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Lore
March 24, 2026 at 08:57 AM
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Crimson Desert is set on the continent of Pywel, a vast medieval fantasy world scarred by centuries of conflict, political upheaval, and the encroaching influence of a mysterious supernatural realm known as the Abyss. The narrative follows Kliff, a warrior of the Greymane mercenaries, as he fights to reunite his scattered comrades and rebuild his fallen warband after a devastating ambush by the Black Bears. What begins as a personal quest for revenge and restoration gradually reveals a far greater threat that could consume the entire continent.
Pearl Abyss drew inspiration from Sicily and other Mediterranean landscapes when designing Pywel, studying historical architecture and natural environments to give the world a grounded, lived-in quality. The continent is home to over 110 distinct factions, from powerful noble houses and military organizations to mercenary bands, outlaw groups, and regional guilds. Each faction operates with its own goals, alliances, and rivalries, creating a web of political intrigue that drives much of the story forward.
Pywel is divided into five major regions, each with its own geography, culture, and political structure. The regions range from fertile green lowlands and frozen mountain ranges to arid deserts and technologically advanced city-states. Travel between these regions reveals the full scope of the world's diversity, and each area introduces its own factions, questlines, and challenges.
Region | Description | |
|---|---|---|
The civilized heart of Pywel, Hernand is a fertile region of green meadows, dense forests, and prosperous cities. It draws from European high-fantasy aesthetics. Hernand is the first region players explore and serves as the epicenter of political intrigue, with noble houses competing for power in the absence of effective central authority. | Hernand Castle, Roothold Stronghold, Unicorn Cliffs, Bluemont Manor, Greendale Village, Forest Gate | |
A harsh northern region of snow-capped mountain peaks and freezing temperatures. Pailune is home to resilient mountain folk and dangerous beasts adapted to sub-zero conditions. It serves as the ancestral homeland of the Greymanes, and reclaiming it is a central motivator for the warband. | Frozen Soul Mountain, Dragon Ridge, Dragon's Nest Dungeon, Pailune Archives, Mountain Peak Shrines | |
The capital of Pywel and the main seat of political and military power on the continent. Demeniss features significant military infrastructure and serves as a staging ground for large-scale conflicts. The region hosts major political and military operations throughout the campaign. | Demeniss Castle, Royal Quarter, Royal Catacombs, Military Fort | |
The most scientifically and technologically advanced region of Pywel. Delesyia stands apart from the rest of the continent with its mechanical beings, unusual enemies, and advanced infrastructure. The region is heavily associated with the inventor Marni and the technological wonders found at Marni's Masterium. | Marni's Masterium, Tesla Ruins, Tesla Workshop, Sky Tower, Delesyia Lab | |
The namesake region of the game, a barren expanse of crimson sand stretching across the southern reaches of Pywel. It is a completely lawless territory where the environment itself is an enemy. Sandstorms, scorching heat, and giant monsters lurking beneath the dunes make survival a constant challenge. Brigands and criminal elements dominate the region. | Bonepit Arena, Buried Temple, Red Dunes Entry, Bandit's Rest |
Beyond these five primary regions, Pywel contains several notable sub-areas. Kweiden (also known as Ulsrund, the Land of the Wolf) is a snowy, mountainous territory known for fearsome bosses like the White Horn and the Staglord. The vast plains of Akapen stretch across portions of the continent, offering open terrain for mounted travel and combat encounters.
The political landscape of Pywel is shaped by the ambitions and conflicts of its many factions. While over 110 factions exist across the continent, several play a defining role in the main narrative.
The Greymanes are an honorable warband originally from Pailune. They are a Highland clan with pastoral roots, known for their sense of justice and willingness to help others. Under their former leader Jian, the Greymanes maintained a fragile balance with other factions in Pailune. Members were assigned roles ranging from fishing and livestock management to military operations, reflecting the group's communal way of life.
After the Black Bears' devastating night ambush killed Jian and scattered the survivors, the remaining Greymanes relocated to Hernand while rebuilding their strength. The warband's camp serves as a hub for operations, with members contributing through various roles and dispatched missions. Reclaiming their lost homeland of Pailune drives much of the Greymanes' story arc.
