Overview
Sealed Abyss Artifacts are collectible items scattered across the continent of Pywel in Crimson Desert. Described in the game's lore as fragments of the Abyss that fell from the skies, these small polygonal cubes sit on stone altars and roadside shrines throughout the open world. There are 141 total Sealed Abyss Artifacts in the game, and collecting every single one is required for 100% completion, the Platinum trophy on PlayStation, and 1000 Gamerscore on Xbox.
Each Sealed Abyss Artifact is tied directly to a specific Challenge entry in the Challenges menu. Challenge progress only starts counting after you pick up the associated artifact, so collecting them early is strongly recommended. The artifacts cover three major categories: Mastery, Combat, and Life. Completing every challenge across all categories is necessary for the full set of trophies and achievements.
How Sealed Abyss Artifacts Work
When you pick up a Sealed Abyss Artifact, it enters your inventory in a locked state. You cannot spend it until you complete the specific challenge printed in its description. Hover over any sealed artifact in your inventory to read what needs to be done. Common unlock requirements include reaching a weapon mastery level, defeating a certain number of enemies with a particular weapon type, performing traversal feats, completing life skill tasks, or finishing specific quests.
Once the condition is met, the artifact unseals automatically. Unsealed artifacts come in three forms:
Reward Type | Description | Usage |
|---|---|---|
The most common reward. Grants one Skill Point immediately upon unsealing. | Spend in the Abyss Skill Tree to unlock or rank up abilities, or invest into Health, Spirit, or Stamina. | |
A rare respec currency. Much less common than regular Abyss Artifacts. | Consuming one resets your entire Skill Tree, allowing full reallocation of all previously spent skill points. | |
A rune-like enhancement item. Some sealed artifacts award these instead of skill points. | Slot into weapons and armor at a Blacksmith or through the equipment menu to provide stat bonuses. |
To spend regular Abyss Artifacts as skill points, open the progression menu and navigate to the Abyss Skill Tree. The tree is split into three color-coded branches: Blue (Stamina), Green (Spirit), and Red (Health). Each upgrade costs one artifact. Abyss Gear items can be managed through the equipment screen, where you slot them into available gear sockets. You can also visit the Witch NPC to manage and attach ability cores to your gear.
How to Find Sealed Abyss Artifacts
Sealed Abyss Artifacts are not marked on the main world map. They only appear as purple icons on the minimap when you get close to one. Every artifact is positioned along a road, path, or intersection. You will never find one buried deep in the wilderness or hidden inside a dungeon.
The most reliable detection method is the Guiding Light ability. When activated, your sword emits a blue glimmer that points in the direction of any nearby artifact. This works even before the purple minimap icon becomes visible, giving you a head start on locating them. The controls are:
Platform | Input |
|---|---|
PlayStation | L1 + R1 |
Xbox | LB + RB |
PC | CTRL + Left Click |
Press the Guiding Light input every few seconds while riding along roads to sweep for nearby artifacts. You can also hold up a Lantern at night, which causes Sealed Abyss Artifacts to emit a faint white light from a distance, making them easier to spot in dark environments.
Recommended Collection Strategy
Unfog the entire map first. Activate all 8 hidden bells scattered across Pywel. Ringing each bell reveals a large section of the world map, including road outlines. Since every artifact sits on a road, this makes finding them dramatically easier.
Grab fast travel points along the way. While activating the bells, interact with every Abyss Nexus (fast travel point) you pass. This lets you return to each region quickly during your collection sweep.
Work through one region at a time. The five regions are Hernand, Demeniss, Pailune, Delesyia, and the Crimson Desert. Follow every road systematically within each region before moving on.
Collect early, not late. Most challenge progress does not count retroactively. If you defeat 50 enemies with a sword before finding the Sword 1 artifact, those kills will not count. The counter starts from zero when you pick up the artifact. Some cumulative challenges (like total distance traveled) are exceptions, but most are not.
Travel by horse. Horseback travel is the fastest way to cover ground between artifact locations. Keep your horse well-fed and rested for maximum speed.
