Alright, I haven't played Morrowind in years. I played it before I joined these boards, so I never had anyone to answer this lingering question. I know it's long overdue, but I'm still interested in an answer.

The Duke (forgot his name), had a deed for some castle or something written out to my character in his pocket. I'm not sure if it showed up when you tried to pick pocket him, but I'm pretty sure it showed up if you killed him. It was bigger and different than the manor you could get if you joined the Houses. He never gave me this deed. This is a mystery that I have never been able to solve. Was it something that was originally planed, but scraqed at the last minute or was it something that we could actually get?

No, that's a standard construction contract. So in theory, one could pickpocket or murder the duke, then give the somehow fully signed and sealed document to who ever is building one's stronghold. But it will be the same stronghold. And obviously, that could cause problems for a Hlaalu kinsman in particular.

Thanks

For what it's worth, his name is Vedam Dren, and he's the brother of Orvas. Which may explain how Orvas gets away with some of the things he does.