Note/L10N/Origin_of_the_Mages_Guild/6/Books/OMGMorrowindGeographicSurvey?
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Morrowind Geographic Survey
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by GhanBuriGhan
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<IMG src="Book/fancy_font/m_65x62.dds" width=61 height=61>orndas, 25th of Sun's Dawn, Cyrodiil, The Imperial Libraries<br><br>
Dear Guild Members,<br><br>
As I am preparing to get the Morrowind geographic survey expedition on its way for this spring, let me share with you some of my thoughts. I was searching the libraries for information on the geology of Vvardenfell, and it is simply shameful how little information there was to be found. Actually, I had the feeling that perhaps much of the information on the subject was purposefully removed (I could not track down several references mentioned elsewhere). Is it possible that someone feared that this information might be put to use against the province of Morrowind?
Still, there is some information to be deduced from some maps that I was able to find.<br><br>
Theories on the general nature of Vvardenfell, and of the surrounding inner sea, and considering the circular nature of the inner sea and the volcanic nature of the island, two possibilities for the formation of this region of Tamriel need to be discussed.<br><br>
Formation by volcanic explosion:<br>
We might speculate that the Inner Sea is, in fact, the result of a gigantic volcanic explosion in ancient times that has left a huge crater (a caldera) in its wake. Subsequent volcanic eruptions could then have created Vvardenfell and Dagoth-Ur, slowly filling the caldera. Against this theory are the gentle slopes of Dagoth-Ur, which would suggest a rather basaltic nature of the magma, which in turn is not given to explosive volcanism. On the other hand, we know that Dagoth-Ur was quiet for a long time in known history, and that the first eruptions were quite devastating. A sampling and analysis of the volcanic materials on the island, which we will perform on our expedition, should help us to better understand their nature.
<br><br>
Formation by impact of a heavenly body:<br>
It is known to the scholars that heavenly bodies (also called meteorites, or shooting stars) sometimes strike Nirn. A very great meteorite might have hit Tamriel and formed the crater of the inner sea. The weakening of the underlying rock by this massive impact might have led to intense volcanic activity in these parts, which then created Vvardenfell.<br>
The mountainous areas that seem to surround the inner sea speak for this theory, in my opinion.<br>
We might be able to validate this theory, if among the materials transported to the surface by the Volcano we can find pieces of the special materials that these "meteorites" are made of. I personally favor this last theory, my dear friends, as it seems more in line with the morphology of Dagoth Ur that, as stated previously, seems to be of basaltic nature (we are having some, albeit doubtful, reports on streams of lava running from the mountain - impossible with more silicate magma!) .
<br><br>
In either case, the event of the creation of the inner sea seems to have been a major catastrophe that would have squandered most life on Tamriel, along with that on the rest of Nirn. Therefore, it must have been an event in the very distant past - long before written history - and perhaps even during the very creation of Nirn by the Gods.<br><br>
I would very much appreciate your thoughts on this matter. Can you think of any ways we might substantiate one of these theories? Or might there be another that I have overlooked completely?<br><br>
I shall write you again soon with some additional thoughts on this interesting place that I am so much looking forward to seeing.<br>
I remain in thought and yours,<br><br>
GhanBuriGhan<br><br>
Lecturer on Morrowind's natural history:<br>
Geology, geography and ecology of Morrowind<br><br>
Dear GhanBuriGhan,<br><br>
"Subsequent volcanic eruptions could then have created Vvardenfell and Dagoth-Ur, slowly filling the caldera."<br><br>
It is interesting that you use the word Caldera, as there is an Imperial town by that very same name between Balmora and Ald'ruhn. The double meaning had never occurred to me, and perhaps it means nothing; but this remains to be seen. I have yet to visit, so I do not know anything of the surrounding environment; as it is a relatively recent Imperial town, however, I doubt that the name bears any relevance to the origin of Vvardenfell.<br><br>
