Tengu
The tengu are a race of avian humanoids that make their home in the Dominion of Winds, along the Tarnished Coast. They are extremely wary of the races of Tyria, and do not allow outsiders into their city.
Physiology
Tengu are a bipedal humanoid race with usually slim, partially hunched, bodies. Next to their beak are two short fangs. The females of their species have plainer plumage and are typically larger than males. Tengu prefer raw meat for their diet, and although avian, they lost their ability to fly in the distant past.
In terms of appearance, there is a large amount of variance from individual to individual, on a par with (or possibly even more so than) the charr.
Culture
The tengu are highly protective of their culture, and it is thought that this is a large contributory factor to their isolationism. They apparently have some ancient, lost knowledge of the Elder Dragons (an awareness of the cyclic nature of their awakening, for example), but it is not known how they acquired it. Most tengu speak Old Canthan, and treat tengu who do not with the same contempt with which they treat all outsiders.
It is known that the tengu houses have distinct cultures within the tengu whole, however it is not known which houses correspond to which ancient clan (and indeed, it is not known which clans survived long enough to form the houses, although the Caromi and Quetzal are among the likely candidates). Although the tengu houses have different cultures, they all fervently uphold three basic virtues: honour, family, and history.
The attitude of modern tengu towards spirituality is unknown, however the Canthan tengu of old believed in an afterlife, which they called the Sky Above the Sky. A sect of tengu were known to have guarded the Celestials during the Canthan Trials of Ascension, meaning defeating them was necessary to become Weh no Su, but their connection to the mainstream tengu belief system is unknown.
It can be inferred that there is at least some surviving element of superstition within tengu society, as young tengu are sometimes given charms to ward against harm.
Names
There does not seem to be any single consistent naming scheme for tengu, however there are several common conventions. Most tengu have short, Japanese-style surnames, and clan names that can be seen as consisting of two parts. The first part tends to be descriptive somehow (e.g. bright, gold, true), and the second part often refers to an element of avian anatomy (e.g. crest, talon, claw)
Traits and Talents:
+2 Dexterity
High in the Sky: Tengus might not fly, but they can jump very high. You can jump 10m high.
Pick one of the following:
Samurai Oath: You become a warrior of day. You gain +2 Luck.
Ninja Oath: You become a warrior of the night. You start with one graduation on stealth.
