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Scholastone
April 25, 2026 at 03:14 PM
Rewired 1 wikilink to longer matching article titles
Scholastone is the 54th main quest in Crimson Desert and the second quest in the Forbidden Knowledge sub-chapter of Chapter 4: The Price of Knowledge. Following Alustin's warning, Kliff sets out to find the secretive Scholastone Institute, which is hidden behind dangerous mountain terrain southwest of Hernand. The journey involves visiting a goblin fence, scaling steep cliffs using Force Palm, and following a guide to the Institute's entrance. The quest rewards the Scholastone Uniform, which is needed for movement within the Institute grounds.
Detail | Info |
|---|---|
Quest Number | 54 |
Chapter | Chapter 4: The Price of Knowledge |
Sub-Chapter | |
Region | |
Previous Quest | |
Next Quest | |
Reward |
Visit the fence
Head to Scholastone
Find out Scholastone's location
Find the path to Scholastone Institute
The "fence" is a goblin merchant operating in Hernand. Enter the building through the front door and head upstairs. The goblin conducts business from the upper floor. Speak with him to learn about Scholastone's general whereabouts. This conversation updates your quest marker to a location southwest of the city.
Travel southwest from Hernand toward the quest marker. The route requires climbing over a mountain. The fastest traversal method is to chain three consecutive Force Palm jumps mid-air (press R3 three times while jumping) to rapidly scale cliff faces. This triple-jump technique is the game's primary vertical traversal tool and you will use it extensively in later quests. After crossing the mountain, descend to a stone gate to complete this objective.
Open your inventory and equip the Scholastone Uniform that was added automatically. Near the arrival point, you will find a man standing beside a stone pyramid. While wearing the uniform, speak with him. He acts as a guide, leading you along the cliffs and describing the surrounding landscape. Follow him patiently until he finishes talking. Do not wander off, because following the guide is required to advance the objective.
After the guide finishes, continue independently. Look for a tall tower on the mountain in the distance and walk toward it along the marked path. The journey is linear but long, and there are no enemies along the final stretch. When you arrive at the tower, the next quest (On the Right Path) starts automatically.
Upon reaching the Institute, you receive the Scholastone Uniform. This outfit is required to move freely within the Institute grounds and to interact with certain NPCs. It functions similarly to the Hernandian Attire used to enter Hernand Castle earlier in the game. A troll NPC will only speak to you if you are wearing this uniform, so keep it equipped while exploring Scholastone.
Scholastone Institute is an academic institution founded by troll scholars. It is dedicated to studying all forms of knowledge, with a recent focus on the Abyss and interpreting ancient lore. While primarily staffed by trolls, the Institute welcomes anyone with genuine scholarly curiosity, regardless of race. Its network includes several facilities in the Hernand region, including the Kilnden Workshop where Grimnir operates.
The Institute is situated high in the mountains southwest of Hernand, concealed behind treacherous terrain. Its description notes that "between the treacherous terrain and the concealed entrance, it was clear that this secret location was nearly impossible to reach through normal means."
NPC | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
The Dean | Head of Scholastone Institute | Wears a blue robe and stands on the bridge. Introduces Kliff to Octavius during the On the Right Path quest. Speaks in enigmatic language about the plaza experiments being safeguards against coming chaos. |
Orc scholar and researcher | Wears a blue robe. Leads the experiment to open an Abyss Void during the Gate to the Otherworld quest. Guides the player through the device activation and battery installation process. | |
Grunvar | Lead researcher | Unlocks the research system at Scholastone after Chapter 5. Requests 1x Honey Tea to initiate the project tree. Returns here after completing his initial quest to offer Research Requests. |
Administrative official | Gives the The Weight of Knowledge commission quest. Provides an Investigative Log and asks you to question five suspects about a stolen forbidden book. | |
Steward's assistant | Assists with the Weight of Knowledge quest briefing. |
Scholastone serves as the setting for multiple quests in the Forbidden Knowledge questline:
Quest | Number | Description |
|---|---|---|
53 | Prerequisite quest. Alustin warns Kliff about the Institute. | |
Scholastone | 54 | Travel to and locate the Institute. Rewards the Scholastone Uniform. |
55 | Meet the Dean on the bridge. He escorts Kliff through the Institute and introduces Octavius. Dialogue-only quest. | |
56 | Assist with Octavius's experiment. Includes an L-shaped button puzzle, battery installation using Axiom Force, and a boss fight against Tenebrum. |
The Gate to the Otherworld quest (Mission 56) takes place in Scholastone's underground plaza and is one of the most complex encounters in Chapter 4.
Head to the northeast corner of the plaza and follow the path with lanterns underground. You must solve a hatch puzzle by pressing buttons in the correct order. Use D-pad Left/Right to select which button to press. The solution is to press the four corner buttons, then press the middle button.
