Mera

Smuggler

Gang Leader

**Mera** is currently the leader of one of Tyrosh's preeminent dye trading organisations - the Thalassan Cartel, known informally as the Titans. Over the years she has been many things - thief, pirate, smuggler, murderer. To end up a dye merchant is of distinct amusement to her.

## Appearance and Character

In another life Mera may once have been an attractive woman - beautiful, even. Had she not marred her flesh with tattoos of writhing eels and leviathans - marks that didn't quite cover the scars that so lace her flesh, relics of countless skirmishes. Had she not chosen a life of constant turmoil that stripped the fat from her, leaving wiry strength where other women might have had sensuous curves. Had she not shaven the side of her head; had she not filed her teeth into points to terrify her enemies. To look upon her dread countenance is to know true terror. If looks could kill, they would be but another weapon for Mera.

Mera prefers wearing her sailing leathers to expensive finery, and is usually bristling with weaponry whether visible or not. Some use flattery to achieve their aims, or seduction. As a rule, Mera generally uses the point of a knife. She rules her territory in Dyemaker's Spit with an iron fist and a shark-toothed grin.

## History

### Braavos

Mera's upbringing, if one could call it that, was typical for a whorehouse rat. Her mother had been a courtesan in the city (one of the better sort, with her own barge), and her father had been the Sealord at that time... not that Mera had any inkling, of course. Her first few years were comfortable enough, but when Brea died of consumption one summer Mera was left to the mercy of the madame, at the tender age of nine.

With life at the side of the canal preferable to rutting for coin, Mera fled the Golden Hand bathhouse and started running with a group of street urchins - one of whom fancied themselves the new King of Thieves. It was not an easy life, true, stealing fish from Ragman's Harbour, or diving into the foetid canals to search the corpses of unfortunate bravos for their purses. But it was one that brought excitement if nothing else. Before long, her charisma had ensured her a following of ragamuffins and degenerates, who followed her like the stray tomcats that so haunted the streets of the city.

Her teen years were spent thusly, scurrying about the wharves. But soon Mera began to long for more, jealous of the ladies in their finery, and the way in which they caught the eyes of the city's roving swordsmen. One such nobleman was an heir to one of the wealthier houses of Braavos, and Mera, at his urging, became utterly besotted. The resultant love affair swept Mera off her feet, and she had dared hope they would wed. It was not to be. The young Antaryon soon tired of the street urchin who was so rapt, and instead began to pursue a young heiress of his own class. In a fit of jealous rage, Mera skewered the Antaryon heir through the heart with his own bravo's blade. She was still weeping as she huddled in the bilge of a merchant vessel leaving the city, the Titan's roar still crying alarm as Mera bid the city farewell.

### The Narrow Sea

Years of running the streets of Braavos had given Mera a distinct meanness, and stood her in good stead for her new life. Before long she and those most loyal of her followers from Braavos had joined the crew of Syro Silvertongue. She quickly gained a reputation as a brawler, faster with a dagger than most and able to match her peers tankard for tankard. Her time spent clambering above the waters of the lagoon had given her dexterity enough to scale the rigging with speed, and her feet were light enough on the deck that few heard her coming. Woe to any amorous seaman who sought comfort in her bunk after draining his cups, for he was like as not to end up with a shattered nose or a missing finger. It was after she was unable to fend off one drunken sellsail that she filed her teeth to points, having wished that her teeth had only been sharp enough to tear out his tongue.

Years of piracy made her utterly ruthless, and the night came when Mera and her fellow Braavosi street rats vanished from where Syro's ship, The Black Hand lay moored. Before long she had stolen a Myrish galley and began her career as a smuggler on the Braavosian Coast. Smuggling was not as lucrative a racket as piracy, however, and soon Mera and her crew began to haunt the waters of the northern Narrow Sea. No less than three Braavosi pirate hunters were send after the murderous wretch, the third and final being the Third Sword to the Sealord himself, Ternesio Serranys. Mera still has his elegant bravo's blade to this day.

### Tyrosh

Mera was nothing if not cunning, and soon discovered that by far the most lucrative prey on the Narrow Sea were ships bearing Tyroshi dye. It seemed far more lucrative to actually produce the dye in the first place. Mera sold her ship and carved out a piece of Dyemaker's Spit - the dyer's wharves in Tyrosh that lay to the south of the city, outside the Black Walls - for her own. Mera soon made a name for herself, willing to enslave her competitors without a second thought, and excellent at many of the finer points of cartel membership. She took a magister for her lover to attain the correct permits to trade in green dye. Assassination, extortion, bribery and intimdation were her staples, and soon Mera rose to command the Thalassan Cartel - named for the exquisite Thalassan green dye that fetched such a high profit. With news of a Braavosi-led cartel, it wasn't long before they earned the nickname the 'Titans', many referring derisively to Mera as 'the fair Sealady of Tyrosh'. Such a retort is like enough to merit a dagger in the eye, or green-hulled warships on the horizon.

## Family

Unknown Sealord of Braavos - father

Brea, courtesan, mother - deceased

## NPCs

Magister Groleo - member of the Titans

Tercero - bravo, member of the Titans

Blackhand Jeyne - member of the Titans

Captain Cossomo Mornys - captain of the *Forlorn Tide* - warship in Titan employ

Others to follow