Breland is one of the Five Nations of central Khorvaire. It lies in the southwest of the continent, enjoying one of the largest areas of the nations and territories. Breland is a mix of open farmland, woodland, and sprawling metropolises, the largest and most famous of which is Sharn. The lightning rail originates out of Sharn and from there travels across Breland and out to the other nations of Khorvaire, while House Orien roadways branch out to more remote locations among the countryside.
Geography
Breland occupies a large swath of land nestled between Zilargo to the east and Droaam to the west while sharing its northern border with the Eldeen Reaches and Aundair, and even touches Darguun and The Mournland in its far eastern area. The Straits of Shargon stab into Breland with the Dagger River, while the Graywall Mountains in the west prevent monstrous invasions from Droaam. Other geographic boundaries are Lake Brey, Silver Lake, Lake Galifar and the Blackcaps to the north, and the Howling Peaks and the King's Forest to the east.
Foreign Relations
The Daughters of Sora Kell have been very busy trying to gain allies and new sources of revenue. They have made contact with most of western Khorvaire, most particularly Aundair, Breland and Zilargo. Because of this, many minotaur bodyguards and ogre laborers can be found in various Brelish and Zil towns. Thrane refuses to deal with Droaam laborers and mercenaries, and most adherents of the Silver Flame are deeply disturbed by these recent developments.
The Sisters petitioned, unsuccessfully, to be part of the Thronehold Accord, and thus their nation remains unrecognized.
While Boranel is the head of state, the Brelish Parliament handles much of the day to day legislation. The Nobles Chamber is made of 27 land-holding families, while the Commons chamber consists of officials elected in two-year cycles. The Ir'Clarn family is the most influential out of the 27 making up the Nobles Chamber.
Brelish tend to be loud, boisterous, and easygoing. They enjoy more personal rights and freedoms than seen anywhere else on the continent, and they carry an attitude that suggests they know this. They tend to be confident, liberal, and tolerant of others. Nothing seems to surprise or faze the Brelish. They love to engage in debate, especially regarding politics, though they enjoy conversations of all types. They have a rather special love of gossip, which is why the Sharn Inquisitive has such a strong readership throughout Breland, but usually fares poorly beyond the Brelish borders, where it is seen as light and inconsequential.
The people of Breland may disagree and debate the merits of their leaders among themselves in town halls and taverns, but don’t let them hear an outsider disparage their nation or their king. They take great pride in their country and its accomplishments, of its openness and tolerant views. Sure, things can be improved, but they will handle that themselves, thank you. Like the bear that serves as the symbol of their country, the Brelish can appear to be slow and sluggish one moment, but that appearance belies their power, ferocity, and ability to move quickly when the situation calls for it.
Religion is all well and good, and the Brelish have their share of priests and faithful. But religion is a private matter to most Brelish, not something to be shared or, worse, pushed upon others. Though tolerant and understanding of all things different, the Brelish have a tendency to show stronger emotions regarding king and country and other tangible things. “Gods and religion are all well and good,” Beggar Dane has written, “but get back to me when you see Dol Arrah walking the streets of Sharn.”
The nation's heroes stand brave and ready in battle, fighting strongly for the things they believe in. This belief doesn’t extend to issues of ultimate good or ultimate evil, but instead center on the down-to-earth matters of the rights and responsibilities of the individual. In many ways, the street sage Beggar Dane puts the ideals of the Brelish people into words: “Help those who need help,” and “Treat the beggar as you would treat the king.”
Art
The diverse nature of Breland's people tends to create a diverse number of artistic styles, and one can find almost anything if one looks long enough and hard enough. The Brelish spirit, however, is best demonstrated in the neo-Brelish renderings that advance the Galifaran form to a new level. Whereas traditional Galifaran paintings use a flat, shadeless, two-dimensional rendering style, the paintings of the neo-Brelish have depth and a more true to life depiction of what the artist sees. Much of this has been influenced by the artisans of House Phiarlan, but the Brelish have taken the style and made it their own.