The Black Bears are the sworn enemies of the Greymanes and the game's primary antagonistic faction. Led by the ruthless Myurdin, the Black Bears launched the devastating opening ambush that killed Jian and scattered the Greymanes. Myurdin fights with what survivors describe as the relentlessness of an angry bear, and his faction seeks continental dominance through political chaos. The Black Bears' goal is to seize the power left in the vacuum created by the fracturing of Pywel's existing order.
House Celeste is the ruling faction in Hernand, the first region players explore. They control access to Hernand Castle and require players to build trust before granting entry to their stronghold. House Celeste is one of several major noble houses involved in the wider power struggle taking place across Pywel, particularly in the context of political instability caused by the comatose king's absence from the throne.
Hernand alone hosts multiple competing groups, including House Roberts, the Goldleaf Merchant Guild, the Scholastone Institute, the Pororin Forest Guardians, and local Witch covens. Each region of Pywel introduces additional factions with their own agendas, alliances, and conflicts. The Wandering Freeswords, led by Captain Matthias, represent one of many independent military organizations operating across the continent.
The Abyss is a mysterious realm of floating islands that exists high above Pywel, separate from normal reality. It overflows with raw, untamed power that has begun to spill into the world below. Fragments of the Abyss have been falling from the sky, warping the land wherever they make contact and attracting those hungry for power. These fragments, known as Abyss Artifacts, are magical items that imbue their wielders with supernatural abilities.
The Abyss holds secrets that could threaten the entire world. Dark forces seek to open a permanent gate to the Abyss itself, which risks total collapse of the barrier between the two realms. Restoring balance to the Abyss is a core pillar of Kliff's journey, as the supernatural threat ultimately proves to be far greater than the factional conflicts playing out on the surface of Pywel.
The Abyss functions as a parallel plane of existence, a second form of reality layered over the physical world of Pywel. While its floating islands appear distant from the surface, the boundary between the two realms is not as rigid as it may seem. Enemies and other beings can cross into the Abyss from the physical world, and the reverse is also true. This permeability is what makes the Abyss so dangerous: it is not simply a distant threat, but one that can intrude upon everyday life in Pywel at unpredictable moments.
The White Crow serves as the guardian of the Abyss, watching over what is described as "the cradle of providence." The White Crow's exact nature and motives remain shrouded in mystery, but its presence at the heart of the Abyss suggests that the realm is not purely chaotic. Some guiding intelligence oversees its structure and balance, and the White Crow appears to be the manifestation of that order. Whether the White Crow is an ally to Kliff, an obstacle, or something more complex depends on how the story unfolds as players progress through the narrative.
Abyss Artifacts are fragments that dropped from the floating islands above Pywel. They are scattered across the continent and serve as the source of the game's most powerful abilities. These artifacts can enhance core stats like health and stamina, unlock new combat and exploration techniques, and upgrade equipment to higher tiers.
The artifacts are not limited to combat applications. They also serve as essential tools for solving environmental puzzles and discovering hidden areas throughout Pywel. Players collect artifacts by activating Abyss energy spires and totems found across the world, each requiring a puzzle to be solved before the artifact is released.
Some scholars within the game's world theorize that widespread use of Abyss fragments may inadvertently accelerate the corruption spreading from the Abyss into Pywel, creating a tension between the immediate power the artifacts provide and the long-term consequences of their use.
Before the events of the game, the Greymanes maintained a tense but stable balance with other factions in Pailune. Kliff stood alongside his steadfast comrades, including Oongka, Yann, and Naira. Their former leader, Jian, held the warband together and kept the peace. That fragile balance was shattered when the Black Bears, led by Myurdin (also known as Lava Myurdin), launched a sudden, devastating night ambush. The attack was calculated and overwhelming. Jian was killed, and the Greymanes fell one by one.
In a desperate struggle against Myurdin himself, Kliff was critically wounded and thrown into a river, where he was presumed dead. The few survivors were scattered to the winds, and Pailune descended into chaos. With Jian gone and the warband broken, the region that had been the Greymanes' homeland fell into open conflict between rival factions eager to fill the power vacuum.
Rather than dying from his grievous wounds, Kliff was thrown into a river during the chaos of the ambush and presumed dead by the surviving Greymanes. Instead of perishing in the current, he was mysteriously transported to the Abyss. Within this parallel realm, Kliff awoke at a place called the Wycliffe Mappery, a structure described as having alien architecture unlike anything found on the surface of Pywel. The Mappery's strange geometry and otherworldly environment served as Kliff's introduction to the true nature of the Abyss, a realm where the rules of the physical world do not apply.
