Inspector Collagius Kratades
For the eyes of Chief Inspector Falceric Garranus only
14th of Rain's Hand, 4E 205
Per your request, Chief Inspector, I’ve looked into the matter of these Merotim Blades and their reckless use of the name of the Empire’s order and our predecessors, the Blades. I am happy to inform you that they have no ties to that group at all; the name is pure coincidence. Since, however, their names have appeared on your desk one too many times - as you put it yourself, sir - I’ve begun gathering intelligence on these individuals, to determine who they are, if they pose a threat to our glorious Empire or if they can be used for furthering our goals.
The Merotim Blades are, for all intents and purposes, a mercenary company, operating mostly in western Cyrodiil and north-eastern Hammerfell. They take all kinds of contracts, including but not limited to:
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Official Imperial bounties
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Private contracts on notorious criminals
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Security provision for merchant caravans (notably the Dragonstar Caravan Company)
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Capture of highly dangerous individuals for the College of Whispers
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Close protection for nobility.
Per my recent investigation I have learned that they base their operations from Weye, Imperial City, where they have bought a tavern, the Golden Blade. In recent years they have become quite notorious for getting the job done very efficiently and when I asked around Weye for recommendations on mercenary companies I have been given the name Merotim Blades seven out of ten times.
Their criminal record is quite long (as noted in several previous reports) and I would say they have a knack for getting into trouble. Members have been incarcerated several times, but all were eventually bailed by the company. Their contacts in the Watch and the College of Whispers also make it easier for them to get out of prison.
Their recorded crimes so far include:
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Burglary
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Trespassing
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Aggravated assault
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Tax evasion
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Various forms of fraud
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Arson
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Damage of private property
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Damage of Imperial property
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Threatening Imperial officials
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Humiliation of Imperial dignitaries
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Homicide (apparently, always in self-defence)
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Indecency
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Necrophilia
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Several cases of public disturbance
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Riding while intoxicated.
As evidenced above, they are often at odds with Imperial law, but many times the law closes one eye, because they are known for assisting the Watch with troublesome bandits and well known criminals.
I have taken the liberty of compiling a short profile on every confirmed member of the Merotim Blades, Chief Inspector, and I hope it will prove useful in determining what to do with these individuals.
Ballista Merotim
Female
Nord
Born 4E 183-185 (suspected), Applewatch
We are not really sure of the girl's precise age because there are no records of her birth in the books of Census and Excise Office. She herself states that she comes from Applewatch, but none of the village's citizens are able to recall this girl. As you have noticed, she is a Nord with an Imperial name and I tracked down the Merotim surname to a family of masons in Anvil, with one Decimus Merotim suspected to be the father. He was a Legionnaire who fought in the Battle of the Red Ring, eventually leaving the service to become a travelling bounty hunter, a so-called “Goldpact Knight”
The name Ballista is fitting. The girl is built like a siege machine, skillful with a sword and shield and well-trained in heavy armor. Additionally, she is a charismatic leader - founding a mercenary company at such young age is no small feat.
We know she started her career as a mercenary around the year 203. During the next two years she managed to found the Merotim Blades and in another year she had raised enough money to buy property in Weye. She is sometimes referred to as “Captain”, most likely because of her leading position.
As I mentioned before, her upbringing is a complete mystery, but I may have a theory - without any real proof, which is why I will keep it to myself until I am certain - which comes from my observation that this Ballista Merotim avoids Bruma County and refuses any contract coming close to that region. I will continue with my investigation, but for now, this young woman is a mystery.
Known transgressions: Aggravated assault, arson, threatening an Imperial official
Selence Merotim
Female
Imperial
Born 4E 182, Farshy, Cyrodiil
Census and Excise records suggest that Selence Merotim was born to one Leonara Apelles and Decimus Merotim in Farshy village east of Skingrad. Known living relatives include her mother, Leonara Apelles, an aunt, Arcantea Derarus, an uncle, Aperic Derarus and a cousin that moved to Skyrim, Ria Derarus.
It is uncertain when exactly these Merotim sisters met, but in 4E 204 they were already together when the Merotim Blades were founded. Selence acts as her step-sister's adjutant, handling most of the dealings with clients as wells as taking care of all the money, which seems to indicate she is a very good accountant. She is a shrewd businesswoman, with a quick wit and even quicker tongue, and is also skilled with a blade. I suspect she has contacts in the elusive Thieves Guild, and is perhaps even a member herself, since we have a few records of trespassing and burglary that she committed in the Imperial City even before the Merotim Blades were founded.
There are also rumors she prefers women over men, which isn't a crime under Imperial law, but still raises a few eyebrows and can be used as leverage.
Although she is older than her sister she seems to prefer to control things from behind the curtain, and I suspect it's actually her running the logistical side of the Merotim Blades.
Known transgressions: Burglary, trespassing, tax evasion, indecency
Arbrelie “Cutter” Genen
Female
Breton
Born 4E 173, Chorrol, Cyrodiil
Born to the reigning noble family of Chorrol, Arbrelie showed a promise in magickal studies at a young age. She was sent to the Imperial City at age fifteen to join the Synod but somehow she ended up joining the College of Whispers instead. Graduating from her electives at age eighteen, she began working with the Imperial Watch, tracking down the worst of the worst. Serial killers, rapists, necromancers.
