I was beginning to despair a bit at finding The Queen in Valheim. As I mentioned last time around, the Ashlands update changed up the map so the one location I had for her was bad. Not only that, but I began to suspect that the map generated from our world seed was not as accurate as I had hoped.
I had been thrashing about, not quite knowing what was looking for yet still trying to find it. I was sure it would have to be somewhat distinctive. Then I had a bit of luck. I was clearing out one of the infected mines I had found while searching and stumbled upon the rune that would reveal the location of The Queen.
Deep in an infected mine
Activating that put a new marker on my map. It was north of my current location and it was going to require some sailing to get there. Looking at the world map site I chose a course that would get me as close by water as I could manage.
Though the map on that site and the in-game world did still seem to be at odds, I managed to slip around and through some islands and landed in the vicinity of the marker.
Sailing to The Queen
This time I had remembered to go back to base and swap to the Moder power, so I could change the direction of the wind to speed my travel, but it still took a while to navigate through the islands around my destination.
Finally, after two days at sea I made it to some land that was close enough to the market on the map that I knew I should be able to walk there. Day 631 dawned as I started overland towards the marker.
A new day searching for The Queen
As I came around a steep outcropping, I spotted something that looked like a building. I was then beset by seekers, who attacked from the building.
Seekers attempt to waylay my search
I managed to fend off two waves of seekers only to go around the corner and see my goal rising up from the landscape, lit by the rosy fingers of the dawn. The lair of The Queen.
This must be the place
I immediately went up into the structure… and you know, for all the searching I did online about how to find The Queen, nobody seemed to have a nice, ground level view of what I was looking for… and put down a crafting bend then built a portal. No matter what happened, I wanted to be able to get back there.
Setting up shop on The Queen’s doorstep
As mentioned in the last post, I had the sealbreaker needed to open the door already, so I cracked open the door just to see what was inside.
The Queen has a dry ice fog machine going in there I think…
But I didn’t jump in to engage just yet. First I went back to base, made sure everything was repaired, ate some food, made sure I had potions on hand, and only then did I return and step through the door.
On either side of the foyer was a short tunnel that led into a tall open area with stair cases leading up and up.
Kind of creepy
There were some mobs on the main floor that I cleared out. I had read that The Queen summons quite a few mobs to help her, so I wanted to start off ahead on that. And then I went far enough in to trigger the boss. The Queen was on her way down to greet me.
She can’t handle it all… or something…
She was upstairs but came on down to get me. I used my bow to get in some early hits, swapping between poison and fire just to see what would harm her most. So she was pretty much lit when she made it down to me.
The she summoned more helpers, I fought with them, getting some blows in on her, before she disappeared back up to the top of the stairs to come at me again. So the bow was out and we carried on.
The Queen on fire
The adds made it tough to get in many attacks on The Queen, as did her main attack which comes with quite a bit of knock-back. I did pretty well fending her off and getting in a special attack now and then.
I did dies a little past the halfway point when she pinned me against a wall with her bulk in such a way that I couldn’t get at her. But death holds little sting… not since I turned down the death penalty in any case. So I came back and went at her again.
That reminded me that I could leave, take a break, then come back in and carry on if I was getting into trouble… or if my sword ran down its durability, which it did. So out of the instance, into the portal and back to base to repair, rest up, and return.
Eventually I got in that last blow and The Queen was no more.
The Queen is dead, long live The Queen… but only after I get out of here
Even on the easy setting, that was quite a fight, though I suspect we could have managed it as a group on a harder setting, if only because it is fairly easy to step out of the instance to get yourself together.
Once outside Munin was eager to tell me about where to head next.
Go south young viking
But I had things to do first.
The Queen dropped the majestic carapace that is the crafting piece needed for upgrades as well as her trophy, which I hung up on the stone by our base.
The Queen’s trophy mounted
I had read that the stone for the Ashlands had been stuffed into the circle rather awkwardly, and whoever said that was correct. You can see that stone between The Queen and Eikthyr, like it showed up late and nobody left enough space for it.
Oh well. The Mistlands are done for me for all intents and purposes. I had to use mods and turn down settings, but I got there.
Now the question is whether or not I head to the Ashlands. Part of me feels like I should give it a peek. But first I have to go build the Drakkar, the special boat that can sail through the burning waters around the Ashlands. We’ll see if I am up for it.