Within the Abyss, Kliff not only survived but gained supernatural powers that would prove critical during his journey ahead. The experience also revealed to him the growing imbalance gripping the world and hinted at his role as something more than a simple warrior. The Abyss was not merely a refuge from death; it was a crucible that reshaped Kliff and set him on a path far larger than the vendetta that would initially drive him.
When Kliff emerged from the Abyss, he found himself in a river in the Duchy of Hernand, far from Pailune. A local resident named Sebastian fished Kliff out of the water and directed him toward help, giving the battered warrior his first foothold in an unfamiliar region. With the fragments of his former life scattered across the continent, Kliff began the long process of recovery and rebuilding from Hernand.
Kliff's primary motivation at the start of the game is twofold: reunite his scattered comrades and confront Myurdin for what the Black Bears did to the Greymanes. As players progress through the story, they rebuild the Greymane camp, recruit new members, and work to restore the warband to its former strength. The camp serves as a living hub that grows and evolves as the story advances.
One of the earliest reunions takes place at Ashclaw Keep, where Kliff finds Oongka after battling Myurdin's forces in the area. The reunion is significant both narratively and mechanically: Oongka, a hulking orc tribesman and Kliff's most trusted comrade, becomes a playable character at this point. His return to the Greymanes marks the first real step in restoring the warband's fighting strength. Kliff later reunites with Yann and Naira as the search for scattered comrades takes him across the regions of Pywel.
The Greymanes eventually re-establish themselves at Howling Hill, which becomes their new base of operations. From Howling Hill, Kliff coordinates the warband's missions, dispatches members on assignments, and plans the campaign against the Black Bears. The camp at Howling Hill is not static: it grows visibly as new members join and the warband's resources expand, reflecting the player's progress in rebuilding what was lost.
Along the way, Kliff encounters allies who join his cause. Damiane, a displaced member of the fallen House Spencer, is a fierce combatant adept with both firearms and magic. After her family's destruction and the erasure of their records, Damiane was taken in by a swordmaster who trained her in combat. When her mentor mysteriously disappeared, she fled to Hernand seeking refuge. Her mental fortitude and sense of justice align her with the Greymanes' mission, and she becomes one of the three playable characters. Oongka, born of an orc tribe and raised among warriors, wields a massive axe and brings a surprisingly philosophical perspective alongside his formidable combat abilities. He specializes in hand-to-hand combat and serves as the group's primary frontline fighter.
What begins as Kliff's personal hunt for Myurdin gradually reveals itself to be something much larger. The imbalance Kliff sensed in the Abyss is growing, and the factional wars across Pywel are only part of a deeper crisis. Dark forces are working to open a gate to the Abyss, and if they succeed, the consequences would be catastrophic for the entire continent. Kliff's journey evolves from a mercenary's vendetta into a fight to save Pywel itself.
Several locations serve as pivotal waypoints in Kliff's journey across Pywel:
Wycliffe Mappery: The alien structure within the Abyss where Kliff first awakens after being pulled from the physical world. Its architecture defies the conventions of anything built on Pywel's surface, and the experience of navigating its strange geometry marks Kliff's first encounter with the Abyss's true nature.
Ashclaw Keep: A fortified location where Kliff reunites with Oongka after clashing with Myurdin's forces. The reunion at Ashclaw Keep is a turning point in the early story, restoring one of Kliff's strongest allies to his side.
Howling Hill: The site where Kliff re-establishes the Greymanes and builds their new camp. Howling Hill becomes the operational hub for the warband, growing and changing as the player recruits new members and expands the Greymanes' reach.
