Overview
Ancient Ruins are puzzle locations scattered across the world of Pywel in Crimson Desert. Each ruin contains a unique puzzle that must be solved to activate the Abyss Cresset inside it. Completing these puzzles rewards players with Abyss Artifacts, which are used in the skill tree to learn new skills or enhance core stats. There are 37 Ancient Ruins Challenges in total, tracked under "The Thread in the Forest" in the journal.
Puzzle Types
The ancient ruins feature several recurring puzzle types. Understanding the core mechanic of each type helps when encountering new variants in different regions.
Puzzle Type | Core Mechanic |
|---|---|
Force Palm Sequence | Hit wall platforms with Force Palm in the correct order |
Symbol Stepping Stones | Walk across tiles matching identical symbols without stepping on wrong ones |
Red Light, Green Light | Approach a statue without moving when it watches you |
Fountain Rotation | Rotate fountains with the Stab ability to fill a central basin |
Statue Rotation | Rotate statues using dials until they all face the Abyss Cresset |
Bell Sequence | Hit bells in the order shown by musical notes on a board |
Dial Symbol Matching | Rotate a central dial to match symbols of illuminated statues |
Tile Grid Matching | Step on tiles to connect pairs of identical icons without crossing paths |
Mural Clue Puzzles | Find clues from murals or nearby landmarks to solve the mechanism |
Puzzle Solutions by Location
Meandering Hills Ruins (Reunion Quest)
This is the first ancient ruin most players encounter, accessed during the main quest "Reunion" in Chapter 2. After learning the Nature's Grasp skill from a blue silhouette, players use it to raise a stone gate and enter a cave.
Inside the cave, three round platforms are embedded in the wall. Use the Force Palm skill (hold R3/Right Stick) and hit them in this exact order:
1. Middle platform
2. Left platform
3. Right platform
All three platforms will slot into the wall simultaneously, completing the circuit. The Abyss Cresset can then be claimed from a small pillar just outside the cave entrance, completing the "Abyss Cresset of Meandering Hills" challenge.
Azure Moon Labyrinth Ruins
Located in The Witchwoods, this ruin features a button sequence puzzle inside a labyrinth. A mural within the labyrinth shows the location of five trees in Pororin, indicating the correct buttons to press. Activate the correct buttons at the end of the labyrinth based on the pattern shown in the mural to open the path to the Abyss Cresset.
Steel Mountains Ruins
This ruin features a bell and musical notes puzzle. Beside a locked door, you will find a set of bells and a board with musical note symbols. Hit the bells in the order that matches the note symbols on the board, from left to right. Completing the sequence unlocks the door and grants access to the Abyss Cresset.
Halssius Conflux Ruins
This ruin uses a dial and symbol matching puzzle. Inside the ruins, a central dial must be rotated to match the symbols displayed by illuminated statues surrounding it. Examine each lit statue to identify its symbol, then rotate the dial until it displays the matching symbol. Repeat for each illuminated statue to unlock the Abyss Cresset.
Sunrise Plains Ruins
This ruin features a statue rotation puzzle. Multiple statues stand around a central Abyss Cresset. Behind each statue is a dial that can be turned. Rotate each dial until its corresponding statue faces the Abyss Cresset at the center. When all statues are aligned, the puzzle completes and the cresset activates.
Haunted Hill Ruins
This ruin involves a water drainage mechanism puzzle. The Abyss Cresset is submerged underwater. Use Focus on the underwater mechanism to drain the water, revealing the cresset. The mechanism is located beneath the surface and requires careful aiming while submerged.
Dragon's Stone Chamber Ruins
This ruin contains three dials that must be rotated to specific directions to open the door hiding the Abyss Cresset. The clues for the correct dial positions are found in a mural within the ruins. Cross-reference the mural with landmarks at Anvil Hillside Terrace to determine the correct orientations for each dial.
Precipice of Echoes Ruins
This ruin features a tile grid matching puzzle. Step on the initial plate to activate the grid of symbols. Walk across tiles to connect pairs of identical icons. You must reach the second icon of a matching pair without stepping on any other active symbols, and you cannot step on the same grey stone plate twice. Plan your path carefully before stepping.
Red Light, Green Light Puzzles
Several ruins across Pywel use the "Red Light, Green Light" mechanic. The procedure is the same in each location:
1. Step on the stone plate at the edge of the area to activate the puzzle. Soldier statues will raise their swords.
2. Walk toward the king statue at the opposite end of the pathway.
3. The king statue will periodically turn around. When its eyes light up, stop moving immediately.
4. If the statue catches you moving, its eyes turn red and you must start over from the beginning.
5. Successfully reach the king statue without being caught to complete the puzzle and claim the Abyss Cresset.
Fountain Rotation Puzzles
Multiple ruins feature fountain puzzles that follow the same pattern:
1. Locate the fountain mechanisms around the central basin.
2. Use your Stab ability to pierce the socket of each mechanism.
3. While the blade is inserted, move sideways to rotate the fountain spout.
4. Rotate each fountain until its waterspouts are directed toward the central basin.
5. When all fountains fill the basin, the puzzle completes and the Abyss Cresset activates.
Rewards
Each completed Ancient Ruins puzzle rewards an Abyss Artifact, which grants a Skill Point. These skill points can be spent in the skill tree to learn new combat abilities or enhance core stats like health, stamina, and attack power. With 37 Ancient Ruins Challenges available, completing all of them provides a significant boost to character progression.
Tips
Use Focus mode (CTRL on keyboard, L1/LB on controller) to highlight interactable objects in ruins. This makes it easier to spot mechanisms, dials, and platforms.
Always check the surrounding environment for murals, boards, and landmark clues before attempting a puzzle. Many solutions are hinted at by nearby visual cues.
For Red Light, Green Light puzzles, walk slowly and steadily. Sprinting makes it harder to stop in time when the king statue turns around.
Some ruins require specific abilities like Nature's Grasp or Force Palm. If you cannot solve a ruin, you may need to progress further in the main story to unlock the required skill.
The Abyss Cresset pillar is sometimes located outside the main puzzle chamber. After completing the puzzle, look around the immediate area for the glowing cresset.