Report by: Aluthren, the Argonian
4E 42

The Nirnroot is an extremely rare ingredient that is currently only found in Cyrodiil. When I got my hands on one of these mysterious roots, I couldn't resist and began studying the strange plant. I began by asking the local alchemists about the Nirnroot, but all I was able to gather was that there was a master alchemist that lived in the city of Skingrad who could tell me more about the Nirnroot. Once I finally got hold of him he gave me a copy of his research papers on the plant. Here is a copy for all those who are interested in obtaining a copy http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Nirnroot_Missive. In the Report it says that the imperial herbalist, Chivius Regelliam, described the plant with having a yellowish glow and that he believed that it was dependant on the sun to survive. This also caused many scholars to believe that the Sun's Death event of 1E 668 was the cause of the plant's current rarity. This confused me because the Nirnroot I discovered had a blueish glow and not a yellowish grow like it said in the report. This got me thinking that maybe the Nirnroot didn't only change geneticly to survive but also caused some physical changes due to its rapid evolution. So to summarise this part of my report: Due to the Nirnroot's previous need of the sun to survive, it gained a yellowish glow from the constant exposure to the sun. Now that it depended on water to survive, the plant slowly began to turn from yellow (The color of the sun), to blue (The relative color of water). While studying the Nirnroot, I discovered that its magical properties all had powerfull damaging effects such as: Draining of ones Health and Fatigue and it also showed faint signs of cripling ones Agility and Speed. With this I came up with another conclusion. In order to survive (Even when it existed in abundunce), it created powerfull, and damaging, magical effects to keep scavangers such as mudscrabs, rats or even wolves from eating it. I have also heard from an alchemist that if you listen closely to the Nirnroot it will let out a faint humming sound, but so far I have heard nothing from my potted plant. I ask from fellow scholars or adventurers that, if, you have any information on the Nirnroot please share it here with me. Also, please tell me your thoughts on my Report.

Thank You, for your time

Sealed Wax
Aluthren

Yes, but can we smoke it?

Martut, the Bosmeri Master Alchemist

Although I primarily specialize in rare ingredients harvested from creatures, I've been taking some notes on this strange plant for quite some time now, and I've noticed that it has a higher frequency in lower regions, which would be a very likely case if said theory of adaptation is correct. They seem to prefer large bodies of water, in comparison to small streams and rivers, however there are an abundance of them in the wild, if you know where to look. In my latest expedition to Blackwood, I've discovered a surprising frequency of them littered throughout. I'd also like to note that Blackwood has many canopies and flora that would make it hard for a light-dependent plant to grow, but it is a very moist area, which also would support your theory. A few homes I have visited on my way around Cyrodiil to gather ingredients, have had Nirnroots in pots, the people say it looks pretty, but they don't exactly know what it is.

I also stopped by and saw Sinderion a while ago, although he never gave me the notes that you have shown me here. Perhaps he was in the process of writing them. But these notes are... extraordinary, revolutionary even! I can't imagine the thought of this being possible, but did the Nirnroot change their own form in such a timely way? We've heard of some creatures and plants slowly adapting over time, as Sinderion has mentioned, but is the Nirnroot some sort of an actively transforming plant?

I will surely harvest one or two, and attempt to plant and grow them. We cannot let a gem like this fade from the eyes of the Alchemical community. Thank you so much for sharing, I'll be sure to pass the message along at once. Perhaps I can write a letter to the Arch-Mage, being in the guild has its benefits.

This question MUST be answered!

Well... in theory the effects are strong enough to be transferred by smoke... It's a very effective plant. But it will kill you, there are no positive side-effects without refining and careful preparations. In fact, if inhaled it would probably make your lungs bleed before it got into your blood stream and truly got to work. Think of it as the infamous "gas traps" in Ayleid ruins... only it's trapped in your body as an alchemical effect for a prolonged amount of time.