Character | Role | Lore Significance | Voice Actor |
|---|---|---|---|
Protagonist, Greymane warrior | Son of Martinus. Thrown into a river during the Black Bears' ambush and presumed dead. Entered the Abyss, awoke at the Wycliffe Mappery, and gained supernatural powers. Rescued from a river in Hernand by Sebastian. Leads the effort to rebuild the Greymanes and discovers the larger threat to Pywel. | Alec Newman | |
Jian | Former leader of the Greymanes | Killed in the Black Bears' attack on Pailune. His death plunged the Greymanes into chaos and set the events of the story in motion. | N/A |
A resident of Hernand who fished Kliff out of the river after his emergence from the Abyss. Directed Kliff toward help, providing his first foothold in the unfamiliar region. | N/A | ||
Kliff's father, Greymane leader | A founding figure of the Greymanes whose legacy shapes Kliff's identity and sense of duty. | N/A | |
Leader of the Black Bears | Also known as Lava Myurdin. The ruthless antagonist who orchestrated the night ambush that destroyed the Greymanes. Seeks continental dominance through political chaos and violence. | N/A | |
Greymane warrior (orc) | Born of an orc tribe and Kliff's most trusted comrade. A hulking warrior who wields a massive axe and specializes in hand-to-hand combat. Reunites with Kliff at Ashclaw Keep. Possesses a philosophical side beneath his imposing exterior. | Stewart Scudamore | |
Gunsmith, Spencer family | A displaced member of the fallen House Spencer. Trained by a swordmaster who later mysteriously disappeared. Adept with firearms and magic. Fled to Hernand seeking refuge, where she encounters Kliff and joins the Greymanes due to shared values. | Rebecca Hanssen | |
Greymane comrade | One of Kliff's closest allies before the ambush. His separation from the group forms part of the emotional core of Kliff's journey. | N/A | |
Greymane comrade | One of Kliff's closest comrades and a fellow Greymane. Stood at his side before the Black Bears' assault. Rejoins the cause as the Greymanes rebuild. | N/A | |
Haxan enchantress | A follower of darkness who infused dark power into her own child. Nearly burned alive as a child by her village, she still fears fire. Uses the power of crows and dark curses. | N/A | |
Marni | Inventor, Delesyia | A brilliant but unhinged inventor responsible for robots, rockets, mechanical tanks, and the colossal Golden Star mechanical dragon found throughout Delesyia. | N/A |
Captain, Wandering Freeswords | Leader of an independent mercenary company. Encountered early in the story as a knight and potential ally or obstacle. | N/A |
House Spencer is a fallen noble house whose records were erased and members scattered across Pywel. The reasons behind the house's downfall are gradually uncovered during the story. Damiane, one of the three playable characters, is a displaced Spencer family member. Her backstory ties into the broader political upheaval affecting Pywel's nobility, and her journey with the Greymanes intersects with her own quest to understand what happened to her family.
The world of Pywel is not purely grounded in medieval realism. Supernatural forces permeate the continent, most notably through the influence of the Abyss. Beyond the Abyss itself, the world contains cursed figures, enchantresses, and beings that blur the line between natural and otherworldly.
Hexe Marie represents the darker side of Pywel's supernatural landscape. A Haxan enchantress with horror-inspired aesthetics, she wields the power of crows and dark curses. Her backstory reveals that she was nearly burned alive as a child by the townspeople of her village, and this trauma shaped her descent into darkness. She infused dark power into her own child and remains within a sanctuary steeped in wrath and vile curses.
The Delesyia region introduces a different kind of wonder. The inventor Marni created mechanical beings, automatons, robots, rockets, and mechanical tanks, alongside colossal mechanical dragons like the Golden Star. Described as a crazed inventor whose ambitions outstripped any sense of restraint, Marni's creations populate the entirety of Delesyia and represent some of the most unusual encounters in the game. While not supernatural in the traditional sense, Delesyia's technology feels almost magical within the context of Pywel's otherwise medieval setting, and the line between science and sorcery is deliberately ambiguous in this part of the world.
Throughout Pywel, legends speak of powerful creatures that guard ancient secrets, protect territorial boundaries, or simply terrorize the regions they inhabit. These creatures are woven into the lore of each region and often serve as the climactic encounters for major questlines.
Boss | Region | Lore Background |
|---|---|---|
A massive crustacean that has made its lair in the waterways of Hernand. One of the first major creatures players encounter. | ||
Captain of the Wandering Freeswords. An early knight encounter who tests the player's combat abilities. | ||
A dangerous creature lurking in the marshlands and reed fields of the Hernand region. | ||
A fearsome beast that rules the frozen expanses of Kweiden, challenging all who venture into its domain. | ||
A legendary creature inhabiting the snow-covered peaks and passes of Kweiden. | ||
A Haxan enchantress who commands crows and dark curses from her cursed sanctuary. | ||
Varies | A tragic figure bound by a powerful curse, forced to wander and fight endlessly. | |
A colossal mechanical dragon created by the inventor Marni. Encountered at Marni's Masterium in a multi-phase fight featuring EMP pylon mechanics. |
Spoiler Warning: The following section contains major plot spoilers for the entire main story of Crimson Desert. Read at your own discretion.
