The Elder Scrolls Online - Breton Banquet
After two long years of cancelled events, extended lockdowns and an absence of fun, life is beginning to return to the world of games journalism. On Tuesday night, thanks to the team at Power Up PR, Zenimax Studios & Bethesda, I had the honour of being invited to the first event in the return to normalcy. To celebrate the launch of High Isle, the latest expansion in the popular Elder Scrolls Online franchise, I sat down with my fellow content creators and had the pleasure of partaking in an extravagant Breton banquet.
I don’t know about you, but I can’t say I often get to attend a banquet. Being Greek I have often been in attendance of a feast (or as my Grandmother would call it; lunch) but something as refined as a banquet is a new experience to me – and lemme tell you, now that I’ve been to one, I’ll be jumping at any other future banquet opportunities that happen to arise – because they’re freaking awesome.
Unlike my rather ineloquent endorsement of banquets, the celebration of High Isle was refined and sophisticated – much like the Bretons of which we were celebrating. Whisked away across the water in a boat (much like our Breton friends on their trips back to High Isle) we made our way to the beautiful Bellevue Cottage, where we were well met with an evening of fantastic food, delicious wine and fantastic company.
Treated to some of the renowned dishes of the Breton race, I was thrilled to find the menu consisted of dishes my Breton character indulges in regularly, such as Breton Pork Sausage and Combwort Flatbread. And though all the food was beyond delicious, the real star of the show had to be the Ascendant Lord’s Chocolate Fondant. I imagine the Ascendant Lord himself would have expected nothing but perfection – and that’s exactly what this dessert delivered. Truly one of the best desserts I’ve ever eaten.
The Bretons are known for their unique grasp on magic, a gift which the other human races of Tamriel cannot boast of. The humans of Sydney can’t either, but the Bretons were kind enough to share with us some of their magic in the form of a tasty colour-changing potion. When mixed in a vessel with tonic water and flowers, the potion changed from a deep purple to a stunning blue. And whilst it didn’t provide us with experience points or restore our health, it did deliver a healthy dose of inebriation. They may not be able to drink as much as the Nords, but the Bretons certainly know their way around some tasty potions.
Sitting down at the wonderfully decorated banquet table in Bellevue Cottage, surrounded by journalists and other content creators, truly made me remember what a vibrant and exciting industry we get to be a part of. It has been so long since we’ve all been able to gather, eat and drink all together. Some highlights from the evening included some of us trying to recite the acting history of Josh Harnett (before realising one of us was in fact thinking of Joshua Jackson the whole time), putting Breton wildflowers into every beverage we were served, and hoarding lettuce to re-sell to the Thieves Guild. If it sounds ridiculous it’s because it is, and that’s what makes events like these so memorable.
Once the festivities came to a close and the last drop of wine was teased from its bottle, the valiant journalists made their way back to their humble abodes. For now, we must prepare ourselves for a grand new adventure – questing across the beautiful lands of the High Isle. What new experiences await us in these lands? What new characters shall we meet? How many times will we collectively lose our shit in Tales of Tribute? There’s only one way to find out.
Onwards adventurers; to Tamriel!
