The Ancient Generator is a large mechanical tower located at the Kilnden Workshop in the Hernand region. Activating it is the first major objective of the main quest "Kiln Repair at the Kilnden Workshop," which is the 48th main mission in Crimson Desert and takes place during Chapter 4: The Price of Knowledge. Once the generator is powered on, it unlocks three separate kiln repair tasks nearby, each with its own puzzle mechanic.
Quest Context
The Kiln Repair quest begins after Blacksmith witnesses the Kilnden Workshop exploding from a distance. You travel to the workshop in the Hernand region to investigate and restore it. The Ancient Generator is the main power source for the workshop, and all three kilns remain inactive until you align its tower symbols and bring it back online.
Completing all three kiln repairs and the generator puzzle leads into the next main quest, "The Mysterious Pot," where you speak with Grimnir and unlock a new piece of equipment.
The Ancient Generator Puzzle
The generator is a tall tower with four rings stacked vertically. Each ring has a glowing yellow triangular symbol etched into it. Your goal is to rotate the rings so all four symbols line up in a straight vertical column from top to bottom. The top symbol and the bottom symbol are already pre-aligned in their correct positions, so you only need to move the two middle rings.
Controls
At the base of the tower you will find two levers side by side: a yellow-glowing switch (the ring selector) and a wooden lever (the rotation control).
Control | What It Does |
|---|---|
Yellow switch (ring selector) | Selects which ring will move. Push it left, center, or right to highlight rings 2, 3, or 4 from the top. |
Wooden lever | Rotates the currently selected ring. Push left or right to spin it in either direction. |
When a ring is selected, its symbol glows more brightly to indicate it is the active one. You hear an audible click when a symbol snaps into correct alignment.
Step-by-Step Solution (4 Moves)
If you have not touched the generator before, you can solve the puzzle in exactly four moves:
Push the yellow lever all the way to the right. This selects ring 2 (the second ring from the top).
Push the wooden lever to the right. Ring 2 rotates so its symbol aligns directly below the top symbol.
Push the yellow lever to the center (middle) position. This selects ring 3.
Push the wooden lever to the left. Ring 3 rotates so its symbol slots into place above the bottom symbol.
When done correctly, all four yellow triangular symbols will be aligned in a straight column. The generator activates, turns blue, and emits a powering-up sound. Three kiln repair objectives then appear on your map in the surrounding area.
Resetting the Puzzle
If you have already rotated rings before reading this guide and the symbols are out of sequence, you can reset the puzzle by reloading your most recent autosave or manual save. Fast traveling away from the area and returning also resets any incomplete puzzle back to its default configuration.
After the Generator: Three Kiln Repairs
Once the Ancient Generator is active, three kiln objectives appear on your map. Each kiln requires a different approach to repair and fuel.
Kiln 1: The Disconnected Kiln
This kiln has a broken power cable at the back. Walk around to the rear of the kiln and locate the loose conduit or pipe. Interact with it (hold the interaction button) to reconnect it automatically. Once the cable is reattached, push the wooden lever near the kiln to the left to activate it.
This is the quickest of the three repairs and requires no special ability.
Kiln 2: The Dismantled Kiln (Axiom Force Assembly)
This kiln has been broken into several pieces lying on the ground nearby. You need to use Axiom Force to lift and stack the pieces back onto the kiln base, then use an Aerial Force Palm to lock them into place.
Use Axiom Force (hold L3 on controller) to grab the circular kiln piece to the right of the base. Place it on the main kiln body. The game assists with rough alignment, so perfect placement is not required.
Go behind the kiln and use Axiom Force on the broken vent piece. Place it on top of the first piece.
Climb onto the stacked kiln pieces. Jump into the air and activate Force Palm (hold R3 or right stick) while looking downward. This Aerial Force Palm merges all the pieces together and seals the kiln.
Climb down and push the wooden lever to activate the repaired kiln.
If a piece does not seat properly, pick it back up with Axiom Force and place it again. You do not need a precise rotation; the game snaps each fragment into position.
Kiln 3: The Fuel Kiln (Five Electric Balls)
This kiln requires five glowing blue Electric Balls (also called fuel orbs) inserted into round socket openings around its sides. Two balls are easy to find, while the other three require exploring the surrounding area.
Electric Ball Locations
Ball | Location |
|---|---|
Ball 1 | On the ground directly beside the kiln. |
Ball 2 | On the ground near the kiln, a short distance from Ball 1. |
Ball 3 | Inside a small cave or grotto at the entrance south of the kiln structure (near the flooded area). If it does not appear, try reloading the area. |
Ball 4 | Embedded in the eye socket of a large bird statue standing in the flooded area to the left of the kiln. Aim at the eye and use Axiom Force (pull function) to extract it. |
Ball 5 | On the ground in the water near the base of the bird statue. |
Inserting the Balls
Use Axiom Force to pick up each Electric Ball.
Carry the ball to one of the round socket openings along the side of the kiln.
Push the ball into the opening. If it sits at the edge without going in, remove it and let go of it right at the rim; the socket pulls it inward automatically.
Repeat for all five balls.
Once all five sockets are filled, push the wooden lever around the kiln to power it on.
Completing the Quest
After all three kilns are running, speak with Grimnir, who is waiting at the top of the kiln structure (he wears a Visione helmet). This conversation ends the Kiln Repair quest. You then enter "The Mysterious Pot," the next main quest in Chapter 4, where Grimnir demonstrates a special alchemical vessel capable of holding large objects grabbed with Axiom Force.
Tips
The four-move generator solution above assumes the rings are in their default starting positions. If you have already moved rings, reload an autosave to reset before following the steps.
For the bird statue's Electric Ball, stand in front of the statue, lock onto the eye socket, and use the Force Grab pull rather than a push. The ball has a subtle glow; look for it at eye level on the statue.
If an Electric Ball falls into the flooded water, it will still be retrievable. Use Axiom Force to pull it up from the water surface.
When assembling the Dismantled Kiln, the Aerial Force Palm range is generous. You do not need to be directly above the pieces; jumping from the kiln edge and pressing Force Palm while descending works reliably.
Unlocking the Double Jump ability before this quest makes climbing the Dismantled Kiln to perform the Aerial Force Palm considerably easier.