Overview
Bells are collectible interaction points scattered across Pywel in Crimson Desert. There are 8 bells total, each located inside a tower or atop a tall structure in a major settlement. Ringing a bell clears the fog of war from the surrounding region of the world map, revealing locations, activities, and points of interest. The mechanic works similarly to synchronization points in Assassin's Creed: climb to a high point, interact with the bell, and the map opens up around you.
Each bell also counts as one quest in the Toll of Pywel questline for the Pororin Forest Guardians faction. When you ring a bell, a cutscene plays where a Shai Resident NPC appears. Since ringing bells unfogs the map, getting them early should be a priority. Combined with activating fast travel points along the way, clearing all 8 bells gives you quick access to every region in the game.
All Bell Locations
Most bells are accessible from Chapter 1 onward, since all regions of Pywel are explorable from the start. Two bells have story-related restrictions: the Calphade bell is temporarily unavailable during Chapter 6, and the Pailune bell can only be rung after liberating Pailune in Chapter 7.
# | Bell Name | Region | Location | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Inside the clocktower in the northern part of Hernand town. Climb the tower and interact with the bell at the top. | Chapter 1+ | ||
2 | Toll of Scholastone | In the plaza at the top of Scholastone Institute, inside a pagoda at the end of the garden path. Southwest of Hernand, atop a mountain. Use Force Palm three times mid-air to gain height while climbing. | Chapter 1+ | |
3 | Atop a church in northern Hernand region. The bell can be rung before or after Chapter 6. | Not during Chapter 6 | ||
4 | In the tallest clocktower at the center of Demeniss capital. Climb to a flagpole on the tower's side to lower the bell, then climb to the top floor and ring it. The bell icon does not appear on the map until you get close. | Chapter 1+ | ||
5 | Inside the clocktower in the northwest part of Delesyia capital, in the southeast region of Pywel. | Chapter 1+ | ||
6 | Toll of Tommaso | In Tashkalp capital, within the Crimson Desert region in the northeast of Pywel. | Chapter 1+ | |
7 | At the far northeast edge of the map, beyond the Crimson Desert. Varnia is reached via main roads heading north through the desert. This is the longest trek of any bell. | Chapter 1+ | ||
8 | Atop a red tower near the docks in Pailune, in the northwest region of Pywel. Requires liberating Pailune first during the main story. | After Chapter 7 |
Detailed Directions for Each Bell
Below are step-by-step directions for locating and ringing each of the 8 bells. Most of them sit on top of towers or tall structures in major settlements, but a few require special tricks to reach or activate.
1. Toll of Hernand
The easiest bell to find and the one most players ring first. It is located in northern Hernand town, right next to the main notice board and just west of the prison. Look for the clocktower near the center of town. Climb straight up the tower using the handholds on the exterior, and interact with the bell at the top. Hernand is your starting city, so this bell is available almost immediately after you gain free roam in Chapter 1.
2. Toll of Scholastone
This bell sits at the top of Scholastone Institute, which is perched on a mountain southwest of Hernand. Travel south from Hernand and follow the road toward the institute. The campus is built into the mountainside, so reaching the summit requires some climbing. Once you arrive at the institute's upper plaza, follow the garden path to its end where you will find a stone pagoda (gazebo). The bell hangs inside this pagoda on an open balcony area.
Climbing tip: while scaling the mountain slopes around Scholastone, you can use Force Palm three times consecutively in mid-air (press R3 after each jump) to launch yourself to much greater heights. This shortcut saves time on the vertical sections. Note that while you can physically reach the bell before Chapter 4, the Shai cutscene that triggers the fog-of-war reveal only fires after you complete the main objective at Scholastone during Chapter 4.
3. Toll of Calphade
Located at the Church of Calphade in the northern part of the Hernand region. Travel north from Hernand town until you reach the settlement of Calphade. The bell tower is built into the church itself. Climb to the top of the church structure and ring the bell. There is nothing mechanically tricky about this one; the climb is straightforward.
Important: the Calphade bell is temporarily inaccessible during Chapter 6 because the area falls under hostile control and the Shai Resident NPC cannot appear. Plan to ring this bell before Chapter 6 starts, or wait until after the chapter's events conclude. If you miss it, you can always come back later.
4. Toll of Demeniss
Found in the capital city of the Demeniss region (the central area of the map). Head to the center of the city and look for the tallest clocktower. This bell is the trickiest in the game because it uses a unique mechanism and its icon does not appear on your map until after you have already activated it.
