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Chapter 1: The First Encounter Walkthrough - Version 19 vs Version 20
May 27, 2026, 07:54 PM
Restored body text in sections that were rendering empty
Jun 8, 2026, 09:53 PM
Removed duplicate in-body wikilinks
11Chapter 1 takes place in and around the City of Hernand. It is split into two sub-chapters: Trials of Kindness (five quests focused on exploring the city and helping townsfolk) and Trace (four quests involving the Abyss and the mysterious Alustin). This chapter introduces Axiom Force, the Visione mechanic, Hernand Castle, and several early-game systems including equipment refinement, cooking, mining, and logging. Upon arriving in Hernand, Kliff meets Bentley, who accompanies him into the city. Guards at the gate deny entry because Kliff is not wearing proper attire, so he must first earn the trust of the local townsfolk before gaining access to Hernand Castle.22Story Context44Chapter 1 opens immediately after the prologue. Many cycles before the events the player witnesses, a mysterious cosmic force known as the Abyss gained consciousness as Umbra by absorbing the worldly desires of those who touched its fallen artifacts. To check Umbra's growth, four ancient guardians began running Pailune's history through a long series of resets. Kliff is the champion they chose, and Chapter 1 is the opening test of the 108th cycle. The kindness tests Kliff undergoes inside Hernand are not arbitrary fetch quests; they are arranged by the guardians to confirm the qualities Kliff was reshaped to carry.66After Myurdin slit Kliff's throat at the end of the prologue and threw him from the waterfall, Kliff awoke in the realm of the Abyss above Pailune and was imbued with several supernatural abilities. At the same moment a white crow appeared at the window of the artisan Sebastian in Wycliffe Mappery and drew him to the Nass River, where he fished Kliff's body from the water and nursed him back to health.88Key Story Beats1010Kliff is fished from the Nass River by Sebastian and recovers at the Wycliffe Mappery, then defends Sebastian from a tribute raid by Bleed Bandits on the outskirts of Hernand.In the city, Kliff is denied entry to Hernand Castle until he earns the trust of the townsfolk. He gives coin to a beggar, frees a woman trapped in the sewer, returns a cat to a child, and sweeps a chimney for a tradesman. Each act is rewarded with a small gift, including a mysterious key from the beggar.The four kindness tests are observed by hidden guardians. The beggar speaks of how 'virtue paves the path to wisdom,' and the gifts he and the woman from the sewer leave behind are not what they appear.Permitted into Hernand Castle in proper attire, Kliff finds an alchemist's chamber where the mysterious key opens a hidden gate. Stepping through it takes him into the Axiom Archive, the abyssal vault where the principles of all things are recorded.Inside the archive Kliff meets Alustin, revealed to be the same beggar from earlier in the chapter. Alustin warns that the balance between Pailune and the Abyss is failing and that 'small acts have profound effect on the fate of your world.' Kliff is sent into his first abyssal puzzle and earns the Axiom Force grapple ability from a guiding white crow.On completing the puzzle, the white crow appears in human form as White Crow, a guardian of the Abyss who also turns out to be the woman Kliff freed from the sewer. She grants Kliff a pair of wings and tells him to dive back down to Hernand, leading directly into the events of Chapter 2.1212Named Characters1414CharacterRole in ChapterNotesKliffProtagonistReturns to the world by Sebastian's hand after the prologue. Begins the chapter without memory of recent events, and most things he sees are flagged as unknown until he learns them again.SebastianRescuerCartographer at Wycliffe Mappery. Drawn to fish from the Nass River after locking eyes with a white crow at his window. Saves Kliff's life and treats his wounds before the chapter begins.BentleyGuideLocal who walks with Kliff toward Hernand and introduces him to the city gate guards.AlustinGuardian of the AbyssAppears first as a beggar on the city streets to test Kliff's kindness. Reveals himself inside the Axiom Archive as one of the four ancient beings working to maintain balance between the worlds.White CrowGuardian of the AbyssAppears first as a captive in the sewer beneath the city, then as a literal white crow inside the archive, and finally as a witch in human form. Gifts Kliff wings to glide back down from the Abyss.MyurdinAntagonist (off-screen)Black Bear leader who slit Kliff's throat and threw him from the waterfall in the