What’s the quickest way to unlock portals for faster travel?

Unlocking portals in Valheim is essential for faster travel across the vast world. Portals allow you to instantly teleport between two linked points, saving you hours of running or sailing. To unlock portals, you need to gather specific resources and progress through the early game efficiently. The key materials required are Fine Wood, Greydwarf Eyes, and Surtling Cores, which are found in different biomes and require specific tools to obtain.\n\nStart by crafting a Flint Axe, which is necessary to chop down Birch or Oak trees in the Meadows biome. These trees drop Fine Wood, a critical component for crafting portals. Once you have Fine Wood, venture into the Black Forest biome to gather Greydwarf Eyes. Greydwarfs are common enemies in this biome, and they drop these items when defeated. Be prepared for combat, as Greydwarfs can swarm you if you''re not careful.\n\nNext, you''ll need Surtling Cores, which are found in Burial Chambers within the Black Forest or by defeating Surtlings in the Ashlands biome. Burial Chambers are dungeons marked by stone structures with green torches outside. Inside, you''ll find Surtling Cores in chests or on the ground. Bring a weapon, shield, and some food to survive the Skeletons and other enemies lurking inside. If you''re lucky, you might find enough cores in one or two Burial Chambers to craft multiple portals.\n\nOnce you have all the materials, return to your base and craft a Workbench if you don''t already have one. Place the Workbench in a sheltered area, as it requires a roof and walls to function. Use the Workbench to craft the Portal, which requires 20 Fine Wood, 2 Greydwarf Eyes, and 1 Surtling Core. After crafting, place the Portal in your desired location and give it a unique name. To link two portals, simply place a second Portal elsewhere and assign it the same name. The portals will connect instantly, allowing for seamless travel.\n\nA common challenge is finding enough Surtling Cores early in the game. If you''re struggling to locate Burial Chambers, explore the Black Forest thoroughly and look for the green torches marking their entrances. Alternatively, you can venture into the Swamp biome later in the game, where Surtlings spawn near Fire Geysers. Defeating them is an easy way to farm Surtling Cores, but this requires better gear and preparation.\n\nFor speedrunning, prioritize gathering Fine Wood and Greydwarf Eyes first, as these are easier to obtain. Then focus on locating Burial Chambers for Surtling Cores. Efficiently managing your inventory and avoiding unnecessary detours will save time. If you''re playing with friends, divide tasks to speed up the process—one player can gather Fine Wood while another explores the Black Forest for cores.\n\nIn summary, unlocking portals quickly involves gathering Fine Wood from Birch or Oak trees, collecting Greydwarf Eyes from Black Forest enemies, and securing Surtling Cores from Burial Chambers or Surtlings. Craft the Portal at a Workbench, link two portals with the same name, and enjoy faster travel across Valheim''s expansive world. With careful planning and efficient resource gathering, you can unlock portals early and streamline your gameplay experience.