Wind and Sand is a Dragonborn side quest for Neloth of Tel Mithryn on Solstheim. The old wizard is trying to adapt Redguard magic to Solstheim’s ash and is convinced the missing piece is described in Afa-Saryat’s book, Wind and Sand. One of his informants has a lead on a copy, and naturally you are the one who goes to check it.
How to start
- Complete Experimental Subject and have a Destruction skill of at least 40.
- Ask Neloth whether you can help with his research. He replies that of course you can, and wonders what took you so long to offer.
Walkthrough
Get the book
The book’s location is chosen at random from dungeons on the mainland and Solstheim, typically a dragon lair, dragon priest lair, draugr crypt, Falmer hive, Forsworn camp, Hagraven nest, vampire lair or warlock lair. It is normally in the boss chest at the end. Known locations include:
- Altar of Thrond: chest in a tent on an icy ledge.
- Bloodlet Throne: chest near the end.
- Bruca’s Leap Redoubt: end of the cavern.
- Chillwind Depths: end of the cave.
- Darkwater Pass: on the arcane enchanter.
- Dead Men’s Respite: Olaf One-Eye’s treasury.
- Deepwood Redoubt: chest in the Briarheart’s tent just before Hag’s End.
- Duskglow Crevice: Falmer chest near the end.
- Forsaken Cave: chest behind Curalmil, by the Word Wall.
- Frostflow Lighthouse: chest at the end of Frostflow Abyss.
- Glenmoril Coven: chest by a tent with two barrels and an altar.
- Haemar’s Shame: chest behind the shrine.
- Harmugstahl: chest in Kornalus’s quarters.
- High Gate Ruins: chest behind Vokun’s throne (see notes).
- Ilinalta’s Deep: chest near the end.
- Kagrenzel: chest at the end of the watery creek near the exit.
- Lost Valley Redoubt: chest in front of the Word Wall.
- Movarth’s Lair: chest in the room with the alchemy lab.
- Northwind Summit: treasure chest by the Word Wall.
- Pinemoon Cave: chest near the end.
- Ravenscar Hollow: big chest by the last Hagraven.
- Serpent’s Bluff Redoubt: chest at the end; drag a body onto the pressure plate on the table to open the gate.
- Sightless Pit: chest near the end (see notes).
- Silverdrift Lair.
- Snapleg Cave: large chest near the Hagraven.
- Sunderstone Gorge: chest near the Word Wall.
- Volunruud: chest next to Kvenel the Tongue.
- Yngol Barrow: chest behind the Nordic puzzle door, near the exit.
Return to Neloth
Bring the book back to Tel Mithryn. Neloth is pleasantly surprised his source was right, starts reading at once and announces he can turn it into a kind of whirlwind vortex spell. He pays you and says his apprentice Talvas will have copies in a few days.
Rewards
- A modest, leveled amount of gold.
- The Whirlwind Cloak spell tome becomes available to buy from Talvas Fathryon.
Tips and notes
- High Gate Ruins: if you killed Vokun before starting this quest, a gate may stay shut and block the chest. Glitch tricks or a follower may be needed to get there.
- Sightless Pit: the quest marker may lead to a Dwarven door blocked from the other side. Instead use the cave entrance northeast of the marker, drop through the hole beside a Falmer tent and follow the passage to the end.
- Other Neloth errands include Lost Knowledge.
