Dune Awakening Eighth Trial of Aql guide: How to solve the puzzle

If you've made it this far in Dune Awakening, congratulations, as you're about to face the most intricate and immersive part of the Trials of Aql. The Eighth Trial, often referred to as The Footsteps of the Fremen, is no ordinary quest. It’s the last and most lore-heavy challenge, packed with difficult riddles, layered puzzles, deep and atmospheric exploration, and a final confrontation you won’t forget.

This guide is to walk you through everything, from locating the mysterious Sietch Ta’lab to completing each stage of the multi-part puzzle in Dune Awakening. Whether you're in it for the lore, the rewards, or just trying to get that sweet feeling of completion, here’s exactly how you can conquer the Eighth Trial of Aql in Dune Awakening with confidence.

Also Read — Dune Awakening Research and Intel points system, explained

Where to find the Eighth Trial: Sietch Ta’lab location

You’ll want to navigate toward the border where Mysa Tarill, Eastern Shield Wall, and Jabal Eifrit Al-Gharb meet (Image via Funcom)

Let’s start with the hardest part of this quest: just getting to the location. Unlike earlier trials, this one doesn’t appear on your map until you’re practically standing on top of it. You’ll want to navigate toward the border where Mysa Tarill, Eastern Shield Wall, and Jabal Eifrit Al-Gharb meet. It’s here that you’ll find Sietch Ta’lab, the hidden base of operations for this final test of the lengthy questline.

Keep an eye out for a large rocky fissure carved into the desert landscape. This is the main entrance to the underground sietch. Once you head inside, you’ll be met with winding tunnels, loot-filled rooms, and a friendly NPC who serves as your guide.

Pro tip: Even if the map doesn’t mark it for you, zoom in on the terrain near the Eastern Shield Wall and look for land formations that suggest a cave or gap in the mountainside — you’re looking for a spot you can physically enter.

Step-by-step walkthrough of the Eighth Trial in Dune Awakening

Once you enter Sietch Ta’lab, the trial begins. The location is more than just a puzzle chamber. It’s an entire dungeon filled with deep lore, dialogue, dangerous enemies, and environmental hazards.

Here’s how you can navigate through it all and come out alive:

1) Meet Ari — Your Fremen companion

You’ll run into Ari, a fellow Fremen and your companion throughout the span of this trial (Image via Funcom)

Shortly after entering the Sietch, you’ll run into Ari, a fellow Fremen and your companion throughout this trial. Ari isn’t just there to add flavor to the location — they help set the much-needed emotional tone and provide hints during certain puzzle segments.

Take the time to talk with them. This deepen your understanding of the Fremen culture, with some dialogue options offering clues that come in handy later.

2) Ornate door puzzle — Lore quiz solution

The massive ornate door stands in your way (Image via Funcom)

Your first major obstacle is a locked, ornate door that demands answers to a set of seven lore-based questions. These are not random — each one draws specifically from the historical and cultural memory of the Fremen people. If you’ve read codex entries or listened to NPCs carefully during earlier quests, some questions might ring a bell.

But no stress. Here are the correct answers in order:

Nilotic al-Ourouba
Poritrin
Salusa Secundus
Bela Teguese
Rossak
Thurgrod
Harmonthep

Answering them correctly triggers a short cutscene, and the massive door will open. Beyond that, the next challenge awaits.

3) Symbol matching puzzle – Ecology and culture

You need to match a series of symbols with the correct concepts spoken by the projection (Image via Funcom)

After navigating a few corridors (don’t forget to loot the chests along the way), you’ll reach a chamber with a Solido Projection of a lecturer discussing ecology and environmental harmony.

In this room, you need to match a series of symbols with the correct concepts spoken by the projection. These symbols appear on walls and arches throughout the room. It’s one of the trickier segments if you're not paying close attention, but once again, here’s your cheat sheet:

Bind – Dune – Grass
Planting – Shelter – Downwind
Animal – Aerate – Soil

Use the buttons in the center of the room to rotate the symbols until the words and images align correctly. Once everything matches, the path forward will open, leading to the next segment of the quest.

