Arishok

"Fixing your mess is not the demand of the Qun, and you should all be grateful!"

The Arishok is the commander, and de facto spiritual leader of the Qunari expedition in the city of Kirkwall. He became stranded in Kirkwall after a storm destroyed his fleet off southern cost of the Free Marches. He resides in the Qunari Compound. He's the final antagonist of Act 2 of Dragon age II.

Background
A member of the ruling elite of the Qunari people, the name "Arishok" denoting his title and not his name. Much like Sten from Dragon Age: Origins gave "Sten" as his name, it was really his rank.

Approval
Being honest and agreeable to Arishok allows Hawke to earn his respect. When it is high enough, the player will obtain the achievement A Worthy Rival, and Hawke will be able to persuade Arishok during the Demands of the Qun quest regardless of Isabela's actions and without Fenris in the group.

Quotes

 * "Fixing your mess is not the demand of the Qun! And you should all be grateful!"
 * "I am here to satisfy a demand you cannot understand."
 * (to Hawke and Fenris) "I have a growing lack of disgust for you."
 * (to Hawke if the duel is declined and before the killing blow) "We will return.''"
 * (to Hawke if duel is accepted and won) "One day, we shall return."
 * (to Hawke, Full respect) "You alone are Basalit-an" (to nobles) "This is what respect looks like bas! Some of you will never earn it!"
 * (to Hawke, if the duel is declined) "Then all of you will die. The demand of the Qun is clear. Ataash varin kata. In the end lies glory."
 * (to Hawke if you admitted to have slain the qunari battle group) "Hawke....Your inevitable death holds great promise. I look forward to it, as should you."
 * (to frightened nobles) "Look at you. Like fat Dathrasi you feed, and feed, and complain only when your meal is interrupted. You do not look up. You do not see that the grass is bare. All you leave in your wake is misery. You are blind; I will make you see!"


 * Arishok: "Kill me and the duty that binds me is ended. The others will return to Par Vollen."
 * Hawke: "And if you kill me?"
 * Arishok: "Then you are dead."

Bugs

 * Decoy will leave the Arishok in a state unable to use any other abilities than health potions and spinning his weapons. Using a health potion will break this state and the Arishok will continue fighting as normal. The rogue ability Throw the Gauntlet will also break this state. Stunning the Arishok may also work.


 * When the Arishok impales Hawke and suspends him/her in the air, if positioned too close to the side walls, Hawke may be teleported up onto the raised platforms and be unable to get back down. Rogues can use Backstab to return to the fight.


 * Using two-handed weapons, attacks can go through the pillars located on both side of the lobby, but the Arishok's attacks cannot, except when he swings it around like dancing. Use this to your advantage.


 * Using Force Mage abilities can lead to the Arishok freezing in place, unable to attack for the rest of the fight. Confirmed for the spell Gravitic Ring. If the Arishok is at the center, where movement speed is reduced to 0%, he may remain that way even after the spell ends. He will usually recover after a few minutes.

Trivia

 * Bringing Fenris to your first meeting unlocks extra (and humorous) dialogue at the end of the main quest Blackpowder Promise.
 * The achievement King of the Hill requires the player to defeat the Arishok.
 * The Arishok appears in the "Destiny" trailer.
 * Despite his muscular build and use of large weapons, from a game engine perspective, the Arishok is technically a rogue, as he uses two weapons at once. Within the game's files, the axe and sword he uses in battles are classified as daggers.