Online:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist

Arkasis the Mad Alchemist is a Nord and a brilliant alchemist who has been causing trouble around Skyrim for decades with his experiments. His current abode is the Stone Garden within Blackreach. Here he performs research and experimentation on behalf of his new patron. He wears the Eccentric Experimenter outfit style.

 

Related Quests



Quest-Related Events
Exploring Stone Garden
After you enter the Stone Garden, you'll witness the first encounter between Arkasis and Gwendis through a locked door:
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: "Hmph, these coven designs prove as inferior as I predicted."
:Gwendis: "You must be Arkasis."
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: ''"Aha. It's good to see my name is getting the recognition it deserves!"
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: "I'll give you the honor of basking in my brilliance, if you survive the demonstration. Hahaha!"
: 
:Gwendis: "I'm going after him. You keep moving!"''

Along the way you'll find him once again on several chambers, experimenting with Stone Husks which he then commands to attack you.
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: "You get to test my latest formula! Lucky you! Hahaha!"
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: "Unexpected results."
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: "How about some comparison testing?"

Before reaching the Testing Chamber, Arkasis will send some of his assistants after Gwendis, who is chasing him along the upper platform:
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: ''"Assistants! Swat this fly! She's interfering with my work!"
:Assistant Ingrid: "A bug, sire? Ah! D-don't come near Master Arkasis!"
: 
:Gwendis: "Poor chumps. Keep going! We've almost got him cornered!"''

The Stone Behemoth
thumb|right|Arkasis overseeing his experiment in the Testing Chamber
Once in the Testing Chamber, you'll fight his latest creation: the Stone Behemoth. He will be standing on a platform above near some machinery:
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: ''"Yes, yes, you'll do nicely! My assistants aren't fit to put this beauty through its paces, but you … you should yield results!"
: 

;Idling before Combat:
:"Hah! You are rightly awed! Marvel at my creation!"
:"Enough gawking. Wipe the drool from your chins and get on with the test!"
:"Do you expect me to watch you stand there agape like Rieklings watching ice thaw? Commence!"
:"Perhaps I made it too imposing. No, no. They would approve of peaceful subjugation. I shall make the next one even larger!"
:"Test subjects display minimal capacity for thought in the face of my brilliance. Unresponsive to even the simplest instructions."

During the fight, Arkasis will cycle elemental phases where his different concoctions will have different effects on the Stone Behemoth when thrown at it:
;Frost Phase:
:"This will freeze it harder than an Atmoran mountain, but it will flow like an avalanche!"
:"Even Ysgramor would quake in his boots before this mighty glacier!"
:"Now let's try temperature tolerance at the other extreme."
:"This frigid mixture can't be handled without very wooly gloves."

;Attacking:
:"I'm barely shivering! It should be colder! But not cold enough to freeze the formula. Hmm."
:"The frost salts to mirriam ratio is too low. A pinch more? Or substitute ice wraith essence?"
:"Maintains a healthy frost rime. I should try for more ice accumulation."
:"Note to self: artificial snow would make this feel more like home."

;Changing Elements:
:"Begin the thaw! I have more than I need."
:"Finish the heat exchange! It's time for something different!"
:"Commence defrosting!"
:"Reset to room temperature! I have another test!"

;Fire Phase:
:"This mixture creates blistering heat with no weakening of the stone. Don't let this splash on you! It will contaminate my findings."
:"Now witness the power of the sun cast in a stone mold!"
:"Blaze like a forge!"
:"Now! Ignition!"

;Attacking with Fire:
:"No, no. Too much heat dissipation. I must try a higher concentration."
:"Only a seven on my Inflagram index. Better dispersal of the formula should correct."
:"Still in the red spectrum? I want a brilliant white heat!"
:"Experiment's integrity unaffected. Same cannot be said for test subjects."

;Changing Elements:
:"Expunge that flame formula! I've seen enough!"
:"Purge the fire! Let's proceed with the next test phase."
:"Expel flame formula!"
:"It's about to explode! Haha!"

;Entering Shock Damage Phase:
:"No, no, no, no. No! You're damaging it! That's not how this should work!"

;Shock Attack:
:"Too static! Too static! Needs more randomization!"
:"Now which is more conductive …? You! Hahaha!"
:"Lightning test!"
:"What a shocking development! Only joking. I work from a precise model."
:"This dial makes everything more dangerous! I don't even remember why!"
:"Stand closer together. It needs to arc. Arc. Like an arrow. Oh, never mind!"

