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Spire of the Stars
March 25, 2026 at 10:22 AM
Major expansion with detailed puzzle walkthrough, symbol alignment table, reset mechanics, story context, and tips
Spire of the Stars is the 57th main quest in Crimson Desert and continues the Forbidden Knowledge sub-chapter within Chapter 4: The Price of Knowledge. Following Tenebrum's defeat in the previous quest, Octavius vanishes without explanation. Grundir, the Dean of the Scholastone Institute, reports a strange phenomenon at the Institute's spire and provides Kliff with a key to investigate. The quest is entirely puzzle-based with no combat encounters, requiring players to collect Engraved Stones, align ancient symbols, and activate an elevator to reach the top of the tower.
At the summit, a portal to the Abyss has opened. Entering the portal completes this quest and immediately begins the next story quest, Obsession and Madness. For a standalone guide focused specifically on the climbing and puzzle mechanics, see the companion article Go to the Top of the Spire of the Stars.
Detail | Info |
|---|---|
Quest Number | 57 |
Chapter | |
Sub-Chapter | |
Region | Hernand (Scholastone Institute, Everfrost Mountain) |
Prerequisite | |
Key Item | Key to the Spire of the Stars (from Grundir) |
Combat | None |
Reward | Story progression; access to the Abyss |
Go to the Spire of the Stars
Ascend to the top of the spire (solve the elevator puzzle)
Enter the Abyss
The Spire of the Stars is located on Everfrost Mountain, north of the Scholastone Institute and west of The Witchwoods. After receiving the key from Grundir, head northeast from the Institute plaza, past the banquet hall. Follow the marked road to a staircase that leads upward along the mountainside. Climb the stairs, pass through a cave system, and continue ascending more stairs until you reach a large stone door. Use the key to open the door and enter the spire.
Inside, a cutscene plays briefly before revealing the main chamber. The elevator in the center of the room has no power, and you need to solve a multi-step puzzle to activate it.
The Spire of the Stars puzzle consists of two stages. First, you collect three Engraved Stones from hidden alcoves in the side corridors. Second, you insert the stones into wall sockets and then physically align four symbols to their correct vertical positions. The side corridors also contain mural panels that show the correct arrangement, so pay close attention to these clues before you start adjusting symbols.
Three yellow walls with purple icons on the minimap surround the elevator area. Each wall hides an Engraved Stone behind it. Use Force Palm (R3 on controller) to strike the protruding center of each wall, causing it to flip around and reveal the stone inside. The three walls are located in the following positions:
Left corridor: One wall on the left side of the elevator room. Enter the left corridor and use Force Palm on the yellow-lit wall to retrieve the first stone.
Right corridor: Two walls on the right side of the elevator room, facing each other. Enter the right corridor and use Force Palm on both walls to collect the remaining two stones.
Before leaving each side corridor, look at the mural panel painted on the wall. The left corridor's mural shows the correct positions for the Hourglass and Circle symbols, while the right corridor's mural shows the correct positions for the Square and Triangle symbols. These murals are your only clue for the alignment puzzle that follows.
After collecting all three Engraved Stones, return to the central wall facing the elevator. You will see four symbol panels with slots beneath them. Three of the slots are empty and the fourth (the Circle) already has a stone fitted. Insert each of your three stones into the remaining open slots.
With all four stones inserted, the symbol panels on the central wall become movable. Each symbol sits on a vertical track with four possible positions (numbered 1 through 4 from top to bottom). You need to move each symbol to the correct position by climbing the wall and hanging onto its handlebar. Your weight causes the symbol to slide downward. When it reaches the target slot, release your grip and drop off.
The four symbols, reading from left to right on the wall, are the Hourglass (sometimes described as an infinity or cross shape), the Circle, the Square, and the Triangle. Each must be placed at a specific vertical position to complete the puzzle.
Symbol (Left to Right) | Target Position | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
Hourglass | Position 1 (Top) | Insert stone; symbol moves to top automatically |
Circle | Position 2 (Second from Top) | Already in place with pre-fitted stone |
Square | Position 4 (Bottom) | Insert stone, climb wall, hang until it reaches the bottom slot |
Triangle | Position 3 (Second from Bottom) | Insert stone, climb wall, hang until it reaches the third slot, then jump off |
The key mechanic is climbing and sustained grip. When you climb the wall and grab a symbol's handlebar, your body weight pulls it downward one position at a time. For the Square, you need to hold on all the way to the bottom (position 4). For the Triangle, you must release at position 3 before it drops further. The Hourglass automatically settles at the top (position 1) when its stone is inserted, so it requires no climbing.
If you overshoot a symbol or place it in the wrong slot, do not worry. Walk up to the stone button at the base of that symbol's track and use Force Palm (R3) to reset it. The symbol will shoot back up to the top position, and you can climb and drop it again to the correct slot. This reset mechanic has no penalty and can be used as many times as needed.
Once all four symbols are in their correct positions, they stop glowing yellow and the floor beneath the elevator turns blue. This signals that the elevator is active. Step onto the elevator platform immediately. The elevator ascends automatically after a few seconds and also descends back down on a timer, so you need to step off quickly once it reaches the top. If you miss the elevator or it descends before you can board, the symbols remain in position and the elevator will cycle again.
At the top of the spire, run up the final staircase to the top floor. A portal to the Abyss has opened here, crackling with energy. Interact with the portal to enter. A cutscene triggers as Kliff steps through, and the quest completes automatically. The next quest, Obsession and Madness, begins immediately.
Upon entering the Abyss, Kliff finds himself on a series of floating sky islands suspended above a vast void. Ancient technology and crumbling structures dot the landscape. An Abyss Nexus provides a fast travel point. Octavius appears in a frantic state, urging Kliff to stop whoever is tearing the rift open from the other side. Kliff must glide to a tall pillar ahead, climb to the main platform, and activate a ground switch using a mid-air Force Palm. These events unfold during the next quest and are covered in detail in the Obsession and Madness article.
Follow the minimap icons. The purple icons on the minimap mark the exact locations of the yellow walls hiding Engraved Stones. Do not wander randomly through the corridors.
Read the murals first. Before you start moving symbols, visit both side corridors and memorize the mural panels. The left mural shows the Hourglass and Circle positions. The right mural shows the Square and Triangle positions. Knowing the answer in advance saves time.
Climbing controls the symbols. When aligning symbols, climb the wall and hold onto the handlebar. Your weight causes the symbol to slide into position. You do not need to push or pull them manually.
Jump off at the right moment. For the Triangle (position 3), you must release your grip before the symbol reaches the bottom. Watch the vertical track carefully and jump off as soon as the symbol locks into the third slot.
Use the reset buttons freely. If you overshoot a symbol, use Force Palm on the stone button at its base to send it back to the top. There is no penalty for resetting.
Board the elevator quickly. The elevator runs on a timer. Once it activates, step on promptly. If you miss it, wait for it to cycle back up. You do not need to redo the puzzle.
No enemies here. This quest is entirely puzzle-based. There are no enemies or combat encounters of any kind, so you can take your time solving the alignment.
Previous quest: Gate to the Otherworld
Next quest: Obsession and Madness
Objective guide: Go to the Top of the Spire of the Stars