The main campaign spans a Prologue, twelve numbered chapters, and an Epilogue, containing approximately 168 individual quests. The story takes roughly 40 to 60 hours to complete, with full exploration extending well past 100 hours.
The story opens at the Hill of No Return in Pailune, where the Black Bears launch a devastating night ambush on the Greymane Camp. Jian, the Greymanes' leader, is killed in the assault. Kliff fights his way to Myurdin but is defeated in single combat, struck down, and thrown into a river. Rather than dying, Kliff is mysteriously transported to the Realm of Uncertainty in the Abyss. He awakens at the Wycliffe Mappery, a structure of alien architecture, where he gains supernatural powers before finding his way back to the physical world.
Kliff arrives at the City of Hernand, alone and without resources. He performs acts of kindness for the local citizens to build trust and establish a reputation. During the Trace arc, Kliff investigates mysterious events, including encounters with a woman in white and early signs of the Abyss's influence on the region. These initial investigations introduce the supernatural undercurrent that will drive the later story.
Kliff uncovers corruption within Hernand. The Goldleaf Merchant Guild has been seized by Kailok the Hornsplitter, a criminal who took control through force and manipulated the guild into criminal activity. Shakatu, a key figure in the guild, enlists Kliff to deal with the problem. Kliff also reunites with scattered Greymane allies during the Unexpected Gift arc. The chapter culminates in major boss fights against Matthias and Kailok, ending the criminal occupation of the guild.
In recognition of Kliff's service, Marquis Serkis grants the Greymanes a fief at Howling Hill, a clifftop position south of Hernand City. Kliff establishes the Greymane Camp and begins rebuilding the company. Old comrades return, and new recruits join. Damiane, a swordswoman from the fallen House Spencer in Demeniss on the run from her past, arrives at the camp and is taken in. She becomes the first additional playable character. The camp system opens up, allowing players to manage recruits, dispatches, and settlement expansion.
Kliff pursues forbidden knowledge tied to the Abyss. The investigation begins at the Kilnden Workshop with a mysterious iron pot, progresses through Scholastone (the scholarly district), and leads to the Spire of the Stars. This chapter is the most puzzle-intensive in the game, featuring ancient generators, kilns, and underground mechanisms. It concludes with a boss fight against Tenebrum at the Gate to the Otherworld.
Political tensions rise as a delegation from Demeniss arrives in Hernand with unclear motives. Kliff navigates political intrigue and uncovers an exposed plot before the situation escalates. The chapter features a boss fight against the Crowcaller, an enemy cloaked in darkness. During this chapter, Kliff also encounters Elowen, the Witch of Wisdom, after receiving a letter from the White Crow and rescuing her from bandits in the Witchwoods.
War erupts openly as the Greymanes are thrust into large-scale combat for the first time since their rebuilding. The chapter features siege defense sequences, battlefield engagements, and escalating military operations across Calphade. A betrayal strikes during the Unyielding Shields arc, testing the Greymanes' resolve. Kliff receives word of a comrade in the region and joins the fight against the Black Bears, culminating in the dramatic defense of their forward position. The arc ends with a hard-won victory and the Greymanes' return home.
The longest chapter in the game with 19 quests across four arcs. Kliff leads the Greymanes back to Pailune to liberate their homeland from the Black Bears. The campaign involves clearing enemy forces, dealing with betrayal and shadow factions, and rallying allied forces. Oongka becomes a playable character after fighting alongside Kliff during the preceding battles.
The Decisive Battle arc culminates in the Battle at Silverwolf Mountain, where Kliff faces Myurdin in the long-awaited rematch. Myurdin transforms into his Lava form in the second phase, wielding devastating fire attacks. After his defeat, the Twisted Fate arc delivers a story revelation that sets up the final stretch of the narrative. One-Armed Ludvig is confronted during the Time to Face Justice quest, and the truth about who orchestrated the Black Bears' original attack begins to surface.