Combine with other collectibles. While following roads, keep an eye out for Abyss Cressets, hidden chests, and ancient tablets nearby.
Challenge Categories
Every Sealed Abyss Artifact belongs to one of three major categories that match the structure of the Challenges menu. Understanding which category an artifact belongs to helps you plan your collection route and prioritize the challenges you want to complete first.
Mastery Challenges
Mastery Challenges test your proficiency with each of Crimson Desert's weapon types and horse combat. Each weapon category has its own set of sealed artifacts with escalating difficulty.
Artifacts | Example Requirements | |
|---|---|---|
6 | Reach Sword Mastery levels, defeat enemies within time limits | |
6 | Block arrows, parry attacks, defeat enemies without taking damage | |
5 | Land counterattacks, stab enemies within time limits | |
6 | Knock back enemies, defeat groups with greatswords | |
6 | Defeat enemies with arrows, use three bow attack types | |
5 | Defeat multiple enemies using hand cannons | |
5 | ||
5 | Defeat enemies using firearms | |
10 | Use Flamespitter, Knuckledrill, Lightning Spear, Bismuth Spear, and more | |
10 | Mounted combat, horseback activities |
Combat Challenges
Combat Challenges focus on performance in fights, large-scale battles, and military engagements. There are three subcategories:
Subcategory | Artifacts | |
|---|---|---|
10 | Combat technique practice, acrobatics, pole vaulting, rope walking | |
10 | Large-scale battles, sieges, group combat encounters | |
10 | Tactical missions, assassinations, coordinated assaults |
Life Challenges
Life Challenges cover non-combat activities and the various life skills available throughout Pywel:
Subcategory | Artifacts | |
|---|---|---|
11 | Hunting animals, tracking prey, ecosystem knowledge | |
12 | Pet ownership, resource gathering, cave exploration, herb gathering | |
5 | Trading goods between towns and merchant activities | |
10 | Outlaw activities, stealth, theft, piracy | |
9 | Story-related accomplishments, card game wins, miscellaneous feats |
Artifacts by Region Summary
The 141 Sealed Abyss Artifacts are distributed unevenly across the five major regions of Pywel. The starting region of Hernand has the highest concentration, while the later regions spread artifacts more thinly along their road networks. The table below shows the documented count per region. Note that 134 of 141 artifacts have been confirmed and mapped by the community so far; the remaining 7 are believed to be distributed across the later regions.
Region | Documented Artifacts | |
|---|---|---|
41 | Hernand Castle, Goldleaf Trading Post, Calphade, Embernest Beacon, Fort Warspike, Kilnden Workshop | |
26 | Stonewell Farm, Ironwood Farm, Reventine Monastery, Spire of Clockwork, Thornbriar Fortress | |
16 | Pailune Town, Skoghorn, Torvak Camp, River Breeze Hearth, Svinholt Ranch | |
25 | Delesyia South Gate, Windrose Farm, Redfox Trading Post, Chittering Forest, Fort Windridge | |
25+ | Tommaso, Well of Reflection, Isvatu Fortress, Arcosa, Varnia, Crimson Mountains Fortress |
Hernand Region
The Hernand region is the starting area and contains the highest concentration of Sealed Abyss Artifacts in the entire game. With over 40 artifacts documented, the roads around Hernand Castle, Goldleaf Trading Post, Calphade, the northern watchtowers, Fort Warspike, and the surrounding farmlands are packed with collectibles. Most players will find their first artifact shortly after leaving Hernand Town during the early chapters of the story. The Hernand region also encompasses sub-areas like Meandering Hills, Rocca's Hill, the Mountain of Frozen Souls, and the Deepfog Basin, all of which contain artifacts along their road networks.
