Crimson Desert Secret at the Church Walkthrough – Strongbox & Pillar of Radiance

TL;DR

Secret at the Church is the 68th main quest in Crimson Desert, found in Chapter 5 – Guest Unbidden. You need to finish Bloodwind first.
Start by visiting the orphanage and speaking to a woman at the northern house — this triggers the clue that points you to the church.
Talk to Abbess Marina at the church to receive the key, then head to the small building on the left.
Solve the Strongbox button puzzle in the basement to get the Dagger of Radiance.
Insert the Dagger into the Pillar of Radiance, then rotate the outer disk wheels to form an eye symbol to complete the quest.
This unlocks Toward the Nest — which rewards you with the Blackwing Leather Armor, Blackwing Mask, and Tauria Curved Sword.

Secret at the Church is one of the more involved quests in Chapter 5. It combines a short investigation sequence, a Strongbox puzzle, and a rotation disk puzzle — all in one quest. Most players get tripped up on the Strongbox button order or the disk alignment. Here’s everything you need to know.

Table of Contents

Quest Info: Secret at the Church

Quest number: 68th main mission
Chapter: 5 – Guest Unbidden
Sub-Chapter: Black and White
Requirement: Complete Bloodwind first
Location: Church of West Demeniss, Byron Estate, Demeniss region
Reward: None (unlocks Toward the Nest, which has the armor and weapon rewards)

If you’re working through the full story in order, our complete main story quests and chapters guide has every quest listed with links.

How to Obtain the Church’s Relic (Stronghold Puzzle) in Crimson Desert

obtain the church s relic stronghold puzzle in crimson desert

Step 1 – Visit the Orphanage First

Before the church, the quest sends you to the orphanage area in West Demeniss. Head to the northern section of the courtyard and interact with the door of the house there. A cutscene plays — a woman gives you information about the church and its relic.

This step is easy to overlook, but it’s required to move the quest forward.

Step 2 – Defeat Crowcaller at the Church

Head to the Church of West Demeniss (marked on your map). When you arrive, you’ll need to fight off a group of guards to draw out the Crowcaller. He’s a tough fight — block often and strike when he pauses. He doesn’t go down fully here; he retreats once you’ve dealt enough damage.

For a full breakdown of this encounter, see our dedicated Crowcaller quest guide.

how to activate the pillar of radiance in crimson desert

Step 3 – Talk to Abbess Marina and Get the Key

After the Crowcaller retreats, look to the right side of the church. Speak with Abbess Marina — she’ll hand you a key to access the relic’s location. Don’t skip this conversation; you need the key to enter the shack.

activate the pillar of radiance in crimson desert

Step 4 – Solve the Strongbox Puzzle

With the key in hand, go to the small building to the left of the church. Head inside, climb down the ladder into the basement, and you’ll find a Strongbox on the altar.

Press the buttons in this exact order:

Middle button (column 2, row 2)
Bottom left button (column 1, row 3)
Bottom right button (column 3, row 3)
Top left button (column 1, row 1)
Top right button (column 3, row 1)
Bottom left button (column 1, row 3) — press this one a second time

When all the lights turn blue, interact with the Strongbox door. You’ll find a Small Box inside. Open it to receive the Dagger of Radiance.

If you want to find all Strongboxes across the game, check out our how to steal items guide — stealth is often needed to reach them without triggering guards.

Step 5 – Activate the Pillar of Radiance

Leave the basement and return to where you fought the Crowcaller. The Pillar of Radiance is there. Here’s how to activate it:

Hold L1 to inspect the Pillar, then press X (PlayStation) / A (Xbox) to slot the Dagger of Radiance in.
A Disk opens. Examine it with Square (PlayStation) / X (Xbox).
Use the D-Pad to rotate the outer wheels clockwise.
You only need to move the first and second outer rings — don’t touch the inner ring.
Keep rotating until the symbol forms a clear eye shape. The rings will light up when they lock into the correct position, so use that as your guide.

Once the eye is complete, the Pillar activates and the quest concludes.

What Comes Next – Toward the Nest

Finishing Secret at the Church immediately leads into Toward the Nest, the 69th main quest. That takes you inside the Spire of Soaring — a tall tower in northern Demeniss that you enter through a cave on the right side of the cliff face below it.

Completing Toward the Nest rewards you with three items: Blackwing Leather Armor (body), Blackwing Mask (head), and the Tauria Curved Sword. The sword in particular is worth using — it pairs well with dual wielding if you’ve built that way. See our how to dual wield guide if you haven’t set that up yet.

Before heading into the Spire, make sure your gear is solid. Our how to upgrade weapons and armor guide and accessories guide will help you get ready.

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