Chapter 9: The Sage of the Desert

1. The Calling

Kliff is back on his feet and a voice is calling him into the desert. Maegu and Woosa lead the way to the Crimson Desert region, where a cave hides a temple under the sand: the Cloister of Enlightenment. The quest has two parts, An Unknown Voice and Cloister of Enlightenment.

• 1

  An Unknown Voice: go with the witches

  Meet Maegu and Woosa on the cliff south of the Demeniss capital and follow them (hold the run button to keep pace automatically). A cutscene leaves you at the entrance to the Crimson Desert region.

• 2

  Find the trials at Crookstone Crag

  The marker is north-east, at the mountain Crookstone Crag. You can take the roads, which pass hostile groups worth being ready for, or climb through the mountains. Enter the marked cave; the canyon inside leads to a golden statue and a cutscene.

• 3

  Cloister of Enlightenment: purify the golden statue

  This is where Focused Force Palm is introduced. Climb onto the big statue, find the golden orb in its torso, activate Focus, hold the charge until the orb shows, and release on it. Hitting it triggers a cutscene, and this reveals the four stone tablets whose riddles start the four trials below. A second quest with the same name comes later in the chapter; that one is Enlightenment's first part, the three gates.

2. Shattered Ties

The northern tablet. Its riddle sends you past the crimson sands to the north, to a wounded dragon with a spear driven into its back. Parts: Mark of the Scar and Shackles of Fate.

• 1

  Mark of the Scar: the tablet and the sleeping dragon

  Down the stairs from the big statue are four golden statues, each with a plaque; zoom in to read the riddle and the marker appears. Go north, to the ruins of the World's Navel on Urdavah mountain, and climb to the top (three Force Palms in a row boost you upward). The dragon is asleep in the ruins; approaching triggers the cutscene and it flies off. Activate the Abyss Nexus there before going on. This part's reward is the skills Back Hang and Aerial Maneuver.

• 2

  Shackles of Fate: catch the dragon from the bridge

  Go to the marker on the huge bridge at the Great Gate of Urdavah (glide south toward the Urdavah area) and use the wait prompt until the dragon comes close. Jump, glide into its path, attach Axiom Force in mid-air, and when the line turns red press the Aerial Maneuver button to land on its back. The timing is very finicky; you can simply wait again and retry.

• 3

  Hold on

  The ride lasts about two minutes. Use Resist only when the dragon speeds up, rolls or tries to shake you off (two attempts); holding it while the flight is steady just burns stamina, and your starting stamina is enough if you time it.

• 4

  Focused Force Palm on the dragon's back

  When the prompt appears, activate Focus, charge the palm and release it on the golden orb on its back. That purifies the taint and removes the spear. The dragon is Blackstar. The reward is a Stardust Necklace, with the Blackstar knowledge entry and the Great Gate of Urdavah as liberated.

3. Thinning Blade

The tablet about swords of past and present crossing. It leads to the Spire of the Sun, a tower in the middle of the desert, then through a mirror puzzle into the Abyss and a duel with Goyen. Parts: Crossing Point and Unwavering Steps.

• 1

  Crossing Point: reach the Spire of the Sun

  Read the tablet, then travel to the Spire of the Sun. Game8 places it in the Valley of Grief area, PowerPyx in Forebearer's Barrens; either way it is the tall tower at the centre of the desert. Walking up to its entrance completes the part.

• 2

  Unwavering Steps: the mirrors east of the Spire

  Go round to the east side. One mirror in the corner is out of line; turn it so the beam bounces through the neighbouring mirrors and heads south-west to the next cluster.

• 3

  The mirrors south of the Spire

  Follow the beam south. This is the bigger puzzle, with five movable mirrors: the ones that are not yet in the beam have to be moved, starting with the pair in the corner, until the light reaches the crystal at the Spire's entrance and opens it.

• 4

  Inside: the spiral staircase and the Abyss Gate

  Climb the spiral stairs. On each level, aim the beam at the mirror above to release the next flight; at the top, point it at the ceiling crystal to open the final stairs up to the Abyss Gate.