;Group Wipe:
:"Another brilliant success for Arkasis!"
:"Works as designed."
:"Superior to the Coven's witchcraft in every way."
:"Genius conquers all!"
:"I was really hoping for more data."
:"Good test subjects are so hard to find."''

After the defeat of the Stone Behemoth in the Testing Chamber, he'll rage quit:
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: ''"Failure? A failure? The design was flawless! Your little fly sabotaged my work, didn't she? Didn't she?"
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: "I have to rethink. A new approach. Unassailable! No more tests! Get out! I need focus!"''
: 

Arkasis's Laboratory
thumb|right|Welcome to Arkasis's Lab
Once you reach his main laboratory, Arkasis can be found inside the glass chamber in the center of the room which is connected to various devices. His greeting to you here will depend of how many Vitalizer Fluid tanks have their valves sabotaged through the dungeon.
;If none of the valves are closed:
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: ''"Fools! Meddlers! You've walked into the very crucible of creation! In this realm, I am god! I will oversee your unmaking from on high!"
;If at least one valve is closed but not all three:
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: "You've starved a few bloodknights of my precious formula. I'll just have to prepare an infusion of your blood!"
;If all three valves are closed:
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: "How am I to test my superior bloodknights when you've ruined the entire batch? I'll have to start all over with you!"
He proceeds to jump into a weird, enormous vat.
Gwendis will then walk in after finishing up from reading notes from a nearby bookshelf.
:Gwendis: "Well that escalated quickly. Don't worry, I found just the thing to help pry him out of that oversized alembic."
: 
:Gwendis: "These'll put hair on your chest. Down one and try tearing off some of those pressure valves!"

If you stay idle before beginning the fight, Arkasis will start talking:
;Idling Before Arkasis:
:"Surrender now and I'll spare you my most excruciating experiments!"
:"Simpletons! Can't you tell this is futile? I am invincible!"
:"Small-minded fools! Why do you always come when I am on the verge of a breakthrough?"
:"Is this dust? Dust! In my laboratory! Who last cleaned this chamber? Hm? Get out here and let these fools kill you!"
:"Are you planning? Is that what you're waiting for? You'll never outsmart me! Idiots!"

At this point, you can enable the Hard Mode by raising the banner of the Undaunted, at which Arkasis will say:
:"You mock me? The great Arkasis? I'll show you! I'll show everyone!"
:"Undaunted? You think I'll be bested by a pack of thick-skulled oafs? I'll show you how far beneath me you are!"
:"Declaring victory before we've even begun? Oh, you will regret underestimating me!"
:"That's it! It's disintegration for you! For all of you!"
:"Full power to everything! Everything!"

As you begin to break the Pressure Valves Arkasis will complain:
:"Hey! Stop that! How dare you! I will not be thwarted by my own creations!"
:"Stop that! Stop that this instant!"
:"Get your dirty paws off my equipment you animal!"
:"Brutes! Nincompoops! Dung-rolling hounds!"
:"I'll make you regret the damage you've done this day!"

He will not stay idle and attacks you with things like the Shock Emitters, as well as Stone Husks, his animal experiments and his assistants.

;Releasing Shock Emitters:
:"This should incapacitate you."
:"Restraining countermeasure charging."
:"This can subdue the most uncooperative test subjects."
:"You'll find I've improved the Dwarven designs."

While you are werewolves, he will eventually pump the antidote to the transformation down into the laboratory which reverses the effects. It also has the effect of killing any assistants in the room:
:"Enough! Let's see how you like my wolfsbane formula!"
:"I made that potion! You think I don't have an antidote?"
:"I can produce this counter agent all day!"

After this he will enter the battlefield himself, the first time this happens he will announce himself:
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: "If you want something done right you have to do it yourself."
: 
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: "I see some hands-on testing is required."

;Attacking you with directly with Fire Alchemy:
:"You may feel a burning sensation."
:"I love combustion! Haha!"
:"Let's see how you react with fire."
:"This will only hurt until you die."

;Attacking you with directly with Poisons:
:"Breathe deep."
:"Suffocate on my genius!"
:"You should never shake this. Oops."

Eventually he will return to the tube and summons some powerful Stone Husks. You can use the potions Gwendis throws down to counteract them.
;Activating Stone Husk:
:"Activate the constructs!"
:"Awake, my creations!"
:"Saturate the husks!"
:"Release the husks!"

;Summoning Apprentices:
:"Stop gawking and assist me you worthless assistants!"
:"Assistants! To my laboratory! Now!"

;Summoning Bloodknights:
:"Arise my newest creation! Have your first taste of the living!"
:"A bloodknight superior to Essenia's in every way!"
:"The revivification is complete! Come, you must be hungry!"''