Reports intercepted from multi-era possiforms (Mundane Constants) //UMBRA// suggest that Nirnroot has overgrown many parts of Tamriel and Yokuda-Reborn. Why the north is untouched, I have yet to ascertain. All I can deduce is that Landfall has indeed occurred, and most if not all of the race of men has been driven underground while those immune to the raw Aether emanating off the Nirnroot holds dominion over the surface (mostly Suthay-raht and Cathay).

The Era is unknown, and many of the encoded dreamsleeve reports may have been tainted by the visions and backward-echoes (digital feedback?) of partially existent dreamers on the fringe of Zero-Sum.

Enjoy the stuff while it lasts, it would seem. In a few thousand years it'll be too toxic to get near.

Those blessed by Sheogorath though, can I believe smoke it during certain phases of the Moons.

My sources on board the Shrieking Vesper tell me that from a distance, the Nirnroot forests look like giant expanses of yarn stretched across Tamriel. Is this a coincidence? I think not, and would definitely explain the Khajiit affinity for the toxic root.

Haa-Rei, Argonian. Alchemist and Scholar.

Specialisation: Atronach salts, Racial heart size, Nirnroot.

On a recent trip to the Shivering Isles I discovered that it IS possible to combine a sample of Nirnroot with a sample of Unrefined Greenmote (Harvested from manic mushroom trees) and be left with a poison which causes great pain and possibly death as well as weariness.

On my travels of Tamriel and the Shivering Isles, I have found no other ingredient that is combinable with the Nirnroot other than the above. Recent talks with Sinderion have confirmed this and he is to publish an updated missive that you fellow scholars will receive soon.

I can also confirm the reports of the Nirnroot emitting a low frequency humming noise, the source and reason for this noise is currently unknown. I have also heard rumours of a ''Giant'' Nirnroot plant, any help with this matter would be greatly appreciated.

What does poison health and fatigue mean? You guys talk as if you're in a video game. Tamriel is real!

^_^ I have amended the ''errors'' in my report.

Esteemed colleagues,

Sinderion is, at best, a hack. At worst, he is a charlatan and a disgrace to the alchemical profession. The modern "Nirnroot" is a weed with severe toxic properties, the more potent cousin of half a dozen others littering the province's watersheds. Sinderion's own "study" proves that it is not the historical Nirnroot. Unlike the historical plant, it is able to grow underground and has distinctive blue tinge rather than the yellow glow described earlier. The fact that the plant was last documented in the early 1st era makes its sudden revival in the late 3rd increasingly unlikely. The "evolution" of a plant species is likewise unsupported.

As for Sinderion himself: the potions he brews likely do not even make use of the "Nirnroot." The root, when consumed by itself, makes one weak, slow, and clumsy. The potions Sinderion produces have radically different effects: they improve your eyesight, make you stronger, and generally improve your well-being. It is my hypothesis that Sinderion manufactures the potions from other plants and sells off the "Nirnroot" samples to other gullible alchemists at a significant markup to their (virtually nonexistent) value. The hapless adventurer is therefore just a glorified errant boy, helping Sinderion to make a fortune and swindle the entire scientific community.

P.S. Lofely: anything can be smoked, if prepared correctly. I do not suspect the Nirnroot has any positive (read: psychedelic) qualities, however.

poop.

It is truly sad to hear of such a prime example of deceit, now I feel like my cousin Glarthir, always getting worked up over everything. Odd fellow, haven't seen him in a while...

I would still like to pursue trying to find any actual yellow-tinged Nirnroots, perhaps outside of Cyrodiil. I can't believe I thought more than a few properties could be drawn from a single plant, Sinderion may be up to no good. It's fortunate I haven't had the letters sealed yet, I guess they'll be kindling for my fire tonight. You truly are a great alchemist and problem solver, Lady Nerevar. They still look nice though, they'd make good houseplants. I'm going to write a letter to Sinderion about this tonight, I've heard he worked on someone with a project a while back... Frostcrag something. Rumor has it he helped set up an alchemy table there that is so efficient it actually helps your potions turn out better than normal. Perhaps he knows more about the magical properties of plants than we do? While I hate to judge, the evidence you have mentioned does weigh against him, perhaps he figured this position would be the only way he could pull off such a scheme.

