Skink - in - Tree ' s - Shade Skink - in - Tree ' s - Shade is an Argonian Sorcerer , and member of the Mages Guild . Background . He offers a number of different quests , and can also train in Speechcraft ( up to 100 ) , Mysticism ( up to 68 ) , and Enchant ( up to 63 ) , although the Nerevarine must be of at least the Magician rank to request his services . His quests cannot be received until completing the quest A Potion from Skink - in - Tree ' s - Shade from Edwinna in the Ald ' ruhn Mages Guild . Interactions . A Potion from Skink - in - Tree ' s - Shade . Edwinna Elbert of the Ald ' ruhn guildhall wants a Potion of Detect Creatures retrieved from Skink - in - Tree ' s - Shade for her . Upon asking for the potion , the Argonian asks for the Nerevarine to return for some duties , after which his first quest becomes available . Escort Tenyeminwe . Guard Tenyeminwe , a fellow Mages Guild member , out of Sadrith Mora , as she has been involved in a quarry with a House Telvanni member and asks for additional protection . Vampires of Vvardenfell , Vol II . Acquire the rare book , Vampires of Vvardenfell , Book II , for Skink - in - Tree ' s - Shade . Meeting with a Wise Woman . Skink - in - Tree ' s - Shade asks the Nerevarine to arrange a meeting with an Ashlanders wise woman . All of the wise women will decline the request , with the exception of Minabibi Assardarainat , although she will request that the spirit of Kanit Ashurnisammis be slain at the Favel Ancestral Tomb . Once the spirit is defeated , the Nerevarine has to ask Sinnammu Mirpal for Minabibi ' s permission to attend the meeting . Kill Necromancer Telura Ulver . Skink - in - Tree ' s - Shade requests the death of a former Mages Guild member , now a necromancer , called Telura Ulver , in the cave Shal . Ash Ghoul Soul . The Argonian mage now requires an Ash Ghoul ' s soul for his studies , and suggests the Nerevarine go to Yakin , a Sixth House base , to find one . Galur Rithari ' s Papers . Skink - in - Tree ' s - Shade now requests for the Nerevarine to retrieve Galur Rithari ' s Papers , a book which supposedly tells the account of a Buoyant Armiger turned vampire and then cured . He suggests that booksellers be spoken to in order to have a possible location of a copy . Catch a Spy . Ranis Athrys suspects House Telvanni has gotten a spy into the guild , and sends the Nerevarine across the guildhalls to investigate . Upon arriving at the Sadrith Mora branch , Skink - in - Tree ' s - Shade will say he also suspects of a possible spy , but suggests that the Vivec branch be visited , which is where most of the decisions are made . Eventually , Tiram Gadar is found to be the spy after his falsified credentials are investigated . A Wizard ' s Staff . Speaking to any member of Master Wizard rank or higher will inform the Nerevarine that , in order to advance to Wizard level , they must have a Wizard ' s Staff . The staff can either be bought for 5 , 000 gold or retrieved from former Mages Guild member Anirne at Sud . Arch - Mage . In order to become Arch - Mage in a peaceful way ( which would be by not killing the previous Arch - Mage ) , Skink - in - Tree ' s - Shade must be spoken to , after which he handles out a letter from Ocato that requests Trebonius Artorius to advance the Nerevarine to Arch - Mage rank .