Alchemical Studies in Cyrodiil - Volumes I to IV

[Merlinus]

Alchemical Studies in Cyrodiil, Volume I
by Falco Amatius, Master Alchemist


Volume I - Novice Alchemy

Welcome to the first volume of Alchemical Studies in Cyrodiil. This volume contains recipes for common potions that are ideal for the novice alchemist. First and foremost, the budding alchemist will require four separate tools to create effective potions. These include a mortar and pestle, a calcinator, an alembic, and a retort. Once the mortar and pestle has been acquired, ingredient mixing may begin.

To create a potion that will restore fatigue, mix equal parts of two of the following ingredients. Fruits and vegetables compatible for this recipe include carrots, corns, leeks, lettuces, onions, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, tomatoes, apples, blackberries, grapes, oranges, pears, strawberries, and watermelons. Other alternatives include meats, specifically beef and ham, flour, wheat, bread, pastries, and cheese. The majority of these ingredients are found in all major cities making this potion very easy to create and excellent for practice. Be warned that certain combinations may result in a drink that tastes as awful as a chunk of rat meat.

Certain meats have restorative properties if mixed in the proper manner. To create a potion that will restore health, combine a fine slice of venison from the Cyrodiilic deer with a slice of wild boar meat. Deer are often hunted for their pelts and can be found grazing in the northern regions of Cyrodiil. Boars can be a fierce adversary and should be avoided unless accompanied by an expert hunter. It may be wiser to barter with local merchants for boar meat.

Many long-forgotten ruins in Cyrodiil have become infested with hordes of sickly creatures and undead hosts. While these places can be an excellent source for treasure, they are often the resting place of diseases and plagues a century old. A potion of resist disease made from garlic and bergamot seeds is prized by the cautious adventurer embarking on a journey into the depths of these ancient ruins. Garlic can be harvested from garlic clusters found in kitchens across Cyrodiil. Bergamot seeds are harvested from the wild bergamot, a long-stemmed green plant topped with a single pink flower. The bergamot is found on the western shores of Niben Bay and in northern regions of the Great Forest.

Combining flax seeds and steel-blue entoloma Caps will yield a potion of restore magicka that is convenient for spell casters. Flax seeds are harvested from the flax plant found in the West Weald region. This small collection of flowers varies from red to blue to yellow in color. Steel-blue entoloma caps are collected from the steel blue entoloma, a small bluish mushroom with light brown patches found growing around logs and trees in the Great Forest. Rare but equally effective substitutes to these ingredients are bog beacon asco caps from the yellow bog beacon plant, native to the Blackwood region, and the powerful but dangerously acquired void salts from the remains of banished storm atronachs.

Some ingredients will yield other primary properties that can be used to mix potions with different effects, but should always be combined with caution. With practice comes the ability to identify the secondary property of some ingredients. Once this has been achieved, the apprentice alchemist should read Volume II in this series for a list of more complex potions.

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Alchemical Studies in Cyrodiil, Volume II
by Falco Amatius, Master Alchemist


Volume II - Apprentice Alchemy

Welcome to the second volume of Alchemical Studies in Cyrodiil. This volume contains recipes for complex potions that are suited for the apprentice alchemist who can identify the secondary property of most ingredients. Alchemists that have practiced using Volume I of this series will likely be in possession of the tools needed to perform alchemical experiments. It is strongly suggested that the apprentice alchemist acquire a mortar and pestle, calcinator, alembic, and retort more suited to their level of skill in order to create more powerful potions. With the proper equipment, the following recipes will create potions that are both useful and lucrative.

There is no better way for the average adventurer to cure disease than to use a strong blood cleanser. A simple potion that will rid the body of disease is produced from mandrake roots mixed with elf cup caps. The mandrake root has strong properties that help cleanse the blood and is most easily acquired from the mandrake plant in the Colovian Highlands. The elf cup cap can be cut from elf cup mushrooms that grow in the West Weald. One ingredient may also be substituted for a claw from the lesser daedra known as the clannfear. Clannfear claws are a rare ingredient and can come at a hefty cost in gold or blood.

