Silgrad Tower from the Ashes

Calling all modellers - your descriptions of the plants and animals you love to model is wanted for the ST in-game lore 'Botany Books' Project. Post in this thread, and we will see how many we can collect!

NB: It is assumed by me that all the areas of Morrowind will have certain literature in common, which makes this actually the Morrowind edition for both Mainland and Vvardenfell.

Please note that while it is the intention of the Botany Books to provide a service that is available in and to all the Provinces and to respect their requirements, strict observance of protocol and credit will be maintained, and the editor retains the right to withdraw the use of the Botany Books and contents from any group that does not fully understand and respect the normal and proper academic conventions. Judgement as to any dispute on this question must remain with the originator and editor.

Many thanks, raggidman

Quote:From a post to (editing name =) Krisi-_
These names sound familiar too, if they are quotes from in-game stuff then it is very important to say so as this forms a powerful basis for your own input.

...snip...as what I want to do is create a differnt and clearly recognisable style for each of the different races.

Not sure which race yours would be as yet.

:alert: Having said this if there is anything more you can add from in-game - screenies of seeds, leaves etc, that will help us to create concept art and construct models later!

See KuKulzA's rough description of 'Muckspunges' (his spelling!)

This was something he added into his thread as he was modelling presumably to help him visualise and make his model real - hey, I was so impressed :banana: I immediately wanted to use this as the start of an in-game lore book.

Mucksponge by KuKulzA

Quote:the way I see it, muckspunge are like sea-sponges except adapted to land and fill a plant-niche in the ecosystem... they have a shallow root whicch is decievingly uselss. However the shallow root actually sucks minerals out of the dirt, and returns some, and ever recycling food. Muck is released on occasion especially the older the spunge is or the more hospitable the environment. Local animals will sometimes drink/eat out of muckspunges, such as migrant cliffracers, these are of course driven off by farmers.
Because of occasional storms, the muckspunge could potentially get ripped up as it is tossed about the coasts of the West Gash. However, the spongy body, and the shallow root allow it to be uproted in one piece and tossed into a new environment. The sponginess actually can allow it to bulgue more with the onset of a storm, wedging it into the soil.
Dunmer farmers use muck shovels to get the muck which is potentially very useful if treated properly. Raw muck, a mixture of acids and dirts and rotted material is somewhat toxic.

Here is an ongoing list of some plants and first indicated are those the Botany Books have contributions for:


Wickwheat (lit)
Hackle-Lo (lit)
Coda Flower (lit)
Heather (lit)
Marshmerrow (lit)
Kreshweed (lit)
Muckspunge (lit, model)
Emperor Parasol (lit, model)
Black Rose (lit, model?)
Trama Roots (lit, model)

missing(or they aren't here from the list link posted by me earlier) :

Ash Yam, Bittergreen, Black Lichen, Black Anther, Draggle Tail,
Bloatspore, Bungler's Bane, Chokeweed, Comberry, Corkbulb (Root),
Fire Fern, Gold Kanet Flower, Golden Sedge Flower, Gravetar,
Green Lichen, Horn Lily, Hypa Facia, Spiny Lloramor, Luminous Russula,
Meadow Rye, Nirthfly Stalks, Noble Sedge, Roobrush, Scrib Cabbage,
Scathecraw Plant, Slough Fern, Stoneflower, Trama Shrub,
Timsa-Come-By flowers, Violet Coprinus, Willow Flower

:goodjob: Great list update from Research Assistant Krisi-_

Remember it could be possible to quote more than one source for any one plant and if you can think of more plants to add to the list, post them!

0 concept art to date. Bung in some drawings, watercolours, paintings of your favorite plants...

well... ingame they say it is muckspunge...
NOTE: I am thinking maybe it is a big Flora & Fauna catalogue made by many people from Imperial Savants to Ashlanders... and collected by a traveler exploring Morrowind and observing the people and wildlife

revised version of muckspunges:

