Spire of Insight
Multi-floor riddle puzzle in the Steel Mountains
The Spire of Insight is a towering library structure in the Steel Mountains of Hernand. It contains a multi-floor riddle puzzle where you must find specific objects on each floor and place them into a golden bowl to activate an elevator. The spire has an entrance puzzle plus three interior floors, each with a cryptic riddle hinting at which items to collect. Completing all puzzles grants access to an Abyss Gate at the top, leading to the Chaos Forest — a floating island in the Abyss. The spire also contains valuable crafting recipes, including the highly sought-after Gold Bar alchemy formula.
Location
Steel Mountains, southeastern Hernand. East of the Eastern Goblin Camp and a small lake, south of Pororin Village.
Prerequisites
1. Complete the "Toll of Pywell" challenge to ring the bell in Hernand, which reveals the Steel Mountains section of the map. 2. Unlock the Blinding Flash: Concentrated Light ability (needed to burn away thorny vines at the entrance). 3. No main story quest is required — this is fully optional content.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Clear the Entrance Vines
Approach the Spire of Insight and you'll find thick thorny vines blocking the front door. Enter Blinding Flash stance and press the Focus button to use Concentrated Light, which burns the vines away. Alternatively, find a nearby brazier, light your arrow on fire, and shoot the vines.
Solve the Door Riddle — The Pebble
The plaque on the door reads: "When the bones of the earth awaken from their long silence and find their place, time begins to flow once more." Pick up a pebble from the ground near the doorstep and place it into the bowl protruding from the door. This unlocks the entrance.
Floor 1 — The Gravestone
The book reads: "Even after many years have passed, the traces left behind revive forgotten tales." Find the Gravestone on the desk to the right of the golden bowl, next to a colorful painting. Pick it up and place it into the golden bowl in front of the book. The elevator will rise to the second floor.
Floor 2 — Pen Tip & Telescope
The riddle reads: "Records filled with wisdom guide us to the past, while tools that look to distant places illuminate the future." Find the Pen Tip on a desk southeast of the golden bowl, underneath a large window. Find the Telescope on the opposite side of the floor (southwest of the bowl), on a desk near a bookshelf with a ladder. Place both items into the golden bowl to activate the elevator to the third floor.
Floor 3 — Celestial, Small Map Rotator & Sundial
The riddle reads: "The dance of the heavens, the turning of the earth, and the march of time all point to a single truth." Find these three items: (1) Celestial — on the ground between two bookshelves, underneath a window. (2) Small Map Rotator — to the right of the Celestial, on the third shelf up from the ground. (3) Sundial — on the third shelf up from the ground, next to the ladder. Place all three items into the golden bowl. IMPORTANT: Before leaving this floor, grab the Gold Bar Alchemy Recipe and the Two-Handed Weapons of the World Vol. 2 crafting book from the walls/shelves.
Enter the Abyss Gate
After placing the final items, the elevator takes you to the top of the Spire. Here you'll find an Abyss Gate. Walk through it to enter the Chaos Forest, a floating island in the Abyss. This completes the Spire of Insight challenge.
Rewards
Abyss Artifact x1
Obtained by completing the Chaos Forest Abyss puzzle accessed through the Spire's Abyss Gate. Grants one Skill Point for the Skill Tree to unlock or rank up abilities, or invest into core stats (Health, Spirit, or Stamina).
Gold Bar Alchemy Recipe
Found on the third floor. Allows you to craft Gold Bars using 3 Brimstone, 3 Mercury, and 10 Silver Ore at any Witch's workshop. Gold Bars are extremely valuable and sell for a high price, making this one of the best money-making methods in the game. Normally buying Gold Bars at a Bank costs 500 Silver each.
Two-Handed Weapons of the World Vol. 2
A crafting manual found on the third floor. Can be given to an equipment shop or smithy to unlock new two-handed weapon crafting recipes.
Access to Chaos Forest (Abyss)
The Abyss Gate at the top of the Spire teleports you to the Chaos Forest, a floating island in the Abyss. This is part of the Demeniss region's Abyss content chain and connects to the broader Path of Providence.
Conqueror of Spires (Trophy/Achievement Progress)
Completing the Spire of Insight counts toward the "Lands Meet the Sky" (Spires) challenge and the "Conqueror of Spires" trophy/achievement, which requires clearing all 8 spires in the game.
Tips
- The "place" command can be buggy. If you have trouble placing items in the bowl, try walking right up to it and using the "drop" command instead while facing the bowl.
- The Spire is very tall and visible from far away, so you can spot it easily while exploring the Steel Mountains.
- Do NOT leave the third floor without grabbing the Gold Bar Alchemy Recipe and the Two-Handed Weapons crafting book — these are easily missed and extremely valuable.
- If you don't have the Blinding Flash: Concentrated Light ability yet, you can light an arrow using a nearby brazier and shoot the entrance vines instead.
- Defeat the enemy horde guarding the entrance area before attempting to solve the puzzles.
- Each riddle hints at the items you need — read them carefully and look for objects that match the metaphors (e.g., "bones of the earth" = pebble, "traces left behind" = gravestone).
- Gold Bars crafted from the recipe require 3 Brimstone, 3 Mercury, and 10 Silver Ore. Stock up on these materials before visiting a Witch's workshop.
About the Spire of Insight
The Spire of Insight is an optional towering library structure in the Steel Mountains of Hernand (Demeniss region). It challenges you with a multi-floor riddle puzzle where cryptic clues direct you to specific objects that must be placed in a golden bowl on each floor to activate the elevator. Completing all four puzzles unlocks an Abyss Gate at the top leading to the Chaos Forest. The spire is essential for the Conqueror of Spires trophy and also contains the Gold Bar Alchemy Recipe, one of the most valuable crafting formulas in the game.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I burn the vines blocking the Spire of Insight entrance?
- Use the Blinding Flash: Concentrated Light ability by entering Blinding Flash stance and pressing the Focus button. Alternatively, find a nearby brazier, light your arrow on fire, and shoot the vines.
- I can't place items in the golden bowl. What should I do?
- The "place" command can be buggy. Walk directly up to the bowl and use the "drop" command while facing toward it. This workaround is more reliable than the standard placement interaction.
- Is the Spire of Insight required for the main story?
- No, the Spire of Insight is completely optional content. However, it is required for the "Conqueror of Spires" trophy/achievement and provides access to the Chaos Forest Abyss puzzle, an Abyss Artifact, and valuable crafting recipes.
- What happens after I complete the Spire of Insight?
- After completing the final puzzle, the elevator takes you to the top of the Spire where an Abyss Gate teleports you to the Chaos Forest — a floating island in the Abyss. There you can complete an additional Abyss puzzle to earn an Abyss Artifact (Skill Point). This is part of the Demeniss Abyss content chain.
- Where exactly are the three items on Floor 3?
- Celestial: on the ground between two bookshelves, under a window. Small Map Rotator: to the right of the Celestial, on the third shelf from the ground. Sundial: on the third shelf from the ground, next to the ladder. All three are spread around the room among the bookshelves.