The Black Bears are one of the most feared factions on the continent of Pywel and the primary antagonistic force in the early story of Crimson Desert. Led by the ruthless warlord Myurdin, the Black Bears are responsible for the devastating night ambush that destroyed the Greymanes and set the events of the entire narrative into motion.
The Black Bears Faction
The Black Bears are a violent, aggressive faction bent on fracturing the continental balance of power in Pywel. While many of Pywel's factions operate through diplomacy, trade, or territorial defense, the Black Bears pursue dominance through brute force and calculated strikes against rival groups. Their methods are ruthless, favoring ambushes, overwhelming numbers, and terror tactics designed to break their enemies' will before a proper battle can even begin.
The faction's ranks are filled with hardened fighters who share their leader's appetite for conquest. Unlike the Greymanes, who maintained a code of conduct that included protecting civilians and honoring agreements, the Black Bears operate without such constraints. Their willingness to attack without warning and to target rival factions at their most vulnerable is what makes them so dangerous.
The Black Bears are the sworn enemies of the Greymanes, and the rivalry between the two factions defines much of the early and middle portions of the story. Their goal is not simply to defeat the Greymanes but to seize the political and territorial power left in the vacuum created by their destruction.
Myurdin: Leader of the Black Bears
Myurdin, also known by his epithet Lava Myurdin, is the leader of the Black Bears and one of the most formidable warriors on the continent. Voiced by Alastair Parker, Myurdin is portrayed as a calculating warlord who combines raw physical power with tactical cunning. He fights with the relentlessness of an angry bear, and his combat style is as overwhelming as the faction he commands.
The "Lava" epithet comes from Myurdin's supernatural combat transformation. In his second phase during boss encounters, Myurdin channels flame abilities, turning into a massive bear-like form wreathed in lava. He unleashes devastating fire-based attacks, including flame charges, sweeping area strikes, and enormous slam attacks that reshape the battlefield. This transformation makes him one of the most dangerous opponents Kliff faces throughout the campaign.
Myurdin's specific motivations extend beyond simple conquest. The Black Bears, under his leadership, seek continental dominance through the strategic elimination of rival factions. By destroying the Greymanes, the strongest military presence in Pailune, the Black Bears removed the primary obstacle to their control of the region and sent a message to every other faction on the continent.
The Night Ambush
The defining act of the Black Bears in the narrative is the devastating night ambush on the Greymane camp in Pailune. This event, depicted in the game's Prologue, shatters the fragile balance of power that had existed between factions in the region.
The attack was calculated and overwhelming. Myurdin led his forces against the Greymane encampment under cover of darkness, catching the mercenaries completely off guard. The assault was not a skirmish or a territorial dispute; it was a targeted extermination. Jian, the leader of the Greymanes, was killed. Warriors who had served the company for years fell one by one.
In the chaos of the ambush, Kliff fought his way to Myurdin for a desperate confrontation. The two clashed in single combat, but Myurdin proved too powerful. He struck Kliff down and cast him into a river, leaving him for dead. The remaining Greymanes were scattered across Pywel, and the company that had once been the backbone of Pailune's stability ceased to exist as a coherent fighting force.
Occupation of Pailune
With the Greymanes destroyed, the Black Bears moved swiftly to consolidate their hold on Pailune. The region that had served as the Greymanes' homeland for years fell under Black Bears control. Rival factions in the area were either subjugated or driven out as Myurdin's forces established themselves as the dominant power.
The occupation of Pailune served both practical and symbolic purposes. Practically, it gave the Black Bears control over the region's resources, trade routes, and strategic positions. Symbolically, it demonstrated to every faction on Pywel that the Black Bears could destroy even the most established military company and seize its territory without consequence.
For the surviving Greymanes, the loss of Pailune was deeply personal. Pailune was more than a base of operations; it was their home. The land was tied to their identity, their history, and their sense of purpose. Reclaiming it became the driving motivation behind Kliff's campaign to rebuild the company from Hernand.
Encounters with Myurdin
Players encounter Myurdin as a boss at multiple points during the campaign. Each encounter escalates the stakes and demonstrates the growing power of both Kliff and his nemesis.
Encounter | Chapter | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
Prologue Boss Fight | Scripted defeat. Kliff is struck down and thrown into the river regardless of player performance. | |
Chapter 7: Homecoming | The decisive rematch. Two-phase fight where Myurdin transforms into Lava Myurdin in phase 2, using fire-based attacks. |
The Prologue fight against Myurdin is intentionally unwinnable. It is a narrative device to establish the power gap between Kliff and his rival while setting up the emotional stakes for the rest of the story. By the time players reach Chapter 7, Kliff has grown strong enough to face Myurdin on equal footing and claim the victory that was denied in the opening sequence.
Broader Faction Conflicts
While the Greymanes are the Black Bears' primary target in the opening story, the faction's ambitions extend across the entire continent. The Black Bears' attack on the Greymanes was not an isolated act of aggression; it was a strategic move designed to eliminate the strongest opposition in Pailune before expanding their influence further.
Pywel is home to over 110 distinct factions, including noble houses, merchant guilds, religious organizations, and military companies. The Black Bears' violent, expansionist approach puts them at odds with many of these groups. Throughout the middle chapters of the story, the Greymanes encounter evidence of Black Bears activity in regions far beyond Pailune, suggesting that Myurdin's reach extends further than initially apparent.
In Chapter 6, titled Cracks in the Shield, the Greymanes are thrust into large-scale combat as the war with the Black Bears escalates beyond Pailune. This chapter features siege defense sequences and battlefield engagements that demonstrate the broader scope of the conflict.
Impact on the Narrative
The Black Bears function as both a personal antagonist for Kliff and a representation of the broader forces tearing Pywel apart. Myurdin's ambition, willingness to use overwhelming force, and disregard for the conventions that govern faction relations make him the embodiment of the continent's descent into chaos.
The destruction of the Greymanes by the Black Bears sets the stage for every major plot thread in the game. Kliff's journey to rebuild the company, forge alliances with factions like Marquis Serkis and the Goldleaf Merchant Guild, and ultimately return to Pailune all flow directly from the night ambush. Without the Black Bears' attack, there would be no story to tell.