Nanehi

Among the most helpful faeries of the Cherokee and other Southeastern tribes were the "people who live anywhere," otherwise known as the nanehi. This is the Family of native faeries which has given a form of its name to the Nunnehi Nations.

Above all, nanehi are traditionalists who value the customs and songs of their mortal ancestors as well as the ones taught them by the spirits of the Higher Hunting Grounds. They enjoy collecting and performing songs, stories and dances, and preserve the old ways of their mortal kin, even in the face of strong pressure to modernize.

Nanehi once made their homes in the mountainous regions of the Appalachian range, sometimes living within the mountains themselves, protecting their dwellings with adeptly concealed cave entrances. Others were said to live beneath lakes and rivers in underground caverns and cave systems.

The nanehi feel a special closeness to their mortal kin and, by extension, to all Native Americans. They often go out of their way to help humans in distress, assisting individuals to safety who are lost in the woods or tending to the sick and the wounded, particularly if they are stricken in isolated areas. Unlike many other Nunnehi, nanehi will sometimes bring mortals (either friends or lovers) into their enchanted dwelling places, although they will threaten to curse those individuals if they betray their knowledge of the nanehi's existence to other humans.

The nanehi were instrumental in helping some of their mortal kin escape forced removal in the 1830s by hiding them in their freeholds until it was safe for them to leave. Some Cherokee living in North Carolina remember the aid given their ancestors by the nanehi, and go out of their way to locate and thank their benefactors (or their descendants).

Modern nanehi often dwell in townships populated by both mortal and nanehi residents, although some live exclusively among their own Family. The greatest concentration of nanehi can be found in Oklahoma and western North Carolina, where the Western and Eastern Bands of the Cherokee maintain their reservations. Their interest in preserving the old ways of all native peoples gives them a love for traveling. They make the rounds of Native American cultural events and visit the dwelling places of other Families of the Nunnehi Nations.

Long ago, it was believed that the nanehi were able to travel in the Lower World and served as guides for the spirits of the dead, enabling them to pass beyond the Middle World and preventing them from remaining behind as hungry ghosts. This ability, however, has been lost to them along with their connection to the Higher Hunting Grounds. Still, they are more likely to learn the Art of Spirit Link than some other Families, such as the rock giants.

Nanehi are concerned with their physical appearance, often to the point of seeming overly vain to other native faeries. In this, they are not unlike the sidhe.

Appearance:

The nanehi are idealized versions of the tribes of their mortal kin, with lustrous dark hair and striking faces. They usually dress in traditional clothing and seem somewhat anachronistic in the modern world.

Seemings:

• Youngling nanehi are dark-eyed waifs with ready smiles and endearing personalities. They have an impish streak that their innocent demeanors cannot entirely conceal.

• Braves of the nanehi are often indistinguishable in appearance from their mortal kin, although they often wear pieces of traditional clothing or jewelry in combination with modern dress. They are inveterate travelers, frequenting the powwow circuits and craft fairs where they display their skills in song, dance or crafts.

• Elders of the nanehi are more sedentary, though they too will travel when necessary. They frequently maintain relations with elders from their mortal tribes, and are often found urging their mortal kin to resist assimilation and loss of their cultural identity. They tend to make themselves look even older than their years when doing so will impress others with their age and wisdom.

Lifestyles:

Nanehi usually maintain permanent dwellings near their mortal kin, but also travel from place to place, participating in cultural events and trading stories and customs with other members of the Nunnehi Nations. A very few live in cities, but spend a lot of time in wild places such as wilderness areas or national parks. Affinity: Fae Birthrights:

• Shape the Body — Nanehi have the ability to alter their size and appearance, changing their stature from very small (two feet or less) to normal human size, enhancing or lowering their Appearance by 1, or making themselves look younger or older than their actual age.  • Voice of Beauty — Nanehi are gifted performers and excel at singing, dancing, storytelling or music-making. All nanehi add one die to all rolls involving performances. In addition, one automatic success is gained if the performance features traditional songs, dances or stories.

Frailties:

• Face in the Water — The inherent vanity of nanehi makes them susceptible to flattery, giving them a + 1 difficulty to resistance rolls versus Manipulation-based skills. In addition, nanehi suffer -1 dice to all their rolls when their appearance is adversely affected (i.e., if they are covered with mud or suffer some facial disfigurement) or insulted.

Quote: "I have a new song that 1 learned at the Kituwah Festival in North Carolina. Let me sing it for you, and then you can tell me one of your stories. 1 have plenty of time."

Outlook

• Canotili — They may be better hunters than we, but we can sing better songs of the hunt.

• Inuas — We enjoy meeting these cousins at festivals, for their songs and stories are very different from ours.

• Kachinas — They too are keepers of the traditions. They should not envy our greater skill at performance, but rejoice that we are helping keep all native customs alive.

• May-may-gway-shi — Offer them fish, and they will sing and dance for you for hours. Thankfully, they have not forgotten the old ways.

• Numuzo'ho — They have powerful Medicine, but we do not want to approach them when they are angry or upset.

• Pu'gwis — How can they stand to be so hideous? They must have offended all the spirits to be cursed with such a foul form! • Rock Giants — Beware of their hunger and their tempers. Learning their songs and stories sometimes carries too big a price.

• Surems — Their stories are told in whispers, and you must have good ears to hear their wisdom.

• Tunghat — They are proud of their animal mastery, but it would be far better if they could control themselves.

• Water Babies — There must be some kernel of truth behind their reputation for stealing children. They are not to be trusted.  • Yunwi Amai'yine'hi — They share our forests and rivers, but unlike us, they are not so able to adapt to the changes around them. We must help them if we can.  • Yunwi Tsundsi — Like us, they enjoy mortal company and they cherish the children. For that, they deserve a song of praise.