Mastery Artifacts (Hernand)
Challenge | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Sword 1 | On the road heading north from Hernand Castle, just before crossing the great bridge at Three Saints' Falls | |
Sword 2 | Sword of Trials II | At a wooden shrine south of the Spire of Insight |
Sword 3 | Sword of Trials III | At the road intersection near Goldleaf Tradepost |
Sword 4 | Sword of Trials IV | On the road northwest of Kilnden Workshop |
Shield 1 | Shield of Unchanging Will I | At the second intersection north of Hernand Royal Trading Post, beside the road toward Meandering Hills |
Shield 2 | Shield of Unchanging Will II | On the road directly north of Kharonso, in the Scholastone area |
Shield 3 | On the road southeast of the Sanctum of Benediction | |
Shield 4 | Shield of Unchanging Will IV | At the intersection directly east of Embernest Beacon, near the tree at the three-point crossing on Rocca's Hill |
Shield 6 | On the road heading west from Calphade South Gate | |
Spear 2 | Sharpened Spear II | At the Red Greymane Nas River Shrine, southeast of Hernand Castle |
Spear 3 | Sharpened Spear III | At the intersection immediately west of Hook Rapids Hearth, near Karin Quarry |
Spear 5 | Sharpened Spear V | At the intersection west of Bradenfern Farm |
Two-Handed 1 | On the road directly west of Drakesfall Watchtower | |
Two-Handed 3 | On the road south of the Hernandian Ruins | |
Two-Handed 4 | On the road southeast of Fort Perwin | |
Bow 1 | Bow Aimed at Fate I | At the intersection directly west of Glenbright Farm |
Bow 2 | On the north side of the road, southeast of Claphade Outpost | |
Horse 4 | Harmonious Hooves IV | On the forest road north of Sunset Valley, in the Mountain of Frozen Souls area |
Horse 7 | At the third intersection directly west of The Ironwood text on the map | |
Gun 5 | At the intersection northwest of the Ruined Chapel, in the Steel Mountains area | |
Rapier and Shield 1 | Dancing Blade, Shining Shield I | On the road directly south of Meshley Trapsmith, near the Witchwoods |
Combat Artifacts (Hernand)
Challenge | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Training 1 | On the east side of the road, northeast of Pororin | |
Training 3 | At the intersection west of Bloomwood Ranch | |
Training 4 | At the end of the short road leading up the cliffs from Fort Warspike, in the Everfrost area | |
Training 5 | On the road slightly west of Unicorn Cliff, along the Nas Riverside | |
Battle 6 | At the second intersection north of Calphade Outpost | |
Battle 7 | On the road heading southwest from Reedfield Graves, in the Mountain of Frozen Souls | |
Battle 10 | Bare Courage | At the intersection south of the Sanctum of Penitence |
Operations 4 | Judgment of the Storm | Up the hill west of North Hernand Watchtower |
Operations 6 | On the north side of the road directly northeast of Vilkom Outpost | |
Operations 7 | Disruption | Near the river shrine directly west of Roothold |
Life Artifacts (Hernand)
Challenge | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Hunting 1 | On the south side of the road, directly northwest of Karin Quarry Rest Area | |
Life 3 | Animal Meat | On the northern main path at The Sage's Peak |
Life 8 | At the forest edge road north of Sunset Valley, near the Mountain of Frozen Souls | |
Life 15 | Near the river at The Sage's Peak | |
Above the Law 1 | At the intersection directly east of Halssius Apothecary, by Anvil Riverside Terrace | |
Above the Law 2 | On the road heading northwest from Torchlight Beacon, on Haunted Hill | |
Above the Law 3 | On the road northeast of Calphade Beacon, in the Deepfog Basin | |
Above the Law 6 | Worth Its Weight | On the road west of Calphade Farmhouse |
Above the Law 8 | At a wooden shrine on the west side of the road near Vellua | |
At the intersection by Goldleaf Trading Post, directly south of the 'A' in HERNAND on the map | ||
Under the Ashen Banner Pike | At the intersection northwest of Phoniel Ranch, in the Alfonso Estate | |
Spot the Trickery in Duo | At the intersection directly northwest of Wild Raiders Camp |
Demeniss Region
The Demeniss region lies to the east of Hernand and is home to the Kingdom of Demeniss. With around 26 documented artifacts, this region has the second-highest concentration after Hernand. Artifacts are spread along the roads connecting Stonewell Farm, Ironwood Farm, the Spire of Clockwork, Reventine Monastery, Thornbriar Fortress, and the southern court area. The Demeniss region also features several roads that wind through steep terrain, so watch for artifacts on cliff-side paths near the Bloodsteel South Gate and Scorchrock Castle.
