Among God of War’s many collectible sets, the Abandon Ship set is one that you can complete relatively early in the game. As a result, it’s well worth doing as soon as you arrive at the Lake of Nine. Not only will it give you a boon of XP and hacksilver, but completing it will help you get to know the layout of the lake.
If you are unfamiliar, God of War’s collectible sets all work the same way. Each collectible you find rewards you with XP, and you get a larger XP boost when you complete the set. The collectibles themselves can also be sold off to one of the game’s vendors for a hacksilver reward. All of this can be useful to gain early in the game. When you first arrive at the Lake of Nine during the Path to the Mountain quest, take some time to head clockwise around the lake and collect these nine artifacts.
Lookout Tower, Niflheim Tower, Isle of Death, & Forgotten Caverns
The first of the artifacts can be found at Lookout Tower. When you leave the passageway that leads to the Witch’s Cave, turn right and walk along the shoreline. When you come to a dock you will find Lookout Tower. Look for a wall panel, high up above a nearby Nornir chest. Spin it to retract the spikes protruding from the ground and you can collect the artifact from in front of a corpse on the right-hand side of the chest.
The second artifact is located at Niflheim Tower. Head back past the Witch’s Cave and paddle around the Lake of Nine to find the site. Use the tower’s elevator to ascend to the top. There, you should find the artifact hidden behind a few crates on the right, beside another corpse. You should see a Mystic Gateway close to it.
The third artifact is at the Isle of Death. When you dock at the isle, climb the wall in front of you and turn left. Use the fire pot to destroy the rocks blocking your way to reveal the third collectible. From there, use the boat to reach the Forgotten Caverns. There, head to the right-hand side of the beach to find a climbable chain. At the top, turn left, and you should find the fourth artifact.
Helheim Tower, Alfheim Tower, Stone Falls, Cliffs of the Raven, & Tyr’s Bridge
The fifth Abandon Ship artifact can be found at Helheim Tower. Just as at Niflheim Tower, use the elevator to ride to the top. There, slay the Hel-walkers, and collect the artifact from beside a corpse, slumped against the doors next to the elevator. From that Tower, continue travelling around the Lake of Nine until you reach Alfheim Tower. Once again, you should ride the elevator and then make your way across the tower. The artifact should be on your left.
The seventh artifact is found further around the Lake of Nine at Stone Falls. Here, pass through the main gate and clear out the enemies inside, then on the right-hand side of the area there should be a closed gate. Climb up onto a ledge to claim the seventh artifact. Leaving Stone Falls, continue onward to the Cliffs of the Raven. On the left-hand side of what appears to be a dead giant you should find some boards that you can break. There, Atreus can be boosted up and lower a chain for you climb. Up there, you should find a Legendary chest, and past it, the eighth artifact. The final artifact is found at Tyr’s Bridge, at the dock on the eastern side. The artifact isn’t even hidden, and should be easily spotted sitting out on the dock.