Like others of my blog entries this one is on sticky notes. When I went to answer a question earlier today I noticed that my pencil markings were fading. So, I thought I had better put this here.

Let me introduce you to the Skyrim console: http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Console

When I hit a stuck quest I do the following:

1) use the console code sqt (showquesttargets). The console will then give you the ID for all of your current active quests. Use the pageup and pagedown buttons to scroll through. Make a note of the name of the quest for which you are looking when you find it. Fortunately, most mod authors use names that are easily identifiable. You can also find the name of vanilla quests in the uesp wiki link I already gave you BUT doing this step is handy for when you are using it for a mod and the ID number is not to be found in a reference.

2) using the ID found in step one use the console command player.sqs (showqueststage) <QuestID>. This will then give you a list of numbers followed by a 0 or a 1. Once again, use pageup and pagedown to scroll through. In most instances what you are looking for is the last instance of a 1 (some quests are convoluted and skip steps so looking for zeroes can be self-defeating). Make a note of the first quest stage with a 0 after the last quest stage with a 1. So, for instance, if stages 10, 20, 30 and 40 all have 1's and stage 50 is a zero, make a note of stage 50.

3) use the console command setstage <QuestID> <nextstage>. So in the above example from step 2 enter setstage <QuestID> 50. You should immediately get the notification of completing the step. WARNING!!!!  If that stage included collecting an item (like the Rueful Axe), using the console will NOT get you the item. You will have to add that separately (using the player.additem command).

Good luck!