House Dres was the biggest slaver house in Morrowind, the house that sold the most slaves took the most slaves from border raids and generally speaking the one that made the most money out of it. So being against the slavery, as most people are, they are also automatically against House Dres.

All knowledge of the Morag Tong comes from a single thief inside the Thieves Guild... He says they fled after the Red Year with a promise to come back together at a later date, you'd think a 194 or so years would be enough to regroup but apparently Dunmer take their time.

If you really want to get technical, the Ehlnofey started it when they destroyed the vast majority of the Hist's realm during their war. The Argonians were also "conquered" in 1E 2811 (their forces destroyed, and last remaining army retreated to the inner swamps where the invaders wouldn't follow), a few hundred years before the Khahaten Flu.

But still, there's no proof the Argonians were responsible for the flu. The first Pocket Guide, which was written 300 years after the event, called that a rumor, and the third Pocket Guide still said it was a matter of debate whether it was a natural occurrence, or if it was the work of an Argonian shaman (which, even if so, could've been a rogue working on their own). For all we know, the Kothringi could've created it themselves on accident.

An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind. Besides, while I could see the Hist doing something like that, the hypothesis does not have enough evidence to support it. I very much doubt the Argonians themselves would choose to do it but who knows? Maybe the Kothringi were a nuisance. Also...what elves are you talking about? i only recall some fox and silver human races. The Argonians and Dunmer have hated each other for a long time.
Eek. Argonians sold their own into slavery as well. Not sure if they were TOTALLY against it but I would say they definitely did not like being enslaved. Like most people would not. House Dres also fought alongside House Hlaalu to abolish Slavery after the events of Morrowind. They beat back both Indoril AND Redoran. Quite a feat to do considering that both are full of great warriors and Indoril has a great deal of power. So while that does not forgive years of enslavement I don't think they "deserved" annihilation. But it is understandable that the Argonians would want some vengeance. Though not acceptable.
Meh, the Hist stood there and decided not to pick sides in the Ehlnofey war. If they had maybe they would not have lost so much. If you really want to get technical. Anu clashing with Padomay. Anuic and Padomaic forces.

In regards to the Flu. While it is a rumor the simple fact is that's the best we get in terms of actual information half the time, in regards to TES History. The Argonians having something to do with the Flu and being completely unaffected by it IS suspicious. This also occurred around the time of all the pirates residing in Black Marsh as a hideaway from Imperial law or something, maybe my dates are wrong though. The Argonians were very Xenophobic about humans after that and were probably pissed. What little evidence we have points at the origin of that flu being made by something Argonian friendly. Maybe the Hist misinterpreted the feelings of the Argonians and decided to do something about it. Then got a Shaman to create the plague to kill off the humans and in the process wiped out two entire races of intelligent creatures. But of course the Argonians can do no wrong...

Back on topic.
Really most of what we know about the Red Year and the events that came after it simply give us too little information to make an accurate judgement on it. It usually comes down to the Argonian/any fans that hate the Dunmer saying Morrowind got utterly destroyed and the Dunmer fans/or whoever else likes the Dunmer saying nay tis not as bad as you claim!

One of my biggest disappointments with Skyrim is that not one of the Dunmer refugees even mentions how they feel about a damned meteorite smashing into their province and causing a Volcano to explode all over it. Seriously not one bitter old Dunmer with some details? Not very Dunmerish imo. I love the Dunmer and think they would be bitter as hell! Skyrim was a disappointment-fest with the Lore anyways though so meh.

I'm speculative for the sake of it just because my stance disagrees with yours and I can provide support for it? I would be happy to accept the severity of Red Year if someone would just present some actual hard data in support. Just because it's a super volcano does not mean that all of its eruptions will be of apocalyptic proportions.

You grossly underestimate the effect and significance of 'a few cold years'. At any rate, though, my point here was - not to be 'speculative for the sake of being speculative' - but to point out the uncertainty that surrounds Red Year and its aftermath and thus the inherent shakiness of any assertions on the status of Dunmer society in Morrowind.


So much truth. Talk about a 'polarizing issue'. And it seems always to devolve to blatant racism and the slavery issue, in the end.

