Written and compiled by Imogen Valencia.
The Nibenay Basin has a strong amount of biodiversity similar to the West Weald, but foraging can be more difficult given its rolling hills and forests.
I often find myself needing to make trips to the city of Cheydinhal, which has worthwhile forageable plants just outside the city walls. If not starting in Cheydinhal, I recommend the Imperial Bridge Inn. The inn is nestled in remote, quiet hills, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. You’ll have to share attic space rather than have your own room, but it’s a very convenient location for foraging expeditions that take longer than a day. The inn gives easy access to both the Nibenay Basin and the Nibenay Valley
Alkanet
The leaves of Alkanet are slim and long, growing up and drooping back down. The dark blue flowers grow in a cluster at the same point the leaves emerge from the stem, a ring of five to eight flowers or so. There will only be two or so rings of flowers growing on each plant. Alkanet flowers can be used to restore intelligence, resist poisons, and to give the effect of Light.
Bergamot
Bergamot also grows about to the height of ones hip, and will have a single, bright pink flower at the top of the stalk. The leaves are oval, tapering into a point at the end, and bright green. The leaves will grow in pairs up the stem. The flower has spiky looking petals that flare out, and the flower is about the size of ones hand. The seeds of the plant can be used to resist disease, damage magicka, or to cause the Dispel effect. The plants tend to grow around each other, in clusters of three to seven or so.
Clouded Funnel Cap
This mushroom is a pale greyish white color. The cap is wavy, and can range in size from about a hand and a half in width to the size of one’s torso, though the ones I’ve seen in the Nibenay Basin are on the smaller side. I tend to find this mushroom growing in clusters of three to five, and growing in the shade of caves and tall rocks. The cap of this mushroom can be used to restore and fortify intelligence, and damage endurance.
Columbine
Columbine is an easily identifiable plant, due to the fiery red flowers. The leaves are much darker green than the stems, and small. The stems for the flowers are yellowish green. The flowers resemble bells drooping down, ranging from deep red to bright orange. The plant will grow about to the height of the hip, though sometimes taller. The root pulp of the plant can be used to resist frost, restore personality, and fortify magicka.
Emetic Russala
Emetic Russala has no natural white spots along its bright red cap, but there may be some scratches of white from damage to the cap, revealing the layer of white flesh underneath. The caps are large, over a hand length across in width. The cap of Emetic Russala can be used to restore agility and in potions to shield oneself, or as a poison to damage personality.
Flax
I found all three varieties of flax growing in the Nibenay Basin, though the yellow flowered variety seems more common, at least near Skingrad. The three varieties of flax are one with pale yellow flowers, one with dark reddish pink flowers, and one with light blue flowers. Flax have small flowers, about the size of a gold coin. The leaves are very tiny, thin and angular. Flax seeds can be used to restore magicka, and in potions for the Feather and Shield effect.
Fly Amantia
These mushrooms are fairly common and easy to identify, given their dark red caps with white spots. They vary in size from as large as ones hand, to being small enough to fit in the palm easily. The cap of the mushroom can be used to restore agility and health, and as a poison to burden.
Foxglove
Foxglove is a personal favorite plant of mine. The pale pink flowers of foxglove will grow on one central stem, each resembling a downturned trumpet. Each petal has dark purple spots on the inside cup of the flower. The cone of flowers will grow gradually lighter in color, the newest flowers growing at the top nearly white. The cone of flowers is about the length of ones forearm in height. The blueish-green leaves have clear veins and are broad and oval in shape, coming together in a pointed tip. Nectar from the flowers can be used in potions to resist poison and paralysis, or to restore luck. I’ve noticed particular abundance of foxglove to the east of the Silverfish river and south of Lake Canula.
A Note on Dangers:
Timber wolves and ordinary wolves are a common sight in the Nibenay Basin, along with imps around cavern entrances. Mudcrabs live along the ponds and rivers throughout the basin, though can usually be easily avoided. I once saw a giant rat swimming through one of the rivers, and it was easy to let each other go our own ways.
