Dead of Night is the Prologue of Crimson Desert, and it does a lot more than introduce Kliff. It teaches basic movement, throws the Greymanes into disaster, introduces the Black Bears, and sends you through the Abyss before Chapter 1 properly begins in Hernand.
Route Flowchart
Screenshot Walkthrough
Prologue Overview
- Chapter: Prologue: Dead of Night
- Main quest arcs: Ambush and Unknown Space
- Key locations: Hernadian Territory, Greymane cabin, Corridor of the Void, Three Saints Falls, and the road to Hernand
- Important unlocks: Blinding Flash, Lantern use, basic climbing, basic mounted travel, and extra inventory space
- Boss encounter: Myurdin, leader of the Black Bears
Ambush: Unfamiliar Lands
The Prologue begins with Kliff and the Greymanes regrouping near a cabin after the Black Bears close in. Follow the slope down toward the cabin and speak with your allies. The objective is linear, so this is the safest moment to get comfortable with movement, camera control, interaction prompts, and how the minimap points you toward the next conversation.
Talk to Oongka if the optional prompt appears. It is not required for completion, but early companion dialogue helps establish the Greymane group before the attack begins. Then speak with Marius and Ross as markers update around the cabin area.
Ambush: In Ashes
After the cabin sequence, the Black Bears attack. Fight through the invaders and move toward your allies when the game points you to them. Several moments here blend combat, cinematic direction, and quick-time prompts. If a prompt appears after a cutscene, react immediately rather than trying to reposition first.
The battle eventually pushes Kliff into a confrontation with Myurdin. You can fight back, but the encounter is scripted to move the story forward. Even if you perform well, the Prologue continues into the Abyss afterward, so treat this fight as a combat tutorial rather than a reward farm.
Unknown Space: Realm of Uncertainty
Kliff wakes in the Abyss, where the game shifts into movement and utility tutorials. Move forward through the corridor, practice jumping and climbing, then look for the sealed door with a light device above it. This is where you learn Blinding Flash.
Use Blinding Flash on the light device to open the way. On controller, enter the stance with the shoulder-button prompt shown by the game; on keyboard and mouse, the input can be strict, so press the required buttons at the same time rather than one after the other. After the door opens, equip your Lantern from the radial menu and follow the dark tunnel out.
New Journey: Follow Sebastian
After leaving the Abyss, Sebastian helps Kliff recover and guides him toward Hernand. Follow him, defeat the hostile soldiers that interrupt the route, then mount the nearby horse when prompted. This final stretch introduces travel rhythm more than difficulty: stay close, follow the road, and let the story transition naturally into Chapter 1.
Rewards and Unlocks
- Standard Inventory Expansion Tool
- Oats x10
- Blackberry x5
- Core mobility practice: sprinting, jumping, climbing, crouching, and horseback travel
- Blinding Flash and Lantern tutorial knowledge
Prologue Tips
- Do not worry about fully defeating Myurdin on a first playthrough; the story proceeds the same way.
- If Blinding Flash feels unresponsive, press the activation inputs together cleanly instead of staggering them.
- Use the Lantern whenever the Abyss tunnel becomes difficult to read.
- Stay near Sebastian during New Journey so the route does not become confusing.