History Morrowind / TropesMToR

* OurOrcsAreDifferent: While ''Daggerfall'' began the transition from Tolkein-style Orcs, ''Morrowind'' is the first game where Orcs are are [[PromotedToPlayable a playable race]], having moved firmly to Blizzard-style Orcs.

* MenacingMask: [='s=] ''Tribunal'' expansion, Almalexia dons one when [[spoiler:she confronts [[PlayerCharacter the Nerevarine]] in the Clockwork City at the end of the main quest]]. It's known as her "war mask" and is made of the same greenish-bronze material as her CoolCrown. It has two long tusks attached and the face is scowling like a RageHelm. Most depictions of her, such as the frescoes throughout [[CorruptChurch Tribunal Temple]] sites, show her wearing it.

** Fitting nicely with the game's alien setting, Vvardenfell's wildlife is mostly unique with very few real-life analogues. They range from Silt Striders (giant flea-like insects used by the native for transport) to Netches (LivingGasbag jellyfish creatures that drift through the sky and are farmed for their leathery hides) to Alits and Kagouti (two predators with vaguely [[EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs theropodian dinosaur-like]] features) to Kwama (insectoid creatures that change drastically through different stages of their lives and are farmed for their eggs). And that's just scratching the surface.

* AMasterMakesTheirOwnTools: There are many unique {{Legendary Weapon}}s of [[InfinityPlusOneSword immense power]] to be had. However, in almost all cases, the ''very best'' weapons are ones the player [[ItemCrafting self-enchants]] out of the [[FantasyMetals highest tier crafting material]], with the [[YourSoulIsMine strongest souls]], and the most powerful magical effects. For example, the single most damaging weapon is a Daedric [[AnAxeToGrind Battle-Axe]] enchanted with Damage Health on strike, using [[spoiler:Almalexia's]] soul for the greatest number of strikes before the item is drained. Other similarly enchanted weapon types of Daedric quality (or Stalhrim in the ''Bloodmoon'' expansion) also surpass the strongest artifact weapons of the same type with few exceptions.

* MadLibFantasyTitle:
** ''The Elder Scrolls'' surtitle, per series tradition. It was originally chosen for ''Arena'' because "it sounded cool" and it wasn't until later that the devs decided what an Elder Scroll actually is in-universe.
** The title of the ''Bloodmoon'' expansion mixes an "emotionally charged" word (Blood) with "time and space" word (Moon).

* RiddleForTheAges: The disappearance of the dwarves is the longest-standing mystery of Morrowind lore. It doesn't help that pretty much every cultural group of the time recorded [[RashomonStyle significantly different accounts]] of what happened during the Battle of Red Mountain, when their disappearance supposedly took place. Even Vivek and Dagoth Ur, who were alive for it, have only theories. Most agree that it had something to do with the Dwemer fiddling around too much with the Heart of Lorkhan, but how or why it happened, or where they disappeared to (if anywhere), may never be definitively answered.

'''Note:''' ''Elder Scrolls'' lore is generally not clear-cut. Reasons for this range from [[UnreliableNarrator biased]] in-universe sources intentionally only giving you only one side of a story, to sources [[CriticalResearchFailure lacking critical information]] or working from [[BlatantLies false information]], to the implication that AllMythsAreTrue, despite the contradictions, or that at least all myths are MetaphoricallyTrue. [[WordOfGod Out-of-game developer supplemental texts]] (frequently referred to as "Obscure Texts" by the lore community) are more trustworthy, but are frequently left [[LooseCanon unofficial]] and sometimes later contradicted. Because of this, it is entirely possible for two contradictory statements in the below examples to ''both'' be true. (And due to frequent events in-universe that [[TimeCrash alter the timeline]], both may ''literally'' be true in-universe.)

* RivalsTeamUp: The plot of ''Tribunal'' kicks off when [[spoiler:King Hlaalu Helseth, believing the Nerevarine to be a threat to his rule, hires the [[MurderInc Dark Brotherhood]] to murder them]]. [[AssassinOutlassin This fails]] and the Nerevarine traces who hired them back to Helseth. Befitting his [[TheChessmaster Chessmaster]] reputation, Helseth immediately offers the Nerevarine a job — spying on ''another'' threat to Helseth, the local [[PhysicalGod Tribune]] Almalexia.

* {{Machinima}}: There are a couple out there, most notably Machinima/ReynaldoTheAssassin.

* MagicStaff: Staves considered a variety of [[SimpleStaff two-handed Blunt Weapon]]. Actually striking opponents with them should be a last resort, as they are not particularly strong weapons, but they are ''highly'' enchantable, with the Ebony Staff having the highest potential for enchantment out of any weapon in the game.

* RedSkyTakeWarning: Blight storms outside Red Mountain have a reddish-brown tinge, but this is turned UpToEleven inside the Ghostfence; in addition to red-brown blowing ash, the sky itself and the ambient light is a vivid, malevolent blood-red.

