TL;DR
- The Cloudcart is a hot air balloon mount unlocked by finding the Blueprint hidden in Glenbright Manor’s basement during Chapter 3
- Solve the dagger puzzle on the second floor — get the Ruby-Hilted and Sapphire-Hilted Golden Daggers, then insert them into the fireplace slots to reveal a secret passage to the basement
- After getting the Blueprint, discover Emberwind Workshop just north of Glenbright Manor
- You need at least 5 Greymane comrades with one having the Engineer skill — complete the “A Rumor in St. Halssius” quest to recruit Arnold if you don’t have one yet
- Dispatch mission costs: 75 Stone, 75 Timber, 150 Food, 2,500 Silver — takes 5 hours in-game
- Upgrade to Cloudcruiser and Skystreaker through Scholastone Institute research
The Cloudcart is Crimson Desert’s hot air balloon — a red and yellow balloon that lifts you into the air for scouting, reaching elevated terrain, and taking in some of the most breathtaking views Pywel has to offer. Unlike most mounts, you craft it through your Greymane Camp rather than finding or buying it.
The entire unlock chain starts with a hidden puzzle in Glenbright Manor, which you visit naturally during Chapter 3. The blueprint is easy to miss if you rush through the main quest without poking around. This guide covers every step from the manor puzzle to the finished balloon.
Step 1 — Get the Cloudcart Blueprint at Glenbright Manor
Glenbright Manor is located south of Hernand. You visit it during the Traces in the Manor quest in Chapter 3 as part of the main story. The Blueprint is hidden in the basement behind a two-part puzzle on the second floor.
We recommend completing the Dwarf’s Concern questline for House Grace before doing this, as rushing the main story through the manor can sometimes cause complications with the puzzle trigger.
Find the Ruby-Hilted Golden Dagger
Head up to the second floor of the manor. At the very top of the main staircase, you will see a decorative wall stand holding a shimmering blade. Interact with it to collect the Ruby-Hilted Golden Dagger. This is the easy half.
Find the Sapphire-Hilted Golden Dagger
Further down the upstairs corridor, you will find a large marble statue of a man carrying a gem. To the left of the statue is a wooden wardrobe with gears connecting it to the ceiling. Open the wardrobe to reveal a hidden handwheel.
Turn the handwheel until the chandelier above rotates so its light shines directly onto the gem on the statue. The gem will glow blue, and a wooden panel to your left will slide open to reveal the Sapphire-Hilted Golden Dagger. If you cannot find the handwheel or the interaction points on the fireplace, activate your Visione (R3/Right Stick Click) — it highlights all interactive quest objects in yellow.
Find the Glenbright Manor Basement Key
Head back down to the main floor. Look for a large painting of two knights on horseback near the base of the staircase. Walk directly into the painting — it acts as a hidden door and reveals a secret room. Inside on a side table is the Glenbright Manor Basement Key. There is also extra loot in this room worth picking up if you have a mask equipped. Check our guide on how to steal items in Crimson Desert for tips on looting without a bounty.
Open the Basement
Return to the main study room upstairs. Hold L1/LB to inspect the fireplace closely. Interact with the two holes in the mantle to insert both Golden Daggers — one on each side of the plaque. A grinding sound triggers and the bookshelf to the right swings inward, revealing a hidden passage. Climb down the ladder into the basement.
In the basement, pick up the Cloudcart Blueprint from the floor just past the ladder. Use the Basement Key to open the locked iron door at the end of the hall — behind it is the Alchemy Formula for Meliara’s Lesser Elixir, a useful bonus pickup. Read the Blueprint to permanently learn the recipe.
For more detail on the puzzle, see our dedicated Glenbright Manor Strongbox and basement puzzle guide.
Step 2 — Discover Emberwind Workshop
After leaving Glenbright Manor, visit Emberwind Workshop. It is located in the Hernand Highlands, directly south of Howling Hill — just north of Glenbright Manor itself. The two locations are close together so this is a quick side trip.
Visiting the Workshop registers it on your map and unlocks the Cloudcart dispatch mission. If the Workshop icon is greyed out, make sure you have defeated the Reed Devil boss first — some players report this fight needs to be cleared before the Workshop fully activates. See our guide on how to track and beat the Reed Devil if you need help with that fight.
Also make sure Dispatch Missions are unlocked at your camp by completing the Bustling Hill quest under Pioneering in Chapter 3. See our guide on how to dispatch the Howling Hill Expansion Mission for the full walkthrough.
Step 3 — Recruit a Greymane with the Engineer Skill
The Cloudcart dispatch mission requires at least one Greymane comrade with the Engineer skill. This skill does not appear on comrades right from the start.
