The immortals
Among the Cherokee there are more than a few tales of the Nunne’hi, the Immortals, or “The People Who Live Anywhere.”
It is said that they have many townhouses in the old Cherokee country, especially in the higher mountains above the treeline. Sometimes they will make themselves visible to ordinary mortals, most often when they are rendering aid to someone who is in danger. Indeed, the most common story of a human meeting a Nunne’hi is when the human is in danger of serious injury or death.
No one seems to know why the Nunne’hi take an interest in the lives of ordinary humans but take an interest they certainly do. Over the centuries the stories told by people who have met them are remarkably consistent. Generally speaking, it involves someone traveling in the Cherokee mountains and either becoming lost or sustaining a lifethreatening injury. At this point according to the stories, a person will show up who appears to be an ordinary person.
This person will either render aid for the injury or will guide the lost person back to the settlement of the Nunne’hi where they will be fed and cared for with all the hospitality of the Cherokee tradition. Once the individual is fed and rested, and their injuries are treated, one of the Nunne’hi will guide them back to their own place. There are other stories as well. Stories of the Nunne’hi taking an interest of the struggles of entire communities. One such story is the story of the Immortal Warriors of Nikwasi.
These days, they call the area Franklin, North Carolina but in the old days it was Nikwasi, one of the most influential of the Cherokee “Mother Towns.” They say that this town was very old, in fact some say it was one of the first towns the Cherokee built after the time of the creation. Others say the town is more recent than that, but all agree that Nikwasi is one of the most ancient of Cherokee towns. There was a big mound there, where they say the council house once stood. The mound is still there today, what is left of it anyway, after years of plowing and erosion, but it is still there and protected from development thanks to local activists. The mound site is considered to be a sacred place by many to this day.
Several centuries ago, they say a fearsome enemy invaded the Cherokee country from the north. The identity of this enemy is lost in the mists of time, but they were fearsome enough, it is said that they laid waste the whole country; that none could stand, and none could resist. The warriors of Nikwasi however, had a well-earned reputation for courage and with the survival of their town at stake, they were not going down without a fight. It is said that they gathered all the people into the council house and sent out runners to send warning when the enemy was within range.
When the runners brought word, the warriors of Nikwasi went forth to meet them. Soon they learned what so many before them had learned. This enemy was like none they faced before. It did not take long before the men of Nikwasi were beaten back towards the town with many casualties. As they retreated towards the town, they began to meet fresh warriors, well-armed and strong were these new allies. The War Chief of Nikwasi did not know these men, but from their dress and language he assumed them to be from the Overhill settlements further west.
Their leader told the War Chief to pull his men back as he did not want his men accidentally killing any of the men of Nikwasi. The War Chief marveled at the nerve of this man, but he did as he was told. As he and his men reluctantly withdrew towards the mound, they saw these new warriors become invisible. They could see the arrows fly and the hatchets swing, but they could not see the warriors using the weapons. At this point they understood that these warriors were not mortal men.
Returning to the mound, they saw the warriors of the Nunne’hi coming out of the mound by the hundreds. Each of them becoming invisible as they left the town. Fearsome as the enemy was, they were no match for a force of immortals who could make themselves invisible.
It is said that the enemy tried to hide themselves behind rocks and fallen trees, but they could not escape the magic arrows of the Nunne’hi, which would go around the rock or fallen tree and kill the enemy from the other side. They say they pursued the enemy all the way to the headwaters of the Tuckasegee River where they, being reduced to less than a dozen, turned and begged for mercy. The Nunne’hi Chief told them they deserved their punishment for attacking a peaceful town, he told them to return to their people and warn them never to attack the Cherokee again.
They say the people of Nikwasi lived in peace after that. They say it was many centuries before anyone disturbed the peace there again