L O R E

History

Bretondom originated from Nedes and Aldmer interbreeding for centuries as far back as the Merethic Era. Whether Man or Mer came to High Rock first is debated in scholarly circles: some believe that Nedic civilization and their Druid King were already established in the province when the Aldmer arrived, while others claim that the Nedes arrived in High Rock afterwards, and encountered the elves gradually with a variety of reactions and outcomes.
 

The Nedic ancestors of the Bretons were a people that survived in ancient High Rock by tapping into and nurturing nature. They followed Y'ffre's True Way (later known as Druidism), in which the eponymous god took the forefront of their faith. Under it, one is to lead a life connecting with and valuing the natural world. Some reverence was also shown to the stars, especially the Ritual constellation. These Nedes are known by the retroactive nomenclature, the Druids of Galen, and what would become their moniker is derived from a mythical "Galen," an entity or place which druids first came about. Regardless of the origin, it is agreed that the True Way was born in High Rock.
 

There is evidence of human settlements in High Rock dating back at least a thousand years before recorded history. Archaeological excavations have dated the ruins of Nedic habitation to as early as ME 1000, predating Ysgramor by centuries. The Nedes of Stormhaven had strained relations with the neighboring Orc clans, which regularly clashed with other Orc clans and their Nedic neighbors.
 

The Aldmer that settled High Rock did so sparsely and in very specific locations, the most successful being Clan Direnni, who came to the province from the Summerset Isles in the Middle Merethic Era and captured the Adamantine Tower. Some believe the Direnni were following their destiny to rule from Balfiera, while others believed that they were exiled. The Direnni didn't enslave the Nedes as the Ayleids of Cyrodiil did; instead, they ruled them as a noble caste. The elves established a system of feudal vassalage over their new subjects and took Nedic concubines. They inevitably interbred with their human subjects, producing Half-Elven children (also known as Manmer).

SOCIETY

The Bretons' largely agrarian and hierarchical society is feudal in nature. High Rock is segmented into city-states, encouraging petty nationalism and infighting between the kingdoms that span the region. Most Breton cities are sprawling trade hubs, with society being separated into social strata. The poor peasantry lies at the bottom of the hierarchy. Above them is the middle class, comprised of merchants and artisans, while the nobility and ruling families sit above them all. Additionally, there are the many autonomous knightly orders and the small magical elite, which considers itself above the others. The jockeying for power among the various monarchs and powers of the Iliac Bay region is a deeply ingrained, even cherished, part of Breton culture. Breton society is fractious and quarrelsome, but internal conflict all but seems to disappear when their way of life is threatened by outside forces.
 

The Breton obsession with nobility, status, and lineage can be traced back to their days as vassals of Clan Direnni. Though Bretons of lower status have several paths to prosperity, becoming a nobleman by performing quests and services to curry favor with various rulers is considered the best way, which has created a cultural "quest obsession" among young Bretons. The desire to find some great opportunity for fortune and glory has made Bretons venture all over Tamriel, even to such remote locations as Thirsk on the island of Solstheim, where one adventurous Breton once earned the position of chieftain. Many use their magical talents to earn success, such as undertaking an ancient Breton tradition by taking on the role of a court mage. They're often considered a friendly and humorous people, though there is little love lost between many Bretons and Redguards following the vicious War of Betony.
 

Bretons are said to enjoy intellectual pursuits; they often have an affinity for anything related to logic and ordered complexity. Their love of knowledge and affinity for commerce drives them into a host of careers, including trading, the military, sailing, medicine, textiles, manufacturing, writing, theology, philosophy, banking, all kinds of artistry, and other scholarly pursuits. The Invisible College of Daggerfall is one of Bretic scholarly institutions. Espionage has also proven to be one of their strong suits; Breton double agents, assassins, and spies have turned the tide of wars throughout recorded history.
 

Breton culture, despite its seeming homogeneity, is differentiable in each of High Rock's kingdoms due to the many subcultures of the regions of High Rock. For example, in the middle of the Second Era, the region of Glenumbra included Daenia, King's Guard, and the Cambray Hills, which all have distinct elements in their culture that distinguish them from each other. In southern Glenumbra, Daenia is the home of the Bretons' quest obsession: the practice by which young serfs or peasants perform great deeds to elevate their societal standing. Thus, Daenian tales commonly include lowly individuals going on great quests to attain respect, glory, and status. Consequently, the people of Daenia are reputed as having an independent spirit. Daenia is also home to the Wyrd subculture, and nature-worshipping witches reside in the region's dense forests.

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The culture of Glenumbra's Cambray Hills, most prominent in Camlorn, is a mixture of different Breton cultures. Camlorn's aristocracy is comprised mainly of poets and artists, and the region is home to the famed Cambray Hills Academy of Art. The Cambray Hills are haunted, and ghost stories abound among the populace. Camlorn has served as an open market for goods coming in from the Iliac Bay and the waters west of High Rock, dealing peacefully with Daggerfall and Wayrest to its benefit. The swamp-dwellers of the eastern bogs are the Cambray Hills' largest subculture.

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King's Guard comprises the northernmost portion of Glenumbra. Named for the mountains that separate Glenumbra from Rivenspire and Stormhaven, the town of Crosswych is a notable center of culture. Crosswych is in the center of trade between Glenumbra and its neighboring regions, and as such, it has become a melting pot of cultural aspects from different city-states. Food and dress are elements that have adapted as a result of the town's nature as a crossroads. The Red Rook bandit clan was a subgroup that originated in King's Guard as a loose group of hunters and highwaymen that targeted caravans traveling across regional borders. Kambria is another notable city in this region, renowned for its picturesque nature and many libraries. Kambria rules over the Kambrian Highlands region, which is still dotted with the fortresses that were ruined during the Tiber Wars.

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The Bretons are intelligent and individualistic. They value freedom, praising it in their tavern songs. The Propaganda of the Daggerfall Covenant during the Interregnum also put emphasis on freedom, and in 2E 582, the people of Evermore were allowed to freely criticize Queen Arzhela and the royal family, though many of them would later be discovered to be Imperial spies working on behalf of Septima Tharn and the Seventh Legion. In the Third Era, a prolific writer named Darius Shano is also said to have criticized nobility, commoners, and the Divines alike, receiving much scorn, but only being executed after ridiculing Tiber Septim. Using excessive profanity in the presence of nobility in High Isle was grounds for being charged, however.

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According to some sources, the Reachmen of eastern High Rock and western Skyrim are thought to share distant roots with the Bretons, but diverge severely in their culture and traditions. Living in close proximity with Orcish tribes, they adopted some of their customs and wild magic, mixed with ancient Aldmeri and more recent Nordic influences. Like the Bretons, Aldmeri blood runs through the Reachfolk's veins, which stems from the Direnni Hegemony's occupation of the Western Reach in the early First Era.