Players venturing into Valheim's challenging 1.0 update for the Deep North may encounter a formidable obstacle: a large, locked door requiring an Intricate Key. The journey to obtain this key is multifaceted, involving exploration, resource gathering, and specific crafting steps.
Locating Key Moulds and Frostcores
To begin, players must explore the snow-covered villages within the Deep North. Within the largest building in these settlements, a multi-story dwelling, players can find a hole in the floor. Descending into these hidden tunnels will reveal a multitude of enemies and valuable resources. Among these are Frostcores, glowing blue ice formations, and various moulds. It is crucial to collect moulds specifically for the Intricate Key, as each mould can only be used once, and at least three keys are eventually required for progression.
Crafting Essential Structures
Upon collecting the first Frostcore, players will unlock the recipe for the Frost Foundry. This structure requires 10 Frostcore, 15 iron, and 20 stone to build at a player's base. Additionally, obtaining ice is necessary, which can be gathered from icy surfaces in the Deep North using a black metal pickaxe. Harvesting ice provides the recipe for the Frigid Kiln, which can be constructed with 10 Frostcore, 20 stone, and 5 ice. The Frigid Kiln also requires ice as fuel.
Obtaining Bloodgold
The next significant step involves acquiring bloodgold, a resource necessary for casting the Intricate Key. Bloodgold is obtained by defeating and subsequently destroying Gammeltrolls. These large creatures can be encountered through exploration. To effectively defeat them, players must first prepare ember charges. This involves collecting embers from an Ember Monument, which is built at the base using a drop from the Ashlands boss, Fader. Ember charges are then crafted using these embers and pelts obtained from seals found in the Deep North.
Processing and Crafting the Key
After defeating a Gammeltroll, it will petrify, allowing players to destroy the petrified remains using the prepared ember charges. The resulting Gammeltroll remains yield petrified tissue, which can then be smelted into bloodgold in a blast furnace. With bloodgold secured, players can return to their black forge. Here, they will use 5 bloodgold and one "Mould: Intricate Key" to create a "Cast: Intricate Key." This cast is then placed into the Frost Foundry. Liquid frost, created by adding ice to the Frigid Kiln, must also be added to the Frost Foundry. After approximately one minute, the Frost Foundry will produce the completed Intricate Key, ready for use on the locked doors in the Deep North.