Lore:Reachman Clans

A member of the Doomfang Clan

The Reachfolk live in scores of fractured clans, each with their own traditions and character. There is no uniform tradition among the clans, though many of them worship the same deities and share the same customs. Some clans are nomadic, opting to live in caves, old forts, and ruins, or building temporary shelters. Others choose to settle in dhuns, fortified hilltop villages. Clans can be made up of people who are related by blood or individuals who adopt clan names to mark their allegiance. New clans frequently form as like-minded individuals come together and circumstances change. These enterprising bands may to settle new land and follow herds of prey, or raid neighboring territories to plunder their resources. In this way, the clans are fluid, breaking up and reforming over the course of history.

Many clans try to live in relative peace, though some, such as the Boneshaper Clan, are overtly hostile towards outsiders. The Reachfolk also adorn their bodies with a broad variety of markings that are specific to the clan they belong to.

Clanless Reachfolk often face discrimination. Lives of the exiled Reachmen are often seen as worthless. The Reach is dangerous for those without clans and career options for clanless Reachfolk in Markarth are limited. Certain factions such as Wayward Guardians reject that prejudice and offer their protection and services to those without clans. According to them the status of an exile need not to define people and that stories of clanless Reachfolk can take a different path. They also accept clanless Reachfolk into its ranks. Certain clans, such as Shunned Ones are composed entirely of the outcasts. Clanless Reachfolk can be accepted again into other clans.

Clans and Reachfolk that live outside of Markarth are known as the Wilder.

The Chief-of-ChiefsEdit

Cannear, the Chief-of-Chiefs circa 2E 582

The Chief-of-Chiefs is an aspect of Reach tradition that transcends clan boundaries. This individual is usually a clan-chief who has earned the respect of allies and enemies alike during their tenure. In a way, the Chief-of-Chiefs is a sort of "chief emeritus"—though they've stepped down from their position as chief of their own clan, they are highly respected and wield a great deal of authority among all but the most headstrong clans. The Chief-of-Chiefs serves as an arbiter and a peacemaker: they settle disputes between clans and help feuding clans repair their relationships with each other. Occasionally, the clans will unite to act against a threat. When this happens, the Chief-of-Chiefs temporarily assumes control of the participating clans' combined army. Overseeing the handfasting vows is one of their duties. The Chief-of-Chiefs maintains their position until they die or choose to step down.

Known Chiefs-of-ChiefsEdit

Cannear — Chief-of-Chiefs originating from the River-Elk Clan. She was active during the Interregnum.

ClansEdit

Extinct ClansEdit

There are some clans whose names have been lost to time. One such clan vanished after spending the night at one of Mehrunes Dagon's shrines, leaving a sole survivor. There are also clans whose names have gone unspecified in texts, such as the clan that believed that their ancestors sent white rabbits to deliver portents or messages.

The Blackdrake Clan — Few in number. They rose to prominence under the warlord Durcorach, who rallied the Reach beneath his banner and conquered Cyrodiil, forming the Longhouse Dynasty. Durcorach's closest relatives and friends in the Reach took his appellation, "the Black Drake", as their own clan name. Other clans show the Blackdrakes a degree of respect for Durcorach's legacy, which is more respect than a clan that small would otherwise command.
The Horn-Stride Clan — An extinct clan that fought against the clan led by the Chief Rowolan, who claimed descendance from the Demiprince Dearola.
The Stranglehollow Clan — A clan that died out by 2E 582. The Stranglehollows toasted each other with a drink mixed using the fingerbone of an ancestor.

Extant ClansEdit

The Bear-Heart Clan - Little is known of them except that their clan is named after the blessing of Hrokkibeg, the Bear aspect of Hircine. They craft necklaces made of bear teeth and claws.
The Black-Moon Clan - They wear armor resembling that of minotaurs. They worship Namira.
The Blackoath Clan - Little is known of them except that they respected leatherworking skills and were active in 2E 577.
The Boldclaw Clan — A clan that fosters a deep respect for Namira.
The Boneshaper Clan — A border clan that allied with the Cult of the Black Worm and invaded the Rift in 2E 582. They have a number of unusual rites involving thorny vines and plants. Their name originated from their tradition of lacing thorny vines through the skeletons of their ritual sacrifices. The vines they grow do not appear to be native to the Reach, but they cultivate the plants expertly. When going on a raid or into battle, they create effigies out of vines. Some of their rituals made use of corpses, although the clan forbade necromancy.
The Cinder-Heart Clan — A warlike clan found near Markarth. They are known for burning their captives alive. They prepare Briarhearts by filling the victim's empty chest cavity with hot coals. They worship Molag Bal.
The Crow-Eye Clan - A spiritual clan which controlled the settlement of Karthwasten during the Second Era. Their patron spirit was Nocturnal.
The Crow-Wife Clan, a nomadic hunting clan that were found in the mountains north of Bangkorai before 2E 582. The Crow-Wives are primarily worshipers of Namira.
The Dark Witness Clan — A clan led by a hagraven that attempted to reclaim Mournoth in 2E 582. Deep blue war paint is a favorite among the Dark Witnesses. They wear thick black-blue paste during night-time raids. They are known to use of ebony in their craftsmanship and have Briarhearts among their ranks.
The Deathwing Clan — A nomadic clan that reveres the cycle of life and death, known for their beautiful artwork.
The Doomfang Clan — A clan that occupied Bthardamz in the early 4th Era. They were known for their adaptability and survival skills. Doomfang Clan had skilled alchemists, capable of creating poisonous vapors among its ranks and utilized Dwemer Animunculi.
The Dragonclaw Clan — A clan that participated in the Dragonstar Arena.
The Dreadhorn Clan — A clan that attempted and failed to conquer Falkreath Hold in 2E 582. They are descendants of the Nedic Keptu. They worship Hircine and use shamanistic Kyne magic.
- Bloodforge Smiths — A faction of smiths within the Dreadhorn clan.

