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 to find each trial location, what you'll get as a reward, plus tips around accessing the trickier ones that require you to climb.
First Trial of Aql location
Region: Hagga Basin South
Cave: Mihna Cavern
Unlocks: Scavenger Stillsuit schematic
The First Trial of Aql 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. Look for the cavern entrance along the central, southern half of the region.
Once you inhale the spice and sneak around 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
Region: Eastern Vermillius Gap
Cave: The Deep Struggle
Unlocks: Static Compactor schematic
Quest hint: "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
Region: Western Vermillius Gap
Cave: Cave of the Lost Pilgrim
There's no reward for the Third Trial of Aql.
Quest hint: "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."
Dune's Fourth Trial of Aql is located in the Cave of the Lost Pilgrim in West Vermillius Gap. Head west from the big hammer-shaped mountain 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.
Fourth Trial of Aql location
Region: Eastern Vermillius Gap
Cave: The Hollow Hammer
Unlocks: Unfixed Crysknife schematic, third skill slot, ability to consume spice
Quest hint: "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 two Vermillius regions to access the Fourth Trial of Aql in 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, fight the gauntlet of enemies, and complete the trial to claim your spicy reward cache.
Fifth Trial of Aql Location
Region: Hagga Rift
Cave: The Hidden Test
Unlocks: Thumper schematic
Quest hint: "Where earth has sundered…across the bridges of stone… where the great stones lean…always para-east."
The fifth trial can be found in Hagga Rift inside a cave called The Hidden Test. It's on the eastern edge of the huge ravine, marked by a purple eye emblem on the rock. 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).
Sixth trial of AQL Location
Region: Jabal Eifrit Al-sharq
Cave: Devil's Eye Cavern
There's no reward for the Sixth Trial of Aq.
Quest hint: "Follow your para-compass to the north and east..amidst the jinn's towering spires..across the rift…seek the eyes among the stones."
The sixth trial can be found by traveling far into the northeastern corner of Jabal Eifrit Al-sharq, inside the 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
Region: Hagga Rift
Cave: The Maw
Unlocks: Stilltent schematic
Quest hint: "Red teeth…gaping maw…down. Down in the depths. Hunger hidden from storm and worm."
You'll find the seventh trial in Hagga Rift, deep down in the ravine. It's 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.
Eighth Trial of Aql Location
Quest: Footsteps of the Freeman
Region: Eastern Shield Wall
Cave: Sietch Ta'lab
Unlocks: Fremen Deathstill schematic
Quest hint: The crevice that hides. The mountain that protects. The sands that provide. Home."
The eighth and final Trial of Aql is inside the Sietch Ta'lab cave, which 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 passageway leading into the cliff wall.
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.
