Annwfyn

The Anfywnn

The Anfywnn population was originally found across most of the Sector, but since Imperial colonisation have been forced Rimward and Spinward. The Anfywnn predate Imperial colonisation by several millennia; they have been present since at least M.25, according to the earliest records. The population's language, naming conventions and some cultural practices are similar to old Terran Celtic. The language group of the Anfywnn, called Gair, is outlawed by the Imperium; Low and High Gothic are the official Imperial language on all colonised Anfywnn planets. Speaking any variant of Gair publicly, or teaching it to children, can attract heavy legal penalties. On some worlds, particularly those like Lerwick which suffer from perennial counter-Colonial insurgencies, a few words or a line of graffiti is enough for a death sentence. Despite this risk, local populations on many planets have been reluctant to abandon their cultures and the language which goes with them, and view keeping Gair alive as a form of resistance against Imperial oppression.

Anfywnn names draw from Celtic populations including Irish, Scots, Welsh, Cornish, Manx and Breton. Common surnames might refer to a clan or tribal federation (for example Mac Aibhne or O Ceallaigh), or may include matronym’s or patronyms indicating the individual’s parentage (such as ‘ap Daffydd’); these are often Gothicised by local Imperial administrations, rendering variants like McEviny and O'Kelly common. Key Anfywnn traditions include generational storytelling, with the oldest present reciting myths and fairytales; singing, particularly around hearths and campfires; unarmed contests of strength and skill such as wrestling, competitive fording of streams and rivers; and a hundred variants of follis played with short sticks on turf pitches.

Planets with a strong legacy of Anfywnn culture include Kirkcud, Lerwick, Everholt, and Shadowglow amongst others.

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The Anfywnn population is physically diverse, but stereotypes - often reflected in art and depictions of culture heroes - include light or bright-coloured hair, musical talent (especially singing), and a temperament towards not allowing a challenge to go unanswered.