Moonlit Forest ruins

Overview

Beneath the surface of Starsand Island lies an extensive network of ancient ruins, all contained within the Moonlit Forest dungeon. These structures predate anything on the surface: stone gates sealed with mechanisms, crystal formations trapping spirits, boss arenas guarded by sentinels that activate when you get too close. The ruins form the backbone of the Explorer profession questline, and working through them is the only way to reach the deepest areas of the forest.

Entering the ruins

Access to the Moonlit Forest starts with a Damaged Door located near your house. The door has golden weak spots that you break with a Slingshot (crafted from 2 Softwood and 2 Fiber, blueprint given by Zephyria at the Exploration Club when you begin the Apprentice Explorer certification). Smash the golden nodes and the door opens, dropping you into the Evernight Forest, the first area of the dungeon.

Major ruin locations

Gate of Life

The first major ruin structure you encounter. It is a sealed gate that requires you to find and break three Gravemites scattered nearby. Once all three are destroyed, the gate opens and reveals the first campsite with a Moonweaver (a repair-and-activate fast travel point; costs 5 Fluorite to fix). From here, the forest branches into multiple paths.

Dreamfall Garden

A lush area past the Gate of Life with platforming sections and floating bridges. This is where you catch Luminwing Butterflies (5 required to activate the Luminpath bridge). It also has a small fishing spot near the Moonweaver camp where Glowfish can be caught with Bug Bait. The Luminpath leads to the Crystalith Hideout, where the second boss waits.

Azure Bay

A campsite area deeper in the ruins with an elevator and a bubble bridge overhead. Below the bridge, on a lower ledge, there is a round wooden chest containing the Ruins Key (Left). This key, combined with the Ruins Key (Right) from Zephyria, opens the Bronze Gate in Mural Valley.

Mural Valley and the Bronze Gate

The Bronze Gate is the largest sealed door in the ruins, a massive structure that requires both Ruin Keys to open. Mural Valley is the approach leading up to it. The walls along the valley are carved with murals, though the game does not fully explain their meaning yet (this is Early Access, and more story content may come later). Past the Bronze Gate lies the Glintortle boss arena.

Harvest Yard and Grain Haven

Deeper areas unlocked after the Bronze Gate. The Harvest Yard introduces Fire Arrow and Water Arrow puzzles: fire arrows burn away tree roots blocking doorways, while water arrows cause chopped roots to regrow into bridges and walkable paths. The first Fluffweave (a crafting material) spawns here. Grain Haven sits below, offering additional resources.

Darkwater Shore

A secondary fishing area only accessible after acquiring the Ruin Keys. Glowfish can be caught here, though the spawn rate is low (roughly 1 in 10 catches). The area is darker and more atmospheric than Dreamfall Garden.

Moonlight Meadow

The final arena, home to the Ruin Guard boss. After defeating it, a broken altar appears in the center of the arena. Repairing the altar (3 Moonstone, 3 Spirit Berries, and a prayer item from Zephyria) triggers a cutscene and awards the Luna Deer mount, which allows fast travel across the surface world.

Gravecrystals and Gravestars

Scattered throughout the ruins are Gravecrystals, reddish glowing rocks that look similar to Fluorite veins (easy to walk past if you are not paying attention). Breaking a Gravecrystal with your pickaxe releases a Gravestar, a trapped spirit that floats away to a specific location.

Gravestars serve two purposes. The first is unlocking gates and progression checkpoints (the Gate of Life requires freeing three Gravemites, a variant of the same mechanic). The second is revealing hidden treasure chests. Most chests require three nearby Gravestars to gather at the chest's location before it becomes openable. Some Gravecrystals also unlock new routes called Astral Paths, hidden shortcuts between areas of the forest.

The trick is spotting the Gravecrystals in the first place. Their reddish glow blends into the darker cave environments. Whenever you enter a new room or passage, scan the walls and floor deliberately.

The two Ruin Keys

The Bronze Gate requires two keys to open:

• Ruins Key (Right): given by Zephyria when you start the Intermediate Explorer certification trial.

• Ruins Key (Left): found in a round wooden chest in Azure Bay. From the Azure Bay camp, head toward the elevator area, drop down below the bubble bridge to a lower level, and look for the chest on a ledge.

You need both keys at the same time to open the Bronze Gate. If you reach Mural Valley without the left key, you have to backtrack to Azure Bay.

Fire and Water Arrow puzzles

After the Bronze Gate, the ruins introduce two special arrow types that you pick up mid-dungeon:

• Fire Arrows: burn away tree roots blocking doors and passages. Also used in fire pillar puzzles: lighting the correct sequence of pillars unlocks hidden chests.

• Water Arrows: cause previously chopped roots to regrow, forming bridges and walkable paths. This creates a back-and-forth dynamic where you clear a root with fire, cross the gap, then regrow a different root with water to reach a new area.

These puzzles get more layered in the Harvest Yard and deeper zones. Pay attention to which roots are blocking progress and which ones you might need as platforms later.

Bosses

Five bosses guard different sections of the ruins. Each is tied to an Explorer profession tier. Full boss strategies are covered in the Exploration article. In brief:

1. Runebird (Apprentice): a flying creature in the Evernight Forest. Dodge its attacks and hit it with your Slingshot between swoops.

2. Luminfrog (appears twice): a smaller boss near Dreamfall Garden and Azure Bay. About 5 Slingshot hits to defeat.

3. Crystalith (Junior): a stone golem with a central crystal weak point. Throws boulders and sends out ripple waves. Requires around 50 to 60 rounds of ammo.

4. Glintortle (Intermediate): a giant turtle past the Bronze Gate. Shoots water beams and bubbles. Weak spot on its shell glows when exposed. Use Bomb Arrows and Water Arrows.

5. Ruin Guard (Expert): the final boss in Moonlight Meadow. Four distinct attack patterns including ore throws, spin attacks, fire lasers, and green energy pulses. Weak point on top of its head, only exposed during certain attacks. Requires Bomb Arrows and patience.

Lore and mystery

The ruins clearly predate everything on the surface of the island. Stone construction, sealed gates with mechanical locking systems, carved murals in Mural Valley, and guardian bosses that activate only when disturbed all point to a civilization that built something here long before the current residents arrived.

The game is still in Early Access as of early 2026, and the full story behind the ruins has not been revealed yet. What is clear is that the Gravecrystals trap spirits (Gravestars) that seem connected to the forest itself, the altar at the end requires a ritual involving Moonstone and Spirit Berries, and the Luna Deer reward suggests a spiritual bond between the island and its deeper layers.

More narrative details will likely emerge as the game continues development. For now, the ruins are primarily a gameplay-focused dungeon with light lore sprinkled throughout.

Tips

• Bring a good supply of Slingshot pellets (Simple Pellets and Bomb Pellets). You burn through ammo quickly across multiple boss fights.

• Repair every Moonweaver you find (5 Fluorite each). They serve as fast travel points and respawn anchors.

• Scan every room for Gravecrystals. Their reddish glow is subtle in dark environments, but the hidden treasures they unlock are worth the effort.

• Do not skip Azure Bay's lower level. The Ruins Key (Left) is down there, and without it you cannot open the Bronze Gate.

• Stock up on food before entering. The Moonlit Forest is long, and there are limited ways to recover stamina inside.

• Fire and Water Arrows are not consumable crafted items. You pick them up as special tools mid-dungeon and keep them.

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