TL;DR
- The Arboria Forest fountain puzzle is a Mysterious Zone found north of Hernand City, west of the Hills of No Return.
- You need to rotate three pillars so water flows into the central basin.
- Use the Stab move on each pillar’s square slit to rotate it.
- PC: Left Shift + Right Mouse Button | Xbox: RB + Y | PlayStation: R1 + Triangle
- Completing it unlocks a fast travel point and earns you an Abyss Artifact.
Crimson Desert is packed with ancient ruins, hidden challenges, and puzzles scattered across the continent of Pywel. One of the early ones you’ll come across is the Arboria Forest fountain puzzle. It looks straightforward at first, but a lot of players get stuck because the game barely explains what you need to do.
This guide breaks it all down simply — where to find it, what the puzzle is asking, and how to solve it step by step on all platforms.
If you’re still finding your footing in Pywel, our Crimson Desert review gives you a solid overview of what to expect from the game as a whole.
Where Is the Arboria Forest Fountain Puzzle?
The Arboria Forest sits north of Hernand City. More specifically, it’s west of the Hills of No Return area on the map.
When you get close, you’ll notice the area is marked as a Mysterious Zone on your map — it shows up as a question mark icon. That’s your cue that there’s an Abyss Cresset challenge waiting to be solved.
If you haven’t yet explored the Hernand Castle area nearby, check out our guide on how to enter Hernand Castle in Crimson Desert before heading north.
What Is the Fountain Puzzle?
Once you arrive, you’ll see a large fountain with three stone pillars. Each pillar has a bowl on top with water pouring out of it — but the water is spilling on the ground, not collecting in the main basin at the center.
Your goal is simple: rotate each pillar so the water flows inward and fills the basin.
There’s a nearby hologram hint. It shows an NPC shoving a sword into one of the pillars. The game doesn’t spell it out beyond that, which is why so many players get confused and start wandering around looking for a switch or button.
There is no switch. The answer is the Stab move.
How to Solve the Arboria Forest Fountain Puzzle in Crimson Desert
Here’s exactly what to do:
Step 1 — Unlock or Check Your Stab Move
Before anything else, make sure you have the Stab move available. It’s a core sword move, not a skill you need to purchase, so it should be accessible early on. If you’re still building out your character, our Crimson Desert how to respec guide can help you reallocate Abyss Artifacts if needed.
Step 2 — Face the Square Slit on a Pillar
Walk up to one of the three pillars. Each pillar has a square-shaped slit cut into its side. Stand directly in front of one of these slits so your character is facing it.
Step 3 — Perform the Stab Move
Use the Stab move while facing the slit. Here are the inputs for each platform:
| Platform | Input |
|---|---|
| PC | Hold Left Shift + press Right Mouse Button |
| Xbox Controller | Hold RB + press Y |
| PlayStation Controller | Hold R1 + press Triangle |
Your sword will jam into the slit. You’ll know it worked because the pillar becomes interactive.
Step 4 — Rotate the Pillar
With your sword still in the slit, push your movement stick or key in the direction you want the pillar to spin. Keep rotating it until the water from that pillar’s bowl is flowing down into the central basin.
It may take a couple of rotations. Just keep going until the stream visibly redirects inward.
Step 5 — Repeat for All Three Pillars
Do the same thing for the remaining two pillars. Each one needs to be rotated individually. Once all three are aligned and water is collecting in the basin, the challenge is complete.
What Do You Get for Solving It?
Once all three pillars are aligned, the Abyss Cresset of Arboria Forest activates. Two things happen:
- Abyss Artifact — You can interact with the cresset to collect your reward. Abyss Artifacts are used in the skill tree to learn new skills or boost core stats. They’re valuable, so don’t skip these puzzles. Learn more about how to open Sealed Abyss Artifacts in Crimson Desert to maximize what you get from them.
- Fast Travel Point — The Abyss Cresset also becomes a usable fast travel waypoint. This is great because the Arboria Forest area is a bit off the beaten path. Having that teleport point saves you time later. For more on moving around Pywel efficiently, see our how to fast travel in Crimson Desert guide.
Tips to Make This Easier
- Face the slit directly. If your character is at an angle, the Stab move may not register on the pillar. Get square in front of it.
- Don’t spam the move. One clean Stab into the slit is all it takes. Once the sword is in, just use your movement input to rotate.
- Watch the water stream. You’ll visually see when the water redirects toward the basin. There’s no progress bar — the water is your feedback.
- Check the hologram hint again if you’re lost. It’s near the fountain and shows the exact motion you need.
More Puzzles and Guides in Crimson Desert
Arboria Forest is just one of many Mysterious Zone challenges in Pywel. If you’re working through the game’s puzzle content, here are more guides to help:
- Crimson Desert Abyss Without Balance Puzzle Solution
- How to Beat Kearush the Slayer in Crimson Desert
- How to Ascend Lioncrest Watchtower in Crimson Desert
- How to Enter Halssius House of Healing in Crimson Desert
- Crimson Desert Belltowers Fog of War — All Bell Locations
- Crimson Desert All Main Story Quests and Chapters
Looking for other things to do in the world? Check out:
- All Legendary Horses Locations in Crimson Desert
- How to Get a Dragon in Crimson Desert
- How to Get a Pet in Crimson Desert
- How to Unlock Camp in Crimson Desert
- How to Upgrade Weapons and Armor in Crimson Desert
- How to Increase Inventory Space in Crimson Desert
- Best PC Settings for Crimson Desert Optimization
For quest help specifically:
- Crimson Desert Man Trapped in a Mire Quest Guide
- Crimson Desert Blix Bounty Quest Guide
- How to Complete Renee’s Request in Crimson Desert
- How to Complete Rhett’s Request in Crimson Desert
- Crimson Desert Bruna’s Request Quest Guide
- Crimson Desert Reunion Quest Walkthrough
Need resources or items?
- How to Get Lost Loot in Crimson Desert
- How to Get Keys in Crimson Desert
- How to Get Iron Ore in Crimson Desert
- How to Get Palmar Pills in Crimson Desert
- How to Steal Items in Crimson Desert
- How to Get Crimson Desert Twitch Drops
- How to Claim Preorder and Deluxe Edition Items
Other useful how-to guides:
- How to Put Away Weapons and Become Unarmed in Crimson Desert
- How to Change Time of Day in Crimson Desert
- How to Win Arm Wrestling in Crimson Desert
- Crimson Desert Duo Card Game Guide
Get Crimson Desert
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