Arcane Tower

The Arcane Tower overlooking the Ebonlake.

Underdark
Decrepit Village
↑
		Arcane Tower	→	Selûnite Outpost

The Arcane Tower is a location in Act One, overlooking the Underdark's Ebonlake. The tower belongs Lenore De Hurst, however, she has not returned home in over a decade.

Overview

Access

Approaching the Arcane Tower is made difficult by the Arcane Cannons protecting it.

The area is divided roughly into the entry area, each floor of the tower, and the garden outside the bottom floor. Upon initial approach, the doors are shut and the central elevator is disabled, and floors must be accessed through other means.

The player can use the fungus platforms growing on the southern wall of the tower to jump their way down to the ground floor. It is a good idea to cast Feather Fall to prevent unnecessary fall damage. Alternatively, Flying or teleporting (via Misty Step) will also get the player down without issues.

To restore power to the tower - which will activate the elevator and deactivate the automated defences - the player will need to bring a Sussur Bloom to the power generator. Sussur Blooms can be found at the Garden just outside the door, or from the sussur tree in the Dread Hollow.

Interact with the Power Generator to bring up the crafting menu and use it to combine the machine with the Bloom. The tower will come to life, granting 25 experience and an inspiration point for the Guild Artisan background. Once the generator is powered, the arcane cannons power down, the arcane braziers become lit, and the elevator can be used to ascend and descend between the floors.

Layout

Arcane Tower layout

Level	How to access	Notable elements
4th Floor (Roof)	Can be reached by the elevator and/or flight.	This level contains Bernard, and the Guiding Light ring which is one method to visit the basement.
3rd Floor (Bedroom)	Can be reached by the elevator and/or flight.	Contains key elements that allows the player to converse with Bernard and other constructs peacefully.
2nd Floor (Main Entrance)	Can be accessed by the Main Door. Or flight and elevator if approaching from another level.	Contains the Chest of Mundane ( Mystra's Grace + two Scrolls) and 2x Arcane Cannons.
1st Floor (Greenhouse)	Can be reached by the elevator, flight, or by jumping or teleporting on the mushrooms on the tower exterior.	Contains the quest related items (Tongue of Madness, Timmask Spores). If the player does not wish to explore the rest of the tower, they only have to visit this one floor.
Ground floor (Generator)	The exterior Garden can be access by flight, jumping or teleporting on outside the tower. The locked 1st floor itself can be accessed by the Back Door or a Hole on the wall.	Contains the generator that allows you to restore power to the tower. The elevator itself is located on a mezzanine, with the rest of the basement beneath it.
Basement (Secret Room)	Can reach through elevator with the Guiding Light ring equipped, or by flying through a gap from the 1st level, or by using [Mage Hand] to activate a lever under the staircase, or by using a bow to activate the lever under the staircase through the staircase, or by activating the lever on the 4th floor hidden next to a bookshelf.	Contains treasures - including the Staff of Arcane Blessing, the Sparkswall, and another set of the quest items (Tongue of Madness, Timmask Spores).

First floor (greenhouse)

This floor can only be accessed by the restored elevator, by flying, or by platforming on the exterior fungus on the south side of the tower. This is a level that contains all the mushrooms required for the quest Help Omeluum Investigate the Parasite.

The other notable item on this floor is the Threadbare Book containing the phrase: "How can I trust? How should I know? How can I show myself, my darkest me?", which provides an additional option for interacting with Bernard on the roof.

Second floor (main entrance)

The main floor can be accessed directly through the front door of the tower, or via the elevator after it is powered. Opening the Main Door requires succeeding on a DC 15 Sleight of Hand check, or it can be broken down - it has  Medium Toughness and 36 hit points. Alternatively, there is a broken window to the left of the door that can be entered. Opening this door prior to the restoration of power will lead to a confrontation with two Arcane Cannons.

On the northern balcony is the Chest of the Mundane, which is revealed as magical with a successful Arcana check. Removing the clutter from the chest, or placing the chest near a Sussur Bloom, will dispel the illusion to reveal some scrolls and Mystra's Grace. The latter can provide the party an additional casting of Feather Fall which can help them avoid some damage trying to access the ground floor.

The southern balcony doesn't contain any notable items, but lets you access the exterior fungus platforms to the lower levels.

Third floor (bedroom)

The Roads to Darkness book on Lenore's desk.

This floor can only be accessed by the restored elevator or by flying. This floor contains documents that the player should inspect prior to ascending to the forth floor (roof), in order to have a peaceful interaction with Bernard.

• The Roads to Darkness can be found on the desk at the South-Eastern corner at X: -25 Y: -297.
• The Torn-Out Paper on the table close to the elevator at X: -35 Y: -286.

Aside from the books, the magical ring Mage's Friend can also be looted on this floor in a wooden chest by the bed, at X: -29 Y: -273.

The Engraved Githyanki Disc can be found on top of a bookshelf in the South-Eastern corner X: -31 Y: -296 and be read by Lae'zel to start the quest Discover the history of Prince Orpheus. If she is not available, it can be read after picking up The Careful Art of Tir'su Ciphers from the table near the elevator X: -32 Y: -292 and using it to read the disc (or after succeeding on a DC 20 Intelligence check.

