Morrowind:Essential NPCs

The NPCs on this list are considered "Essential" by the game. If any of them are killed at any time, you will receive a message stating:

"With this character's death, the thread of prophecy is severed. Restore a saved game to restore the weave of fate, or persist in the doomed world you have created."

In most cases, this means that you will be unable to complete the Main Quest without resorting to Killing Vivec. In the case of the [House] Hortator and [Clan] Nerevarine quests, however, you can bypass them by gaining level 21 or above and 50 or more reputation.

Note that, even after their part in the Main Quest is over (or, indeed, the Main Quest is complete), all these characters are still marked as essential and killing them will still give the above message. This will prevent any further gain of reputation via the quest Sleepers Awake, but is otherwise not a problem.

This list does not include NPCs who are essential to various side quests that are not part of the Main Quest scripting.

NPC	Location	When Essential
Addhiranirr	Vivec, St. Olms Underworks	Until Vivec Informants is completed.*
Athyn Sarethi	Ald'ruhn, Sarethi Manor	Until Redoran Hortator is completed.
Blatta Hateria	Ebonheart	Until Mehra Milo and the Lost Prophecies is completed.
Caius Cosades	Balmora, Caius Cosades' House	He is always essential until he disappears at the beginning of Mehra Milo and the Lost Prophecies.
Crassius Curio	Vivec, Hlaalu Canton, Curio Manor	Until Hlaalu Hortator is completed.
Crazy Batou	Maren Ancestral Tomb	Crazy Batou is not actually essential, but he is marked as such by the game. There is no reason not to kill him, and good reason to do so, as he is wearing a valuable artifact on his head.
Danso Indules	Vivec, Temple Canton, outside	Until Hortator and Nerevarine is completed.
Divayth Fyr	Tel Fyr, Hall of Fyr	Until Corprus Cure is completed.*
Dram Bero	Vivec, St. Olms Canton, Haunted Manor	Until Hlaalu Hortator is completed.
Dutadalk	Ahemmusa Camp, Dutadalk's Yurt	Until Ahemmusa Nerevarine is completed.
Endryn Llethan	Vivec, High Fane	He is not directly related to any quest in the Main Quest, however, it is assumed that killing him will prevent you from completing Hortator and Nerevarine.
Falura Llervu	Tel Aruhn	Until Zainab Nerevarine is completed.
Garisa Llethri	Ald'ruhn, Llethri Private Quarters	Until Redoran Hortator is completed.
Gilvas Barelo	Holamayan Monastery	Until Mehra Milo and the Lost Prophecies is completed.
Goris the Maggot King	Venim Ancestral Tomb	Isn't needed for any quest, but vanilla versions of the game incorrectly mark him as essential.