You have my thanks, I was considering buying some samples from him.

Ask any priest of either Julianos or Kynarath whether plants or animals 'evolve' from one state or another without any help on their own and you will be met with a resounding 'no'. It is the unique ability of Men and Mer to evaluate their position and adjust accordingly to overcome these obstacles. Your side comment on 'genetics', of traits unique to both mother and father passed along equally to their children is preposterous. If you take a Redguard and she has a child with a Dunmer, then the child will mostly turn out Redguard. Yes, the father has a slight impact on the child's formation, but not equally like those preposterously discredited scholars might suggest would happen with these 'genes.' It is likely that these scholars believe that the universe completely operates on certain immutable principles, as if the universe was just one big machine constructed. A ridiculous and fanciful concept, to say the least. Chaos is the heartbeat of the universe and it is, by its nature unpredictable and changing.

But I digress. It is certainly possible that this new-found Nirnroot is related to the Nirnroot of old. Perhaps, Kynarath or Meridia (or even someone else) changed it to better adapt to its new environment better.

Yours,

Ruhsneem Godan, Scholar Extraordinare, Retired Adventurer

Blue Squirrel (had to look up the spelling for squirrel),

Of course, one without the credentials - meaning yourself - would have her doubts. Smoked, the root will induce "trips" - to use the parlance of the layman. Yesterday, a colleague and I got very stoned. She's naked and dead... There ends my tenure with the University.

Yours,

Dr. Lyk Heifer-wind

Losing tenure? Where the hell do you work, the Mages Guild under Traven? You need to find a better school where such inconsequential accidents are brushed aside.

This proves my hypothesis that the Nirnroot can be combined with the Unrefined Greenmote and no other. This resultant potion (NirnMote) has no similarity to Sinderion's concoction. Sinderion refuses to reveal which ingredient he combined with Nirnroot, I also noticed a rather large collection of fine wines in his 'home'. I suggest an official investigation.

He of Many Names,

Many thanks for the suggestion, I shall commence research as soon as I am able. What sort of apparatus would you suggest for the experiment? The traditional glass pipes of northern Elsweyr? The resin bubblers of Morrowind? Perhaps the three decker humidifiers popular in Hammerfell?

On a more personal note, you should invest in a spell-checking glyph for your memosphere transmissions.

I think that we should all just relax and have a civil discussion about this, before someone decides to ban Alchemy for no reason at all.

hey, it has happened to forms of magic (necromancy) before.

You can smoke Nirnroot, it just makes you slow, tired, and sick.

Good idea! We should ban Alchemy. It produces no good except to provide those who were unlucky enough to be born underneath the Atronach a hope at casting spells.

Not to mention alchemy has been linked to...NECROMANCY!!!! http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/153512
(a bit nsfw, but it is south park)

I'm on the side of Necromancy. I'm not obsessed with it but I agree with it. Everything has it's risk and it's not because you can become evil that we shouldn't teach it. Just look at Jedi. They don't pretend the Dark Side doesn't exist. In fact they teach it to the apprentices so that they know what NOT to do, but people have there own free will to choose. After that it's a simple matter of what you believe in. Same thing with Necromancy.

Since were getting off track on the topic of the Nirnroot... I think Emperor Uriel Septim VII was a bit stupid. You'd kinda think that if the gods were giving you dreams about how you were going to get murdered, maybe the purpose of having the dream would be to avoid getting murdered....

Edit: Anyway, it doesn't matter; the Mages Guild is http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Mages_Guild! Woot!
(At the link just scroll right to the bottom and read the last sentence)

His death demonstrated he wasn't tactless.

Ya it did. he should have gone the Old way, through the Imperial Palace sewers, where not even the Mythic dawn were. Only the gray fox knows about that though...

I would've stayed in the palace, even the mythic dawn can't get past the entire imperial guard and more blades would be good.