There is a final hidden piece of the story in Crimson Desert that explains a lot of the plot holes from the 12 Chapters, Kliff’s origins, and his entire journey through Pywel. This guide will show you how to unlock it and what secrets it reveals.
Requirements to unlock the Hidden Ending Lore
To be able to unlock the hidden ending, you will need to complete the entire main story of the game and all Abyss Puzzles. Here is the full list of requirements:
- Complete all Main Quests. This includes the Prologue, all 12 Chapters, and the Epilogue after Chapter XII.
- Complete all 40 Abyss Challenges. This includes the Dimensional Bonds, which is where you are sent in Chapter XII.
This is not an easy task and will literally take you through all regions of the game on the ground and (almost everything) in the Abyss. Completing all 40 Abyss Puzzles will allow you to obtain a lot of Abyss Artifacts, but also get you enormous amounts of Abyss Gear and other valuables from the optional Treasure Chests.
We point the locations of each and every chest in our Puzzle Guides. You can check them out if you have completed the puzzles, but feel the hunger for some extra loot.
The Abyss Puzzles and Challenges form chains and completing one challenge, unlocks one or more others. Normally (but not always), they start with a Spire Puzzle on the ground. Some chains are linear, some circle back to the first in the chain, some lead you back to the continent.
A handful of the Abyss Challenges are part of the main story, but the vast majority of them will be up to you to unlock and discover. When you complete an Abyss Challenge, look for a bridge that will take you to the next one. Or utilize our guides (linked above) to speed up this process for yourself.
You are not required to complete the four Abyss Puzzles in the Eternal Corridor, located in the bottom right corner of the Abyss Map.
The quest, Eternal Corridor, starts from Marni’s mansion and also offers a couple of boss fights up in the Abyss, but they are not mandatory for unlocking the secret ending and lore.
How to unlock the Secret Ending and Hidden Lore of Crimson Desert’s Story
After you have completed all required Main Quests and Abyss Challenges, head to the Axiom Archive up in the Abyss. This is where you will find the final remaining secret pieces of the story and lore and everything will fall into place.
1. Go to Axiom Archive’s Library
Axiom Archive is the first Abyss area you visit in the game, during Chapter I of the main story. It’s located in the Path of Providence, in the bottom left end of the Abys Map.
Since you have already been there, you have the Nexus unlocked. You can teleport there directly, no need to use the Nexus door in Hernand Castle.
2. Reach the Third Floor
Enter the Archive’s library. You are not allowed to use Spirit Skills such as Aerial Force Palm. But you can use Axiom Force to reach the third floor.
3. Pick up and Read the 6 Books
Up on the third floor, you will see shelves with books. There are six books you can take from these shelves.
Be sure to scan each page of the book (left + right). Each book contains between 3 and 8 logs:
- Archive Records: Vol I contains 8 Knowledge Logs
- Archive Records: Vol II contains 8 Knowledge Logs
- Archive Records: Vol III contains 8 Knowledge Logs
- Archive Records: Vol IV contains 8 Knowledge Logs
- Archive Records: Vol V contains 7 Knowledge Logs
- Archive Records: Vol VI contains 3 Knowledge Logs
Full Texts from the 6 Secret Books at Axiom Archive
If for whatever reason you can’t or don’t want to spend the time to unlock the secret ending and the full explanation of the events of Crimson Desert’s story, here are the full contents of each entry log from the six books. Every entry starts with a number.
Archive Records: Vol I
1.
The time leap allowed us to escape Umbra, yet it changed nothing.
Umbra will surely arrive in this era once more.
All we can do is hope to find the one who can alter this seemingly absolute fate.
2.
Umbra managed to devour a fragment of White Crow.
Her uncorrupted half is alive and still aids us, but the fractured essence of her disappeared into the land below.
3.
We have observed the power of Umbra near the Musket of Demeniss.
There must be one within the lands of Pywel capable of stopping it.
We must look to Pailune. It is a land where the power of nature remains strongest.
4.
At last, we have found the one we sought.
An unwavering spirit with immense potential… surely he is the one to accomplish this task.
He is not perfect, but that is of no concern.
We shall guide him.
5.
I sought the Shais to borrow their power, so their bright energy might be passed on to him.
7.
I attempted to reach him directly within his mind.
He has chosen to ignore our calling.
A failure.
8.
We attempted to grant him the power of the Crow, but he refused to jump.
I cast him back down to the land below.
He simply would not accept the power.
16.
White Crow tried to dissuade me, but it seems I have no
choice but to grant him Force Palm after all. I will consult Master Jijeong.
Then all that remains is for this dispute with Master Du to cease.
Archive Records: Vol II
17.
I attempted to make Kearush his ally.
However, the humans locked him up in a zoo. In his despair, he slaughtered everyone in the vicinity.
We are left with deep regret and frustration.
18.
The fragmented part of the Crow has surfaced. This entity, now called Hexe Marie, has discovered him.
She harbors a deep obsession with him, wishing to make him her son.
Master Du must step in and deliver his trials.
19.
I sought aid from the four witches who constructed the Sanctums to return balance to the Abyss.
Unable to overcome their trials, he has failed time and time again.
25.
He is still far too weak. We must grant him greater strength.
I will summon the Witches of the East into this world to assist him.
26.
Perhaps he has grown too comfortable at Jian’s side.
Kliff’s time has simply stopped. His daily life grows rough and indifferent.
35.
Pushing him to Myurdin’s side was a bitter mistake.
The more they shared a path, the deeper he sank into an uncontrollable darkness.
36.
Lacking the motivation to restore balance, he repeats his failures.
The situation is dire. We must find a new approach.
38.
Will Damiane provide an opportunity for us, or will she bring yet another failure?
