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Description
These are some of the plants and fungi found in the Ash Wastes. for scale I used a creature I created called the Birch Runner (www.deviantart.com/nerdy-hyena… ).
A lot of the flora for the environment is inspired by that seen in the Elder Scrolls series, particularly Morrowind and the regions of the Elder Scrolls online that take place in Morrowind.

What Keikiary has to say about the flora of the wastes:
The flora of the wastes are hardy and resilient able to stand up to some of the harshest the wastes can throw at them. The many fungal forms found here are essential for the survival of all other life forms. Prior to the volcanoes eruption the region was a mix of forests and semi-open grasslands in the low altitudes stretching into sub-alpine forests and rocky moors in higher altitudes. Various sized lakes were scattered around the place which were often bordered by bogs and swamps while various rivers meandered through the landscape and the southern regions of this location bordered the starts of the Blackwood forest. After the eruptions while most of these features remain and while tainted by the volcanic activity are still present the compositions of life that has come to dwell in them has greatly changed. While the large shrooms, some as big as trees, can be found in many other places of this realm they thrive here where they help remove toxins from the ashy soil and help provide nutrients for plants. Without the fungi it would be very hard for any other form of life to make it here. The soil would be too toxic. Though being Fungi many of the largest species have been found to make some of their own nutrients, a feature only plants can achieve. Fungi normally do not make their own food instead they consume organic and inorganic matter breaking them down to provide nutrients for the soil. Many of the large species of shrooms here both consume like normal fungi and produce like a plant. This has been found to be because their tops have a symbiotic algae in them that produces nutrients for their fungal hosts. The trunks of these large shrooms are made of a surprisingly tough and woody like substance at their centers with a soft living exterior. This hard inner structure supports the fungi and tubes running through it provide nutrients and water to all its parts. This nutrients and water is stored in the fungi’s massive underground root systems. These root systems often connect with the roots of plants providing a symbiotic relation with them.
Frequently encountered species of tree include varieties of maples, cedars, pines, redwoods, junipers, and gingkos can be found in both the low and highlands creating a patchwork of forests and grasslands. Locusts prefer the milder wetter lowlands while birch were pushed out of the lowlands into sheltered regions and higher altitudes to escape the heat brought on by the ash. Shrubs of various types can be found through all with some such as the Golden Locust with its stunning early golden flowers dominating the low lands and the hardy often crooked growing conifer Chokeweed dominates the higher altitudes and rockier regions. Bamboos and ferns love the shadowy woodlands while grasses prefer the open regions. Ancient looking horsetails and clubmosses hang in damp regions particularly around bodies of water alongside Ash and Lunar reeds which stretch out into the water shores. Runners Lichen and the fungal Creeping Veins which can coat the ground in over a meter square are found in rockier regions where all but the hardiest grasses can grow. Grasses are more sparse here than one would expect from a grassland this is largely due to the ash and rockier soils of the region. In the higher alpine regions of the Scalecaller peaks Bristlecone pines along with Brasswood trees which also stretch down into the sub-alpine regions and mountain valleys can be found. Brasswoods are a unique species of conifer whose bark and wood have a metallic make to the tissues and were highly prized by the scimitar folk for use in long lasting and resilient wooden products.
Not all flora of the wastes is so pleasant or beneficial. Trauma roots are a rather unpleasant plant which uses its thorn covered vines to snare animals and people alike. If they cannot break free of the vine they will perish and as their body decomposes it fertilizes the plant. Take head travellers Trauma root can sense vibrations this is how they find their prey. Rapid movements and the vibrations that come with them tend to catch the plants attention. If caught by this plant remember to remain calm and do not rapidly hack at the vines. Make slow calculated movements when cutting yourself free otherwise the plant will just wrap tighter and tighter around you or more shoots may come to grasp you.
Many flora in the wastes emit varying degrees of bioluminescent. They use this feature to attract insects, birds and reptiles to help draw them in to pollinate or help spread their seeds through the consuming of their seed and spore holding fruits. Some of the light produced by some shrooms has even been noted to produce lights that shares traits of sunlight helping to provide for plants. In some regions fungi or plants from this region which glow such as Lantern Pods, Glowing Fungal-stalks, Fiery Glowstalk and Lunar Reeds are planted in planters, gardens, and around or in ponds as decoration and for a natural light source at night. These flora tend to however be great magnets for insects so if you wish to plant some near your living quarters just be warned you might get more than you bargained for.

