Where the first dungeon’s secret room is
The first dungeon’s secret room in RuneScape: Dragonwilds is reached by using Windstep to jump into an opening high on the wall. Inside, you can collect another Vault Core, loot a chest, and operate a lever. If you are stuck outside a closed gate, the route you need starts downstairs, near a broken pillar and a corridor with wall spikes.
This guide covers Crasorak Kara, the Dragonkin Vault in Temple Woods. It appears first in the wiki’s standard progression order, although players can visit several vaults in a different order. That distinction matters because community discussions sometimes call other locations the “first dungeon,” leading to directions that do not match the room in front of you.
| Detail | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Vault | Crasorak Kara |
| Region | Temple Woods |
| Listed power level | 2 |
| Hidden entrance | An elevated opening above the lower passage |
| Access spell | Windstep |
| Main secret-room reward | The second Vault Core |
The Temple Woods vault can be found by following the road east to its end. Vault locations appear on your map after you discover them, so an undiscovered entrance may not already have a marker.
Inside, the important distinction is between the upper passage leading to the secret room and the lower passage leading to a separate chest. Exploring the lower route does not mean you have collected everything in that chamber.
These directions follow the Temple Woods layout documented in April 2025 walkthroughs. If the landmarks do not match, check which vault you entered before following instructions for another dungeon.
Prepare Windstep and enough supplies
Unlock Windstep before making a trip specifically for the hidden room. The spell becomes available at Runecrafting level 8 and costs five Air Runes per cast. Bring additional runes so a missed jump does not leave you unable to try again.
You also need to reach the room safely. The route passes guardians, giant rats, and timed traps, so preparation should cover both combat and movement.
| Preparation | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Windstep unlocked | Provides the jump needed for the elevated entrance |
| Five Air Runes per cast, plus spares | Allows another attempt if you miss the opening |
| A ranged weapon | Lets you damage guardians before closing the distance |
| A melee weapon | Gives you an option when enemies reach you |
| Rest, food, and water | Helps you maintain stamina during exploration |
Rest, eat, and drink before entering. A long vault run becomes harder when exhaustion reduces your available stamina, particularly when you need to cross traps and then fight immediately afterward. Top up before committing to another unexplored corridor.
The secret is primarily a navigation challenge, but enemies along the approach still need attention. Clear the nearby threats before studying the upper walls. Looking for a small opening while a guardian attacks makes both the search and the jump unnecessarily difficult.
There is no need to make a particular weapon enchantment part of the room-opening process. The access method is Windstep; combat equipment helps you survive the journey to the jump.
Follow the route to the elevated opening
If you have already collected the first Vault Core, continue through the hallway on its right and cross the traps. Otherwise, use the following landmarks to reach that point.
Reach the first Vault Core
From the vault entrance, climb the stairs on the left and defeat the Sentinel ahead. The room to your left contains two giant rats and a chest beside the stairs. Clear it and collect the loot before returning to the hallway.
Turn left in the hallway to reach a room with three guardians. A ranged weapon can help reduce the group before you fight at close range. After clearing the room, loot its chest and take the passage in the northeast corner.
Cross the trap by watching its timing, then use the stairs to reach another room with three guardians. You can draw enemies toward the traps you just passed, but take care when moving back through that corridor yourself. Once the room is clear, collect the chest behind the pillar and the first Vault Core.
Find the broken pillar and look up
Continue through the hallway to the right of the first core and past the traps. The next branching area contains the route to the elevated room.
Use these steps when approaching from the closed gate:
- Face the gate in the large room where several paths meet.
- Turn right, then immediately take the left route down the next stairs.
- Stop before the corridor with wall spikes.
- Find the broken pillar lying on the floor and stand on it.
- Look toward the upper corners of the walls for a high opening.
- Use Windstep to jump into the opening, then follow the passage into the room.
The opening is easy to overlook because it sits above the routes you naturally inspect while walking. Check the wall above the broken pillar instead of continuing to search along the floor.
| Passage | Destination | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Lower doorway | A separate chest | Cross the spike trap |
| Upper opening | Second Vault Core, chest, and lever | Jump up with Windstep |
If you can reach the lower chest but still cannot enter the room above, return to the broken pillar and adjust your view upward. The lower passage is a useful side trip, but it does not replace the elevated approach.
The directions to turn right and then left assume you are facing the closed gate in the branching room. Applying those turns from the vault entrance or another corridor will send you elsewhere.
Collect the secret-room loot and open the return route
Once you reach the upper room, collect the second Vault Core and loot the chest. Activate the lever before leaving. This lets you open the gate from inside and continue through the vault without relying on the jump as your only route through that section.
The hidden room is part of a vault containing three Vault Cores. It is worth checking your progress against their locations before heading out.
| Vault Core | Location | Main obstacle |
|---|---|---|
| First | Guardian room reached beyond the northeast passage and traps | Several guardians |
| Second | Elevated secret room | Finding the opening and using Windstep |
| Third | Locked room near the vault entrance | Opening the route and defeating the Vault Overlord |
After operating the secret-room lever, continue straight to another lever. This opens the route back toward the entrance and the previously locked room. The two levers belong to successive parts of your return route, so do not assume the lever beside the hidden loot completes every door interaction.
The final chamber contains the Vault Overlord. Prepare before entering: this enemy has substantial health and attacks with repeated punches. Watch the attack timing, parry when you can, and use the openings afterward to strike. Defeat it and collect the remaining core.
Vault Cores are useful beyond completing the dungeon. They are needed for teleporters and crafting facilities such as the Smithing Forge, making the elevated room a valuable stop during an early visit.
If your immediate goal is the secret room, collect its core, chest, and lever before moving on. That gives you a clear checkpoint even if you decide to postpone the Overlord fight.
FAQ
How do I open the first dungeon’s secret room?
For the runescape dragonwilds first dungeon secret room, find the broken pillar before the wall-spike corridor and look for an opening high in the corner. Use Windstep to enter it, collect the loot, and activate the lever inside. The closed gate is opened after reaching the room through that upper route.
Is the lower chest passage the secret entrance?
No. The lower doorway leads past a spike trap to a chest. The second Vault Core is in the elevated room reached with Windstep. If you have opened the lower chest but have only collected the first core, you still need to explore the upper passage.
Can I reach the room without Windstep?
Windstep is the documented access method for the elevated entrance. Unlock it at Runecrafting level 8 and bring at least five Air Runes for a cast. Carrying extra runes lets you retry the jump without leaving to replenish them.
Do I need to speak to an NPC inside the dungeon?
Speaking to a quest NPC is not part of this secret-room route. Directions about finding a seated character beside a lever refer to a different dungeon. In the Temple Woods vault, focus on the branching room, the broken pillar, and the opening above the lower corridor.
What happens if I die while searching?
Dying inside a Dragonkin Vault places your gravestone outside its entrance. Return there to recover your belongings. Before heading back inside, restore your supplies and check your Air Runes so you can continue searching and attempt the elevated jump again.
