Settlements of Morrowind
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This article list the many major Settlements of Morrowind encountered in the video game the Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Note that, due to the game setting being limited to only a section of the province of Morrowind, this article does not list all of the settlements in Morrowind. That being said, it is safe to assume that more cities exist in Morrowind than those that are listed.
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[edit] Ald Velothi
Ald Velothi is a small Redoran fishing village due north of Gnisis. It is on the coast, and is closer to Khuul than any other town on the Silt Strider routes. It is perhaps the smallest of all the Redoran towns and perhaps provides little or nothing other than a stop-off point for those who wish to travel north to Daedra Shrines and the surrounding areas. Only two quests happen in this town: one to the south where a rogue Ashlander holds a woman captive, whom you must save, and a House Redoran quest. Ald Velothi also seems to be the village where a small sect of people named 'The Twin Lamps' operate from, a group that frees slaves from the Telvanni.
[edit] Ald-ruhn
Ald-ruhn is one of the largest cities on the island of Vvardenfell, and district seat for House Redoran. House Redoran's council hall and manor district are located under the shell of an ancient, extinct giant crab, called Skar. The large carapace encloses a central dome, in which are enclosed the Redoran Council Seat, a headquarters for the Morag Tong, the homes of several important figures in the Redoran hierarchy, and a very small number of shops. From the front of this shell the city of Ald'Ruhn spreads out over several steppes, with Ald'Skar being on the highest plateau, along with a small number of shops. The next plateau down includes a few more traders, as does the one after that. On the lowest plateau is the Inn, the Guild Headquarters for the Mages' Guild and the Fighters' Guild, and the Silt Strider transport.
Ald'ruhn is a combination of Aldmeris and Dunmeris translation, meaning "Elder Home" or "Elder Hearth-Hall"
Later, Ald'ruhn is ultimately destroyed by daedra from Oblivion, despite a valiant defence that included the animation of Skar as a mobile siege engine.
[edit] Balmora
Balmora is the largest city on Vvardenfell after Vivec. Balmora is the district seat for House Hlaalu, and center of trade in the nearby regions.
Balmora (Rockwood in Dunmeri) is often the first stop for new players after Seyda Neen offering many places for a new adventurer to start. In fact, the start of the main quest is located in the east of Balmora, Caius Cosades' house.
Balmora is also the place that most players join the guild or guilds of their choice; The Fighters' Guild and The Mages' Guild are right next to each other in the middle of the town "High Street". The Thieves' Guild operatives are found within the South Wall Cornerclub found in the south-east of town. Balmora also has a Temple, quarters of the Great House Hlaalu, a Morag Tong Guildhall and, to the east, the Imperial fort of Moonmoth.
Balmora is a good shopping town as well, as there is an armoury, a clothier, apothecary, bookstore, and an out-fitter, along with various residential homes. In fact, the town comes with two homes designed for the player as the occupant: players slay an orc in a mission for The Fighters' Guild, and in a side quest they need to investigate a murder in a manor.
This city often becomes players' favorite, probably because of a very open atmosphere and easily accessible layout, in addition to its proximity to many important areas. Modders often create their own houses in the TES Construction Set, and the phrase "another house in Balmora" among modders is sometimes used to refer any modification that has been done many times before.
When it comes to transport to/from Balmora there are three main methods. There is a silt strider at the south of the city, The Mages' Guild offers instantanious transport between any of the Guild headquarters and of course walking is a possibility. A short walk to the north is the town of Caldera and following the path to the south will take players to either Pelagiad, Seyda Neen or Vivec.
[edit] Caldera
Caldera is a small ebony mining town located on the island of Vvardenfell in the province of Morrowind. It is an Imperial controlled city, with representatives of the East Empire Company, soldiers of the Imperial Legion, and a few members of House Hlaalu in the Governor's Hall overlooking the town. The town's ebony mine is located close by and is owned by House Hlaalu.
The town is perhaps best known for being the location of Creeper, a scamp merchant, who with 5000 drakes has more money than anyone in Vvardenfell other than the talking mudcrab and an Ashlander merchant. He will also buy whatever you are able to sell him at full price.