The ability to increase ones vision in the dark is very rare amongst men and mer. The Khajiit of Elsweyr are the only natives of Tamriel born with the gift of night-eye, which has led many non-Khajiit alchemists to find ways to replicate this wondrous ability. The simplest way to create an effective potion of night-eye is to blend equal portions of carrots and viper’s bugloss leaves. The carrot is grown domestically across Cyrodiil and can be found in the kitchens and gardens of towns and cities. Viper’s bugloss leaves are pulled from the viper’s bugloss, a tall plant with blue and purple flowers that is abundant in the Great Forest and parts of the West Weald. Alternatively, although very difficult to acquire, daedroth teeth and spider daedra silk will also produce the effects of night-eye.

Those with unpleasant personalities will often find ways to make themselves more attractive in an effort to manipulate others. Spells and magical items are always a possibility, but there also exists a potion that will fortify personality. Mixing troll fat and imp gall creates a tonic that will give the most repulsive Orc in Orsinium the charm of a prince. Imp gall is obtained from the corpses of ruin-littering imps; mere nuisances in the eyes of a seasoned adventurer. Troll fat is extracted from the body of the Cyrodiilic troll, a creature that can be a handful for an experienced Imperial Legion patrol. Note that troll fats from other regions have different properties and will not yield the same results.

Adventurers unwilling to carry a torch in the dark can find a potion of light particularly useful. When applied to the skin, this potion will emit a greenish glow that illuminates the darkest dungeons. To create this glowing substance, mix milk thistle seeds with an equal portion of watermelon. Milk thistle seeds are harvested from the milk thistle, a plant with faded green leaves and a large purple flower found primarily in the harsh climates of the Jerall and Valus mountains. Watermelon is grown domestically in Cyrodiil and is commonly found in towns and cities. Either can be substituted for glow dust, a residue acquired from the will-o-the-wisps found lurking in dungeons and in parts of the Blackwood swamp. Glow dust is a rare substance that is also used in higher level alchemy and should be used sparingly.

Circulating through the bloodstream, poisons can cause numerous ailments from draining magicka to decimating personality. A simple antidote from a mix of ginseng and strawberries will cure poison instantly and can even save the recipient from certain death. Ginseng has a strong property that will quickly counteract poison and is harvested from the three-flowered, red or yellow ginseng plant growing in the Nibenay Valley and Gold Coast regions. The strawberry, picked from white-flowered strawberry bushes, grows in towns and cities across Cyrodiil and in the wilds of the West Weald. Redwort flowers also have the ability to counteract poisons but are a much rarer find. They are harvested from the domica redwort, a small plant with a large red flower found sparsely in the West Weald.

Some ingredients will yield other secondary properties that can be used to mix potions with different effects, but should always be combined with caution. With practice comes the ability to identify a third property in some ingredients. Once this has been achieved, the journeyman alchemist should read Volume III in this series for a list of recipes that are increasingly rare and rewarding.

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Alchemical Studies in Cyrodiil, Volume III
by Falco Amatius, Master Alchemist


Volume III - Journeyman Alchemy

Welcome to the third volume of Alchemical Studies in Cyrodiil. This volume contains recipes for intricate potions that are suited for the journeyman alchemist who can identify the third property of most ingredients. Alchemists that have practiced using Volumes I and II of this series will likely be in possession of the tools needed to perform alchemical experiments. It is strongly suggested that the journeyman alchemist acquire a mortar and pestle, calcinator, alembic, and retort more suited to their level of skill in order to create more powerful potions. With the proper equipment, the following recipes will create strong potions with advanced effects.

Those brave enough to swim alongside slaughterfish will surely benefit from a potion of water breathing. Whether the prize lies in a small lake or at the bottom of Niben Bay, the ability to breathe underwater can be a lifesaver. To produce an effective potion of water breathing, blend white seed pods with an equal portion of onions. White seed pods are harvested from the goldenrod, a green plant with golden tips found along the Gold Coast. Onions are commonly served with meals and are found in every major city in Cyrodiil. Either ingredient can be replaced with a sample of dreugh wax, a substance coating the shells of land dreughs living in the Blackwood swamp. Land dreughs, nicknamed “Billiesâ€Â￾ by the farmers of Cyrodiil, are rare and powerful creatures that should be approached with extreme caution.

