Lore:Herbalist's Guide to Skyrim

Those avoiding this northern province due to claims of barbarism or concerns over climate are doing themselves a disservice; in fact, Skyrim has a wealth of   that every Alchemist would do well to avail himself of. I have traveled extensively throughout this land, and here are but a few of my findings.

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Bleeding Crown
The caps of   do indeed appear smeared with blood, though it is often hard to see in the dark, damp places in which they grow. Not uncommonly found in Skyrim, their abundance is countered by the difficulty in acquiring them. As any experienced herbalist knows, the darkest of caves often conceal far more than mere mushrooms.

Nonetheless, these potent fungi, when combined with certain powdered  , produce a mixture rendering one quite  . Their usefulness is also quite apparent when mixed with  , creating a substance  .

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Deathbell
Folklore abounds about   found in the swamps of  . Some stories claim it grows where unfortunate deaths have taken place, others insist it grows first and then lures unsuspecting people and animals to their doom. I have found no direct evidence to support these stories; indeed I found the flowers difficult to locate at all. While it is most well-known for its use in poisons, it would be remiss to overlook that the blooms of the Deathbell are very effective in mixtures for boosting    .

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Dragonfly
A surprising number of insects survive in Skyrim's climate, many thriving in the lower, southern areas of the province.   can be found in a great many places, and while catching them can be a daunting prospect, the reward is well worth the effort. It was beyond the scope of my research to determine whether the   and   dragonflies are fully different breeds or merely simple color variations, but through experimentation I found that the orange dragonfly, when combined with the very hardy   found along the coast, transfer some of their flighty nature, giving the herbalist some  . 

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Hagraven Claw
The   are best obtained in shops; it is inadvisable to suggest one collects them oneself.   have traded in their humanity for access to powerful magics, and the transformations they undergo infuse their entire beings with some element of that power. Ingesting the powdered claws makes one more resistant to magic, but an especially curious property of the claws is revealed when mixed with   (often found in Skyrim's higher elevations). I found myself   I had believed mystifying after ingesting the mixture, and have passed this knowledge on to several court wizards who were grateful for the knowledge. 

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There was a time when it would be considered treason to pick one of   without express permission from the Emperor himself. It is my understanding that although growers in Skyrim were successful in improving the fruit's survivability, it came at the cost of flavor. No longer is it quite the prize it once was. And yet, growing amidst the volcanic tundra of  , it is still immensely useful for concocting potions. Mages value it highly as it can be combined with simple   to  . While no longer against the law, picking these grapes in large amounts is best kept to oneself.

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Luna Moth Wing
As with the dragonflies, I was taken aback by the number of  , moths, and other insects that manage to thrive in Skyrim. The   is especially beautiful; its thin, almost ephemeral   seem too delicate to hoist anything into the air, giving them an almost magical appearance. Indeed, that sense extends to the properties they exhibit when crushed and distilled (an action I admit was difficult to perform at first, no matter my resolve to discover all that Skyrim has to offer. These creatures are simply that beautiful!) While they can be used for creating poisons that  , I feel that would be a waste of their potential. Do not be alarmed if, when the wings are broken down almost completely, they appear to almost disappear under your  . That very quality makes the wings quite effective in potions of  !

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Tundra Cotton
Not all  s are savages wrapped in animal skins, howling at the  . There are a wide variety of fabrics worn throughout the land, thanks in no small part to the stubborn   plant. It soaks up what rain it can in the plains west of  , and blooms frequently. While it does not exhibit any of the more striking alchemical properties, it is a staple in potions for not only  , but for resisting spells as well. I wonder if that quality is what allows it to have adapted so well to this climate.

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Nightshade
The name and shape of   are known to all; long understood to be one of the more potent components in many poisons, the average Nord keeps his distance from the bright purple flowers nestled among dark leaves. It is exceedingly effective as a pure poison, but can also be combined with other compounds to stiffen joints as well. It is thus favored amongst those who wish to   in battle, and can be found coating the blades of many of the more unsavory characters in Skyrim.