The story shifts to the Kingdom of Demeniss as Kliff campaigns toward the region's capital. The chapter opens with healing and rebuilding in Pailune (the Ashen Steps arc), then escalates into an extended campaign in Demeniss. Kliff investigates Duke Caliburn's old office to find Myurdin's whereabouts and enters the Demeniss palace for the Blood Coronation event.
The Traitor arc delivers a major revelation: Cassius Morten is exposed as a traitor whose loyalty belonged to Basteri, the Grand General of Demeniss. A massive conspiracy is revealed connecting both the Black Bears and Cassius Morten to Basteri's ambitions. This discovery redefines the scope of the conflict, showing that the Greymanes' enemies were not just mercenary rivals but pawns in a larger political game. Boss encounters in this chapter include Gregor the Halberd of Carnage and Fortain the Cursed Knight.
The tone shifts as Kliff answers an unknown calling and travels to the Cloister of Enlightenment, a remote monastery in the desert. This chapter explores themes of fate and inner strength. Kliff navigates the Jijeong Temple, faces deadly trials set by the monks, and encounters a mysterious figure known as the Black Witch during the Veiled Witch arc. He ultimately meets the Sage of the Desert, who grants him deeper understanding of Axiom Force and the nature of the Abyss.
With six arcs and 19 quests, this is one of the longest chapters. The gameplay shifts significantly from large-scale battles to exploration, puzzle-solving, and challenging one-on-one boss encounters. Two of the toughest bosses in the game appear here: T'rukan, a monk with devastating physical prowess, and Master Du, a master combatant who fights with a staff and spectral energy.
With the wisdom gained from the Sage and enhanced Axiom Force powers, Kliff returns to the war effort. The chapter takes place primarily in the Delesyia region, where the Greymanes seek a powerful secret weapon to turn the tide. The defining feature of Chapter 10 is the introduction of the ATAG (All-Terrain Armored Gear), a massive mechanized war machine developed by the Ironflame Orcs at the Gorthak Ironworks. Players learn to operate the ATAG during the Secret Weapon sub-chapter and use it in combat during the Greater Firepower sub-chapter. Boss encounters include the Clockwork Insect and the Frozen Hearted Predator.
Kliff travels deeper into Delesyia, the most technologically advanced region on the continent. The City of Steel is a sprawling industrial metropolis powered by steam engines, clockwork mechanisms, and technology derived from research into the Abyss. The Brave New World sub-chapter follows Kliff's investigation into the political machinations fueling the continent-wide conflict. He navigates a Strange Manor, collects Fortress Keys, and discovers the full extent of the Abyss threat.
The chapter climaxes with a spectacular dragon-mounted assault on the Flying Fortress Orbian, a floating fortress that serves as the penultimate major setpiece of the campaign. Players approach on the back of a dragon, destroy the outer defenses, and land inside to solve puzzles and defeat the fortress's guardian. The boss encounters in this chapter are significantly harder than anything in the previous story.
The final chapter brings the supernatural Abyss threat to its climax. Following the destruction of the Flying Fortress Orbian, the balance between the physical world and the Abyss has been shattered. Gates are opening across the continent, unleashing corrupted creatures and destabilizing reality. Kliff gathers the surviving Greymanes and all allied forces gathered throughout the campaign for the decisive push toward the primary Abyss gate.
The Final Battle sub-chapter features a war council, a military march, and large-scale combat at the base of the Abyss gate. After passing through the Forbidden Gate, there is no turning back. Kliff enters the Void, the deepest layer of the Abyss, a realm of floating islands suspended in infinite darkness. The rules of the physical world do not apply here: gravity is inconsistent, distances are deceptive, and the landscape shifts without warning.
The final quest, Blinding Darkness, pits Kliff against a manifestation of pure darkness at the center of the Void. This multi-phase boss fight tests every skill acquired throughout the campaign. In its final form, the arena is plunged into near-total darkness, and the boss's attacks accelerate relentlessly. Defeating it triggers an extended cinematic in which Kliff uses the accumulated power of the Abyss Artifacts collected throughout the campaign to seal the Void and restore the balance between the Abyss and the physical world. The Greymanes escape the collapsing Void realm as reality reasserts itself.
After the defeat of the Abyss threat, eight quests wrap up the narrative. Kliff wakes at Greymane Camp to find the camp celebrating victory. A memorial is erected for fallen Greymanes. Kliff then embarks on a farewell tour across Pywel, revisiting the regions and people that shaped his journey:
Peace in Hernand: Kliff returns to Hernand, where the city is rebuilding and the political situation is stabilizing.
