get your loot.