Chapter 3: Howling Hill Walkthrough

Chapter 3 centers on rebuilding the Greymanes at their new base of Howling Hill. Across three sub-chapters (Homestead, The Face Behind the Mask, and Pioneering), Kliff reunites scattered comrades, establishes the camp, and faces the deadly Devil of the Reed Field. This chapter introduces cooking, camp building, stealth mechanics, and the dispatch mission system.

Chapter 3 is longer than the previous chapters and is the point where Crimson Desert's open-world systems fully unlock. Players gain access to the Howling Hill camp, which functions as a persistent hub for crafting, cooking, and managing dispatch missions. The chapter also has the game's first truly punishing boss encounter, the Reed Devil, which requires careful preparation and mastery of the parry system.

Chapter 3 Quest List

Chapter 3 contains 17 main quests spread across three sub-chapters. The table below lists every quest in order, with a summary of each quest's primary activity.

Story Context

Chapter 3 marks the chapter where the surviving Greymanes finally regroup. With the Hornsplitter dead and the Goldleaf Merchant Guild grateful, Marquis Sarcus grants Kliff a patch of land on Howling Hill that the scattered mercenaries can call their new home. The chapter is structured around tracking down each Greymane, bringing them back to camp, and confronting two darker corners of Hernand: the Houses of Healing and the haunted Reed Fields.

The themes of this chapter are abandonment and revenge. Both major arcs follow people who were cast aside by those who should have protected them. Yann is locked away in an asylum where the Visione is used as an instrument of control rather than insight. Aldrin Grace, the disowned bastard son of Count Grace, dies in the cursed Reed Fields and returns as the Reed Devil, drawing power from a fallen abyssal artifact that soaked the burial ground.

Key Story Beats

• In the back alleys of Hernand Kliff finds Marius, whose injured leg means he can no longer fight. Marius takes on the role of the band's quartermaster and behind-the-scenes coordinator, freeing the others to focus on combat.

• With the Goldleaf Merchant Guild indebted to Kliff, Marquis Sarcus grants the Greymanes a tract of land on Howling Hill. The land is temporary but immediate: it gives the survivors of Pailune somewhere to gather and rebuild.

• On arrival at the new camp Kliff meets Damiane for the first time. She is the second playable character of the campaign and a refugee from Demeniss. She had been taken in by Countess Beatrice of House Azerian and trained in the sword, but her swordmaster has gone missing under circumstances she is still trying to piece together.

• The Greymanes hear that Yann was arrested in a bar fight and imprisoned at the Houses of Healing. Kliff infiltrates the asylum to rescue him and discovers that the Visione helmets are being used there to pacify and control patients, sometimes driving them mad.

• At Glenbright Manor the Greymanes Naira and Andrew are protecting Count Alister Grace, but the manor has already been turned into a slaughterhouse by the returning Reed Devil. Visione memories on site reveal Grace's role in disowning and ordering the death of his sick son Aldrin.

• Tracking Grace into the haunted Reed Devil fields, Kliff arrives too late to save the count. The Reed Devil takes his revenge in front of Kliff, then turns on the Greymanes. The boss fight follows the Devil through the reeds, with his backstory delivered in his own voice.

• After the Devil's masked form is defeated, the wraith warns that he cannot be truly killed. As long as people are cast out to hear the scarecrows whisper, the grudge will rise again. Returning to Sunset Valley, Kliff finds the abandoned house where Aldrin lived before his transformation, surrounded by handmade reed-devil masks and the Tales of Sunset Valley book that explains the cursed history of the burial ground.

• The remainder of the chapter is spent tracking down the rest of the scattered Greymanes and expanding camp on Howling Hill, setting up the operational base used for the rest of the campaign.

