NOTE: The rules involving supernaturals are only being preserved for the sake of reference. We are not accepting supernatural characters as player characters in the game.

Tengu

PC Restrictions: None Yet

Quote: (Coming Soon)

In General

The tengu are some of the strangest and at the same time most important supernaturals in the whole Bushido universe. They exist as spiritual creatures of the mountains, creatures of mystery, of mischief… usually quite prideful, but always striving for humility.

In a previous life, the tengu were samurai or priests who were arrogant and/or prideful, and this is how the Spirits have deemed they will learn humility. It is fabled that, if a tengu truly does learn to be humble, he will be reborn in the next life as a human being.

Appearance

Tengu come in two basic varieties. The "long-nosed" variety, or yamabushi, appear as short humans -- about four to four-and-a-half feet -- dressed in the flowing robes of a monk but with long, bulbous noses. They are usually found in one place, sitting in or by a mountainside cave, or a ledge, or even in the inside of an ancient mountainside tree, and will give advice readily… though this advice is usually in the form of a riddle. If the riddle is answered wrong, expect disaster.

The "crow" variety, known as the karasu-tengu, are like hybrids of black crows and human beings. They have the head, torso, and wings of crows, and taloned hands and feet. Most of the time they also dress as monks, but with a great deal more finesse and attention to their appearance; they want to look like real monks, not imitations of the real thing.

Karasu-tengu have the ability to fly into the Spirit Realm, and to move through it with the greatest of ease. They also have incredibly sharp vision, and quick wits. They are found all throughout the mountain, never staying still for more than a few days.

On those few occasions they can stay still, they tend to congregate in high trees. But, if they are found, or even if they stumble upon those in need, they will almost never turn down the chance to help someone.

The People Themselves

All tengu are born from giant eggs, laid in the proper setting for each. For yamabushi, this is in a deep cave, while for karasu-tengu, this is in the tallest trees. For the first 1000 years, each tengu has a mentor who trains them in everything they will need to know, including Martial Arts. (More on this later.) The training is intense, but it is still a kind, tender, and loving sort of life, with much emphasis on humility. After this point, they are left alone, to their own devices.

The ideal life of a tengu is a life of self-sacrifice and humility. Though both groups do it a little differently - the karasu-tengu wander, while the yamabushi tend to stay in one place; the karasu-tengu find shelter wherever they can, while the yamabushi choose a cave, and remain there - their goal in life is the same. A two-fold goal: To learn complete humility, and to assist all of those in need. Finding sustenance is easy for a tengu. They are omnivorous, and can live on very little food and water for a very long period of time, due to their supernatural existence.

Though powerful, the tengu can be killed. Bladed weapons, especially those embued with the soul of a family (ie a Samurai's family Katana), are just as lethal to the tengu as they are to anyone else. Aside from this, a tengu does not die until they have reached the true awakening of humility within them… and, at that point, they die, and are reincarnated as a human being.

The tengu are mischievous by nature, both yamabushi and Crow. The yamabushi love their riddles… those who can best them at riddling are given a straight answer, and, possibly, some form of special gift… as a prize. The crow tengu are much more mischievous than their goblin counterparts, and love to play pranks and practical jokes upon unsuspecting mortals… all harmless, and usually intended to teach them a lesson of some sort.

The Tengu culture is very loosely based, as they are not actually born of parents, but are reincarnated souls. However, the Tengu have a very strict hierarchy, based both upon breed as well as age. The Yamabushi Tengu are considered the rulers, and in charge of all (including the Crow Tengu). And, beyond the ties of the first one thousand years of mentorship, the Tengu rarely form lasting ties with their people… they are loners.

The Individual

(This part deals with generalizations. The individual characters do not have to follow this verbatim… instead, it is a manner of helping someone to get ideas)

Past:

The Tengu do not remember their lives before this incarnation, but they do instinctively know that they were born into this life because of intense arrogance and pride. They are taught, by their mentor, about how they must learn humility to achieve humanity in the next life. Your Tengu will be a Crow Tengu, born with a humanoid body, but the features of a bird. In your blood is the nature of the prankster, and in your soul is such intense arrogance and pride that you must constantly fight it. After the first 1000 years, however, the fight becomes second nature, and it only comes out occasionally, through your actions, your words, your voice… that sort of thing.

