Tengu

For more information on all races, see: Races

Tengu are a race of flightless avian humanoids. They tend to be selfish and secretive in nature and are often engaged in plots to acquire wealth and power. They operate in small gangs and often live in large human cities, where they work as spies, assassins, or thieves.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Although they evolved from avians, tengu have no wings or capacity for flight. Instead, they have arms in place of wings and bird-like talons for hands and feet. They retain bird-like features, however, with black and beady eyes and a long dark-hued beak. Head and torso are covered with soft feathers, a dark russet-brown color, while their scrawny limbs are bare and scaled like a bird's. They most resemble ravens. Tengu tended to be slightly smaller than the average human. Because they have partially hollow bones, they are lighter than most creatures their height. They are therefore not as strong, but are more agile and dexterous. They also have the uncanny ability to replicate noises and voices with their beaks to convincing effect.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Tengu are by habit secretive, self-seeking, and cunning creatures. They tend to adopt neutral or unaligned views and behaviors; the majority are evil, but true neutral and good tengu can be found among them. They are opportunistic and unscrupulous, not stopping at illegal or immoral acts. Although they are selfish, tengu actually operate surprisingly well together and with allies. A tengu is most effective when aided or aiding an ally.
Ranging throughout almost all of Iolcus, tengus have long suffered the scorn and abuse of the ruling races, treated as a lesser race and relegated to the underclass. Centuries of poverty and strife have made many tengus covetous of the wealth of other races, and tengus’ reputation for thievery, deceit, and secrecy often precedes them wherever they go. While some tengus seek to dismantle such unfair stereotypes, others fit the bill by choice, thinking they may as well commit the crimes they are already so often accused of. Tengus possess a rich culture that combines aspects from the numerous societies their people have been a part of, though they are loath to share the more unique parts of their own culture with outsiders, as they are largely distrustful and scornful of others.
Tengu live in close-knit gangs, family groups, or clans, commonly called "flocks". These flocks are distrusting of outsiders, even of other tengu. They establish aeries or nests, usually hidden and often near large cities or at least in civilized lands. After hatching from their eggs, tengu remain in their home-nests with their families. Once they reach adulthood at age nine, they leave their nests forever. Unwilling to travel alone, most soon band together with other young adult tengu of similar habits for mutual protection and profit, forming new flocks. A few make their way on their own or form partnerships with other creatures who need their services.
These tengu gangs make their homes in the cities, where they loiter in dark alleys or roam the streets together. Thanks to their skills and habits and lack of scruples, they flourish in the criminal underbelly, hatching schemes to get rich and strong. They operate all kinds of illicit enterprises, but prefer confidence tricks and scheming. Violence is rarely their first choice. They hoard their stolen, shiny gold. Tengu, in gangs or alone, are usually hired as thieves or thugs, even as assassins and spies. Typical tengu ruffians are unsophisticated warriors who depend on numbers to overwhelm a foe. A true tengu warrior cultivates a martial art in which they flitt here and there, apparently at random, but strike quickly as they do. They also make brutal attacks against those they have the advantage over.
Serving as assassins and spies, tengu sneaks are often rogues who especially depend on stealth and cooperation, and on acting first. Some can disappear amongst their fellows, before they resurface and strike again. Some dedicate themselves to the path of assassin. Leading them on heists and raids, the ringleader of a tengu gang is a capable brawler who urges his kind to press an attack, to move and scatter, or flee when a fight goes against them.
Tengu have a magical tradition employing air magic and glowing feathers of force to hinder and harm. Unlike other tengu, they can even fly for a short time, with their arts. They prefer the safety of height. It is rare to spot a tengu cleric, but the few among them usually follows gods of secrecy. Some tengu dedicate themselves to the path of assassin. The tengu assassin combines the warrior's martial art and the wing mage's feathers, together with a poisoned blade.

Alternate Racial Traits

Replaces Gifted Linguist

Carrion Sense

Many tengus have a natural ability to sniff out carrion. While their sense of smell isn’t as keen as that of other species, it is particularly attuned to the scent of injuries or death. Tengus with this racial trait have a limited scent ability, which only functions for corpses and badly wounded creatures (50% or fewer hit points). This racial trait replaces Gifted Linguist.