Also true to some extent. But it also often brings up the Hist killing issue. But afaik there is no real evidence that the Dunmer did that. All I can find is a book about Dwemer that MAY have been rewritten by a Dunmer to make it seem like the Dwemer were the ones who cut down Hist trees and not the Dunmer. Kind of convoluted as evidence tbh. Now I don't doubt the Dunmer would cut down Hist trees. But I do question if they understood the atrocity they were committing or whether or not they actually did do it.

The Hist did get nearly annihilated in the Ehlnofey wars though

I believe the Morag Tong is waiting for Morrowind to reach a more stable and powerful government so they can at least get some clients, which may be soon, also its believed a common dunmer can live up to 500+ years.

If house Telvanni is gone, how does one explain the young mage in the College of Winterhold who identifies herself as being of house Telvanni?

I honestly don't remember her mentioning that. Got a quote?

Retrieved via the Creation Kit:

I don't know if the house is still gone, but it was gone at some point in the past. Check out http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Brand-Sheis quest and http://www.imperial-library.info/content/lymdrenn-tenvannis-journal.

I've done that quest, and came to the same conclusion. But after joining the College I figured it's just a very limited account coming from a single, exceptionally narrow point of view, and as such isn't all that reliable. The Maryon family at the very least still exists, and still identifies with the House

Probably from port Telvannis or someplace similar. Still, the fact that even places like Tel Vos got invaded shows that the Telvanni must have lost significant amounts of land (and are probably much weaker for it).

I'm not disputing that. Just saying to be wary of absolutes. Not all of Dunmer society turned away from the Great Houses, and they're probably still around in some form.

A rather big assumption on it self. In order for that to be true, several other things have to be true as well. Like Tel Vos surviving the red year. Which is possible either due to location or the powerful Telvanni mage there, then we'll also have to assume that the pride of Tel Vos was docked at Tel Vos and that this family was located at Tel Vos, and also that the nurse maid somehow survived the battle of Tel Vos and then stayed there to take that boat later on. To find a young Telvanni heir, from that location. Never having left earlier.

At best what this quest and book tells us is that a ship called the pride of Tel Vos has crashed and that at least one person thought his house was gone for good. Nothing more.

Oblivion had some random rumor NPC commentary that Ald'ruhn, seat of Redoran power, was destroyed during the Daedra invasion and that the Redoran were in conflict with Nords invading from Skyrim. While lore-light in Skyrim, it is probable that what remains of House Redoran is on the eastern side of the Velothi mountains - if they survived the Red Year. Blacklight appears to have survived, according to an East Empire company map.

However you slice it, Morrowind is in a bad state. Look:

Their religion was turned on its head when the Tribunal admitted their various deceptions and the Temple was restructured to be Daedra and ancestor-saint worshipping. Their gods disappear, and then Oblivion opens up as they start to worship Daedra again, leading to mass confusion. the Redoran are brought low and house Dres' slave economy is rendered non-viable as Indoril, always Temple loyalists, remain in decline.

Then the Ingenium is built, fails, and "Vvardenfell erupts." Certainly, the destruction in Vvardenfell was near-absolute, and likely the inner sea went nuts, likely destroying Ebonheart and many other coastal cities. In this period of instability, enter Argonians given new power by the Hist. Even if the physical destruction was minimal deeper inland, the culture of Morrowind was transformed utterly, but obviously not destroyed. Plainly Telvanni exists still in some form, and on Solstheim lesser houses become greater. Plainly parts of Morrowind are still inhabitable, and are inhabited, but it seems many Dunmer, like the Sarethi woman who survived the Red Year on that farm in Skyrim, simply... never went back. How can you, really?

The "nordified" Dunmer really annoy the hell out of me.

As far as I got it, the Argonians invaded mostly Vvardenfell and the Telvanni Isles, not the mainland of Morrowind.

House Telvanni would be mostly destroyed.
House Redoran was at its edge already during the rising of the Nerevarine and the Oblivion Crisis due to the conflicts with Nords on the mainland and the destruction of Ald′Ruhn.
House Indoril was already decaying for centuries, but I think they somehow survived because they had much influence in the temple and territories at the center of Morrowind.
House Dres abolished the slavery and became more similar to House Hlaalu, and since they most likely had vast amounts of money they should be alright.
And House Hlaalu should be currently the most strongest House with having close ties to the Empire, vast amounts of money and the king of Morrowind being a descendant of this House.

