ESO Blackwood: Mehrunes Dragon Explained

Mehrunes Dagon plays a key role in the latest expansion chapter of the Elder Scrolls Online (ESO).

Longtime fans of the series have likely already recognized this prince's name from his appearance in an earlier installation: TES IV: Oblivion. Dagon plays a central role in that game, as well, casting the Empire into chaos for what we now know as the second time since its founding. Some daedra just can't help meddling in the affairs of mortals—no matter how "below them" they want such actions to seem.

Mehrunes Dagon in the Elder Scrolls

Mehrunes Dagon is known by many names. Some call him the Prince of Destruction, Ambition, Disaster, and Darkness. Others refer to him as the Master of Razors after one of his artifacts or the Father of Cataclysm due to his affiliation with natural disasters.

Dark elves (dunmer) name Dagon among the Four Corners of the House of Troubles, alongside Sheogorath, Malacath, and Molag Bal. This house's goal was to lure individuals away from the light of the Tribunal. They are the "Bad Daedra" or "Testing Gods" who challenge the dunmer throughout their lives. Dagon, in particular, is meant to represent the unforgiving terrain of Morrowind.

The khajiit simply know him as Merrunz—affectionately nicknamed "ja'khajiit" meaning "kitten" in the khajiiti language, Ta'agra, by his mother, Fadomai. After all, what could be more destructive than a kitten?

Dagon is said to have written the Mysterium Xarxes. However, this cannot be strictly confirmed as most of the text has been lost or translated by mortals—most notably Mankar Camoran, leader of the Mythic Dawn cult. It supposedly painted Dagon as a liberator of slaves and a slayer of tyrants.

Mehrunes Dagon in Blackwood

Mehrunes Dagon's role in Blackwood is across the negotiation table from the Longhouse Emperors. In order to be crowned Emperor of Cyrodiil, the first of the Reachman dynasty, Durcorach the Black Drake, and the Tagh Droiloch coven struck a deal with Dagon. In exchange for the prince's aid, Durcorach would conquer the Empire in 2E 533.

Dagon's pay off came in the form of powerful weapons known as the Four Ambitions. He told the Reachmen to take care of them and that he would one day return to "collect" what was owed to him. Nevertheless, the Longhouse Emperor bloodline was overthrown in 2E 577 by Duke Varen Aquilarios of Chorrol. The last of the line, Leovic, instructed his steward to hide the Four Ambitions and their secrets away.

Now, it appears, Dagon is ready to return and see about his end of the bargain.