Glide

Some tengus can use their feathered arms and legs to glide. Tengus with this racial trait can make a DC 15 Fly check to fall safely from any height without taking falling damage, as if using feather fall. When falling safely, a tengu may make an additional DC 15 Fly check to glide, moving 5 feet laterally for every 20 feet he falls. This racial trait replaces Gifted Linguist.

Replaces Natural Weapon, Sneaky

Deft Swords

Some tengu learn dazzling blade techniques that allow them to use their weapons to protect against combat maneuvers. They gain a +2 dodge bonus to CMD while wielding a swordlike weapon. This racial trait replaces Natural Weapon and Sneaky.

Replaces Swordtrained

Claw Attack

Tengus with this racial trait have learned to use their claws as natural weapons. They gain two claw attacks as primary natural attacks that deal 1d3 points of damage, and are treated as having the Improved Unarmed Strike feat for the purpose of qualifying for other feats. This racial trait replaces Swordtrained.

Exotic Weapon Training

Instead of swords, some tengus are trained in exotic weaponry. Such tengus choose a number of eastern weapons equal to 3 + their Intelligence bonus, and gain proficiency with these weapons. This racial trait replaces Swordtrained.

Favored Class Options

Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a favored class, tengus have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their favored class. The following options are available to all tengus who have the listed favored class.

Barbarian: Add +1/3 to the bonus from the superstitious rage power.
Bard: Gain a +1/3 bonus on Perform checks attempted as part of countersong and distraction bardic performances.
Brawler: Gain a +1/2 insight bonus on attack rolls made with the beak as a secondary natural attack (to a maximum of +3 the brawler must have a beak natural attack to select this option.
Cleric: Gain a +1/2 bonus on Diplomacy checks to gather information and on Knowledge (Local and Religion) checks to know local religious practices and superstitions.
Fighter: Add +1 to the fighter’s CMD when resisting a grapple or trip attempt.
Hunter: Add 1 skill rank to the hunter’s animal companion. If the hunter ever replaces her animal companion, the new companion gains these bonus skill ranks.
Kineticist: Gain 1/6 of an Extra Wild Talent feat.
Medium: Add 1/4 to the bonus on checks when the medium uses the spirit surge ability.
Mesmerist: Add 1/4 to the AC bonus provided by the meek facade mesmerist trick.
Monk: Add +1/4 point to the monk’s ki pool.
Oracle: Add +1/2 to the oracle’s level for the purpose of determining the effects of the oracle’s curse ability.
Rogue: Choose a weapon from those listed under the tengu’s swordtrained ability. Add a +1/2 bonus on critical hit confirmation rolls with that weapon (maximum bonus +4). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.
Slayer: Gain a +1/4 bonus on Disguise, Knowledge (Local), and Perception checks.
Sorcerer: Select one bloodline power at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + the sorcerer’s Charisma modifier. The sorcerer adds +1/2 to the number of uses per day of that bloodline power.
Spiritualist: The spiritualist’s phantom gains 1/6 of a bonus feat. The phantom must meet all prerequisites of the selected feat.
Swashbuckler: Add 1/2 to the swashbuckler’s Acrobatics, Climb, Escape Artist, Fly, Ride, and Swim checks when using the derring-do deed.
Witch: Add one spell from the witch spell list to the witch’s familiar. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level she can cast. If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells.

Racial Traits

+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Constitution
Tengus are fast and observant, but relatively fragile.

Tengu
Tengus are humanoids with the tengu subtype.

Medium
Tengus are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed
Tengus have a base speed of 30 feet.

Low-Light Vision
Tengus can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

Gifted Linguist
Tengus gain a +4 racial bonus on Linguistics checks, and learn two languages each time they gain a rank in Linguistics rather than one language.

Natural Weapons
A tengu has a bite attack that deals 1d3 points of damage.

Sneaky
Tengus gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception and Stealth checks.

Swordtrained
Tengus are automatically proficient with swordlike weapons (including bastard swords, daggers, elven curve blades, falchions, greatswords, kukris, longswords, punching daggers, rapiers, scimitars, short swords, and two-bladed swords).

Languages
Tengus begin play speaking Common and Tengu. Tengus with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except for secret languages, such as Druidic).

Average Lifespan
60 years

Average Height
4 ft. 2 in. – 5 ft. 0 in.

Average Weight
70 – 100 lbs.