Crimson Desert: How to Find and Purify Expiation Sanctuary – Hernand Guide

If you need the Expiation Sanctuary for the Witch of Goodness side quest in Crimson Desert, the one you want is in north-west Hernand, east of Drakesfall Gorge. Teleport to the nearby Abyss Nexus, follow the steep path up, and look for the entrance wrapped in red, pulsing vines. Once inside, the purification is a short combat-and-puzzle sequence: clear every enemy, collect both reactor components, seal two Hearts with Force Axiom, then finish the mechanism. That is the fastest route, and it is the sanctuary most players mean when they search for Sanctuaire de l’Expiation.

One thing the game and a lot of guides do not explain clearly is that there are two Expiation Sanctuaries. The earlier one is in Hernand and is tied to the Witch of Goodness. A second one exists later in Déméniss and is associated with Areciel, the Witch of Strength. This walkthrough stays focused on the Hernand version, because that is the one that blocks most side quest progress.

Where to find the Hernand Expiation Sanctuary

Before you head out, make sure the Witch of Goodness questline is actually active. If it is not, the area can still look like a point of interest, but the sanctuary purification will not behave the way you expect. On some localizations, this place may also be labeled closer to Sanctuary of Redemption rather than Expiation Sanctuary, so do not assume you found the wrong place just because the name looks slightly different.

• Open your map and go to north-west Hernand.
• Look east of Drakesfall Gorge in the Domaine d’Azerian area.
• Use the closest Abyss Nexus, shown as a purple marker, to save travel time.
• From the Nexus, follow the steep uphill route rather than circling the lower ground.
• When you reach the entrance, you should see red, pulsing vines and the sanctuary name appear on screen.

If the marker seems correct but the sanctuary name does not appear, you are usually on the wrong elevation. This is the most common navigation mistake here. The Hernand entrance is approached from the ground path, not from a roof or upper ruin. If you are climbing structures trying to get in from above, you are probably mixing it up with the Déméniss sanctuary.

What to do before you start the purification

This section is much easier if you slow down for the first minute and clear the arena properly. The sanctuary has enough line-of-sight breaks and side passages that it is easy to think the room is empty when one ranged enemy is still alive somewhere above or behind you. If the mechanism refuses to complete later, this is often the reason.

• Clear the exterior and interior enemies first, especially archers and acolytes.
• Use any safe scouting tool you have, including Abyssal Flight, to check ledges and corners.
• Pick up dropped souls while you move; they help build your Abyssal Gauge.
• Do not rush to the puzzle pieces until the combat space is stable.

The reason this matters is simple: the sanctuary objective mixes combat cleanup and puzzle progression. If you half-clear the area, grab one component, then get dragged into another fight, it becomes much harder to remember whether you are missing a Heart, a cube-like power core, or just one hidden enemy. Doing the arena in a clean order saves more time than trying to sprint straight to the finish.

How to purify the Expiation Sanctuary step by step

Step 1: Secure the main reactor area

Start from the central reactor area and kill everything nearby. If there are still projectiles coming in from the sides, do not move on yet. This is the best place to orient yourself because all of the important interactions branch away from this central point.

Step 2: Go north and take the right-hand door

From the reactor, head north. On the right side, you will find a door leading to the first reactor component, usually identified as Fusion Reactor Power Core #54-1. Some translations and community guides describe this as a cube or a power unit rather than a core. However it is labeled in your version, pick it up now before doing the Heart seals.

Step 3: Exit and move to the south-west wall breach

Go back out and use the broken opening in the south-west wall. This path leads to the second reactor component, commonly listed as Core #3. A few translations make this sound more like a pillar fragment than a core. Do not overthink the name. If your guide mentions a cube and a pillar, and your game shows two reactor parts, they are referring to the same required progression items.

Step 4: Seal the first Heart with Force Axiom

One of the sanctuary Hearts can be seen through a barred arch or obstructed opening. Players often lose time here because they assume they need to physically reach it first. You do not. As soon as you have a proper line of sight, use Force Axiom to seal it from where you are standing.

Step 5: Reach and seal the second Heart

The second Heart is accessed through the more awkward traversal section with unstable platforms. This part is not hard, but it punishes rushing. Move one platform segment at a time, let the camera settle, then line up the Axiom cast. If you try to sprint the gap and cast immediately after landing, you can waste the input or slide into a bad angle and think the game is bugged when it is really just a targeting issue.

Step 6: Return to the central mechanism and finish the purification

With both Hearts sealed and both reactor components collected, return to the central mechanism and complete the sanctuary. If the interaction still does not complete, check three things in this order: one surviving enemy, one missed Heart, or one missed reactor component. In practice, one of those three is almost always the problem.

Hidden chest, treasure, and optional loot

The Hernand Expiation Sanctuary has more than just side quest progression. There is a treasure chest tied to a simple light puzzle near the reactor area, and it is worth doing before you leave.

• Look for the two lanterns positioned on the east and west sides near the reactor.
• Light both lanterns to unlock the chest.
• The chest reward can include the Night Mirror shield, also seen in some localizations as Miroir de la Nuit.
• Other loot reported from this sanctuary includes crafting plans such as the Cuckoo Watcher Bag and Cuckoo Helix Spear, though exact names can vary by language settings.

If the chest does not open, do not assume it is tied to the full purification state. Usually the issue is just that one lantern was missed or the interaction did not register. Recheck both sides of the room rather than resetting the entire sanctuary.

Common mistakes that make this side quest feel confusing

• Going to the wrong sanctuary: Hernand is the earlier ground-level route for Witch of Goodness. Déméniss is a different Expiation Sanctuary.
• Starting without the questline active: if the witch quest is not underway, progression can feel inconsistent.
• Leaving one ranged enemy alive: this is the most common reason the area seems incomplete.
• Trying to physically reach the first Heart: you can seal it through the opening with Force Axiom.
• Getting stuck on terminology: some guides say core, cube, power unit, or pillar piece. Focus on collecting both reactor items, not the exact label.

Where the second Expiation Sanctuary is

If your map objective or a later quest sends you elsewhere, the second Expiation Sanctuary is in north-west Déméniss. That one is tied to Areciel and is approached differently, with a more vertical route and a rooftop clue along the lines of, “Come up to the roof. You’ll find me there.” That is useful to know because it explains why some walkthroughs sound completely different from the Hernand version even though they use the same sanctuary name.

As of the current guidance around this area, there are no widely noted patch changes that alter the Hernand purification steps. So if you are doing a Crimson Desert walkthrough for the Witch of Goodness side quest, the reliable path is still: teleport to the north-west Hernand Abyss Nexus, climb to the vine-covered entrance, clear every Antumbra enemy, collect both reactor parts, seal both Hearts, then open the lantern chest before leaving.