During your training period, you were taught how to effectively use your Tengu powers. You were also trained, quite intensely, in the martial arts. The original martial arts. Of course, your education never included reading or writing, or any of the arts… these things were considered quite useless for the life you would live. At least, at first. Should you take them up later, that will be your decision.

Finally, after your training period was up, your mentor left you, and you have lived your own life ever since.

Present:

This is totally up to you. Your major place of residence is in the mountains, but you can travel anywhere you wish. Your major goals in life are to help those in need, and learn humility… though, should you wish, you could have given up on the latter goal. The former is built into your very being.

Future:

There is no set future for a Tengu. Should you choose to patrol one specific area, stay in one place for as long as you can, or travel the whole of the world, that is up to you.

Goals:

Mentioned throughout this has been the two major goals of the Tengu. To help those in need, and learn total humility. Should you choose to deny the latter, that is up to you. Should you choose to pick up any of your own… whether they be to become the elite martial artist, to protect a certain family/city/area/etc, or anything else… that is also your choice.

Fates:

This is also up to you. The Fates choose different paths for each individual, even of the Tengu.

Nature

The Tengu are natural tricksters, and pranksters, and love to pull pranks whenever possible. However, it is very rare for these pranks to be random, and even more rare for them to bring permanent harm to their victim. The true reason behind them is usually to teach the victim a lesson.

Also, the Tengu are caregivers, helping anyone they can, in whatever way they can. This can range from showing someone a path, all the way to defending an innocent against a malicious, outnumbering enemy.

Demeanor

Each Tengu acts and responds differently. Especially those who are NOT trying to learn humility.

Drives

Conventional tengu live to upset the order of things. Karasu-tengu live to protect what little order there is.

Throughout History

The Tengu were the inventers of martial arts, and those who came first are all masters in it. The younger ones, those under 2000 years old, are not masters, but are instead in almost constant training to become masters.

The most famous Tengu is the king of all Tengu, Sojobo, an elderly, white-haired Yamabushi (or Goblin) Tengu. Sojobo is famous for teaching martial arts and strategy to Minamoto Yoshitsune on Mt. Kurama, North of Kyoto.

Powers and Skills

The martial arts style of the Tengu is the original martial art, the predecessor of Bujutsu. It is a graceful style which puts emphasis not on strength, but on speed and agility. It also focuses on using the special attributes of the Tengu body, both Yamabushi and Crow. The Crow Tengu, specifically, have developed their special attributes to be used as weapons. The taloned hands, for instance, make wonderful striking claws, while their beaks provide a handy close-quarters weapon. Both in offense and defense, their exceptional agility is their best weapon, allowing them to move in quickly, attack, and move out quickly… as well as allowing them to dodge any attack that comes at them.

Both breeds of Tengu have the ability to move at incredible speeds, and to cast an illusion spell upon themselves, making them appear to others as they wish, including their voices (however, this does not last very long, and takes a lot of concentration to keep up). Also, Tengu speak without moving their mouths, as if by telepathy. This is especially helpful for the Crow Tengu, who have only beaks, which cannot move as a mouth can. They can also possess and speak directly through people as well as appear to them in dreams, but this is very difficult. Finally, they have the ability to take on human form.

They also have detriments, both physically and supernaturally. They may be fast, but they are not physically strong, and tend to take damage harder than many others would. They are especially weak while in mortal form… they are truly mortal, and can be hurt or killed. Also, they cannot use their other powers while in human form. Another detriment is that their shadows reveal their true form.

The major limit of the Tengu's supernatural power is the ability they can use it. For each point of Ki, they can use their abilities (overall, not each in specific) twice per day. Hence, if the Tengu has a Ki of three, he can use his Tengu powers six times total in one day. Another limit is the Tengu can only take human form three times in one day. Shifting back, however, is considered automatic, and does not count against that.

