Overview
There are 5 Witches scattered across the world of Crimson Desert. Each witch is tied to a set of Sanctum challenges that test your combat ability and puzzle-solving skills. Completing all witch questlines is required to earn the Lightbringer silver trophy, which asks you to clear all 16 sanctum challenges in the game.
Beyond the trophy, the witches serve several practical purposes. Every witch provides socket creation for your weapons, which is the only way to equip Abyss Cores into your gear. The Witch of Wisdom also teaches you an Alchemy Formula and hands out useful crafting materials. Each witch's sanctum chain rewards a Witch's Token upon completion, and collecting all four tokens from the first four witches is required to access the fifth and final witch.
This guide covers every witch's location, how to unlock each questline, the sanctum assignments for each witch, and the rewards you receive along the way.
The Five Witches
The table below lists all 5 witches, their titles, where to find them, and how to trigger their questlines.
Witch | Title | Location | How to Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
Elowen | The Witchwoods, south of Hernand | Automatic during Chapter 5 (Main Quest: The Missing Seal) | |
Bari | SE of Wayward Woods, Pailune; then Witch's Cabin below Silver Wolf Mountain | Light fire at her feet, then visit her cabin | |
Lyselia | Northern Demeniss, W of Deadfire Mountain; then cave in Serpent Marsh | Find her hanging from broken bridge, speak with her | |
Areciel | Northern outskirts of Tommaso, Crimson Desert; then mountain alcove W of World's Navel | Give coin to child near Bounty Board | |
White Crow | Wayward Woods Witch | Pailune, south of Wayward Woods | Insert all 4 Witch's Tokens (from completing the other 4 witches' sanctum quests) |
The first four witches can be approached in any order once their unlock conditions are met. The White Crow is always the last witch, since she requires all four Witch's Tokens from the others.
How Witch Quests Work
Each witch's questline follows the same general structure. You first discover and unlock the witch through a specific interaction or story trigger. Once the witch acknowledges you, she opens access to a series of Sanctum challenges. Sanctums are instanced combat and puzzle areas that must be completed one at a time, in sequence.
After clearing all sanctums assigned to a given witch, you receive a Witch's Token as a reward. The token serves as proof of completion. Once you have collected all four tokens from Elowen, Bari, Lyselia, and Areciel, you can present them to the White Crow to access her final sanctum.
All witches also provide the ability to create sockets on your weapons. This is the primary method for slotting Abyss Gears into your equipment, making the witch questlines essential for character progression, not just trophy completion.
Sanctum Assignments by Witch
There are 16 Sanctums in total across all five witches. The table below shows which sanctums belong to each witch.
Elowen (Witch of Wisdom)
Elowen's sanctums are unlocked automatically as part of the Chapter 5 main quest, "The Missing Seal." She is the first witch most players encounter.
Sanctum | Notes |
|---|---|
Absolution | First sanctum in Elowen's chain |
Temperance | Second sanctum |
Penitence | Third sanctum |
Benediction | Final sanctum; awards Witch's Token upon completion |
Completing Elowen's full chain also rewards: Blue Lavenders x20, Peonies x20, Small Bones x20, Empty Bottles x20, an Alchemy Formula, and a Witch's Token.
Bari (Witch of Kindness)
To unlock Bari, travel to the southeast of Wayward Woods in the Pailune region. You will find her sitting near an unlit fire. Light the fire at her feet to trigger the interaction. After speaking with her, visit the Witch's Cabin located below Silver Wolf Mountain to begin her sanctum chain.
Sanctum | Notes |
|---|---|
Exaltation | First sanctum in Bari's chain |
Solace | Second sanctum |
Deliverance | Third sanctum |
Atonement | Final sanctum; awards Witch's Token upon completion |
Lyselia (Witch of Humility)
Lyselia is found in northern Demeniss, west of Deadfire Mountain. She is hanging from the edge of a broken bridge. Approach the bridge and speak with her to trigger her questline. Her sanctum chain continues from a cave in Serpent Marsh.
Sanctum | Notes |
|---|---|
Devotion | First sanctum in Lyselia's chain |
Veneration | Second sanctum |
Oblation | Third sanctum |
Faith | Final sanctum; awards Witch's Token upon completion |
Areciel (Witch of Strength)
To find Areciel, head to the northern outskirts of Tommaso in the Crimson Desert region. Look for a child standing near the Bounty Board. Give a coin to the child, and this triggers the interaction that leads you to Areciel. Her sanctum area is located in a mountain alcove west of the World's Navel.
Sanctum | Notes |
|---|---|
Expiation | First sanctum in Areciel's chain |
Renunciation | Second sanctum |
Revelation | Final sanctum; awards Witch's Token upon completion |
Note that Areciel has only 3 sanctums, while the other main witches each have 4. This is not an error; her chain is shorter by design.
White Crow (Wayward Woods Witch)
The White Crow is the final witch and cannot be accessed until you have collected all four Witch's Tokens from Elowen, Bari, Lyselia, and Areciel. Travel to Pailune, south of Wayward Woods, and insert all four tokens to unlock her sanctum.
Sanctum | Notes |
|---|---|
Mortification | The only sanctum for White Crow; tied to Chapter 9 story progression |
Mortification is connected to the Chapter 9 storyline. Completing it finishes the final witch questline and contributes toward the Lightbringer trophy.
Rewards
Completing each witch's sanctum chain provides the following rewards.
Witch's Token: One token per witch (4 total from the first four witches). Required to access the White Crow.
Socket Creation: All witches can create sockets on your weapons. This is the only way to equip Abyss Cores into weapons, making it essential for late-game builds.
Elowen's Special Rewards: Blue Lavenders x20, Peonies x20, Small Bones x20, Empty Bottles x20, an Alchemy Formula, and a Witch's Token.
Lightbringer Trophy: Completing all 16 sanctums across all 5 witches awards the Lightbringer silver trophy.
Connection to Trophies
The Lightbringer silver trophy requires you to complete all 16 sanctum challenges. This means you must finish every sanctum for every witch, including Mortification from the White Crow. Since the White Crow requires all four tokens, you effectively need to complete every witch questline in the game to earn this trophy.
The trophy does not have any difficulty requirement. You can complete the sanctums on any difficulty setting. However, some sanctums contain challenging combat encounters, so coming prepared with upgraded gear and healing items is recommended.
For a full list of trophies and achievements, see the Endings guide, which also covers the Definitive Ending requirements that overlap with witch quest completion.
Tips
Start with Elowen. Her questline unlocks automatically during Chapter 5, so she is the most natural starting point. Completing her chain gives you the Alchemy Formula early, which is useful for crafting.
Explore Pailune for two witches. Both Bari and the White Crow are located in the Pailune/Wayward Woods area. You can discover Bari early even if you cannot access the White Crow until later.
Check the broken bridge carefully. Lyselia is easy to miss because she is hanging off the edge of the bridge rather than standing on it. Walk to the edge and look down.
Bring coins to Tommaso. Areciel's unlock requires giving a coin to a child. Make sure you have coins in your inventory before visiting the northern outskirts of Tommaso.
Use socket creation as soon as possible. Once you unlock any witch, take advantage of weapon socket creation to slot in Abyss Cores. This significantly boosts your combat effectiveness.
Complete all witch quests before Chapter 9. The White Crow's Mortification sanctum is tied to Chapter 9 story progression. Having all four tokens ready before reaching Chapter 9 allows you to proceed smoothly.