The fastest way to get an Engineer is to complete the quest “A Rumor in St. Halssius” — this recruits Arnold, who has the Engineer skill from the start. Falstaff also has the Engineer skill and is another option. Other comrades like Terry and Otto can unlock Engineering through leveling, but Arnold is the most reliable early pick.
To recruit more comrades in general, keep completing the rumor missions from Marius at your Howling Hill camp and upgrade the camp when required. Marius manages comrade recruitment and his side quests are the main way new Greymanes become available.
For a full breakdown of comrades and how to level them up, see our guide on how to get and level up comrades in Crimson Desert.
Step 4 — Dispatch the Cloudcart Mission at Emberwind Workshop
Once you have the Blueprint, have discovered Emberwind Workshop, and have at least one Engineer comrade, you are ready to build.
Open your map and navigate to Emberwind Workshop via the Faction Tab. Select the Workshop, go to the Missions tab, and select the Cloudcart mission. Alternatively, speak to Ross at your camp, select Hernand → Emberwind Workshop from his list of locations.
Assign the following to the mission:
- 5 Greymane comrades (at least 1 must have the Engineer skill)
- 75 Stone
- 75 Timber
- 150 Food
- 2,500 Silver
Press the Dispatch button to start the mission. It takes 5 in-game hours to complete. Advance the day-night cycle or sleep at a campfire to speed things along.
For tips on stocking camp resources, see our guide on how to increase camp armor and weapons and our camp funds guide.
Step 5 — Summon Your Cloudcart
Once the dispatch mission completes, the Cloudcart is added to your mount roster. Hold F1 on PC or press D-Pad Up on a controller to open the character and mount selection wheel. Tab through the mount options until you find the Cloudcart and select it.
Once deployed, the Cloudcart functions like a traditional hot air balloon. Boost its thermal power to rise upward — it lifts slowly but gives you a stunning elevated view of Pywel. The balloon will eventually exhaust its thermal power and stop lifting, which is your cue to glide back down to the ground. It is best used for reaching elevated areas, scouting fast travel points, and accessing terrain that would otherwise require extensive climbing.
Do not summon the Cloudcart in tight city areas — its large size can cause the spawn to fail if there is not enough open space around you. Always summon it in an open field or clearing.
Cloudcart Upgrades — Cloudcruiser and Skystreaker
The base Cloudcart can be upgraded into two better variants through research at the Scholastone Institute, which you visit during Chapter 4. See our full research guide for unlocking the institute.
Enhanced Cloudcart Efficiency → Cloudcruiser Costs 9 Silver and takes 6 in-game hours. This unlocks a dispatch mission to craft the Cloudcruiser, an improved version with better thermal efficiency.
Enhanced Cloudcart Altitude → Skystreaker Costs 100 Silver and takes 18 in-game hours. This unlocks a dispatch mission to craft the Skystreaker, the top-tier variant that reaches significantly higher altitudes and can even access the Abyss sky islands.
Completing the Skystreaker project is the goal to aim for — it is the version that makes the Cloudcart genuinely powerful for late-game exploration. For details on the full Scholastone research tree, see our guide on how to unlock the Spire of Insight puzzle.
Tips
Do the puzzle during Traces in the Manor. The fireplace mechanism can sometimes stay locked until the quest reaches the right stage. Going through the manor as part of the main quest is the cleanest way to trigger everything correctly.
Keep Comrades busy. Never leave Greymanes idle at camp. Run dispatch missions continuously to stockpile the Stone, Timber, and Food you need for the Cloudcart build well before you need them. See our guide on how to do large-scale expeditions for maximizing your camp output.
Recruit Arnold early. Complete “A Rumor in St. Halssius” as soon as it appears from Marius. Having an Engineer Greymane early removes the last possible blocker before you can dispatch the Cloudcart mission.
Summon in open areas. The Cloudcart has a large spawn footprint. Open fields work best. Inside cities or near cliffs can cause the summon to fail.
Upgrade to Skystreaker through Scholastone. The base Cloudcart is functional but limited in altitude. The Skystreaker is what opens up the Abyss sky islands and makes aerial exploration truly viable.
More Crimson Desert Guides
- Glenbright Manor Basement and Golden Daggers Puzzle
- How to Track and Beat the Reed Devil
- How to Dispatch the Howling Hill Expansion Mission
- How to Get and Level Up Comrades
- How to Upgrade Howling Hill Base Camp
- How to Get Camp Funds
- How to Do Large-Scale Expeditions
- How to Research in Crimson Desert
- How to Get a Dragon in Crimson Desert
- How to Fast Travel in Crimson Desert
- Icicle Edge Alpine Ibex Mount
- Rock Tusk Warthog Mount
- Crimson Desert Guide Hub
Crimson Desert is available now on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Visit the official Crimson Desert website for more.