Members of the Dreadhorn Clan

The Eagleseer Clan — A proud and warlike clan that fosters feuds as carefully as some clans nurture their children. They are very friendly and open to those they have no quarrel with, and believe that visitors from other lands are "simply not worth a good Reach feud".
The Ghostsong Clan — A reclusive clan from the eastern Reach that holds great reverence for Namira. They are best known for their powerful witches and loyal werewolves.
The Grimfang Clan — An ancient clan of Reachmen who tamed and trained Druadach Mountain Bears to ride on.
The Hearteater Clan — A group of Reachmen that raided Cyrodiil during the Three Banners War.
The Hillhunter Clan — A clan of nomadic hunters based in the mountains south of Markarth. Known for their woodcraft, they are reputed by other clans to be impossible to track unless they wish to be tracked.
The Icereach Coven — A coven full of Reachmen, most prominently witches. Originally, the coven served as advisors and mages to the Longhouse Emperors. They were driven from Cyrodiil along with the other Reachmen after Varen's Rebellion. They re-emerged in 2E 582 and allied with the Gray Host. They are responsible for creating tempestuous rituals known as Harrowstorms, which they used to resurrect members of the Gray Host that died and were sent to Coldharbour in the First Era. They reside on Icereach, a frozen island in the Sea of Ghosts. Wicker is a common component in their rituals; they use it to create many of their ritual fetishes, and it is not uncommon for them to craft sacred wicker effigies. Their emblem, a blood-red wicker spiral, represents their hunger for power, no matter the cost. The coven marks its territory with totems bearing that emblem. Wicker, string, bone shards, animal hide, and tree bark are all materials the coven used in forging weapons and armor. The Icereach Coven breeds durzogs to be used as mounts. The witches used magic to alter the pups in-utero to achieve a rideable size. These durzogs were quite aggressive, and those who sought to transfer ownership of a durzog to another rider required the prospective owner to sleep with the durzog's saddle before attempting to ride them.
- The Kairian Coven — A witch coven that split and lost members to the Icereach Coven in the Second Era. Every year, the coven's seedswoman would grow a coronal to crown their leader. After wearing it for a year and a day, the coven's leader would gift the object to a champion who performed dark deeds. The Kairian Coven was evil by all accounts.

