The Alchemist, Balthazar, waits in stasis inside the Ancient Vault – Alchemist, northwest of the Ancient Spire – Springlands. Freeing him is the goal of the Powerful Alchemy quest, and it opens up potions, spells, and caster armor at your base. The fastest way there is to glide off the spire, follow the road past Harvest Homestead, and clear the vault to the capsule chamber at the top.
Quick answer: Glide northwest from the top of Ancient Spire – Springlands toward Harvest Homestead, follow the stone road west to the Ancient Vault – Alchemist, climb to the upper chamber, and press E on the glowing capsule to awaken Balthazar.
What you need before heading out
A few things make the trip far easier, and two of them are effectively required to cross the terrain north of your base.
- Character level 3, since the enemies along the route and at the vault scale to that level.
- The Glider and the Grappling Hook, both crafted at a Workbench, to pass the barricades and cross the gorge.
- The Ancient Spire – Springlands completed, so you can fast-travel to its top and glide west.
- The Powerful Alchemy quest active, which marks the vault on your map after you interact with your Flame Altar.
You reach Powerful Alchemy by finishing the Blacksmith’s Ancient Spires quest, then activating the marker at your Flame Altar. The Grappling Hook is a quest reward, and both traversal tools are cheap to build. Their recipes use the following materials.
| Tool | Materials |
|---|---|
 Glider | Shroud Wood x8, Animal Fur x2, String x2, Shroud Spores x2 |
 Grappling Hook | Metal Scraps x4, String x7, Shroud Spores x10 |
Completing the Blacksmith’s Elixir Well quest first is optional, but it unlocks the Alchemist objective and hands you useful gear and materials on the way.
Route to the Ancient Vault – Alchemist
The vault lies west-northwest of the Ancient Spire – Springlands, beyond Harvest Homestead. Launching from the spire lets you glide almost the entire way in a single flight.
Clearing the vault and reaching Balthazar
Inside, you fight through a handful of scavengers while climbing toward the capsule chamber on the upper floor. Watch the red floor spike traps on the stairs.
How to confirm the Alchemist is freed
Interacting with the capsule shows the “Awaken Survivor” prompt and triggers a “Soul Discovered! Balthazar” message. At the same moment you unlock the Bonemeal at Grinding Stones recipe, and the objective updates from “Find The Alchemist” to “Summon The Alchemist.”
From here, fast-travel back to your base and use your Summoning Staff to place Balthazar in a sheltered building, the same way you set up the Blacksmith. You can even put him in the same house. Completing the full Powerful Alchemy quest awards 1500 XP. Until he has a roof, he will only offer his basic recipes.
Items and loot tied to this run
Balthazar is the Alchemist craftsperson, with 247 recipes covering potions, spells, and magic armor across the Grinding Stones, Mortar, Alchemy Station, and Laboratory workstations. Here are the verified details for the items and materials you handle on the way to and inside the vault.
| Item | Type | Rarity | Item level |
|---|---|---|---|
 Explosive Powder Ball | Throwable (Fire) | Common | 10 |
| Grappling Hook | Tool | Uncommon | — |
 Shroud Spores | Material | Common | 5 |
 Metal Scraps | Material | Common | 5 |
 Shroud Wood | Material | Common | 5 |
 Animal Fur | Material | Common | 5 |
 Bonemeal | Material | Common | 5 |
The Explosive Powder Ball from the hidden chest throws on a 1-second interval and deals Fire damage that scales with your Dexterity, so it stays useful well beyond this dungeon. Bonemeal, the recipe you unlock the instant you wake Balthazar, is produced at the Grinding Stones and feeds into Fireball spells and much of the Alchemist’s early crafting. With him settled at your base, those healing potions and staff spells become the backbone of a magic-focused playstyle.
