Encyclopedia Ayleidoone: on their "Amaranth Fields"
From the Encyclopedia Ayleidoone: Ayleidoon and their Cultures by Soljana of the Bjoulsae (not to be confused with the companion works Ayleidoon and their Etymologies, Ayleidoon and their Pantheons, et cetera and so on, all sanctioned in partnerships with the Daggerfall Press, the Balfiera Press, the University of Gwylim Press, and the University of Firsthold Press)
#On the Subject of the Amaranth Plant
It is no secret that many scholars from Alinor to Gideon have myriad theories concerning whether or not the heartland was, at any given point in time, filled with dense jungle. As we are now aware in the dawning of the so-called "Third Era", Cyrodiil is mostly temperate forest with highlands to the north and some marshes in the south. However, after looking at some translation notes written by Beredalmo the Signifier of Clan Direnni back in the "Second" or "Common Era" (with much help from my friend and colleague Alexandre Provanc, a student of the language), we have come to an interesting find:
Notes involving a peculiar plant with bright red to purple flowers, the 'grain' of which was allegedly used as a sort of staple crop, much like how we use wheat today.
The initial word for this flower was, in their native language, Aramathe, meaning "ruler of the house". Eventually, over centuries of linguistic evolution and the overtaking of Cyrods (the men) in Ayleidoon lands, the word became "amaranth". While we have some understanding as how this flowering crop was used, there is no evidence that this plant currently exists in Cyrodiil in its red and purple form.
The plant was thought to have been used as:
a staple crop used for the making of flour
a decorative plan in their gardens
a source of a particular red dye that was made into ink for government documents, likely because of it's blood-like appearence
and, according to one rare document, a base to be mixed with blood and honey to be formed into shapes that were edible, likely a treat for young Ayleidoon children.
There are likely other uses of this plant that we may forever be unaware of without further research.
If the "Jungle Cyrod" theory holds true, then the common strains of wheat that grow today in the fields would have had some difficulty growing. I understand that there are strains of wheat that can survive a harsh jungle climate, but some of the current flora in modern Cyrodiil would likely not survive such conditions (Foxgloves, St. Jahn's Wart, Morning Glories, and so forth). The ground would not be suited for such plants. Amaranth, however, could theoretically hold its own in dense, hot jungle. This would mean that, because of the presence of a likely tropical plant that was so commonly used, that there must be some truth to "Jungle Cyrod".
To prove this, I have proposed to the Elder Council a horticultural examination of the Tenmar Forests of Elsweyr: a well known jungle. Should there be the presence of a plant much similar to the amaranth flower described in the Signifier's Notes, then we would be one step closer to proving once and for all what proto-Cyrod was like. For now, the nature of their "fields of granary amaranth" remain a mystery.
[Publisher's Note: the likelihood of the Elder Council spending valuable gold on such a venture is very unlikely. However, should they accept, a newer edition of the Encyclopedia Ayleidoone: Ayleidoon and their Cultures will be sure to include the findings.]