Chapter 3: Homestead - Crimson Desert Map

Start of Chapter 3: Howling Hill

Chapter 2 ends with a fight against Kailok the Hornsplitter. Once you defeat him, talk to Shakatu.

You will be teleported to Hernand Goldleaf Trading Post, where the Goldleaf Merchant will send you to Hernand Town to look for the missing Greymane.

Old Friend

Main Quest, Chapter 3: Howling Hill / Homestead

The goldleaves had some information on someone calling himself a Greymane. Go look for him in the back alleys of Hernand.

Investigate the back alleys of Hernand.

Old Friend Marius

Talk to Marius for "Old Friend" Main Quest.

First Step to Rebuilding

Main Quest, Chapter 3: Howling Hill / Homestead

Rebuilding the Greymanes will require a reliable and powerful ally. Go meet with Marquis Serkis.

Go to Marquis Serkis and talk to him.

Oakenshield Manor - Marquis Serkis

Go to Oakenshield Manor and talk to Marquis Serkis for "First Step to Rebuilding" Main Quest.

Talk to the Servant standing outside the Oakenshield Manor entrance.

Talk to Marquis Serkis inside

Marquis Alan Serkis will give you a plot of land for your camp at Howling Hill.

Follow the soldier outside, to the back of builiding.

Mount up and follow the Soldier to Howling Hill [HH] to meet Marshal Barden Middler.

Howling Hill Greymane Camp

Howling Hill is the site for your new camp. You will expand it over time, making it the new base for the Greymanes.

Talk to Marshal Barden Middler for "First Step to Rebuilding" Main Quest.

You will cross paths with Damiane again, an alternative playable character.

Even though Damiane brings a lot to the table, I recommend leaving her at the camp for now and focusing on upgrading Kliff's skills.

A Fresh Start

Abyss Nexus Activate it now.

After talking to Marshal Middler and Damiane, you get your first quest tied to Howling Hill Greymane Camp.

A Fresh Start

Main Quest, Chapter 3: Howling Hill / Homestead

Complete the camp that will be the Greymane hub. Lend the workers a hand to finalize the construction.

• For "Move the sacks," make sure to drop sacks in proprer spot.
• During "Drive in the stakes," the Mallet is on a bench next to the tent.
• In "Push the wagon," you have to clear all the broken stone fragments before you can shove the cart.

The "A Fresh Start" main quest can get tricky because of its mechanics, so check out the video walkthrough below.

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A Fresh Start Quest Walkthrough

Reward for Their Sweat

Main Quest, Chapter 3: Howling Hill / Homestead

Serve a meal to the workers who labored to build the camp. Nothing expresses gratitude better than a good meal.

Personal Home

Once you finish the "A Fresh Start" main quest, you unlock your player house. You can decorate it, store your rare items there, sleep, and hang out between quests. Use "Build Mode" to place items. This place has no impact on the main story.

Inactive Abyss Nexus

There is an Abyss Nexus hidden in the brush near your house. You can burn down the plants using Focus Light, but the nexus is dead and needs repairs. You don't have the right gear for this right now, so we will circle back to it later in the story.

Return of the Comrade

Return of the Comrade

Main Quest, Chapter 3: Howling Hill / Homestead

A new base for the Greymanes has been established. It is now time to call the scattered Greymanes home. Go meet Marius.

You can find Marius in The Scrapfold. Talk to him, get on your horse, and wait for him to hop on behind you. Then, ride back to the camp in Howling Hill.

Once you get back to Howling Hill, talk to Marius, Ross, and Carl.

Halssius Conflux Ancient Ruins Abyss Cresset

We will start by solving the puzzle at the Halssius Conflux Abyss Cresset to unlock a fast travel point.

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Halssius Conflux Ancient Ruins PUZZLE

Firefly Haven Cave

Next, head over to the nearby Firefly Haven Cave. It is located on a rocky ledge by the upper waterfall. You need to cross the water to get inside. Keep in mind that passing through the waterfall requires standing close to the edge and using the Stab ability.

Inside, you will find the unique Boss Bear Helm.

Hidden Treasure Chest

Your final step before starting the "Familiar Curses" main quest is to open the hidden treasure chest on the tower. This order ensures you won't have to backtrack later, as you will be busy escaping with Yann once the quest kicks off.

Once you open the treasure chest, fast travel back to Halssius Conflux [07], then head back to the front of the bridge [10] to start "Familiar Curses."

