Whiterun doesn't feel right without that tree. You know the one. You walk into the Wind District, expecting this explosion of pink blossoms, and instead, you're greeted by a skeletal, brown hunk of wood that looks like it belongs in a graveyard. It’s depressing. That’s why The Blessing of Nature Skyrim quest is usually one of the first things players tackle once they get their bearings in the Tundra. But here’s the thing: most people accidentally pick the "bad" ending because they’re just following quest markers like a zombie.
Danica Pure-Spring is stressed. She’s the priestess of Kynareth, and she’ll tell you straight up that the Gildergreen is dying. It’s a literal offspring of the Eldergleam, one of the oldest living things in Tamriel. To fix it, you need the sap. But you can't just use a regular iron dagger. You need Nettlebane.
Getting Nettlebane is a bit of a reality check if you’re low level. You have to head over to Orphan Rock. It’s a Hagraven nest. Honestly, Hagravens are some of the most annoying early-game enemies because their Fireball spells track you like heat-seeking missiles. If you’re playing on Legendary difficulty, one hit and you’re a crispy soul gem. Once you loot Nettlebane off the Hagraven’s corpse, you realize it’s a pretty terrible weapon. It’s dull, heavy, and ugly. But it’s the only thing that can cut the roots of the Eldergleam.
The Problem With Violence
When you bring the dagger back to Danica, she sends you to Eldergleam Sanctuary. This place is gorgeous. It’s one of those rare spots in Skyrim where the lighting actually feels magical. Bubbling streams, lush ferns, and that massive, towering tree in the center.
Here’s where the fork in the road happens.
If you just start hacking at the roots with Nettlebane to reach the trunk, the "nature" part of The Blessing of Nature Skyrim quest turns into a horror movie. The roots move. They shiver. Once you reach the top and harvest the sap, the sanctuary turns hostile. Spriggans start spawning out of the floor. These aren't your run-of-the-mill forest Spriggans; they will absolutely wreck the NPCs inside the cave. Maurice Jondrelle, the guy who probably asked to tag along when you left Whiterun, will likely die in three seconds.
Most players just kill the Spriggans, take the sap, and head back to Whiterun. Danica is happy, the tree eventually grows back, and life goes on. But you basically committed a hate crime against nature to get there.
The "Secret" Peaceful Path
Maurice Jondrelle is annoying. He’s a pilgrim. He walks slow. He has zero combat skills. Most players leave him at the door or tell him to get lost.
Don't do that.
If you let Maurice follow you all the way to the Eldergleam, he’ll have a literal heart attack when he sees you pull out Nettlebane. He begs you to stop. He says there’s a better way. If you listen to him, he prays to the tree. The Eldergleam responds by dropping a sapling.
This is the superior ending for a few reasons. First, nobody dies. No Spriggans attack. Second, it actually makes sense for the lore of a Kynareth worshipper. Why would a goddess of nature want you to stab her favorite tree?
The visual result in Whiterun is different, too. Instead of the old, gnarled tree magically coming back to life, the old tree is removed and a fresh, small sapling is planted. Over time, it grows. It feels more like a real cycle of life.
Why People Get This Wrong
Skyrim’s quest markers are a double-edged sword. The game tells you "Get the Sap." It doesn't tell you "Wait for the annoying NPC to talk to you." We’ve been conditioned by modern RPGs to ignore flavor dialogue and just sprint toward the glowing arrow.
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Also, Nettlebane is just weirdly heavy. People want to get the quest over with so they can drop the 10 units of weight from their inventory. But the "blessing" in the quest title is a bit ironic if you take the violent route. You aren't being blessed; you're being a thief.
Technical Glitches to Watch Out For
Let's talk about the bugs. This is a Bethesda game, after all.
Sometimes, even after you finish the quest and bring the sap back, the old dead Gildergreen model doesn't disappear. You end up with this horrific "tree-within-a-tree" glitch where the beautiful new blossoms are clipping through the dead brown branches. It looks like a graphic card’s nightmare.
If you’re on PC, you can fix this with the console. You usually have to select the old tree and type markfordelete. But be careful. If you delete the wrong thing, the Wind District will just have a giant hole in the ground forever.
Another common issue is Maurice. He has the pathfinding of a roomba. If you fast-travel too much, he might get stuck on a mountain near Valtheim Towers. If he’s not with you when you enter the sanctuary, you can't get the peaceful ending. If you’re committed to the sapling route, you basically have to babysit him the entire way from Whiterun to the cave. It’s a long walk. Bring some ale.
Real Rewards and Outcomes
What do you actually get for doing all this?
- Restoration Training: Danica becomes a Master-level Restoration trainer. This is huge. Restoration is a pain to level up naturally.
- The Gildergreen: Whiterun looks significantly better. It affects the mood of the whole city.
- Kynareth’s Favor: While there isn't a permanent buff icon in your menu, completing the quest is often a prerequisite for other radiant "Letter from a Friend" triggers.
The The Blessing of Nature Skyrim provides is mostly aesthetic, but in a game where you spend hundreds of hours in the same hubs, aesthetics matter.
How to Handle the Quest Right Now
If you are sitting with Nettlebane in your inventory, stop.
Check if Maurice is still alive. If you lost him, maybe backtrack. If you don't care about the "nature" lore, go ahead and stab the tree. Just make sure you’re ready for the Spriggans. They use a swarm attack that drains health rapidly, and in the cramped quarters of the sanctuary, it’s easy to get cornered.
If you want the "true" restoration of Whiterun, take the sapling. It’s the choice that feels like it actually belongs in a world of Elder Scrolls.
Next Steps for Your Playthrough:
- Check your carry weight: Nettlebane stays a quest item until you show it to Danica, but it still weighs you down.
- Locate Maurice: If he’s not in the Temple of Kynareth, check the road between Whiterun and Ritual Stone.
- Equip Fire Spells: If you go the sap route, remember that Spriggans are weak to fire. Flames or Firebolt will be your best friends in that cave.
- Finalize the City: Wait 24-48 in-game hours away from Whiterun after turning in the quest to ensure the cell resets and the new tree model loads properly.