House Redoran considers Caldera their territory and are trying to make money off of resources that should be theirs (namely, the Caldera Ebony Mine). House Redoran also believes that the Hlaalu officials located there are corrupt and need to be stopped.
[edit] Dagon Fel
Dagon Fel is a quiet town in eastern Sheogorad, and is one of the northernmost towns in all of Tamriel. This northern city has much Nordic and Cyrodiilic influence. Compared with other towns, like Balmora, Vivec or Suran, it is rather small and seemingly insignificant; however, it is notable for one reason: Dagon Fel is the only non-Dunmer town in Vvardenfell, and is inhabited completely by Nords and Imperial Guards. The town is also one of two cities in the game that combines the common and Imperial architectural styles, giving it a special atmosphere. It is surrounded by Dwemer ruins, giving it a unique character from similar towns in Morrowind, and providing many places to explore and loot. There are several islands north of it, one of which contains the monsters needed to be slain for Azura's Star, and another which is where a mission for the daedra lord Sheogorath takes place. Traveling by boat, the town is also the gateway between the Eastern and Western ports of Vvardenfell.
[edit] Ebonheart
Ebonheart is the seat of Imperial rule on the island of Vvardenfell and the regional headquarters of the East Empire Company, the Imperial Legion, and the home of Castle Ebonheart, wherein the Duke of Vvardenfell, Vedam Dren resides. It is named after the city of Old Ebonheart on the mainland of Morrowind, across the Sea of Ghosts. The town is composed of several islands, surrounded by walls and connected by small bridges. There is also a port, offering ship transfer to various coastal towns on Vvardenfell.
In the Tribunal expansion of Morrowind, transport to Mournhold (where the expansion plot takes place) is provided by a mage in Castle Ebonheart.
[edit] Fort Firemoth
Fort Firemoth is an old Imperial fort on a crescent shaped isle southwest of Seyda Neen. Years ago it was overrun by a legion of the undead and the fort was abandoned. Recently the Imperial Legion has been planning to retake the fort with a small mercenary force.
As the player you have the chance to lead the small group of fighters to retake the fort from the undead in the official Siege at Firemoth plugin. The ship that takes you to the crescent isle is located in Seyda Neen.
[edit] Fort Frostmoth
Fort Frostmoth is the only Imperial fort on the island of Solstheim, and is the southernmost landmark on the island. The fort's dock is run by an Argonian named Basks-in-the-Sun and provides travel to Khuul and Raven Rock. The fort is run by Captain Falx Carius. Other important characters in the fort are Carnius Magius, the factor of the East Empire Company and Antonius Nuncius, the resident. (there are very many places to join guilds here). Imperial Cult priest.
Fort Frostmoth is featured in the Morrowind expansion pack, Bloodmoon.
[edit] Ghostgate
Ghostgate is the only entrance in and out of the Red Mountain region, which is surrounded by the Ghostfence. Ghostgate consists of three sections: the Tower of Dusk, the Tower of Dawn, and the temple in between the first two. It is also a barracks for the garrisons of Temple Ordinators and Order of the Buoyant Armigers who act as guards for this entrance to the Red Mountain region. Ghostgate is often also used as a base for the nearby shrine to Vivec, where pilgrims can donate an empty soul gem to receive a blessing. The shrine is just inside the Ghostfence, to the northeast.
[edit] Gnisis
Gnisis is a mining town in the West Gash. It is under Imperial control, but feels much Redoran influence. Its residency consists almost entirely of Dunmer and Orcs, with a smattering of Imperials. As a mining town, Gnisis and its residents are heavily dependent on the Gnisis eggmine, which has become blighted.
There is a small Dunmer temple in the middle of Gnisis, notable for Vivec's Ashmask and important to members of the Tribunal Temple on pilgrimage. Various stands surround the temple where the player can buy and sell goods. A silt strider platform which has transportation to Ald'ruhn, Khuul, and other towns, stands on the edge of the village. Additionally, on the outskirts of Gnisis is Arvs-Drelen, a Telvanni necromancer's tower, home to Baladas Demnevanni, whom players may be sent to see on various missions.
