Lore:Hillmen

Rivenspire

The Hillmen are the people of Rivenspire, a region known as the backwater of High Rock. The region's people are shaped by its tortured landscape. Descriptions for people of this Breton subculture include "surly", "gloomy", "laconic", and having "little to say to strangers". They are also known for their "overactive imaginations". Much of the creatures of the region are also hostile. Hillmen hunters make a decent living off of the pelts of wolves and giant bats, as well as from spider venom. Restless spirits are known to haunt the region's forts, and rumors exist of "evil fog" where the souls of fallen sailors stir off the coast of Rivenspire.

Rivenspire's dark history has haunted the region's people. A number of atrocities and despots have made their mark, such as the violence against the Direnni under the orders of King Festrien Spenard I, and the Purge of the Wyrd-Hags during Sun's Death under King Berthulic. The biggest cause for Rivenspire's woes is from when its natives eliminated the Ayleids that migrated to the region as these elves attempted to transform the barren wastelands they called the "Land of Cold Rocks" into a region full of life. The Ayleid's Light of Life was damaged in the conflict and became the Lightless Remnant, a corrupting influence on Rivenspire. This corrupting influence became further amplified when it was touched by vampires during the Second Era. This gave way to a vampire crisis that was perpetuated by one of Rivenspire's noble houses, the Montclairs.

For all their differences, the noble houses of Rivenspire hold many of the same traditions. Each house keeps its own fighting force, though in times of war or other emergencies, it is not uncommon for house troops to join with the city guard to form a single fighting force in defense of the region. The nobility of Rivenspire are known for burying their dead beneath the gnarled trees of Westmark Moor (except for monarchs, who are all buried in the great cemetery of Cath Bedraud in Glenumbra).

Gallery

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  King Ranser, one of the Hillmen

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  Riven King's Throne

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  Order of the Crypt's Spell Knight Armor Varieties

Notes

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  Rivenspire in ESO was originally planned to include the spirits of these race of giants that were called "hill giants". The region would have also had Bretons with hill giant heritage called hillmen that were larger than the average person, similar to the half-giant race. These hillmen would have also had some Nordic heritage. Only a loading screen hinting at these hill giant's existence remains in the final game, but the term hillmen still appears as a demonym for Rivenspire's people in the book The Fury of King Ranser in reference to Ranser.