Crimson Moon Walkthrough: Full Run Structure, Wards & Progression

This is a structure walkthrough — how a run is built, what the hub does, how Wards progress, and the boss chain — verified from official developer posts and first-day guides. Route-level detail below reflects the six named Wards and their confirmed bosses.

Last verified September 2, 2026 (one day after the September 1, 2026 launch).

How a Crimson Moon Run Works (Full Loop)

Every hunt follows the same five-step loop. Understanding this loop is understanding most of the game:

1. Depart from Sanctus Clypeus and approach the War Table.
2. Choose a Ward and a difficulty at the War Table.
3. Enter the Ward — fight through replayable missions (enemies, elites, mini-bosses, secrets, loot), grabbing Boons at Nexus Gates as you go.
4. Defeat the powerful boss at the end of the Ward.
5. Return to the hub, purify your gear, and spend your currencies before the next run.

A single mission runs about 15–45 minutes — closer to 15 when you know the content, closer to 45 with modifiers, exploration, and a boss.

Sanctus Clypeus Hub: Every Station & NPC

Sanctus Clypeus (officially "the Divine Shield," also called "The Church" in some coverage, formerly Crimson Hall) is your home base. The Knights of the Crimson Moon and the Lunitarian Church coexist there under an "uneasy alliance." It grows as you progress, unlocking more characters and services.

Stations:

• War Table — sits beside the Knight Commander; this is where every run begins.
• Loadout Station — equip weapons/armor, stock consumables, and choose the Angel for the run.
• The Crystal — after picking Mission 1 at the War Table, walk north, up the stairs into a room; the Crystal is in the center of that room, before the mission door. This is where you change loadout. There are 5 loadout save slots.
• Blacksmith — craft and upgrade gear.

You cannot change your loadout mid-run. Swaps happen only between runs at the hub (or via in-run pickups / shop buys). A failed run restarts at Mission 1.

The four NPCs:

The War Table: Choosing Wards & Difficulty

The War Table is the single entry point to a run. You select your next destination from the Wards scattered throughout Gildenarch, and you set the difficulty. As the war escalates, the War Table unveils new quests and escalating threats shaped by the Infernal Legion's advance — so the board is not static.

All Wards & Districts of Gildenarch

Gildenarch is a fallen holy city divided into regions you retake one run at a time. Each Ward contains multiple replayable missions with enemies, elite encounters, mini-bosses, secrets, loot, and a powerful boss at the end. The deeper you go, the greater the risk — but the greater the reward.

Gildenarch is divided into six Wards (official text also calls them districts), each ending in a powerful boss:

Nexus Gates & Boons During a Run

Nexus Gates are checkpoints spread through each Ward. At each one you pick one Boon from a choice of options (one of three), and these stack as you push deeper. They are temporary — they last only for that run and vanish when you return to the hub.

There are two kinds of Boons in total:

• Nexus Gate Boons — temporary, earned mid-run.
• Gear-borne Boons — permanent passives on equipment you've purified.

See the Builds page for how to shape a run around them.

Lore Scrolls & Merida: Unlocking More Boons

During a run you can pick up Lore Scrolls (glowing collectibles). Hand them to the historian Merida at the hub to unlock new Boons that can appear in future runs, and to open new dialogue. Merida can also exchange Souls for Blessings. Lore Scrolls also count toward collection and 100% completion.

This is the second path that turns a "failed" run into progress — even a run that ends badly can bank scrolls.

Bounties from Gallant

Before you leave, Gallant offers bounty quests — typically "kill N of a certain enemy type," which you'll do anyway on the way. Grab them every time; they're free progress.

Boss Route: What You'll Fight (In Order)

The boss hierarchy is a four-layer structure, confirmed across official and guide sources:

1. Mini-bosses — inside Wards (elite encounters).
2. Ward-end boss — the powerful boss at the end of each Ward.
3. World Boss — unlocked after you clear 3 districts in a row in a single run. There are 3 World Bosses.
4. The endpoint — opens only after all 3 World Bosses are cleared.

Solomon Moore is officially named as the vampire lord "architect of Gildenarch's demise" and the confrontation at the end of the campaign — the central human antagonist, above the district bosses and beneath the Dead Gods.

Named bosses that have surfaced (each needs in-game confirmation of where they sit):

The boss chain runs from the district bosses up through the three Dead Gods to the Archdemon of the Eclipse. For boss-specific strategy, see Boss Strategies.

What Happens If You Fail a Run

When the Life Pool is exhausted, the run ends — and you won't return to recover lost loot. Per the official wording, some progression is permanent:

You keep:

• Souls (the run's currency)
• Purified gear already in your collection
• Permanent upgrades
• Lore Scrolls and other collection items

You lose:

• Unpurified gear found on that run
• Temporary Nexus Gate Boons
• Run modifiers

You also return to the hub by choice — picking Abandon Run / End Session from the menu. Sometimes banking good loot and ending early is the smart play, not a surrender.

After the Campaign: Eclipsed Hunts & Skull Difficulty

Once the campaign is done, Eclipsed Hunts remix existing districts with randomized modifiers, tougher enemy groups, environmental changes, and better drops — all built from the districts you've already reclaimed.

Difficulty is measured in skull tiers. Higher tiers grant better drops and more experience, and loot rarity is capped by tier (including Legendary). This is the long-term grind driver.

How Long Does It Take?

A full campaign clear takes 10–20 hours depending on pace and difficulty:

• 8–15 hours for a medium-pace main campaign
• 15–20 hours for a focused campaign

100% completion (all district tasks, all main bosses, Nephilim to level 30, all Lore Scrolls, 1,000 enemy kills, deathless objectives) runs much longer.

Related Guides

• Beginner Guide — start here if you're new
• Boss Strategies — per-boss tactics
• Co-Op — playing with a friend
• Tips — efficiency and common mistakes
• Locations — the world map and hub
• Builds — shaping your Nephilim