The Hidden Vale is one of three major zones inside the Realm of Piercing Winds in Death Howl, connecting directly to The Breathing Chasm, The Meadows of Delusion, and northern paths leading toward The Glacial Maw. Exploring this expansive snowy zone requires uncovering its Sacred Groves to reveal the map layout, clearing specific spirit encounters to unlock secret totems, and unearthing hidden caves containing realmless Fylge summon cards.
How to Access and Reveal The Hidden Vale Map
You can access The Hidden Vale from two different routes during your journey through the Realm of Piercing Winds:
- From The Meadows of Delusion: Travel directly into the zone entrance along the lower regional border.
- From The Breathing Chasm: Fast travel to the southwest Sacred Grove in The Breathing Chasm, then head west down the lower path to step into The Hidden Vale.
When entering from The Breathing Chasm, proceed along the lower path and bypass the initial Elder Spirit encounter to reach an encounter with two spirits directly to the north. Defeating them brings you to the first regional Sacred Grove. Interacting with this Sacred Grove unlocks the zone map on your screen.
The Hidden Vale features multiple rest points and travel shortcuts:
- Central Sacred Grove: Located in the center of the zone, adjacent to the cliffside where the Wooly Spirit appears. It acts as the staging area for crossing the frozen lake to the north.
- Southern Sacred Grove: Unlocked in the lower section of the region, providing an access route and shortcut toward the mountain area.
Secrets and Collectibles in The Hidden Vale
The zone hides several permanent upgrades, including powerful totems and a realmless summon card.
| Collectible | Type | Location / Method | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cone | Fylge Summon Card | Hidden cave in the eastern snowfields | Costs 2 mana (Realmless, Exhaust). Summons a stationary entity with 7 HP that gains 1 Block each turn and retaliates against all 4 adjacent tiles when struck. |
| Frozen Driftwood | Totem | Center-north frozen lake puzzle | Each turn: Gain 1 Block. |
| Petrified Cheernut | Totem | Nest encounter loot | Equipped effects: -1 Mana action point, discard 1 random card each turn, +1 additional Block whenever gaining Block from any source. |
| Thick Fur | Totem | Reward for "The Laughing Face of Death" quest | Once per battle: Negates the first fatal strike. (In Patch 1.0.0.5, it preserves your current health rather than setting it to 1). |
Unlocking the Cone Summon Card
To obtain the Cone Fylge card:
- Travel to the eastern edge of The Hidden Vale map.
- Locate the hidden cave entrance buried beneath the drifts and click the snow to clear the entryway.
- Enter the cave to trigger Spirit Encounter W, featuring Aurorite, Elder Aurorite, and Weeping Tusk spirits.
- Defeat the spirits and interact with the Needle Cone object at the back of the cave. After the cutscene, the realmless Cone card is added to your collection.
Solving the Frozen Driftwood Puzzle
North of the central Sacred Grove lies a large frozen lake with faded markings on the ice and the shadow of an aquatic creature swimming underneath:
- Note the central ritual circle marked with faint symbols on the ice.
- Locate the three surrounding Elder Spirit encounters across the lake: one to the northwest, one to the east, and one to the west.
- Defeat all three spirit mobs. Each victory removes a glowing white symbol from the respective combat ground.
- Return to the center of the lake. The top section of the central symbol will now glow white.
- Step directly onto the circle to collect the Frozen Driftwood totem.
Hidden Vale Side Quests
The zone hosts several regional side quests and achievement objectives that provide Teardrops, totems, and story progression.
The Laughing Face of Death
Resting at the central Sacred Grove revives a nearby Wooly Spirit on the cliffside, which immediately leaps off the edge.
- Rest at the Sacred Grove a second time and speak with the revived spirit before it jumps again.
- Rest a third time and exhaust its dialogue to receive the Boulder Quest Card (2 Mana cost, removes ailments when played, freezes Ro for 1 turn if drawn from the draw pile).
- Carry the Boulder to the clifftop overlooking the grove. Because holding a quest card disables fast travel to unlocked Sacred Groves, you must walk past four spirit encounters along the path.
- Deliver the boulder to the clifftop marker.
- Return to the central Sacred Grove and speak with the Wooly Spirit to receive the Thick Fur totem and unlock "The Laughing Face of Death" achievement.
The Warrior Statue Miniboss
In the southeast corner of The Hidden Vale stands a monolithic stone statue:
- Amass at least 15 Death Howls in your inventory.
- Interact with the statue to make the Death Howl symbol glow, opening a hidden cave entrance.
- Enter the cave and defeat the multi-wave miniboss encounter consisting of three hogs, two elder hogs, and the primary miniboss.
- Defeating the encounter rewards Teardrop upgrade points, a combat totem, and the "Warrior" achievement.
Scattered Senses (Hearing)
During the overarching "Scattered Senses" quest initiated at the stone carving in the Valley of Desolation, you must locate the scattered sensory organs of Ro's mother across the realms. The sensory organ for Hearing (the ear) is situated within The Hidden Vale and reveals itself as you approach its designated exploration point.
Regional Materials and Enemies
Gathering craft materials from overworld nodes and defeating wandering spirits allows you to craft Piercing Winds deck recipes.
Common Overworld Nodes
- Needle Cone
- Prickle Tree Branch
- Edged Negoturine
- Sunfrost
- Speckled Murkanite
- Wounded Tongue
Encountered Spirit Types
Spirits roaming The Hidden Vale include Aurorite, Elder Aurorite, Grimsnout, Elder Grimsnout, Weeping Tusk, Elder Weeping Tusk, Frostgrowl, Elder Frostgrowl, Doomglare, Elder Doomglare, and Horned Menace. Defeating these enemies yields specific crafting drops such as Fur of Frostgrowl, Snout of Grimsnout, Core of Elder Aurorite, and Eye of Elder Horned Menace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you fast travel while carrying the Boulder Quest Card in The Hidden Vale?
No. Holding any active quest card disables teleportation between unlocked Sacred Groves. You must travel on foot to the mountain cliff to place the boulder.
What are the combat stats of the Cone summon card?
The Cone card costs 2 mana, has the Realmless and Exhaust tags, has 7 HP, and cannot move. It gains 1 Block every turn and counterattacks all four adjacent tiles whenever it takes damage.
How do you open the cave for the Warrior achievement?
You must collect and hold 15 Death Howls before interacting with the monolithic statue in the southeastern area of The Hidden Vale. The stone will glow and unlock the underground miniboss cave.