The Unyielding Shields: Kliff visits a veterans' encampment where retired Greymane soldiers share stories around a campfire, recalling key moments from the campaign.
The Heart of Pywel: Kliff travels to a remote canyon where ley lines converge and the boundary between the physical world and the Abyss is thinnest. A vision provides context about the origins of Axiom Force and the true purpose of the Abyss Artifacts.
The Desert's Edge: The only Epilogue quest with significant combat. Kliff investigates a fissure in the desert leaking Abyss energy and seals it after defeating corrupted creatures. The quest hints that the Abyss threat is not fully resolved.
The Enduring Flame: A harvest festival in the supply villages, featuring mini-games and conversations with the non-combatants who sustained the Greymanes.
Evolving City: Kliff visits Delesyia, where conspirators have been removed from power and technology is being redirected toward peaceful purposes.
New Horizons: The final quest brings Kliff back to Greymane Camp for one last gathering. Companions share their plans. A cinematic montage shows Pywel healing, and the story closes with Kliff riding alone into a sunrise, determined and hopeful.
Crimson Desert features two endings: a standard ending and a definitive ending (sometimes called the "true ending"). Player choices during dialogue and faction interactions do not determine which ending you receive. Dialogue options and faction allegiances affect flavor text, minor story details, and rewards, but they do not branch the narrative. The ending you see depends entirely on how much side content you have completed.
Completing the main story campaign from Prologue through Chapter 12 and into the Epilogue takes approximately 40 to 60 hours. Every player who follows only the main quest line reaches the standard ending, which includes a proper conclusion, credits, and the eight Epilogue quests described above. The standard ending resolves the Abyss threat and wraps up Kliff's personal vendetta against Myurdin and the Black Bears.
The definitive ending extends the story beyond the standard Epilogue with additional narrative content. It does not replace the standard ending; it builds on top of it. Players who have completed a significant portion of the game's side content will see extended story sequences during and after the Epilogue that provide deeper closure for companion arcs, reveal additional lore about the Abyss, and show more of Pywel's recovery. Reaching the definitive ending typically requires 70 to 80 hours of total playtime.
The definitive ending is unlocked by completing side content before or during the main campaign. The game tracks overall completion percentage rather than specific checkbox items. The following activities contribute toward the definitive ending threshold:
Companion questlines: Complete personal quest arcs for key Greymane members and allies. These include named requests and multi-step faction questlines that become available as you progress through the story.
Faction quests: Build reputation with major factions across Pywel, including House Celeste, the Goldleaf Merchant Guild, the Scholastone Institute, and regional groups in Demeniss, Delesyia, and the Crimson Desert.
Witch questlines: Complete the questlines for all five witches (see the Witch Questlines section below). The witch quests are among the most lore-rich side content in the game and contribute significantly to the completion threshold.
World activities: Complete challenges, collectibles, and exploration milestones across the continent.
Camp development: Fully expand and develop Greymane Camp by recruiting members and completing camp-related objectives.
There is no specific list of mandatory quests. The game evaluates overall engagement with side content rather than requiring any single quest to be complete. However, players who focus only on the main story without touching side content will not reach the threshold. A broad approach that mixes companion quests, faction reputation, and exploration alongside the main campaign is the most reliable path to the definitive ending.
Scattered across the continent of Pywel are a series of mysterious witches, each associated with a virtue and offering services related to Abyss Gears. Unlocking all five witches is one of the most rewarding side activities in the game and is closely tied to the lore of the Abyss. Each witch requires you to complete a set of sanctum puzzles before granting her full trust.
