[Enginseer-42]

The Fens of Annwyn

Annwyn is a realm of trackless swampland and fens, in the north-western region of the Blackwuld. Bordered on the north by Atrellya, and to the west by Aen, and separated from both by a mountain range. Annwyn is a realm inhabited by ferocious beasts and even more vicious people. While the swamps are quite rich in alchemically useful flora, the beasts dwelling in the swamp, many of demonic origin from Atrellya, make it a difficult land to profit from on any scale. Nonetheless several loose tribes make their home there. Braving monsters and a hostile environment to do so.

The Culture of Annwyn is one of vicious self-reliance and the pursuit of personal power as the highest calling. Many scholars in Aen have even called into question whether the practices of the Annwynites is even a culture, so fierce is their attachment to independence. Aside from family units, which typically crumble the moment the children are capable of fending for themselves or prove incapable of magic (A state of affairs that amounts to a death sentence for the unfortunate child, as they find themselves abandoned in the swamps when their parents part ways.), the people of Annwyn only rarely gather into something resembling a society. Adopting the habits of solitary predators, the Annwynites devote themselves to their path to power. Tracking greater and more dangerous beasts to fight until they finally meet one that kills them.

Occasionally, an Annwynite will leave the swamps in search of greater challenges, in this case they will typically seek out magi of renown, demons, dragons, or other beings they believe to be worthy foes. While sometimes this leads them to the battlefield, most Annwynites eschew warfare when possible. Preferring single combat to the chaos of open war.

While the people of Annwyn do have something approaching a religion, it is one unseen outside their borders, and only rarely spoken of directly in front of outsiders. Even its name is unknown to most, as the swamp folk rarely speak of specifics of faith outside of euphemism and suggestion. Nevertheless, they clearly know of the Pantheon of Meranthe, as well as the Primals, and hold the vast majority of them in contempt. None more so than Mortyl and Hel. The folk of Annwyn are known for hunting Nephilim descended from Mortyl regardless of personal valor or misdeeds, and it seems to be a core component of their faith, such as it is, that mankind is not only capable of slaying the Constant herself, but that the end of death at mankinds hands is an inevitability. With every child of Annwyn fighting with the dream of being the one to strike that prophesied killing blow.

Infamously, the folk of Annwyn seem to have few, if any, compunctions about killing or dying. To the people of Annwyn, survival is the privilege, and gift, of the strong. Reincarnation being a central facet of their faith, death is viewed as a temporary inconvenience on the path to power at worst, or a chance to walk the path from a different angle at best.

Annwynites have dwelt within the fens since the first age. Living and dying in relative solitude as they hone themselves body, mind, and soul without giving much regard to outside nations. Combined with the fiercely independent nature of most of Annwyn’s population, they by and large disregard the peoples outside of their swamps. This makes formal diplomacy nigh pointless, as you would have to charter treaties with each individual staking out a claim in the area.

The people of Aen have had infrequent contact with the people of Annwyn, And the Annwynites are widely regarded as ignorant and malicious savages by the empire due in no small part to their near universal rejection of Pylae.

Beyond the frontiers of Aen however, Annwyn is at best a travelers tale of a strange and deadly marshland filled with even stranger folk.