As with environments elsewhere many plants and fungi from this region are highly prized for their alchemical properties with some such as Ashen Gingko being known for restorative properties and Eucalid Locusts being adored for its lovely and stress reducing eucalyptus scent even though this plant is a locust and not Eucalyptid. Others like Ashen Cherry and Crowned Emperor Parasol are said to be able to ward off evil spirits and un-dead beings; a common favourite trait for potions and poisons for travellers in the wastes. Aloe Trees and Burning Vera can be used to treat all sorts of burns and Ashen corn like regular corn produces fruits which are edible. Other edibles that can be found in these wastes and are considered desirable to many (unlike many other edibles to be found in the wastes) are Ashen Peppers, Ash yams, Saltrice, Hack-lo, Jazbay Grape, Deadlands corn from Ashen Corn Stalks, lantern pods, and Frost Peach which despite preferring the colder temperate and sub-alpine reaches to the heated ash lands has managed to cling on in sheltered areas and weathered the landscapes transition rather well. While they are edible and have a slight taste like their namesake Buttercake Shrooms have a slightly meatier taste and are known for restoring of health and energy. Ash Cotton can be found in many open areas and is often cultivated around Balmora for the fibres from its flowers which can resist heat and fire. Fiery-Lantern Pods also enjoy the ashy landscape and are commonly used for its health restoring properties and heat resistant properties. In areas less affected by the ash and volcanic activity Glacial Thistle an icy blue flowered thistle which is commonly used for its ability to create potions to protect against the cold and Moon-Lantern Pods with their icy glow are known for their healing properties and cold resistance still thrive. Chokeweed has properties for curing disease, Root –pods, Glowing Fungal-stalks and Lunar Reeds can allow ones body to produce varying degrees of light from the skin for certain times and it should be noted both Lunar Reeds and Glowing Fungal Stalks are often used in local culinary dishes. If not prepared properly or if combined with ingredients known to produce the same effect such as Torchbugs for example can cause this effect to occur. While harmless it can be rather disturbing for those unfamiliar with the effect. Swamp Beacon Caps, Runners Lichen, Garlic and Nirnroot are known to have abilities to protect against disease. For more on the magical properties of various flora and edibles of this region there are various books on alchemy and provisioning one can acquire at many book stores and outdoor outfitters both in the wastes and elsewhere in the realm. In the species identification of this guide I will include notable alchemical traits for flora and fauna but I will not go into much detail about them.

This artwork is one of many I created for a story I call Shadows of the Void. They often are visual conceptions of things and entities directly mentioned or used in the story while some are more of background fillers to flush out concepts, locations or events of the story. More of these designs can be found in the gallery related to the story here: www.deviantart.com/robo-birdie… Meanwhile you can find and read the story here: archiveofourown.org/works/3489…

Description
These are some of the plants and fungi found in the Ash Wastes. for scale I used a creature I created called the Birch Runner (www.deviantart.com/nerdy-hyena… ).
A lot of the flora for the environment is inspired by that seen in the Elder Scrolls series, particularly Morrowind and the regions of the Elder Scrolls online that take place in Morrowind.

What Keikiary has to say about the flora of the wastes:
The flora of the wastes are hardy and resilient able to stand up to some of the harshest the wastes can throw at them. The many fungal forms found here are essential for the survival of all other life forms. Prior to the volcanoes eruption the region was a mix of forests and semi-open grasslands in the low altitudes stretching into sub-alpine forests and rocky moors in higher altitudes. Various sized lakes were scattered around the place which were often bordered by bogs and swamps while various rivers meandered through the landscape and the southern regions of this location bordered the starts of the Blackwood forest. After the eruptions while most of these features remain and while tainted by the volcanic activity are still present the compositions of life that has come to dwell in them has greatly changed. While the large shrooms, some as big as trees, can be found in many other places of this realm they thrive here where they help remove toxins from the ashy soil and help provide nutrients for plants. Without the fungi it would be very hard for any other form of life to make it here. The soil would be too toxic. Though being Fungi many of the largest species have been found to make some of their own nutrients, a feature only plants can achieve. Fungi normally do not make their own food instead they consume organic and inorganic matter breaking them down to provide nutrients for the soil. Many of the large species of shrooms here both consume like normal fungi and produce like a plant. This has been found to be because their tops have a symbiotic algae in them that produces nutrients for their fungal hosts. The trunks of these large shrooms are made of a surprisingly tough and woody like substance at their centers with a soft living exterior. This hard inner structure supports the fungi and tubes running through it provide nutrients and water to all its parts. This nutrients and water is stored in the fungi’s massive underground root systems. These root systems often connect with the roots of plants providing a symbiotic relation with them.
Frequently encountered species of tree include varieties of maples, cedars, pines, redwoods, junipers, and gingkos can be found in both the low and highlands creating a patchwork of forests and grasslands. Locusts prefer the milder wetter lowlands while birch were pushed out of the lowlands into sheltered regions and higher altitudes to escape the heat brought on by the ash. Shrubs of various types can be found through all with some such as the Golden Locust with its stunning early golden flowers dominating the low lands and the hardy often crooked growing conifer Chokeweed dominates the higher altitudes and rockier regions. Bamboos and ferns love the shadowy woodlands while grasses prefer the open regions. Ancient looking horsetails and clubmosses hang in damp regions particularly around bodies of water alongside Ash and Lunar reeds which stretch out into the water shores. Runners Lichen and the fungal Creeping Veins which can coat the ground in over a meter square are found in rockier regions where all but the hardiest grasses can grow. Grasses are more sparse here than one would expect from a grassland this is largely due to the ash and rockier soils of the region. In the higher alpine regions of the Scalecaller peaks Bristlecone pines along with Brasswood trees which also stretch down into the sub-alpine regions and mountain valleys can be found. Brasswoods are a unique species of conifer whose bark and wood have a metallic make to the tissues and were highly prized by the scimitar folk for use in long lasting and resilient wooden products.
Not all flora of the wastes is so pleasant or beneficial. Trauma roots are a rather unpleasant plant which uses its thorn covered vines to snare animals and people alike. If they cannot break free of the vine they will perish and as their body decomposes it fertilizes the plant. Take head travellers Trauma root can sense vibrations this is how they find their prey. Rapid movements and the vibrations that come with them tend to catch the plants attention. If caught by this plant remember to remain calm and do not rapidly hack at the vines. Make slow calculated movements when cutting yourself free otherwise the plant will just wrap tighter and tighter around you or more shoots may come to grasp you.
Many flora in the wastes emit varying degrees of bioluminescent. They use this feature to attract insects, birds and reptiles to help draw them in to pollinate or help spread their seeds through the consuming of their seed and spore holding fruits. Some of the light produced by some shrooms has even been noted to produce lights that shares traits of sunlight helping to provide for plants. In some regions fungi or plants from this region which glow such as Lantern Pods, Glowing Fungal-stalks, Fiery Glowstalk and Lunar Reeds are planted in planters, gardens, and around or in ponds as decoration and for a natural light source at night. These flora tend to however be great magnets for insects so if you wish to plant some near your living quarters just be warned you might get more than you bargained for.