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Hidden Treasure Chest at St. Halssius’s House of Healing

Familiar Curses - Yann

St. Halssius's House of Healing: A house of healing once dedicated to treating mental illness. With access strictly controlled and even family visits denied, it resembles a detention center more than a place of healing. In truth, it now confines more so-called "ideologically impure" individuals brought from places like Demeniss than genuine patients, and it no longer practices proper medicine.

Familiar Curses

Main Quest, Chapter 3: Howling Hill / Homestead

Rumor is there’s a Greymane who caused a rampage at St. Halssius’s House of Healing. Head to St. Halssius’s House of Healing.

St. Halssius’s House of Healing is off-limits, but you can get inside in three ways:

• Sneak in, just like breaking into any guarded estate.
• Buy a "St. Halssius Visitor Pass" at the Hernand Town church.
• Get a disguise and go in undercover, which is your best bet.

Before the bridge leading to the House of Healing, you will see three women on the left. Talk to them to learn about your options.

Right after the bridge, turn right and buy a disguise from the House of Healing Guard. Put it on and walk through the main entrance.

You can find Yann on the second floor of the main building (check out the video walkthrough below).

Fight guards and talk to Yann.

From this point on, follow him across the rooftops until you find the Pywell Wagon.

Take the wagon back to Nas River Fishing Dock with Yann and speak with him there.

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Familiar Curses Main Quest Walkthrough

Dragon's Stone Chamber Abyss Cresset

The entrance to the Ancient Ruin sits on a rocky ledge right on the cliffside. Just push the stone door inward to get inside.

Grab the Memory Fragment near the entrance before you head in.

Inside, there is a recess featuring three circular dials covered in drawings.

To solve this puzzle, you need to line up all three dials so the top of each drawing faces up. Check the room's wall for a large map of the Hernand region marked with three red crosses. Those spots point to rock murals showing the exact positions you need to copy. Line up the dials carefully, as the game requires decent precision here, and grab your reward.

Along with the Abyss Artifact, you will get Memories of Abundance.

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Dragon's Stone Chamber PUZZLE - Abyss Cresset and Memories of Abundance

Mural for Dragon's Stone Chamber

Mural for Dragon's Stone Chamber

Mural for Dragon's Stone Chamber

Memories of Abundance

You get Memories of Abundance as a reward for clearing the Dragon's Stone Chamber.

Use Memories of Abundance in your inventory to reveal the locations of the Waterside Caves in Hernand. It doesn't cover all the caves, but it is still a nice bonus.

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Secret locations revealed by Memories of Abundance from the Dragon's Stone Chamber - Crimson Desert

Hernand Highlands Cavern

The canyon also hides the Hernand Highlands Cavern, where you can pick up some Diamonds and Stalactites.

Main Quest

Crimson Desert's story is split into a Prologue, 12 Chapters, and an Epilogue. Every section is broken down into two or more Sub-Chapters, which house the Main Quests driving the narrative.

You'll need to tackle these in a specific order. Most of them kick off automatically once you wrap the last one, and you'll only ever have one active quest at a time. The starting locations for Main Quests are marked on my maps. Sticking to the main story is easily the best way to see everything the game world has to offer.

Faction Quest

Faction Quests in Crimson Desert act as side missions, completely separate from the main story and tied directly to the Reputation System. You'll run into new Faction Quest as you hit new areas and build your standing with Factions or with Main Quest progress.

Every quest you finish for a specific group increases your Contribution Rank, giving you access to more work and their specific services. Rewards go beyond just reputation, you're also looking at Abyss Artifacts, Skills, Inventory Expansions, and Camp Upgrades.

Notice Board

Notice Boards are a vital hub for tracking down side activities in Crimson Desert. They're packed with Bounty Posters and Requests & Commissions for new quests, alongside Vendor Advertisements that lead you to interesting merchant spots.

Once you snag a flyer, you actually have to read it. Give it a close look to catch any hidden clues. You won't always get a clear map marker, so you’ll need to dig into the text to figure out where to go.

Notice Board listings can refresh as you get further into the game.

Abyss Nexus

Abyss Nexuses act as fast travel points in Crimson Desert. You first need to find and activate one before you can use it. When you're nearby, use your Lantern or the Blinding Flash skill, then simply stand on the Abyss Nexus.

Once it's active, you can fast travel to this location just by clicking the icon on your in game map.

You might run into a "broken" Abyss Nexus, which you'll need to fix by solving a straightforward environmental puzzle.

Abyss Gate (one way from Pywel to Abyss Islands)

The Abyss Gate is a portal that transports you one way from Pywel to the Abyss dimension.