Despite the dangers from wildlife, I prefer not traveling along the main roads. Especially when leaving the Imperial Bridge Inn, headed north, there are quite a lot of bandits and highwaymen along the Yellow Road. Despite it being a populated road, there is also no loss of wildlife, and twice I have found myself in a fight caught in the middle between a wolf and a bandit.
Ginseng Plant
I’ve found the yellow flower variety of Ginseng near Skingrad, and the red flower variety growing along the Silverfish River. The plant is short, only growing about knee high. The leaves are oval, with visible veins and small spiky lobes at the ends, coming together in a point. The leaves are yellowish green and clustered all around the bottom of the plant. At the end of two or three stalks will be a near complete orb of tiny, oval, flowers. Ginseng can be used to damage luck, cure poisons, or cause the Burden effect.
Goldenrod
Goldenrod can grow well over the height of the average person, though I’ve found them to be a tad shorter in the Nibenay Basin. The flowers are actually large clusters of tiny flowers, and grow at the end of each stalk of the plant. The flowers are golden yellow, and the clusters of flowers can be twice as big as ones head. The leaves are long and angular, growing up along the stalks of the plant, with spiny lobes. The white seed pods of the plant can be used to restore strength, cause the Silence effect, and give the ability of Water Breathing.
Green Stain Cup
This mushroom stands out from other fungi for its color, a rich, vibrant teal. Green Stain Cup grows to about ankle height, and tends to grow in clusters. The cap of Green Stain Cup is upturned, with the edges of the cap folded over. The caps grow about the size of ones hand in width, and can be used to restore fatigue, damage speed, or reflect damage. Interestingly, each time I have found this mushroom, I find it growing alongside Summer Bolete. Whether this is simply due to them thriving in similar environmental conditions, or because they have some beneficial pairing when grown together, remains to be seen.
Lady’s Smock
Lady’s Smock can be identified by its pale purple flowers at the top of the plant’s yellowish green stalk. Towards the base of the plant the leaves are more rounded, whereas up the stalk they lengthen into small, thin leaves. The offshoots of leaves will grow in pairs. The plant will grow four to five flowers in a cluster at the very top of the plant. The flowers are a bit larger than the size of a gold coin, with four petals each. The leaves of Lady’s Smock can be used in potions to restore intelligence and resist fire, or as a poison to damage fatigue.
Lavender
While Monkshood has a single stem and cone, lavender has multiple stems and flowers. Additionally the flowers aren’t as blue in hue, instead a vibrant, warm purple color. The flowers grow more closely to the stem, and cover about a forearm’s length of the end of each stem. The leaves are simple, thin and angular, and pale green. The plant tends to grow a tad taller than monkshood, about to chest height. The lavender sprigs can be used to restore personality and health, and to fortify willpower.
Monkshood
Monkshood generally grows to the height of ones hip. It has a single stem, with a cone of blue flowers growing at the top. The leaves are yellow-green and quite delicate, with many spiky lobes. The cone of flowers at the top grows about the length of ones hand. The root pulp of monkshood can be used to restore strength, damage intelligence, or fortify endurance.
Morning Glory
Being climbing plants, you can often find Morning Glory hanging over the tops of large rocks. The flowers are purple and resemble a trumpet. The leaves are small and round with a single point at the end, and dark green. If you dig up the root pulp you can use it as a poison to damage willpower and cause Burden, or to shield against frost.
A Note on Blackberries and Strawberries:
There is a small farm called Drakelowe that grows blackberries and strawberries. Clearly the Nibenay Basin holds the right conditions to grow these plants. I have failed to find them growing in the wild, so I will not be including them on this list, but I suspect there may be wild blackberry and strawberry bushes hidden amongst the hills of Nibenay Basin.
Motherwort
Motherwort has small, pinkish-purple flowers, and grows between hip and chest height. The flowers are so small you may not even notice them until you’re right next to the plant. The leaves are lobed and yellowish green. The flowers grow at the same point along the stem as the leaves emerge. Motherwort sprigs are useful for resisting poison, but also can be used in poisons to damage fatigue and to silence spellcasting.