Han-Ammu	Erabenimsun Camp, Han-Ammu's Yurt	Until Erabenimsun Nerevarine is completed.
Hasphat Antabolis	Balmora Guild of Fighters	Until Antabolis Informant is completed.*
Hassour Zainsubani	Ald'ruhn, Ald-Skar Inn	Until Zainsubani Informant is completed.*
Hlaren Ramoran	Ald'ruhn, Ramoran Private Quarters	Until Redoran Hortator is completed.
Huleeya	Vivec, Foreign Quarter, Black Shalk Cornerclub	Until Vivec Informants is completed.*
Kaushad	Zainab Camp, Ashkhan's Yurt	Until Zainab Nerevarine is completed.
Kausi	Ahemmusa Camp, Kausi's Yurt	Until Ahemmusa Nerevarine is completed.
Lord Cluttermonkey	Clutter Warehouse - Everything Must Go!	Although marked as essential, Lord Cluttermonkey can only be reached through Console codes and his death will have no effect on the main quest.
Luven	Venim Ancestral Tomb	Isn't needed for any quest, but vanilla versions of the game incorrectly mark him as essential.
Manirai	Erabenimsun Camp, Wise Woman's Yurt	Until Erabenimsun Nerevarine is completed.
Mehra Milo	Vivec, Library of Vivec	Until Mehra Milo and the Lost Prophecies is completed.
Miner Arobar	Ald'ruhn, Arobar Manor Bedrooms	Until Redoran Hortator is completed.
Mistress Brara Morvayn	Ald'ruhn, Morvayn Quarters	Until Redoran Hortator is completed.
Nevena Ules	Ascadian Isles Region [5,-7], Ules Manor	Until Hlaalu Hortator is completed.
Nibani Maesa	Urshilaku Camp, Wise Woman's Yurt	Until Urshilaku Nerevarine is completed.
Raesa Pullia	Buckmoth Legion Fort, Interior	Until Sixth House Base is completed.*
Savile Imayn	Tel Aruhn [15,5], outside	Until Zainab Nerevarine is completed.
Sharn gra-Muzgob	Balmora, Guild of Mages	Until Gra-Muzgob Informant is completed.*
Sinnammu Mirpal	Ahemmusa Camp, Wise Woman's Yurt	Until Ahemmusa Nerevarine is completed.
Sonummu Zabamat	Zainab Camp, Wise Woman's Yurt	Until Zainab Nerevarine is completed.
Sul-Matuul	Urshilaku Camp, Ashkhan's Yurt	Until Urshilaku Nerevarine is completed.
Tholer Saryoni	Vivec, High Fane	Until Hortator and Nerevarine is completed.
Uupse Fyr	Tel Fyr, Corprusarium Bowels	Until Corprus Cure is completed.
Varvur Sarethi	Ald'ruhn, Venim Manor Right Wing	Until Redoran Hortator is completed.
Velanda Omani	Ascadian Isles Region [7,-12], Omani Manor	Until Hlaalu Hortator is completed.
Vivec	Vivec, Palace of Vivec	Until Hortator and Nerevarine is completed.
Yagrum Bagarn	Tel Fyr, Corprusarium Bowels	Until Corprus Cure is completed. He is even essential for the Back Path.
Yenammu	Ahemmusa Camp, Dutadalk's Yurt	Until Ahemmusa Nerevarine is completed.
Zabamund	Urshilaku Camp, Zabamund's Yurt	Until Urshilaku Nerevarine is completed.