Gnisis is the only city where the player can join the Imperial Legion, as it has a relatively new legion fort, Fort Darius, and so not enough soldiers to fulfill the quota.
[edit] Khuul
Khuul is a small fishing village in northern Morrowind, but nevertheless it has both a Silt Strider and a shipping port. It is not on the path of the main quest, but can be used to access Solstheim in the Bloodmoon expansion. The town is also easily recognizable due to the impressive natural arch spanning over its inlet and is attractive due to the Daedric ruins nearby.
[edit] Maar Gan
Maar Gan is a small mining village to the north of Ald'rhun and is travelled to either by foot along the West Gash or by Silt Strider from Ald'rhun or Gnisis. It is operated by the Redoran Council. Although not an active area for those looking for quests, those on the main quest may pass through here several times and those doing quests for the Mages' Guild, Fighters' Guild and Tribunal Temple will come here on more than one occasion. Set among the barren foothills of the West Gash, with many willing creatures to fight and Nix Hounds to kill, it is not an entirely lovely place to visit.
Maar Gan becomes semi-important during the main quest of Morrowind, as taking a silt strider there puts you in the best position to walk to the Urshilaku Ashlander camp.
[edit] Molag Mar
Molag Mar is a town, fortress and pilgrimage rest site which guards the Molag Amur region in southeastern Morrowind. The player doesn't need to visit Molag Mar during the main quest, but it's a good place to rest. Molag Mar resembles the city of Vivec in the respects that it is physically a canton building and is patrolled by ordinators. Another thing to note is that the top of Molag Mar is open air, unlike the domed cantons of Vivec.
[edit] Mournhold
Mournhold is featured in Tribunal, an expansion pack to Morrowind. It is located in the continent of Tamriel. It is the capital of the province of Morrowind and is a sub-section of the larger city, Almalexia (named after the goddess of the same name who resides there). It is located in the lands of House Indoril and so features their architecture. It is policed by the High Ordinators, Dunmer who swear an oath to the Tribunal Temple. It is divided into five areas that the player can explore. These are:
- Godsreach, a wealthy merchant district containing the manor houses of important Dunmer as well as the Winged Guar pub and the Museum Of Artifacts
- The Royal Palace, the house of the queen and her son, King Hlaalu Helseth, whom the player meets after completing the Tribunal main quest.
- The Great Bazaar, including several shops, a pet stall, and a theatre with a quest involved in it.
- Plaza Brindisi Dorom; and
- The Temple District, including the high chapel which houses Almalexia, a goddess and key person in the Tribunal main quest.
The city has considerable sewers that lead down into the ruins of the ancient Old Mournhold, a city destroyed eras ago. There are also Dwemer ruins beneath the city.
[edit] Pelagoiad
Pelagoiad is located on the road between Seyda Neen and Balmora in the Ascadian Isles region, and is home to a small Imperial Legion fort, the namesake Fort Pelagiad. Limited Imperial Cult services are provided at the fort. The town area was originally settled by ex-Legionnaires who bought farmland at their retirement, clustered around the fort. Their presence attracted merchants and other services till Pelagiad grew to the size of a small town. the architecture is continental and reminiscent of High Rock with thatched cottages and a single high street. It is conveniently located near the lake, and the plantation, and includes a bar, a tavern, a smith, and a pawnbroker.
The town is also part of two quests, one, called "Beauty and the Bandit," involving a lovestruck target of banditry who wants you, the player, to find the man who stole her ring and deliver him a love letter.
Another one involves you and a Khajiit woman named Ahnassi, who, if she likes you, and you are male, will start a string of quests with you, detailed here.
Other miscellaneous quests such as an encounter with another romantic bandit, Nels Llendo, and "The Silver Bowl," a quest involving the return of a stolen silver bowl from a bandit cave to its rightful owner, can be found around the area as well.
