TL;DR
- The Goddess of Justice statue is in Three Saints’ Falls, directly north of Hernand City near the Heart of the Saint waterfall — accessible very early in the game.
- A barred gate behind the statue blocks a treasure chest. Light both candles the statue is holding to open the door automatically.
- If you don’t see a light prompt, examine the candle first by holding LB/L1/Ctrl, then interact to light it.
- You can also optionally replay the memory of the statue nearby for lore context.
- After both candles are lit, a strong wind blows, a white bird appears, and the steel gate opens.
- The chest contains the Legionary’s Gladius — a one-handed sword with 12 base attack, Attack Speed Lv. 1, and 3 Abyss Core slots.
- It’s fully upgradeable at a Blacksmith and a solid early-game weapon before you find heavier hitters.
- No quest, no boss, no story requirement — available from the moment you reach Hernand.
The world of Pywel in Crimson Desert is stuffed with hidden rewards that go completely unmarked. The Goddess of Justice statue in Three Saints’ Falls is one of them. Players pass through this area early in the game — many even visit it during the Annabella’s Request quest when fishing for a Tench — and see the locked gate behind the statue but have no idea what to do with it.
The puzzle is simple once you know the answer. This guide walks you through exactly where the statue is, how to open the door, and what the Legionary’s Gladius is worth keeping for. For a full library of everything Crimson Desert, see our main Crimson Desert hub.
Where to Find the Goddess of Justice Statue
Location: Three Saints’ Falls area, directly north of Hernand City, Hernand region.
Map reference: Near the Heart of the Saint cave, which is marked on your map when you arrive in the Three Saints’ Falls area. On the in-game map text, the statue sits near the “D” marker in “Hernand.”
How to get there:
Fast travel to Hernand City or start from Hernand Town and head north. You’re heading toward the large bridge in Three Saints’ Falls — the same area you visit for the Tench fishing spot in Annabella’s Request. Once you cross the bridge or approach from the north of town, look for the cliffs rising on either side.
The statue is not at ground level. You’ll need to climb the cliffs to reach the higher plateau where it sits. Follow the right side of the cliffline upward. The statue is surrounded by four pillars and is clearly visible once you’re at the correct elevation. You’ll recognize it immediately — it’s holding a candle in each hand with a steel-barred gate directly behind it containing a visible treasure chest.
This area is fully accessible from the start of the game. No story progress or boss fight is required.
How to Open the Goddess of Justice Statue Door
The mechanic is straightforward: light both candles and the gate opens. Here’s the full step-by-step.
Step 1 — Approach the first candle
Walk up to the candle in one of the statue’s hands. The game will show an interact prompt. If the prompt reads “Light”, go ahead and interact to light it immediately.
Step 2 — If no light prompt appears, examine first
Some players find that the direct light option doesn’t appear on the first approach. If that’s the case, hold LB / L1 / Ctrl (depending on your platform) to examine the candle first. Once you’ve examined it, the prompt to light it will appear. Then interact to light it.
Step 3 — Light the second candle
Move to the candle in the statue’s other hand and repeat the process. Same rule applies — examine first if the direct light prompt isn’t showing.
Step 4 — Wait for the door to open
As soon as both candles are lit, the mechanism triggers. A strong wind blows through the area and a white bird flies into view before disappearing — this is the visual signal that the puzzle is complete. The steel gate behind the statue swings open automatically. There’s no timer, no enemy ambush, and no additional step required.
Step 5 — Grab the Legionary’s Gladius
Walk through the open gate into the chamber behind the statue. Open the treasure chest inside to claim the Legionary’s Gladius.
That’s the full puzzle. It takes under a minute once you’re at the statue.
Optional — Play the Memory of the Goddess of Justice
When you’re standing in front of the statue, you’ll notice an additional prompt: “Play Memory of the Statue of the Goddess of Justice.”
This is entirely optional and has no effect on unlocking the door or getting the sword. It plays a short lore sequence that gives background context about the statue and the history of justice in Hernand. If you’re interested in the world-building of Pywel, it’s worth watching. If you just want the weapon, skip it and light the candles.
Crimson Desert has these memory-replay prompts at many significant locations across the map. They’re a consistent way Pearl Abyss delivers environmental storytelling without interrupting gameplay. See our guide on how to read and replay memory fragments in Crimson Desert if you want to track down more of these.
What Is the Legionary’s Gladius?
The Legionary’s Gladius is a one-handed sword described in-game as: “A sword once used by the ancient warriors. Though it appears to have been mass-produced, it remains remarkably sturdy and powerful to this day.”
Full stats at pickup:
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Weapon Type | One-Handed Sword |
| Base Attack | 12 |
| Attack Speed | Lv. 1 |
| Abyss Core Slots | 3 (empty on pickup) |
| Refinement | Unrefined (upgradeable) |
| Sell Value | 2.45 silver |
12 base attack might look underwhelming, but that number reflects its unrefined state. The sword hasn’t been upgraded at all when you find it — its real value emerges once you take it to a Blacksmith and start refining. The Attack Speed Lv. 1 bonus ensures consistent, reliable swing timing which is exactly what you want in the early game when you’re still learning enemy patterns and timing your combos.