4) Deathstill puzzle – Rotate the rings

To activate the device and access the next phase, you need to rotate the three rings to align them into a very specific pattern (Image via Funcom)

Next, you'll stumble across a large mechanical structure connected to a Fremen Deathstill, a device used to extract water from the dead.

To activate the device and access the next phase, you will need to rotate the three rings to align them in a very specific pattern. Each ring rotates independently while slightly affecting the other. Don’t worry if it seems confusing at first — here’s exactly how many times to rotate each ring:

Inner Ring – 2 rotations
Middle Ring – 1 rotation
Outer Ring – 2 rotations

When the rings are properly aligned, Ari will say “Very good.” That’s your signal that you nailed it. Interact with the Deathstill to proceed to the next phase.

5) Unlocking the final console

Look to the left of the entrance door — there’s a console panel you can interact with (Image via Funcom)

After solving the Deathstill puzzle, head down the hallway till you find a room with another Solido Projection. It’ll explain that a safe is hidden within the walls, and you’ll need to provide your blood to unlock it.

Look to the left of the entrance door — there’s a console panel you can interact with. Once you do, your character will use their blood to open the hidden compartment. This triggers the opening of the final chamber.

6) Final encounter – Survive the assault

As you descend into a large open area, a wave of Maas Kharet enemies will appear (Image via Funcom)

Your last task is to survive a hostile assault. As you descend into a large open area, a wave of Maas Kharet enemies will appear. This battle isn’t overly difficult if you’ve geared up well, but it’s definitely a test of endurance and movement.

Combat tip: Stay on the move and watch for AoE attacks. Use environmental cover where possible and consider saving your ultimate ability for the second wave if you're using one.

Once the final enemy falls, the trial ends, and the exit route will open. You’ve officially completed the Eighth Trial of Aql.

Rewards – What you get for finishing the final trial

Completing the Footsteps of the Fremen earns you a few significant rewards:

100 XP
Access to new gear and questlines tied to the Fremen legacy.
The immense satisfaction of completing the full Trial of Aql arc.

While the XP may seem modest, the trial itself is more about progression and prestige than loot. It’s the narrative and symbolic culmination of your journey through the Fremen trials, while also acting as the doorway to deeper faction integration down the line.

Why this Trial matters

What makes the Eighth Trial special in Dune Awakening, isn't just the layered puzzles or intense ending — it’s the way it ties together everything you've learned about the Fremen, the deserts of Arrakis, and the ways of survival. From ecology to cultural memory, the trial tests your attention to detail, your curiosity, and your willingness to embrace the desert’s harsh truths.

If you’ve been hungry for more than fetch quests or standard combat trials, this segment of Dune Awakening delivers something far richer. It rewards thoughtful players who love lore as much as loot and offers a truly immersive way to end your Trials of Aql journey.

Now that you’ve solved the mysteries of Sietch Ta’lab, faced down the Maas Kharet, and walked in the footsteps of the Fremen, you’ve earned more than just XP.

You’ve earned the desert’s respect!

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About the author

Jagaran is an MMO and ARPG writer at Sportskeeda. His involvement in the gaming industry also includes working as a concept artist and as a narrative designer.
At age of nine, Halo: Combat Evolved kicked off his love for the medium. He looks back fondly on the times he visited cyber cafes, watching the older boys playing the game and shouting, "Master Chief!"
If given a chance to inhabit a game world, he would eagerly jump into the breathtaking world of Halo.
He admires Ben "CohhCarnage" Cassell for his engaging dialogue and gameplay as well as his critical thinking regardless of how much he loves the game, which encouraged him to spend countless hours in games and technically analyze them.
In his free time, he enjoys writing books, cooking, sketching, and the occasional game of football.

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Edited by Abhishek Manikandan