Subversion - A Study of the Second Era Organization, Causa Mortis

To best understand this cryptic group of, what would in their time, be termed political terrorists, we must first understand where they came from, what they did, and why they did it.

Causa Mortis, at its roots, was, in a broad term, anti-establishment. However, this does not in the least encompass their actions and beliefs. For this group, I propose we create a new term, a new category. A new category by the designation 'Anti-Agency'. This term, while it could be rarely used, is very accurate in describing this quasi-unique organization.

The essence of this group, at first glance, may be seen as diluted, but bear with me until the end. Causa Mortis was a group known widely among other, equally-secretive organizations, but knowledge of them among the public was very near nonexistent. This order, however, was far from the public eye because it needn't be in the public eye. Fundamentally, Causa Mortis was devoted to ridding the world of corrupt and untrustworthy agencies, both sanctioned and unsanctioned by the governments that they worked under. Some of the most notably-documented work by their Grandmaster indicated heavy and relentless pushing against the Thalmor of the Aldmeri Dominion, as well as various, unnamed vigilante groups across the southern provinces.

Oddly enough, however, Causa Mortis was comprised largely of lawmakers and keepers--or the former thereof. Undoubtedly, they broke the laws of the Dominion on several, several occasions, however, in their everyday lives, they remained in their jobs, encouraged stronger adherence to the very laws that they broke an almost a daily basis in advancing their agenda.

Oddly enough, that is, until you have the privilege of reading their code straight from the source document. This organization was never formed to cause anarchy or to advocate the breaking of laws. Quite the contrary, as a matter of fact. Causa Mortis was dedicated to leveling the field for law abiding citizens. The founding principles of their grandmaster explained that they were in effect to hold the agencies that daily tread on the rights of the citizens in the name of justice to their own standards and to the laws they so rigidly enforced.

There was yet another clause, added a short time after the formation of this group, that added further to their responsibilities. It is unclear what action prompted this amendment, as there is no direct documentation. What is know, though, is that the amendment extended the range of their targets to vigilantes, those who break laws in the name of justice. Past this addition, these groups became just as viable a target as any agency in Tamriel.

Among peoples such a myself, the identity of this 'Phydra' remains disputed. Some say that she was a politician, others a Thalmor. Even others call her a mere legend, proposing that Causa Mortis had not leadership. However, in my extensive and almost firsthand investigation, I have come to a conclusion, one that should hopefully put this entire debate to rest.

The leader of Causa Mortis was all of these things, and more. A mer from the times that Causa Mortis existed, from the 2nd Era, told me her stories. She herself was a member of this secretive organization, and dedicated her life to it; a mer by the name of Menelin Bluebrook. Though she was not herself able to tell me the name of her leader--which not even she knew--she told me what she used to be. Before her ascension to power within the organization, she was a Bounty Hunter, a Guard Captain, a Politician, a Thalmor, and even a simple farmer.

Despite the implication her name gives, 'Phydra' (A common name among the Bosmeri people), this Grandmaster was an Altmer by right. An Altmer, but not one to conform to the standards of the Aldmeri Dominion. While she believed deeply in equality of all races of Tamriel, and equity for even her enemies, she also believed that humanity was justified in their hatred of the elves, for the sufferings of their ancestors. While she herself distanced herself from this prejudice in fairness and kindness to humans, she evidently felt guilty about her relation to her own ancestors.