Dune: Awakening: All Trial of Aql locations

Completing each Trial of Aql in Dune: Awakening unlocks important gear and abilities that'll help you survive and thrive in the scorching, worm-infested deserts of Arrakis. Whether it's the ability to craft a stillsuit and keep yourself hydrated, consume spice to enhance your abilities and shank enemies with a Crysknife, or gain access to the iconic sandworm Thumper, all of these are locked behind trial completions.

Most challenges are pretty straightforward, but the main difficulty is puzzling out each Trial of Aql location using the riddle and clue map in the journey quest menu. Here I'll provide the means for you to find each trial location, what you'll get as a reward, plus some tips around accessing the trickier ones that require you to climb.

First Trial of Aql location

This first trial location is in Mihna Cavern in Hagga Basin South, which isn't tough to find since the game literally guides you to this first one as part of the Trials of the Past quest. Once you inhale the spice and sneak around avoiding the floating eyeballs, you'll be rewarded with the Scavenger Stillsuit schematics, so you can craft your first stillsuit to recycle water for you to drink.

Second Trial of Aql location

The second trial is a bit trickier; you'll have to find it yourself using a map in the journey menu and the following riddle:

• "Para-southeast of the great hammer of Mirzabah… the shattered teeth of the gods… nestled between molar and incisor… a cavity revealed."

The second Trial of Aql is located in The Deep Struggle cave in Eastern Vermilius Gap, to the southeast of the giant hammer rock formation you can see at the centre of the region. If you haven't acquired one, you'll need a sandbike to cross the sands from Hagga Basin South to Vermillius without getting sandwormed.

Otherwise, head southeast from the hammer to find the formation of pinnacles and the cave marked above—look for the ruins with the sideways eye symbol protecting the cave entrance. The reward for this trial is the Static Compactor schematic, which lets you harvest flour sand for making silicone blocks.

Third Trial of Aql location

The third trial is a bit easier than the last one since it doesn't actually involve a trial at all. Once again, you need to navigate via a map and a riddle:

• "Para-west of the great hammer of Mirzabah… a table of stone for god's feast… turn para-north from its bounty and seek the cave of the purple eye."

This trial is located in the Cave of the Lost Pilgrim in West Vermillius Gap. Head west from the big stone hammer rock formation at the centre of the region and you'll soon spot a table-like rock formation in the distance held up by two pillars; this is your objective. A little way north of the table itself—but still part of the same overall rock formation—you'll find the Cave of the Lost Pilgrim, as marked in the screen above.

There are a few enemies to beat inside, but otherwise it's simply a case of getting to the trial chamber and listening to a message there. Unfortunately, someone has smashed up the trial stone in this one, so no spice-induced hallucinations for you this time.

Fourth Trial of Aql location

The fourth trial is tricky to access, mainly because it involves a lot of climbing. Same as before, you'll have a small map and a riddle:

• "The iron hammer that beats the dead who cannot enter paradise. The head of the hammer awaits."

That's right; you've got to climb the hammer rock formation in the centre of the Vermillius region to access the Hollow Hammer cave. I'd suggest grabbing the permit for the Emperor's Wings from Imperial Testing Station 2 if you haven't already, and completing the contract for Ghavouri at the Griffin's Reach Trade Post in Hagga Basin South.

Once you climb around halfway up on the southern side of the rock formation, you'll find some ruins and a broken staircase you can climb up to the cave entrance. Inhale the spice, complete the trial—which involves fighting a load of enemies in melee—and you'll unlock a few different things:

• A third skill slot
• The Unfixed Crysknife schematic
• The ability to consume spice and enter the supercharged Presience combat state

Fifth Trial of Aql Location

The fifth trial can be found in Hagga Rift, on the eastern edge of the huge ravine. It's called The Hidden Test and when you reach its location you'll see purple eye emblem on the rock and you'll have to jump down into a deep pit—so make sure your suspensor is in good working order.

The trial itself isn't hard: just avoid the quicksand (and if you don't, no worries, you can just try again). During the trial you'll receive:

• Thumper crafting recipe

Sixth trial of AQL Location

The sixth trial can be found by traveling far into the northeastern corner of Hagga Rift, a cave called Devil's Eye Cavern. (It's also the location of a Swordmaster trainer quest, so this is a good opportunity to complete it).

There's no actual trial here: like the third trial, it's been vandalized. You'll find a recording to listen to, however.

Seventh Trial of Aql Location

You'll find the seventh trial in Hagga Rift, deep down in the ravine. Its in a cave called The Maw and has an entrance near some mining equipment, along with a few enemies.

The trial itself involves sandstorms, so you'll be running and climbing as fast as you can to reach Stilltents to hide in for safety. Don't worry if you fail, you'll be reset and can try again. The trial will reward you with:

• Stilltent crafting recipe

Eighth Trial of Aql Location

The eighth and final Trial of Aql, called "Footsteps of the Fremen," is located where three regions meet: The Eastern Shield Wall, Mysa Tarill, and Jabal Eifrit Al-Gharab.

The most important thing to know when trying to find the cave is that it is not up high on the Eastern Shield Wall. It is down at the very bottom. Look along the base of the shield wall until you see a large emblem and a ageway leading into the cliff wall. The cave is called Sietch Ta'lab.

This is a long quest with many steps and several puzzles, so read our Dune: Awakening Eighth Trial of Aql puzzle solutions guide if you need help.

The trial will reward you with:

• Fremen Deathstill recipe