Deciding on her path leaves me with profound concern.
Archive Records: Vol III
39.
We created a peaceful Pailune, a land untouched by conflict.
Demeniss eventually invaded Hernand.
Jian belatedly sent reinforcements through Calphade, but it was not enough.
45.
After the loss of his comrades, he pressed forward alone and adopted the name Goyen.
His existence is the fault of us all.
46.
I finally realized that he requires a strong ally.
Oongka. His presence is absolutely necessary.
47.
Our painstaking creation is trapped within Umbra.
Goyen now wanders the void, neither living nor dead.
48.
At some point, a man named Marni began appearing at his side.
He has introduced excessive technology into the world and made the path to Umbra more complicated.
Marni… Just who is this man?
53.
The plan to assist Prince Pryce in reclaiming Demeniss has failed.
May he never be forgotten…
54.
Goyen used the power we granted him for his own gain.
It is difficult to bear the sight of his corrupted form.
59.
The faces of those who once stood beside us linger painfully in my vision.
Every so often, we find ones bound by fate, yet who fight fiercely within its grasp.
Archive Records: Vol IV
60.
We granted him confidence so he might follow the path we designed for him.
However, driven by an excessive competitive nature, he ultimately failed.
61.
We wished to ensure his path appeared natural and subtle.
Contrary to our hopes, he became overly sensitive and distressed.
62.
We attempted to rid him of his fear, yet this lack of caution caused him to recklessly charge into battle against mightier
beings, ultimately leading to his death.
When we heightened his sense of responsibility, he simply began wandering the world, vowing to eliminate any who posed a threat.
66.
Every emotion seems to lead him somewhere unintended, straying far from our desired direction.
With only a few chances remaining… we have decided to extract his emotions entirely.
67.
The Abyss Gates appear to be opening more frequently.
Could Umbra itself be… growing?
71.
It is as we suspected. Someone has been interfering with the Abyss Gates.
Yet we have no idea who, or how.
72.
Caliburn… Just how much does he know?
He was not always an evil man.
He appears to be an incarnation of Umbra.
77.
I see it now. Umbra was behind it all.
Umbra, much like us, was searching for a single person to stand against fate.
How could a being of pure power be capable of such design…
Archive Records: Vol V
78.
Placing Marius on the battlefield was a mistake.
Naira also met her end after being sent to observe the Black Bear’s movements.
Their deaths drove him to madness.
82.
To think Duane would turn his back on them… It was a grave miscalculation.
We had crafted his attachment to Shane to temper his fiery disposition, but fate flowed in another direction.
Shane, too, went utterly astray, ultimately becoming the spark that dismantled the Greymanes.
83.
With the Greymanes scattered, nothing could be done.
I could not save Goyen in his final moments.
He is left lingering in nothingness once more.
89.
I sought aid from Blackstar, the dragon that roams the boundaries of the world.
The creature thrashed wildly with him upon its back, seemingly most displeased.
90.
The unexpected has happened. He offered his assistance to a woman in need, and then began aiding with small matters around the village.
These small acts will eventually lead to his much grander purpose.
98.
How could we have forgotten that kindness, sincerity, and empathy are what truly forge bonds?
The greatest of things always begin from the smallest.
Why did we only realize this now?
99.
I asked Goyen to guide his younger spirit…
Our chances are steadily fading.
How many attempts do we have left?
Archive Records: Vol VI
100.
Our frustration grows deeper. There is nothing left for us to build upon, nothing left to change.
What exactly went wrong?
106.
Every time the Eye of Umbra seems on the verge of destruction, everything is swallowed by that same darkness once more.
Having devoured his memories, Umbra will expand even further.
He was so close… Yet he still lacks the decisive resolve to cast away the darkness.
107.
Whoever it may be, we only hope they can fulfill our wish.
The next attempt will be our final chance. Our wish must come to pass…
Summary of the Books’ texts
The White Crow and Alustin, the two guardians and watchers, have been time-traveling and logging the results of their attempts to find and mold a chosen hero capable of standing against the encroaching darkness evil known as Umbra.
Despite constantly modifying and manipulating the chosen hero’s powers and capabilities, they kept failing. 107 times. Kliff failed time and again, hindered by his own weaknesses and flaws, but also ones given to him unintentionally by Alustin and the White Crow. Until one final attempt remained.
The Hidden Symbolism of the Number 107 in Crimson Desert
The six books reveal the chain of events that lead to the final attempt, when we, the players, take control of Kliffs’ fate. 107 is the final entry of the Archive Records. This means that our playthrough is number 108. The successful one!
Alustin and the White Crow have been modelling and altering the character known as Kliff over the course of all the previous attempts, striving to create a being suitable to help them restore and keep balance in the world.
The number 107 is hidden in several locations across Pywel, including inside the Axiom Archive. You can find these markings on the wall on the back side, near the teleporter, opposite the entrance.
But the most interesting one is at Goyen’s location in the Nest of Valor. If you go to the right from the arena where you originally fought Goyen, climb up the stone stairs and enter the little cave where seemingly Goyen lived during all previous attempts since his own failure.
Above the bed, on the wall, there are hidden markings. You can only see them if you flash the wall with your lantern.
Using Blinding Flash also reveals them, but they may be more difficult to spot and count, especially depending on the time of day and the amount of natural light.
Has Goyen been counting all of the attempts along with the White Crow and Alustin?
What’s next for Crimson Desert?
This is the true final piece of the main story of Crimson Desert. There are hints and expectations of DLC coming up, but at the time of this publication, there are no concrete plans.
While waiting for a DLC, you can try some of the latest gameplay features added with the most recent patches, such as Boss Rematch and Re-blockade. There are also hundreds of locations to explore and puzzles to solve.