*Killing any of these NPCs will make Caius Cosades unwilling to talk to you, even after their part in the Main Quest is over. They must stay alive until Caius gives his final quest, Mehra Milo and the Lost Prophecies. In case you accidentally kill one of these before that, the only way around Caius's auto-goodbye is to have a bounty of 1000 or more.

Unofficial Essential NPCs

These NPCs are not marked as essential in the game, but killing them will still prevent you from completing the Main Quest normally; note that the vast majority of these are only important for the Nerevarine quests in the Fifth Trial, which means they can be bypassed by waiting during the fourth and fifth trials as described above.

NPC	Location	When Essential
Ababael Timsar-Dadisun	Zainab Camp, Ababael Timsar-Dadisun's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Zainab Nerevarine
Addammus	Ahemmusa Camp, Addammus's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Ahemmusa Nerevarine
Addut-Lamanu	Erabenimsun Camp, Addut-Lamanu's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Erabenimsun Nerevarine
Ahasour	Urshilaku Camp, Ahasour's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Urshilaku Nerevarine
Alfe Fyr	Tower of Tel Fyr, Hall of Fyr	Will prevent you from completing Corprus Cure
Ashibaal	Zainab Camp, Ashibaal's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Zainab Nerevarine
Ashur-Dan	Zainab Camp, Ashur-Dan's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Zainab Nerevarine
Assamma-Idan	Ahemmusa Camp, Assamma-Idan's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Ahemmusa Nerevarine
Assemmus	Erabenimsun Camp, Assummus' Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Erabenimsun Nerevarine
Beyte Fyr	Tower of Tel Fyr, Onyx Hall	Will prevent you from completing Corprus Cure
Bolvyn Venim	Venim Manor Private Quarters, Ald'ruhn	Killing him outside the Arena will prevent you completing the Redoran Hortator quest. Bolvyn even has a script to simulate the essential character death message.
Delte Fyr	Tower of Tel Fyr, Onyx Hall	Will prevent you from completing Corprus Cure
Hainab	Urshilaku Camp, Outside	Will prevent you from completing Urshilaku Nerevarine
Kammu	Ahemmusa Camp, Outside	Will prevent you from completing Ahemmusa Nerevarine
Kummu	Erabenimsun Camp, Outside	Will prevent you from completing Erabenimsun Nerevarine
Kurapli	Urshilaku Camp, Kurapli's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Urshilaku Nerevarine
Lanabi	Ahemmusa Camp, Lanabi's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Ahemmusa Nerevarine
Mabarrabael	Ahemmusa Camp, Mamaea's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Ahemmusa Nerevarine
Maeli	Urshilaku Camp, Maeli's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Urshilaku Nerevarine
Mamaea	Ahemmusa Camp, Mamaea's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Ahemmusa Nerevarine
Massarapal	Erabenimsun Camp, Massarapal's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Erabenimsun Nerevarine
Mausur	Ahemmusa Camp, Nummu's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Ahemmusa Nerevarine
Minassour	Zainab Camp, Minassour's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Zainab Nerevarine
Ninirrasour	Urshilaku Camp, Shara's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Urshilaku Nerevarine
Nummu	Ahemmusa Camp, Nummu's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Ahemmusa Nerevarine
Patababi	Zainab Camp, Patababi's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Zainab Nerevarine
Sakiran	Urshilaku Camp, Sakiran's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Urshilaku Nerevarine
Sakulerib	Zainab Camp, Outside	Will prevent you from completing Zainab Nerevarine
Sellus Gravius	Seyda Neen, Census and Excise Office	Will prevent you from exiting the Census and Excise Office if killed before the end of the tutorial.
Sen	Ahemmusa Camp, Outside	Will prevent you from completing Ahemmusa Nerevarine
Senipu	Urshilaku Camp, Ahasour's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Urshilaku Nerevarine
Shabinbael	Urshilaku Camp, Outside	Will prevent you from completing Urshilaku Nerevarine
Shallath-Piremus	Urshilaku Camp, Outside	Will prevent you from completing Urshilaku Nerevarine
Shara	Urshilaku Camp, Shara's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Urshilaku Nerevarine
Shimsun	Urshilaku Camp, Shimsun's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Urshilaku Nerevarine
Tussi	Zainab Camp, Tussi's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Zainab Nerevarine
Tussurradad	Urshilaku Camp, Outside	Will prevent you from completing Urshilaku Nerevarine
Ulabael	Ahemmusa Camp, Addammus's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Ahemmusa Nerevarine
Ulibabi	Erabenimsun Camp, Massarapal's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Erabenimsun Nerevarine
Urshamusa Rapli	Ahemmusa Camp, Outside	Will prevent you from completing Ahemmusa Nerevarine
Vistha-Kai	Tower of Tel Fyr, Corprusarium	Will prevent you from completing Corprus Cure
Yantus	Erabenimsun Camp, Han-Ammu's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Erabenimsun Nerevarine
Yen	Urshilaku Camp, Sakiran's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Urshilaku Nerevarine
Zaba	Zainab Camp, Outside	Will prevent you from completing Zainab Nerevarine
Zallit	Ahemmusa Camp, Outside	Will prevent you from completing Ahemmusa Nerevarine
Zanummu	Urshilaku Camp, Zanummu's Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Urshilaku Nerevarine
Zebba	Erabenimsun Camp, Assemmus' Yurt	Will prevent you from completing Erabenimsun Nerevarine