Mastery Artifacts (Demeniss)
Challenge | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Horse 1 | Harmonious Hooves I | At the four-way intersection southwest of Stonewell Farm |
Horse 2 | At the intersection northeast of St. Halssius's House of Healing | |
Horse 3 | At the intersection east of Ironwood Farm | |
Horse 6 | At the intersection east of Church of West Demeniss | |
Sword 5 | Sword of Trials V | At the intersection south of Reventine Monastery |
Sword 6 | On the path directly south of Jijeong Temple | |
Spear 4 | At the intersection directly west of Flame Knight's Castle | |
Two-Handed 2 | At the intersection southwest of Golden Gallop Racecourse | |
Rapier and Shield 3 | On the road south of Ironwood Farmhouse | |
Rapier and Shield 5 | On the road southwest of the Spire of Clockwork | |
Cannon 2 | On the road northwest of Silvermoon Tradehouse | |
Special Equipment 7 | At the intersection northwest of Demeniss Barracks | |
Special Equipment 9 | At the shrine intersection northeast of Ironbarrel Armory |
Combat Artifacts (Demeniss)
Challenge | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Training 2 | Stepping on Clouds | At the Bloodsteel South Gate |
Training 6 | Clash of a Protector | At the intersection directly north of Hayroof Farm |
Operation 8 | Gunshot | At a wooden shrine directly north of Scorchrock Castle |
Life Artifacts (Demeniss)
Challenge | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Hunting 5 | On the road west of Burnhand Quarry | |
Hunting 6 | At the intersection northeast of the Southern Court | |
Hunting 9 | Pine Broom | On the road south of Thornbriar Guard Post |
Life 2 | On the road north of Burnhand Quarry | |
Life 6 | The Underwater Ecosystem | At the intersection west of Demeniss Sentry Camp |
Shield 5 | On the road through the middle of Demeniss town | |
Trade 3 | Mysterious Accessory Shop | At the intersection south of Demeniss Castle |
Above the Law 9 | The Dark Pilgrim Who Stole the Ember | On a ledge outside the south entrance of Thornbriar Fortress |
On the cliff east of Thornbriar Fortress | ||
Duo Win Streak | On the road east of the Spire of Clockwork |
Pailune Region
The Pailune region is a mountainous northern area known for its harsh terrain and remote settlements. With around 16 documented artifacts, Pailune has fewer artifacts than the southern regions but they are spread across a wide area. Key landmark roads near Pailune town, Skoghorn, Torvak Camp, River Breeze Hearth, and Svinholt Ranch are the primary collection routes. Be sure to check branching side roads in the mountain passes, as several artifacts hide on short dead-end paths.
Mastery Artifacts (Pailune)
Challenge | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Two-Handed 5 | On the road heading south from Skoghorn | |
Two-Handed 6 | At the intersection immediately southwest of Torvak Camp | |
Bow 6 | On the road northeast of Ridgepath Post | |
Horse 8 | On the road inside Ridgehunter Tannery (requires clearing enemies first) | |
Special Equipment 5 | At the wooden shrine intersection west of Svinholt Ranch | |
Special Equipment 10 | Vessel of Dark Descent | On the road directly north of Totemfelt |
Combat Artifacts (Pailune)
Challenge | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Operations 3 | End of Shadow | Along the road northwest of River Breeze Hearth |
Training 10 | On a Storm of Beasts | At the wooden shrine intersection north of Odeck Floodgate |
Battle 8 | Judgment Cast Upon the Sleeping | At the intersection east of Camp Bjornlund |
Life Artifacts (Pailune)
Challenge | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Trade 1 | Traveler with Oak Barrels | At a road crossing in the center of Pailune town |
Life 1 | On the road north of Skallcove | |
Life 3 | Animal Meat | On the road west of The Ancient Rift |
Life 4 | Tiny Citizens of Grassland | At the wooden shrine intersection north of Beast Hunter's Camp |
Life 12 | Cave Exploration Log | On the road northeast of Whisperleaf Fortress |
Hunting 4 | Mystical Ecosystem | At the wooden shrine intersection west of Pailune Floodgate |
Above the Law 4 | Back Alley Cleanup | On the road west of Camp Bjornlund |
Delesyia Region
The Delesyia region occupies the western portion of the map and is characterized by its rolling farmlands, coastal areas, and the heavily industrialized districts around Delesyia proper. With around 25 documented artifacts, this region has a strong mix of mastery, combat, and life challenge types. Key collection areas include the Delesyia South Gate, Windrose Farm, Redfox Trading Post, Chittering Forest, Fort Windridge, and the coastline near Sweetbloom Plantation.
