Changeling - Players Guide.pdf

Cherokee legends speak of beings known as the yunwi
amai'yine'hi ("people of the water") who dwell in rivers and lakes.
The native tribes living near the great river systems of the
Southeast sometimes prayed to these spirits for help in fishing.
Stories of fishermen being rescued from danger by friendly water
creatures come from encounters with these native faeries.
Like pooka and selkies, the yunwi amai'yine'hi enjoy an
affinity with the animal world and can change shape to assume
the form of aquatic or amphibious creatures such as fish, otters,
frogs or waterfowl. Their faerie selves reflect their particular
affinity to some degree.
The yunwi amai'yine'hi tend to stay near rivers or lakes,
dwelling in hidden encampments along riverbanks or by the side
of a mountain lake. They are fond of fishing, boating and other
activities which keep them near their beloved element.
These faeries have suffered greatly from the ravages of the
tourist industry, which has resulted in the large-scale
damming of natural rivers tocreate "recreational lakes"
devoid of Medicine and surrounded by manmade
attractions. Many of their ancient
freeholds have been buried under tons of
water by the dams of the TVA as part of
that organization's hydroelectric operations.
Thus, although they still
have good relations with members
of their mortal tribes, the
yunwi amai'yine'hi bear no love
for non-natives, seeing them as
bringers of sadness and destroyers
of the natural world. Occasionally
one of the water people will form a
lasting relationship with a nonnative
(mortal or changeling) who is
willing to forswear the shameful actions
of her people and learn the ways
of the natural world (particularly
the ways of rivers and lakes).
Despite their sorrow at
seeing their beloved rivers
tamed and controlled by
the white invaders, the
yunwi amai'yine'hi retain a
(Water People)
strong "trickster" streak that allows them to channel their
anger at their disappearing world into pranks against the
unwary humans who violate their lands. Younglings and
braves are adept at harrying wilderness tourists and recreational
whitewater enthusiasts, tipping over their canoes or
changing into animal form and leaping over their boats.
Although many other Nunnehi see their actions as examples
of irresponsible behavior, the yunwi amai'yine'hi know
the bitter truth that lies behind their ability to make
outsiders look like tools. Occasionally, these pranks can
prove dangerous to their victims. Depending on her
mood (or Camp), the yunwi amai'yine'hi prankster will
either take pity on her victim and come to his rescue, or
else will let nature take its course, allowing the victim to
"sink or swim" on his own.
The yunwi amai'yine'hi try to keep alive the traditions of
their mortal tribes as well as those of other related tribes; thus
they combine cultural elements of Cherokee, Chickasaw,
Creek and other, smaller tribes that once lived near the rivers
of the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys. Although many of their
mortal cousins now live in Oklahoma, a land not noted for its
wealth of rivers, the yunwi amai'yine'hi have tried to remain
in their ancestral lands. This separation from their mortal
tribes has cost them dearly, and they are in danger of disappearing.
Because of this, the Family's elders have begun seeking
guidance from the spirit world as to whether or not they
should consider finding mortal hosts for succeeding generations
among worthy non-natives. Some have already sought
to prepare the way for "adoption" into other mortal tribes.
Appearance:
The yunwi amai'yine'hi are slender and agile, with
large eyes that reflect the many colors of the water they love so
dearly. Their bodies are covered with a fine coating of fur or
nearly invisible scales (depending on their animal attunement),
and their hair is dark and flowing. In their true form, these faeries,
like pooka, evince some physical traits of their chosen animal —
webbed hands and feet for fish or amphibians, whiskers for otters
and feathers for water birds. Their mortal guise is almost indistinguishable
from normal members of their affiliated tribes, those of
Southeastern America. Although they prefer traditional native