Lastly, there is an interactable button at the north-eastern corner of the tower that appears to do nothing when pressed. To make it work, the player will need to retrieve and equip the Dog Collar from a grave in Dread Hollow at X: -41 Y: -212, prior to interacting with it. Doing so will reveal that the button served as a food dispenser for Lenore's pet, Myrna, as a piece of Raw Steak appears. The player can only do this once.

The fourth floor (roof)

This floor can only be accessed by the restored elevator or by flying. Upon arriving at the floor, a dialogue will trigger with Bernard, who is standing guard by the elevator along with a group of Animated Armours.

Bernard speaks strictly in poetry, with the scattered lines found throughout the Arcane Tower serving as various command phrases for him. In the first meeting, if the player has read The Roads to Darkness and responds with "Or art though friend, a rescue from my lonely wake?" it prevents Bernard from becoming hostile and attacking. Successfully doing this grants the player 50 Experience points.

Afterwards, the player will have several options/commands they can use with Bernard, depending on what they've read (see #Bernard's commands).

The Guiding Light ring can be obtained by reciting "How can I trust? How will I ever know? / How can I show myself, my darkest me?" from the Threadbare Book on the first floor, or by destroying Bernard in combat. It cannot be pick-pocketed. Destroying Bernard (or commanding them to drop their weapon) will also grant the player the Light of Creation halberd - a strong weapon that has significant drawback.

Lastly, there is a toppled stool of Hill Giant strength that the player and can sit on (after placing it back upright) and notice its magical effect. If they break the stool and pass the subsequent perception check, they can obtain the Club of Hill Giant Strength.

The basement (secret room)

Flying down to the secret basement room.

The basement can only be accessed by using the restored elevator with the Guiding Light equipped, or by flying. When the player approach the elevator with the ring equipped, an additional "Basement" button will appear at the controls, which grants access to the secret room when interacted with.

Alternatively, with access to flight, the player can take advantage of a gap between the first floor and basement stair well that will allow them to fly down to the secret floor without ever needing to interact with Bernard or getting the Guiding Light.

In the basement, aside from more Tongue of Madness and Timmask Spores, the player can also find:

Characters and creatures

• Bernard
• Arcane Cannon
• Animated Armour

Related quests

• Help Omeluum Investigate the Parasite
• Discover the history of Prince Orpheus

Nearby locations

View from the South

Torchstalk Gulch

To the east of the tower, this unnamed area of the Underdark has deep red mushroom clusters and spots of Torchstalk that cast floating embers into the air. The corpse of an unfortunate Drow can be found, having been killed by an unexpected fall.

The party can climb mushrooms along the wall to reach an upper level. Some of these mushrooms will be illusions that will de-materialise when stepped on or discovered with a DC 10 Investigation check. There are also two mushroom circles, on the upper level and below. These connect to each other, until the circle in the Overgrown Tunnel is used.

On the upper level is an illusory wall which leads to another mushroom circle, connected to the circle outside the Riverside Teahouse.

Festering Cove

Main article: The Festering Cove

The Festering Cove is a partially hidden location on a separate Underdark map, containing the Kuo-toa worshipping their god, BOOOAL. It can be reached by climbing down the cragged rock in Torchstalk Gulch X: 80 Y: -241.

Bernard's commands

Line	Action	Required book
"Or art thou friend, a rescue from my lonely wake?"	Bernard will acknowledge the player character as their master, and remain passive.	The Roads to Darkness (third floor / bedroom)
"How can I trust? How will I ever know? / How can I show myself, my darkest me?"	Bernard will give Guiding Light to the player character.	Threadbare Book (first floor / greenhouse)
"These empty sheets are all that's left of you. / The last of all the thoughtless gifts you gave."	Bernard will give the player character a Potion of Greater Healing.	Patched Parchment (table next to Bernard, forth floor)
"There is a light in every living thing. / It's crawling t'wards the surface to survive."	Bernard and the nearby Animated Armours become hostile and attack.	Evil's Ascent (second floor / main entrance, marked as Dusty Book before reading it)
"The silence stretches on - I'm all alone. / Please, can I hold your hands, for just a while?"	Bernard will hug the player character and reassure them. It speaks as if the player character is Lenore.	Torn-Out Paper (third floor / bedroom)

Notable loot

Notable items obtained in this location, whether looted, purchased, or obtained as a quest reward:

• Skybreaker inside a locked chest in-front of the tower X: 27 Y: 298

Forth floor (roof)

• Light of Creation looted from Bernard (can also use  Command: Drop)
• Guiding Light looted or gifted from Bernard after using the appropriate play line
• Club of Hill Giant Strength break the Stool of Hill Giant Strength on the 4th floor of the tower
• Mage's Friend in a chest on the 4th floor

Basement (secret room)

• Staff of Arcane Blessing
• The Sparkswall
• Uncovered Mysteries
• Level 3 Spell Scroll (randomised)

Chest of the Mundane

Chest of the Mundane, found on the southern balcony on the second floor (main entrance). It appears to contain worthless mundane items. If they are removed, or are in proximity to a Sussur Bloom, the enchantment fails, and instead the items can be seen to be Mystra's Grace and some randomised loot, including two scrolls.

Notes

• The Arcane Cannons and Animated Armours can be disabled by a Sussur Bloom, whether it is placed near them, or held by a nearby character.
• If line-of-sight of the Arcane Cannons is broken, such as by using a  Fog Cloud spell, they will be unable to fire.

External links

• Arcane Tower on the Forgotten Realms Wiki