Merik Manalar
The head of House Manalar, Merik is known within the Empire for his efforts within the justice system, and his skill within the Arenas themselves. He is known to be fighting to free his people of a crushing debt that has placed his whole community within the financial grip of the King of Malizan. What exactly this debt entails, few seem to know, but it is said to be related to undelivered goods.
Merik himself has fought in the border disputes between Orcs, Humans, and Dwarves, where diplomacy has failed, and he is known as having never lost a campaign (although the voracity of these claims is in doubt).
In the Arenas, he fights in full plate armour that no opponent is said to have scratched (though the armour clearly shows wear), and wields an axe that is said to have felled the largest tree in the world (though this claim too is unsubstantiated).
If he should win the next arena title, it is said that he has negotiated with the Emperor that the Empire itself will take on the debt owed, purportedly in lieu of taxes from the Malizan Kingdom. The voracity of these claims is much more substantial, owing to the fact that aspects of this have been discussed in the Empire RulerForum.
