[Gadgeteer Tom]

Have you gotten to 4th and 5th bough (signs are right and left of one's path when first approached). If so, you've met the Trynnie Gadgeteer to get detail about the Breeders ?

Hopefully you've grabbed some vine pieces (2 of them) before you got there ?

s
m
a
l
l

s
p
o
i
l
e
r

And you 'combined' the vines ?

And climbed up a ladder (after 5th bough) one way is a small pyramid that needs a specific object - the Breeders are the other way - but -

s
p
o
i
l
e
r

one of the 'dead ends' has a rope (that turns the cursor into a hand) to climb. You'll need a Rattkin key, which is in an unsecured building - guarded by Rattkin (no, it's not the "Don" - best not to kill him right away, he can get something for you - talk to him - but since he has no concern about the Breeders, I'll say no more here).