Vvardenfell, The Ghostgate

Day 17 (Year 427 of the Third Age)

The Ghostgate is what border control would look like if your neighboring country was a wasteland filled with mutants. Similarly, the Ghostfence is what the border would look like.

Morrowind, as a nation, as the problem that its central volcano appears to cause horrific mutation, manifesting as the propagation of cancerous growths across the body. This condition, known as "blight," is not species specific and prevents the natural development of flora as well as the corruption (and sterilization) of fauna. The area inside theGhostfence is entirely barren. The Ghostgate was put into place by the demigods of the area (Vivec being chief among them) under a policy of containment. Unsure of the source of the blight and unwilling to take the risks necessary to uncover its source, it has been cordoned off.

Passage through the Ghostgate is tightly regulated and generally forbidden. Worse, those who are let through may find themselves trapped within the blight if the gatekeepers deem them infected. Rumor is that the mutant population is stable precisely because so many allowed into the blight make mistakes and are not allowed to leave.

Part of this strictness stems from the dual leadership of the Ghostgate itself. More than just a gatehouse, the Ghostgate is a temple and the barracks to two groups: Ordinators (my favorite) and the oddly named "Buoyant Armigers." These "inflated squires" are the National Guard to the Ordinator's police force. They answer directly to Vivec and are drawn almost exclusively from House Redoran. As a consequence, they are taciturn warriors with little sympathy for the weak.

The rivalry between the Indoril-loyal Ordinators and the Redoran-loyal Armigers helps to ensure an unforgiving level of tension. With little to do beyond keeping the doors locked and the traffic sparse, both groups live on edge. Though keeping to separate quarters helps, executive decisions are still shared and under constant debate. Thus, everyone in theGhostgate shows signs of stress. Reports of hauntings, visions, and mental breakdowns are unusually common.

Unlike the rest of the island, those in the Ghostgate have an awareness of the so-called Sixth House, a heretical group that receives its orders from the area the Ghostgate keeps secure. It's unclear how this "House Dagoth" is sustained, but its leadership not only carry the blight, but are likely responsible for the blight's existence. This endlessly infuriates theOrdinators and Armigers , who bear the responsibility of keeping the blight tightly sealed, but whose stationary position makes investigation impossible. They fail at their task without being able to determine where the breach in their security lies, and many are keenly aware of this.

I am currently staying in quarters at the Ghostgate as I negotiate access to the blight. I have the equipment necessary to pass safely through the blight, and enough skill to fend off any potential sources of infection. Though I don't plan on digging too deeply into the ruins and caves that the mountain holds, I hope to reach the summit and visit what many suspect is the source of Morrowind's troubles: the ruins of Dagoth Ur.