* NiceHat: The Colovian Fur Helm stands out as being very tall, pointy, and [[TheHilarityOfHats silly]]. Characters who wear them ([[SlippingAMickey Uncle Sweetshare]], [[NotTheFallThatKillsYou Tarhiel]], and [[EasterEgg M'aiq the Liar]]) are not to be taken seriously.

* MacGuffinDeliveryService: A rare {{Justified|Trope}} example. The Nerevarine brings the Wraithguard, a magical gauntlet required to handle the tools of Kagrenac, to Dagoth Ur's lair in order to sever his (and the Tribunal's) ties the Heart of Lorkhan which is housed there. If the player were to be slain, Dagoth Ur would then have all the tools necessary to tap into the heart once again, allowing him to activate Akhulakhan and possibly take over the world. [[spoiler:It's justified, however, because the tools are required to unbind the heart and actually kill Dagoth Ur]].

--> ''I PUT A STAR''
--> ''INTO THE WORLD'S MOUTH''
--> ''TO MURDER IT''
--> ''TEAR DOWN THE PYLONS''
--> ...
--> ''AND ORBIT ME''

* MagicalStarSymbol: The symbol of the ancient Dunmeri hero Lord Nerevar is a the Moon-And-Star ring, featuring a golden star and silver crescent moon on a platinum colored ring. Crafted by the Dwemer (during their [[EnemyMine ally phase]]) and blessed by Nerevar's Daedric patron, Azura, (whose own symbol is Azura's Star, which is only visible in the sky during twilight hours) to kill anyone other than Nerevar who tries to wear it, it serves as a symbol in the game that the [[spoiler:PlayerCharacter really is Nerevar's reincarnation]].

** Farvyn Oreyn is the last descendent of the (supposedly) legendary hero Oreyn Bearclaw. Malacath, the Daedric Prince of Pariahs and patron of the Orcs, reveals in his quest that Oreyn's deeds were actually accomplished by his Orcish companion. In retaliation, Malacath orders you to slay Farvyn Oreyn. Like his ancestor, he is accompanied by two very tough companions , but he himself is a complete pushover who will likely die in two good hits.

* MilesGloriosus: There is literally a character called this in Maar Gan. [=NPCs=] of the "Warrior" class will state that he is pretty much the ideal model of a warrior and he offers unique dialogue about weapon and armor types if asked about his trade. Considering this, and that he's working out of Maar Gan to kill the blighted monsters who sneak through the Ghost Fence, he would seem to be a {{Subversion}}.

* MundaneUtility: Sload Soap, a rare alchemical ingredient made from the larva of an aquatic race named the Sload, is also said to be an excellent body soap.

* MoneySpider: The OrganDrops / VendorTrash version is in full effect. Hunting creatures and then selling their parts (which are technically alchemical ingredients) is a decent way of making money.

* OppositeSexClone: Divayth Fyr made four female clones of himself: [[ThemeNaming Alfe, Beyte, Delte, and Uupse]]. They're variously described as [[ScrewYourself wives]] or [[IncestIsRelative daughters]]. Surprisingly this isn't particularly played for {{Squick}}... at least within his tower.

** "Ash vampires" are not vampires. In fact, they are not even undead. (Some in-universe sources also refer to them as "Heart-Wights," which is quite a bit more accurate.)

* RashomonStyle: The details of the [[GreatOffscreenWar Battle of Red Mountain]] and its [[WhenItAllBegan aftermath]] (the [[RiddleForTheAges disappearance]] of the [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame Dwemer]], the [[PlotTriggeringDeath death of Lord Nerevar]], the [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascension]] of the [[DeityOfHumanOrigin Tribunal and Dagoth Ur]] as {{Physical God}}s, and the [[MarkedChange transformation]] of the Chimer people into the modern Dunmer) are recounted differently by each of the surviving parties -- [[BigBad Dagoth Ur]], [[TheChessmaster Azura]], [[CorruptChurch the Tribunal Temple]] (which worships Vivec), [[PhysicalGod Vivec]] (offering a different account that the Temple's official version), [[NobleSavage the Ashlanders]] and the [[DefectorFromDecadence Dissident Priests]]. The Dissident Priests alone have ''several'' differing accounts -- that is, one of the things they criticize the Temple for is being so sensitive about different accounts of the events at Red Mountain, so they've taken it upon themselves to gather as many different accounts as they can. They don't make any claim to know which account is ''true'', though they phrase things in a way that make clear that they find something off about the Temple's story. Ultimately, even upon completing the main quest, you are never told what ''actually'' happened at that time. However, by speaking to all of those involved and doing your own research with [[FictionalDocument in-game documents and books]], you can at least rule a few of the options out. ([[http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Books UESP]] and [[https://www.imperial-library.info/books/morrowind/by-category The Imperial Library]] are great places to look outside of the game itself.)