TL;DR
- This is an Odeck Tribe Faction Quest — unlocks after completing enough Pailune Faction Quests
- You need to visit three ruins (Volvior, Volstein, Verheim), clear Black Bears, damage Tarandus to 85% health, and destroy the red smoke at each one
- The game never tells you that the red smoke is destroyed with Stab (R1+Triangle), then Pierce (R2)
- Tarandus retreats after taking 15% damage — you don’t need to kill him at each ruin
- After all three ruins, return to Odeck Floodgates for the full Tarandus boss fight
- Never parry Tarandus — dodge left or right for his spear rush, and roll his jump slam
- Core attacks: Blinding Flash Finisher (L1+R1+R2) and Turning Slash (R1+R2)
“The Black Bears and the Red Smoke” is one of those quests where the game tells you what to do but never how to do it. The red smoke part especially — most players stand in front of it cycling through every button before giving up and searching for help.
This guide covers every step from unlocking the quest to finishing the Tarandus boss fight.
How to Unlock The Black Bears and the Red Smoke
This quest comes from the Odeck Tribe, located at the Odeck Floodgate in Pailune. It won’t appear until you’ve completed enough Pailune Faction Quests to build trust with the Odeck Tribe.
Once unlocked, head to the Odeck Floodgate and speak with the person asking for help. They’ll set you on the path to hunting down the remnants of the Black Bears across three ruins.
How to Destroy the Red Smoke — The Key Mechanic
Before getting into the locations, here’s the one thing the game doesn’t explain:
The red smoke cannot be destroyed by attacking it normally. You need to use a specific two-step input:
- Stab (R1+Triangle on PS5 / RB+Y on Xbox) — this punctures the smoke source
- Pierce (R2 / RT) — this forces the red liquid out
The smoke will start leaking and gradually drain. You can repeat Stab multiple times to speed up the process. Once it’s fully drained, the area is liberated.
Step 1 — Volvior Ruins
Head north of the Odeck Floodgates. The Volvior Ruins are approximately 100 meters away.
What to do here:
- Kill all Black Bears in the area to liberate it
- Watch for Tarandus the Ashen — he’s patrolling near the red smoke in the center of the mission zone
- Deal around 15% damage to his health bar to force him to retreat — you don’t need to kill him here
- Once the area is clear, approach the red smoke on the stone platform in the center
- Use Stab (R1+Triangle), then Pierce (R2) to drain it
- Stab it multiple times to make it drain faster
Step 2 — Volstein Ruins
Head south of the Volvior Ruins to find the Volstein Ruins.
The setup here is identical:
- Clear out the Black Bears in the area
- Damage Tarandus down to 85% health to make him retreat again
- Find the red smoke on the stone platform and use Stab then Pierce to destroy it
Tarandus is getting more aggressive each time you encounter him. Keep moving and don’t let him pin you down while you’re also managing the Black Bears around you.
Step 3 — Verheim Ruins
Head west of the Volstein Ruins. The Verheim Ruins are 480 meters away — it’s the furthest of the three.
Same process as before:
- Clear the Black Bears
- Force Tarandus to retreat by dealing 15% damage
- Head to the raised stone platform in the center and use Stab then Pierce on the red smoke
With all three ruins cleared and all three red smokes destroyed, head back to the Odeck Floodgates for the final confrontation with Tarandus.
How to Beat Tarandus the Ashen (Ashen Warrior)
Tarandus is a fast and aggressive spear fighter. He’s not a long fight — but he hits hard if you don’t read his patterns. Bring Palmar Pills and plenty of healing food before this fight. Check our guide on how to cook the best healing food in Crimson Desert if you need to restock.
Never try to parry Tarandus. Like most human boss enemies in the game, his attacks will break through your guard. Dodge everything.
His two main attacks:
- Spear rush — he charges straight at you with his spear. Dodge left or right to avoid it. Never dodge backward — you won’t clear the hitbox in time.
- Jump slam — he leaps into the air and slams down on your position. Spam roll to get out of the landing zone.
Your attack loop:
- Blinding Flash Finisher (L1+R1+R2) — stuns Tarandus and deals strong damage. Use this whenever you have the Spirit for it.
- Turning Slash (R1+R2) — heavy damage with invulnerability during the animation. Safe to use even when he’s swinging.
The pattern is simple: dodge his rush or slam, then immediately punish with Turning Slash or Blinding Flash Finisher before he recovers. Repeat until he goes down.
If your Spirit runs low mid-fight, use Focus (L3+R3) to recover before re-engaging. Don’t try to push through with empty Spirit — your damage output drops significantly without access to your main skills.
For more on combat fundamentals, see our guide on how to parry, counter, and dodge in Crimson Desert.
More Crimson Desert Faction Quest and Boss Guides
- Crimson Desert HUD Explained
- How to Beat Titan in Crimson Desert
- Ancient Barrier Walkthrough
- How to Find and Beat White Horn, Shepherd of Souls
- How to Find and Beat Karanda
- How to Beat Kailok the Hornsplitter
- How to Beat Myurdin in Crimson Desert
- How to Beat the Crimson Nightmare
- How to Beat Tenebrum
- How to Use Contribution Points
- Crimson Desert Full Hub
- Crimson Desert Review
