Roots of Truth

Overview

Roots of Truth (sometimes referred to as Roots of Truth) is one of the most demanding Abyss puzzles in Crimson Desert. It is the 22nd challenge in the complete list of 23 Abyss Challenge locations and is widely considered one of the hardest Abyss puzzles in the entire game. The challenge combines laser avoidance, precise panel manipulation using Axiom Force, and vertical platforming that requires careful stamina management throughout.

Completing the Roots of Truth puzzle rewards one Abyss Artifact, which can be spent on unlocking new abilities in the skill tree or on direct stat increases to Health, Spirit, or Stamina. Abyss Artifacts can also be used for equipment refinement at the blacksmith once your gear reaches Refinement +5 or above.

At a Glance

Attribute	Details
Location	Southeast of Hernand, in the Chaos Forest area
Access	Teleporter at the end of the Chaos Forest puzzle
Prerequisite Puzzles	Spire of Insight, then Chaos Forest
Difficulty	Very High (one of the hardest Abyss puzzles)
Challenge Number	22 of 23 in the Abyss Challenge list
Reward	Abyss Artifact x1
Primary Mechanics	Panel manipulation, laser avoidance, vertical climbing

Location and How to Reach

Roots of Truth is located in the floating Abyss islands above the Chaos Forest region, southeast of Hernand. You cannot reach it directly from the open world. Instead, you must complete a chain of preceding Abyss puzzles in the following order:

Spire of Insight: Complete this Spire challenge first. It serves as the entry point to this branch of the Abyss network.
Chaos Forest: Upon completing the Spire of Insight, the Abyss Gate at the top floor teleports you to Chaos Forest. This puzzle involves dealing with red vines, Abyss Cells, multiple power sources, and a doorway mechanism.
Roots of Truth: After completing Chaos Forest, follow the floating platforms toward the teleporter. This teleporter takes you to Roots of Truth.

Warning: Be careful of the crumbling platforms on the path from Chaos Forest to the Roots of Truth teleporter. These platforms break apart shortly after you land on them, so keep moving and use Flight if you start to fall.

If you have already completed the puzzle chain once, you can return to the Abyss from the Path of Providence by switching the map layer with R3 (make sure all icons are toggled on) and teleporting to the Abyss Nexus on the Ethereal Pathway.

Required Abilities

Roots of Truth relies heavily on several specific abilities. Make sure you have all of the following unlocked before attempting this puzzle, as you will need every one of them at various stages.

Ability	Usage in This Puzzle
Flight	Gliding between islands, recovering from falls, reaching distant platforms
Swift Flight	Faster gliding to cover longer gaps between islands and platforms
Barrel Roll	Aerial dodge to avoid lasers and obstacles while flying
Force Palm	Flipping grated windows, pushing panels into slots, activating the final generator
Force Palm: Focus	Stabilized Force Palm for precise pushes; also used to recover stamina on walls
Axiom Force	Grabbing, lifting, rotating, and repositioning panels throughout the puzzle
Aerial Force Palm	Gaining height mid-air to reach elevated platforms and the starting Abyss Nexus

Step-by-Step Walkthrough

The Roots of Truth puzzle is divided into several phases. The core objective is to locate three panels scattered across the island complex, place each one into its correct slot, and then activate a circular generator to claim the Abyss Artifact. Take your time with every step; this puzzle rewards patience and precision far more than speed.

Phase 1: Initial Ascent and Nexus Activation

After arriving via the teleporter from Chaos Forest, you begin on a lower platform. Use Aerial Force Palm to propel yourself upward and gain enough height to fly to the next island. Locate and activate the Abyss Nexus on this island to begin the puzzle proper. The Nexus also serves as a heal point and checkpoint.

Phase 2: Waterfall Entry and Left Path

From the Nexus, look toward the waterfalls ahead. Fly or jump over the platforms and enter through the small opening on the right side of the waterfalls. Once inside, follow the left path behind the falls. Climb through a sequence of ascending platforms until you reach the top of this interior section.

Phase 3: Laser Fences and the Grated Window Room

At the top, you will encounter a laser fence and a rotating machine. Jump or fly over the laser fence to reach the staircase on the other side. Proceed through the staircase to reach a room with circular grated windows.

This room is one of the trickiest parts of the puzzle. Cling to the wall near the circular grated window, positioning yourself slightly off-center to avoid the laser sweeping through the room. Hold the resist button to brace yourself, then use Force Palm to flip the window outward. Do not rush this step; if you apply too much force without bracing, Kliff will be launched backward, and you will have to reposition.

Once the window is flipped, climb through to the other side. Then climb to the topmost circular window, which lets you bypass the interior lasers entirely. Scale the metal wall on the far side while avoiding the lasers. Use the corners of the wall to rest and regain stamina before continuing upward.