To ring the bell, first locate the flagpole attached to the side of the clocktower. Climb up to the flagpole and hang from it. Your character's weight pushes the flagpole downward, which triggers a mechanical linkage that lowers the bell from the top of the tower into a reachable position. Once the bell has dropped, climb to the top floor of the clocktower and interact with it. If you skip the flagpole step, the bell stays out of reach and you cannot ring it.
5. Toll of Delesyia
Travel to the capital of the Delesyia region in the southeast corner of Pywel. The bell tower is in the northwest part of the city, just south across the river from Delesyia Castle. The tower is easy to spot because it is covered in clockwork and steampunk-style machinery, with a spinning device mounted on top. Climb into the tower and ring the bell. No special mechanics are required; this is one of the more straightforward bells once you reach Delesyia.
6. Toll of Tommaso
Located in the city of Tommaso within the Tashkalp region in the far northeast of the map. On the world map, Tommaso sits just below where "Tash" is written in the Tashkalp label. Look for a tower in the northern part of the city; if you zoom in on the Tommaso city icon on the map, you can actually see the tower in question. Climb around the outside of the tower to reach the summit and ring the bell.
7. Toll of Varnia
The longest trek of any bell. Varnia is located at the far northeast edge of the entire map, past the Crimson Desert region. From Tommaso, follow the main roads heading north through the desert. Avoid cutting through unmarked terrain; stick to the established roads to avoid unnecessary enemy encounters. On the world map, the city sits directly below the "R" and "N" in the Varnia label.
Once you arrive, look for the palace with a large dome on top. The bell is hidden inside the highest dome at the top of this palace. Climb up underneath the dome and locate a rotating lever (handle) at the top. Push or interact with the lever to slowly open the dome's roof panels, which causes the bell to drop down into a ringable position. After it descends, interact with the bell to complete the Toll of Varnia.
8. Toll of Pailune
The only bell with a hard story gate. Pailune is in the northwest region of Pywel, and the bell cannot be rung until you liberate the town during Chapter 7 by completing the main mission called "Resolution." Before liberation, Pailune is under siege and hostile NPCs prevent the Shai Resident from spawning.
Once Pailune is free, head to the middle of town and look for a distinctive red wooden tower near the docks. A ladder leads up the side of this tower. Climb to the top and ring the bell to complete the final Toll of Pywel entry. This is the only bell where progression through the main story is strictly required.
How to Ring Bells
To ring a bell, climb the tower or structure where it is housed and interact with it. Most bells are straightforward to reach, but a few require extra effort:
Step | Details |
|---|---|
: the institute sits atop a mountain. You can use Force Palm three times mid-air while climbing to gain extra height and reach the summit. | |
Toll of Demeniss | : the bell is locked in an unusual position. First climb to a flagpole on the side of the clocktower. Your weight on the flagpole lowers the bell into position. Then climb to the top floor to ring it. |
: no special mechanic needed, but the location is at the far northeast edge of the map. The journey through the Crimson Desert region is long, so prepare for a trek. |
Story Restrictions
Two bells have story-related availability windows:
Toll of Calphade: temporarily unavailable during Chapter 6. The area becomes hostile during this chapter's events, and the Shai Resident NPC cannot appear. Ring this bell before Chapter 6 begins or wait until after it concludes.
Toll of Pailune: only available after completing the main mission "Resolution" in Chapter 7, which involves the liberation of Pailune. Before liberation, the town is under siege and NPCs cannot spawn at the bell location.
Rewards and Benefits
Reward | Details |
|---|---|
Map reveal | : each bell clears the fog of war from its surrounding region, revealing terrain, settlements, quest markers, and collectible locations on the world map. |
Faction progress | : each bell counts as a completed quest in the Toll of Pywel questline for the Pororin Forest Guardians faction. |
NPC cutscene | : ringing a bell triggers a short cutscene featuring a Shai Resident NPC. |
Full map access | : ringing all 8 bells completely unfogs the entire map of Pywel. |
Tips
Prioritize bells early. Unfogging the map reveals everything around you, making exploration and navigation much easier for the rest of the game.
Combine bell runs with fast travel point activation. When traveling to a distant bell, activate any Abyss Nexus fast travel points along the way so you can return quickly later.
Ring the Calphade bell before Chapter 6 if possible. If you miss it, you can still ring it after Chapter 6, but planning ahead saves backtracking.
The Pailune bell is the only one gated behind story progression. All other 7 bells can be collected in a single exploration run from Chapter 1.
Look for clocktowers and tall structures in major settlements. Bells are always found at high points in towns and cities, never in the wilderness.