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Sunrise Plains Ruins
May 20, 2026 at 03:50 AM
Added gameplay screenshot
The Sunrise Plains Ruins is one of 37 Ancient Ruins scattered across the world of Pywel in Crimson Desert. This particular site has a statue rotation puzzle set within a small woodland clearing in the Sunrise Plains area of southern Hernand. Solving the puzzle activates an Abyss Cresset, granting both an Abyss Artifact and a Fast Travel waypoint. The challenge falls under the "The Thread in the Forest" Exploration Challenge category and counts toward the Pilgrim of Wonders trophy.
Compared to some of the more demanding ruins puzzles in the game, this one is relatively straightforward once you understand how the paired statue mechanic works. There are no skill prerequisites or combat encounters required to attempt it.
The ruins sit south of Glenbright Manor in the Hernand Highlands, within the Grace Estate. On the world map, the site appears as a white circle with a question mark, labeled as a Mysterious Energy source. You can spot it from a distance by using Kliff's Blinding Flash ability, which highlights interactable objects with a white glint.
The ruins are partially surrounded by a thicket of thorny vines. These vines deal damage if you try to walk through them, but you can burn them away using Blinding Flash. Once the vines are cleared, you will find a small clearing with four stone statues arranged around a central pedestal (the obelisk).
The location is also close to the Emberwind Workshop, so if you have already unlocked that area you can travel there and head south to reach the ruins.
Four statues stand at the corners of the clearing, each one facing a different direction when you first arrive. An obelisk sits in the center. Your goal is to rotate every statue so that all four face the central obelisk. The catch is that the statues are linked in pairs: rotating one statue also rotates the one directly opposite it.
Each statue has a dial on its back. You interact with a dial by walking behind the statue, pressing the interact button, and then turning it. On a controller, Kliff pierces the statue base with his sword (RB + Y on Xbox) and pushes to rotate. Each turn clicks the statue into a new position, and you will hear a heavy stone grinding noise when a statue locks into the correct angle.
When you first enter the clearing, the statues briefly face the center obelisk in their solved positions. After a moment, they rotate away to their scrambled starting angles. This initial glimpse shows you exactly what the completed puzzle should look like. The two statues closest to your entry point shift first, revealing which pair you should tackle. Some players refer to the pairs by compass direction: one pair sits on the east-west axis, while the other pair occupies the north-south axis.
The statue pairings work as follows:
Statues 1 and 2 are linked. Rotating Statue 1 also moves Statue 2 (and vice versa).
Statues 3 and 4 are linked. Rotating Statue 3 also moves Statue 4 (and vice versa).
Some sources number the statues differently (for example, pairing 1 with 4 and 2 with 3 based on diagonal placement). The key thing to remember is that each statue is paired with the one on the opposite side of the obelisk. When you approach the ruins, pay attention to which two statues shift as you enter the area; those are your first pair.
Because only two pairs exist, you only need to interact with two statues to solve the entire puzzle. Work through one pair at a time:
Identify the pairs. Walk into the clearing and observe which statues move when you approach. The two that shift are your first pair.
Rotate the first pair. Go behind one of the two paired statues and turn its dial. Watch both it and its partner. Keep rotating until both statues face the central obelisk. Listen for the audible stone click that confirms correct alignment.
Rotate the second pair. Move to either statue in the remaining pair and repeat the process. Turn the dial until both statues in this pair face the center.
Claim the reward. Once all four statues point inward, a short cutscene plays and the pedestal opens to reveal the Abyss Cresset. Walk up to it and interact to collect your Abyss Artifact.
In the default starting configuration, the first statue typically requires a quarter turn to the left (one click), while the second statue needs a half turn in either direction (two clicks). Each correct position is confirmed by a hard stop on the dial and a distinct heavy audio cue. If you overshoot, simply keep turning in the same direction until the statue faces the center again.
The table below summarizes the minimum moves needed when approaching the ruins from the default direction (south). Only two statues require direct interaction.
Statue | Paired With | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
Statue 1 (near entry) | Statue on opposite corner | Quarter turn left (1 click) | Both Statue 1 and its partner face the obelisk |
Statue 2 (near entry) | Statue on opposite corner | Half turn either direction (2 clicks) | Both Statue 2 and its partner face the obelisk |
After both moves, all four statues will face inward, triggering the cutscene and revealing the Abyss Cresset.
Abyss Artifact (used to level up skills and later upgrade gear)
Abyss Cresset activation, which doubles as a Fast Travel waypoint (similar to an Abyss Nexus)
This Abyss Cresset also counts toward the 60 Secret Places required for the Pilgrim of Wonders trophy.
Focus on one pair of statues at a time. Trying to adjust all four individually will make the puzzle harder than it needs to be.
Watch the statues carefully as you first enter the area. They briefly face the center before scrambling, giving you a preview of the solved state.
Each correct position produces a hard stop on the dial. If the dial keeps turning smoothly, the statue has not locked into place yet.
If you lose track of which statues are paired, walk away from the clearing and re-enter. The statues will shift again, revealing the pairs.
Listen for the grinding stone audio cue. When a statue locks into the correct angle facing the obelisk, the sound is distinctly heavier than a partial turn.
Use Blinding Flash before entering to burn away the thorny vines around the perimeter. Walking through them without clearing them first costs health.
If the puzzle becomes unsolvable after too many random turns, reload a recent save to reset the statue positions and start fresh.
No combat or special abilities are required to solve the puzzle itself. This is one of the more accessible ancient ruins in the game.
Ancient Ruins Solutions (all 37 puzzle walkthroughs)
Sunrise Plains (area overview)
