I think it would be a good idea to have a few more connections, as suggested. Having Nicolo be connected to the gnome is perfect, but I feel he needs at least one more in order to not feel like he's just an outlier who's only there to get into the tower.
For some reason, I feel he could know Arcata. Not entirely sure why, but they do both have a connection to magic they don't understand. And, he could help her learn the peace of mind to control her power. In fact, that could be how they know each other. Perhaps the mages who held her tried to get her to learn discipline by employing a Monk, and that monk was Nicolo, who, at the time, was taking every chance he could to get out of the Monastery. The lessons may not have stuck, but it's a thought. Or something like that.