Online:The Sapling

Quick Walkthrough
#Collect ashreeds and mudcrab meat in the Argonian quarter of Ebonheart.
#Talk to Zasha-Ja.
#Fertilize the Hist Tree.
#Talk to Zasha-Ja.
#Talk to Biiril.
#Finish the quest by talking to Zasha-Ja one more time.

Detailed Walkthrough
When approached in her home in Ebonheart, Zasha-Ja will give you a hint to what is clearly bothering her: a Hist Tree.
:"Have you come to gloat about our Hist? Are you its murderer?"
When questioned she'll provide further information.
:''"It's dying. It was never healthy. This isn't Black Marsh, after all, so in the last few weeks, it's withered. We've learned that House Dres is poisoning it. It's not enough to have enslaved us for generations. Now they want to carve our hearts out."''
She'll then tell you how you can help.
:''"The best we can do is fertilize it. We're using mudcrab meat wrapped in ashreed. Both are common around the quarter. We've also set guards around the tree to keep the Dunmer away."''
Once you agree she'll provide more details.
:"If you wish to aid us, gather the items I requested. Ashreeds grow in the tidepools in our quarter, and mudcrabs thrive on the shores nearby. Gather some of each and present them at the roots of our Hist."


She'll also be glad to give a bitter account of how she came to realize that House Dres has poisoned the Hist.
:''"Some of our people heard a Dark Elf talking to others of his kind. He asked if they'd seen the Dres rowing out to our Hist Tree. He saw jars of poison in the boat. That's not hard to believe."
When questioned on who they heard talking about the poisoning:
:"Rhavil Urano. My people overheard him at the inn. He was drunk and talking too loud. No one spoke to him directly. It's never been wise for an Argonian to confront a Dark Elf, especially lately. We're far from Black Marsh."
When asked for a reason for the poisoning:
:"The Dres have always regarded Argonians as little more than savage children. We needed to be "civilized," so they "uplifted" us by putting us to work as slaves on plantations and in mines. No more. Now we speak beside them in the council."'' 
If you bring up that nobody actually saw the Tree be poisoned, Zasha-Ja isn't fazed.
:''"No, but it's not difficult to believe, is it? The Dres think we're little more than animals. But the Pact freed us. What they can't enslave, they destroy."''


You are now free to go to the north of the city and look for plants with white podlike flowers and mudcrabs. Once you've collected enough of each, Zasha-Ja will appear and demand to inspect your gatherings. 
:"We are allowing no one to approach the Hist, especially strangers claiming they wish to help us. We just caught a Dark Elf trying to poison the tree."
Even when you object, she refuses to back down.
:"Your words smell fair, but tasting is proof. Let me see what you have there."
Once you show her she apologizes.
:''"Yes. I erect the spine of apology. While you were away, we caught a Dark Elf defiling our Hist. Please, apply the fertilizer you've gathered to the base of our Hist. As long as I am with you, the guards will let you through."''
You may now go with her to where a circle of Argonians are guarding the Tree, although if you ask for more information on the Dark Elf defiler, she'll add,
:"One of our guards is escorting him to my lodge. He seems half-mad. He was doing something to the tree. And apparently, he is of House Dres."


Stand at the base of the Tree and fertilize it. Once you are done, return to Zasha-Ja's home. Approaching the Dark Elf in her lodge first will only get you some seemingly nonsense, as will talking to him after the quest is completed. You may then talk to Zasha-Ja again.
:''"It seems we have proof that the Dres are trying to murder our tree. While you were gathering mudcrab meat and reeds, the guards caught him trying to harm our Hist. We can't get anything out of him but his name and House. Seems the rumors were true. House Dres is trying to murder our Hist."''
When asked how the Elf was trying to murder the Hist, she'll respond as if disgusted. 
:''"He was scratching at the bark, licking our tree! When the guards shouted at him, he dropped an empty bottle. Now he's very ill. The truth is as plain as the face of Masser."''
When you offer to talk to the Elf, Biiril, for her, she'll scoff.
:"You may do as you wish, but his mind is boiling. His words skitter like a mudcrab in a pan. You will gather no moisture from this one."


You're now able to get more out of Biiril, although it may not seem like it at first, as he'll start with one of multiple possibly insane phrases. However when questioned about his actions, he'll elaborate. 
:''"What did I do? What did it do to me? I see. I feel. I'm awake. I touched it. It smelled like flowers and black earth. It tasted like rain and summer wind and the deepest green."
:"He said the tree's sap would be better than skooma. He was right. He said the Argonians might be angry. Do you think they're angry? To me they always look angry. It's the teeth."
:"He gave me the bottle. Said it was for the tree. I thought it was skooma. I tasted it--it was bad. I fed it to a lizard. He didn't like it either. He died. The bottle broke! How can I fill it with sap?"
Then he will finally tell you who "he" is:
:"I never saw him before. I asked him for coin to get more skooma. He was a Dunmer. Someone called him … Bravil? Weevil? Wabbajack? Rhavil! That's it."

Zasha-Ja will be surprised.
:Zasha-Ja: "I can't believe it! Rhavil!"

:''"Rhavil Urano claimed he saw House Dres poison our Hist Tree. Then he gave a bottle to this tree-licking waste of flesh. I smell worm scat. Someone has been playing us for fools, and I no longer believe it's House Dres."''
With this statement, the quest will be completed.

  
Quest Stages