• 5

  Nest of Valor: Goyen

  Activate the Abyss Nexus first (so you have a way out), then face Goyen: a sword-and-shield fighter with one health bar, bigger than Kliff and fighting like him. Watch for his leap-and-slam area attack, an aerial shockwave with a mid-air kick to follow, and dodge when he jumps; his strongest hits can kill in one or two, so dodge sideways, let a combo whiff, punish with four heavy attacks, and heal immediately. Get refinement level 7 or more on weapon and armour if he is walling you. The Meteor Kick skill can be learned by observing it during the fight. Rewards: Witch's Ring and Greymane's Earring.

4. Six Statues and the Beast

The southern tablet, about looking within, points to Serpent Marsh, the island at the southern end of Demeniss, and Jijeong Temple. Parts: Morning Fog, Jijeong Temple in Chaos and Path to Enlightenment, then three timed training courses, a boss called T'rukan the Ascended and a trip into the Abyss: Path of the Disciple, True Strength and Face the Inner Self.

• 1

  Morning Fog: cross to Serpent Marsh

  Read the tablet, then get to the big island south of Demeniss. Glide from the highlands and come in from the north via the small islands (or across the islands in the north-west), resting on them to recover stamina; swimming can drain your stamina and drown you. Reaching the marker completes the part.

• 2

  Jijeong Temple in Chaos: the chief monk and the first pensive statue

  This part starts at the temple on the mountain top, where the chief monk turns out to be a child; talk to him and activate the fast travel point nearby. The first pensive statue is to the east: collect its arms along the path, carry each into its slot with Axiom Force (a green mist shows the right spot) and fix them with Force Palm. The Force Current skill is the tool for locking pieces in, though you can manage without it with angles and climbing. Fixing this statue raises a new island at Morning Mist Peaks.

• 3

  The second pensive statue, at Morning Mist Peaks

  Head south to the newly marked peak and climb the spiral staircase. The torso is on the ramp just below the summit: set it on the pedestal (facing the two torches) and use Force Push from above to seat it. The two hands are one on the top floor and one on the ramp; attach them the same way as before.

• 4

  The third pensive statue, at the base of the peak

  Directly below, by the water: approach from the central island north of the marker and glide to the stairs into the cave. One hand is to the right of the statue and one on the platform across from it. Attach both.

• 5

  Path to Enlightenment: report to the chief monk

  Go back up to the mountain peak at Morning Mist Peaks, where the young monk now waits in front of an altar, and speak to him.

• 6

  Path of the Disciple: three training grounds

  Three Jijeon Temple training grounds, taken third, second, first. Each is a timed parkour course: collect the green orbs before the clock runs out without falling, with about twenty seconds of slack. Aimed jumps over the logs and ropes, wall climbs and double jumps do the work; go slowly. An artifact waits at the end of each, three Abyss Artifacts in all.

• 7

  True Strength: T'rukan the Ascended

  Return to where you repaired the first statue and the fight starts. T'rukan wears a leopard mask and fights with his fists: one health bar, not much of it, but he is extremely fast and hard-hitting, one of the hardest bosses in the game. Preparation: Health skill at level 6 or better (750 HP), gear at refinement 6, Tauria Curved Sword; shield-counter to break his guard, follow with heavy-then-light combos, dodge behind him, and back off when he glows purple to summon his spirit animal. Collect the blue artifact at the arena gate afterwards. Rewards: Wooden Mask of Lost Justice, Wanderer of Faith Leather Gloves, T'rukan's Fighting Spirit and an Abyss Artifact.

• 8

  Face the Inner Self: the pagoda and Ascetic's Rest

  Glide to the mountain in the south-west of Serpent Marsh and climb to the pagoda on top. Go through the Jijeong Temple Pagoda's Abyss Gate (only one side opens) into Ascetic's Rest, where a fast travel point activates on arrival. Go forward, take the right-hand path through the flooded cave, climb to the top and meditate on the platform for the closing cutscene. Repairing this Abyss is optional for the quest.

5. Veiled Witch

The tablet about mending a faltering balance. It goes to northern Demeniss: a tower at Tariv, the Sanctum of Mortification, four totems and finally Hexe Marie, the Black Witch. Parts: Fragments of Darkness, Pursuit Beyond the Veil and Black Witch.

• 1

  Fragments of Darkness: the tower at Tariv

  Read the tablet at the giant statue's base, then go to Tariv in northern Demeniss and climb the tower. On the top floor a sorcerer speaks from a painting and tells you about the Sanctum of Mortification.