Most tengu have martial arts skills of one variety or another. Karasu-tengu have sword skills, while regular tengu have staff/bo skills. Both may also know judo or jiu-jitsu.

Karasu-tengu also have Flight, a skill used with Stamina, where the number of successes indicates the distance covered in 10' spans.

Talon Attack

Attack Roll: Reflexes + Talon Attack.
Damage Roll: Strength.
Requirements: Must be in Tengu form. Only useful within hand-
to-hand range.

Beak Attack

Attack Roll: Reflexes + Beak Attack.
Damage Roll: Strength.
Requirements: Must be in Tengu form. Only useful within very close, grappling range.

Enhanced Speed

Roll: Ki + Enhanced Speed. Uses ki; counts as a spell.
Requirements: Must be in Tengu form.
Effect: Tengu gains X number of extra moves per round. Each additional number of moves requires +1 difficulty.
Duration: 1 turn.

Illusion

Roll: Ki + Illusion, Difficulty depends on the intensity of the illusion, base difficulty 2. Uses ki; counts as a spell.
Requirements: Must be in Tengu form. Must be able to maintain a reasonable amount of concentration… cannot attack, defend, or do anything else rigorous.
Effects: Tengu seems to take any form they wish. Their voice, as well, is masked. Only their shadow shows their true form.
Duration: Until end of scene, until illusion is defeated, or until concentration is lost.

Telepathy

Roll: Ki + Telepathy. Uses ki; counts as a spell.
Requirements: Must be in Tengu form. Must know the exact location of the person (i.e., someplace they have personally visited), or know them very well. Difficulty is lessened by how well the Tengu knows the person, maximum of 3, and if they will not fight the Tengu's telepathy.
Effects: The Tengu makes telepathic contact with the person in question.
Duration: One round or exchange of dialogue per success.

Possession

Roll: Ki + Possession. Uses ki; counts as a spell.
Requirements: Must be in Tengu form. Must be able to see the person in question. The person must be asleep, or relaxed. A non-relaxed, fighting target increases the difficulty by 2.
Effects: The Tengu possesses the Target body, and can perform any action this body can perform. They gain no knowledge, and cannot do anything the target is trained in… the Tengu only maintains their own knowledge.
Duration: One minute per success rolled, Difficulty 3, or, if the target is willing, until the Tengu decides to give up possession.

Dream Speaking

Roll: Ki + Dream Speaking. Base difficulty is 2; being able to see the target decreases the difficulty by 1. Uses ki; counts as a spell.
Requirements: Must be in Tengu form. The target must be asleep, and the Tengu must know the location of the Target.
Effects: The target's dream is manipulated as the Tengu wishes.
Duration: Number of successes = number of rounds, or until the target is woken up.

Planewalk

Roll: Ki + Planewalk. Uses ki; counts as a spell.
Requirements: Must be in Tengu form. Must be allowed to concentrate, with no outside interference, for the period of the ritual.
Effects: The Tengu spreads its wings, and a wind seems to come from out of nowhere, lifting it up and carrying it upward… until it seems to disappear. The Tengu slips between worlds, into the Spirit world.
Duration: N/A

Shapeshift

Roll: Ki + Shapeshift. Uses ki; counts as a spell.
Requirements: Must be in Tengu form. Must be out of sight of others, and allowed to concentrate for one minute. Must be able to speak, and move his hands and arms freely, as the Tengu must speak a special chant, and move his arms in a certain manner. Add +2 to difficulty if they are trying to mimic a specific person and do not have skills that would facilitate this.
Effects: The Tengu takes on human form. This form is any of their choice, though most Tengu choose one form which they take in general. The Tengu's shadow, however, reveals his true form.
Duration: Number of successes = number of hours in that form.

Befuddlement

Tengu can confuse a human being to the point where they have retrograde amnesia and can be manipulated into doing anything the tengu commands.

Roll: Ki + Befuddlement. All successes are resisted by Int + Meditation. Uses ki; counts as a spell.
Requirements: Within 10'.
Effects: Number of successes = number of hours the person is confused.
Duration: Instant.