prologue. Does not appear in person during Chapter 1, but his attack is the reason Kliff begins the chapter as he does.1616Lore Reveals1717The opening of the Axiom Archive is the moment the wider story shifts from a survival drama into a cosmic one. The archive itself is described as 'the abyss that records the principles of all things,' and each of its 107 entries records a single cycle of Pailune. Most of the deeper lore inside the archive is locked behind solving every abyssal puzzle, including Dimensional Bonds in Chapter 12, but the framing of the chapter quietly tells the player that everything happening to Kliff is being watched and arranged from a vantage point above the world.1919Two of the four guardians appear in this chapter. Alustin and White Crow are the two visible here, while Master Du and a fourth, unnamed figure are mentioned only in scattered archive entries until much later. The white crow that lured Sebastian to the river and the white crow that meets Kliff inside the archive are the same being, foreshadowing how often the guardians have already intervened on Kliff's behalf without his knowledge.2121Kliff's lack of memory at the start of the chapter is more than a tutorial conceit. The ancient guardians repeatedly reshape Kliff between cycles, and several of his personality traits have been deliberately stripped to make him a more reliable instrument. The full account of those changes is recorded in the archive and only revealed in Chapter 9 and beyond.2323Chapter 1 Quest List2525Sub-ChapterQuestKey ActivityTrials of KindnessWhere Rumors GatherArm wrestling minigameTrials of KindnessMysterious ManGive alms to a beggarTrials of KindnessTrue Wisdom in KindnessSewer explorationTrials of KindnessActions Speak Louder than WordsChimney cleaningTrials of KindnessHeart Beyond BordersCat retrieval, bell towerTraceMystical KeyHernand Castle infiltrationTracePolar OppositesAxiom Force tutorialTraceAbyss Without BalanceForce Palm ability, puzzlesTraceWoman in WhiteMeeting White Crow, gliding2727Chapter 1 Location Route2929The main story path through Chapter 1 follows a specific route through the Hernand region. You will travel through these locations roughly in this order:3131OrderLocationKey Events1City of HernandMeet Bentley. Guards deny entry (need proper attire). Notice board quests.2Bloomwood RanchRhett's Request: mine Iron Ore. Free Pickaxe.3Anvil Riverside TerraceSealed Abyss Artifacts nearby.4Equinsher SaddleryHorse-related services.5City of HernandTavern quests: arm wrestling, give alms, cat retrieval.6Hernand SewersTraverse via iron grate. Find bound noble. Receive Sealed Letter.7Muckroot RanchHelp Arlan and Lauren. Clean chimney. Receive Hernandian Attire.8Hernand CastleEquip Hernandian Attire to enter. Meet Haldwin.9Axiom ArchiveAbyss Nexus, Axiom Force tutorial, meet Alustin.10Ethereal PathwayForce Palm ability. Platforming puzzles. Meet White Crow.3333Notice Board and Faction Quests3434When you first arrive at the City of Hernand, look for a notice board near a single tree. This board contains faction quest postings from local NPCs. These quests serve as tutorials for core gameplay systems and should be completed before progressing the main story. The quests become available from Renee, Turnali, and Rhett. Note that Renee's Request does not unlock until you have finished both Turnali's Request and Rhett's Request.3636Turnali's Request3838Read Turnali's poster on the notice board, then visit Turnali at the smithy. He gives you a Logging Axe and directs you to a stand of trees east of Hernand, on the island between the rivers. To chop trees, hold Left D-pad to open the equipment wheel and select the axe in the top-left slot. Then hold LB to aim the targeting circle at a tree trunk and press RB to chop into it. Collect 3x Timber (or 3x Fine Timber), then return to Turnali.4040Turnali teaches you equipment refinement by having you upgrade the Bekker Shield he provides. The first refinement costs 10x Timber.4242Rewards: Bekker Shield, 10x Timber, Logging Axe (kept), Contribution points, Standard Inventory Expansion Tool.4444Rhett's Request4646Read Rhett's poster on the notice board, then find Rhett at his equipment stall in the middle of town. He asks for Iron Ore and gives you a free Pickaxe. Head east past the river to the mining spot just underneath Anvil Riverside Terrace. Equip the Pickaxe from the equipment wheel, then target ore veins and strike them to collect Iron Ore. You need 2x Iron Ore for the quest.4848Important: you do not return the ore to Rhett himself. Instead, deliver it to his assistant, who is located south of the city just beyond the farmlands near Bloomwood Ranch.5050Rewards: