Crimson Desert is full of hidden equipment, bosses, and puzzles. Exploration pays off, revealing new possibilities for character progression.
One such puzzle is located in the Timberdale forest in the Ancient Ruins. Solving it will unlock a fast travel point and reward you with the Abyssal Artifact.
To find the Ancient Ruins of Timberdale, head to the Delisia region in the southeast of the map. The exact location is the western part of the region, south of the Dewhaven settlement (the “D” letter on the map).
On site, you’ll see three walls with gear buttons that can be controlled using the Axiom Power. However, some of them are flooded. To drain the water, find the arch blocked by stones on the north side of the ruins. Approach it and perform the “Spin Kick” combo (Right Mouse Button + Left Mouse Button) to activate “Fracture” and clear the blockage.
The water will drain, and the main puzzle area will dry up. Go down and use the “Reflection” skill (Left Mouse Button + Right Mouse Button) to see the energy chain connecting all the gears. The chain is inactive. To activate it, use the Axiom Power ability “Power Surge” on the gears. This will press some buttons on the walls.
The goal of the puzzle is to activate (press) all the buttons through which the energy chain passes. The state of the remaining buttons that are not on the path of the current is irrelevant.
If you make a mistake, there is no reset mechanism in the puzzle itself. We recommend activating the Abyssal Gate located just south of the ruins, across the river. In case of an error, you can quickly travel to this gate — it will reset the puzzle and allow you to start over, rather than randomly pressing buttons.
Start with the middle panel. Activate the first and last buttons in the row (marked with red crosses in the image above). This will activate all four buttons on this panel, and the energy will flow to the right wall.
Save
Now turn to the right wall. Activate the middle button in the first column, and then the top button in the third column. This will press all the necessary buttons on the path of the current. Watch the glowing blue ball in the lower left corner of each panel — it indicates the next active wall.
Save
Finally, turn to the left wall and activate four buttons: the middle one in the first column, the top one in the third, the bottom one in the fourth, and the top one in the fifth column.
After this, all the correct buttons will be activated, and the puzzle will be solved. A stone door will open, behind which the Abyssal Artifact awaits on a pedestal. Collecting it will give you one free skill point and unlock a fast travel point.
