Crimson Desert hides 60 Abyss Cressets scattered across its five regions, each one tucked into a cliff face, a hidden cave, a rocky pillar, or the summit of a mountain you probably assumed was just decoration. Finding all of them unlocks the Pilgrim of Wonders trophy and achievement, nets you a Skill Point (Abyss Artifact) per discovery, and opens a new Fast Travel Point at each location. The challenge menu calls them Secret Places; the map marks them as Abyss Cressets. Both names refer to the same collectible.
What are Secret Places and why should you collect them?
Secret Places are one of several Exploration Challenge types in Crimson Desert, sitting alongside Sanctums, Spires, and Ancient Ruins. Unlike those categories, Secret Places don't require puzzles or combat. You just need to physically reach the Abyss Cresset, which is harder than it sounds when the game places them on top of vertical stone pillars, inside collapsed ruins, or in the middle of quicksand fields.
Each completed Secret Place gives you:
- One Abyss Artifact (used as a Skill Point in the skill tree)
- A permanent Fast Travel Point at that location
- Progress toward the Expert Explorer trophy
- Completion credit in the Challenge Menu
On the map, Secret Places appear as white search areas marked with a question mark icon. These zones can also contain other points of interest, so don't assume every question mark is a Cresset — but they're always worth investigating.
Secret Place map marker icon
How do you find Secret Places efficiently?
The most practical approach is to clear them region by region rather than chasing the in-game Challenge Menu order, which jumps between areas. The five regions are Hernand, Demeniss, Delesyia, Pailune, and the Crimson Desert zone itself.
Movement abilities that matter
Several Cressets sit in spots that are physically unreachable without specific traversal moves. Before hunting Secret Places seriously, make sure you have:
- Force Palm (aerial): Lets you boost upward mid-air, effectively extending your jump height. Required for locations like Mushroomcap Cliff and An Unreachable End.
- Gliding: Lets you cover horizontal distance from high points. Precipice of Silence is most easily reached by gliding from Haven Past the Snowfall.
- Triple Aerial Focus Palms: Useful for reaching extreme mountain peaks like The Sage's Rest.
Hernand region Secret Places
Hernand contains some of the most vertical Secret Places in the game, with several requiring you to scale cliff faces or drop into underground sections.
| # | Name | Location Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Precipice of Silence | Northwest of Spire of Stats on a mountain peak; glide from #20 |
| 7 | A Detailed Glance | Southwest of Sunset Valley, clifftop near the map edge |
| 8 | Giant Hand of Everfrost | Northeast of Sanctum of Benediction, mountain west of HERNAND map text |
| 13 | A Hill Guided By Light | Directly east of Equinsher Saddlery, summit of the hill pillar |
| 14 | Guide in the Darkness | Southwest of Sanctum of Deliverance; drop through a stone platform into an underground path |
| 17 | An Unreachable End | Southeast of Spire of Insight, clifftop above the water; use aerial Force Palm to reach glide height |
| 20 | Haven Past the Snowfall | East of Snowy Plateau Cabin; follow the road south and west from Kharonso to its end |
| 21 | Windcrest | Southwest of Mountain of Frozen Souls Hearth, clifftop near the map edge |
| 22 | Hill of the Abandoned | South of Mountain of Frozen Souls Hearth, top of the cliffs |
Demeniss region Secret Places
Demeniss mixes coastal pillars with inland cave locations. Several Cressets here sit on stone columns rising out of water, requiring precise jumps or gliding.
| # | Name | Location Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Breathless Lake | Northwest of Hexe Sanctuary, crater lake against the cliffs |
| 4 | Peak's Green Bloom | Southeast of Jijeong Temple, top of a pillar in the water |
| 16 | Rock Worn Down by the Ocean Wind | South of Bowsprit Cape, small cove in a rock pillar offshore |
| 23 | Wrecked Dream | South of Bloodsteel camp, thin rocky section extending into the water |
| 24 | Hill of Serenity | Northeast of Thornbriar Fortress, cliff edge above the lower area |
| 25 | The Stairway Falls | Southeast of Thornbriar Fortress, top of the final waterfall |
| 26 | Strange Rift | Bowsprit Cape south side, cave halfway down the cliffs |
| 27 | Peak of Enlightenment | Southeast of Jijeong Temple, top of the east mountain peak |
| 28 | Sanctuary of Reflection | Southeast of Jijeong Temple, cave near the small ponds |
| 29 | Thunderwater Falls | Directly south of Sanctum of Revelation, top of the waterfall cliff |
| 30 | Edge of Learning | Southwest of Jijeong Temple Pagoda, stone pillar in the water |
The cluster of Cressets southeast of Jijeong Temple (#4, #27, #28, #30) is the densest grouping in the game. Clear all four in one run before moving on.
