I'm on an Xbox. Around level 40.

Arniel's Endeavor. I got the cogs, brought them to Arniel. Talked to Enthir. He sent me off to find a staff. The map directs me to Falkreath Watchtower. The map says it is cleared. I can't remember anything about it, though. The arrows direct me to the top of the tower. So does clairvoyance. I see a white arrow hanging in the air, but it is pointing at nothing. The item is missing.

Apparently, I've explored this location previously. Possibly I found the staff and sold it or disenchanted it or something, without realizing it's a quest item. I'm not certain, but somehow the place got cleared. Chances are I did it. It's apparently not a bug, because i can't find any other reports of this problem.

Is there any way to fix this? Some place else to look for another staff like it?

Thanks in advance, Daddyorc

Im sorry, but if youre on xbox I think youre not going to be able to finish that quest this playthrough.
Staves cannot be disenchanted, you could try to look at vendor inventories or your own loot for the Staff of Tandil.
Good luck.

It would have been flagged as a quest item before you got the quest, so the only way to get rid of it would be place it on a plaque. Either you did that, or it just didn't spawn in the first place, which is quite likely as it assigned to a random dungeon by Radiant Story.

Hopefully it didn't end up on a plaque - I've had quite a few things disappear from those....

Threads die pretty quick here... I might have to start a new one. If anyone is still reading this one...

I have a vague memory that Enthir asked me to find a staff many quests ago. I can't find a record of it in my quest log. I did retrieve it for him and give it to him. I know it wasn't the Arniel's Endeavor quest, because I didn't search for any cogs.

Could that have been the Staff of Tandil? If so, how did that happen?

I wonder if Enthir still has it. He doesn't offer it for sale. I wonder if it's in one of the chests in his room. I thought about searching the chests when he is absent or asleep, but he never seems to leave his room or sleep.

Any other ideas? If I don't get any replies, I suppose I'll start a new thread with this question.

Cheers, Daddyorc

It can happen that you found it before the quest and sold it, not knowing it was needed later.
it is also possible you encountered one of http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Arniel%27s_Endeavor http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Arniel%27s_Endeavor.
Im sorry about your quest, I hope you find a way to work around it. I have read that if you sell a unique item, vendors will keep it in their inventory, so it is worth it to check those you may have sold a staff to.
Good luck

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I will move this now.