And I really don′t get how something so small like the Ministry of Truth could destroy whole Vivec and cause the Red Mountain to erupt...

Where did you get the location of the Argonian invasion from? For the other points

There is no evidence of the state of House Telvanni, what you're making is a rather big assumption based either on the previous sentence or a book that is discreted in the same game...
House Redoran I agree with, they moved most if not all of their power to Vvardenfell pre-Nerevarine with Ald'Ruhn destroyed it's likely the house suffered greatly. Interstingly enough there is a place called Redoran's retreat in Skyrim so it's likely a few of them made it out.
House Indoril lost all their mayor influeince after the Armastice was signed, most leaders killed themselves because of it, their power had been replaced by House Hlaalu primarily. The state of the house likely hasn't improved in recent years without Almalexia.
House Dres is in the south of Morrowind and the greatest slaver house in the province, traditionally speaking, if any house suffered from the invasion it would have been them.
House Hlaalu its power came from the Empire, but after the Oblivion crisis, the Red Year, the ARgonian invasion and the lack of imperial support I doubt it would do them much good.

As for the minsitry of truth, it was a moon send from orbit. Vivec froze it, when it came back it continued at the same speed as it has been travelling at before, so it wasn't a 50 meter drop it was a million meter droping race towards the city, this multilplies the impact a thousand fold.

House Telvanni is not a feudal house in the traditional, human sense. "The last living heir" either implies; all of the Telvanni, every single one, is dead, save for him; which we know isn't true.
The only survivor of the ruling family of a certain Telvanni mushroom-city.
The only surviving relative of the Arch-Magister of Port Telvannis.
The only surviving relative of all the Telvanni interested in Morrowind's politics.

Or it's a complete scam.

Either way, a Telvanni beleives that might is right. Blood means little. Brandyn wouldn't stand a chance of reasserting any claim to station based on his lineage, as opposed to mastery of the arcane. (If he returned to a Telvanni area that is.)

I think the whole thing is rubbish, quite frankly. I can't imagine Master Fyr being so hapless as to let Argonians tramp his works and tower.

Agreed, the most powerful of Telvanni masters are really quite powerful they wouldn't just be overrun and you would have to ask yourself if attacking them could possibly pay off... Letting a hundred of your soldiers die to kill a single Telvanni that could just teleport away at a critical stage is just insane.

Add to that the ease of defending the towers, at least in Vvardenfell and I find it even more unlikely that the Argonians would have been stupid enough to attack the smaller Telvanni strongholds like Tel Vos or Tel Fyr.

Morag Tong disbanded. No word yet on if they'll get back together. There is a former member in the thieves guild who tells u about it. They are kinda in hiding from the Darkbrotherhood though. lol

Oh and u have to beat their questline before he shows up.

The famous quote claiming house telvanni is fallen can be seen as wrong seeing how he was in Tel Aruhn which is NOT the capital of Telvannis nor the capital of the Vvardenfell Telvanni, there are plenty more Telvanni settlements in Morrowind so thus its possible that it can still be around. Port Telvannis most likely survived both the red year and the argonian war as well as several other of the far eastern Telvanni Settlements especially seeing as how Telvannis has a ton of mountain ranges which spare them from being hit by the debris of red mountain as well as the heavy waves from the oceans.

Probably an Obvious question but you never know. How do you think the Buoyant Armigers are doing?

Also keep in kind that it has been a little less than 200 years since all this happened. Quite a lot can happen in that time. The rise and decline of entire successful societies have happened in that time frame. All it would take is one charismatic leader banding people together. If the leader was Dunmer they could be doing the whole banding people together thing for centuries.

As for how devastating the Red Year actually was? NO ONE has any clue other than the devs. We really can only make guesses until they give us something definitive.

Yep. It could be that House Telvanni fell, but the last heirs managed to rebuild to the point that they actually regained importance instead of being a few scattered wizards and noble refugees.