With its terrifying permadeath possibility, intriguing puzzle-based rune doors, stunning, life-like visuals, and narrative that centers around psychosis, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice seems to have taken the gaming world by storm in the days since its August 8, 2017 release. But beyond its beauty and gripping gameplay, there exists an aspect of the hack-and-slash title that has fans both captivated and a bit confused: the Lorestones.

These collectibles represent protagonist Senua's friend Druth and his wisdom. For each Lorestone Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice fans collect, they'll hear audio of the game's lore, tiny tales of the Northmen and their gods, the same ones players battle against throughout their journey.

Lorestones are generally easy to spot, as their large size and circular shape are recognizable against the game's environment, and many pop up right along Senua's path. Some, on the other hand, take additional effort and require the player to complete Hellblade's rune puzzles or retrace their steps to unlock and re-lock doors and pathways. However, frustration enters the mix when considering the technicalities of Lorestones. If a player misses even a single Lorestone in their playthrough, they must restart the game if they wish to unlock the game's "Stories From the North" trophy.

In total, there are 44 Lorestones in Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, and Game Rant is here to walk players through exactly where to find them. Whether it's to feel accomplished in obtaining every last collectible, or if it's to get that sweet trophy at the end, we've got you covered.

Chapter 1: Prologue

  1. As soon as you disembark from the boat, have Senua look to the right. The first Lorestone is located there.
  2. This Lorestone is located at the coast, and can be found after walking away from the shore, ducking under the bridge, and starting to climb the rocks. Just before you head upstairs, pick up the Lorestone near the base of the small waterfall.
  3. After passing through the first puzzle door, the Rune Door, you'll encounter a wooden beam you must cross. This Lorestone is found at the top of the cliffs on the other end of the beam.
  4. The fourth Lorestone in this chapter is located right at the Gate to Hel after the first Northmen encounter. It's nestled to the right of the Valravn and Surtr doors.

Chapter 2: The Illusion Trial

There are five Lorestones in this section of Hellblade, and they look a bit different than the ones in the previous chapter. While players have the choice to enter through either the left or right gate, many recommend to go down the left path first.

  1. Right after you open the Illusion Trial gate, venture up the kill and turn toward the right. A Lorestone is located amongst the ruins.
  2. This is one of the trickiest Lorestones to find. Later on in this chapter, players must locate the Raven Symbols and then follow Valravn to a fort by stepping through the third Illusion Gate in this area and removing a castle wall. Once you've made it to the other side, unlock the castle's interior doors, then go back to the Illusion Gate and cross it again to repair the wall. Return back to the castle and climb to the stone on the hill to reach the Lorestone.
  3. After this chapter's second enemy encounter, a Lorestone appears in plain sight. Simply walk straight toward it.
  4. Immediately after the previous Lorestone, venture into the far right corner of the area to find another.
  5. Investigate the red mark on the locked puzzle door, then turn around and repair the middle broken bridge using the Illusion Gate. You'll then walk over a drawbridge and step through another Illusion Gate that brings down the castle walls, allowing you to step inside. There, you'll crawl through a cave to find this chapter's last Lorestone.

Chapter 3: The Fire Trial

  1. After taking the right path after opening the first Fire Trial gate, you'll find a Lorestone inside a cave.
  2. Following the second Fire Trial battle, Senua escapes the burning area. Take a look at the bridge, turn left, walk down the path, and then turn again to obtain the Lorestone.
  3. This one is located in the same area, found in the burnt-down forest just after you pass underneath a bridge.
  4. Once you flee from a second burning area and encounter two houses, you'll find a Lorestone inside the house to the right.
  5. More fire and more houses are next, with the last Lorestone of Chapter 3 hidden behind the second house. You can gain access to the home through a back door.

Chapter 4: The Fortress

  1. Just before the three-symbol puzzle door, following the battle in the Fortress, take a right. You'll see a Lorestone that's super easy to spot, but you'll have to step past it at first in order to progress.
  2. Once you've scooped up the third symbol to unlock the door, scuttle down the ladder on the interior's upper floor. There, a Lorestone location is found next to another door -- just don't attempt to open it yet.

Chapter 5: Shipwreck Shore

  1. The first is located at the end of the beach near a puzzle door, on the left side of the shore.
  2. Yet another one right in your direct line of vision, the second Lorestone is found when you get closer to the symbol door.
  3. This one is sitting further down the shore just past an abandoned ship. Look for a small, rocky archway to find it.
  4. You'll spot an assortment of wrecked ships at the end of the beach. Turn right as you enter the area and pick up the fourth Lorestone.
  5. The fifth is located near the shore around the left side of a tree, between two Metal Runestones.
  6. In the same location, you'll find another just behind the tree past the Labyrinth Metal Runestone.