Standard Inventory Expansion Tool, Pickaxe (kept), Contribution points.5252Renee's Request5454After completing both Turnali's Request and Rhett's Request, visit Renee at the butchery in Hernand (down the alley past the Inn). Renee has always cooked meat and wants to try fish for the first time. She hands you the recipe and ingredients for Fish Porridge. The recipe requires: 1x Oats (or Barley/Wheat), 2x Fish Fillet, 1x Salt, and 3x Water.5656Open the cooking interface, select the Modest Fish Porridge recipe, set the quantity to 3, and cook. Hand all three portions to Renee. Do not substitute a higher-quality porridge variant; she specifically wants the Modest version.5858Rewards: Standard Inventory Expansion Tool (Medium Bag, grants +3 inventory slots), Fish Porridge recipe (permanently learned), Contribution points.6060Church of Hernand6262Inside the City of Hernand you can visit the Church of Hernand. This location introduces the Conversion mechanic: by speaking with the priest, you can convert items or make donations. Donating to the church increases your Dispatch yields, meaning the companions you send on gathering missions will bring back more resources. The church also houses a Confessional where you can buy a Writ of Absolution to clear any bounty you have accumulated.6464Minigames Available in Chapter 16666Several minigames are available in and around Hernand during Chapter 1:6868MinigameLocationHow to PlayArm WrestlingHernand TavernTarget the arm wrestler with LB, press A to challenge. Mash X to fill your meter, then hit the quick-time prompts at checkpoint moments.Rock Paper ScissorsCity of Hernand (children)Find children in the city streets. Standard rules: rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, paper beats rock.SeotdaHernand TavernA Korean card game played against up to three other players. Use Insight to spot cheating. Best played when the table has three opponents for easier wins.7070Sealed Abyss Artifacts7171During your exploration of the area near Anvil Riverside Terrace, look for Sealed Abyss Artifacts. These glowing collectibles unlock Challenges that grant valuable rewards. Two artifacts are accessible during Chapter 1:7373ArtifactLocationChallenge UnlockedSwords of Trials IIINear Anvil Riverside Terrace, at an intersection west of Bloomwood RanchCombat challenge: defeat enemies within a time limit.Sliding down the SlopeNear Anvil Riverside Terrace, on a hillside pathTraversal challenge: slide down a slope hitting checkpoints.7676Grab these early. Challenges provide experience, Silver, and unique equipment that will help throughout the rest of the chapter.7777Trials of Kindness7979Where Rumors Gather8181Kliff enters the Hernand Tavern to gather information. This short quest introduces the arm wrestling minigame.8383Look around Hernand Tavern - Head south to the minimap marker. Enter the tavern building.Try arm wrestling - Find the arm wrestler seated at a table inside. Target him with L1/LB, then press X/A to challenge him. Mash Square/X to fill your meter red, then hit the quick-time event prompts (X/A) at checkpoint moments. Keep filling the meter until you win.8585Winning the arm wrestling match completes the quest and leads directly into "Mysterious Man." While in the tavern, look around for other patrons who may offer Seotda card games.8787Mysterious Man8989Outside the tavern, children are taunting an old beggar on the ground. Kliff must show an act of kindness.9191Give a coin to the old beggar - Exit the tavern and turn left. Look behind the low wall in the front yard. The beggar is sleeping on the ground. Target him with L1/LB and select "Give Alms" with Square/X. This costs a small amount of Copper.Note the hatch - After the beggar moves away, a hatch on the floor becomes visible. This leads to a ladder and is used in the next quest.9393Giving the beggar Copper earns you a Shabby Wooden Key. Keep this item; it transforms into the Mystical Key used later to access Hernand Castle's alchemist chamber.9595Reward: 1x Standard Inventory Expansion Tool, Shabby Wooden Key.9797True Wisdom in Kindness9999Strange sounds are coming from the iron grate where the beggar was lying. Kliff investigates the Hernand Sewers below.101101Enter the sewer - The trapdoor is at the spot where the beggar was. Interact with it to descend into the Hernand Sewers.Traverse the sewer - Follow the tunnel forward. Use the jumping-to-target mechanic to leap across gaps where the floor has collapsed. The camera shifts to show the landing point; press X/A at the right moment to stick the landing.Find the bound noble - At the end of the tunnel, you find a woman kneeling on the ground, bound and gagged. Lock