The Spire of Insight is a key location in Crimson Desert, but you'll have to clear some red vines and puzzles to complete it.
There are dozens of unique points of interest in the starting region of Hernand in Crimson Desert, but one of the most intriguing is the Spire of Insight. Located on the far southeastern side of Hernand, you’ll have to walk thousands of meters to reach it from the hub town. However, even after making the long trek, you’re not able to enter the Spire of Insight freely, as there are red vines and puzzles awaiting you before you can reach the top of the tower.
Below, we’ll explain how to get past those red vines and how to complete the entire Spire of Insight in Crimson Desert.
Clearing the red vines at the Spire of Insight in Crimson Desert
First and foremost, let’s talk about the red vines that guard the front entrance to the Spire of Insight. After defeating a number of goblins, you’ll see these red vines stop you from walking anywhere near the front door.
Fortunately, all you have to do to clear the red vines is use your character’s Concentrated Light ability. This is the ability that sees you draw your sword into the air to capture light from a target. You can use the Concentrated Light ability by pressing and holding LB/L1 + RB/R1.
Once your character’s sword is in the air, let go of LB/L1 and press the button again to hone the beam of light. Do this near the red vines, and you’ll see them begin to burn. Keep walking through the red vines with your beam of light still concentrated (which is indicated by your sword remaining in the air), and you’ll be able to walk right up to the front door.
Alternatively, you can choose to burn the vines with a fire arrow, but that will require you to find a bonfire or lit brazier nearby.
Completing the Spire of Insight in Crimson Desert
With the vines fully burned away, you can look at the riddle on the wall where the vines were previously blocking. The riddle reads:
“When the bones of the earth awaken from their long silence and find their place, time begins to flow once more.”
While you can choose to figure out the riddle for yourself, it’s basically telling you to pick up one of the rocks on the ground and then put it inside the bowl beneath where the riddle is written. If you did everything correctly, the bowl will light up, and you’ll be able to head inside the Spire of Insight and take on the first floor challenge.
Spire of Insight Floor 1
When you first enter the Spire of Insight, you’ll be on the bottom floor. Here, you can head to the middle of the room and examine the large book on a platform. You’ll receive a riddle that says: “Even after many years have passed, the traces left behind revive forgotten tales.”
After examining the book, go behind it and to the right. On a desk, you’ll find a Gravestone. Interact with it to carry it and then place it inside the bowl in front of the large book. This activates the platform, and you can now press the blue button in front of the platform. Head up on the platform and ride it up to the next floor.
Spire of Insight Floor 2
Now we’re on the second floor, and once again you want to examine the large book, which has a new riddle on it. This time, you need to place two items into the bowl:
- Turn around from the platform and go to the left. You’ll find a doorway with a desk inside. On the desk, carry the “Pen Tip” and place it in the bowl
- After that, go to the back right of the room to find a Telescope sitting on a small brown desk in the floor checkerboard area
Once both items have been placed in the bowl, press the button again, and head onto the platform to ride up another floor.
Spire of Insight Floor 3
Finally, we arrive at the third floor. This time, you need three items to place in the bowl, but luckily, the room is small. You’re looking for a Celestial, which is found on top of some books, a Small Map Rotator, which is found on the third shelf of a bookshelf, and a Sundial, which is found near a ladder on a bookshelf.
Place all three items in the bowl and ride the platform up one more time to reach the top floor of the Spire of Insight. From here, you’re done with the spire, but you can use an Abyss Gate to enter the Abyss. That’s a guide for another time, though.