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Breemen

Bree-men

The Bree-landers or Bree-Men (earlier: "Brill-Men") were the indigenous inhabitants of Bree-land.

History[]

The theories about the Bree-men differed, most Scholars were convinced that the Bree-landers were the direct descendants of the ancient people known as the Brigaic, an eriadorian tribe encountered by the first Dúnedain settlers in Arnor. Most sources believed the Brigaic to be descendants of the Gwathuirim of Enedhwaith, a Daen people, but a few other sources named the Bree-men as descendants of the people of northern Eriador, tribes closely akin to the House of Beor. However it may well be that the bree-culture emerged as an amalgamation of both cultures, since their language and customs showed both a strong western and a restrained Daen influence. The Bree-men were joined by groups of wandering Halflings in the 17th century TA, some of whom settled down in Bree-land and became known as the Bree-hobbits or Little Folk of Bree. These Hobbits very soon adapted to the traditions of their mannish neighbours and so the bree-culture became a single culture comprised of two different races.

Breefarm

Bree-land farmstead

Appearance[]

The Bree-landers were a tough and stocky folk, most were of average height, dark haired and dark eyed, although some had a somewhat swarthy complexion. Their clothing conformed with the archetypal garb of the rural folk of Arnor and hadn't changed much during times. Men wore button-down shirts, waistcoats or short gowns and trousers of wool and linen, broad belts, heavy boots or brogues of leather, and often neck scarves and practical hats or caps. Women wore simple dresses of wool or linen, rarely very decorated.

Politics[]

The vast majority of the Bree-landers lived in small hamlets and farmsteads all across over Bree-land, there were only three larger villages, Archet, Combe, and Staddle, and one small town, Bree itself. The only official was the Mayor of Bree who was appointed annually by the Bree-land moot (a council of the heads of the Bree-families). An office inherited from ancient Arthedain was the Constable.

Warcraft[]

The Constables were a changing number of officers keeping maintenance of the armaments of the villages. Below the Constables was a small troop of Guards that mainly took care of the Gates of the larger settlements, and a troop of wandering watchers patrolling the borders and commanded by an elected chief-watcher. A somewhat different organization were the Greenway Sentinels, a small troop that could be traced back to the highway-guard of Arthedain. These Guardsmen were commanded by a Captain who appointed a number of sergeants who mainly took care of the condition of the roads. The Bree-land Riders were a small troop of Horsemen, usually concerned with deploying messages all around Bree-land and often delivering the mail.

The farmers and craftsmen who were drawn as militia in times of need usually didn't have regular weapons. Hunting-bows and spears, pitchforks, hatchets, clubs, and knives were the weapons of the common folk. The constables of Bree-land however still had access to the old armoury of Bree. Mail-Hauberks were quite rare, if any personal armour was worn it was usually boiled leather or studded leather. An independent unit of resolute patriots was the Bree-land Company who however had gained a bad reputation for either hostility toward strangers or suspicion of secretly being in collusion with a band of Brigands known as the Blackwolds.

Language[]

The Bree-landers spoke Breeish, a local Westron-dialect with many old names and loanwords from the Bregion-language, which was a relative of the Dunael tongues of Minhiriath and Enedhwaith (which included Dunlendish as well).

Religion[]

Breeish religion was very informal. Some old Dúnadan customs such as the Standing Silence, the obeisance before the meals, or several toasts and blessings had been preserved in some variation. Eru was venerated as god but rarely mentioned or called upon and out of respect he was never spoken of directly. The Valar played almost no role in breeish religion; if they were addressed they were usually seen as a collective and known as the Powers of the West. The main festivals of the year were Springfest, Summerday, Harvestmath, Autumn fair, and Yule Run.

Notes[]

Original forms: Brerion = Bregion = Brigaic

Bregion is an actual welsh form meaning "breaches" or "cracks".It was replaced by a fantasy form based of reconstructed old brythonic.

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