Named Characters

Bosses

Key Locations Visited

• Hernand back alleys and Houses of Healing

• Howling Hill Greymane camp

• Glenbright Manor

• Sunset Valley and the Reed Fields

Lore Reveals

The Tales of Sunset Valley book and the memory fragments scattered across this chapter establish how the Abyss interacts with mass suffering on the ground. The Reed Fields had been used for generations as a hidden burial ground for outcasts, then a fragment of the Abyss fell there. The collective grief and grudges of the buried dead poured back into the Abyss, and a vengeful spirit rose from the reeds. Aldrin Grace's despair made him the perfect host: a disowned heir cast out to die in the very place that produces wraiths.

The Houses of Healing arc previews how Delesyian technology can be turned against the people it was supposed to help. The Visione helmet, presented earlier as a tool for memory, is here used as a sedation device. This will pay off in Chapter 11 when the same technology is fully weaponized by an AI in Delesyia.

The chapter also seeds the recurring image of the scarecrow as a sympathetic listener who turns vengeful. The Reed Devil's existence is presented as a fixed property of a broken world rather than a single villain to defeat, which is why the wraith warns Kliff that his death changes nothing.

Location Route

Chapter 3 takes place entirely within the Hernand region. The locations visited during this chapter, in roughly the order they appear during the main quest line, are listed below.

Homestead

Old Friend

The Goldleaf Merchant Guild has information about someone calling himself a Greymane. Kliff goes to the back alleys of Hernand and finds Marius. This is a brief cutscene-driven quest with no combat. Marius is badly wounded and cannot make it to the camp on his own. After the scene plays out, the quest completes automatically.

First Step to Rebuilding

Rebuilding the Greymanes requires powerful allies. Kliff visits Marquis Serkis to forge an alliance that will provide the resources and legitimacy the mercenaries need to establish a permanent base.

1. Speak with Marquis Serkis - Travel to the manor. A cutscene triggers when you approach the guard outside. The conversation establishes the political landscape of Hernand and sets up the alliance between the Greymanes and House Serkis.

2. Follow the soldier - Exit the manor and follow the guard on foot. Stay close so the NPC continues walking.

3. Follow on horseback - When the guard mounts up, summon your horse and ride alongside. This is a straightforward ride with no enemies.

4. Speak with Marshal Middler - Arrive at Howling Hill and approach the gathering in the camp's center. A cutscene plays, officially unlocking the camp as your base of operations.

Rewards

A Fresh Start

Kliff helps construct the Greymane camp. This quest is a tutorial for the camp-building system. Four tasks can be completed in any order:

1. Move the sacks - Pick up three sacks from the ground and carry them to the highlighted storage area. Each sack must be carried individually.

2. Drive in the stakes - Grab the mallet from a small table. Equip it from the item wheel. Strike four tent stakes three times each. Line up with the stake and press the attack button repeatedly.

3. Push the wagon - Find the hay-covered wagon with a rock blocking its path. Pick up the nearby pickaxe and destroy all three rocks, then push the wagon into the tent. The pickaxe is located on the ground beside the wagon.

4. Raise the banner - Use Nature's Grasp to lift the banner from the ground and position it into its holder. This introduces the Axiom ability's utility outside combat.

Reward: 5x Iron Ore.

Reward for Their Sweat

The camp is built, so it is time to feed the workers. This quest introduces the cooking system, which will be essential throughout the rest of the game for healing and buffs.

1. Check the cooking recipe - Find the Clear Soup recipe on a stool next to the cooking pot. Examine it with L1/LB.

2. Make 2x Modest Clear Soup - Approach the pot and press Square/X. Switch to soups with R2/RT. Select Modest Clear Soup, which requires 1x Tough Meat, 1x Barley, and 1x Water. All ingredients are on the same stool. Craft at least 2 servings. The cooking interface lets you select the recipe and ingredients separately.

3. Serve the feast - Go to the dining table where workers are gathered. Approaching triggers a cutscene where the Greymanes share their first meal at the new camp.

Reward: 10x Clear Soup.

Return of the Comrade

Kliff rides to Scrapfold to retrieve Marius and escort him back to camp. This is a relatively short quest focused on story.