Quote:The Muckspunge is reminiscent to sea-sponges except adapted to land and they fill a plant-niche in the ecosystem. They have a shallow root which is deceivingly useless. However the shallow root actually sucks minerals out of the dirt, and returns some, in an ever recycling nutrients system. Muck is released especially the older the muckspunge is or the more hospitable the environment. Local animals will sometimes drink/eat out of muckspunges, such as migrant cliffracers, these are of course driven off by farmers.
Because of occasional storms, the muckspunge could potentially get ripped up as it is tossed about the coasts of the West Gash. However, the spongy body, and the shallow root allow it to be uprooted in one piece and tossed into a new environment. The sponginess actually can allow it to bulge more with the onset of a storm, wedging it into the soil.
Dunmer farmers use muck shovels to get the muck, which is potentially very useful if treated properly. Raw muck, a mixture of acids and dirts and crushed/rotted spunge material is somewhat toxic. Muck is able to be made into antidotes and madicines and is donated by faithful Dunmer at the Shrine of Humility in the Fields of Kummu. A Muckspunge begins as a bulbous growth then extending into a trunk. While young, they can be split to make more, but when older, should they be injured these injuries will heal over time and result in patches of softer, newer sponge.

EDIT: I don't mind doing more descriptions... I am and was when younger, VERY interested in biology and zoology... I really like ecology.... so if you don't mind me making more (and more 3d models hopefully) then, let me know!

I expect everyone will be happy to see more of your 3d models - I think you cannot have too many to choose from, but Razorwing, Quentin and the peeps in the Core decide what goes in - just do what you enjoy, and submit it to them modelling wise - the more practice you get the better your models will be.

And I for one will look forward to reading every single description that comes with every model you do! And hope to include many in the Botany Books... :bananarock:

I'd like to enter my description of the Black Rose (more info here) for consideration.

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royalblue[/hr]

Quote:[1st]B[/1st]lack roses are quite common throughout the Province of Morrowind, particularly around the Velothi Mountains. It's a hardy plant that requires very little soil to sprout, and has a knack for competing out other flora. It would surely have been seen as a weed if it had grown near Dunmer settlements. Fortunately for the Dunmer, black roses only thrive in rocky and rugged highland terrain. They secrete a sweet, spicy odour that spread on the winds and serves as a familiar sign to outlanders that they've crossed the border into Morrowind.

While traditionally seen as a plant, black roses appear different to most flora known to scholars as they thrive both in sunlight as well as in shadows. It leads one to think that the plant has borrowed traits from mushrooms, while still retaining their sundrinking ability.

Black roses are mildly poisonous if eaten, and symptoms of black rose poisoning include stomach problems and skin rashes. The Dunmer realized thousands of years ago how to prepare black rose petals so they lose their skin rash-causing effect, thus creating a natural remedy for indigestion. Apart from their medicinal use, black rose petals are also the main ingredient in Duskbloom, a famous Dunmer men's perfume worn by commoners on many occasions. It's inexpensive to purchase and not that hard to distill oneself.

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royalblue[/hr]

It would be cool to see a description of the mysterious Bloatspore plant. It's ingredient, bloat, is commonplace, but you don't see a single Bloatspore on Vvardenfell despite the fact that the art for it is included on the Morrowind disc.

good description...

...have I seen it before? h... I remember the "outlander knows when he arrived in Morrowind by the smell part" ...well anyways.... without further ado... I believe you, Razorwing, merit this smiley to be granted for your viewing in my post :goodjob:

Now we're really cooking! :goodjob: or is it growing?

Quote:Originally posted by raggidman
Now we're really cooking! :goodjob: or is it growing?

....evolving....

Quote:Originally posted by KuKulzA
good description...

...have I seen it before? h... I remember the "outlander knows when he arrived in Morrowind by the smell part" ...well anyways.... without further ado... I believe you, Razorwing, merit this smiley to be granted for your viewing in my post :goodjob:

Thanks. If you've heard about black roses before its probably from one or both of the two official books that mention it, King Edward, Part VI and The Real Barenziah, volume VII. I believe both books were written for Daggerfall so it's not that strange there aren't any black roses in TES3.

Quote:Originally posted by KuKulzA

Quote:Originally posted by raggidman
Now we're really cooking! :goodjob: or is it growing?

....evolving....

Indeed Professor KuKulzA, I suspect you are correct.

Hmm, could I do Emperor Parasols? Its going to be a trick to try and explain how a fungi can grow to be the dominant lifeform in an ecosystem. Traditionally, real world fungi can't synthesize their own carbon, and must take it from other living organisms. I was thinking that the writer of the book could hypothesize that they must be recycling carbon synthesized from a long dead forest?