I didn't know there could be fighting in this quest until I read this thread. I guess I've always taken the pacifist solution.

I was hoping there was a peaceful solution, but I've done it twice now and Maurice was with me and alive, but I never thought about talking to him. I thought I was just supposed to take him to the Sanctuary and that's it LOL I'll have to try talking to him, if and when I make my 3rd character.

Thanks for the info on Maurice. I never saw him before - I had to look behind a pillar to find him today! That was a MUCH better solution to this whole thing....

That goddam Maurice si never to be found at the temple in Whiterun. The good thing is the quest completed and Nettlebane is not bound so I can sell it or just drop the damn thing. He bailed on me that svcker Maurice, I wonder if I'll find him dead at the sanctuary or along the way, but I'm really not that curious cause I have lots of quest to tend to.

Had no idea what Maurice was good for. I just ran up to the tree, smashing the roots with Nettlebane on the way (btw, HOW did some ppl here not figure THAT out?! Isn't it in the quest description?), ignited the Spriggan riot, killed them (after they killed the pilgrims in the cave) and when all had settled, Maurice just stood there, answering "Hm?" when I tried talking to him, so I just left him in there. And I had no idea he could die! On the way to the cave, we fought THREE dragons, a giant, some bears and those mages (only using his fists, the idiot), and he survived it all. Can someone explain in detail what he did for the quest?

Instead of you sticking your knife into the tree for the sap, Maurice stops you when you get near; he communes with the Eldergleam and prays for a sapling to replace the tree in whiterun. The Eldergleam gives you the sapling and no violence is committed. Maurice tells you to tell Danica that this is the true way of Kynerath that you've got to follow the circle of life and death. She reluctantly agrees and Whiterun gets some budding leaves on its tree, versus the full bloom from just ripping the sap out of it.

Too late for that sadly, but if the devs would've really want to get Maurice along with you they should've put it in the way aproaching you with a dialogue option. There's no way I'm turning back for Maurice...

For future playthroughs I suggest finding Eldergleam Sanctuary before turning the Nettlebane into Danica, that way you can fast travel there with Maurice and run straight in. Dude is suicidal and has no armor, weapons or HP.

It could be just perception, but I am of the opinion that walking with him there causes random Dragons to spawn more frequently. Not that it really matters, he will attack anything with his bare fists.

Yeah I agree. He seems to be a dragon magnet.

Already decided that is what I'm going to do in my next game to see the peaceful outcome - he got eaten by a dragon in my game too after trying to punch it in the face, he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer that one.