As you may know, behind Aeternum is a small company based in Brittany (in the south of Finistère to be precise). And it is well known that this territory lives to the rhythm of legends, myths, and magical practices more or less known (Brocéliande, Merlin, the Fairy Viviane, the Alignments, and many others). Thus, to highlight our beautiful region, we will regularly publish little-known legends from Breton history.
According to an ancient Breton legend, the souls of the deceased who remain on Earth to atone for their sins are called the Anaon. This group of souls does not just haunt places: they form a true society of the dead that resides in cemeteries. There, they continue to live while preserving their characters, affinities, and even their aversions, whether towards other dead or the living. These souls can choose to help or harass those they loved or hated in life, depending on the feelings they had for them. At midnight, the members of the Anaon open their eyes and are free to return to their villages or places dear to their hearts to see their former homes and watch their families. However, they neither seek to frighten the living nor ask them for anything, as the idea of "redeeming a sin" is completely absent from the Breton vision of the afterlife.
If you must cross a bank covered with gorse (very common especially on the coast), make some noise gently to signal your presence to the Anaon and thus avoid disturbing the troubled spirits that might be there: they hate being surprised!
Know that these souls are perpetually chilled with cold. It is therefore customary to offer cooked and warm food or to leave a candle lit in the window to show your kindness.
The souls of the Anaon gather three times a year: on Christmas Eve (or Yule), on Midsummer's Eve (which corresponds to the summer solstice), and on All Saints' Eve (which coincides with Samhain, the ancient Celtic festival of the dead). These moments are especially favorable for their return to the world of the living.
If, during rainy weather, you notice a stretch of road or path that remains dry for no apparent reason, it means the Anaon is present. You now know how to behave.
See you next week for another legend!
[bloctwist]
