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Unravel the Secret of the Ancient Ruins - Version 10 vs Version 11
May 23, 2026, 04:03 PM
Content update (2026-05-23)
Jun 9, 2026, 07:14 AM
Removed duplicate in-body wikilinks
11Overview22"Unravel the secret of the Ancient Ruins" is an objective during the Reunion main quest in Chapter 2 of Crimson Desert. It requires you to follow a black cat to the ruins, learn a new ability, enter a hidden cave, and solve a three-platform puzzle inside. There is also a bonus collectible nearby that is easy to miss. This is the first proper puzzle encounter in the game and introduces mechanics that recur throughout later chapters.44Getting to the Ruins66After clearing the Lioncrest Watchtower earlier in the Reunion quest, a small black cat appears near the exit. Follow it. The cat leads you along a winding path through the Meandering Hills to the Ancient Ruins entrance. The cat will wait for you if you fall behind or get distracted by enemies, so there is no rush. When you arrive at the ruins, you will see a large stone wall blocking the entrance and a glowing blue silhouette of a child standing nearby.99Step 1: Learn Nature's Grasp1111At the Ancient Ruins entrance, look for the blue silhouette of a child. Use your observation ability (L1 on PlayStation / LB on Xbox) to watch the silhouette. Kliff will learn the Nature's Grasp skill, which allows him to manipulate the environment using Axiom Force. This is a permanent addition to your skill set and does not cost any Abyss Artifacts to learn.1313How to Use Nature's Grasp1515Aim at the blue-highlighted stone wall blocking the entrance.Activate Nature's Grasp: press Triangle + Square, then X on PlayStation. On Xbox, press Y + X, then A.Kliff will channel Axiom Force to raise the stone wall upward, revealing the cave entrance behind it.Walk inside.1717Step 2: Solve the Platform Puzzle1919Inside the cave, three round platforms are embedded in the wall. These look similar to the Abyss Gate puzzles you may have encountered earlier, but the mechanic is different. You need to strike them using Force Palm (hold R3 / Right Stick), not a regular melee attack and not Axiom Force. This is a common source of confusion because previous encounters used different inputs.2121Correct Platform Order2323Middle platform (the center one): aim with R3 and release Force Palm.Left platform: shift your aim left and fire a second Force Palm.Right platform: shift aim right and fire the final Force Palm.2525When struck in the correct order (Middle, Left, Right), all three platforms slot into the wall simultaneously and energy begins flowing through them. A glowing conduit lights up across the cave ceiling, confirming the puzzle is complete. If you hit them in the wrong order, they simply reset and you can try again. There is no penalty for mistakes.2727Step 3: Speak with the Child2929Exit the cave after solving the puzzle and speak with the child waiting outside to continue the Reunion quest. The dialogue advances the Chapter 2 story and provides context about the Meandering Hills ruins and their connection to the Abyss.3131Bonus: Abyss Cresset of Meandering Hills3333Before leaving the area, check for a small pillar near the cave entrance. It holds an Abyss Cresset. Interacting with the pillar does two things:3535Awards one Abyss Artifact (skill point) that you can spend in the skill tree.Completes the "Abyss Cresset of Meandering Hills" challenge.Activates the Cresset as a fast travel point, allowing you to teleport back here at any time.3737Abyss Cressets function similarly to Abyss Nexus teleporters but are puzzle-gated. Each one you find throughout Pywel awards an Artifact and unlocks a new fast travel node. They are easy to walk past, so always check the immediate area after completing a ruin puzzle.3939Common Mistakes4141MistakeSolutionUsing Axiom Force instead of Force Palm on the platformsPrevious puzzles use Axiom Force, so it is natural to try it here. Instead, hold R3 / Right Stick to charge and release Force Palm.Hitting platforms in the wrong orderThe correct order is always Middle, Left, Right. There is no randomization. Platforms reset silently if you get it wrong.Using a regular melee attack on the platformsNormal weapon strikes have no effect on puzzle platforms. Only Force Palm activates them.Missing the Abyss Cresset pillarThe pillar is slightly off to the side of the main path and can be hidden behind foliage. Circle the cave entrance before leaving.Skipping the catIf you leave the Lioncrest Watchtower area without following the cat, the objective marker should still guide you to the ruins. The cat is optional but makes the route more obvious.4343See Also4444ReunionChapter 2 WalkthroughNature's GraspForce PalmAbyss CressetsMeandering Hills