Mastery Artifacts (Delesyia)
Challenge | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Cannon 1 | On the road immediately west of Redfox Trading Post | |
Cannon 3 | At the intersection southeast of Sweetbloom Plantation | |
Cannon 4 | On the road heading south from Windrose Farm | |
Rapier and Shield 4 | On the road northwest from Fort Windridge | |
Horse 9 | At the intersection west of Steelspike Armory | |
Special Equipment 6 | On the road south of Marni's Laboratorium Gate | |
Special Equipment 8 | At the intersection north of the Sanctum of Devotion |
Combat Artifacts (Delesyia)
Challenge | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Training 7 | Tornado of Steel | At the intersection directly north of Dewhaven Logging Camp |
Training 8 | Like a Butterfly, Like a Storm | On the road east of Coast Windmill Watchtower |
Battle 2 | Flash | At the intersection east of Sanctum of Veneration |
Battle 5 | Single Spark, Seven Strikes | At the intersection southeast of Chittering Forest Ironcrawler Station |
Battle 9 | Giant Windmill | At the intersection west of Aeronautical Research Base |
Operations 5 | Seeds of Discord | At the intersection north of Delesyia South Gate |
Operation 1 | Waves of Lighting | At the intersection south of Gate to Advancement |
Operation 10 | Dirge Beyond the Border | On the west side of the bridge southwest of Timberton |
Life Artifacts (Delesyia)
Challenge | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Hunting 2 | Wild Showdown | On the road south of Marni's Outpost |
Life 9 | On the road directly east of Delesyia South Gate | |
Life 10 | At the intersection south of Coast Windmill Watchtower | |
Life 11 | Bounty of Meadows | On the west side of the road south of Silverbrook Ruins |
Trade 5 | Magnate of the Golden Desert | On the road immediately east of Western Outpost |
Above the Law 10 | The Crow's Crown and the Last Chivalry | South of Masterium Northeast Gate |
Well-Informed Greymane | At the intersection southeast of Windrose Farm | |
A Voyage Without Wind or Sails | On the road north of Chittering Forest Ironcrawler Station | |
Greymane's Vow | At the intersection south of Tinkerton | |
4-Player Duo Match | On the road directly under the D in DELESYIA on the map |
The Crimson Desert Region
The Crimson Desert region occupies the southern portion of the map and is the harshest environment in the game. This arid, dangerous landscape is home to some of the toughest enemies and most advanced challenges. With 25 or more documented artifacts, the roads connecting Tommaso, the Well of Reflection, Isvatu Fortress, Arcosa, Varnia, and the Crimson Mountains Fortress all contain collectibles. Many artifacts in this region are tied to high-level special equipment and advanced combat challenges that require endgame strength.
