Arcand the Mad is a side quest that appears in your journal when you first speak to Mad Arcand. He has lost a cursed ring aboard a shipwreck to the west, which he cautions you not to wear yourself. Returning it to him will earn you 300 xp and an Oil of Fiery Burning potion.
If the ring is worn despite Arcand's warnings, the quest can be still be completed, because he will take the ring from the wearer without requiring a Remove Curse spell.
If you do not have a high enough Reaction, he will show his extravagant nature:
| “ | There be pheasants and penguins and booberry trees between the greenest of skies and the whitest of seas (wertle, wertle, wertle, wooo, wertle-wooooo...). | ” |
— Mad Arcand | ||
Journal[]
Upon accepting the quest:
| “ | I encountered an old sage who goes by the entirely justified name of Mad Arcand. Through the froth of his insanity, some interesting clues have surfaced, however. He claims there is a ship along the shoreline containing something of value. He has asked, in his way, that I return this mysterious item to him, making sure not to use it in the interim. For all his apparent madness, however, I cannot help but be suspicious of this strange man. | ” |
— Journal | ||
Upon completion:
| “ | Oh Mad, Mad Arcand with your crumbling mind, your dizzying ditties are more cryptic than kind. But thanks for this bottle, whate'er it might be. Oh I'm tempted, so tempted to look in and see... but you've warned me against it and to your words I'll stay true, at least so long as I'm wanting to. | ” |
— Journal | ||
Bugs[]
The quest can be completed even without the required reputation by handing the ring to him, but you will not get the first journal entry and you wouldn't have a way to know that as you lack any skill in the Arcandian language (wertle wooo wooo).
If turning in the quest with a full inventory and the ring in the first inventory slot, the quest will be completed, the ring will be dropped on the ground, and no potion will be received, despite receiving the text that the ring was lost and the potion gained. This will prevent the exchange in the future, because the quest is marked complete. (Enhanced Edition v2.6.6.0)