Red Mountain Red Mountain , also known as Dagoth Ur , the Red Tower , Mount Vvardenfell , or Sahqo - Strunmah ( ) in Dovahzul , is the large , currently active volcano that makes up the majority of the island of Vvardenfell , in the province of Morrowind . The largest volcano in Tamriel , it was dormant until the Red Year of 4E 5 , when the fall of Baar Dau caused it to erupt . History . Dawn Era . Near the end of the creation process , as many of the Aedra began their exodus from Nirn , a smaller group chose to stay and forfeit their divine existence to give life to the planet . Among these was Lorkhan ; the Aedra generally credited with devising the original plan for the mortal plane . According to Aldmer i legend , the remaining Aedra were furious with what they considered Lorkhan ' s trickery and tried to destroy him . However , the physical manifestation of Nirn , known as the Ehlnofey , or " Earth Bones , " came from Lorkhan himself , and so his true destruction was impossible . Instead , his heart was torn from him and cast to Tamriel , where the Aedra hoped it would never be found . Over the place where the heart landed a vast mountain was created , which the many race s of Tamriel call the Red Mountain . Merethic Era . During the Merethic Era , the Aldmer left their home and travelled to the Summerset Isles on Tamriel . One particular group of them , led by their prophet Veloth , chose to split from the core population , and travelled across the continent to their new home which they named Resdayn . Once there , these Mer , now called Chimer , were somewhat surprised to see that the caves and tunnels under Red Mountain were already inhabited . These inhabitants , also Mer , called themselves the Dwemer . An uneasy peace was formed among these races , primarily motivated by their drive to keep the Nord s of Skyrim out of the land . First Era . Sometime during the early First Era , the Dwemer located Lorkhan ' s Heart beneath Red Mountain , and began trying to use its power to achieve godhood . The Chimer , driven by fear , attempted to stop their brethren , quicky leading to a vast war . This war eventually ended with the complete disappearance of the Dwemer , the emergence of the Dunmer , and Red Mountain ' s first known eruption in 1E 668 in an event called Sun ' s Death . In 1E 700 , the Tribunal erected the Ghostfence around the volcano . Third Era . In 3E 389 , the Eternal Champion traveled to Red Mountain via a secret passageway in Ebonheart . There they found the eighth and final piece of the Staff of Chaos where Jagar Tharn hid it . In 3E 427 , ash storms began around Red Mountain due to Dagoth Ur . The Nerevarine was then tasked with defeating him . They went to the heart of the volcano and confronted Dagoth Ur . There they destroyed the Heart of Lorkhan and defeat Dagoth Ur and his minions . Fourth Era . By at least 4E 5 , the Ministry of Truth fell and caused Red Mountain to erupt once again , having nearly completely devastated all of Vvardenfell and Morrowind . This caused much of Vvardenfell to be covered in lava and destroyed many of the settlements . Solstheim was also affected as its southern half became ash and fire . Many unprecedented effects and aftershocks could be felt across Tamriel , and heart stones appeared along affected areas . As a result , most of Vvardenfell remains a volcanic wasteland , forcing many of its surviving residents to migrate into the nearby provinces of Cyrodiil , Black Marsh , and to Skyrim through Dunmeth Pass . In 4E 16 , the High King of Skyrim gave Solstheim to Morrowind for refugees of the eruption . Climate . For centuries , the mountain spat ash into the air , covering most of northern Vvardenfell , which was aptly named The Ashlands . The rocky , cavernous foothills of the mountain dominate nearly three quarters of the island . Cooled , once constant , lava flows have created deep , smooth channels that are often used as roads by the Ashlanders . The land to both the north and east of the mountain is arid and barely habitable , all the way to the Padomaic Sea . Near the end of the Third Era , the climate around the volcano grew increasingly hostile . Violent ash storms began thundering down the mountain faces , blasting high winds and tons of ash at the nearby cities and settlements . The storms appeared to be partly magical in nature , as they would often corrupt wildlife , and even people , in their wake . These storms ended after another battle occurred in the caverns beneath the volcano . Among the most notable outcomes of this battle was that Red Mountain had reverted to , presumably , its pre - volcanic form . The area continued to be rocky and cavernous , but the ash storms and hard weather subsided . In 4E 05 the mountain erupted causing Vvardenfell to be covered in lava and destroyed some of the settlements . Since then , the mountain remained dormant but still spews out ash and smoke as of 4E 201 . Religious significance . Red Mountain holds different religious significance to the various factions on Morrowind . For a brief period of time , a cult known as the Sixth House , led by a reanimated Dagoth Ur , used many of the long - abandoned Dwemer workshops beneath Red Mountain as their home . The members often spoke of the mountain as an animate object , which spoke to them in their dreams . In this sense , the mountain symbolized Dagoth Ur himself , attempting to control his subjects from within his undermountain prison . For the Ashlanders , the mountain was viewed as a haunted place , containing the remnants of the hated Dwemer . The Tribunal Temple taught that Red Mountain was a place of trials and great evil . The Tribunal themselves built a huge magical barrier , the Ghostfence , around the mountain to contain Dagoth Ur and his attacks on Morrowind . The Ghostfence became a religious symbol of the Tribunal itself , and was a popular pilgrimage destination .