A Confluence Conundrum

I trust you've affixed a soul shard to your person? They won't do a thing languishing in the bottom of your bag!

Knowledge itself is neutral. The concepts of good and evil only exist in the heart of man...

Accepting the quest

Back on the South Horn, the only way into the Forked Tower was by way of the aetherial node that appeared durin' those auroral mirages.

Assumin' a similar node exists on this part of the island, we ought to look for the structure housin' it. If me hunch is correct, there'll be a confluence connected to the tower nearby, so keep yer eyes peeled.

I'll also be takin' a look around meself. Get in touch via linkpearl if ye find anythin'.

Optional dialogue

The isle is hidden from the outside world, and the towers are hidden from the rest of the isle... To warrant such stringent precautions, the knowledge contained therein must be unimaginably dangerous.

You and your companions cannot see the towers under normal conditions...

Examining the confluence

While this does appear to be a confluence, the flow of aether is barely perceptible.

Regardless of whether this location is actually linked to the Tower of Magic or not, Ketenramm will wish to hear your findings.

Start of cutscene.

Well, it's definitely a confluence.

And this structure's almost identical to the one on the South Horn. I think it's safe to say this is where the aetherial node ought to be.

But something's not quite right...

I'm not sure if arcane trickery's to blame, but this pavilion's completely inert right now.

No point in us ponderin' out here though. Let's head back to camp and see if we can't chip away at the Archive's seal some more.

End of cutscene.

Optional dialogue

I'm guessin' the Archive still relies on what you've seen and learned to unlock his knowledge. Let's give it a try, shall we?

Found the pavilion, did you?

Speaking with the Archive

Start of cutscene.

Ketenramm tells me you found a confluence by the pavilion. Pray share more details.

Judging by your account, I believe the confluence does indeed connect with the Tower of Magic.

Ah... And there goes the familiar sensation of the seal eroding.

Any ideas as to why we can't use the aetherial node?

Several. But let me first touch upon the Forked Towers themselves.

Over fifteen hundred years ago, the island's architect foresaw a calamitous disaster, and thus sought to preserve a facet of all civilization here on the Occult Crescent.

But to do so would mean storing the very knowledge that imperiled the world in a single location. Measures to prevent its misuse would be essential.

Hence the ward and all the storms in Shades' Triangle?

Precisely. And it is the Forked Towers that form the backbone of this approach...

The Tower of Blood to project those deadly storms, and the Tower of Magic to maintain that impenetrable ward.

Both undertakings require highly advanced techniques and near-constant monitoring. Which is why the towers are manned. As I've said before, I believe it is the architect himself who resides in the Tower of Magic.

So the towers are both conduits for all that magic...and humble abodes for the overseers.

Seems like a lot of bother just to keep one tiny island hidden from pryin' eyes...

What will you say?

A tiny island packed with potentially world-ending knowledge...

So you feel the same way...

Even prying eyes don't deserve to be trapped against their will!

So that's your belief...