Tengu

Tengus are a race of feathered humanoids with the heads of crows, and feet that end in sharp raptor-like talons, native to Tian Xia.

Appearance

  Tengus are feathered, most bearing black coats similar to crows and ravens, though brown and blue-black variants exist. Despite their bird-like appearance—and unlike the yamabushi tengus who resemble them—tengus lack wings or other natural means of flight.

Ecology

Tengus, like birds, reproduce by laying and inseminating eggs. However, apart from their reproduction, beaks, feathers, and taloned feet, they have humanoid traits like fingered hands with opposable thumbs, and plantigrade legs. According to the jorogumo, tengus are believed to possess some kind of supernatural immunity to both the spider creature's venom and their mind-twisting magic. The truth of these rumours has never been ascertained, but what is certain is that the jorogumos possess an irrepressible hatred of tengus that drives the normally subtle hunters into a near uncontrollable murderous rage.

Culture

Tengu culture happily assimilates aspects of foreign cultures in the same way a crow would build a nest of different materials. Tengus revere their elders, finding long-lived tengus just as qualified to lead tengu society as highly experienced tengus. They primarily live in the slums of human settlements in the Shackles and the Sodden Lands, where they take up residence in abandoned buildings or condemned warehouses. In the tengu nation of Kwanlai on the continent of Tian Xia, most cities resemble poorly planned networks of slums. Most see them as little better than thieves and cutthroats, but tengus don't seem to mind, reveling in the attention it brings.