The Aymish, once fully nomadic, are now a common sight in all settlements throughout the wastes and the empire. They are unusual among wastelander cultures as they do not worship the Founders. The Aymish believe that everything has a spirit, and all things work together as part of a great cosmic machine called the Grand design. They believe that when someone dies, their spirit is repurposed in whatever way the machine needs.
This belief leads the Aymish to be more accepting of others, and while they are not pacifists, they tend to avoid doing harm whenever they can. Combined with their skill as merchants and traders, these traits mean the Aymish are welcome in most settlements.
Nomadic Aymish follow their tradition of living in communal groups led by an elder. This role is typically the oldest man or woman in the group though not always. City dwelling Aymish may follow this tradition or may follow the norms of the city they live in.
Aymish have few gender based traditions. The main restriction being that women with children (those younger than 14 in Aymish society) are forbidden from holding weapons.
Aymish men and women dress in similar fashion consisting of loose-fitting flowing robes with a wide colorful sash around the waist. Any weapons they carry are simply tucked into the sash. Headwear is a shemagh with an attached veil for protection from the sand. In colder weather, both genders wear a shawl for warmth.
Aymish women who are pregnant or with children wear an outfit known as the white. It is a thin tight fitting white robe with a white ribbon instead of a sash. The idea being that it leaves nowhere to hide a weapon. Because these robes offer little protection from the cold, people wearing the white often wear blankets wrapped around them. They are forbidden to wear any garment that can be fastened around them, like a coat or poncho.
As long as a woman wearing the white touches no weapon and wears no other garments, she may not be harmed or accosted in any way. Doing so is punishable by death, and all Aymish are expected to enforce this law with their lives.
Aymish have a traditional style of combat consisting of a saber welded in the right hand and a pistol in the left. This differs from the Catani style, where all weapons are wielded in the right hand. Traditionally the Aymish used Flintlock pistols, but many now carry Imperial or Catani revolvers. The Aymish, however, rarely carry rifles and instead prefer their traditional long arm, a muzzle loading long-gun known as a jezail. These weapons are handcrafted by Aymish gunsmiths and are renowned for their accuracy. When forced into conflict, Aymish prefer to attack at range from hidden positions and relocate before the enemy can retaliate.