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Sanctum of Absolution
March 21, 2026 at 11:47 AM
Comprehensive location content with puzzle walkthrough, boss strategy, rewards, and related articles
The Sanctum of Absolution is one of six Sanctums scattered across the continent of Pywel in Crimson Desert. Like all Sanctums, it is described as a place imbued with spiritual power, reportedly created in the ancient past to restore the world and its providence. The Antumbra revere Sanctums as sacred ground because of the immense power they hold.
The Sanctum of Absolution is associated with the Second Edict, which declares: "Believe that only by accepting Death within the embrace of the Guide may irreverence be cleansed."
Unlike most other Sanctums, the Sanctum of Absolution includes a mandatory boss fight against Antumbra's Sword, making it one of the more challenging cleansing encounters. Players should ensure they are well-leveled and stocked with recovery items before attempting it.
The Sanctum of Absolution is located in the Hernand region. An Abyss Nexus can be found near the site for fast travel access. The Sanctum sits among ancient stone ruins in an open area with several connected interior rooms that hold the puzzle components.
Sanctums become accessible after White Crow the Witch is unlocked as an NPC merchant during Chapter 5 of the main story. Once unlocked, she assigns a quest to cleanse all six Sanctums throughout the world. Players can set waypoints to any Sanctum through their quest journal.
Before the puzzle can be attempted, players must defeat a boss called Antumbra's Sword. This is a mandatory encounter unique to the Sanctum of Absolution; the other Sanctums only require clearing standard enemies.
Bring plenty of healing food and recovery items. The fight is a war of attrition, and running out of healing is the primary cause of failure.
Do not attempt the fight until you have sufficient health and stamina upgrades. A few strong skills on your weapon will make the fight much more manageable.
Avoid getting greedy with attack combos. Wait for the boss to finish its combo chains before retaliating with a few strikes, then back off.
Use the Stab move to apply passive bleed damage, which chips away at the boss's health between your attack windows.
When Antumbra's Sword powers up and creates a duplicate, focus entirely on dodging. The duplicate ground pound attack can kill in one hit.
Exploit edge positioning by keeping the boss near the arena boundary, which can create openings for stunlocking.
After defeating Antumbra's Sword, the cleansing puzzle becomes available. The Sanctum of Absolution puzzle involves restoring a broken pillar and installing a hidden power cube.
Head south from where you fought the boss and enter the nearby building. Drop down through the hole in the floor to reach the room below at the end of the corridor. The broken pillar piece is sitting on the ground. Use Axiom Force to grab it and carry it back up to the surface.
Take the pillar piece to the broken pillar at the main Sanctum structure. Place it on the support and use a jumping Force Palm (Aerial Force Palm) to lock it into position, just like the other Sanctums.
Climb back up through the hole in the ceiling to the corridor where you fought the boss. At the far end of the corridor you will see a pile of clay pots. Smash all the pots to reveal the power cube hidden behind them.
Use Axiom Force to carry the power cube to the main Sanctum machine. Slam it into the square recess using Force Palm. With the pillar repaired and the cube installed, the Sanctum of Absolution is cleansed.
Cleansing the Sanctum of Absolution rewards Kuku weapon blueprints, including formulas for powerful two-handed weapons. Completing all six Sanctums fulfills the Witch's cleansing quest and grants additional Abyss-related rewards.
After cleansing the Sanctum, White Crow the Witch will appear and share lore about the site's history, connecting the Sanctum's past to the broader story of the Antumbra and their edicts.