Coastal pillar Cresset, Demeniss
Delesyia region Secret Places
| # | Name | Location Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Cliffside Marine Erosion Pillar | Northeast of Delesyia Castle, pillar at the bay's edge |
| 18 | Rock Atop the Altar | North of Serpent Shrine, northernmost cliff edge on the island |
| 33 | Peak of the Innovative Mind | Southeast of Sanctum of Veneration, mountain summit |
| 34 | Cape of Hope | Southwest of Woodrock Cabin, near the bottom of the E in DEWHAVEN map text |
| 35 | Hunter's Overlook | West of Arrowhead Rock, halfway down the cliff face |
Hunter's Overlook (#35) is one of the trickier ones in Delesyia because it's not at the top or bottom of the cliff — it's partway down. Glide out from the top and angle toward the cliff face to land on the correct ledge.
Crimson Desert region Secret Places
The desert zone has the highest concentration of challenging Cressets, with quicksand hazards, extreme vertical climbs, and some of the most isolated pillars in the game.
| # | Name | Location Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Blazing Sand | Eastern Crimson Desert, east of N in CRIMSON DESERT map text near Ashen Rift |
| 9 | Trial of the Sandscale | Forebearer's Barrens, center of quicksand area; glide to avoid being pulled in |
| 31 | Threefold Fork | East of Spire of Clockwork, small island in the three-way river |
| 36 | Forgotten Cliff | Southwest of Varnia Saltroad Camp, clifftop |
| 37 | Saltshade Hill | Southwest of Oasis Hearth, top of the tall cliff |
| 38 | Everflowing Spring | Middle of the Oasis (Merchant's Rest Place), east of Oasis Hearth |
| 39 | Crimson Ridge | Southwest of Kharati-ram Camp, cliffs between I and D in CRIMSON DESERT map text |
| 40 | Hangman's Crest | West of Hangman's Pass, top of the southern rock pillar |
| 41 | Peak of Abundance | Eastern Crimson Desert edge, hill above Skin Collector's Hideout |
| 42 | Arehaza Peak | South of Duskway Camp Ironcrawler Station, mountain center of the rainforest |
| 43 | Hill of Grief | Forebearer's Barrens, mountain north of BA in FOREBEARER'S BARRENS text |
| 44 | Remnants of Ruin | Forebearer's Barrens, ruins east of the quicksand pit |
| 45 | The Desert's End | North of C in CRIMSON DESERT map text, stone pillar near the map edge |
| 47 | Mushroomcap Cliff | North of Varnia Saltroad Camp, top of the rock pillar; use Force Palm twice |
| 49 | Whitesand Cliff | North of Varnia, clifftop near the map edge |
| 57 | Peak of Grief | Northwest of Well of Enlightenment, mountain summit |
| 58 | The Dragon's Gaze | Northwest of Great Gate of Urdavah, mountain summit |
| 59 | Sandsea Waymark | Eastern Crimson Desert, mountain center of O, S, and E in CRIMSON DESERT text |
Mushroomcap Cliff (#47) is one of the most mechanically demanding Cressets in the game. Jump to the shorter adjacent pillar first, use Force Palm to boost upward, then repeat the process to reach the taller pillar's summit where the Cresset sits. Rushing this without the aerial boost will just result in repeated falls.
Saltshade Hill hazard note
Saltshade Hill (#37) has rockworm enemies on the north approach. Either fight them before climbing or take the south route up the cliff to avoid the encounter entirely.
How many Secret Places are confirmed so far?
As of the current state of documentation, 43 of the 60 Abyss Cressets have confirmed locations across Hernand, Demeniss, Delesyia, and the Crimson Desert zone. The remaining 17 are either in the Pailune region or in parts of other regions still being mapped by the community. The Challenge Menu lists all 60 slots, with undiscovered ones showing as question marks.
For more Crimson Desert collectible hunts and challenge guides, browse the full library of guides at GAMES.GG to cover every corner of the map.
