Crimson Desert: All Bell Tower Locations (Toll of Pywel)

TL;DR

• There are 8 bell towers scattered across Pywel in Crimson Desert
• Ringing each one clears the fog of war for that region of the map
• All 8 are part of the Toll of Pywel questline for the Priorin Forest Guardians faction
• Most bells are available from Chapter 1 — two have story-based restrictions
• The Pailune bell is the only one with a hard story gate (Chapter 7 required)

Bell towers in Crimson Desert work similarly to viewpoints in Assassin’s Creed or Sheikah Towers in Breath of the Wild. Climb to the top, ring the bell, and a Shai child appears to lift the fog of war from that region of the map.

There are 8 bells in total, spread across every major settlement in Pywel. Ringing all of them completes the Toll of Pywel questline tied to the Priorin Forest Guardians faction. It’s one of the best things you can do early — the moment you clear the map fog, exploring and navigating becomes dramatically easier.

Most bells have no restrictions. You can ring 7 of them from Chapter 1 onward. The exception is the Pailune bell, which requires you to liberate the city first during Chapter 7.

We’ve listed all 8 in the order you’ll naturally encounter them as you progress through the game.

For a full overview of everything to do in each region, visit our Crimson Desert guide hub.

How Bell Towers Work in Crimson Desert

Each bell tower follows the same basic pattern:

1. Find the tower in the settlement listed below.
2. Climb to the top — some require specific tricks to reach.
3. Interact with the bell to ring it.
4. A short cutscene plays. A Shai Resident NPC appears and clears the surrounding map fog.

A few important notes:

• The bell interaction won’t trigger in hostile zones. If guards are aggressive toward you, the Shai child won’t spawn and ringing the bell won’t count.
• The Calphade bell is temporarily unavailable during Chapter 6. Ring it before or after.
• The Pailune bell cannot be rung until after Chapter 7’s Resolution mission.

Combine your bell runs with activating Abyss Nexus fast travel points along the way. You’re already traveling to new areas — you might as well unlock fast travel at the same time.

Bell Tower #1: Toll of Hernand

Location: North district of Hernand Town, just behind the notice board and the central tree (also described as just west of the main tavern).

This is the first bell you’ll encounter and the one that kicks off the Toll of Pywel questline. It’s easy to reach and requires no special tricks.

Just climb the white tower with the brown brick pointed roof and interact with the bell inside.

This is also the bell referenced in our guide on the Hernand Town Mysterious Energy location — the two objectives are close together, so clear both in one trip.

Bell Tower #2: Toll of Scholastone

Location: Southeast area of the Scholastone Institute, on the upper balcony. The Institute sits southwest of Hernand City, on top of a mountain.

The Scholastone Institute is high up and takes some effort to reach. You’ll naturally visit here during Chapter 4’s main quest, so it’s worth waiting until then if you haven’t gone yet.

To get there faster on your own, use Force Palm three times consecutively in midair (R3 on controller) to launch yourself to extra heights — this makes climbing the mountain significantly quicker.

Once at the Institute, find the pagoda at the end of the garden path in the plaza. The bell is inside on the upper balcony.

Bell Tower #3: Toll of Calphade

Location: South of Calphade, on the rooftop of the Church of Calphade in Thalwynd Village, west of Calphade Castle.

⚠️ Timing matters here. This bell can only be rung before or after Chapter 6. During Chapter 6, the area becomes hostile and the Shai NPC won’t spawn, which means the bell interaction won’t count. If you’re close to Chapter 6, either ring it now or plan to come back afterward.

Climb the bell tower at the Church of Calphade and ring the bell at the top. No special mechanics needed.

Bell Tower #4: Toll of Pailune

Location: In the center of the City of Pailune, in the red wooden tower near the fishing docks.

⚠️ Story gate — Chapter 7 required. This is the only bell with a hard restriction. Pailune is under siege until you complete the “Resolution” mission in Chapter 7 and liberate the city. Before that, the area is hostile and the bell interaction simply won’t complete.

Once Pailune is liberated, head to the middle of the city, find the red tower by the harbor, and climb the ladder on the side to reach the top. Ring the bell to unlock the surrounding map.

Don’t waste time trying to reach this one early. Save it for when the story naturally takes you there.