Brelish art tends to convey a sense of freedom and energy, no matter the subject matter. Artists often create scenes taken from life, though they prefer to create portraits that place the subject within the grandeur of the Brelish countryside, as well as scenes of the fantastic wildlife that roams the land. The Brelish also have a fondness for battle scenes, and while many show the power of Breland on the battlefield, some show the darker, less inspiring side of war. King Boranel, in particular, used images of the dead and dying, remarkably portrayed in the work of Saranven d’Phiarlan, to help gain support for his role in the Treaty of Thronehold.
Architecture
In the cities of Breland, from Starilaskur to Wroat to Sharn itself, Galifarn-style towers scrape the sky and buildings of stone connect one to another. In the countryside, however, the heart of Brelish architecture can be seen in the rustic houses and common buildings made of heavy logs and bricks.
Through the use of magic, Breland raises impossibly tall towers above its cities, reaching heights that are rarely seen in the cities of the other nations. “For all the space they have horizontally,” Kothin of the Mror Holds once commented, “you have to wonder why the Brelish like to build vertically. It’s a mystery.”
Even within many of the towers and stone buildings in the cities, the Brelish tend to use elements of their rustic heritage. Large rooms decorated with natural tree trunks and logs give the stone interiors a sense of life and warmth. In the countryside, especially in the southern climes, buildings are designed to keep the coolness in and the heat out, and windows are plentiful.
In New Cyre, in eastern Breland, the Cyran refugees have begun to fashion a city that harkens back to the wonders of lost Cyre. This makes the small city very different in look and feel from similarly sized settlements in other parts of the country.
Cuisine
Brelish cooking utilizes meats, vegetables, and hearty sauces to create filling and comforting meals. Northern Brelish cuisine tends to be simpler fare, with a sweet and savory flavor. This is the food of farmers, designed to satisfy even the most ravenous appetites before and after a day of work in the fields. Here one can find beef boranel, a favorite of the king, that features a bread and mushroom stuffing roasted inside a full side of beef. Other hearty meals from the northern and central regions of Breland include farmer’s stew, thrice-poached eggs and sizzling pheasant, and kettle fried spider and redeye berries.
Southern Brelish cooking is more adventurous, utilizing the spices and vegetables that grow in the more tropical clime. Food with a lot of heat dominates the menu, as do meals influenced by the diverse population of Sharn and then transported into the rest of the countryside.
Traditional southern Brelish cooking is spicy and flavorful, and often too hot for those used to simpler fare. Fire-wrapped golden fish, spiced pork and orange peppers, and hot-spiced chicken in panya leaves are considered high cuisine in the best inns and restaurants throughout Breland.
Sharn fusion, meanwhile, is a culinary experiment in combining traditional Brelish cooking with the exotic cuisine of the diverse people that regularly pass through or settle in the City of Towers. Taking ingredients and cooking styles from all over Khorvaire, the master chefs of Sharn combine these exotic dishes with their native presentation to make a totally new form of cuisine. Bold and exciting, Sharn fusion isn’t for everyone. But for those willing to try something new and a little different, this exotic culinary experience is worth the effort and expense (Sharn fusion tends to cost more than a traditional Brelish meal).
Fashion
Brelish fashions tend to be simple and comfortable. Because of the heat, the Brelish prefer lighter fabrics and open, airy designs in casual dress. It is quite rare for Brelish clothes to cover the shoulders, and women often wear detached sleeves to keep their shoulders bare. The Brelish hate to be confined by rules, and aside from the demands of the weather, they follow few standards in dress. They do have one rule, however—cloth dyed with sayda. This rich sky-blue dye is made from shellfish found only in waters of the Dagger River near the Hilt. Sayda has become synonymous with Brelish national pride, making it more commonly known as “Brelish blue.” Natives of Breland traveling abroad make a point of always including at least a splash of Brelish blue in their clothes (unless traveling incognito). When the Brelish dress up, they are as likely to wear more elaborate versions of their normal garb as to adopt styles from across Khorvaire; there have even been times when hobgoblin clothing has been in vogue in cosmopolitan Sharn.
Jewelry is common, even among the lower classes, with copper wire being used for many everyday adornments. Anklets and particularly armbands are the most common, although any sort of jewelry can be found among the wealthy.
