This guide provides the direct Dimhaven puzzle solutions you need to progress through The Lost Source, from the Alchemist's Orrery in the early game to the final Source Cipher. We cover every major story-gated puzzle step-by-step, giving you the logic and the final answer to get you moving again without wading through hours of video.

How to Solve the Alchemist's Orrery

This is the first major roadblock for many players, found in the Grand Observatory after acquiring the Star-Reader's Lens. The puzzle requires you to align the celestial bodies on the central orrery to match a specific configuration described in scattered journal pages. The goal is to replicate the exact alignment of the heavens from the night the Lost Source was sealed away.

Finding the Three Journal Pages

The solution is impossible without all three of Alchemist Valerius's journal pages. Their locations are fixed:

  • Page 1 (The Sunstone): On a lectern in the Observatory's main library, right next to the orrery itself. It describes the central star, Sol, and its required setting.
  • Page 2 (The Weeping Moon): Tucked inside a book in the upper gallery of the Observatory. You'll need to solve a minor sliding ladder puzzle to reach the correct alcove. This page details the position of the moon, Umbra.
  • Page 3 (The Outer Planets): Found on a workbench in the lens-grinding workshop, accessible through a side door from the main Observatory chamber. This page describes the alignment for the planets Aethel and Scintilla.

Aligning the Celestial Bodies

Once you have all three pages, return to the orrery. There are four rings to manipulate. Based on the journal's cryptic descriptions ("Umbra weeps at the seventh house," "Aethel chases the dawn"), the correct alignment is as follows:

  1. Innermost Ring (Sol): Rotate this ring until the large, golden Sunstone symbol is facing directly upwards, aligned with the spire on the ceiling. This represents the noon sun.
  2. Second Ring (Umbra): Turn this ring until the silver moon symbol is at the 7 o'clock position. The journal's reference to the 'seventh house' is a clock-face clue.
  3. Third Ring (Aethel): The 'chasing the dawn' clue means this planet should be just past the eastern position. Align the red planet symbol to the 4 o'clock position.
  4. Outermost Ring (Scintilla): The final page notes that Scintilla was 'in opposition' to Umbra. This means it must be directly opposite it on the dial. Align the blue planet symbol to the 1 o'clock position.

Once all four rings are correctly set, the orrery will lock into place and activate, revealing a hidden staircase down to the Undercroft.

The Correct Echoing Library Bell Sequence

Deep within the Athenaeum of Whispers lies the Echoing Library. A locked door bars your progress, inscribed with a musical staff. To open it, you must ring the five bells hanging in the chamber in a specific sequence. The clue is the "Corrupted Song Sheet" music scroll, found on a desk near the entrance to the bell chamber.

Interpreting the Corrupted Song Sheet

The song sheet contains a five-stanza poem, but water damage has smudged the musical notes themselves. The solution lies in the words. Each stanza refers to one of the five bells by its material: Bronze, Iron, Silver, Copper, and Gold. The order in which the stanzas appear to tell a story gives the sequence.

  • "The bronze giant sleeps third in line..."
  • "Before all others, the silent watcher sings..." (The Iron Bell is tarnished and 'silent' looking).
  • "The silver queen, last to take her throne... but one."
  • "The common copper, a humble second thought..."
  • "...And the king of gold, to close the final door."

The Five-Bell Solution

The poem is deliberately misleading. The true solution is derived from the narrative order and subtle hints within the text. The reference to the 'silver queen' being last 'but one' is the key that unlocks the logic. The correct sequence is not the order of the stanzas but the order of their claims.

Infographic showing the correct 5-bell sequence solution.

Infographic showing the correct 5-bell sequence solution.

The correct order to ring the bells is:

  1. Bronze Bell (The largest bell, in the center)
  2. Gold Bell (The bell hanging highest)
  3. Iron Bell (The darkest, most tarnished bell)
  4. Copper Bell (The smallest bell, to the far left)
  5. Silver Bell (The most ornate bell, to the far right)

Upon ringing the final bell, you'll hear a deep chime, and the massive stone door to the Scriptorium will grind open.

Fixing the Weeping Automaton's Gearbox

In the heart of the Brassworks, a massive, dormant automaton blocks the path forward. Its chest plate is open, revealing a 3x3 grid with empty slots. To reactivate it and clear the way, you must install three special Cognition Gears found throughout the level. This is a pure logic puzzle.

Locating the Cognition Gears

First, you must collect the three gears. They are not hidden, but they are in separate wings of the Brassworks.

  • Ruby Cognition Gear: Located in the Assembly Hall, sitting on the central control panel.
  • Sapphire Cognition Gear: Found in the Coolant Cisterns, partially submerged in a drainage sluice. You'll need to turn a valve to lower the water level to reach it.
  • Emerald Cognition Gear: On a shelf in the Foreman's Office, overlooking the entire Brassworks.

The 3x3 Gear Grid Solution

Return to the automaton. When you interact with the grid, a plaque reveals three rules for placing the gears:

  1. The Ruby Gear must be placed in a slot that is not on the outer edge.
  2. The Sapphire Gear must be adjacent (not diagonally) to the Ruby Gear.
  3. The Emerald Gear must be placed in a corner slot.

