Sequoia (also pronounced “Sepodia”) is a Cherokee silversmith, scribe and guardian of the silver mines, the first Native person to create an alphabet for his own language. Exiled by his people as a heretical hermit, he crosses between the Native and European worlds as a translator.
| Type | Character |
| People | Cherokee (exiled) |
| Occupations | Silversmith, scribe, translator, guardian of the mines |
| Spanish entry | Sequoia |
Description
The blow of his forge hammer from the silver cavern signals that the guardian still works. There is only one Sequoia. No parents or children are named; the Cherokee expelled him, and he is held a sorcerer among them for fixing the word in writing. Solá knows him, and someone is looking for him.
The script
He built his alphabet from several scripts, including Latin and Cyrillic letters. Sequoia’s writing, or “Indian calligraphy”, is studied as a branch of linguistics, has apprentices, and lets one read spellbooks. For him writing and speaking are one act: “saying the words on the bark”. When he works he speaks unheard words, takes out a manuscript, and a book is projected out of nothing, “like an immaterial space”.
The silver
He guards the cavern of the silver mines, bound to it by “ancient pacts”. His legacy includes the Sequoia redoubt, an old settlement that once had his forge and keeps a silver gong, and silver remains left to the community.
Between worlds
He “crossed both worlds, speaking of messages”. He is a sage who defends his land and manifests nature magic, called the one “who can really guide us”. In battle he looks back and calculates, worried that “these lads” had no time to prepare. During the gesta (campaign-cycle) the main company left him and his group behind as a separate party.
Carved relief figures, “cultural figures of Sequoia”, “look at” people and heal; whether they are him or a statue is unknown.
When found he is “very ill”, and disturbing him is risky: “his nomad spirit may leave” again. He always keeps his right hand hidden.
Open questions
- Whether the ancient figure of the peoples and the present guardian are one person or two is not stated.
- Whether the redoubt is his, older than him, or a namesake is not recorded.
- Who seeks him, what illness he has, and what lies under his hidden hand are unknown.
- Where the mines lie, and where and how his script is taught, are not recorded.
- How the figures heal, how many there are and where, is unknown.
- A myth of memory and writing, the weeping eye, is only weakly associated with him.
Gallery
See also
- Metacom — a relation attributed by some voices, not established.