[Apocrypha] The Various Reachian Name Types

This text is regarding our topic of the week, small customs. This pamphlet will give light to the naming customs of the Druadach Reachians of High Rock and Skyrim, to inform the public and help bring unity to our wondrous empire.

The Druadach Reachians practice a naming custom in which, when a child is born, they are given one name by their father, and one name by their mother. These are known as 'ännfarog' and 'ännúmog' respectively. These names are in recent times frequently in-jokes or puns. These names are largely forgotten when an ännacaros is chosen. It is considered rude by some, generally older folk, however for an unknown person to refer to a child by either of these names and so an 'ännaperga', 'fake name' or 'foreign name' might be used, in reality these are simply vague descriptions of the child or a randomly chosen foreign or gibberish name.

When a child reaches a maturity that the parents are comfortable with, usually around the age of 10 years, they will be given a 'dalg' or knife, and sent through the community to find another child willing to trade. Upon trading knives the two children will gift each other a new name, generally an animal, this new name is considered sacred and forbidden to speak in the company of 'outsiders', when in public a bonded pair may call the other 'rondach' if male, and 'ronda' if female.^(This has lead to the erroneous belief that all Reachmen are named 'Rondach'. A belief that the Reach folk love to joke about.) The formal name for this is 'ännaron' or 'bond name'.

If the population of a community is largely between the ages of 18 to 26, or every 4 years, a festival called 'Careón'(The name of this fesitval cannot be properly translated into Tamrielic. It in a very vague sense could equate to 'in relation to or of blood or carrion', and may in fact qualify as a marriage ceremony or orgy.) can be held. During these festivities the participants will adorn themselves in masks, outlandish and exceedingly scandalous garb, and red paint or blood. Each costume is unique and uniquely named by the one wearing it. The objective is to acquire the name of another participant's outfit by means of coercion, threat, or pleasure. If successful the participants will be allowed to keep their outfit's name as their own. This is called 'ännacaros', literally 'blood name' occasionally translated as 'self name'.(many such names are meant to sound scary)

Note: It is considered insulting to refer to a Reachian who has given you their ännacaros by an ännaperga. It is ground for expulsion to reveal one's ännaron without the permission of their bond-mate.

Examples

  • Ännúmog: Apännbre (f) 'yellow cow'

  • Ännfarog: Ruadán (n) 'muddy thing'

  • Ännaperga: Onamoragot (n) 'one (gibberish) at the lake' or Skjorson (n) (Nordic)

  • Ännaron: Conin (n) 'Rabbit'

  • Ännacaros: Amiaóranach (m) 'singing frogs'^(Amphibians are considered frightening to Druadachs)

  • Full name order example: Amiaóranach Apännbre Ruadán om Conin de (clan or dwelling)^(note: It unlikely for an actual Reachian name to have such a strange combination of genders, or for one to list their parental names after acquiring a self name)