There is only one configuration that satisfies all three rules. The grid is numbered like a phone keypad, 1-3 on the top row, 4-6 in the middle, and 7-9 on the bottom.

Annotated diagram of the Weeping Automaton's 3x3 gear solution.

Annotated diagram of the Weeping Automaton's 3x3 gear solution.

  • Place the Ruby Gear in the center slot (5). This is the only non-edge slot, satisfying Rule 1.
  • Place the Emerald Gear in a corner slot, for instance, the top-left (1). This satisfies Rule 3.
  • Place the Sapphire Gear in a slot adjacent to the Ruby Gear, for instance, the middle-left slot (4). This satisfies Rule 2.

Any combination that follows this logic (Ruby in 5, Emerald in any corner, Sapphire next to Ruby) will work. Once the third gear is placed correctly, the automaton will whir to life, stand, and step aside, opening the path to the lower furnace.

Navigating the Shifting Labyrinth with the Abyssal Compass

The Shifting Labyrinth beneath the city is the game's most disorienting area. The layout changes periodically, and your map is useless. Your only tool is the Abyssal Compass, which doesn't point north but rather hums and glows when pointed toward a "Source Resonance."

Activating the Three Resonance Towers

To stabilize the Labyrinth and find the exit, you must first find and activate three Resonance Towers. These towers are tall, glowing pylons. You can locate them by following the compass's hum. As you get closer to a tower, the hum gets louder and the crystal on the compass glows brighter.

  • The First Tower (Eastern Passage): Found by generally keeping to the right-hand walls from the entrance.
  • The Second Tower (Flooded Sector): Located in a large cavern that requires you to wade through waist-deep water.
  • The Third Tower (Chasm Overlook): Situated at the end of a narrow bridge overlooking a bottomless pit.

Activating each tower sends a beam of light into the ceiling of the Labyrinth. You must activate all three to proceed.

Triangulating Your Path to the Center

With all three Resonance Towers active, the Abyssal Compass's function changes. It now points to the spot where the three beams of light converge. Your goal is to keep the compass needle perfectly centered. This is the new 'north.'

Follow the compass precisely. The Labyrinth will still try to shift and disorient you, often changing the path right after you pass through a doorway. Trust the compass, not your memory or the map. If you follow its direction without deviation, it will lead you directly to the center of the Labyrinth and the entrance to the final area: the Chamber of the Lost Source.

Unlocking the Final Door: The Source's Cipher

The very last puzzle in Dimhaven is the door to the Lost Source itself. It is sealed by a complex cipher lock with three concentric rings of symbols. The symbols are abstract, but you've seen them all before. The solution is a culmination of your entire journey.

How Past Puzzles Provide the Combination

The three rings of the cipher correspond to the three major logic puzzles you solved earlier. The key is to recall a specific element from each solution.

  • Outer Ring (The Orrery): The symbols on this ring match the celestial bodies from the Alchemist's Orrery. The correct symbol is the one that was placed in the final, outermost position: Scintilla.
  • Middle Ring (The Bells): The symbols on this ring match the engravings on the five bells from the Echoing Library. The correct symbol is the one from the final bell in the sequence: the Silver Bell.
  • Inner Ring (The Automaton): The symbols on this ring are the gems from the Cognition Gears. The correct symbol is the one from the gear placed in the central, pivotal slot: the Ruby Gear.

The Three-Ring Symbol Solution

Rotate the rings to align the correct symbols with the marker at the top of the door:

  1. Outer Ring: Align the Blue Planet symbol (Scintilla).
  2. Middle Ring: Align the Ornate Floral symbol (Silver Bell).
  3. Inner Ring: Align the Red Gem symbol (Ruby Gear).

With the three symbols aligned—Scintilla, Silver, Ruby—the lock will hiss open, granting you access to the Lost Source and the game's conclusion.

Frequently Asked Questions about Dimhaven's Puzzles

What if I miss a Cognition Gear?

You cannot progress without all three Cognition Gears. The Weeping Automaton is a mandatory story gate. If you've reached the automaton but are missing a gear, you must backtrack through the Brassworks to the Assembly Hall, Coolant Cisterns, or Foreman's Office to find it.

Is there a way to skip the Abyssal Compass puzzle?

No, the Shifting Labyrinth is a required area. There are no known glitches or sequence breaks that allow players to bypass activating the Resonance Towers and using the compass to navigate to the center.

What happens if I enter the wrong Bell Sequence?

Entering an incorrect bell sequence in the Echoing Library results in a low, discordant tone. A magical barrier will briefly shimmer over the bells, preventing you from trying again for about 30 seconds. There is no other penalty; you can attempt the sequence as many times as needed.

The Final Piece of the Puzzle

Dimhaven's puzzles are designed to be challenging yet fair, rewarding observation and logic over brute force. Each solution is embedded in the world's lore, turning every solved cipher into another piece of the story. Once you understand the underlying principles—astronomy for the orrery, poetry for the bells, and spatial logic for the automaton—the path through the city's mysteries becomes clear.