Reachmen
The Reachmen - known alternatively as "Reach-folk" or "Witchmen" - are a people native to The Reach region of Skyrim and the Western Reach region of High Rock. Though their ancestral lands are not as widespread as most, the Reachmen are as internally diverse and varied in culture as any other people, and their practices, beliefs, and attitudes vary wildly depending on the particular culture of their tribe. Reachman culture is misunderstood by the majority of Tamriel, the Nords seeing Reachmen as inherently savage and backwards while the Bretons view Reachman culture itself as corruptive and uncivilized. Even the name "Reachmen" itself is a name given to the peoples of the Reach by Nordic, Redguard, and Bretons, as Reachmen themselves refer to themselves as a member of their tribe rather than a member of the Reachman race.
History
The Reachmen have their origin in the region of their namesake, the Reach. Once the Reach was conquered by the Direnni Hegemony in the early First Era, the indigenous Nedic tribes (thought to be of a separate origin from the Breto-Nedes) of the area were bred with by the Direnni elves, and within generations, this intermingling would create the mongrel race of the Reachmen. The lands belonging to the Direnni Hegemony would fall to the Direnni lords' descendants, the Breton and Reachman races, scattering into dozens of petty statelets in the case of the Bretons and into 10 distinct and unique tribes in that of the Reachmen. Direnni blood ordained the Reachmen with increased magical proficiency, the strongest of these sages and warriors rising to become the chieftains of these new tribes, known as the 10 Kingdoms. The 10 Kingdoms consisted of the kingdoms of Baolach, Fionndalia, Caireann, Herwylian, Talesia, Coimeaden, Daromhea, Amhra, Tuath, and Fodhla. Each of these tribes were distinct peoples from one another, not identifying with their race of the Reachmen but rather as descendants of their tribe.
As the First Era continued, the 10 Kingdoms found themselves victims of Breton, Alessian, and Nordic expansion. The Kingdom of Fionndalia was able to hold out the longest against their enemies; it is unclear whether this Kingdom was vassalised by the Ostern Bretons or remained a puppet-state during this time. The Kingdom of Tuath resisted most fiercely, led by their King Faolan, or "Red Eagle". Once the Alessians and Nords conquered Tuath, they had the corpse of King Faolan chained to the earth in his tomb, so that he and his people would never rise again. In the end, it would be the Kingdom of Amhra who would mostly survive the conquests. The Amhranan had settled in the Druadach Heath, remaining a cultural force despite their fall to the Nordic frontier state of Jallenheim. The cultural stability of the region drew the disparate remnants of the other Kingdoms to Amhra, unifying the Reachmen by their shared culture. When Jallenheim and Nord power in the region collapsed, the Reachmen tribes began fighting the Nords as well as each other over who would rule the Reach.
This period of conflict came to an end when a single warlord named Durcorach the Black Drake crushed his rival tribes and seized the Reach for himself. Taking advantage of the weakness of the Nords during the Interregnum, Durcorach conquered all of Falkreath, then moving across the Jerall Mountains into northern Cyrodiil. Durcorach's armies made quick work of the petty lords of northern Cyrodiil, conquering the Cyrodillic wilds and then turning south towards the Heartlands. By the mid-500s of the Second Era, Durcorach had conquered the Imperial City, naming himself the Emperor of Cyrodiil. Emperor Durcorach's dynasty was known as the Longhouse Emperors, ruling Cyrodiil until Durcorach's grandson, Emperor Leovic, was dethroned by a Colovian warlord. Durcorach's empire quickly fell into petty statelets, except for the lower Reach where his conquests began, when a nephew of Emperor Leovic, Caddach the Blue Drake, united the lower Reach under the Kingdom of Amhra once again.
Caddach's capital, built over the ruins of the Direnni stronghold Tarnwasel, grew from a small trading village into the sprawling metropolis of Karthwasten during the course of the Second Era. Like its capital, the Kingdom held strong against attacks and raids from the Nords of Markarth and Falkreath. That was until the Kingdom of Falkreath invaded Amhra in 2E 852, and the Nordic armies, led by a young Tiber Septim, decimated the Reachmen at the Battle of Old Hrol'dan. Amhra was absorbed by the Kingdom of Falkreath after their defeat, the Reachmen fleeing into the wilds of the Vorndgad Forest and Druadach Highlands to become the modern Braign, Hunnath, and Pachkan tribes. The territory of Amhra was largely ceded to the Province of Hammerfell after the War of the Red Diamond, including its capital of Karthwasten, which grew to have a population of primarily Redguards. The territory of Amhra was eventually conquered by Reach Hold during the War of the Bend'r-Mahk, which it remains under the control of to this day.
Reachmen in Skyrim
Most Reachmen in Skyrim identify with a tribe. Some, however, known as "tribeless" Reachmen, live in the wilderness, often as a consequence of exile or willing withdrawal from their community. Some Reachmen also choose to leave their tribes entirely and live in cities alongside other non-Reachmen, though it should be noted that not all urban Reachmen have severed ties with their tribe. The Reachmen are shunned by the Nords, who have long viewed them as little more than mongrel savages due to their elven heritage and location on the frontier of Nordic territory. Nords of the Reach often blame droughts or earthquakes on Reachmen rituals, which may be a rumor based in fact judging by the dangers of Reachman hedge-magic.
Reachmen Tribes
There are seven tribes of Reachmen found in Skyrim:
- Alovach - A friendly tribe of traders who live in the Druadach Highlands north of Dragonstar
- Bordraigh - The easternmost of the Reachmen tribes, who have established a stronghold in the ancient Nordic ruin of Old Hrol'dan
- Braign - A hostile, xenophobic tribe living on the Briag Cnoss mesa
- Hunnath - A warlike tribe that has long contested the Vorndgad Forest with the Nords of the Bear Clan.
- Nourthu - A nomadic, far-ranging tribe who roam the wilderness of Falkheim
- Pachkan - A peaceable tribe who share the town of Haimtir with other non-Reachmen villagers
- Taliesinn - A reclusive tribe with unusual religious beliefs living atop Darvacriag mesa
Reachmen in High Rock
Most of the Reachmen population in High Rock can be found near exclusively in the Western Reach, primarily settled within the regions of Ostheldir, Creag Coast, and parts of the Bjoulsae Basin. In comparison to Skyrim however, nearly all Reachmen Tribes are living under Ostern lieges, or having lived clanless for multiple generations thereunder. The exception to this are the Farrunan, who have their own kingdom of Creaghain and a lineage hearkening back to the ancient Kingdom of Fionndaila.
The Bretons (regionally and specifically, the Ostern), generally view and treat the Reachmen as an underclass, often being relegated to laborious jobs. Though historically there have been plenty of exceptions where Reachmen have held important positions as merchants, commanders and politicians.
Reachmen Tribes
There are five tribes of Reachmen found in High Rock