Bell Tower #5: Toll of Demeniss

Location: South district of the City of Demeniss, in the tallest clocktower near the Cathedral.

This one has a unique mechanic. You can’t just climb to the bell directly.

Here’s how to ring it:

1. Climb the outside of the clocktower in Demeniss.
2. Find the flagpole on the west side of the building.
3. Grab and hang from the flagpole. Your weight pulls it down, which lowers the bell into a ringable position at the top.
4. Climb to the top floor and ring the bell.

One thing to keep in mind — most guards in Demeniss are hostile until after Chapter 8. You can still ring this bell earlier, but you’ll need to either avoid or fight through the guards. Neither causes permanent consequences, so don’t be put off.

Bell Tower #6: Toll of Tommaso

Location: North building in Tommaso, within the Crimson Desert region, near the Contribution Shop.

Tommaso sits far northeast of Hernand City — you’ll roughly find it below where “Tash” appears in Tashkalp on your map. No main quest sends you directly to Tommaso, so you’ll need to detour here during free exploration. You’ll likely reach this area around Chapter 9 naturally.

Once in Tommaso, find the sandstone tower in the north district near the Contribution Shop. Climb around the outside and ring the bell inside. No gimmicks here — straightforward climb and ring.

Bell Tower #7: Toll of Delesyia

Location: Northwest district of the City of Delesyia, inside the clocktower, before the castle. Look for a tower covered in clockwork machinery with a spinning device on top.

This is one of the easiest bells in the game. No puzzles, no hostile enemies, no story requirement. The bell tower is easy to spot in the northwest of the city — it’s right there in the town square area, near the local shops.

Just climb up, ring the bell, and move on.

Bell Tower #8: Toll of Varnia

Location: Far northeast area of the Crimson Desert region in Varnia, in the tower with the large dome.

This is the most remote bell in the game. Varnia sits at the very edge of the map, far beyond the main story’s regular travel routes. Getting there takes a long time. Stick to the main roads heading north through the Crimson Desert region — cutting through unmarked terrain will slow you down. Having a dragon makes reaching Varnia much faster. If you haven’t gotten one yet, check out our guide on how to get a dragon in Crimson Desert.

Once in Varnia, look for the palace with a large dome at the top. The bell is hidden inside.

Here’s how to ring it:

1. Climb to the top of the dome structure.
2. Find the rotating lever at the top of the dome.
3. Push the lever counter-clockwise with the Left Stick to open the roof panels. This causes the bell to drop down.
4. Once it’s in position, interact with the bell to ring it.

This completes the Toll of Pywel questline and fully reveals the entire continent of Pywel on your map.

All Bell Tower Locations — Quick Reference

Tips for Completing the Toll of Pywel

A few things that make this questline smoother:

Ring Hernand first. It starts the questline and it takes under two minutes. Do it as soon as you arrive in town. Our guide on how to ring the bell in Demeniss gives more detail on that specific bell’s tricky mechanic.

Do Calphade before Chapter 6. Don’t wait. If you’re approaching Chapter 6, make a detour and ring it first. It saves a backtrack later.

Combine bell runs with fast travel unlocks. Every time you travel to a new region for a bell, activate the Abyss Nexus fast travel points you pass on the way. Our Children of the Woods quest guide also covers the Shai characters you meet through the bell quests.

Save Pailune for Chapter 7. There’s no point trying to force it earlier. The game physically blocks the interaction until the city is liberated.

Use a horse for distant bells. The bells in the Crimson Desert region (Tommaso and Varnia) require serious travel. Make sure your horse is leveled and healthy. See our horse guide for everything on mounts.

Clear fog as you go. Don’t try to rush all 8 bells at once. Ring each one as you naturally pass through the region. The map will clear progressively, which makes everything easier as you play.

Once your map is fully clear, you’ll have a huge advantage finding Legendary Creatures, Legendary Horses, and hidden puzzle areas like the various Sanctums scattered across Pywel.

Where to Get Crimson Desert

Ready to start exploring Pywel?

• Official Website
• PlayStation Store
• Xbox
• Steam
• Epic Games Store

Want to know if the game is worth your time? Read our full Crimson Desert review before you dive in.