Crimson Desert: Secret of the Lost Seal – Serkis Questline

Starting the Questline

After defeating the Staglord in Lord Amidst the Ruins, and completing the Morning Mist questline in Chapter 7, Marquis Serkis has another issue.

The questline has five quests:
-> The Missing Family Seal

Quest description:
“A Letter and a piece of a lead have been left for Marquis Serkis. Follow the clue written within to find the next location.”

#1 – The Missing Family Seal

Talk to Marquis Serkis

Find Marquis Serkis at Oakenshield Manor in Hernand town. Someone stole the Serkis Family Seal and left a letter with a riddle.

Check the Traces left by the Intruder

1 – There is a letter on the table, Clue from Oakenshield Manor, that reads:
“Should you seek what I have taken, unravel the riddle and pursue me – if you have the courage.”

2 – There is also a Piece from Oakenshield Manor on the table next to the letter. It looks like a puzzle piece with a rose and a dagger picture. Turn it over and examine the piece. It reads:
“This place is your eye, an eye that gazes from high above.”

#2 – Traces of Intruder

Description:
“An intruder has left behind a trace. Search the suspicious locations to gather leads.”

There are three track locations. If you want to have the whole questline experience, make sure to do them in the order provided in the quest journal. Don’t skip ahead! If you already skipped it, you can still follow the tracks with this guide.

Track the 2 Traces near Torchlight Beacon

Climb to the top of the Torchlight Beacon to find a chest near the torchlight on the floor. Open it to find A Map Left at the Torchlight Beacon. Read it in your inventory to find the second clue:
Now that the climb is done, look below.

You will receive a new location, where you can dig. Equip your shovel and dig out The Thief’s First Note. Read it in your inventory.

You will receive a new location, where you can dig. Equip your shovel and dig out The Thief’s First Note.

Read it in your inventory:
You move fast, but your mind can’t quite keep up.
For all the trouble it took to get this far, isn’t what was gained rather pitiful?
Next time, it would be wiser to learn to use your brain a bit more.

Track the 2 Trails in Everfrost

The second location is in the Everfrost Mountains, a bit farther west of the beacon. It requires a lot of climbing to reach a small cave with a camp. Like at the Torchlight Beacon, there is a small chest to open. Inside is The Thief’s Second Note. Read it in your inventory to find the second clue.

You will receive a new location, where you can dig. Equip your shovel and dig out The Thief’s First Note.

Read it in your inventory:
You’re good at climbing to high places. But were you so busy looking into the distance that you forgot to watch your footing? Learn to correct your gaze.

Track the 2 Traces at Lioncrest Watchtower

Initially, I went straight to the Lioncrest Watchtower because it was the closest. This made me miss the two locations above. So I restarted the quest to document it all in case there are others who would like to visit the locations after skipping.

The Lioncrest Watchtower is just west of Hernand town. It is the first location you have to liberate at the start of the game, and where you find the Visione helmet. Your lantern will glow as you arrive. Use Blinding Flash, learn the memory: Lioncrest Watchtower, and look at it.

In the memory, you will see someone climbing to the top of the watchtower and falling. Now, you have to climb to the top. You can use the top of the windows to recover your stamina. At the top, you will find another letter and a piece on top of a wooden box, amongst some chests and valuables. Make sure to take the valuables before picking up the two quest items.

The letter says:
This place is your eye, an eye that gazes from high above.
But remember, the higher you rise, the more you must look to the lower realms. Never forget to watch over those beneath you, the poor and the common folk alike.

The piece says:
Here, black and white blend in harmony under the order of these lands.

Adrian and Graham Alfonso arrive, and they will help you find the next location in Dustwood.

#3 – Trace of Shadows

Description:
“The traces left by the intruder continue. Find where “black and white blends.”

Track 2 Traces at Three Saints’ Falls

Three Saints’ Falls is north of Hernand Town, near The Hermit Witch. There are three digsites close to one another on the small island at the base of the waterfalls. The Thief’s Third Note is in one of them. Read it in your inventory.

