Well not sure how you know Morrowind was a beautiful landscape but okay. However, Vvardenfell was gloomy and dark. It had a nice swampy feel to it in most parts. It was nice looking but Cyrodiil was so much more beautiful.
As for them not being able to quickly form a foothold. They have been in Solstheim for 160 years, they have a foothold, a very big one lol.
Bah, an error on my part, I meant Vvardenfell.
Views are subjective, I found Cyrodiil very plain looking and almost like it was some sort of "Default fantasty setting".
I myself have not read The Infernal City, but after reading some summaries and some info about it, I haven't heard anything about how the Dunmer are coping on Solstheim other than that they fled there as refugees, and I haven't seen any news on them since :/