I crossed over to his manor using a rope from the Dark Cupboard but there's a construct on the roof. I'm trying to sneak into the mage's bedroom but I think that involves sneaking behind it. I get caught everytime and I'm too low a level to fight those machines. Is there any way to distract the construct or otherwise sneak successfully past it in order to get to Arkemyr's bedroom?

Go left into the building and loot one of Arkemyr's robes (iirc there is one). If you put it on you can just walk past the Ironclad. But afaik you can also sneak past it. Use Sparkcrackers or Rokowa's Fingers to lure it away. 

IIRC the construct is very very bad at finding you. You could have 0 stealth and just sneak around and be fine. I've literally never had a problem doing the rooftop.

I also thought that but "I get caught every time" did puzzle me a bit.

Edited March 19, 20205 yr by Boeroer

To be able to sneak into the manor without anyone attacking you, you need to go in through the Dark Cupboard. Go upstairs and out through the window. Then shimmy across. From there (you can ignore or attack the construct here) you go left up to the tower area. Here's Arkemyr's private chambers. Most important stuff here is the Robe (put it on!) and read the journal, which has the passphrase you need. Go back and now head inside the manor. Go upto the imp and he will engage in conversation. Now you have the option to deceive him with the robes and the passphrase. I think you can without the passphrase if your bluff is high enough. 

Yes, I got onto the roof via the Dark Cupboard living area. There's a construct looking left between the door that leads further up the roof (left of map) and the door that leads into the second storey of the manor. My main character is a cipher rogue with some points in stealth and equipped with boots of stealth which give +2 stealth. I can skirt by the white circle of the construct but he just catches me everytime.

Huh? Either you are doing something wrong or its position and/or detection levels were changed.

I try and hug the wall but the construct always detects me. The white detection circle almost touches the wall.

Man unlucky. With me he always stands on the complete right side out of sight. Maybe time of day matters?