Main Story Walkthrough

Overview

This walkthrough covers the main story of Crimson Desert, following Kliff and the Greymane mercenaries across the continent of Pywel. The campaign spans over 100 hours and features three playable characters who are unlocked as the story progresses: Kliff (available from the start), Damiane, and Oongka. Each character has a distinct combat style and dedicated questlines beyond the main narrative.

Note: Crimson Desert launches on March 19, 2026. This walkthrough is based on confirmed details from official previews, Features Overview videos, and hands-on reports. It will be expanded with full chapter-by-chapter breakdowns once the game releases.

Story Premise

The story begins with the Greymanes, a mercenary band operating on the continent of Pywel. Their fragile peace is shattered when their sworn rivals, the Black Bears, launch a devastating ambush that kills many members and scatters the survivors. Kliff, along with companions like Oongka, Yann, and Naira, must regroup, rebuild, and ultimately confront the Black Bears' leader, Myurdin.

Running parallel to the faction conflict is a supernatural threat: the Abyss. Fragments of the Abyss have fallen across Pywel, and those with ill intentions seek these fragments for power. Kliff must collect these fragments and prevent the Abyss gates from being thrown open.

Early Game: Hernand Region

After the Ambush

The game opens with the aftermath of the Black Bears' attack. Kliff and the surviving Greymanes make their way to the Hernand region, where they establish the Greymane Camp near Hernand Town. This camp serves as your home base for the rest of the game. Spend time exploring Hernand Town thoroughly before venturing out; the streets are packed with merchants, side quests, minigames, and hidden discoveries.

Establishing the Camp

Once the camp is set up, you gain access to basic facilities including a cooking area and vendor. Early priorities should include:

• Talking to all NPCs in camp to learn about available services and unlock initial quests

• Visiting the blacksmith in Hernand Town to purchase or refine a starting weapon

• Learning the fishing skill at the Nas River by observing the fisherman NPC

• Gathering cooking ingredients and crafting materials from the surrounding area

Deepfog Basin and Your First Horse

One of the earliest story objectives takes you to Deepfog Basin, a battlefield area where Kliff obtains his first horse. This mount dramatically increases your movement speed and opens up mounted combat. From this point forward, you can summon your horse by pressing down on the D-pad.

Hernand Castle Infiltration

A major early story beat involves infiltrating Hernand Castle. You must acquire Hernandian Banquet Attire to sneak past guards in a stealth sequence. This event introduces the Abyss and its supernatural elements, marking a turning point where the story expands beyond the faction conflict.

Mid-Game: Expanding Across Pywel

Reuniting the Greymanes

As the story progresses, you travel across Pywel's diverse regions to find scattered Greymane members. Discovered companions will reunite at your camp, expanding both the roster of characters you can interact with and the companion dispatch missions available. Some Greymanes must be actively recruited, while others hear rumors about the camp and arrive on their own.

Unlocking Damiane and Oongka

At certain story milestones, you unlock Damiane and Oongka as playable characters. Damiane wields a rapier with rapid thrust attacks, while Oongka fights with a massive hammer that delivers high stagger damage. Each character has a unique skill tree and dedicated questlines that provide different perspectives on the main narrative.

Liberating Territories

Throughout the mid-game, you encounter bandit-occupied locations and enemy fortresses. Liberating these areas unlocks new quests, NPCs, and fast travel points. You can tackle these directly or send companions ahead via the dispatch system to weaken hostile forces before you arrive.

Late Game: The Abyss Threat

Confronting the Black Bears

The main storyline builds toward a confrontation with Myurdin and the Black Bears. Prepare for challenging combat encounters by investing Abyss Artifacts into your skill tree, upgrading weapons at the blacksmith, and stocking up on cooked meals and potions.

The Abyss Gates

The supernatural Abyss threat escalates in the later chapters. Abyss Artifacts collected throughout the game serve as both skill points and story-critical items. The endgame involves preventing the Abyss gates from opening, which would unleash catastrophic power across Pywel.

General Walkthrough Tips