Tengu, Aarakocra of Raviq & Fuhon

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Language Analog:  Korean
Inspiration:  Oriental Adventures, Egyptian mythology
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Tainted Counterpart: Nagpa
Temperamental Association:  Altruist

Masculine Names:  Chul, Hankil, Hankyul, Himchan, Ho, Hun, Hyuk, Kun, Kwang, Mityum, Nakil, Namu, Narauram, Pitkaram, Putyul, Sem, Tal, Ung, Yutyum

Feminine Names:  Ara, Ari, Arong, Aryum, Chorong, Choyun, Guryum, Gusyul, Hana, Isyul, Kayul, Koyun, Mari, Mayum, Mirae, Napit, Naerae, Noyul, Napi, Napom, Nari, Pata, Pitna, Poda, Pom, Pora, Poram, Pyul, Raon, Ryum, Rin, Sepyuk, Serom, Seron, Setbyul, Sarang, Santara, Sora, Sori, Talrae, Tampi, Tare, Tasom, Yuryum

Unisex Names:  Che, Charam, Chi, Hanyul, Haru, Hata, Hayan, Hyun, Karam, Nara, Narapit, Nuri, Param, Sang, Sol, Sung, Syulgi, Turi, Uri, Yun

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In the ancient era, Tengu were counted among the races of Raviq, where they were among the nations subject to the Pharaoh of Nefret.  For a time, there was even a Tengu dynasty of Pharaohs that ruled that empire from their homeland of Dongmeg--the mountains that separate Raviq from the valley of Fuhon.  Since the HMDJVNW arrived, turning Prosperity into Desolation, the empire of the Pharaoh has collapsed, and now counts only the Neshu and Anepu as its people.

Soon after the HMDJVNW arrival, the spirit folk followed, settling in Fuhon; here, they established their own "heavenly sovereignty" similar to that of the Raviqi Pharaoh.  It was the eagle-like Karura who first pledged their loyalty to the spirit folk Mikado.  The other clans (as they would come to identify themselves) followed one by one.  Today, all tengu are sworn to serve the spirit folk.

A highly spiritual people, tengu are the masters of shugendo, and serve as a priestly class in Fuhonese society.  The majority of tengu do not serve as shugenja, instead providing support the temples and monasteries of the mountains.  Many non-priest are alchemists, serving he people of Fuhon as healers.  Warriors are not uncommon, either:  paladins trained in the shugendo tradition are often called Sohei; while several monasteries trains monks in addition to priests.

Sohei most commonly take the Oath of Devotion, though the Oath of the Ancients is not uncommon, either.  Any paladin who trains with the tengu may serve as a sohei.

The tengu have not forgotten their Raviqi past.  They retain close ties with both the Minotaurs and the Neshu; relationships with the Anepu have always been strained, as the tengu abhor the dogfolk's funerary religion.  Many mages among the tengu even still practice the Ren-Heka arcane tradition.  Emissaries from the Mikado to the Pharaoh are traditionally tengu diplomats of the Heru, Jehu, or Nekhu clans.

Tengu Clans

In an earlier post, I explored the various birdfolk races of Unearthed Arcana and Plane Shift as subraces of a unified race.  In that post, I identified the known sub-races of the tengu.  Following the spirit folk and hengeyokai tradition, these sub-races are known as clans. These clans are often associated with a group of related character classes; characters of these clans are not required to follow these classes, these races are merely the keepers of those classes' traditions among the birdfolk.

In the like above to subraces, two methods are presented for determining the base traits of the race.  For the Monvesia campaign setting, the Aarakocra racial traits should be used as a base, disregarding the traits identified as belonging to the eagle-folk race.

Unlike the hengeyokai clans, all tengu clans share the same temperamental association (altruist).

• Karura, eagle-like tengu who often follow warrior paths
• Heru, falcon- and hawk-like tengu who often follow expert paths
• Jehu, ibis-like tengu who often follow magical paths
• Nekhu, condor-like tengu who often follow priestly paths (including that of the monk)

Edited Dec 7, 2019.