Various gates scattered across Pywel lead to different locations in the Abyss. These operate strictly as one-way passages and do not function like Abyss Nexuses.

You will find the first Abyss Gate in Hernand Castle during Chapter 1.

Abyss Teleporter (one way between Abyss Islands)

The Abyss Teleporter moves you one way between Abyss Islands. You use it as a one-time trip to reach a new, previously unvisited island for the first time.

It leads from a completed island to a new, unvisited one. It usually sits at the end of the area you are currently exploring and pops up once you finish The Abyss Restoration Challenge on that specific island.

Skybridge Gate

The Skybridge Gate activates on an Abyss Island once you finish restoring that specific island. This gate and its Alignment Device let you rebuild destroyed Abyss Skybridges that lead to the next part of the island.

Pass through the gate and use Axiom Force on the Alignment Device to set the right position and restore the path. Getting the correct alignment is straightforward. Just rotate it until it stops, as there are no complex puzzles involved.

Abyss Restoration Challenge

Every island in the Abyss needs restoration before it becomes fully functional. The Abyss Restoration Challenge monument is where you claim your reward after finishing a Challenge task.

Restoration usually involves puzzles, ranging from straightforward tasks to complex, multi-layered brain teasers. Your reward is typically an Abyss Artifact used to gain a Skill Point.

Abyss Cresset

Abyss Cressets are challenges you'll need to beat for a reward. These tasks range from solving logic and physics Puzzles to winning duels or even learning up new techniques. Once finished, you'll open up an Abyss Nexus fast travel point at that spot and score an Abyss Artifact (Skill Point).

Puzzles and riddles

Puzzles and Riddles are baked into the Crimson Desert experience, and you'll run into plenty of them across both Pywel and the Abyss. The variety is solid, ranging from Ancient Ruins Puzzles to Abyss Restoration Challenges, as well as Labyrinths and Mazes.

Memory Fragments

Memory Fragments are pieces of the past, visions you can trigger using the Visione helmet.

Learn Skill

Some abilities and skills are learned simply by watching others. You can pick them up by observing Echoes, people going about their business, or enemies in the heat of combat.

Sealed Abyss Artifact

Sealed Abyss Artifacts are physical items scattered throughout Pywel. Grabbing one triggers a specific Challenge. Once that's finished, you can "unseal" the item right in your inventory to get an Abyss Artifact, a Faded Abyss Artifact, or some Abyss Gear.

Look for Sealed Abyss Artifacts along roads, usually tucked away in small stone altars or cairns.

Abyss Artifact

Abyss Artifacts work as a currency you can trade in for Skill Points to build out your character or boost your Health, Stamina or Spirit.

You'll pick up Abyss Artifacts as you fill your XP bar, but they're also handed out for taking down bosses, finishing Main Quests, and solving puzzles at Abyss Cressets.

Faded Abyss Artifact

Faded Abyss Artifacts work just like Respec Tokens. Using one lets you reset your entire Skill Tree to get back all your regular Abyss Artifacts.

They’re pretty rare and tough to find, but later in the story, you can pick them up from Witch Vendors or just craft them yourself.

Bells

There are eight Bells scattered across Bell Towers throughout Pywel in Crimson Desert. They're vital for exploration because each one clears the fog of war on map and reveals points of interest nearby.

Once you find a Bell, climb the tower, ring it, and check in with the Shai Resident. This is all part of the Toll of Pywel faction questline.

Hidden Spaces

Sites of Trials and Secrets, there are 34 Hidden Spaces

Bosses

There are 76 bosses in Crimson Desert. 28 Main Story Bosses and 48 World and Optional Bosses

Mount

There are 29 unique permanent mounts. 9 Horses, 5 Dragons & Wyverns, 3 Raptors, 3 Mechs, 9 Other.

Minigames

There are approximately 30 distinct minigame types in the game, ranging from tavern gambling to high-stakes combat trials.

Landmarks and Locations

Landmarks represent larger map icons that describe an entire area rather than a specific item.

Landmark

Castle

Mansion

Village

Camp

Cave

Services

Inn

Smithy

Tailor's Shop

Provisioner's Shop

Grocer's Shop

Tannery

Saddlery

Stable

Equipment Shop

Constabulary

Confessional

Bank

Furniture Shop

Dyehouse

Black Market

Livestock Fence

Royal Trading

Trading Center

Other map markers

Loot

Recipe

Private Storage

Bonfire

Strongbox

Blueprint

Equipment

Key