[edit] Raven Rock
- Main article: Raven Rock, Morrowind
Raven Rock is a small ebony mining town on the island of Solstheim featured in the Bloodmoon expansion. Raven Rock is in the southwest part of Solthsteim in the Hirstaang Forest and northwest of Fort Frostmoth. Although, when you first reach the island, it will not be there. The town is built during the East Empire Company story line. Two NPCS in Oblivion claim to have worked on the Raven Rock settlement, but to have left when the settlement died due to lack of funds.
[edit] Sadrith Mora
Sadrith Mora is the district seat of House Telvanni, and home of the Telvanni council. It is notable for its organic architecture, and the buildings are likened to mushrooms and roots. Its name means "Mushroom Forest."
Non-Telvanni are confined to the Gateway Hotel at the entrance, which has a ghost in the south wing that cannot be killed unless the player locates its creator. Despite this the law is rarely followed and visitors are free to wander the large circle of shops and houses that makes up most of the town. However, a cluster of buildings at the center are impossible to get to for most people. Wolverine Hall is just outside of Sadrith Mora, and contains the Mages' Guild, Fighters' Guild and Imperial Cult headquarters in Sadrith Mora. At the entrance to Wolverine Hall is Dirty Muriel's Cornerclub, the local base of the Thieves' Guild.
[edit] Seyda Neen
Seyda Neen (also known as the Gateway to Vvardenfell, or the Swamp Fever Capital of the World) is situated at the southwestern extreme of Vvardenfell, with a position on the Inner Sea. It is considered the "Gateway to Vvardenfell," because it is the closest settlement to the mainland of Tamriel, and because it is the only location on Vvardenfell to feature a lighthouse. Although it is technically located on the Bitter Coast, it is in the cosmopolitan area of the Ascadian Isles; good roads lead east of the village to Pelagiad, Ebonheart, and the City of Vivec.
Unlike the other villages along the Bitter Coast, Seyda Neen has a large outlander population and a more "continental" style of architecture. The headquarters of the Census and Excise in Vvardenfell District are located here, to both monitor criminal activity along the "Smuggler's Coast", and to take records of all people and merchandise that come and go through the port. The overall quality of life appears to be lower than in the Ascadian Isles region, but much better than other areas of the Bitter Coast. Many people, mostly the outlanders, live in small, Cyrodiil-style houses, whereas the other half of the village, mostly Dunmer, live in fishermen's huts.
The greater part of the village is located on a tiny island, (to be known now as Seyda Neen Island) connected by a short walking bridge to the mainland; the water separating the island is shallow and easy to walk across. The northern part of the island, which is raised just slightly above the ground from the rest, features the Census and Excise building; Arrille's Tradehouse; and Cyrodiil-style residences. A small spit of land, lower to the ground, lies just west from this raised portion. It features a few huts assembled around some very tall trees, and a small, swampy pool.
Jutting out to the south is the "wild" portion of Seyda Neen, featuring the lighthouse, and some otherwise undeveloped land around it. Muck pools, mushrooms, trees, and rocks are here, and there are mudcrabs and cliff racers to be found occasionally.
The "mainland" area of Seyda Neen features only two homes and a roadsign that points to west to Hla Oad and Gnaar Mok, and east to Balmora and Vivec. Just to the east of the village, still within the town limits, is a huge rock with a platform that serves as the local Silt Strider station.
[edit] Suran
Suran is located in middle-southern Vvardenfell, in the Ascadian Isles, and is controlled by House Hlaalu. It is close by to many Hlaalu-controlled farms and plantations, and is an important trade stop for these, as it has a Silt Strider stop. This stop is used for transport of crops, and is a waypoint on the way to Molag Mar. As a major trade stop, Suran has many shops, a tradehouse, and a tavern. It is also home to the infamous strip club called House of Earthly Delights as well as one of the few non-Telvanni slave markets.