on to her with L1/LB and press the interact button to untie her.103103After freeing the woman, she gives Kliff a Sealed Letter. This letter becomes important later in the story. The quest completes automatically after the rescue.105105Actions Speak Louder than Words107107Kliff travels to Muckroot Ranch, south of the city walls, and helps a distressed couple with a household chore.109109Speak with the distressed couple - Navigate to the mission marker near Muckroot Ranch and talk to the woman (Lauren) standing in front of a house. Her partner Arlan is also nearby.Take the broom - During the conversation, you automatically move toward a broom. Pick it up with Square/X.Clean the chimney - Go to the back of the house and climb the boxes to reach the roof. Open your inventory and equip the broom. Then hold D-pad left and press R2/RT to select it from the item wheel. Climb directly on top of the chimney (standing beside it does not work), look down with L1/LB, and press R1/RB when the prompt appears.111111Tip: You must stand directly on top of the chimney for the cleaning prompt to appear. Standing beside it will not trigger anything.113113Rewards115115RewardQuantityStandard Inventory Expansion Tool1Lentils10Apples5Hernandian Attire1117117The Hernandian Attire is the most important reward here. This purple coat is required to enter Hernand Castle. Equip it from your inventory before approaching the castle gates.118118Heart Beyond Borders120120Kliff helps a troubled child recover a lost cat from the rooftops.122122Speak with the troubled child - Go to the courtyard marker and find a child named Rulupee in a green cloak. Rulupee is a Shai child looking for a lost cat.Retrieve the cat - Climb onto the nearby cabin rooftops. The cat, named Jiji, is wandering up there. Approach it and press the grab button to pick it up. The game returns you to Rulupee automatically.Pick up the dropped item - After a cutscene, you are kneeling beside a pendant. Pick it up to receive Shai's Pendant.124124Reward: Shai's Pendant. This pendant has significance later in the story and is connected to the Shai people.126126Bell tower tip: On the rooftop where you found Jiji, there is a tower with a bell. Ring it to unfog the Hernand region map. There are eight bells total across the world. Ringing all eight reveals the full world map.128128Entering Hernand Castle130130To gain access to Hernand Castle, you must complete two prerequisites:132132Complete the "Where Rumors Gather" quest to receive the wooden key from the beggar.Complete "Actions Speak Louder than Words" to receive the Hernandian Attire.134134Open your inventory and equip the Hernandian Attire (a purple coat). Soldiers at the castle gates will let you pass if you are wearing it. Without the attire, they turn you away regardless of your progress in other quests. Once inside, you can meet Haldwin, who runs the Contribution shop.136136Trace138138Mystical Key140140The Shabby Wooden Key the beggar gave Kliff transforms into an ornate iron key. This quest leads to Hernand Castle and the alchemist's hidden chamber.142142Examine the engraved key - Open your inventory and inspect the Mystical Key. Zoom in on the tip to see the engravings that match a lock somewhere in the castle.Go to Hernand Castle - Before entering, equip the Hernandian Attire from your inventory. Soldiers at the gate will let you pass. Follow the interior corridors, take the first right, go upstairs to the second floor, and continue through the next right hallway.Find the alchemist's chamber - Take the first left doorway in the corridor. Your key opens this room. Inside you find alchemical equipment and references to Alustin's research.Go through the shining gate - A glowing portal appears in the wall. Interact with it to enter the Axiom Archive and complete the quest.145145Polar Opposites147147Kliff enters the Abyss for the first time via the Axiom Archive. This quest introduces Axiom Force, the telekinetic power used to manipulate objects throughout the game.149149Activate the Abyss Nexus - Step onto the circular platform on the ground and stand on it for a few seconds. This unlocks an Abyss Nexus fast travel point. Fast travel points appear as blue icons on the map.Go toward the building - Walk toward the large structure ahead. A cutscene explains Axiom Force mechanics and shows Alustin's guidance.Find a way into the building - You need to align two floor plates using Axiom Force. Activate your lantern (L1/LB) to reveal yellow outlines on the plates. Hold L3 to grapple a plate, then hold L2 to pull or R2 to push while rotating the right stick to align the yellow lines with the power wires. Release with Circle/B if