Regions of Pywel

Overview

The continent of Pywel is divided into five distinct regions, each with its own geography, culture, threats, and story significance. The world is completely seamless with virtually no loading screens, and its scale is estimated to be at least twice the size of Skyrim's map. Players explore these regions progressively through the main story, though the open-world design allows for significant freedom in choosing where to venture. The game's knowledge library contains 2,921 discoverable entries, including 573 territories, 110 factions, 355 crafting manuals, and 29 mounts.

Region Overview

Hernand

Hernand is the fertile heart of Pywel, characterized by green meadows, dense forests, prosperous cities, and rolling terrain bordered by mountains and rivers. It serves as the game's starting region and the location of the Greymane Camp. After the devastating ambush by the Black Bears, Kliff and the surviving Greymanes regroup here to begin rebuilding.

Hernand is dense with content. The first town alone offers approximately 9 bounties and numerous side quests, ranging from clearing outlaw camps to chasing thieves through city streets. The region contains several boss encounters, including Kailok the Hornsplitter (the corrupt leader of the Goldleaf Merchant Guild), Matthias (a warrior duelist in the town square), and Kearush the Slayer at Hernand Castle. The fertile landscape supports abundant gathering, hunting, and fishing opportunities.

Pailune

Pailune is the northern territory of Pywel, characterized by autumn-hued valleys in the lowlands and snow-capped mountain peaks with extreme sub-zero temperatures at higher elevations. It is the original homeland of the Greymanes and the territory currently occupied by Myurdin and the Black Bears.

The region demands cold-resistant gear for survival, and its dangerous fauna has adapted to the extreme climate. Vertical terrain navigation is a major challenge, with sheer cliff faces, ice formations, and mountain passes requiring the climbing and traversal mechanics. Boss encounters include The Staglord in the snowy ruins and White Horn, the towering brute fought in a three-phase blizzard encounter. Myurdin himself serves as a boss encounter here, representing the culmination of the Greymanes' conflict with the Black Bears.

Demeniss

Demeniss is the political and military center of Pywel, an enigmatic region filled with remnants of old civilizations, monumental temples, and supernatural phenomena. The Kingdom of Demeniss has historically been the continent's seat of power, but with the King of Demeniss missing, the region teeters on the edge of collapse.

Described as a place "where the veil between the world of the living and the supernatural seems thin," Demeniss focuses on lore exploration and environmental puzzle-solving. The region's ancient temples and crumbling ruins contain secrets tied to the Abyss and the origins of the magical artifacts scattered across Pywel. Players who enjoy piecing together world lore will find Demeniss particularly rewarding.

Delesyia

Delesyia is the wealthiest region of Pywel, serving as the continent's commercial hub and center of science and technology. Sophisticated architecture lines its streets, exotic marketplaces attract traders from every corner of the world, and its cities pulse with the energy of commerce and innovation.

Beneath the polished surface, Delesyia harbors hidden criminal organizations, including thieves' and assassins' guilds that operate in the shadows. The region is home to Marni's Masterium, an abandoned keep where the Golden Star mechanical dragon boss is encountered. The contrast between legitimate wealth and underground crime gives Delesyia a distinct atmosphere compared to Pywel's other regions.

The Crimson Desert

The titular Crimson Desert is a vast expanse of red sands and ancient ruins that represents the most hostile environment on Pywel. There is no law enforcement in this region; complete lawlessness reigns. Environmental hazards include scorching sandstorms, extreme heat that drains stamina and health, and giant monsters that lurk beneath the dunes.

The Crimson Desert serves as the ultimate endgame test, demanding that players have mastered the game's combat, survival, and traversal systems before venturing into its depths. The region's ancient ruins hint at a civilization that predates the current inhabitants of Pywel, and the artifacts buried in the sands are among the most powerful and dangerous in the game.

The Abyss Above

Above the surface of Pywel floats the Abyss, a realm of floating islands filled with sorcery and magic. The Abyss is the source of the Abyss Artifacts that have fallen to earth and become the game's primary progression currency. While the five surface regions form the bulk of the playable world, the Abyss represents a greater existential threat that looms over the continent's political conflicts and factional wars. Floating temples and structures from the Abyss are visible from certain vantage points across Pywel, and some traversal mechanics (including gliding and the grappling hook) allow players to interact with Abyss structures during specific encounters.

World Scale

The combined landmass of Pywel's five regions creates one of the largest seamless open worlds in gaming. Estimates from preview events place it at roughly twice the size of Skyrim and larger than Red Dead Redemption 2's map. The world is traversed on foot, horseback, dragon, and through various other mounts and vehicles, with no fast-travel dependency required thanks to the diverse traversal toolkit available to the player.