;If the Vitalizer Fluid valves have been sabotaged, he'll fail to summon his Bloodknights and will only summon Alchemized Beasts instead:
:"I have more than bloodknights to deal with you."
:''"Destroying my bloodknights won't save you. I have other creations!"
:"Hahaha. Who needs bloodknights when I have so many other experiments on hand?"''

thumb|right|Arkasis transformed
After Arkasis's health is reduced to a certain amount, Gwendis' sabotage will have visible effects:
:Gwendis: ''"That should do it! Let's smoke him out of there!"
: 
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: "No! It's overloading. Let me out! Ahh!"
There is an explosion and Arkasis will appear, half his clothing burned off but transformed into living lightning.
:Arkasis the Mad Alchemist: "Aha! I've gone beyond mere flesh and blood! I am transcendent! Ahahaha!"

At this final point of the fight just fight until he is killed. He will sometimes attack you with a Shock Attack:
:"You'll find this invigorating."
:"A storm is brewing!"
:"This formula may shock you. Hehehe."

Of course, you can always wipe at which he will comment:
;Group Wipe:
:"Once again, my unassailable intellect prevails!"
:"Someone get in here and clean up this mess!"
:"Let that be a lesson to all of you! I am not to be disturbed!"
:"Hmph, my patrons attract too many pests!"
:"Ahahaha! Haha! Hahahahahahaha!"''

If one of players in the group dies he'll say: 
:"Death was the expected result."
:"Someone take this cadaver to storage!"
:"I look forward to your dissection."
:"My genius triumphs again! Haha!"
:''"You're bleeding all over my laboratory!"''

Skills and Abilities
The fight in his Laboratory has several phases which involve luring Arkasis out of the dome and the use of the Werewolf Behemoth transformation potions between the times he is on the ground.

First Phase — Breaking the Pressure Valves
When you start, Gwendis will provide Werewolf Behemoth transformation potions for the Bestial Transformation. Use them and begin breaking the Pressure Valves in the tubes arranged around the device Arkasis is in. As you do this, he will have Shock Emitters fire out of the device. If they are left alone they will continuously charge up an lightning attack which can affect those nearby. While they are charging (shown by the green-yellow AoE circle filling up), you can break them as a Werewolf Behemoth. 

Stone Garden Apprentices may also appear and harass you.

This first stage ends when Arkasis pumps the Wolfsbane Formula into the room which reverses the Bestial Transformation. It will look like a pale yellow mist on the floor.

Second Phase — Arkasis and Combustible Alchemy
When Arkasis enters the field, he will be wielding a dagger and a potion vial. In this round he will use fire attacks.
;Flaming Weapon : Arkasis coats his dagger in a combustible substance which causes a dangerous DoT that the healer should heal through or cleanse  
;Fiery Oil : He lobs a potion at the ground which causes a fiery AoE which stays around for awhile.

During this round there will also be adds released, up to three during the phases you fight him. These should be dealt with by the damage dealers quickly.
;Alchemized Animals: These include Alchemized Bristlebacks, Chaurus and Durzogs.
;Bloodknight Release: Bloodknights are also potential adds, the frequency they show up depends on how many Vitalizer Fluid tank valves you closed. 

When a damage threshold is reached he will retreat back up into his control station and activates his Stone Husks. At this point Gwendis will actively begin sabotaging the machinery.

Third Phase — Stone Husk vs. Werewolf Behemoth Phase
These Stone Husks will have much higher health that ones previously encountered. At this Gwendis will throw down more vials of the Bestial Transformation potion. Drink them and start beating up the Husks. Much like the first phase, Shock Emitters will be released as well as lab assistants. Eventually he will produce the antidote once more and comes back to fight.

Fourth Phase — Arkasis and Poisonous Substances
In this phase, Arkasis will use poisons in his attacks and much like before, adds will join in.
: 

At another damage threshold, he will retreat once more and release more Stone Husks. At this stage of the fight it is basically a cycle between the third phase of destroying the Stone Husks as Werewolf Behemoths and dealing damage to Arkasis when he comes down to the floor. This happens until you reach the final phase.

Execution Phase — Arkasis Ascendant
When his health hits   Gwendis will have completed her sabotage and the power directed to the central chamber will overload it, filling the glass tube with blue lightning which Arkasis is trapped in. When he escapes he will have been transformed into something resembling Lightning Form.

: 

Achievements
 
 
Notes
He is the subject of one of the Meet the Characters, where he is speculated to be the inspiration for one of Investigator Vale's earliest foes.
His scribbled lab notes and dissection logs can be found around Stone Garden, as well as orders to his assistants.