
Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

All Creatures
Abilities | Monsters | NPCs
All | Families | Theme Templates
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V | W | Z

Tengu

Source Monster Core pg. 325
Tengu are an adaptable people originally from the continent of Tian Xia, but whose travels have taken them across all of Golarion. As a people in diaspora, tengu are almost always found within larger kingdoms and communities of other peoples, with the exception of their home nation of Kwanlai. As a result, tengu tend to gather in close-knit social groups both with other tengu as well as with other peoples of non-majority ancestries, collecting words and customs from other cultures the way a bird collects trinkets for its nest.

Although humanoid, tengu have very distinct, birdlike features, and many would say that they resemble crows more than they do humans. They have strong, thick beaks, as well as sharp talons at the ends of their arms and legs. Most of a tengu's body is covered in small feathers that range in color from dark brown and midnight blue to glossy black, with lighter colors being rare but not unheard of. Like many avian creatures, tengu have hollow bones, making them much lighter than other humanoids of their size, and some tengu even possess wings that allow them to fly.

Tengu have a strong cultural focus on the sky, considering tall mountaintops sacred places and worshipping gods associated with nature and storms, like Gozreh or Hei Feng. They have a long and proud tradition of both martial arts and smithing, and many aspiring Tian heroes have sought out a tengu mentor or swordsmith. Tengu magic revolves around using tengu feathers, bound into a fan, as a medium to command wind and lightning, and some tengu even have the power to “eat” misfortune—skills that only help tengu as they continue expanding across Golarion to new lands.

Members

Tengu Sneak (Creature 2)

Sidebar - Additional Lore Jinx Eaters

In the pirate-controlled archipelago of the Shackles, tengu occupy a unique social niche, since many pirates believe that a tengu's presence on board a ship wards off bad luck. Known as “jinx eaters,” these tengu are treated as mascots by their pirate crews. Jinx eaters don't mind this treatment, however, since it allows them to escape much of the drudgery associated with working on a ship. When a tengu is sailing with pirates afraid of ill fortune, the claim that “hunger leads to bad luck” secures comfort and respect for the jinx eater more effectively than any bribe.