Originally hailing from the jungles and swamps of the province of Black Marsh, and the Blackwood Forest which spans the provinces of Cyrodiil, Black Marsh and Elsweyr, the Blackwood Company were comprised primarily of Khajiit and Argonian mercenaries. The name of the faction was derived from two sources; the Blackwood Forest region, where they were historically most active, and the "thoghatt" of Khajiit tradition. The Company was founded by a Khajiit "Pakseech" of the warriors named Ri'Zakar, along with an Argonian mage and Hist tree shaman named Ajum-Kajin. The Khajiit and Argonian Blackwood Company leadership were veterans of the Arnesian War between Black Marsh and Morrowind, while others were former soldiers of the Imperial Legion sent by the Emperor to reclaim lost territory in the Black Marsh province who ultimately deserted Imperial service. Although there were a large number of mercenary groups in Black Marsh, where the Fighters Guild had little or no presence, the Blackwood Company were the most successful of these and the only one of which made the transition into the Imperial province of Cyrodiil and the only other faction to compete directly with the more established Fighters Guild there. It was at this time that the Blackwood Company commissioned its own modified set of heavy armor, strengthened to be tougher than the iron and steel armors commonly used by the Fighters Guild. The Blackwood armor was hardened with traditional beastfolk techniques and engraved with the emblem of a sword and axe at the roots of a Hist tree, a foreshadowing of the source of their secret strength.