So, you’ve made it to Solstheim. You’ve dealt with the Ash Spawn, maybe you’ve had a weird dream about a shrine, and eventually, you find yourself staring at a giant mushroom that looks like it’s seen better days. This is Tel Mithryn. It’s the home of Master Neloth, the most arrogant, brilliant, and honestly hilarious Telvanni wizard in the history of the Elder Scrolls. But there’s a problem. One of his towers is dying. It’s withered. It’s drooping. It’s basically a magical structural failure.
Healing a house Skyrim style isn't about hammers and nails. It’s about biology. Specifically, mushroom biology. If you’re looking to get on Neloth’s good side—or at least stop him from complaining for five seconds—you need to finish the quest "Healing a House." It sounds straightforward, but because Skyrim loves its weird glitches and vague quest markers, people get stuck here all the time.
Master Neloth is a pill. We know this. But his steward, Varona Nelas, usually handles the chores until she... well, let's just say she becomes unavailable. After you find her successor, Neloth eventually points out that his apothecary tower is "withered." He needs you to find the root cause. Literally.
Why Tel Mithryn is Actually Dying
You can’t just cast a Restoration spell on a house. That’s not how Telvanni architecture works. These towers are living organisms grown from fungal spores and shaped by intense sorcery. When one starts wilting, it’s usually because the "taproot" is thirsty or diseased. Neloth sends you to the headwaters of the Harstrad River to soak some taproots.
It’s a trek. Solstheim is a miserable place full of burnt ground and things that want to eat your face. You’re looking for a specific spot where the water is pure enough to rejuvenate the fungal roots.
The Struggle with the Taproots
First off, you need three taproots. You might already have some in your inventory from killing Spriggans back in Skyrim. Don’t use those yet. You need to talk to Elynea Mothren first. She’s the one actually managing the "health" of the mushroom. She’ll give you the specific instructions, which involve soaking the taproots in the headwaters of the Harstrad River.
The river is located north of Raven Rock, tucked away in a spot that’s easy to miss if you’re just sprinting through the ash. Look for the Harstrad Cave. Once you’re there, you’ll find a small pool. You dunk the roots. Simple, right?
Well, not always.
The game can be finicky about the "soaked" status of the items. Make sure your quest log updates. If it doesn't, you're just standing in a puddle holding old wood. Once they are soaked, they become "Soaked Taproots," a unique quest item. Now you have to head back to Tel Mithryn.
Planting the Cure
When you get back, Elynea tells you to go into the withered tower. It’s the one that looks like a dried-out husk compared to the main spire. Inside, you’ll see the "Root" of the building. It’s a prompt you have to interact with.
You plant the soaked taproots.
Suddenly, the quest feels done. But wait. There’s a catch. The tower doesn’t just "poof" back into existence like a pre-fab home in Hearthfire. You have to wait.
The "Wait" Problem in Healing a House Skyrim
This is where most players think their game is broken. You plant the roots, you talk to Neloth, and nothing happens. The tower still looks like garbage.
Honestly, the game just needs time to reset the cell. Leave Tel Mithryn. Go do something else. Go hunt a dragon or explore a Black Book. You need to wait at least 24 in-game hours—though I usually recommend 48 just to be safe—before the physical model of the tower updates. If you stand there staring at it, the mushroom won't grow. A watched pot never boils, and a watched Telvanni tower never hydrates.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often confuse this quest with the general maintenance of the settlement. Healing a house Skyrim isn’t just a one-off favor; it’s a prerequisite for getting better access to Neloth’s resources.
- The Spriggan Issue: You can’t just use any taproot you found in a chest in Whiterun. The game specifically checks for the soaked version.
- The Level Requirement: You generally need to have started the "Reluctant Steward" quest first. You can't just walk up to a healthy Tel Mithryn and start "healing" things.
- The Reward: Don't expect a pile of gold. Neloth is a miser. Your real reward is the ability to use the staff enchanter and getting closer to obtaining those sweet, sweet Black Books.