As you hint in your letter, Dagoth-Ur was said to have erupted for the first time (in recorded history at least) in 1E 668. Our artifact record shows us that the Chimer and Dwemer were living on Vvardenfell well before this date, so if the subcontinent was formed by volcanic explosion (or, of course, by heavenly collision), I agree with your assessment that it must have been long before there had been inhabitants recorded as living there.<br><br>
Perhaps Morrowind was once home to Men even before the Chimer exodus from Sumerset Isle. Or, possibly even men who escaped from the Serpents of Akavir used to live there and were erased by the cataclysm that created Vvardenfell. Meaningless conjecture, but interesting....<br><br>
Perhaps (and I find this more likely) Vvardenfell was simply on the original plans for Nirn, as crafted by Magus. Perhaps it has been as such always. As you say - we will doubtlessly learn more when we are able to visit.<br><br>
Raptormeat<br><br>
Middas, 27th of Sun's Dawn, The imperial Geologic Society Building, Cyrodiil<br><br>
Dear friends,<br><br>
The things you mentioned in your correspondence have helped me remember a paragraph from the "pocket guide to the empire", copies of which cover a whole dusty shelf within this library:<br><br>
"The vast Volcano of Tamriel, this giant mountain dominates the north of Morrowind. It is a small continent all to itself, riven from the rest of Morrowind by the remains of a colossal crater. On a clear day (an exceedingly rare event), the peak can be seen from Almalexia, 250 miles to the south. At the time of the Nord Conquest, a Dwarven kingdom flourished in the north of Morrowind, the region now covered by the Vvardenfell volcano. Indeed, this vanished realm gave its name to the mighty volcano that obliterated it - Vvardenfell is a Dwarven word meaning "City of the Strong Shield". It is not known whether the Dwarves of Vvardenfell were destroyed by the first eruption of the volcano, or whether they had already met the mysterious fate of their brethren across Tamriel (see Marobar Sul's Ancient Tales of the Dwemer for a full discussion of the disappearance of the Dwarves). Certainly, the Kingdom of Vvardenfell remained strong at the time of the Nord Conquest. The doughty Dwarves, secure in their underground fastnesses and united into one polity, were a far more formidable foe than the divided and feuding Dark Elven clans, and remained independent when the rest of Morrowind fell to the Nords. The volcano first erupted in 1E 668; this date, at least, is well attested in the written record. The eruption is still recalled in the tales of numerous peoples - to the Nords it was "The Year of Winter in Summer", to the Khajiit, "Sun's Death". Legend attributes its birth to the fall of a god to earth; whatever the cause, Vvardenfell has slumbered uneasily for thousands of years, regularly blanketing the surrounding region with ash. Providentially, the tall mountain range between Morrowind and the rest of Tamriel has served to protect us from the exhalations of Vvardenfell, restricting its ash storms to the land of the Dark Elves, who seem made for life in its shadow."<br><br>
The falling god, while possibly a merely legendary explanation for the catastrophe of the eruption of 1E 668, would truly sound to the scientifically-minded scholar like the distant memory of a falling star hitting the earth. Whether such an event caused the eruption or not, it must have been unrelated to the much older event that created Vvardenfell and the inner sea (the island itself was obviously in existence before that time, as it contained said Nord city, but may have been strongly altered). The catastrophe of 1E 668, although large, was not nearly as cataclysmic as the one that must have created the larger crater of the inner sea.<br><br>
Should meteors have been responsible for both events? That would seem an incredible and entirely mysterious coincidence. In any case, I shall definitely have to approach and possibly climb Dagoth Ur, despite the risk. The answers should be fairly easy to find there. Maybe more new questions than answers shall arise in the end, but thus is our fate...<br><br>
The existence of the city "Caldera" is certainly interesting. Maybe more was once known about the origin of the big crater than today. Considering what is rumored about the advanced science of the "dwarves", this may well be true.<br><br>
GhanBuriGhan<br><br>
Lecturer on Morrowind natural history:<br>
Geology, geography and ecology of Morrowind<br><br>
Middas, 6th of First Seed, Imperial Treasury<br><br>
My dear friends,<br><br>
Here I sit, my friends, amongst riches that few of you have the power to imagine! The empire has amassed treasures of the most extravagant sort, and I am awed by the things I have seen: Precious stones, the finest armor, swords shimmering with magic power, necklaces, and tapestries of gold and silver threads... all heaped up carelessly in this immense vault of the Imperial Treasury. And I have only seen what has been stored in the hallways; what may lie behind the Mithril doors that I passed, guarded by silent and watchful guards?<br><br>