you need to recheck positions.Enter the building - Once both plates are aligned, a cutscene triggers and the entrance opens. Walk down the hallway to meet Alustin, who explains the nature of the Abyss and Kliff's connection to it.151151Abyss Without Balance153153After a blinding flash, Kliff is back outside the building. Alustin instructs him to restore the Abyss. This quest takes place along the Ethereal Pathway and teaches Force Palm, a punch ability that is used constantly throughout the game.155155Pass through the Skybridge Gate - Use Axiom Force (hold L3) on the gate. Interact with the totem that appears, grapple its blue center, and rotate it with D-pad until it glows blue. Follow the path downward, ride moving platforms upward, and teleport across to a large garden area.Activate the Abyss Nexus - Stand on the floor plate with the white ring to unlock a fast travel checkpoint along the Ethereal Pathway.Manipulate the floating power cores - Grab the blue glowing cube with Axiom Force and place it on the right pedestal. Leave the left cube on its original pedestal. Both must sit on their pedestals to remove the blockade.Learn Force Palm - Drop into the accessible pit. Find a power cell on the right wall and observe a blue ghost placing it (use L1/LB to look). This holographic demonstration teaches the Force Palm technique.Combine the Abyss Cell - Position the power cell in front of the wall using Axiom Force, then press R3 to execute Force Palm, punching it into place.Activate the power supply - Climb to the center of the large circular cog mechanism and use Force Palm (R3) to activate it. The device transitions from yellow to blue when fully powered.Collect the artifact - Ascend to the summit where a floating item glows. Walk toward it to collect the Faded Abyss Artifact automatically.157157Tip: If you accidentally move a cube off its pedestal, you can reposition it using Axiom Force. Both cubes must remain on their respective pedestals for the door to stay open.159159Woman in White161161The final quest of Chapter 1. Kliff meets the mysterious White Crow and receives the ability to glide.163163Speak with the Woman in White - Walk forward to trigger a cutscene with White Crow. No combat or puzzle-solving is required. She bestows the Flight ability upon Kliff.Return to Hernand - After the cutscene, you leap from the Abyss. Hit Square/X during the quick-time event to deploy wings, then glide down to Hernand. Conserve stamina as you approach the ground to ensure a safe landing.165165Rewards167167RewardDetailsFaded Abyss ArtifactCollected during Abyss Without Balance.Palmar PillConsumable that restores health.Flight AbilityBestowed by White Crow. Allows gliding from high points.169169Chapter Summary and Unlocks170170With the conclusion of Woman in White, Chapter 1 ends and Kliff has access to the following Abyss abilities:172172AbilityHow ObtainedUsageAxiom ForcePolar Opposites questTelekinesis: push, pull, and rotate objects. Used for puzzles and environmental manipulation.Force PalmAbyss Without Balance questMelee punch that activates Abyss mechanisms and deals damage in combat.Blinding FlashLearned automatically during TraceDefensive ability that stuns nearby enemies briefly.Flight / GlidingWoman in White questGlide from high points. Press Square/X to deploy wings mid-air.174174Kliff also now has the Visione device, access to equipment refinement, cooking recipes, mining and logging tools, and a cleared path into Hernand Castle. Chapter 2 opens up the world significantly, giving access to new regions beyond Hernand.175175Tips for Chapter 1177177Complete all three notice board quests (Turnali, Rhett, Renee) before progressing the story. The free tools and inventory expansions save time later.Visit the Church of Hernand and donate. Increased Dispatch yields compound over time as your companions gather resources for the Greymane Camp.Grab Sealed Abyss Artifacts near Anvil Riverside Terrace as early as possible. The unlocked Challenges provide useful gear.Ring the bell on the rooftop where you find the cat Jiji. It unfogs a large portion of the Hernand map for free.Before entering Hernand Castle, use an Anvil to increase your gear's defense rating. The Anvil is near the smithy.In the Abyss puzzles, activate your lantern (L1/LB) frequently. It reveals hidden yellow alignment guides on movable plates.During the glide from the Abyss back to Hernand, conserve stamina by angling downward intermittently rather than holding a flat trajectory.179179See Also181181Main Story WalkthroughChapter 2: A New Dawn WalkthroughHernandHernand CastleAxiom ForceForce PalmSealed Abyss ArtifactsMinigamesChallengesEquipment Refinement