As with environments elsewhere many plants and fungi from this region are highly prized for their alchemical properties with some such as Ashen Gingko being known for restorative properties and Eucalid Locusts being adored for its lovely and stress reducing eucalyptus scent even though this plant is a locust and not Eucalyptid. Others like Ashen Cherry and Crowned Emperor Parasol are said to be able to ward off evil spirits and un-dead beings; a common favourite trait for potions and poisons for travellers in the wastes. Aloe Trees and Burning Vera can be used to treat all sorts of burns and Ashen corn like regular corn produces fruits which are edible. Other edibles that can be found in these wastes and are considered desirable to many (unlike many other edibles to be found in the wastes) are Ashen Peppers, Ash yams, Saltrice, Hack-lo, Jazbay Grape, Deadlands corn from Ashen Corn Stalks, lantern pods, and Frost Peach which despite preferring the colder temperate and sub-alpine reaches to the heated ash lands has managed to cling on in sheltered areas and weathered the landscapes transition rather well. While they are edible and have a slight taste like their namesake Buttercake Shrooms have a slightly meatier taste and are known for restoring of health and energy. Ash Cotton can be found in many open areas and is often cultivated around Balmora for the fibres from its flowers which can resist heat and fire. Fiery-Lantern Pods also enjoy the ashy landscape and are commonly used for its health restoring properties and heat resistant properties. In areas less affected by the ash and volcanic activity Glacial Thistle an icy blue flowered thistle which is commonly used for its ability to create potions to protect against the cold and Moon-Lantern Pods with their icy glow are known for their healing properties and cold resistance still thrive. Chokeweed has properties for curing disease, Root –pods, Glowing Fungal-stalks and Lunar Reeds can allow ones body to produce varying degrees of light from the skin for certain times and it should be noted both Lunar Reeds and Glowing Fungal Stalks are often used in local culinary dishes. If not prepared properly or if combined with ingredients known to produce the same effect such as Torchbugs for example can cause this effect to occur. While harmless it can be rather disturbing for those unfamiliar with the effect. Swamp Beacon Caps, Runners Lichen, Garlic and Nirnroot are known to have abilities to protect against disease. For more on the magical properties of various flora and edibles of this region there are various books on alchemy and provisioning one can acquire at many book stores and outdoor outfitters both in the wastes and elsewhere in the realm. In the species identification of this guide I will include notable alchemical traits for flora and fauna but I will not go into much detail about them.

This artwork is one of many I created for a story I call Shadows of the Void. They often are visual conceptions of things and entities directly mentioned or used in the story while some are more of background fillers to flush out concepts, locations or events of the story. More of these designs can be found in the gallery related to the story here: www.deviantart.com/robo-birdie… Meanwhile you can find and read the story here: archiveofourown.org/works/3489…