And that's to say nothing that is the rats' nest of the entire Civil War quest system setup after they cauterized its far more Radiant-Story-employing layout. There is a conspicuous lack of women in the Legion ranks as well, despite there being Lokir-Killing Archer and Captain RedQueen in the beginning, and of course Legate Rikke. I'm going with the that the Civil War setup was half-baked in development.

The Empire and the Blades after that may have had a mutual enemy in the Thalmor, but after the Blades got roflstomped in the prelude to the Great War, it was probably for the best that the PO had taken over their role. If anything, the Penitus Oculatus was created to fill the void left by the Blades' disavowal. In the year 240, the power balance in Tamriel started to shift as the Nords began their conquest of the north. They had no hand in the Stormcrown Interregnum, and no loyalty to Titus Mede I or any of his descendants when he ultimately prevailed. Related: Skyrims White-Gold Concordat & What It Means For The Elder Scrolls 6. There may have been some residual sympathy with Potentate Ocato, but that died with him. The Blades' loyalty was to the Septim line of Dragonborn Emperors, which ended with Martin (and to the similarly dragonborn Reman dynasty in centuries past).

Skyrim is for the nords