Those less practiced in the school of alteration can gain a great advantage by drinking a potion that allows them to walk on water. Often the best method of escape when threatened near a body of water, a potion of water walking is brewed from a combination of stinkhorn caps and tiger lily nectar. Stinkhorn caps are cut from the Blackwood region’s stinkhorn, a root-like plant with a white base and three red fingers protruding from the top. Tiger lily nectar is extracted from the tiger lily and lily of the valley plants, which are abundant in the Great Forest and Gold Coast regions. The tiger lily hosts a large flower with orange petals while the lily of the valley hosts several white, bell-shaped flowers. Alternatively, grapes can be combined with either ingredient to produce the same effect. Grapes are grown domestically in the famous vineyards of Skingrad.

When charging into battle, a potion of health fortification can be the difference between life and death. To create a potion that will fortify health, mix somnalius frond with either mort flesh, mutton, or boar meat. Somnalius frond is harvested from the somnalius, a green herb with a yellowish bulb at its center that is abundant in the Great Forest. Sheep are domestic animals and can be found roaming in farmer’s fields all over Cyrodiil, while boars are hunted in the wild and can be dangerous adversaries, especially in groups. Rotting corpses, animated or not, will almost always contain a sufficient piece of mort flesh, but can be difficult to find due to the recent ban on necromancy.

Protection from the cold is a necessity for adventurers who find themselves battling mages with frost spells. While the Nords of Skyrim have developed a natural resistance to the cold, the southern races of Tamriel will find a frost shield potion particularly useful. Created from the hidden properties of garlic and morning glory root pulp, a potion of frost shield is easy to make in large quantities. Garlic is picked from common garlic clusters found in kitchens and cellars across Cyrodiil. Morning glory root pulp is harvested from poisonous morning glory vines, hosting blue or purple flowers that grow abundantly on rocks and structures in the West Weald and Heartland regions.

The ability to see energy around living objects is a remarkable effect related to the school of mysticism. The detect life spell is used by many spell casters and can also be an effect of enchanted items and potions. To create a potion of detect life, combine rat meat with bread, oranges, tomatoes, or onions. Rats live in the filthier areas of Cyrodiil and are otherwise useless, making detect life potions an excellent reason to dispose of them. Bread, oranges, tomatoes, and onions are common ingredients found in every major city in Cyrodiil.

Some ingredients will yield other properties that can be used to mix potions with different effects, but should always be combined with caution. With practice comes the ability to identify a fourth and final property in some ingredients. Once this has been achieved, the expert alchemist should read Volume IV, the final volume in this series, for a list of recipes that produce some of the most powerful effects known to spell casters.

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Alchemical Studies in Cyrodiil, Volume IV
by Falco Amatius, Master Alchemist


Volume IV - Expert Alchemy

Welcome to the fourth and final volume of Alchemical Studies in Cyrodiil. This volume contains recipes for powerful potions that are suited for the expert alchemist who can identify all four properties of most ingredients. Alchemists that have practiced using Volumes I, II, and III of this series will likely be in possession of the tools needed to perform alchemical experiments. It is strongly suggested that the expert alchemist acquire a mortar and pestle, calcinator, alembic, and retort more suited to their level of skill in order to create stronger potions. With the proper equipment, the following recipes will produce potions with some of the most powerful effects known to spell casters.

Some of the greatest thieves and assassins that walk the lands of Tamriel were born under the sign of the Shadow, granting them the power to vanish once every sunset. Powerful illusionists can match this exceptional ability, but are forever reliant on their magicka reserves to make a quick escape. From the alchemist’s perspective, a potion of invisibility brewed from motherwort sprigs and aloe vera leaves is the only way to assuredly vanish in the face of danger. Mortherwort sprig is harvested from the motherwort, a tall green plant with small white flowers growing in the forested regions of Cyrodiil. Aloe vera leaves are harvested from the aloe vera, a tall plant with three large yellow bulbs found primarily near the Gold Coast.