Nightshade
Nightshade’s leaves are large, with clear veins, longer than the length of ones hand, and yellowish green. The dark purple flowers are small, growing in clusters of three to seven, with a yellow cone at the center of each flower. Nightshade is most often used as a poison to damage health and luck, and cause Burden.
Peony
Peony is one of the easiest plants to identify. The single flower is key to identification, and sits on a thin, green stalk about four feet tall. The petals of the flower are bright pink and curved upwards into a cup. The flower itself is quite large, almost the size of a young child’s head. The leaves of the plant are thin and pointed, drooping down. The small yellow seeds in the center of the flower can be used in potions to restore strength, or as a poison to damage health or speed.
Primrose
You may see primrose tucked away next to stone structures or rocks. This plant is small, barely reaching above ankle height. The flowers are light pink, with dark pink edges along the petals, and yellow centers. The flowers grow in clusters of three to five, with five petals each. The leaves are large and grow just shy of the length of ones hand. The leaves are oblong and more of a pale, cooler toned green. The leaves of the plant can be used to restore willpower and personality, and to fortify luck.
Steel-Blue Entoloma
This mushroom is, as the name suggests, a greyish blue color, and grows below knee height. The mushroom grows in the soil, they may often be found near trees in the shade of their canopy. I typically find them growing in clusters of three or so. The cap is raised to a rounded point at the center, and brighter blue along the edges. The cap can be used to restore magicka, resist frost, or cause fire damage.
Summer Bolete
Summer Bolete is a pale, off-white and sometimes light grey mushroom. Unlike Clouded Funnel Cap the cap of the mushroom is not wavy. It grows to ankle height, and has a wider base compared to most mushrooms. It is a solid color across all of the flesh of the mushroom. I typically find them growing in clusters of four or more. The cap of the mushroom can be used to restore agility, damage personality, or provide the Shield effect.
Tiger Lily
Tiger Lily grows to about chest height. The leaves are thin and long, and a pale green color. The leaves grow along the single central stem in clusters of three. The flower at the top of the stalk is bright orange, with dark maroon spots in the center, and maroon colored anthers that stick out of the flower. The petals would resemble a trumpet, but are peeled back to reveal the anthers. There are typically two flowers per plant. The nectar from the flowers can be used to restore endurance, damage strength, and, wondrously, as a component in potions of Water Walking.
Viper’s Bugloss
Along the full length of the stem Viper’s Bugloss grows dark blue flowers, about a dozen or two. Each flower is paired with a spiky, yellow green leaf. The leaves of this plant can be used to resist paralysis, cause Burden, and most interestingly, to give one Nighteye to see in the dark.
Water Hyacinth
Water Hyacinth can be found along the water’s edge of small ponds. The flowers of the plant are purple, lighter along the edges of the petals. The leaves are round, about the size of the palm of the hand, with lighter yellow green edges and dark green centers. Each stalk has about three flowers, and each plant typically grows two to three stalks. The nectar from the flowers can be used as a poison to damage fatigue and luck, or to restore magicka.
A Note on Potions and Poisons:
As before, I will list some of the potions and poisons that can be created by using ingredients found in the Nibenay Basin.
You can create a potion of resist poison using Foxglove nectar and Motherwort sprigs. Columbine root pulp, Lavender sprig, and Primrose leaves can be used to restore personality. Emetic Russula cap, Flax seeds, and Summer Bolete cap can be used to make a potion of Shield.
You can create a poison to damage luck using Ginseng, Nightshade, and Water Hyacinth nectar. If you are able to kill one of the mudcrabs, you can combine the crab meat along with Lady’s Smock leaves, Motherwort sprig, and Water Hyacinth nectar to create a potion to damage fatigue.
Imogen Valencia, Author of “A Forager’s Guide to Cyrodiil”
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