Mastery Artifacts (Crimson Desert)
Challenge | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Bow 4 | On the road west of Well of Reflection | |
Gun 1 | At the intersection northwest of Left Eye Watchtower | |
Gun 3 | On the road northeast of Saltroad Trading Post | |
Cannon 5 | On the north side of the road, on the west edge of Tommaso | |
Special Equipment 1 | Flamespitter | At the intersection south of Varnia Saltroad Camp |
Special Equipment 2 | On the road northwest from Oasis Hearth | |
Special Equipment 3 | Knuckledrill | At the intersection northwest of Isvatu Fortress |
Special Equipment 4 | At a wooden shrine on the north side of the road, north of Arcosa | |
Horse 10 | On the road south of Timeworn Ruins Ironcrawler Station |
Combat Artifacts (Crimson Desert)
Challenge | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Training 9 | On the road immediately north of the Great Gate of Urdavah | |
Battle 1 | Slam Master | |
Battle 3 | Seven Consecutive Strikes | At the intersection immediately west of Saltroad Camp |
Battle 4 | Sinking Fort | On the road directly north of Tommaso |
Operations 2 | Hidden Banner Pike | On the road heading southwest from Varnia Gate |
Operations 9 | Meteor Run in the Dark | On the road north of Varnia Gate |
Life Artifacts (Crimson Desert)
Challenge | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Life 5 | On the road southeast of Well of Patience | |
Life 7 | On the road slightly northeast of the C in CRIMSON DESERT on the map | |
Hunting 3 | Hunter's Discipline | At the intersection west of Crimson Mountains Ironcrawler Station |
Hunting 7 | Apex of the Food Chain | On the road directly east of Cloister of Enlightenment |
Hunting 10 | The End of Myth | On the road northeast of Saltroad Hearth |
Hunting 11 | When Animals Die | On the road directly southeast of Duskway Camp Ironcrawler Station |
Trade 2 | Rainbow Main | On the road in Varnia, heading south from Alabaster Bridge |
Trade 4 | Contract of the Golden Crown | At the road intersection northeast of Crimson Wall Shrine |
Above the Law 5 | The Hand That Brushes Past All | On the road west of Crimson Mountains Fortress |
Above the Law 7 | Hands Quicker than Eyes | South of Desert Ruins |
How to Unseal Artifacts
Once you collect a Sealed Abyss Artifact, it sits in your inventory until you complete the associated challenge. Open your Journal and navigate to Challenges, then select the appropriate subcategory (Mastery, Combat, or Life) to find the specific task. Each artifact's description also tells you what to do when you hover over it in the inventory.
Common unlock requirements include:
Chapter | Details |
|---|---|
Weapon Mastery | Reach a specific mastery level with a weapon type (for example, Spear Mastery 2) |
Combat Feats | Defeat a certain number of enemies with a specific weapon within a time limit |
Defensive Tasks | Block a set number of arrows or parry a set number of attacks |
Perform acrobatic feats like sliding 50 meters downhill, pole vaulting, or rope walking | |
Life Skill Tasks | Gather herbs, explore caves, catch fish, own pets, or complete trading routes |
Outlaw Activities | Assassinate enemies, steal goods, or evade the law |
Story or Minigame Objectives | Win card games, complete specific quests, or achieve story milestones |
After the condition is fulfilled, the artifact unseals automatically and can be consumed. Regular Abyss Artifacts become spendable skill points in the Abyss Skill Tree. Faded Abyss Artifacts allow a full skill tree reset. Abyss Gears can be slotted into equipment for stat bonuses. You can also visit the Witch NPC to manage and attach ability cores to your gear.
Relationship to the Challenges Menu
The Challenges menu is where you track your progress toward all Mastery, Combat, and Life objectives. However, challenge entries only appear in the menu after you find the corresponding Sealed Abyss Artifact. Until then, the challenge slot remains hidden.
This has a critical implication: if you complete an activity before collecting the artifact (for instance, defeating 50 enemies with a sword before finding Sword 1), that progress will not count toward the challenge. The counter starts from zero when you pick up the artifact. Some cumulative challenges (like total distance traveled or total enemies defeated) are exceptions and do track retroactively, but most do not.
Completing every challenge across all categories is required for the full set of trophies and achievements. Since each challenge is gated behind a Sealed Abyss Artifact, collecting all 141 artifacts is a prerequisite for the Platinum trophy on PlayStation and 1000 Gamerscore on Xbox.
Tips for Efficient Collection
Activate all 8 bells first. Ringing the hidden bells reveals the full world map, including road outlines. Since every artifact sits on a road, seeing the road network makes planning your route much simpler.
