Revision 2

Overview

Polar Opposites is a main quest in Chapter 1: The First Encounter of Crimson Desert. After stepping through the Abyss Gate in Hernand Castle, Kliff finds himself in a floating realm filled with mysterious energy. A talking bird grants him the Axiom Force skill, which is needed to solve a rotating disc puzzle and open the Axiom Archive. Inside, Kliff meets Alustin, the disguised beggar from the city, who reveals the truth about the otherworldly beings threatening Pywel.

Quest Details

Walkthrough

Activate the Abyss Nexus

You begin on a floating island in the Abyss. Walk forward and step onto the circular platform on the ground. Stand on it for a few seconds to activate the Abyss Nexus. This unlocks fast travel to this location for the rest of the game. Abyss Nexus points appear as blue icons on the sky map.

Go Toward the Building

Move toward the large structure ahead. A cutscene triggers where a talking bird appears and grants Kliff the Axiom Force ability. A tutorial popup explains the basics: hold L3/Left Stick to activate Axiom Force, which lets you push, pull, and rotate objects in the environment.

Solve the Disc Puzzle

To the right of the path leading to the Axiom Archive's sealed doors, there are two rotating floor discs. The goal is to align them so that power (visible as glowing blue light) flows through a complete circuit from one side to the other.

1. Shine your lantern (L1/LB) to reveal the yellow circuit outlines on each disc.

2. Hold L3 to activate Axiom Force and target the first disc.

3. Use L2/LT to pull or R2/RT to push, and rotate with the right stick until the yellow lines on the disc connect to the wires on the floor.

4. Repeat for the second disc.

5. When both discs are aligned, blue light flows through the entire circuit and the tower doors open.

If you get a disc stuck in the wrong position, press Circle/B to release the Axiom Force grip and start over. The puzzle resets cleanly.

Enter the Building

Walk through the opened doors into the Axiom Archive. Inside, Kliff meets Alustin, who is no longer disguised as a beggar. He explains that otherworldly beings have been causing chaos across the land and that the Abyss holds both the problem and the answer. The conversation concludes the quest.

Axiom Force Controls

Tips

• Activate the Abyss Nexus before doing anything else. Fast travel back to this spot saves a lot of backtracking later.

• The disc puzzle is not timed. Take your time aligning the circuits. The yellow guide lines make it clear when the connection is correct.

• No combat occurs in this quest. It focuses entirely on puzzle-solving and narrative.

• From the sky islands, you can skydive to nearby ground locations. Look for white "?" circles on the map for points of interest.

Detailed Walkthrough Notes

The Talking Bird

After activating the Abyss Nexus and moving toward the Axiom Archive building, a cutscene triggers. A talking bird descends from above and welcomes Kliff to the Abyss. The bird mentions that someone is waiting inside the building and grants Kliff the Axiom Force power. This is one of the most important abilities in the game, enabling interaction with Abyss-specific objects and puzzles. The bird's identity is connected to White Crow, though this is not explicitly confirmed until the Abyss Without Balance quest's conclusion.

Disc Puzzle Circuit Details

The rotating disc puzzle requires aligning two floor discs so that power flows through a complete circuit. Each disc has yellow circuit lines etched into its surface. Use your lantern (L1/LB) to illuminate these lines clearly, as they can be difficult to see in the Abyss's ambient lighting. Activate Axiom Force by holding L3/Left Stick, then target the first disc. Use the Right Analog Stick to rotate it. Watch for the yellow lines on the disc to connect with the fixed wires on the floor.

Only the two discs nearest to the building need to be adjusted. Blue light surges through the circuit lines when each connection is correct, providing clear visual feedback. Once both discs are properly aligned, the complete circuit glows solid blue and the sealed tower doors open. The puzzle is not timed and resets cleanly if you release Axiom Force mid-rotation, so there is no risk of locking yourself into a wrong configuration.

Abyss Nexus and Fast Travel

The Abyss Nexus activated at the start of this quest is a permanent fast travel point. These Nexus platforms appear as blue icons on the sky map and allow instant travel between any two activated Nexus points across Pywel. Activating every Nexus you encounter is strongly recommended, as backtracking through the Abyss on foot is time-consuming. You can also use your lantern or the Blinding Light skill to reveal the locations of nearby unactivated Nexus points.

Meeting Alustin

Inside the Axiom Archive, Alustin appears without his beggar disguise. He reveals that he has been guiding Kliff's journey since the beginning and explains that mysterious beings have brought chaos that threatens everyone on Pywel. This is the first time Alustin speaks plainly about the stakes, dropping the cryptic tone he used during the Mysterious Man quest. The conversation provides the narrative foundation for the Abyss storyline that continues throughout the game.