1. Travel to Scrapfold - Find Marius in the center of the camp surrounded by beggars. If beggars approach, you will need to give them a coin to proceed.

2. Speak with Marius - Initiate dialogue. Marius agrees to return to Howling Hill with Kliff.

3. Ride back to camp - Mount your horse (Marius will automatically mount as well). Ride back to Howling Hill to trigger a concluding cutscene. There are no enemies along the route.

Familiar Curses

A Greymane has caused a rampage at St. Halssius's House of Healing east of Hernand. This quest introduces stealth mechanics and offers multiple approaches to infiltration. It is one of the longer quests in the Homestead sub-chapter and shows Crimson Desert's flexible approach to quest design.

Entering the House of Healing

There are three ways to gain entry. The guards at the front gate will physically throw Kliff out if he tries to walk in uninvited.

1. Navigate to the second floor - Once inside, proceed to the south wing above the inner courtyard. A man is fighting patients in the hallway. This is Yann.

2. Follow Yann - The attacker flees through a wooden door. Chase him across rooftops. He enters a cottage, then boards a Pywell Wagon. Ride alongside him to Nas River Fishing Dock. Yann will drive the wagon while you ride alongside, and the two of you will have a conversation during the ride.

Rewards

The Face Behind the Mask

Return

Now that Yann is back, Kliff returns to camp and speaks with Marius. This quest is a single conversation, but the guide strongly recommends extensive preparation before proceeding, because a difficult boss fight is coming shortly.

Preparation Checklist

Before advancing past this quest, take time to prepare for the Devil of the Reed Field boss fight. This is one of the hardest encounters in the early game and being underprepared will result in repeated deaths.

Traces in the Manor

Naira and Andrew have gone silent. Kliff rides to Glenbright Manor to investigate. The manor is located south of Hernand, almost directly south of Emberwind Workshop.

1. Go to Glenbright Manor - Travel south to the marker. The ride takes a few minutes on horseback.

2. Enter the manor - A cutscene triggers, followed by combat with five guards. Defeat them all. These guards are straightforward enemies; use dodge and attack combos to dispatch them quickly.

3. Look for survivors - Go upstairs to the right, down the hallway, and through the door. Find a servant sitting in the left corner and interact with them. The servant provides information about what happened to Count Grace and the whereabouts of Naira and Andrew.

Nonhuman

Fresh tracks from Count Grace lead out of the manor. Kliff must track the "Devil of the Reed Field" and find his comrades. This quest introduces the Visione memory mechanic and the lantern tracking system.

1. Track the Devil - In the upstairs room, activate the "Grace Manor" memory using your Visione. Exit through the window, turn right, and activate your lantern (L1/LB) to reveal a yellow tracking line. Follow it, defeating enemy groups along the way, until you reach a hut. The tracking line fades after a short distance, so you will need to reactivate the lantern periodically.

2. Find Andrew and Naira - Entering the hut triggers a cutscene where you reunite with Andrew and Naira. They share details about the Reed Devil's nature and whereabouts.

Seed of Unease

The Reed Devil must be hunted down before he endangers the Greymanes further. This is a chase sequence through a canyon that tests your combat and navigation skills.

1. Track the Devil - After the cutscene, the quest marker disappears. Use your lantern (L1/LB) to reveal a yellow line leading southwest toward a canyon. Follow the trail carefully.

2. Canyon pursuit - The Reed Devil appears with enemies along the canyon road. Damage him until he flees, then continue following the linear canyon path. You can sprint past most regular enemies to conserve healing supplies, which you will need for the upcoming boss fight.

3. Final arena - The canyon opens into a large field. Engage and defeat the Reed Devil here. This encounter is not the full boss fight but rather a preliminary skirmish. The Reed Devil will flee after taking enough damage.

4. Examine the altar - After the fight, inspect the straw figure on the altar using L1/LB. This reveals crucial story details about the Devil's origins.

Bring plenty of healing food. The Reed Devil deals heavy damage even during this pursuit sequence. Save your best healing items for the full boss fight in the next quest.