Four different challenge portals -- the Labyrinth Shard Trial, the Tower Shard Trial, the Swamp Shard Trial, and the Blindness Shard Trial -- will open once you've interacted with the tree. In order to move through Hellblade, all challenges must be completed. We'll be running through them in the order previously listed.

Chapter 6: Labyrinth Shard Trial

  1. Choose the shard challenge portal, then turn left and travel along the Labyrinth island's shoreline until you come to a dead end. The first Lorestone can be found between two large rocks.
  2. Take a left after you enter the Labyrinth, followed by another left, where you'll see a room with a beam of light coming down from the right side. The second Lorestone is at a dead end on the left.
  3. This is another one inside the actual Labyrinth. Follow the correct entrance path -- left, right, left -- to encounter the crossroads with the map on the floor. The corridor is only partially lit, and the roof is patchy, but the Lorestone is there.
  4. To obtain this Lorestone, you must take the wrong way. Make a slight turn turn toward a dark tunnel and continue moving through the maze, lighting torches along the way. Go right, right, left, right until you reach a side room that contains the last Lorestone of the Labyrinth Shard Trial.

Chapter 7: Tower Shard Trial

  1. The first Lorestone in the Tower is located in the Past World after crossing the bridge. When you first run up to the Rune Gate, the Lorestone is on the left.
  2. Located on the main floor of the Tower, the second one is near a dining table.
  3. This one is also located on the main floor, but is only found in Present Time. It's sitting at the bottom of the staircase in front of a broken wall.
  4. The fourth Tower Shard Trial Lorestone is one that you must be in the Present to find. It's located on the second floor of the tower to the right of the Rune Door.
  5. Found on the top floor, now in the Past World, the fifth Lorestone is between the doors of the inner balcony. Turn right before passing through the doors.
  6. The last Tower Shard Trial Lorestone is on the highest floor in the Past World. You must lower the second bridge to reach it, and it's just outside on the same balcony the final Rune is.

Chapter 8: Swamp Shard Trial

  1. The first Swamp area Lorestone is near the end, where you must repair the bridge. It sits behind an Illusion Gate near a watch tower.
  2. Once you've fixed the bridge and have entered the house, face the building's three-symbol lock and turn around to spot the second Lorestone in the back. Be mindful to not scan the glyphs on the door because if you do, you'll be teleported to another area in the game, thus losing out on the Lorestone.

Chapter 9: Blindness Shard Trial

Unfortunately, no Lorestones can be found in the Blindness Shard Trial.

Chapter 10: Helheim

  1. The first stone in this section is on top of the stairs immediately after you enter the Helheim Mountain.
  2. Near the caves by the reflection symbol, in the biggest cave to the right-hand side, you'll see a Lorestone standing in a beam of light.
  3. Once you emerge from the caves, take the stairs but avoid unlocking the door, which has a hole to its left. There's a ledge inside it, which you'll use to climb and pick up the third Lorestone. This one is quite easy to spot, but it may be difficult to see in the dark.
  4. A while later, after opening the following puzzle door, walk underneath a waterfall. The moisture will extinguish your torch, forcing you to light it again. On the other side of a wooden beam, take a right. Another Lorestone is sitting near a pack of crucified corpses.
  5. In the same area, you'll come across another sealed door that reads "M" in glowing red ink. The penultimate Helheim Lorestone is to the left of this door.
  6. Finally, immediately after the previously discussed door, there will be a Lorestone nestled inside a tunnel.

Chapter 11: Post-Fenrir

  1. Once you've successfully vanquished Fenrir, take the stairs and climb the ladder located on the left wall. Squeeze tight against the right wall, and you'll encounter a room with a spiral staircase. There, at the bottom of the stairs, is the first Lorestone of Chapter 11.
  2. The second Lorestone comes just after a cutscene where you see a giant bridge leading into a gate. When you turn around, you'll see a barred door. The Lorestone is located to the right.
  3. First, you must trigger an illusion. Zoom in on the wooden bridge to repair it, then stand on that exact spot and start grabbing glass shards in the air, pairing them with their respective walls. Once the wall has opened, take the stairs down into the old prison. The Lorestone is in an open prison cell on the right.
  4. Leading up from the prison cells, there's another bridge piece that needs assembling. Ascend the entire staircase and find the Lorestone at the top.

Now equipped with all the Lorestone knowledge one could ever need, players (especially those completists out there) can go forth and conquer. Best of luck!

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is out now on PC and PS4.