But I am not writing you to instill envy toward the treasures of our great Empire. The reason I spent much time and many words to convince the imperial court to allow me to descend to this vault is that, among all the other things, it also contains the best and most complete collection of gems, ores, and minerals from all parts of the Empire.<br><br>
Among the most famous exports of Morrowind seems to be ebony, and it is truly a wondrous material, highly valued for weapons and armor. Here is a snippet I found in a booklet about some of the ingredients used for alchemy in Morrowind:<br><br>
Raw Ebony<br>
Raw ebony is one of the most precious substances in the Empire, and most of the continent's deposits are here on Vvardenfell. Raw ebony itself is an extremely hard, durable, black glass-like substance, said to be the crystallized blood of the gods. Raw ebony is protected by Imperial law, and may not be mined or exported without an Imperial charter. Ebony smuggling is a profitable but dangerous source of illegal wealth on Vvardenfell.<br><br>
Many of the inhabitants seem to think that ebony, and also "glass", are directly linked to the Volcano, and are transported to the surface by its fires.<br><br>
So what does this tell us about the Volcano? The volcanoes in other parts of Tamriel rarely produce minerals or ores in greater quantity. These are found, rather, in old, deep rocks where the great pressures and hot fluids of the depths have formed and deposited them. If such things are indeed found in the deposits of Dagoth-Ur, I believe it would lend credence to our theory of a meteor impact associated with the formation of Vvardenfell itself and / or the eruption of the volcano in 1E668. Such an impact could have shattered the crust, so much so that ores and rocks from far below are now being transported to the surface. Maybe some of these materials even stem from the fallen star itself. We have little knowledge, though on the composition of such a thing.<br>
In any event, the notion of the locals that it is "crystallized blood of the gods" might be a distant memory linking it to the meteor impact, which has also been described as a "fall of a god to earth."<br><br>
The specimens that I have before me seem to be twisted and skewed, as if from great heat.<br><br>
I am very curious as to what other minerals I may find here in this collection, and during the expedition to Morrowind.<br><br>
Until then,<br><br>
GhanBuriGhan<br><br>
Lecturer on Morrowind natural history:<br>
Geology, geography and ecology of Morrowind<br><br>
While I would, of course, defer to my esteemed colleague Prof. Ghan in all matters geologic, I may perhaps contribute my own small bit to this discussion.<br><br>
In my research of the very oldest Nord records, I found ancient maps which showed no island in the north of modern Morrowind -- just a region labeled "Dwemereth" which encompassed the island of Vvardenfell as we know it, as well as a rather wide swath of what is now the mainland. Indeed, as best as could be made out from the rather crude map, the coastline once extended some distance further north than Vvardenfell does now.<br><br>
I defer to my more learned colleagues to determine the process of formation of the geologic structures of present-day Morrowind, but I have no doubt that in ancient times, Vvardenfell was part of the mainland.<br><br>
Hasphat Antabolis<br><br>
"In my research of the very oldest Nord records, I found ancient maps which showed no island in the north of modern Morrowind -- just a region labeled "Dwemereth" which encompassed the island of Vvardenfell as we know it, as well as a rather wide swath of what is now the mainland. Indeed, as best as could be made out from the rather crude map, the coastline once extended some distance further north than Vvardenfell does now."<br><br>
Interesting point from the Imperial Library's Tamriel Pantheon page:<br>v
(About Vivec saving his people):<br>
"He/she has saved the Dunmeri people from certain death on numerous occasions, most notably when he/she taught them how to breathe water (for a span) so that he/she could flood Morrowind and kill the Akaviri invaders, ca. 2E572."<br><br>
Note that this is well after the eruption of the volcano, and even further beyond the first empire (and even after the second empire)... actually, come to think of it, I don't even remember hearing about an invasion during this time period ...<br><br>
Anyway, even though it is relatively recent, perhaps this is related to why there is a ring of sea around Vvardenfell and Morrowind that is a bit smaller than it used to be.
