Is there another way to get Merl's quests if you weren't "searched" by him when entering the city?
Hey! Right now, there are no obvious ways to do this (we’re currently expanding the brothel storyline and adding a task board, so Merl will get more development and you'll be able to raise reputation with him in other ways).
There is a Beauty stat in the game: you can get it through the Charisma attribute, and it gives you a reputation bonus when you first meet an NPC.