The 3 Abyss Core slots are the other headline feature. These open slots let you embed Abyss Gear to customize the sword’s performance once you unlock the Witch services in Chapter 3. Three slots is the maximum for a one-handed sword in Crimson Desert, so the Gladius has full customization potential right from the moment you pick it up.
Is the Legionary’s Gladius Worth Keeping?
For the early game — yes, absolutely. Here’s the full picture:
What it does well: The combination of Attack Speed Lv. 1 and three empty Abyss Core slots makes it one of the most buildable weapons you can get in Hernand without fighting a boss. You can take it to a Blacksmith, refine it to boost its attack, then slot three Abyss Gears when the Witch system unlocks to turn it into a properly customized weapon.
It fits cleanly into any one-handed sword build and works well in dual-wield setups when combined with a second one-handed weapon. For Kliff, it’s a solid primary through the early chapters. For Damiane, one-handed swords are also in her kit — pair ideas with our best skills for Damiane guide.
When to replace it: Once you start finding or unlocking stronger dedicated weapons — like the Frozen Anguish (two-handed, available early in Demeniss), the Fated Shadow (one-handed, post-Chapter 9), or the Soul Spear (two-handed, high-level content) — the Gladius starts to fall behind in raw output. But for a free weapon you get from lighting two candles, it more than earns its place in the first several hours.
Don’t sell it before you’re done with it. The 2.45 silver sell value is essentially nothing. Keep it, refine it, socket it, and get full value before moving on.
How to Upgrade the Legionary’s Gladius
Refining at the Blacksmith
Take the Gladius to any Blacksmith in Hernand or another major city to refine it. Refinement increases the base attack value using crafting materials gathered during exploration. The more you refine it, the more lines appear on the sword’s item image — a visual indicator of its refinement progress. For the full breakdown, see our guide on how to reinforce equipment in Crimson Desert.
Slotting Abyss Gears
Once you unlock the Witch in Chapter 3, you can embed Abyss Gears into the three empty slots. Good early choices include:
- Destruction I / II — flat damage increase on every hit
- Gale I / II — attack speed improvement on top of the existing Lv. 1 bonus
- Insight I — stamina-focused bonus for more consistent combo chains
Visit the Witch to create sockets (if not already present), then embed your chosen cores. You can always extract and swap Abyss Gears with no penalty, so don’t worry about locking yourself into a choice. See our unlock Witches Abyss Gears guide for the full system breakdown.
Nearby Things Worth Grabbing at Three Saints’ Falls
Since you’re already in Three Saints’ Falls for the Goddess of Justice statue, there are several other rewards in the same area worth collecting in one run.
Sealed Abyss Artifact — There’s a Sealed Abyss Artifact on a structure near the Three Saints’ Falls bridge on the way to the fishing spot north of Hernand. It’s easy to walk past. Check the structure on your left before crossing the bridge heading north. See our guide on how to open sealed Abyss Artifacts to claim it.
Tench fishing spot — The Tench needed for Annabella’s Request is in a pool just past the Three Saints’ Falls bridge. If you haven’t completed that quest yet, knock it out while you’re in the area. It rewards 3 permanent inventory slots which are extremely valuable early on. Full guide: Crimson Desert Annabella’s Request guide.
Heart of the Saint cave — The cave marked on your map in this area may have additional exploration rewards. Check it while you’re on the plateau near the statue.
Other Early-Game Weapons Worth Getting in Hernand
The Legionary’s Gladius is a great start, but Hernand has more hidden weapons and gear worth collecting before you move on. Here are the top priorities:
- Frozen Anguish Sword — Two-handed sword in the Spire of Frost, northern Demeniss. 25 base attack at Refinement Level 4 with Stamina Siphon. The best early two-handed weapon in the game.
- Fated Shadow — One-handed sword with Greysoul Howling Abyss ability. Unlocks in Chapter 9 after defeating Goyen.
- Fallen Kingdom Armor Set — 5-piece armor with +35% Turning Slash damage on the helm. All pieces in Hernand.
- Dark Ringleader Armor Set — 4-piece cloth/leather set behind waterfalls in western Hernand. Best early-game mobility armor.
More Crimson Desert Weapon & Exploration Guides
- Crimson Desert Annabella’s Request Guide — Tench Location
- How to Get Soul Spear in Crimson Desert
- Crimson Desert Frozen Anguish Sword Location
- Crimson Desert Fated Shadow & Greysoul Howling Guide
- How to Get the Hwando Two-Handed Katana in Crimson Desert
- Crimson Desert All Sword Mastery Challenges
- How to Dual Wield in Crimson Desert
- Crimson Desert Sanctum of Benediction Puzzle Solution
- Crimson Desert All Sanctum Locations
- How to Open Sealed Abyss Artifacts in Crimson Desert
- Unlock Witches Abyss Gears Guide
- How to Reinforce Equipment in Crimson Desert
- How to Upgrade Weapons and Armor in Crimson Desert
- Crimson Desert Best Items Early
- Crimson Desert Best Early Build
- How to Read and Replay Memory Fragments in Crimson Desert
- How to Fish in Crimson Desert
- How to Fast Travel in Crimson Desert
- Crimson Desert Hidden Fangs — How to Destroy Battle Weapons
Crimson Desert is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox, Steam, and Epic Games Store. Visit the official Crimson Desert website for the latest news and updates.
