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Overview

After cleansing sanctums during the Witch quest lines in Crimson Desert, each sanctum contains a hidden extra puzzle at its final area. These secret puzzles are completely unmarked on the map. There is no quest marker, no indicator, and no NPC that tells you about them. They are designed as bonus challenges for players who take the time to revisit and explore cleansed sanctums thoroughly.

Each cleansed sanctum has the same type of end puzzle: a Fusion Reactor Core that must be found, stored in the Kuku Pot using the Axiom Force, transported to the generator, and slotted into position using Force Palm. Completing these hidden puzzles rewards you with cores that upgrade your Kuku Pot, unlocking the ability to craft new items, weapons, and armor through Kuku blueprints.

Prerequisites

• Complete Chapter 5 or later. Sanctum cleansing quests become available from Chapter 5 onward as part of the Witch faction quest lines. You cannot cleanse a sanctum unless you have met the witch it belongs to.

• Cleanse the sanctum first. The secret puzzles only become accessible after a sanctum has been fully cleansed. You must defeat all enemies and complete the primary puzzle (restoring the generator) before the hidden puzzle area opens up.

• Axiom Force abilities required. You need Axiom Force, Force Palm, and in some cases Aerial Force Palm to interact with the Fusion Reactor Cores. These abilities are learned during the main story.

• Kuku Pot required. The Kuku Pot is obtained during the "Mysterious Pot" quest in Chapter 4 at the Kilnden Workshop. You need it to seal and transport Fusion Reactor Cores between locations.

How the Secret Puzzles Work

Every cleansed sanctum follows the same basic pattern for its hidden puzzle. After the sanctum is cleansed and the generator is restored, a previously inaccessible area in the final section of the sanctum becomes reachable. This area contains a hidden Fusion Reactor Core.

1. Return to the cleansed sanctum. Travel back to a sanctum you have already cleansed. The enemies will not respawn.

2. Explore the final area thoroughly. Look for hidden passages, secret walls, or environmental clues. Some entrances are behind breakable walls, while others require abilities like Nature's Grasp to reveal.

3. Find the hidden Fusion Reactor Core. The core is typically tucked away in a secret room or behind an environmental obstacle. Use Axiom Force to grab it.

4. Seal the core in your Kuku Pot. Activate Axiom Force on the core to trigger a quick-time event that stores it inside your Kuku Pot for transport.

5. Slot the core into the generator. Carry the core to the empty battery slot on the sanctum's generator. Use Force Palm (or Aerial Force Palm for elevated slots) to punch the core into position. Green leaves floating around the slot confirm correct placement.

Sanctum Locations by Witch

There are 16 sanctums spread across the world of Crimson Desert, each assigned to one of four witches. You must meet the corresponding witch before you can cleanse her sanctums. The table below lists all sanctums organized by their assigned witch.

Witch of Wisdom (Elowen)

Elowen is found in the Hernand region, tied up in a house in the Witchwoods southeast of the region. Rescue her to unlock her faction quest.

Witch of Kindness (Bari)

Bari is first encountered freezing under a tent west of Pailune. Light the nearby lantern to warm her. Her true lair is a floating cabin in Crimson Lake within the Silver Wolf Mountains.

Witch of Humility (Lyselia)

Lyselia first appears hanging off a ruined bridge in Beighen during Chapter 7. Her true lair is a cave in Serpent Marsh marked with hanging ribbons.

Witch of Strength (Areciel)

Areciel first appears as a child near a shed north of Tashkalp. Give her a copper coin to begin her quest line. Her true lair is a house on a cliff near Urdavah.

The 16th sanctum, the Cloister of Ruination (also called the Sanctum of Mortification), is a main-story-only sanctum tied to the Byron Estate and does not follow the same secret puzzle pattern as the other 15.

Rewards

Completing the secret puzzles in cleansed sanctums rewards cores that upgrade the Kuku Pot. As the Kuku Pot is upgraded, it unlocks the ability to craft new Kuku weapons, armor, and equipment through blueprints. The specific rewards vary depending on which witch's sanctums you complete.

Known Blueprint Rewards by Sanctum

Completing all four sanctums for a given witch earns you a Witch's Token. Collecting all tokens from every witch unlocks access to the hidden Wayward Woods Witch Hideout, where you can meet the fifth witch, the White Crow, and receive additional rewards.

Secret Puzzle Tips

• Revisit cleansed sanctums carefully. The secret puzzles are in areas you may not have explored during the initial cleansing. Take time to walk around the entire final chamber and look for hidden passages, breakable walls, or unusual environmental details.

• Use Nature's Grasp on suspicious walls. Several sanctums hide their secret areas behind walls that can only be opened with Nature's Grasp (Circle + Triangle). The Sanctum of Veneration is a confirmed example where a brick wall in the south area opens to reveal a hidden Fusion Reactor Core.

• Look for visual clues. Hidden entrances often have subtle visual differences from the surrounding architecture, such as different brick patterns, slightly recessed walls, or unusual vegetation growth near the opening.

• Use Focus to spot cores. Activate Focus (L3+R3) to highlight interactable objects in the environment. Fusion Reactor Cores glow when Focus is active, making them easier to spot in dark or cluttered rooms.

• Green leaves confirm correct placement. When you successfully slot a Fusion Reactor Core into its generator position, green leaves will float around the slot. If you do not see the leaves, the core is not properly seated and you should try Force Palm again.

• Bring the Kuku Pot. You cannot complete the secret puzzles without the Kuku Pot. If you have not obtained it yet, complete the "Mysterious Pot" quest in Chapter 4 at the Kilnden Workshop first.

• Use Blinding Flash for hidden walls. Some hidden areas in sanctums are behind vine-covered or destructible walls. The Blinding Flash ability (L1+R1+L1) can destroy certain environmental obstacles that block access to secret rooms.

Related Articles

• Sanctums - Complete guide to all 16 sanctum locations

• Kuku Pot - The Mysterious Pot and how to use it for crafting

• Axiom Force - The supernatural ability system used in sanctum puzzles

• Force Palm - Key ability for slotting Fusion Reactor Cores

• Witches - Guide to all five witches and their quest lines

• Elowen - The Witch of Wisdom and her four sanctums

• Hidden Treasures - Other hidden content found through exploration

• Puzzles - All puzzle solutions in Crimson Desert

• Chapter 5 - Main story chapter where sanctum quests become available

• Kuku Equipment - All craftable Kuku weapons and armor