Skyrim's Alchemical Secrets Revealed

Greetings weary adventurers!

Harken to this my good people: I shall share my wisdom with thee gained from toiling in the mines of Skyrim for more than is good for any man.

Most resoundingly I hear about how alchemy can be ... obtuse ... for the travelers of Skyrim's harsh wilds. I would beg to differ. Though it does prove time consuming alchemy is worth it in the form of certain potent poisons and certain multi-function potions. Granted one must first learn of the sage wisdom of choosing potions and poisons as Favorites or Hot Keys to truly feel the glory that alchemy brings you.

Now I'm sure you want some recipes, and you'll get those, but first off some tips for the roaming alchemist:

1. Investing (Speech Tree) in an alchemy shop raises the chance of rare and uncommon ingredients appearing in stock, thus increasing your chances of finding those perfect gems of alchemy by just dropping in on your local apothecary. 

2. If low on coin do the 'potion merchant circuit' back and forth between Riften and Markarth. Craft what you can of the stock then sell everything you can and repeat in the other city; the travel time is roughly the restock time.

3. Locate the Alchemist's Shack location, due south of Ivarstead. A random lvl'd potion awaits and some nice ingredients spawn here as well. Plus the drawer can serve as a storage point and last there is an easily accessed alchemy station.

4. Look for Ingun Black-briar in Riften's alchemy shop or about town and do her quest. Once you finish giving her all the ingredients you gain access to the chest that will greatly supplement your potion stores and often give you plenty of mixtures to sell back to the vendor; the chest is in the back of the alchemy shop itself.

5. In the Solitude alchemist shop talk to the owner and start her quest, simply talk to the guard captain during the daytime and return to finish the quest. Once finished this quest allows you to take simple potions along with a few decent ingredients from the shop displays with no consequence, though be careful because higher value items are always stealing. 

Alchemy By Race:

Dark Elf - Frost Salts + Moon Sugar
Nord - Fire Salts + Elven Ear
Breton - Salt Pile + Taproot

The Alchemical Glory Intensifies...

Of all the potential effects in Alchemy there are really only two that a craft-master cares for.

Fortify Enchanting:

Blue Butterfly Wing, Hagraven Claw, Snowberries, Spriggan Sap

Fortify Smithing:

Blisterwort, Glowing Mushroom, Sabre Cat Tooth, Spriggan Sap 

Then to complete this mighty lore we simply must add the multi-effect potion recipes.

Multi-Effect Potions:

• Glow Dust + Glowing Mushroom + Hanging Moss
• Creep Cluster + Mora Tapinella + Scaly Pholiota
• Bear Claws + Eye of Saber Cat + Hanging Moss
• Hawk Beak + Slaughterfish Scales + Pearl
• Hawk Feathers + Purple Mountain Flower + Small Pearl
• Beehive Husk + Charred Skeever Hide + Hawk Feathers
• Hawk Beak + Mudcrab Chitin + Snowberries
• Hagraven Feather + Human Heart + Void Salts
• Butterfly Wing + Human Heart + Nightshade
• Falmer Ear + Human Heart + Hanging Moss