<br><br>
In fact, I have an unrelated question that I presume no one will be able to answer. Where did that Tamriel Pantheon stuff come from? There are no references, and I do not think that they are compilations of previously known information.
<br><br>
Raptormeat<br><br>
Jobasha has not heard that. Jobasha heard the Akaviri were driven from Morrowind by the spirit of King Wulfharth in the battle with Ada'Soom and not defeated until they met Reman Cyrodiil's army. But all that was in the First Era, so who can say? If Vivec caused the drowning, it would explain the difference in maps from the First Era.<br><br>
Jobasha<br><br>
11th of First Seed, Imperial Library, Maps division.<br><br>
Dear Hasphat Antabolis,<br><br>
This is amazingly interesting information; I thank you so much. I have spent many hours among these dusty maps but, unfortunately, I have not found one nearly as ancient as the one you describe. Once I arrive in Morrowind, I shall see if I can talk the dark elves into letting me into their own archives. Perhaps I shall have more luck there.<br>
I do not doubt what you have told me, although it may seem to complicate things a bit. What do we know about the sequence of events?<br><br>
Middle Merethic era:<br>
"The Chimer [ancestors of the modern Dunmer, or Dark Elves], dynamic, ambitious, long-lived Elven clans devoted to fundamentalist ancestor worship, followed the Prophet Veloth out of ancestral Elven homelands to settle in the lands now known as Morrowind."<br>
Late Merethic era:<br>
"Nordic hero Ysgramor, leader of a great colonizing fleet to Tamriel... lands at Hsaarik Head, at the extreme northern tip of Skyrim's Broken Cape. The Nords build there the legendary city of Saarthal. The Elves drive the Men away during the Night of Tears, but Ysgramor soon returns with his Five Hundred Companions."<br>
(TIL, History, Merethic era)<br><br>
1E240: Skyrim conquers Morrowind and High Rock.<br>
1E401-1E415: Indoril Nerevar and Dumac Dwarfking unite the Chimer and Dwemer of Morrowind against the occupying forces of Skyrim.<br>
1E416: Nords are driven out of Morrowind. Resdayn is founded as united Chimeri and Dwemeri Kingdom.<br>
1E668: The Vvardenfell Mountain erupts destroying the dwarven kingdom in Morrowind.v
(TIL, History, First era)<br><br>
Thus, the earliest Nord maps could be from the late Merethic era, or from any time before the eruption of the volcano. The last entry would imply, however, that a "Vvardenfell mountain" was already present, and was not formed after the explosion that formed the crater.<br>
Thus, historic record seems to imply only one cataclysmic event (the eruption in 1E668). It seems difficult, however, to reconcile this idea with the massive change of the landscape (creation of the inner sea) and a continued chimer tradition on Vvardenfell in addition to the evidence that points towards an impact, as stated in my earlier letters. Also, there is the myth of a great flooding of Morrowind (2E572, according to Dunmer tradition, as my esteemed colleague Raptormeat noted - though this event is not listed in the History of Tamriel!).<br><br>
So, here is my new proposal:<br><br>
Sometime during the Dawn era, a great heavenly body (The Lorkan of Myth) strikes Tamriel and creates a giant crater. The weakened crust allows for the formation of a great volcano:<br>
"Lorkhan is condemned to exile in the mortal realms, and his heart is torn out and cast from the Tower. Where it lands a Volcano forms."<br>
(TIL, History, Dawn Era)<br><br>
At this time, however, the crater is not yet connected with the surrounding sea. Instead, the ring of the crater extends its circle northward in an arch which ranges from Blacklight to Firewatch. It is probable that this northern dam is narrow and not very high, just sheltering the lower part of the crater from the surrounding sea.