• 2

  Restore power at the Sanctum of Mortification

  Clear the enemies and approach the main reactor for the cutscene. Start with a broken pylon: carry the dome from the building's north side with Axiom Force, set it on the pylon (green leaves mean it is right) and connect it with a jumping Force Palm. Then the first core: burn away the vines (Concentrating Light), pull the cube through the grate with Axiom Force, seal it in the Kuku Pot, and discard "Fusion Reactor Core: VIII" from the pot in your inventory. Put it in the machine's square slot on the right and lock it with Force Palm. The second piece, Fusion Reactor Core XXIII-IV, is up the wall by the first one, on the stairs; it goes on the pillar to the left with a downward Force Palm. Hit the circular indent in front of the machine with Force Palm to start it. The search circle is misleading (the parts are outside it) and that a lost Kuku Pot is at the Lost and Found at the Howling Hill camp, or can be re-made via the Kuku Pot Production dispatch.

• 3

  Pursuit Beyond the Veil: four totems

  With the tower gone, Hexe Marie's presence is scattered across four totems, each destroyed with the bow's Charged Shot (it costs one Abyss Artifact to learn): Clay Urn Necropolis (near a lake; climb the cliff and shoot from range), the Forgotten Tomb (above the tomb), Brimstone Springs (in the middle of the lake, one shot) and Hollow Haven (by the ruined houses). Take them south, east, north, west, and ignore everything else, including Hexe Marie herself if she shows up: she cannot be beaten in this part and vanishes after taking damage.

• 4

  Black Witch: Hexe Marie

  The fight is at Hexe Sanctuary. Two health bars; she fires crows in straight lines, summons small minions that die in one hit, and teleports often; in the second phase she summons the minions much more often. The plan: close the distance so she cannot use the crows, focus her rather than the adds, and trade hits and heal through them rather than dodging everything. She is one of the chapter's easier bosses. Rewards: Earring of Dark Magic and Crow Whisperer, a two-handed weapon.

6. Enlightenment

With the four trials done (all five earlier quests are required), the Cloister of Enlightenment opens its three gates and the voice finally shows itself. Parts: The Cloister of Enlightenment, The Sage of the Desert, New Perspectives and Lust for Power.

• 1

  The Cloister of Enlightenment: Strength, Will and Vigor

  Three doors in turn. The first (Demonstrate Steadfast Resilience) drains your health while you push through, so arrive at full health. The second (Demonstrate Unyielding Will) checks Spirit: fill it to the maximum with food or Focus before touching the door. The third (Demonstrate Boundless Vigor) checks Stamina, and opening it brings on Master Du.

• 2

  The Sage of the Desert: Master Du

  Two phases. He fights with a longsword: in the first phase, perfect parries with the shield stun him for four heavy attacks and a light follow-up, and when he starts bouncing between the pillars, dodge sideways repeatedly because blocking does not cover it. In the second he fires green lasers that pass through the pillars and cannot be blocked; three in a row must all be dodged. He is very agile: use heavy attacks and skills to stagger him quickly. PowerPyx's preparation is Palmar Pills for revives, Health around level 10 and armour at refinement 8 or better; VULKK, by contrast, calls it an easy fight with well-telegraphed attacks.

• 3

  New Perspectives: back through the Spire of the Sun to the Throne of Truth

  Follow Master Du into the Abyss: return to the Spire of the Sun, take the elevator to the top and enter the portal, which puts you at the Nest of Valor. Cross to the southern island and activate the Skybridge: Axiom Force on the switch's blue dot, rotate it until it glows, and hold. Then platforms, a teleporter, moving stone gates, a fast travel point and a climb up the floating rock to the Throne of Truth, where Master Du is waiting. Level 1 Stamina is enough for the climb if you use triple Force Palms and rest on the pillars, and that repairing the Throne of Truth Abyss is optional. PowerPyx lists Karmic Pulse (Abyss Gear) as the reward; Game8 lists none for the quest.

• 4

  Lust for Power: return to Howling Hill

  One cutscene: go back to the camp at Howling Hill and approach your companions in front of the black tent to bring the Greymanes and Damiane up to date. The allied factions will gather at Fort Musket for the counterattack, which is Chapter 10.

7. Chapter 9 Completion

✅ Before Leaving the Crimson Desert...