Use Guiding Light constantly. Press the Guiding Light input every few seconds while riding along roads. The blue glimmer points directly at nearby artifacts and is visible even before the minimap icon appears.
Collect early in the story. Most challenge progress does not count retroactively. The sooner you pick up artifacts, the sooner your normal gameplay starts counting toward challenge requirements.
Check inventory descriptions. Each Sealed Abyss Artifact has an in-game description explaining how to unseal it. If an artifact has been sitting sealed in your inventory for a while, hover over it to learn what you need to do.
Use a Lantern at night. Holding up a Lantern in dark environments causes nearby Sealed Abyss Artifacts to emit a faint white glow, making them easier to spot from a distance.
Ride along every road. Artifacts are always found on roads, paths, or at intersections. Never ride off-road hoping to stumble on one. Stick to the road network and you will eventually pass every artifact location.
Track by region. Work through one region at a time. The five regions are Hernand, Demeniss, Pailune, Delesyia, and the Crimson Desert. Artifacts you have already collected will not appear on the minimap again, so there is no risk of double-counting.
Use the Challenges menu to find gaps. If you are missing a few artifacts near the end of your collection, open the Challenges menu and look for locked entries. This narrows down which artifact types you are still missing, making it easier to search the correct roads.
Combine with other collectibles. While following roads, keep an eye out for Abyss Cressets, hidden chests, and ancient tablets along the way.
Notes
This guide documents 134 of the 141 total Sealed Abyss Artifacts confirmed by the game's challenge tracking system. The remaining 7 are believed to be distributed across the later regions and will be added as they are discovered and verified by the community.
Artifacts that have already been collected will not reappear on the minimap during subsequent visits to that area.
Some artifacts are located on short dead-end roads or side paths that branch off from main highways. Be sure to explore branching roads, not just the main routes connecting towns.
The Horse 8 artifact at Ridgehunter Tannery in Pailune requires clearing a group of enemies before you can access it. This is one of the few artifacts that involves combat just to reach it.
The Above the Law 9 artifact at Thornbriar Fortress is on a ledge outside the south entrance, not inside the fortress itself. It is easy to miss if you only enter through the main gate.
Pickpocket Chance Sealed Abyss Artifacts
Four sealed abyss artifacts grant the Pickpocket Additional Item Chance stat. Stacked together they reach 70%, which is what makes the noblewoman gold-bar farm in the Demeniss Wildlife Park viable.
Thornbrier Fortress, Steel Mountains
The fortress sits in the Steel Mountains, south side of the map. Approach the front gate and look for a hole in the wall behind a loose stone to reach the sealed chamber. The reward is gated behind stealing the altar candle from three churches: East Demeniss, West Demeniss, and the Cathedral of Demeniss. Every church is an instant-arrest zone, so crouch the moment you grab each candle. Night runs are easier. If guards catch you, you lose the robbery mask but keep the candle, and replacement masks are sold at the Back Alley Shop in Demeniss and in the bottom-right of Hernand.
Above the Desert Ruins, Crimson Desert Trader Expanse
This relic sits above the Desert Ruins in the Crimson Desert Trader Expanse. To claim it you need to steal five objects within ten seconds. The cleanest run is the house next to Rhett and the smithy in Hernand: climb to the second-floor stair during daytime when the building is empty and spam the steal prompt until the timer resolves.
Pailune, Five-Finger Mountain Gate
Next to the Five-Finger Mountain Gate fast-travel marker in Pailune is a sealed relic that demands killing five enemies in their sleep. Head to the bandit camp, wait for nightfall, then jump behind the main tent where the burglars bed down. Crouch and strike each one while they snore.
Twisted Thicketway, The Abyss
Inside the Abyss, reach the Twisted Thicketway island by crossing Skyloop Bridge past the Ice Cradle. Kill the worm boss that guards the area, turn left, then left again to find a hidden chest containing the final pickpocket-chance relic. This one pushes the stacked bonus from 60% to the full 70%.