What Destroyed Morrowind?
Morrowind, the exotic and mystical home province of the dark elf Dunmer in the Elder Scrolls series, suffered utter devastation over 200 years leading up to the events of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. A combination of natural disasters, foreign invasions, abandonment by the Empire, and the impacts of player actions in TES III set the stage for Morrowind‘s long and tragic downfall.
The Red Year Catastrophe
The seminal event was the cataclysmic eruption of Red Mountain in 4E 5, known as "The Red Year." According to key Morrowind scholars, this eruption destroyed the city of Vivec and the surrounding island of Vvardenfell, killing thousands. Refugees continued fleeing as ash storms and choking fumes rendered huge swaths of Morrowind uninhabitable wastelands.
Exactly what triggered this devastating eruption remains unclear. Fan theories range from natural disasters to magical safeguards failing after the player character removed divine power sources during TES III events. Whatever the cause, this tragedy marked the beginning of the end for glorious Morrowind at the height of its prosperity.
Argonian Invasion
As Morrowind reeled from Red Mountain‘s eruption, the neighboring province of Black Marsh invaded. The previously enslaved Argonians struck back against generations of Dunmer oppression while the province lay vulnerable.
Records suggest Morrowind‘s disorganized local militias failed to mount an effective defense against the ruthless Argonian assault. By 4E 20, the invaders occupied over half of Morrowind‘s southern territory, commiting various atrocities and displacing a further 20,000 Dunmer houses. This added to the refugee crisis and turmoil set off by the Red Year.
Abandonment During the Oblivion Crisis
Shortly after, the Oblivion Crisis brought further doom to hapless Morrowind. Though details remain scarce, various accounts suggest that scores of Oblivion Gates opened across Morrowind, flooding towns with destructive daedra.
With the Empire occupied battling gates in Cyrodiil, they reportedly pulled legions out of Morrowind entirely. But with no standing army of their own and chaotic local leadership following disasters, Dunmer could not handle the devastating Oblivion invasion. More cities fell while refugees continued fleeing.
Long Term Impacts
The cumulative impacts of these three disaster events left Morrowind a mere shell of its former glory days in TES III. Vvardenfell remains a smoldering, mostly uninhabited wasteland two hundred years later in the Skyrim timeline.
On mainland Morrowind, the capital of Mournhold lies in ruins, and most major cities suffered massive damage and population declines during the calamities. However, some southern and eastern areas remain inhabited by Dunmer refugees rebuilding new settlements. The Nords also gifted the island of Solstheim to Dunmer fleeing the destruction.
Still, the vibrant, powerful Morrowind that enticed generations of Elder Scrolls fans no longer exists except in memories and mods. The splendor of Vivec City, the mushroom forests of Vvardenfell, and the grand Telvanni wizard towers now live on only in TES III, while the future of one of gaming‘s most iconic locales remains uncertain at best.
Yet for loyal TES fans, hope persists that even the total wreckage of Morrowind cannot fully erase such a rich and magical province. Perhaps Vvardenfell will regenerate from the ashes, new Dunmer clans will repopulate the towns in future games, or modders will simply rebuild a thriving fantasy Morrowind themselves within their computers. Only time will tell if Morrowind‘s tragic story truly marks the end for this beloved Elder Scrolls setting.