Those who are afflicted by a spell, poison, or ability causing paralysis will fall to the ground and remain defenseless for the duration of the effect. While paralysis itself does not damage health, it can last long enough for the enemy to perform a swift execution. Combining viper’s bugloss leaves and milk thistle seeds will create a potion of cure paralysis that instantly purges the condition. Viper’s bugloss leaves are pulled from the viper’s bugloss, a tall plant with blue and purple flowers that is abundant in the Great Forest and parts of the West Weald. Milk thistle seeds are harvested from the milk thistle, a plant with faded green leaves and a large purple flower found primarily in the harsh climates of the Jerall and Valus mountains. Imp gall, a substance extracted from the bodies of dead imps, can be used as an alternative. The ability to cure paralysis can save the life of even the most seasoned adventurer and is prized by many.

Spell casters with the ability to fortify magicka can render themselves nearly invincible by increasing the capacity of their magicka pool. Healers, battlemages, and sorcerers are only some of the many spell casters that can reap the benefits of a strong potion of fortify magicka. An essence of magicka fortification is found in columbine root pulp harvested from the columbine, a small plant from the West Weald hosting three red, bell-shaped flowers. The root pulp is most easily blended with ginseng or nightshade. Ginseng is harvested from the three-flowered, red or yellow ginseng plant growing in the Nibenay Valley and Gold Coast regions. Nightshade is harvested from the nightshade plant, a tall, poisonous plant with green leaves and small purple flowers growing in the West Weald. Ectoplasm, water hyacinth nectar, and void salts are also compatible with this recipe, but are much rarer than ginseng and nightshade.

Adventurers with the ability to reflect damage will make melee opponents flinch at every opportunity to injure, for fear of sharing the pain inflicted. A potion of reflect damage made from flour and strawberries will grant the recipient protection from non-enchanted weapons, while sending a portion of the damage back to the attacker. The potion will also grant a secondary effect that restores fatigue. Flour and strawberries, easily acquired from towns and cities in Cyrodiil, make a reflect damage potion one of the most powerful, easily created potions that is highly sought by adventurers engaging in melee combat.

There is no greater bane to enemy spell casters than a potion of reflect spell. Adventurers in possession of these powerful potions can bring down the most formidable destruction mages of Tamriel, creating a chance that their most destructive spells will be reflected against them. Cinnabar polypore yellow cap and glow dust are the only two ingredients in Cyrodiil that can be combined to create a potion of reflect spell. Cinnabar polypore yellow cap is acquired from the yellow variant of the cinnabar polypore, a rare mushroom that grows primarily on trees in the West Weald. Note that the red variant of cinnabar polypore has different alchemical properties and will not yield the same effect. Glow dust is a residue acquired from the will-o-the-wisps found lurking in dungeons and in parts of the Blackwood swamp.

Some ingredients will yield other properties that can be used to mix potions with different effects, but should always be combined with caution. Practice and perfection becomes research and experimentation when the expert alchemist becomes a master, having gained enough knowledge to create potions with the primary properties of single ingredients. Once this has been achieved, the master alchemist can begin experimenting with different ingredients to create potions with multiple effects. Blade-wielding adventurer or studious scholar, the master alchemist has the power to harness the most powerful effects from every school of magic in a small glass bottle. This concludes the final volume of Alchemical Studies in Cyrodiil.

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[Lady Nerevar]

an alchemy book for hammerfell's ingredients would be cool. i dont think that there are enough ingredients included to make a good potion, but its something to keep in mind for later

[Merlinus]

Sounds like a plan!

[Haplo]

Please note that all texts for TR need to be in US English, keeping in line with Bethesda's work. An instance of UK English slipped through on one of these volumes.

[Merlinus]

Please note that all texts for TR need to be in US English, keeping in line with Bethesda's work. An instance of UK English slipped through on one of these volumes.

I'm Canadian so you'll probably catch it here and there. I'll pay more attention to that in the future. If you can let me know where you see this instance, I would appreciate it.

[Haplo]

It was defenseless, but I already fixed it.