Baar Dau Baar Dau , also known as Lie Rock , and later as the Ministry of Truth , was a large moonlet that hovered over Vivec City . Baar Dau was held in place by the divine energy of the demigod Vivec , then later by a device known as the Ingenium . The source of Baar Dau is unknown , with the most accepted theory being that the Daedric Prince Sheogorath propelled the rock towards Nirn , either with the intent of destroying Vivec City as an act of revenge against the Tribunal for its disrespect , or simply to observe the destruction caused on impact . The fall of Baar Dau in 4E 5 effectively marked the end of Tribunal worship , and the beginning of what would be later known as the Red Year . History . Second Era . Baar Dau hurtled towards Vivec City sometime before 2E 582 , during the city ' s construction . It was stopped and held in place by Vivec ' s utilization of his divine energy . Vivec elected to keep Baar Dau above his city to inspire lasting faith among his followers . However , this divine energy of Vivec ' s was sharply diminished around 2E 582 , which caused the demigod to become deathly ill and subsequently caused the meteor to descend dangerously close to the city . During this state the meteor showered the city with fragments of itself , causing chaos and fatalities . After Vivec made a full recovery with the help of the Vestige , Baar Dau was stabilized , and remained in its new position . Third Era . Sometime after Baar Dau ' s relocation , the Tribunal Temple mined away the interior of the meteor , creating a prison and thus establishing the Ministry of Truth . The prison could only be accessed by the use of levitation , and therefore was considered practically inescapable . Baar Dau continued to be used as a prison throughout the third era . Shortly after the disappearance of Vivec during the Oblivion Crisis in 3E 433 , Baar Dau , now widely known as the Ministry of Truth , became unstable . In fear of the imminent destruction of Vivec City , two Dunmer by the names of Ezhmaar Sul and Vuhon made a pact with the Daedric Prince Clavicus Vile . The device known as the ingenium was created , which utilized energy from Clavicus Vile ' s Oblivion realm to hold up Baar Dau . In exchange , souls of the dead , and then eventually the living , were sacrificed . To function , the ingenium was installed directly inside of the ministry . Fourth Era . In 4E 5 Vuhon attempted to sacrifice Sul ' s wife , Ilzheven , to the ingenium . When Sul attempted to rescue her from the device , to the contest of Vuhon , the resulting struggle damaged the ingenium , causing it to explode and form a rift in Oblivion . Sul and Vuhon were sucked into Clavicus Vile ' s realm while Ilzheven was left to die upon Baar Dau ' s impact . According to a later testimony by Sul , the original velocity of the meteor upon arrival to Nirn was restored when the ingenium was destroyed . The ministry crashed into Vivec City , causing Red Mountain to erupt . Sometime later , after tidal waves , lava , and ash had deformed the land , Argonians invaded Morrowind , and the crater that was once known as Vivec City became the Scathing Bay . Source . The source of Baar Dau has been speculated by common citizens and revered writers , with legends ranging from Sheogorath ' s involvement to claims that the moonlet was actually the solidified excrement of Malacath . Vivec ' s religious teachings paint the giant stone as an actual sentient being that hurled itself at Vivec City , while documentation from the Tribunal Temple states Sheogorath is to blame for hurling the rock . Doctrinal Inquisitors of the Tribunal Temple have refused to release an official statement relating to the source of Baar Dau , however .