Breton

— The wiki's staff

 **Alignment** | * Lawful Good
* Neutral Good
* Chaotic Good
* Lawful Neutral
* Neutral
* Chaotic Neutral
* Lawful Evil
* Neutral Evil
 **Language(s)** | * Daedric

**Bretons** (originally termed **Manmer** by the Aldmer) are the human descendants who hail from the province of High Rock. According to the Third Pocket Guide to the Empire, they are descended from the Nedic and Aldmeri, while other sources claimed they were the mix of Atmoran and Aldmeri blood. The Altmer thought of making a new race with their own 'elder' or 'superior' blood, by mating with other races. The Bretons are sometimes called 'Manmeri' because of this.

## Ecology

### Description

Bretons are the descendants of either an Aldmeri-Nedic or Aldmeri-Atmoran hybrid race of the 1st Era and are consequently termed as 'the mongrel race of Tamriel'. Their elven blood is heavily diluted, due to their ancestors intermingling with the Nordic population in Skyrim and High Rock. Bretons are sometimes called "Manmeri" as a result of the interbreeding, literally translating to 'man-elf'. Although their Aldmeri ancestry is shadowed by their appearance, they still inherit the magical affinity of their elven blood. Their physical features resemble their Nedic ancestors, including their pale skin tone and the obvious physical resemblance to Imperials/Nords, but some still inherit the frail, sharp appearance of the elves, along with the arrogance, and some do have slight points in their ears.

### Personality

Passionate, eccentric, poetic, flamboyant, intelligent, willful, and excellent cooks, the Bretons feel an inborn, instinctive bond with the mercurial forces of magic and the supernatural world. Many great sorcerers have come out of their home province of High Rock, and in addition to their quick and perceptive grasp of spellcraft, enchantment, and alchemy, even the humblest and least prominent Breton can boast a high resistance to destructive and dominating magical attacks they encounter.

### Society and culture

The Bretons' largely agrarian and hierarchical society is feudal in nature. Most Breton cities are sprawling trade hubs, and most of the people are either middle-class peasants or destitute beggars. The jockeying for power amongst the various monarchs and powers of the Iliac Bay region is a deeply ingrained, even cherished, part of Breton culture. Though they 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" amongst young Bretons. The desire to find some great opportunity for fortune and glory has made Bretons venture all over northern 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. 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. 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.

People of northern regions of High Rock cremate their dead, while burial remains common in the south.

#### Religion

The main religion in High Rock is the worship of the Eight Divines, along with three Elven deities, Magnus, Y'ffre, and Phynaster, and Sheor, who is unique to the Bretons, although most scholars agree that he is an offshoot of the Nordic deity Shor.

#### Architecture

The word most often used to describe Breton villages is "quaint". Function is valued over form, resulting in earthern, hand-crafted dwellings free from ornament. Most people in High Rock live in small cottages; only the nobility and their servants stay in large castles. Despite efforts under Tiber Septim to demilitarize the province by demolishing defensive structures, many villages are still surrounded by high walls, and fortresses dot the landscape.

## History

There is evidence of human settlements in High Rock dating back at least a thousand years before recorded history. Before or soon after the start of the First Era, Aldmer came to High Rock from the Summerset Isles and interbred with Nedes, eventually creating the Breton race. Sometimes there was conflict, but also long periods of coexistence in a multiracial society. While the Aldmer maintained control of Tamriel, the Manmer lived as lower-class citizens, supporting their elven brethren. Notably, this subservience and general harmony meant they were spared during the Night of Tears. The Skyrim Conquests brought much of High Rock under the control of the Nords around 1E 246, though they would lose control around 1E 369 as a result of Skyrim's War of Succession. They apparently never controlled Wayrest, which likely wasn't founded until several hundred years later. Around the same time, the Alessian Order would make campaigns against the Direnni, weakening them enough for the locals to rebel against them. Most of High Rock would be free from elven control by 1E 498, though they would remain in the province for most of the First Era. Other historical enemies of Bretons, besides each other, include Orcs and various supernatural creatures that roam High Rock.

Over time, the emerging Bretons absorbed the remaining Nordic and Imperial population in High Rock, and the land would be definitively Breton by the end of the First Era. Tiber Septim's Empire would later easily conquer the squabbling kingdoms that emerged during the Interregnum, but would find it impossible to truly squash the sectarian conflicts between them that hampered trade and prosperity. Since most Emperors in the Third Era were Bretons, or had spent their youth in High Rock, Bretons were generally supportive of Imperial rule, but were often disgruntled by its inefficacy at protecting them from violent conflicts. It wasn't until the Miracle of Peace that the problem would at least be reduced: the roughly two dozen fiefdoms dotting southern High Rock (where the great majority of the people are located), were united into three kingdoms: Daggerfall, Wayrest, and Orsinium.

## Homeland

High Rock is a western region of the Empire of Tamriel. It borders Hammerfell to the south-east and Skyrim to the north-east. It is mainly populated by Bretons. High Rock and the Summerset Isles are the only provinces of Tamriel that do not share a land-border with Cyrodiil. This region is known for its many small villages and towns and for the many grim fortifications that dot the hills and crags around them. In the past, these castles were the domains of many petty kings and lords that ruled the massive patchwork of small nations that used to make up High Rock.