Phase 4: First Panel Placement

At the top of the climbing section, you will find the first panel. Use Axiom Force to grab the panel and carefully fit it inside the caged box nearby. The small opening and difficult camera angles make this tricky. Take your time and ensure the panel is completely inside the cage, because you need it in place for the next steps. Rotate the panel as needed to match the orientation of the slot, adjusting both the angle and height gradually until it clicks into position.

Phase 5: Second Panel Retrieval and Placement

Exit through the windows with the moving lasers, timing your movement to pass through safely. Follow the platforms upward to reach the area where the second panel is stored.

Grab the second panel from the opening using Axiom Force. You will need to use the rotate and move controls to maneuver the panel out through a small hole. This requires patience, as the opening is tight and the panel must be tilted to fit through. Once the panel is free, carry it to the nearby slot. Use jump combined with Force Palm to nudge the panel firmly into its slot.

Phase 6: Island Traversal and Third Panel

With two panels in place, navigate outward by jumping or flying across the platforms. Head toward the left cliffside of the island complex. The third and final panel is hidden in a hole on the cliffside face of the island. It is not visible from above, so you need to fly or drop down to the cliff face to spot it.

Use Axiom Force to grab the panel from the cliffside hole and carry it back up to the top of the structure. This is a challenging segment because you must manage your stamina while transporting the panel across a significant distance. Lift the panel to the correct elevation first, then move it horizontally to avoid losing your grip.

Phase 7: Generator Activation and Claiming the Artifact

Return the third panel to its designated slot. Once all three panels are in place, the circular generator above will become active. You can reach the generator by climbing its side (if you have enough stamina) or by climbing the tree root nearby and carefully descending to the generator from above.

Position yourself at the center of the circular generator. Use Force Palm to strike the center of the generator. The force will knock Kliff backward into the air. Catch yourself using Flight immediately after being launched, then descend back down. The generator is now fully active.

Climb to the topmost platform above the generator to find and claim the Abyss Artifact. This completes the Roots of Truth challenge.

Walkthrough Summary

Phase	Objective	Key Abilities
1	Reach the island and activate the Abyss Nexus	Aerial Force Palm, Flight
2	Enter through the waterfall opening and climb to the top	Flight, Climbing
3	Navigate laser fences and flip the grated window	Force Palm (with resist/brace)
4	Place the first panel into the caged box	Axiom Force (grab, rotate, position)
5	Extract and place the second panel through the small hole	Axiom Force, Force Palm
6	Retrieve the third panel from the cliffside hole	Axiom Force, Flight, Stamina management
7	Activate the circular generator and collect the artifact	Force Palm, Flight

Tips and Strategies

Stamina management is critical. Nearly every phase involves climbing, flying, or carrying panels. Rest at wall corners and on flat surfaces whenever possible to let your stamina regenerate before the next section.
Do not rush the grated window. Attempting to Force Palm the window without first holding the resist/brace button will almost always launch you backward. Brace first, then palm.
Lift panels vertically before moving horizontally. When transporting panels with Axiom Force, raise the panel to the correct height first. Trying to move it diagonally or horizontally through tight spaces often causes it to snag on geometry.
Use the camera to your advantage. The camera angles in the caged box section (first panel) are restrictive. Pan the camera around before attempting to slide the panel in, so you can clearly see the slot orientation.
Catch yourself with Flight after the generator. The Force Palm strike on the generator throws Kliff into the air. If you do not activate Flight immediately, you will fall and may take significant damage or need to re-climb.
Laser timing is consistent. The rotating lasers in the window room and on the climbing walls follow fixed patterns. Watch a full rotation cycle before committing to a move.
Force Palm: Focus for wall stamina. If your stamina runs low during a wall climb, using Force Palm: Focus can help stabilize your position and give a brief moment to recover.

Rewards

Reward	Quantity	Use
Abyss Artifact	1	Spend on skill tree abilities, stat increases (Health/Spirit/Stamina), or equipment refinement

Abyss Artifacts are one of the most valuable progression currencies in Crimson Desert. They are limited in number across the world, so completing every Abyss puzzle is essential for maximizing your character build.

Progression Context

Roots of Truth sits near the end of one of the longer Abyss puzzle chains in the game. The full chain runs from the Spire of Insight through Chaos Forest and finally into Roots of Truth. This chain is part of the broader Abyss island puzzle network that spans the skies above Pywel. For a complete list of all 23 Abyss Challenge locations, see the Abyss Island Puzzle Solutions hub article.

The Abyss Challenge list places Roots of Truth at position 22 of 23, just before Chaos Forest (which is listed at 23 despite being a prerequisite in gameplay flow). The full list includes challenges such as Ethereal Pathway, Axiom Archive, Root's End, Precipice of Truth, Crescent Skybridge, Monolith Crown, and many others.

Navigation

Related Articles

What Links Here