Witch | Title | Region | How to Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
Sylvia | The Hermit Witch | After the Abyss Without Balance quest, a white bird delivers a letter. Reading it activates The Hermit Witch quest, leading you to Sylvia's cavern. | |
After the Chapter 5 boss fight, a bird delivers an Unsealed Letter. Rescue Elowen from bandits at a thorn-blocked house in the Witchwoods. She asks you to cleanse four sanctums: Temperance, Absolution, Benediction, and Penitence. | |||
Bari | Witch of Kindness | Located in the colder Pailune region. Unlocked through a kindness-themed questline after reaching Pailune in the main story. | |
Lyselia | Witch of Humility | Found in the Serpent Marsh to the south. Her questline becomes available as the story progresses past Chapter 7. | |
Areciel | Witch of Strength | Located in the Crimson Desert region. Requires completing Chapter 8 and beginning Chapter 9 to access the area. |
Once all five witches' sanctum puzzles are completed, each witch gives you a Witch's Token as a gift. With all five tokens in hand, travel to the hidden Wayward Woods Witch Hideout and use the tokens on the sealed door. Inside, the sixth and final witch awaits: the White Crow. The White Crow serves as the guardian of the Abyss, watching over what is described as "the cradle of providence." Meeting her reveals critical lore about the Abyss, its relationship to the physical world, and the ancient forces that shaped Pywel. The White Crow is referenced throughout the campaign as the mysterious figure who sends letters to Kliff via white birds, guiding him toward each witch. Her true identity and motivations are only revealed after completing all five witch questlines.
After completing the Epilogue, the world of Pywel remains fully open. All regions stay accessible, including Hernand, Pailune, Demeniss, Delesyia, and the Crimson Desert. Players can continue pursuing the following:
Incomplete faction quests and side missions from any region.
World bosses: Open-world field bosses respawn on a timer and can be fought for additional rewards. Story bosses tied to specific chapters cannot be replayed without a new save file.
Collectibles, treasure maps, ancient ruins puzzles, and hidden items.
Challenges: Combat trials, exploration milestones, and mastery tests can be completed or reattempted for improved rankings.
Witch questlines: If not completed during the campaign, the witch content remains available post-game.
Crimson Desert does not feature a New Game Plus mode at launch. To replay the campaign, a new save file is required. However, the completed save file remains available for post-game content indefinitely.
The lore of Crimson Desert weaves together several thematic threads that run through the entire experience:
Restoration and Identity: Kliff's journey to rebuild the Greymanes mirrors a broader theme of reclaiming what has been lost. The warband's fall and attempted resurgence reflects the personal costs of conflict and the difficulty of rebuilding community from the ashes of defeat.
Honor Among Outcasts: The Greymanes are mercenaries, but they operate with a code of honor. Their willingness to help others and their communal lifestyle set them apart from purely self-interested factions like the Black Bears.
Political Fragmentation: Pywel is a continent in crisis. With over 110 factions competing for influence and a political vacuum at the center, the world reflects the dangers of power struggles left unchecked. The comatose king's absence from the throne has created a scramble for dominance.
The Cost of Power: Abyss Artifacts offer immense power, but the growing instability of the Abyss suggests that using its fragments comes at a price. The tension between immediate power and long-term consequences runs throughout the narrative.
Personal Vendetta Versus Greater Purpose: Kliff begins with a personal goal of vengeance against Myurdin, but the story gradually reveals that the true threat is far larger than any single faction. The shift from personal stakes to world-shaping consequences drives the narrative's escalation.
Crimson Desert was originally planned as a prequel to Black Desert Online, another Pearl Abyss title. During development, the studio decided to completely separate the two games' worlds, making Crimson Desert a standalone IP. While the two games are set in the same broader universe, there is no direct story connection between them. Pearl Abyss has confirmed that homages and Easter eggs for Black Desert players are present throughout Pywel, but these are intended as fun references rather than canonical connections.
Crimson Desert runs on an upgraded version of the proprietary BlackSpace Engine used by Black Desert Online. The shared technical foundation allows for similar visual fidelity and scale while supporting the distinct gameplay and narrative directions Pearl Abyss pursued for each title.
The Knowledge System tracks over 2,921 entries across Pywel. Interacting with NPCs, reading documents, defeating bosses, and exploring hidden areas all contribute to the knowledge database, which serves as the game's in-universe encyclopedia.
Talk to every NPC in Greymane camp as the story progresses. Camp members share background details about the Greymanes' history, Pailune, and the world at large.
Investigate the Abyss Artifacts and the energy spires scattered across Pywel. Each one provides a fragment of understanding about the Abyss and its relationship to the world below.
Region-specific lore is often tied to the major bosses of that area. Defeating the Staglord in Kweiden, for instance, unlocks knowledge entries about the region's history and ecology.
Faction reputation and questlines reveal political backstory that the main narrative only touches on. Completing side missions for groups like House Celeste or the Goldleaf Merchant Guild fills in details about Pywel's power structures.
