Foreboding Shadow

Sub-Chapter Overview

Overview

Foreboding Shadow is the second and final sub-chapter of Chapter 11: Truth and Reality, which takes place in the Delesyia region. After the events of the Brave New World sub-chapter, Kliff must retrieve a power core from a mechanical dragon, forge an alliance with a legendary aerial beast, and then use that beast to destroy the flying fortress threatening the land.

The sub-chapter contains three main quests. The first is a boss encounter against the mechanical dragon Golden Star inside Marni's Masterium. The second is a brief narrative quest that unlocks the permanent dragon mount Blackstar. The third sends you back into the skies to dismantle the Cloud Fortress Orbian from the inside.

Quests in This Sub-Chapter

Master of a Forgotten Land (Quest #152)

Quest Details

Overview

Master of a Forgotten Land is the 152nd main quest in Crimson Desert. To destroy the flying fortress, Kliff needs its power core, which is held by Golden Star: a colossal mechanical dragon built inside Marni's Masterium. Defeating it yields the Golden Fire needed to sabotage the fortress.

Walkthrough

Head to the quest marker at Marni's Masterium to trigger the encounter. The arena is a large circular chamber with elevated walls on the sides.

Using the Spears

Blue glowing generators line the sides of the arena. Pick up the spears they produce and throw them at Golden Star whenever it holds still. Spear throws are your primary ranged damage source when the dragon is not in a vulnerable melee position.

Exploiting the Claw Attack

When Golden Star moves to the lower portion of the right wall and begins breathing fire, you can attack its exposed claw directly. Claw strikes deal significantly more damage than spear throws, so take every opportunity when the dragon is in this position.

Stagger Phase

After taking enough damage, Golden Star crashes to the ground and becomes stunned for a few seconds. Use this window to unleash your highest-damage skills and combos. The dragon has a single health bar and does not enter a second phase, so repeat the spear and claw pattern until it falls.

Additional Enemies

Flying mechanical bugs and large robots occasionally join the fight. They are disposed of quickly and should not be prioritized over the boss unless they are directly interrupting your attacks.

After the Fight

A cutscene plays after depleting Golden Star's health bar. Kliff then skydives down to the dragon's remains for a second cutscene. Completing the sequence rewards Golden Fire and ends the quest, transitioning directly into Whispers in the Wind.

Boss Summary: Golden Star

Whispers in the Wind (Quest #153)

Quest Details

Overview

Whispers in the Wind is the 153rd main quest in Crimson Desert and the shortest quest in the Foreboding Shadow sub-chapter. It is a narrative bridge between the boss fight in Marni's Masterium and the aerial assault on the Cloud Fortress Orbian. The quest is entirely a single cutscene.

Walkthrough

The quest begins automatically after the final cutscene in Master of a Forgotten Land. The game transports Kliff to the Nest of Valor through dialogue. A cutscene plays in which he falls into the Abyss and lands on the back of Blackstar, the dragon encountered earlier in the desert. The quest ends at this moment.

No combat, puzzles, or exploration are required. The quest completes on its own once the cutscene finishes.

Reward: Blackstar Dragon Mount

Completing this quest permanently unlocks Blackstar as Kliff's dragon mount. You can summon Blackstar at any time by pressing up on the directional pad and selecting it from the character selection wheel. Blackstar is required for the next quest, Cloud Fortress Orbian.

Cloud Fortress Orbian (Quest #154)

Quest Details

Preparation

Before starting this quest, confirm you have the Stab skill at Level 1 and a bow with the Charged Shot ability unlocked. These are mandatory for completing the interior section and the final boss fight. Nature's Snare at Level 2 is optional but makes the boss fight easier by letting you catch and return incoming projectiles.

Phase 1: Destroy the External Cores

Mount Blackstar and fly toward the Cloud Fortress Orbian. Five yellow cores are positioned around the outside of the fortress. They can only be damaged when you are positioned directly in front of them inside the red laser zones and they glow yellow. Use Blackstar's fire projectile attack to destroy all five. Once all cores are down, a cutscene plays.

Phase 2: Enter the Fortress

Land inside the fortress. Locate a round pillar that acts as a lever. Use the Stab skill (R1 + Triangle on PlayStation, RB + Y on Xbox) to lodge your weapon into it, then rotate the pillar to align the opening in the ceiling with the grate below. Jump through the aligned gap using three mid-air Force Palm strikes to ascend.

Phase 3: Clear the Middle Floors

On the interior floors, use Stab and then Charged Shot to pierce and destroy green glass barriers blocking your path. After clearing each barrier, defeat the enemies in the area. Locate cables on the sides of the floor and climb them toward the roof. There is a rest ledge partway up if you need to reposition.

Phase 4: Disable the Roof Device

On the rooftop, use Stab on the central green glass device to destroy it. This opens a door to the north. Drop carefully onto the newly opened gate below.

Phase 5: The Round Corridor Gate

Enter the round corridor and find the metal gate with a green cog symbol. Climb the gate and position yourself slightly off-center. Execute a Focused Force Palm (hold L3 + R3, then hold R3 for several seconds) to rotate through the gate and reach the boss chamber.

Boss Fight: H.A.L.L.

H.A.L.L. appears as a large golden eye with a single health bar. The fight takes place in the central chamber.

Equip your bow. Hold L2 (or LT on Xbox) to aim, then hold R2 (or RT) to charge a Charged Shot. Fire at H.A.L.L. repeatedly. Watch the yellow stun bar at the top of H.A.L.L.'s health display. When the stun bar fills completely, H.A.L.L. shuts down temporarily and becomes vulnerable to massive damage. Each hit during shutdown deals approximately 25% of its total health.

H.A.L.L. attacks exclusively by firing projectiles at Kliff. If you have Nature's Snare at Level 2, you can catch projectiles and throw them back to deal bonus damage. Without it, dodge them manually and continue charging shots.

Important: If Kliff dies during this boss fight, you must restart the entire fortress from the beginning, including the external core phase. Keep an eye on your health and use healing items before you reach low health, not after.

Boss Summary: H.A.L.L.

After the Fight

Defeating H.A.L.L. ends Quest #154 and concludes the Foreboding Shadow sub-chapter. The story continues into Chapter 12: The Abyss.

Tips and Strategies

• Claw over spears: In the Golden Star fight, wait for it to move to the right wall before attacking. Claw hits deal far more damage than spears.

• Single-phase boss: Golden Star does not change attack patterns after taking damage. The spear-and-claw loop works from start to finish.

• Stack healing items: The Cloud Fortress Orbian has no mid-point checkpoint. A death means restarting from outside, so bring and use healing items proactively during the H.A.L.L. fight.

• Core vulnerability window: External cores on the fortress only take damage when glowing yellow inside the red laser zones. Do not waste Blackstar's fire shots when a core is not lit up.

• Force Palm ascent: The ceiling grate passage requires exactly three mid-air Force Palms. Do not button-mash; time each one carefully to reach the upper floor.

• Nature's Snare is optional: The H.A.L.L. boss can be completed without Nature's Snare by simply dodging projectiles and focusing on Charged Shots.

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