Trials of Kindness is the first main story quest in Chapter 1: The First Encounter of Crimson Desert. Protagonist Kliff arrives in the town of Hernand looking for information about his former allies and ends up performing a series of good deeds for the locals. The quest line contains five sequential sub-quests — Where Rumors Gather, Mysterious Man, True Wisdom in Kindness, Actions Speak Louder Than Words, and Heart Beyond Borders — and completing all of them unlocks the next Chapter 1 quest, Traces.
Quick answer: Finish all five sub-quests in any order the game allows (the final two can be done in either order), and the Trials of Kindness quest completes automatically, starting Traces.
Image credit: Pearl Abyss (via YouTube/@GosuNoob)
Where Rumors Gather — Hernand Tavern
Follow the main road through Hernand toward the large red X on your map. The tavern is easy to spot thanks to the keg hanging off the wall as a makeshift sign. Head inside and look for a guard sitting at a table, boasting about his arm wrestling skills. Hold L1/LB to lock on, then select the Challenge option to sit down.
Mash the on-screen button to push the guard’s arm. Periodically, a QTE wheel appears — press the indicated button when the rotating line hits the shaded zone for a large power boost. You must land at least one successful QTE to finish the opponent off.
Before leaving the tavern, sell any junk items to the merchant inside. You can also purchase an inventory upgrade here if you have the coin. The Smithy next door and the orc vendor Rhett both sell weapons and armor worth browsing.
Mash the on-screen button to push the guard’s arm | Image credit: Pearl Abyss (via YouTube/@GosuNoob)
Mysterious Man — The Beggar Outside the Tavern
Step back outside, and you’ll notice a group of children harassing a beggar near the stone fence. Lock on to the beggar and press the Give Alms button to toss him a coin. A cutscene plays in which he hands Kliff a strange wooden key, then vanishes into the shadows. You also receive three additional inventory slots.
Once the cutscene ends, look at the spot where the beggar was sitting. A trapdoor is now visible. Open it to descend into the sewers, which leads directly into the next sub-quest.
At the bottom of the stairs, take an immediate left down what looks like a dead end. A treasure chest sits at the far wall, containing the Grace Plate Helm — grab it before continuing.
Return to the main path. The floor crumbles in places here, and the game prompts you to use a Precision Jump (lock on to a landing spot, then press jump). You can also clear this section with normal jumps. At the end of the corridor, you’ll find a tied-up noblewoman calling for help. Lock on and interact with her.
At the end of the corridor, you’ll find a tied-up noblewoman calling for help | Image credit: Pearl Abyss (via YouTube/@GosuNoob)
After a cutscene, the woman hands you a Sealed Letter and tells you to continue caring for others. The letter cannot be opened yet. Pick up the items on the nearby table — they can be sold on the surface for extra coin — then retrace your steps out of the sewer.
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After exiting the sewer you’ll have two new objectives: Heart Beyond Borders and Actions Speak Louder Than Words. These can be completed in either order. Heart Beyond Borders is closer, sitting just west of the tavern, so tackling it first saves travel time.
Heart Beyond Borders — Retrieving the Cat
Head toward the town square on the northwest edge of Hernand. Near a notice board and a large stone house with a stone fence, you’ll find a child named Rulupee wearing a green cloak. Speak to Rulupee to learn that their cat, Jiji, is stuck on a nearby rooftop.
Speak to Rulupee to learn that their cat, Jiji, is stuck on a nearby rooftop | Image credit: Pearl Abyss (via YouTube/@GosuNoob)
Jump onto the wall of the house and climb to the roof. Jiji wanders around a bit, but once you’re close enough, press the interact button to pick the cat up. A cutscene plays automatically as Kliff returns Jiji to Rulupee.
After the cutscene, Kliff is kneeling on the ground next to a pendant. Pick up Shai’s Pendant to complete this sub-quest.
Pick up Shai’s Pendant to complete this sub-quest | Image credit: Pearl Abyss (via YouTube/@GosuNoob)
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Before you leave, climb the tower near the rooftop where Jiji was and ring the bell at the top. This unfogs a portion of the Hernand region map. There are eight bells total across the world that reveal the full map.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words — Cleaning the Chimney
Travel south of the castle town, either following the road or hopping the stone fence and heading toward the map marker. You’ll find a couple — Arlan and Lauren — arguing loudly outside their home while smoke pours from the building. Speak to them to learn that the chimney is clogged and needs cleaning. A broom is leaning against the wall by the front door; grab it.
Grab the broom leaning against the wall by the front door | Image credit: Pearl Abyss (via YouTube/@GosuNoob)
Climb the wall of the small house and get onto the roof. Open the radial wheel (press left on the d-pad) and equip the broom. It occupies the top-left slot, which has Plain Gloves equipped by default. Use the thumbstick to target that slot and cycle through your tools until you reach the broom.
Stand directly on top of the smoking chimney. Hold L1/LB to aim, then press R1/RB to sweep. You must be positioned right on the chimney opening for the prompt to work — standing beside it won’t trigger the action.
You must be positioned right on the chimney opening for the prompt to work | Image credit: Pearl Abyss (via YouTube/@GosuNoob)
After the chimney is clean, a cutscene plays. Arlan and Lauren reward you with lentils, apples, Hernandian Attire, and three more inventory slots.
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Don’t miss the Palmar Pill sitting on stacked boxes behind the house. This consumable revives you with 30 percent health upon death — extremely useful for upcoming boss fights. You can craft more later, so feel free to use it when needed.
Hernandian Attire and Hernand Castle Access
The Hernandian Attire you just earned isn’t just cosmetic. Guards at the gate to Hernand Castle will block entry unless Kliff is wearing the correct outfit. Equip the chest piece from your inventory, and the guards let you pass without issue. Inside the castle, you can check the reputation vendor for rewards tied to your Hernand Contribution level and pick up a free recipe in the castle kitchen. Later in the game, purchasing any piece of the Canta Armor set also grants castle access.
Each act of kindness also raises your Hernandian Contribution level, which represents your reputation in the region. Accumulating enough Contribution unlocks special items from regional vendors, so it pays to help every NPC you encounter. Once both Heart Beyond Borders and Actions Speak Louder Than Words are finished, Trials of Kindness wraps up, and the next quest line — Traces — begins immediately.