<br><br>
The eruption of 1E668 (or the accompanying earthquakes in its aftermath) then shatter the dam, and the sea pours in (a truly catastrophic event that many chimer in the higher parts of southern Vvardenfell could, nevertheless, have survived) which is remembered in the accounts of a great flood which might later have been attributed to the now popular Vivec. (TIL, Tamriel Gods, Dunmer gods)
<br><br>
The hypothesis could be tested by measuring the sea depth in the north of Vvardenfell and studying the sediments on the sea floor in general.<br><br>
What do you, Hasphat, and my fellow scholars think?<br><br>
On another note, my preparations for the expedition are going well. We have stocked some amazing new magical instruments that will allow us to see deep inside the rocks, and I have also ordered a small cartload of water breathing potions that will facilitate our work on the sea bed.<br><br>
Cheerfully yours,<br><br>
GhanBuriGhan<br><br>
Lecturer on Morrowind natural history:<br>
Geology, geography and ecology of Morrowind<br><br>
Ghan,<br><br>
What do you, Hasphat, and my fellow scholars think?<br><br>
I agree, and so much so that I have nothing to add. From what we have available to us, this seems to be a very legitimate theory, and I find no fault. I will try and do a bit more research - perhaps I will be able to add something<br><br>
Raptormeat<br><br>
PS- By the way, my friend, I find it interesting to note your decidedly scientific stance on these matters. Quite interesting, and a refreshing change from the usual type of "scholar" in Nirn...<br><br>
Dagon Fel, 25th of Frostfall<br><br>
Dear colleagues, excuse my long silence. Things have not gone as planned - after the long voyage, almost in sight of Vvardenfell, my ship, the "manifest destiny" (what an ominous name!) foundered on the sharp rocks of the sea of ghosts in what was not even really a storm but a strong wind, and joined the many wrecks that already litter the area. It seems all of my crew and the other members of the expedition fell prey to the terrible slaughterfish, and some were pulled under the water by what looked to be crab-men. Dreugh they are called, I believe. Until now, I have not found any other survivors. I was lucky enough to grab hold of a barrel, and finally drifted ashore on a barren island. I wandered around the barren island, finally found a path, and was able to find my way to the Nord outpost at Dagon Fel.
<br><br>
What a terrible blow to my plans for this expedition. Well, I will try to make the best of the situation and gather what data I can by myself. Finally, I also seem to have found a courier that can be trusted. This Nord is sailing to the mainland tomorrow, and I hope he will be true to his word and deliver this letter.
<br><br>
My fist observation concerns the Sea of Ghosts - most intriguing for a geologist. Miles from the shore, the sea is littered by needle-like rocks which extend just above the sea level. How the Nords manage to navigate these waters is beyond me; we were certainly fools to even have tried. The islands of the Sheogorad region seem to be formed from granite, and are often bare - in many places vegetation is missing. The most striking plants here are the giant mushrooms, which are as large as trees.<br><br>
The rocks in the Sea of Ghosts are intriguing. The only explanation for them that I can think of is that they are the result of erosion, dating back to the time when the inner sea was formed - obviously, these rocks must have been harder then the material that surrounded them, and were thus left behind. I assume they are the remains of the large impact I have speculated upon - they must literally have fallen from the sky here when a gigantic explosion shattered the hard granite bedrock that also makes up the Sheogorad islands. These islands might be all that remains of the former continental shield in this region - I shall see when I travel inland, but I assume that on Vvardenfell itself, I shall see mostly volcanic deposits.<br><br>
Tomorrow I will take a ship to Khuul. As interesting as the rock spires are, I hope that this time my ship will not make any unduly close contact with them...<br><br>
Yours truly and undaunted,<br><br>
GhanBuriGhan<br><br>
P.S. All the magical equipment was lost as well - I will have to do good old pickaxe work, I am afraid...<br>
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