Lore:Mehrunes' Razor

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Mehrunes Razor
"The Razor is Mehrunes Dagon's personal artifact. It has always heralded bloody change and carnage." — Silus Vesuius

Mehrunes' Razor (sometimes Mehrunes Razor), also called the Dagger of the Final Wounds, the Bane of the Righteous, and the Kingslayer,[1] is a Daedric artifact created by the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon. This powerful ebony dagger has the ability to kill instantly,[2] as there is a small chance that Dagon will claim the souls of those struck by the Razor.[3] It is Daedric in appearance, emblazoned with Daedric script and seemingly able to drink the light that hits it.[4]

History[edit]

Origins[edit]

Mehrunes' Razor was believed to be one of the Daedric artifacts formed through the long-term binding of lesser daedric entities by Mehrunes Dagon.[5]

First Era[edit]

In ancient times, Dagon created a construct known as the Nefarivigum to challenge those who drew near to undertake a trial. One who passed the trial would be deemed worthy of wielding Mehrunes' Razor. Located in Cyrodiil, the Nefarivigum was discovered by the ancient Ayleids, who arrogantly believed they could turn away any who sought the Razor. To this end, they built the vast, ringed city of Varsa Baalim during the height of Ayleid civilization. For many years, pilgrims came to Varsa Baalim seeking the Razor, but the Ayleids turned them away. One day in the early years of the First Era, a vampire infiltrated the city. Before long, the city was infested with undead and thrust into chaos. The city suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. None know what happened, but Varsa Baalim seemingly vanished into the mountains of the Eastern Nibenay Basin.[3]

Despite the establishment of the Coldharbour Compact between the 3rd and 5th of Rain's Hand in 1E 2920, Dagon felt nothing was to impede him from destroying Nirn.[6] This sentiment would manifest a few months later in Sun's Dusk of 1E 2920.[7] A witch of the Skeffington Coven of High Rock was deceived into calling forth the Prince of Destruction to destroy Mournhold and slay her former lover, and he complied.[8] During the carnage, Sotha Sil arrived with Almalexia to Mournhold, and engaged Dagon in the battlefield that was lit by a barrage of flame which fell indiscriminately. During this time, Dagon was seen wielding four of his great razors.[nb 1] Almalexia plunged Hopesfire into Dagon's flesh and carved him from within. Meanwhile, Sotha Sil, enacting vengeance for his birthplace of Ald Sotha, used "god-bronze whips" to lash the Prince into submission. Wounded, Sil allegedly whispered Dagon's Nymic, and the Prince "exploded throughout all time".[9][10] After his banishment, Sotha Sil sealed the planar doors between Nirn and the Deadlands, blocking off all access for Dagon as further punishment for breaking the Coldharbour Compact.[11]

Second Era[edit]

The last living dwarf, Yagrum Bagarn, at one point befriended the sorcerer Divayth Fyr.[12] At Fyr's behest, Yagrum Bagarn wrote a book that would later be known as Tamrielic Lore[13]:241 from the notes that he gathered over the centuries, listing Mehrunes' Razor among various items of "unimaginable significance".[14] By the Interregnum, copies of this book circulated throughout Tamriel, providing some general information on the artifact to its readers.[15]

In the Second Era, an Argonian named Trouble-Finder reported coming across a cheap dagger for sale in Ebonheart. It is unknown whether this was actually the Razor, but several cultists believed it was and chased him down for it.[16] Circa 2E 582, Mehrunes' Razor had been shattered into several shards.[4] It was also seen at that time in the possession of a Bosmer woman named Gilraen, a native of Whisper Grove. The city was sacked by a servant of Dagon, Razor Master Erthas, who opened an Oblivion Gate within the city. Seeking to protect her family, Gilraen entered the Deadlands and made a pact with Dagon; she would remain in the realm as a Razor Master, and Whisper Grove would be protected from the Daedra in return. This pact allowed Gilraen to survive indefinitely in the Deadlands, where she visited her wrath upon the region known as the Knives of Discord. However, her husband Fingaenion reopened the Oblivion Gate in a failed attempt to find and rescue her. In doing so and subsequently being menaced by Daedra, he unknowingly broke the pact. After taking the Sigil Stone and sealing the Gate permanently, Gilraen was free to return home to Tamriel, still in possession of Mehrunes' Razor.[17]

Third Era[edit]

It is said that the Telvanni master of Sadrith Mora, Neloth, was once in possession of the blade and used it to inspire his troops in battle against the rival Telvanni master of Tel Aruhn, Gothren, before it was stolen by a troupe of acrobats whom he had wronged. The troupe used the dagger for a time in their acts, Master Mearvis in particular using it to turn marshmerrow reeds into papyrus.[18] Circa 3E 325, the Dark Brotherhood was decimated by a vicious internal power struggle, and it is suspected that the Razor was involved.[19]

