Homebrew Breton Species Details

Is it my dual nature as both a Human and Elf thanks to the blood running through my veins? The Bretons were conceived as unwanted half-breeds at the dawn of our history, but we rose from those dark times to become the dominant people of High Rock and the archipelago. What does that mean, though? Am I man or mer? Or have the two finally merged to become something new, different, perhaps even better than the sum of their parts?

Descended from the intermingling of man and mer in the Merethic Era, the Bretons are an intelligent, energetic, pragmatic and humourous people. They 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 equally proven to be one of the people's strong suits; Breton double agents, assassins, and spies have turned the tide of wars throughout recorded history.

Clever and Curious

Their Elvish blood grants the Bretons a natural affinity for magic that, when combined with the ingenuity of man, allows them to make great strides in the arcane arts, often accomplishing feats that may take even Altmer years to achieve. Magic permeates throughout all of Breton society from the serf all the way up to the king. Children are tested for their magical potential at an early age, and those who pass often enter apprenticeship programs funded by the Mages Guild. They can be often seen practising illusion spells on eachother in the streets of their larger cities.

In more remote regions, such as Glenpoint and the Wrothgarian Mountains, Bretons with magical talent flourish more slowly but often become equally powerful. The 'witches', 'druids' and 'medicine men' often use their magical talents to hold sway over superstitious peasants in these regions with feats of untutored, but often impressive, magical ability.

Though no two mages weave their spells in exactly the same way, the average breton mage is said to perform "flamboyant gesticulations" when spellcasting.

Hierarchy and Tradition

Within the larger cities, Breton culture is divided into a clear social strata with the peasantry at the bottom, merchants and artisans in the middle class, and finally nobility and ruling families seated at the top. Additionally there are many knightly orders and the independant magical elite that consider themselves above all others except the rulers of the province. Among the general populace, nobility is not scorned but instead desired greatly leading to an obsession with status in the more wealthy districts of the cities. This has also led to a "quest obsession" among young Bretons who believe that finding opportunities for glory is the best way to curry favour with nobles and elevate their status.

Prosperity over Glory

Inquisitive by their very nature, Bretons seem to thrive exploring both fields of study and foreign lands. Finding a Breton merchant or mage travelling through foreign lands is not uncommon by any means, often proving to be shrewd merchants and adaptable mages. Their people's adaptability allow them to assimilate into other cultures with ease, learning to quickly understand small intricacies that allow them to blend in or appear far more relatable to people with customs that are far removed from their own. This talent has allowed them to establish profitable maritime and mercantile industries in many corners of Tamriel. Their success in these fields have led many to acknowledge their talent as shrewd merchants and caused some to believe they worship money over praying to the divines.

Subcultures

Breton culture, despite its seeming homogeneity, varies in each of High Rock's kingdoms due to the many subcultures found in the province.

Glenumbrans: The people of Glenumbra are known for their high culture, poets and artists. Holding the province's capital of Daggerfall, they hold their home in high esteem and would protect it fiercely from any that would threaten its safety or name.

Highland Bretons: Typically composed of woodland hills, the highlands are more remote regions of High Rock where the individuals are far more superstitious and often hold on firmly to the older traditions rooted in nature magic. They sometimes hold witch covens and druidic hermits in high esteem or, alternatively, fear them in equal magnitude.

Hillmen of Rivenspire: Known as the backwater of High Rock, Rivenspire is a tortured landscape that has shaped its people into fearful or closed-off communities that view outsiders with great apprehension. Despite a dark history, the nobles of this region still hold pride over their ancestors and carry out strange traditions kept in the families for generations.

Lowlanders of Stormhaven: Known for its prosperity, the region of Stormhaven is the south-central region of High Rock. Farming, Fishing, Hunting and Mining all lead to bountiful trade, particularly around the city of Wayrest. It is one of the most populous regions of High Rock and has ties to all surrounding regions as the trade hub of the province.

Wyrd Covens: These female-only, reclusive covens serve as wardens of "The Green". They draw their power from the Earthbones, and revere nature and the elements. Originating from the Druids of Galen, they abandoned civilization following their coven leaders into the untamed wilds and practice their magic away from those who would threaten the natural world. While some still worship the nature god Y'ffre as the druids did, some covens such as the Glenmoril have turned to Daedric Worship in their veneration of Hircine.

Breton Traits

As a Breton, you have the following traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

Age

Despite their elven ancestry, Bretons reach adulthood in their late teens and typically live less than a century with a similar lifespan to the other races of men.

Size

Like the Redguards and Imperials, Bretons usually range, from 5 to 6 feet tall with the males typically being taller.

Speed

Your Speed is 30 feet.

Spell Resistance

You have advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma Saving Throws.

Opportunist

You gain proficiency in the use of light armour.

Gift of Magnus

Your innate magical resistance allows you to Absorb a spell once per long rest as a reaction. Spellcasters can use this ability to completely negate an incoming spell's damage as well as gain an extra spell slot equal to the one used to cast the absorbed spell. You lose this spell slot once you take a long rest.

Classes that do not cast spells will instead be able to use their reaction to reflect the spell used against them with the same modifiers as that of the original caster.

Magicka Mastery

Your elven ancestry allows you to detect subtle changes in the magicka that flows through the world giving you proficiency in the Arcana Skill.

Languages

You can speak, read and write Common Tamrielic and one extra language of your choice. Bretons typically learn the languages of those they often intermingle with however more traditional subcultures may learn more exotic languages such as Sylvan to better communicate with the Green.