Four sparking blue batteries must be inserted into pillars around the device. Use Axiom Force to pick up each battery and carry it to the front of its slot, then hit it with Force Palm to smack it into position.
Tenebrum is a special boss that requires a specific strategy to defeat:
Use Blinding Flash to reveal Tenebrum's weak spot.
Double-jump over the missing floor in the middle of the plaza to activate your wings. The wind column catapults you upward.
When Tenebrum hovers in the center charging an attack, press the Force Palm button to strike.
Three successful Force Palm hits are required to defeat Tenebrum.
Force Palm is the only way to damage Tenebrum. Standard attacks and ranged weapons have no effect.
After Chapter 5, players can return to Scholastone to access the research system. Speak with Grunvar to begin. He requests 1x Honey Tea, which triggers a short quest. Once that quest is complete, the Abyssal Environment research project becomes available. Completing it requires waiting 2 in-game hours (advance the day-night cycle), then physically returning to Scholastone to turn it in.
After completing the first research project, additional options may require "more knowledge." Talk to research assistants around the Institute, observe machinery, or complete side quests in the area to unlock further projects. Projects in the same row must be completed in succession; the prerequisite must be finished first.
Project | Cost | Duration | Reward / Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
1 Silver | 2 hours | Beekeeper's Gear Blueprint | |
Abyss Energy Restoration Phenomenon (1A) | 12 Silver | 8 hours | Faded Abyss Artifact Blueprint (allows crafting at a Witch cauldron) |
Abyssal Energy Research (1B) | 130 Silver | 20 hours | Raises health cap from level 11 to level 18 |
Enhanced Cloudcart Efficiency (2A) | 9 Silver | 6 hours | Unlocks Cloudcruiser crafting |
Enhanced Cloudcart Altitude (2B) | 100 Silver | 18 hours | Unlocks Skystreaker crafting (Cloudcarts reach the Abyss) |
Abyss Energy Applicable Device Research (2C) | 500 Silver | Varies | Unlocks ATAG Thrusterpack Mk. II and Mk. III crafting; enables Skystep imbue on Damiane's shields |
Skyroot Research (3A) | 7 Silver | 6 hours | Foundation research on rare Skyroot herbs |
Skyroot Cultivation Research (3B) | 90 Silver | 14 hours | Harvest seeds from Skyroot |
The most impactful project is Abyssal Energy Research (1B), which raises your maximum health cap from level 11 all the way to level 18. This makes a dramatic difference in boss fights and is considered one of the best upgrades in the game.
The Abyss Energy Restoration Phenomenon (1A) project is also important because it provides the Faded Abyss Artifact Blueprint. If you accidentally ruined your character build, this blueprint lets you craft Faded Abyss Artifacts at a Witch cauldron instead of hunting them down in random Abyss chests.
The Weight of Knowledge is a Hernand Commissions faction quest that takes place at the Institute of Knowledge in Scholastone. The Steward tasks you with investigating who stole a forbidden book by questioning five suspects.
NPC | Details |
|---|---|
His library visit record is missing, which turns out to be the key evidence. | |
Grunil | Was working on research and stopped by the library, getting scolded by the librarian. |
Anselmo | Was at the lab with Tarho all day and claims the guard is acting suspicious. |
Tarho | Corroborates Anselmo's account of being in the lab together. |
Javier | Insists innocence, noting he did not know about the forbidden books or the ancient language. |
When reporting to the Steward, select these responses in order:
"Heard there was a meeting with a noble from out of town that day."
"They were at the lab with Tarho all day, and reckon the guard's the one acting suspicious."
"While working on research with Grunil, they stopped by the library and got scolded by the librarian."
"The library keeps records of everyone's visits, but Raphael's record is missing."
"They insist they couldn't have stolen it, since they didn't know about the forbidden books or the ancient language."
The Steward responds identically regardless of whether your answers are correct, making it nearly impossible to tell without a guide. Completing the quest rewards the Kinetic Dolphin Family trophy collectible, which can be displayed in your home or sold for silver.
Master the triple Force Palm jump (R3, R3, R3 mid-air) before starting this quest. You will need it for the mountain ascent and for several later quests in the Forbidden Knowledge line.
Do not skip the guide at the stone pyramid. Following him is required to complete the objective.
The walk to the tower at the end is long and has no enemies. Use this time to take in the scenery.
Keep the Scholastone Uniform equipped while at the Institute. Certain NPCs will refuse to speak with you otherwise.
After Chapter 5, return to Grunvar with Honey Tea to unlock the research system. Prioritize the Abyssal Energy Research (1B) project for the massive health cap increase.
Research projects require silver and take multiple in-game hours to complete. Advance the day-night cycle at a bed or bench to speed things up.
During the Tenebrum boss fight, standard attacks do nothing. You must use Force Palm while airborne.