[edit] Tel Fyr
Tel Fyr is the Telvanni stronghold of the wizard Divayth Fyr, who undertakes scientific and magical experiments in his stronghold. He has done a great deal of work toward developing a cure for corprus disease. Tel Fyr also houses a Corprusarium where the victims of corpus can find refuge and live out the remainder of their lives in relative peace. Divayth Fyr has placed treasures in the coprusarium, and challenges adventurers obtain them. However, the player must not attack any of the corprus monsters or victims during this time. Most notable about Tel Fyr, however, is the fact that the only living Dwemer known to exist in Tamriel lives in the coprusarium.
Divayth Fyr refuses to talk to any character who kills a patient in the corprusarium, an indication of his hidden compassion and determination.
Inside a chest in the same room as Divayth Fyr, there is an amulet which, when equipped, will teleport players to the room with Dregas Volar, the bearer of the Daedric Crescent, the only unique Daedric weapon. After fighting Dregas Volar the player is given the Daedric Crescent.
[edit] Tel Vos
Tel Vos is a wizard tower and the stronghold of the Telvanni councilor Master Aryon. Tel Vos is unique in that it mixes Imperial and Telvanni architecture, as an apparent Imperial Legion fort that has been "infested" with the Telvanni organic architecture. Master Aryon lives in a large Telvanni mushroom house at the top of the fort which is only accessible via levitation as per Telvanni custom. The rest of the fort is a miniature city of sorts: it has several towers, housing various things such as shops, a small shrine, Dwemer and Imperial museums, a prison, etc. These traits, along with the proximity of Vos village, make it an excellent rest stop for those exploring the eastern Grazelands, especially for retainers and kin of Telvanni who will be welcomed and given reduced prices for goods.
The construction of the stronghold's interior is apparently unfinished. Construction on the jail compound was under way, but when the player reaches this area, it appears to be under construction and possibly a failed project. There are five journal entries written by the foreman of the project scattered around the area. After the player reads them, he or she will find out that the project has been delayed because of roots taking over the area and because a boulder fell on a major ramp.
[edit] Thirsk
Thirsk is featured in the expansion pack Bloodmoon for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. The main part of Thirsk comprises a Nord mead hall of the same name. It is located on the island of Solstheim, on the eastern shore of Lake Fjalding and southeast of the Skaal village.
Thirsk was founded over 500 years ago by Skaal exiles led by Hrothmund the Red who became disillusioned with the ways of their fellow Nords and left the village. Hrothmund became Chieftain of Thirsk and led the hall to prosperity. He was killed many years later by the legendary wolf Ondjage and buried in Hrothmund's Barrow in the Moesring Mountains. His axe grants the blessings of chieftainship to new aspirants that are able to access the magically-sealed barrow. Legend has it that a giant monster, the Udyrfryke, was so enraged by the building of this hall that, upon its completion, it slaughtered almost every Nord inside. Eventually, though, it was driven into the ice caves underneath the hall and sealed.
Due to the events of the Bloodmoon Prophecy, the Udrfryke was again released to wreak havoc in Thirsk. The Nerevarine was able to enter its lair and destroy the beast, taking its heart as a trophy.
Afterwards, the Nerevarine was installed as Chieftain of Thirsk.
[edit] Trivia
- The Udyrfrykte legend is somewhat similar to the Beowulf legend.
- The tale of Angar and Svenja is an easter-egg in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, refererring to Thirsk's (and Svenja's) appearance in the Bloodmoon expansion to the series' previous installment, Morrowind.
[edit] Vivec
- Main article: Vivec, Morrowind
Vivec is the largest city on the island of Vvardenfell. It is home to a great many artisans, businesspersons, and craftsmen. Apart from being an architectural marvel, the city represents the seat of Dunmer religion on the island. Named for one of the Tribunal gods, Vivec lies on the southern coast of the island and projects well into the sea.
[edit] Vos
Vos is a town built in the Velothi style. When it was taken by House Telvanni, however, they planted one of their great mushroom plants under its temple, giving it a unique mix of Velothi and Telvanni architecture. Vos is very close to the Telvanni wizard tower Tel Vos, the home of Telvanni Councillor Master Aryon. When petitioning the Council to be named Telvanni Hortator, Master Aryon takes very little interest in the matter, simply telling the Nerevarine that he/she has his vote for the position of Telvanni hortator.
