How to Get T1 Dragon's Claw and Ice Shard Runes in Miners Settlement

To get the Tier 1 Dragon's Claw and Ice Shard runes in Miners Settlement, you must open specific stationary chests located in side alcoves beneath the surface mine. Neither rune drops from regular surface wildlife. Clear your inventory before heading underground so you have empty slots available to claim both items when you interact with the chests.

Chest Locations in the Caverns

Both runes are stored in environmental stone chests located away from the primary pathways.

• T1 Dragon's Claw Rune: Head past the initial mine shafts into the interior rock corridors. Search the perimeter walls along winding paths to find a recessed side alcove containing an ancient chest. Interacting with the container deposits the rune into your inventory.
• T1 Ice Shard Rune: Continue beyond the central corridors into the colder, deeper pockets of the subterranean mine. Inspect the dead ends and branching hallways rather than heading directly toward elevator checkpoints. The chest rests against the back wall of a hidden side chamber.

Always verify that the rune has been transferred to your bag before teleporting back to town, as exiting an interaction menu prematurely can leave the chest unopened.

Underground Preparation Checklist

Navigating deep enough to reach both chests exposes your character to hostile mobs and mining obstacles. Prepare your expedition using the following steps:

1. Empty Your Bag in Town: Store crafting ores, stone, and loose mob drops in your central village storage chests to prevent a full inventory at the rune chest.
2. Upgrade Your Pickaxe: Low-tier mining tools slow your travel time when clearing rubble or ore blocking narrow tunnels.
3. Carry Health Recovery: Pack basic healing potions or food to recover from enemy damage during transit.
4. Fight Methodically: Avoid dragging multiple underground enemies into narrow corridors, and clear hostiles before opening stationary containers.

Rune Roles and Socket Priorities

Tier 1 runes provide modular bonuses when inserted into equipment with open sockets. Because runes represent a noticeable early upgrade, avoid inserting them into starter gear that you will replace quickly. Save them for durable weapons and armor that feature multiple open slots.