Icereach Coven Reachfolk

The Mistrunner Clan — A clan that worked to bring more plants to Markarth.
The Quicktalon Clan — A clan which was sundered by Carinar the Sharp's patricide. Carinar's followers moved south and formed the Spiritblood Clan.
The Rageclaw Clan — A clan that domesticated a stout breed of bears for battle. Their bears are trained as cubs, bound to specific clansmen or clan families. The Rageclaws were a matriarchal society, and had an extreme affinity for their young, going to war over the slightest threat to their children. The Rageclaws were known to absorb smaller clans, causing friction between them and other groups of Reachfolk. They convert those who join them to the way of the claw. Women who are new to the clan may find that they have tremendous newfound freedom, and might enjoy their transition. In stark contrast, male warriors set to assimilate into the clan were pitted against a grown bear in combat, and earned their place in the clan by wrestling the bear into submission. The Rageclaw Clan allied with the Cult of the Black Worm and invaded The Rift in 2E 582.
The River-Elk Clan — The River-Elks live in many semi-permanent camps across the Karth Valley, and are strong in number. They are distrustful of foreign ways, though they willingly engage in trade with those who prove themselves friends of the clan.
The Shadefeather Clan — A clan that is few in number and led by a strong coven of Hagravens. They waylay travelers and murder their captives in dark rituals. They kill indiscriminately, taking foreigners and Reachfolk alike. The Shadefeathers frequently move camps and kill anyone who crosses their path. They worship Nocturnal and Namira.
The Shadowbloom Clan — Shadowbloom Clan inhabited Markarth. They had werewolves among its ranks. One of its members was executed by Ard Caddach for treachery.
The Shunned Ones — A clan consisting of outcasts from other Reachmen clans, "their preferred currency is tales told of mistakes and lessons".
The Six-Ford Clan — The rival clan of the Eagleseers since their inception.
The Skyweaver Clan — They are known for their weatherworking skills. One of their dances involves a lot of fire.
The Spiritblood Clan — The Spiritblood clan was formed when Carinar the Sharp slew his father, sundering the Quicktalon clan. Carinar chose to move his people south, and the clan's first vateshran, Aydolan, sang of Carinar's glories the whole way there. Aydolan would go on to create the Vateshran's Rites, the clan's coming of age trials.
The Spiritdancer Clan — They used to feud with Twisted Briar Clan.
The Spirit-Tale Clan — Mentioned in the mystery novel, Investigator Vale in the Reach. Might be fictional.
The Stag-Heart Clan — They worship one of Hircine's aspects known as Uricanbeg, the Great Dark Stag.
The Starsinger Clan — Once stationed in Cyrodiil in the days of Emperor Moricar. Spilling blood on a feast day is taboo among them.
The Stonetalon Clan — A clan that allied with the Cult of the Black Worm and invaded The Rift in 2E 582. The Stonetalon Clan were not as aggressive as the Rageclaws or the Boneshapers, but exhibited combative behaviors nonetheless. They were a matriarchal clan as the Rageclaws were; however, most of the women in the clan were Hagravens. Those who were not Hagravens were covered in heavy cloaks made of bird feathers, and struggled through a series of trials to become one. The cloaked women of the Stonetalon Clan were powerful spellcasters.
The Thornroot Clan — Generally camped within the vicinity of Briar Rock, the Thornroots are fierce and powerful. They are led by Hagravens, but maintain peaceable relationships with other clans. They usually reserve their wrath for foreigners. Many of their warriors choose to become Briarhearts. They resided within Briar Rock Ruins in 2E 582. That same year, their hagraven matron pushed the Thornroots to kidnap members of other clans to turn them into briarhearts against their will, with the goal of creating a sizeable force to defend the clan from the Gray Host.
The Timberclaw Clan — They favor the Druadach Mountain Dog, which was bred by them. They inhabited Markarth and were known to feud with Starsingers and Skyweavers.
The Timbercrow Clan — Active in the Reach during the Interregnum.
- Timbercrow Wanderers — A faction of scouts and assassins within the Timbercrow clan.
The Treeshade Clan — Little is known about them, other than that they existed in 2E 582, while the Gray Host was active in the Reach. The Treeshade Clan was part of a concerted effort by several clans to drive back the Gray Host. The Treeshade way of war is to "hunt the hunters". The Treeshade clan believes that being smart about how they approach their enemy, but fighting nonetheless, is the only way to combat an enemy like the Gray Host.
The Twisted Briar Clan — A clan that used to feud with the Spiritdancer Clan.
The Wildblood Clan — A clan that fell victim to Thornroot Clan's machinations. Known for their amulets.
The Wildspear Clan — A clan that is settled near Markarth. They dedicate themselves to Hircine, whom they honor with ritual hunts. They believe that humans, especially enemies who are strong and clever, make the best quarry for their rituals.
The Winterborn Clan — An ancient clan that was native to Wrothgar before being driven off by the Orcs of the Daggerfall Covenant. They worship Malacath.

FactionsEdit

Wayward Guardians

The Bloodthorn Cult — A group of necromancers that attempted to take over Glenumbra in 2E 582.
The Bull-Heart Warriors — A group of Reachmen who use bull skulls in their savage Horned Triumph ritual.
The Forsworn — A faction of Reachmen formed following the Markarth Incident in 4E 176.
The Markarth Watch — A group of Reachfolk active during the Interregnum in Markarth. They were responsible for peacekeeping in the City of Stone. They were known to employ Bear-Dogs for investigation of crime and tracking thieves.
Tagh Droiloch — A coven of Reachfolk composed exclusively of witch-men specialized in Daedra conjuration. They exerted power over Reach in secret during the Interregnum and were responsible for Durcorach's rise to power.
The Stonehands — Personal guards and counselors of the Ard Caddach.
The Wayward Guardians — A faction initially known as witch-rebels consisting of the members of the remnants of several Reachfolk clans which had been torn apart by the advancement of Gray Host into the Reach. They arm themselves with Dwemer and silver armaments and fight against the forces of the Gray Host.
The Crow-Heart Warriors — Groups of elite warriors among the clans which are ruled by Hagraven leaders. They act as personal guards of the Hagravens. Their helmets typically incorporate imagery of skulls of great predatory birds.
The Witch-Knights — A group of Reachfolk who decided to breed Witch-Knight Charger horses after they were profoundly impressed by the power and splendor of the Breton mounted knights during the invasion of High Rock.

GalleryEdit

A group of Forsworn
The seal of the Hearteater Clan
The seal of the Winterborn Clan
A Briarheart warrior from the Thornroot Clan
The sigil of the Icereach Coven

ReferencesEdit

Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.

UESPWiki β