The "Staff Enchanter" is the big one. It’s the only one in the game. If you want to craft your own staves without relying on random loot drops, you need Tel Mithryn to be fully functional. Healing the apothecary tower is a massive step toward making the settlement a viable home base for a high-level mage.
Dealing with the Spriggans
When you go to soak those taproots at the Harstrad headwaters, expect a fight. Spriggans hate you. They especially hate you touching their stuff. You’ll likely face a Spriggan Matron or even a Burnt Spriggan depending on your level.
Burnt Spriggans are unique to Solstheim. They’re tougher, they deal fire damage, and they don't go down easy. Use frost spells or weapons with frost enchantments. It’s the basic elemental weakness, but it works. If you’re a stealth archer (and let's be real, you probably are), try to pick them off before they call for backup.
The Technical Side of Fungal Architecture
Is it worth it?
Yeah. Tel Mithryn is one of the most unique locations in the Elder Scrolls V. Living in a giant mushroom is the ultimate power move for a wizard. But from a gameplay perspective, the quest is a bit of a "fetch and carry" slog. The writing for Neloth makes it bearable.
"I suppose you've been helpful. In a minor, insignificant sort of way," he might say. That's high praise from a guy who’s been alive for several centuries and thinks everyone else is an ant.
Glitches to Watch For
Skyrim is Skyrim. Sometimes the "Root" prompt in the apothecary doesn't appear. If this happens:
- Try fast traveling to Skyrim and back to Solstheim.
- Ensure you don't have a follower blocking the narrow path inside the tower.
- If you're on PC, you can use the console command
setstage DLC2TT2b 200to force the quest to complete, but only do that as a last resort. It's better to let the game's scripts run naturally.
There's also a weird bug where Elynea won't give you the quest even if the tower looks withered. This usually happens if you haven't finished "Reluctant Steward." Finish the steward quest first. Neloth needs a functional household before he cares about a leaky roof.
Practical Steps to Finishing "Healing a House"
If you're sitting in Solstheim right now wondering why your quest marker isn't moving, follow this exact sequence. No shortcuts.
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- Talk to Neloth after Varona has been replaced. He’ll complain about the tower.
- Locate Elynea Mothren. She’s usually in the apothecary or wandering nearby. She gives you the taproots if you don't have them, but bring three just in case.
- Travel to Harstrad Cave. It’s north-northwest of Tel Mithryn.
- Find the "Headwaters" prompt. It’s right by the waterfall inside or just outside the cave entrance (the marker can be slightly off).
- Interact with the water. Check your inventory to ensure they are now "Soaked Taproots."
- Return to Tel Mithryn and enter the withered tower (the one on the left as you face the main spire).
- Plant them. The prompt is at the base of the central fungal pillar.
- Leave the area. Fast travel to Raven Rock or Windhelm.
- Wait 48 hours. * Return. The tower should be open and functional.
Once the tower is healed, you get access to Elynea’s full shop stock, which is great for high-level alchemy ingredients like Ash Creep Cluster and Netch Jelly. More importantly, you've secured your standing with the Telvanni.
It’s a small piece of world-building that makes Solstheim feel alive. The houses aren't just static objects; they are things that can get sick and be cured. It's a far cry from the stone walls of Whiterun or the wooden shacks of Riften. You're a gardener of magic.
To ensure the quest completes without a hitch, make sure you don't have any active mods that overhaul Tel Mithryn's exterior. These often move the "Root" interaction point or prevent the withered mesh from swapping out for the healthy one. If the tower stays withered after 48 hours, a mod conflict is your likely culprit.
Go to the Harstrad headwaters, get those roots wet, and give Neloth one less thing to yell about. It’s the only way to get that staff enchanter running and truly master the arcane arts on the island of Solstheim.
Next Steps for Players:
- Check your quest log for "Reluctant Steward" to ensure your progress isn't blocked.
- Clear your inventory of any non-quest taproots to avoid confusing the game's script.
- Travel to Harstrad Cave and prepare for a fight with Burnt Spriggans.
- After planting the roots, spend two in-game days in a different zone (like Skyrim's mainland) to force the Tel Mithryn cell to reset and update the building model.