The note says:
That persistence it took to get this far is worthy of respect.
But no matter how fast your feet are, it’s useless if you end up in the wrong place. Next time, make sure you know where you’re going.

Track 2 Traces at Duskwood

Duskwood is west of Hernand town and the Lioncrest Watchtower. The quest marker leads to a platform that resembles a checkers board with black and white stones – The Duskwood Waterside Ruins.

Just lift the white stone to reveal the letter and the piece underneath it.

The letter says:
This is a place where black and white exist in harmony within the order of the board.
You must care not only for the shining figures beside you, but also for the poor and weary who linger in the shadows.
To achieve true harmony, should you not open not only your own storehouses, but those of the nobles as well?

The piece says:
Here, time stands still. Light can only be shared under the sun.

How to Solve the Duskwood Waterside Ruins

Move the stones to get the pattern shown in the screenshot below. There is an additional stone next to the reward pillar.

According to the clue: The white stones have to be in the light (doesn’t look like it in my screenshot, but that’s how it looked when I solved it.)

Organize the Leads

Return to Oakenshield Manor to put the clues together. Marquis Serkis is upstairs in the big room.

In the conversation, there are Truths and Lies you can select by pressing the prompted buttons on the screen. You will start with the “Truth”. Before you leave, there is a memory in this room: Serkis’ Study.

#4 – Where all Comes Together

Description:
“Head to where the leads from Duskwood point to. The clues may finally come together.”

Join Williem

Meet Williem by the road at Springtide Mill and talk to him. Then, follow him on horseback. You will part ways after passing the Halssius Apothecary in the east.

Search for Traces in the Halssius Conflux

At the ancient ruins of the Halssius Conflux, the two traces lie at the base of the statue holding three keys.

The letter says:
Here, time stands still. Light can only be shared under the sun.
You hold great riches, but they were not earned by you. They are the legacy of your forebears, wealth locked in a timeless state.
Riches find their true value only when they flow.
Set their time in motion again.

The piece says:
Where the sound of hammers rings out, your final bastion.

How to Solve the Halssius Conflux Ruins Puzzle

First, remove the fallen pillars on the puzzle platform with three rings using Nature’s Grasp.

With a clear puzzle field, you may notice that the center statue has a glowing spear, pointing its beam at one of the statues. If you don’t have this yet, just stand on the round platforms around the center statue, and the beam will activate.

The platform itself has three rings, with various symbols displayed on the outer ring. These are the same items that the statues around the center statue carry. You can turn the statue with “Stab“. Point at the black, small pillar and use “Stab” so your sword ends up in the crack of the black pillar.

Move to the same symbol that the center statue is pointing at. It’s the round shield, almost like a sun. When you’re there, pull your sword out, and the second ring will activate. Mixing everything up again.

The statue’s beams are now pointing at three new items, which again correspond with the symbols on the platform rings. A Harp, Scales, and a Wine Urn. Before you turn the platform, check the symbols on it so you can pick the closest path.

All three symbols have to be within the border of the black pillar frame, as shown in the screenshots below. Pull the sword out for the next step of the puzzle.

The three-ring platforms will mix again, and all three rings have now symbols. The center statue is pointing at: The Harp, the Scales, the Horse, the Wine Urn, the Round Shield, and another Horse.

Find the combination first, then pull the black frame pillar to this position. The center statue will open up and reveal the Abyss Artifact.

Organize all the Leads

Meet Williem and the Marquis at the Hernand East Gate.

#5 – Heart of Anvil Hill

Description:
“Marquis Serkis has asked to retrieve the seal from the fortress on Anvil Hill.”

Search for the Seal of House Serkis and the Culprit’s 2 Traces

Now, Anvil Hill can finally be liberated. Fort Anvil has a Commander, who has to be defeated. After the liberation, you can look for the two traces. Look for an iron gate inside Anvil Hill and open it. Behind the gate is a small room with a treasure chest containing the House Seal and a final clue.

Return to Oakenshield Manor to return the House Seal and complete this questline.

Reward:
1x Great Thief’s Gloves