Since then she has become a freelance mage, a necromancer of the third degree certificated by both the College of Whispers and Empire, and a “consultant” of the Imperial Watch. The College of Whispers gives her plenty of room to pursue her own devices, but on rare occasions they forward profiles of highly dangerous individuals to her and the Merotim Blades. These jobs involve live capture of their targets and delivery to the College for experimental purposes, which earns the Merotim Blades double their usual pay. This implies she has undergone special training in the College, as a member of the task force charged with apprehending renegade necromancers - known by commoners as the Reaper Division.
It is fair to say that Cutter's ties to College and Watch keep the Merotim Blades out of prison for most of the times and it is still difficult to determine where her allegiance lies.
Profiling her full capabilities is slightly more difficult because of her reclusive nature, but right now I can say she is a powerful necromancer, and because she serves as the company healer it is easy to guess that she is quite capable in the school of Restoration too. The people I've reviewed said that she is the company's “ace in the sleeve”, which makes me think that she has to be their weapon against magic users, so it is also plausible some skill in Destruction and Alteration.
Known transgressions: Necrophilia, public disturbance
Jahad T’uvin Lakeeif al-Drazeem
Male
Redguard
Suspected age middle thirties, place of birth unknown
Very little is known about this Redguard when it comes to his origin. Our first record of him is from 4E 191 when he appeared in Craglorn and became a Sword-Disciple of Rahni'Za Academy. Five years later he was expelled by his teachers for reasons unknown - the Academy wasn’t willing to share this information. After that he disappeared again only to reappear in 198 as a bodyguard working for the Dragonstar Caravan Company.
It is very difficult to find any trace of this Redguard's origin since the end of the Great War, so I can only guess Jahad was born during the war itself - the reason why we can't find any records of his birth. Older censuses show that the al-Drazeem family were fishermen in the northern Alik'r, in the port city of Tava's Blessing, so it's only a wild guess this Jahad is a descendant of that family, which would make him a Forebear.
When I began digging deeper I found out there was one al-Drazeem in Leki's Blade academy, around the year of 185. Just like Rahni'Za, Leki's Blade specialized in training sword-singers. From what I understand these sword-singers are swordsmen that focus on learning the old Yokudan mastery of the blade, referred to as the Way of the Sword. I have heard his skill with a blade is astonishing, little surprise considering he attended two swordsmanship academies.
I suspect that this Redguard joined the Merotim Blades during one of their assignments with Dragonstar Caravan Company and I believe he is the reason why the Merotim Blades are getting exclusive contracts with that Company.
He has a reputation of always looking for a fight, issuing challenges with all famous swordmasters, which is likely the reason he has multiple homicides in his record. He hasn't lost once and he always fought to the death.
Known transgressions: Multiple counts of homicide (self-defence), aggravated assault, humiliation of Imperial dignitaries, riding while intoxicated.
Mul gro-Largash
and
Gadba gro-Largash
Orsimer brothers
Suspected age middle fifties
Suspected place of birth Largashbur, Skyrim
I had to consult our Orsimer experts, because I had a hunch that the Orc names mean something more. I was told that their surnames are actually the name of Stronghold they were born in, which is Largashbur, located in the Rift Hold of Skyrim.
Why these Orcs came to Cyrodiil is a question that will likely never be answered, especially not from them. Apparently, they are brothers, but also the dumbest pair of Orcs to ever exist. They seem incapable of putting together half a coherent thought on their own, always bicker between themselves, and most of what comes out of their mouths is absolute gibberish, which makes me wonder if they are just putting up some sort of bizarre act.
The two are also among the biggest Orcs I have ever seen, all muscle and scar tissue from various skirmishes they got themselves into. Something about these Orcs is absolutely terrifying - likely the fact they are like four-year-old children put into huge bodies capable of bringing down a building with their massive weapons.
They were among the first to join the Merotim sisters and I have to wonder if the Merotim Blades, namely Ballista Merotim, don't owe specifically these two Orcs for becoming so notorious.
Known transgressions: Aggravated assault, public disturbance, multiple counts of threatening an Imperial official, property damage (private and Imperial), resisting arrest, homicide (self-defence)
Mazubar-do
Male
Khajiit (Cathay)
Suspected age middle forties
Suspected place of birth Corinthe, Pellitine
There are no references to his birth even in the files our agents recovered from the Dominion-aligned province. However, the cat claims to be from Corinthe even if no one under that name had been born there since before the days of the Septim Empire. Moreover it is somewhat suspicious that until a few years ago no one knew who he was, even if that might not be all that strange for someone in his profession.
As big a mystery as this Khajiit’s origins pose to us, his name is known as a bard of some renown and the author of “Mazubar-do’s Advice”, a short guide on Khajiiti combat, which you most likely had the luck to never hear about. According to our sources he had already been working at the “Golden Blade” before it was purchased by Ballista and her sister. It is quite likely he opted to join their company after the transaction.
According to some of the Golden Blade patrons he is a bit of a silver tongue. This may be related to his penchant for trespassing on the property of many an Imperial official. Further investigation into these incidents is still under way.
We are as of yet unsure of his relations with the Dominion. Despite the fact that he openly despises them, he will use any pretense to sing of his beloved homeland of Pellitine. I would advise adding the Khajiit to our list of potential Dominion agents.
Known transgressions: Trespassing, fraud, indecency, rape (alleged), multiple counts of homicide* (self defence)
*One count of homicide while trespassing in the property of an Imperial dignitary*
Comments
And the artwork is mostly something I stumbled upon on Pinterest, with some PowerPoint magic thrown over it.
And the artwork is mostly something I stumbled upon on Pinterest, with some PowerPoint magic thrown over it.