Survival crafting games are a dime a dozen, but the intricate history of Valheim's open-world environment offers players a nearly-endless expanse in which to either thrive or die. The giant glowing red runestones scattered about are hard to miss, and if you want some tips to deal with particularly troublesome enemies, you'll want to find as many as you can.
Because Valheim is procedurally generated, it's impossible to tell you the coordinates of each runestone (which adds to the fun). However, the stones seem to stay in their associated biomes, shifting around within the biome. This list will explain which runestones can be found in each biome, but it's up to you to locate them specifically in your own game.
Updated on November 22, 2021, by Kim Dailey: Thanks to its vast folklore tied to the game's expansive environment, Valhiem has earned its place among the gods of independent gaming. With new updates, consistent fixes, and additional content every so often, Valheim is laying the groundwork to weather through the ages. That's why we need to do our part to keep our info on that content relevant, so we've brushed up on our folklore and added a few new entries to round out our knowledge of Runestones.
Plains Biome - Seven Runestones
Harald's Last Battle: Harald's story is carved into this stone, begging the player to remember his triumphs over creatures like Eikthyr the Great Stag and the Mother Drake.
Ulf: This is a simple carving detailing that Ulf hates the heat.
A Note To The Traveller: Odin dislikes the abominations known as the Forsaken Ones who hide somewhere in the barren lands and will reward the vanquisher of this foe according to this stone.
Shooting Star Sighting: This carving marks the spot of a fallen star that gifted the discoverer fresh ore to form into a sword, a gift from Odin.
Another Task From Odin: The writer of this stone was visited by Odin in a dream and told to carve this stone as proof. It also mentions killing the Forsaken for Odin's favor in Valhalla.
The Dead Below: This stone warns the player of the dangers of searching a nearby cavern filled with the bodies of the dead, as not all are entirely dead and will put up a fight if they feel threatened.
Wisdom of The Yield: This runestone simply says, "Where no rain falls, And no crops grow, Still the ground can give up treasures."
Meadows Biome - Seven Runestones
A Warning, A Mercy: The runestone warns of danger ahead, despite having Odin's blessing. Staying away from the trees will aid you, as will fearing the Horned One while sparing his kin.
The Allfather: This is a carving explaining the history of how the Allfather united the realms and planted various beings in one place, and forsook others unto Valheim.
Ulf's House Tips: Ulf left you all the information necessary to build yourself a good house for all of your furniture plans. He's a helpful fellow if a bit straightforward.
Frey and Odin: A praise to Odin and Frey for supplying all the materials and resources necessary for survival on Valheim.
Amnesia Astrid: A quick note from a shieldmaiden with no memory of how she came to be here but has dedicated herself to following the raven and fighting for Odin.
The Boar Stone: This stone refers to the surrounding landscape, discussing the materials available to find and utilize. It also mentions the boars nearby; they're generally aggressive out of fear of man and afraid of fire, but they can be tamed if you are gentle and give them their favorite foods.
Hearth and Home: Another short poem - "Where the grass grows underfoot, And the sky is blue overhead, There will always be a hearth and a home."
The Necks: This stone describes the aggressive blue-eyed lizards that dwell near the water's edge. Nasty little pests, but their tails make for a scrumptious meal.
Brash Words: This stone speaks of a natural incident that befell a traveler in the meadows. They spoke rash words to the gods but quickly repented with this stone so as not to incur more ill-fortune.
For The Fallen: Speaking to fallen sisters and brothers of the shield wall, this rune honors and comforts the fallen warriors and shieldmaidens, recognizing their valor and emboldening them to recreate themselves and their glory in Valheim while leaving past transgressions behind.
Black Forest Biome - Eight Runestones
The Darkest Dark: A simple warning to tend to your fire in the forest. You'll need it.
Balance In The Wood: This stone talks about how everything in the Black Forest is connected, and if you leave yourself vulnerable, the invulnerable will come for you. Keep your sword ready.
Ulf: He carved a stone but has nothing to say.