Around the time of the Warp in the West, an unknown agent of the Blades was given the weapon by Dagon for slaying a rebellious frost atronach.[20] In 3E 427, the Nerevarine recovered the Razor from Alas Ancestral Tomb, where it lay disused and rusted by the corpse of Varner Hleras. In return, Dagon imbued the Razor with his power and returned it to its former glory.[21]

In 3E 433, a rogue Telvanni Arch-Mage named Frathen Drothan assembled an army of mercenaries and searched for the Razor in Sundercliff Watch, an abandoned Imperial outpost and iron mine. It was rumored that the entrance to the ancient Ayleid city of Varsa Baalim had been uncovered, and with it the Nefarivigum.[22] Msirae Faythung, a previous champion of Dagon, stood guard over the Razor after having failed the Prince. As punishment, the Kyn cut open his chest to reveal his heart and cursed him to stand statue-like in the Nefarivigum for eternity. Drothan decrypted the runes in the Nefarivigum, which summoned the Razor,[2] but before he could recover it the Hero of Kvatch defeated him and claimed the dagger.[23]

Fourth Era[edit]

After the Oblivion Crisis, a group devoted to eradicating the Mythic Dawn from Tamriel stumbled upon the Razor. They broke the Razor into pieces and divided them between the three most senior members of their order, pledging to keep the pieces safe. They renamed themselves "The Keepers of the Razor" in honor of their new role.[24] The hilt, pommel, and blade shards of the Razor were passed down through the Keepers' descendants, but the scabbard was not.

Despite being broken, the complete Razor was reportedly acquired twice during this time period, both times by individuals from the Blades that went into hiding from the Thalmor after the Great War.[25] One belonged to a party known as the Sheathed Blades, and they looted Mehrunes' Razor sometime between 4E 176 and 4E 201 off the remains of a Storm Dwarven Centurion they defeated in Skyrim.[26] The second was the Warrior, who is thought to have looted the dagger around 4E 180 from an extravagant chest.[27]

In 4E 201, the Last Dragonborn was contacted by Silus Vesuius, a Dagon enthusiast trying to establish a Mythic Dawn museum, who had found the scabbard. He hired the Dragonborn to collect the three missing pieces. The two journeyed to a shrine to Mehrunes Dagon to have the Razor repaired. Dagon demanded the life of Silus Vesuius in return. Vesuius offered the Dragonborn gold to ignore Dagon's request, wanting to add the shattered pieces to his museum if he couldn't have the restored artifact. It is unknown whether the Dragonborn accepted his offer or killed Vesuius and claimed the dagger.[28]

Notes[edit]

Gallery[edit]

  • Daggerfall

  • Morrowind

  • Oblivion

  • Skyrim

  • ESO

  • Blades

  • Female Orc seemingly holding the Razor (Legends)

See Also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Silus Vesuius' dialogue in Skyrim
  2. ^ a b Drothan's Field Journal — Frathen Drothan
  3. ^ a b Treatise on Ayleidic Cities
  4. ^ a b Shatter-shard of Mehrunes' Razor in ESO
  5. ^ Darkest Darkness
  6. ^ Transcribed Words of Mehrunes Dagon
  7. ^ 2920, Hearth Fire — Carlovac Townway
  8. ^ 2920, Frostfall — Carlovac Townway
  9. ^ The Truth in Sequence: Volume 8 — Deldrise Morvayn
  10. ^ 2920, Sun's Dusk — Carlovac Townway
  11. ^ Lyranth's dialogue in ESO: The Deadlands
  12. ^ Yagrum Bagarn's dialogue in Morrowind
  13. ^ The Morrowind Prophecies: Game of the Year Edition — Peter Olafson
  14. ^ Tamrielic Lore — Yagrum Bagarn
  15. ^ Tamrielic Artifacts
  16. ^ Trouble-Finder's dialogue in ESO
  17. ^ Return to Ash quest in ESO
  18. ^ Realizations of Acrobacy — Master Rhunen Zebavi
  19. ^ Description in Daggerfall
  20. ^ Mehrunes Dagon's Quest in Daggerfall
  21. ^ Mehrunes Dagon's Quest in Morrowind
  22. ^ Drothan's Journal — Frathen Drothan
  23. ^ Unearthing Mehrunes Razor quest in Oblivion
  24. ^ The Keepers of the Razor — Silus Vesuius
  25. ^ The Rise and Fall of the Blades — Anonymous
  26. ^ Storm Dwarven Centurion legendary encounter reward in the Skyrim - The Adventure Game
  27. ^ Artifact acquisition methods in Blades
  28. ^ Pieces of the Past quest in Skyrim
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