After wrapping up a few early errands in Chapter 1, Crimson Desert shifts gears with the Mystical Key quest, sending players into Hernand Castle for a stealthy objective that can be confusing if you miss a key step. This guide walks through how to start the quest, where to go inside the castle, and how to secure the reward before moving on to the Abyss.
How to start the Mystical Key quest
The Mystical Key quest triggers automatically after you finish the chimney-cleaning errand that wraps up the Trials of Kindness portion of the Traces questline. The key itself comes from an old beggar you helped earlier, specifically when you gave him a coin during Trials of Kindness. He hands you what looks like a worn piece of junk, but it opens something far more interesting.
Before heading to the castle, open your inventory and locate the Engraved Key (some sources also call it the Shabby Wooden Key, referring to the same item at this stage). Select it, interact to bring it into view, then hold CTRL on keyboard or LB on controller to examine it. This examination step is mandatory. Skipping it means the quest won't advance, which catches a lot of players off guard.
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The examination triggers a short animation that zooms into the key's tip, revealing additional quest context. You need this to unlock the next objective marker.
Examine the key before entering
How to enter Hernand Castle with the Engraved Key
With the key examined, head to Hernand Castle. The guards at the gate won't let you through in your normal gear, so equip the Hernandian Attire from your inventory before approaching. You should already have this outfit from the previous quest. Walk up to either gate and the guards will wave you inside once they see the attire.
Where is the locked door in Hernand Castle?
This is where most players lose time. The castle has multiple floors and corridors, and the minimap doesn't make the route obvious. Here's the exact path:
- Enter through either main gate
- Pass through the second gate into the inner keep
- Once inside the main building, turn right and go up the stairs
- At the top of the stairs, turn right again
- The first door on your left is the one the Engraved Key unlocks
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Loot the chest before stepping through the portal. It contains a Faded Abyss Artifact, which is the game's respec currency. Missing it means you'll need to find another one later if you want to reassign your skills.After grabbing the artifact, walk through the golden portal that appears. This ends the Mystical Key quest and drops you directly into the Abyss for Polar Opposites.
What do you get from completing these quests?
The main reward from the Mystical Key quest is the Faded Abyss Artifact in the chest. This item lets you respec your character's skills, which is genuinely useful early on when you're still figuring out your preferred playstyle. The game doesn't hand these out often, so grabbing this one is worth the extra five seconds.
For walkthroughs on other quests, puzzles, and systems across Crimson Desert, browse more guides at GAMES.GG to keep your Chapter 1 run moving.