The Bretons : Mongrels or Paragons ? Content . That Men and Mer can interbreed has been known since the first humans began arriving on the shores of Tamriel in the middle of the Merethic Era . However , broad intermingling of Elves and humans only occurred in the far northwest of the continent , giving rise to the race of Men known as the Bretons . Given the history of conflict between humans and the children of Aldmeris elsewhere in Tamriel , how and why did this intermingling occur in High Rock ? The answer lies in the peculiar ( for Elves ) culture of Clan Direnni , the once - dominant Mer of northwest Tamriel . In contrast to the Ayleid s of Cyrodiil , who brutally enslaved any humans they came into contact with , the Direnni simply conquered their local Nede s and then ruled them as a caste of nobility . The aristocratic Elves established a system of feudal vassalage over their human subjects , with rights and privileges that included the " Perquisite of Coition " with any human they desired . Sex with attractive Nedes was considered casual recreation , and Direnni nobles competed to have stables of the most desirable human subjects . The inevitable Half - Elven offspring from these liaisons were not adopted into the families of their Direnni parents , being considered sub - Mer , but were nonetheless often given privileged positions among the subject Nedes . Over time , this led to the establishment of a recognized caste of mixed - blood humans , who were given the name " Bretons " ( from the Ehlnofex " beratu , " or " half " ) . The Breton caste was only allowed to marry humans , so over time their Elven blood became more diluted , and the Nedic appearance predominated . Though they wielded great power for a time in the First Era , even then the Elves of Clan Direnni were never numerous , and as their geographical hegemony expanded administration and rulership was increasingly handed off to the Breton caste . After defeating the invading Alessian Horde in 1E 482 Clan Direnni was scattered and effectively exhausted . As the Elves retreated to central High Rock , then finally Balfiera Isle , the Bretons stepped easily into their shoes , assuming the feudal hierarchy established by the Direnni and simply replacing them with their own noble families . The Breton nobles , who had been forced to differentiate themselves from the Direnni part of their heritage , justified their new ascension by distancing themselves from Elves and everything Elven — ironically so , as the Elven blood ran strongest in the older noble families . The Direnni were increasingly vilified by their former vassals , and the island clan became ever more insular and isolationist . However , they were still known as powerful magicians , and they were strong enough to repel an attempted Redguard invasion in 1E 907 . The Bretons continued redefining themselves , inventing a myth of a history of noble resistance to Direnni rule , and developing a thriving merchant class that began trading around the coasts of Tamriel . By the time the Empress Hestra and her legions arrived at Bangkorai Pass in 1E 1029 , they were ready to join the Empire of Men and embrace the Eight Divines . Under the Remans , High Rock was possibly the most stable and prosperous province in the Second Empire . Which brings us back to the ( deliberately provocative ) question of our title : are the Bretons then mongrels , or paragons ? The answer , of course , is both ( though if you call a Breton a mongrel , he is liable to feed you an inch or two of steel ) . The passionate race of Bretons embodies the strengths of both Men and Mer — as well as their flaws .