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It is an unsettling place at times…
~ Trindig

Teir Nowneth (simply called Tower in-game) is a three floor structure, looming over the west part of Heritage Hill, in Pillars of Eternity.

The door is sealed, and entrance can only be gained through the words, learnt from the Acolyte during Never Far from the Queen.

Background[ | ]

The ancient Engwithan tower was built some two thousand years ago, designed around a massive adra-powered machine designed to contain souls and anchor them. It's unique across the Dyrwood, as it's the only one of its kind, speculated to be an experimental device from the earliest days of Engwithan soul manipulation experiments. Other machines constructed by them are designed as relays, to move souls across distances instead of containing them.[1]

Abandoned with the collapse of Engwithan society, the tower lay dormant for centuries. When New Dunryd was founded, it acted as a focal point for the prestigious Heritage Hill district, home to many of the city's most influential families.[2] With the rise of animancy across the Dyrwood and the Leaden Key's interest in containing it, it was only a matter of time until it came into play. When Aldhelm Graeg, a renown animancer, was commissioned to research the tower in 2823 AI, the Key struck: An infiltrator was sent eleven days into Aldhelm's research, activating the dormant machine and tethering the souls of all in the district to their vessels, laying the groundwork for the Heritage Hill incident.

Aldhelm and Graeg became the first victims, spreading the plague of undeath, just one piece in Thaos' plan to discredit animancy.

Points of interest[ | ]

Located amidst the structures of Defiance Bay's Heritage Hill, the entrance to this Engwithan ruin is sealed, guarded by victims of the recent events in the district. To gain access, knowledge of the correct command words is necessary, which can be learnt during Never Far from the Queen from the Acolyte.

Level 1
  • The first floor is dominated by an adra device, an Engwithan machine, which was the research objective of the animancers. It is centered in the main hall, but its highest parts reach through the ceiling, right into the next floor. It constantly emanates noises of an electrical kind, creating an impression of pulsating energies inside. Some of the surrounding chambers contain furniture, and the typical animancy-lab-equipment is also to be found.
  • Several types of undead will attack any visitor, infesting the main room and the adjacent chambers.
  • The table contains two documents: a crumpled page from Aldhelm's journal and Trindig's letter. In the back room is a page from Aldhelm's journal.
  • The stairs to the second floor are located in the northeast.
Level 2
  • The second floor is entered from the northwest. It's a large, open hall and the machine continues here – and even further way up to the skies. Again it's an area with signs of research, and, except for skeletons, the undead roam here, too. Bookcases are arranged along the walls, and several notes, letters and books can be found on tables, amongst them an edition of The Works of the Engwithans – A Comprehensive Guide. The table contains another page from Aldhelm's Journal, while the bookcase near the device has a folded page from Aldhelm's journal.
  • Check the table in the south-eastern inlet for a Sigil of the Arcane and a letter from Icantha.
  • The staircases continue in the southwest.
  • High Arcanist Ysly can be found in the eastern half of the floor, if her bounty is active.
Level 3
  • At the top of the tower, the Engwithan machine in the center is flanked by a pedestal of adra. No walls surround the floor to block the view on the Heritage Hill. The energetic aura of the machine seems to produce draft, but also attracts the clouds. The adra pillar is covered with Engwithan runes. A lone figure stands besides, an undead creature… But when nearing him, he turns to be a sentient undead, a still intelligent human being, aware of his condition, struggling with the machine and hapless trying to deactivate it: Master Aldhelm Graeg.

Characters[ | ]

Enemies[ | ]

Vessels:

Loot[ | ]

Note: For a complete list of random loot found in Teir Nowneth, see here.
Tower Level 1:
Armoire:
Debris (Hidden, Difficulty 4 - Northern hallway):
Table:
Tower Level 2:
Bookcase (northeast):
Bookcase (Hidden, Difficulty 5 - Northern bookcases):
Bookcase (northwest):
Shelf:
Table (south):

Behind the scenes[ | ]

  • This area contains developer commentary, triggered on the second and third floors.
The layout for this level was inspired by [the] Severed Hand level in Icewind Dale I. It made it easy to go to the environment artist and say "make the scene look just like that."
~ Jeff Husges, Senior Designer (level 2)
At one point there was a sequence where the party leaped off the tower as the machine exploded Die Hard style. There were a lot of sad faces when it was cut, but something similar will probably make it back in for the expansion. Besides, once the background for this area was done and it became evident how tall the tower was, it didn't seem plausible that the party could possibly survive the landing.
~ Jeff Husges, Senior Designer (level 3)

Map[ | ]

References

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