Dance with the Devil

This is the major boss fight of Chapter 3. The Devil of the Reed Field is a three-phase encounter and a significant difficulty spike. The Reed Devil has 3 full health bars, making this one of the longest boss fights in the early game. Players should expect to spend considerable time on this battle, particularly if they are underprepared.

Recommended Gear

Phase 1: One-on-One

Focus on learning the Devil's attack patterns. Most of his attacks can be parried, making a shield essential for this phase.

Phase 2: Scarecrow Encounter

Five Scarecrows spawn along with four Devil clones, all sharing the same moveset. This is the most chaotic phase and requires a different approach from Phase 1.

Once all Scarecrows are destroyed, three clones vanish. Damage the remaining Devil to trigger Phase 3.

Phase 3: Two Opponents

This phase resembles Phase 1 but with higher aggression and a second Devil that appears during certain combos. The Reed Devil gains new attacks that were not present in Phase 1.

Rewards

Pioneering

Hope After the Draught

Andrew was injured during the Reed Devil battle. Kliff rushes back to camp. Use fast travel via the sky map (R3) to the island above camp, then skydive down. Enter the tent for a cutscene. This quest marks the transition from the intense boss fight sequence back to the camp-building portion of the chapter.

Scattered Comrades

Marius has been speaking with an informant since daybreak. Approach them at camp and listen. This is a brief dialogue quest that sets up the next recruitment mission. Marius provides the location of another Greymane who has been living as a woodworker near Coalvale.

Rumors From the Sawmill

Rumors say some Greymanes traded swords for axes and now work at a sawmill near Coalvale Workshop. This quest takes Kliff outside the immediate camp area to recruit another ally.

1. Travel to Coalvale Workshop - Follow the quest marker. The workshop is located to the east of Howling Hill.

2. Recruit Luke - Find Luke sitting at the workshop. Talk to him to bring him into the Greymanes. Luke was once a skilled fighter who put down his sword after the Greymanes were scattered. He agrees to return and help rebuild.

Rewards

A Gentle Touch

Return to Howling Hill and examine the Dragon Head Totem at the shrine. Read Shakatu's Letter from your inventory (it is a purple letter). This introduces the Camp Expansion mechanics, which allow you to grow the camp by assigning Greymane members to construction and resource-gathering tasks.

Rewards

Bustling Hill

The camp needs to expand to house more personnel. This quest introduces the dispatch mission system, a key ongoing mechanic for the rest of the game. Dispatch missions let you send Greymane members on timed tasks that earn resources and unlock new camp facilities.

1. Dispatch the expansion mission - Open your map (ALL tab), zoom into camp, and activate Howling Hill on the left side with Triangle/Y. Switch to the Mission List tab with R1/RB. Select "Howling Hill Camp Expansion" and assign both Luke and Ronald as dispatched soldiers.

2. Wait for completion - The expansion takes 18 in-game hours. You can explore, complete side quests, shop, or sleep at a bed/campfire to advance time. Sleeping at a campfire passes time in 3-hour increments, making it the fastest way to wait.

Once the expansion hits 100%, a notification explains the camp expansion system and the quest completes.

Greymanes Reunited

The camp has been expanded. Return to Howling Hill and enter the gathering area for a cutscene celebrating the reunion. The Greymanes share stories around the campfire. This reflects on their journey from being scattered fugitives to rebuilding as a cohesive force. With this, Chapter 3 ends and Chapter 4 begins automatically.

New Mechanics Introduced in Chapter 3

Chapter 3 introduces several systems that remain important throughout the rest of Crimson Desert. Players should take time to understand each of these mechanics before moving on to Chapter 4.

Tips and Strategy

See Also

• Main Story Walkthrough

• Chapter 2: The Mercenary Life Walkthrough

• Chapter 4: The Mercenary and the Lion Walkthrough

• Devil of the Reed Field

• Howling Hill

• Cooking

• Dispatch Missions