Harald's Dreams: Harald discusses the haunting memory of those he killed.
The Old One: This stone is a warning to beware of The Old One, once a part of Yggdrasil the Tree of Life but now banished by Odin. He wields an axe now.
The Valkyries: A carving from someone brought to Valheim by the Valkyries, mentioning the disturbing notion that they are not the first people to be here. Where did they go?
Seven: Seven powerful creatures were banished to Valheim because they wouldn't bow to Odin, and the carver will continue to add to the list of encounters as he found each of the powerful ones.
Greydwarf Tips: There's a runestone with the history and weaknesses of these enemies.
Swamp Biome - Ten Runestones
Ulf's House Tips Again: Heed Ulf's warning, and don't build a house near the swamp waters because your bed will get wet, and you will be grumpy.
Warnings For The Traveller: This stone warns of toxic waters and Draugr prowling the lands for victims. Move quickly through these lands if you want to live!
Treasures In The Swamp: You can find some glittering things if you're brave enough to traverse the swamp. A warrior's reward for a warrior's bravery.
The Last Survivor: One sad runestone tells of a man abandoned by Odin, his party killed, and his ultimate despair and loneliness stranded in the swamps. Yikes.
Surtling Tip #1: This stone tells you to keep to high ground as they lean towards the swamp. You can spot them by their lights most of the time.
Draugr Mercy: Draugr are pitiful creatures, so don't feel bad about ending their suffering with your sword, according to this stone. Or your boot, with this new mod.
Three Line Poem: "Below the mist and murk/Bone speaks to bone/Remembering flesh."
Surtling Tip #2: Warning the player, this runestone tells the history of the fiery enemies. Be wary of their ability to throw fire at a distance, fletchings of the larger and broken Surtr.
Draugr History Lesson: Draugr aren't inherently born but instead created from the corpses of fallen soldiers with too much pride to go into Valhalla. They're too proud to die.
Wraith History Lesson: Opposite the Draugr, Wraith enemies are people who did not die in battle and therefore did not earn their way into Valhalla's war-born halls. These souls are flimsy and weak, driven by bitterness and jealousy.
Mountain Biome - Nine Runestones
A Lament: This stone talks of the final two members of a twenty-person party, slowly dying, in search of the Winged One.
Ulf: He spots a drake and vows never to come back here again.
Mountain Voices: This note speaks of the thin air of the mountains and the sounds that one may hear if they listen close enough.
Ulf The Brave: Writes that he hid from the drake as it flew overhead.
More Drake Warnings: This stone tells you not to bother the drake eggs unless you're looking for a tough fight, also about other monsters that lurk in the cold.
Three Line Poem: "Great cities do not rise of themselves/Harden your heart, settler in a strange land/Build from the ground upwards."
Astrid's Mission: Astrid's story continues with Odin, as at the place of this stone, he spoke to her and gave her her mission.
A Poetic Warning: This stone cryptically warns you about the looming threat, Fenring.
More Drake Information: This story depicts the hierarchy of the Drakes within the clan. If an abundance of male Drakes wasn't scary enough, the rare chance to see a female Drake could be your ultimate undoing.
The Odd Ball Runestone
This stone is debated whether it exists in-game or not, some saying they've found it, and some say it's not in the game. It has no set biome. It's another stone depicting the relationship between the Allfather and the realm of Valheim.
Vegvisir
We should probably also mention Vegvisirs, a particular set of runestones used for summoning a different boss in each biome. There is a select Vegvisir for each boss that will appear near particular establishments or formations in the correlating biome for each encounter.
- Eikthyr's Vegvisir is always located on a stone near the stone circle spawn point in the Meadows.
- The Elder's Vegvisir can be searched out within one of the Black Forest's Burial Chambers.
- Bonemass' Vegvisir will spawn time to time within the Swamp's Sunken Crypts.
- Moder's Vegvisir can be found near one of the dilapidated stone towers in the Mountains.
- Yagluth's Vegvisir will turn up near Fuling Villages in the Plains.