Byakuro Tengu

Byakuro Tengu

Byakuro Tengu are a Tengu-offshoot, being much more human-looking with lupine features rather than giant birds. The origin of the race lies in magical transmogrification of a standard human, aiming to create a new army of warriors to take over the world, as mad magicians always do. It did not go so well, as the mad magicians choked on a fishbone before he could finish the full transformation, and so the Byakuro Tengu were born, half-human and half-lupine.

Possibly due to their magical nature, Tengu are drawn to places of worship and other locations of strong magic, where they stand as guard-dogs. While not religious or magical themselves, their 'birth' imprints a strong driving to protect places of strong magical energy, as they were meant to protect the mage.

Physical Description: Mostly of humanoid size and stature, the Byakuro Tengu are generally muscular, born with firm but flexible bodies to carry out their goals. The main deviation from the usual human appearance, is the fluffy pair of ears on their head, above the human pair, and the tail that swishes out of the coccyx. The colouring of this fur is always white, giving them their name "White Wolf Tengu".

Society: All Byakuro are divided into Packs, which cover the grounds of highly magical areas. These packs can range from two Byakuro at a small shrine, to hundreds covering an enchanted forest. The size of them is variable, but they are very territorial against other Byakuro and will scrap and fight to protect their lands from the others, though they generally fight with none-lethal intent and wounds are rare due to the Byakuro's durability. As such, few Byakuro explore outside their pack, remaining closely knit and secular. Some Byakuro will leave to escort people of their territory, be priests or magicians or fae, but most do not leave in their life.

The society revolves around the Alpha, the strongest Byakuro in the territory. This is the one that gives the orders and receives reports of what is going on it his or her territory. Any Byakuro can challenge the Alpha for right to rule the pack, which gives the Byakuro a constant society of self-improvement and maintenance.

Relations: Few races are capable of getting along with Byakuro on a racial side. They are protective and suspicious of outsiders who might come to pillage the power of their territory, and so their trust needs to be gained. Though if they are an inhabitant of their territory - be it a Mage or the Priests of a religious place - then you have their trust and loyalty from the beginning, being seen as part of their pack.

Once friendship has been made, the Byakuro will still watch you in their territory, but will be less liable to pounce and more liable to want their head patting, as it is a sign of good faith. If you break the friendship, then Byakuro will find you, and you shall not live much past the time of the trust's betrayal.

Alignment and Religion: Most Byakuro are Neutral, and refuse to have bias or preconceived notions of a person. There is only what you have done or not done that changes a Byakuro's opinion of you. They generally do not get along with Evil people, mostly because Evil people are more liable to steal their stuff than a Good person, rather than the race themselves specifically calling out Evil aligned people. As long as your hands are to yourself, then they do not care which alignment you are.

Surprisingly, for beings that populate areas of powerful divine magic, Byakuro are rarely religious themselves. A few might find themselves converting if the priests are eloquent enough, or give headpats and steaks enough for the Byakuro to enjoy their company, but this is a case-by-case basis, as the race itself guards places, does not worship the places.

Adventurers: While most Byakuro settle down in a place and guard it till their death, some find the place they are guarding to be chaffing. Too much contact, not enough contact, fae turning their fur pink, humans trying to pat their tails without permission. There are many reasons that a Byakuro might set out from their place of birth to slot in with an adventuring party, especially ones with clerics, Paladins, or Mages. These Byakuro can grow attached to their friends and treat their party as their territory, adventuring across the lands with friends at their side.

Standard Racial Traits
Feat and Skill Racial Traits Senses Racial Traits
 * Ability Score Racial Traits: Byakuro are fast and robust creatures, to best serve their purpose +2 dex +2 Con
 * Type: Byakuro are humanoids with the Byakuro Tengu subtype.
 * Size: Byakuro are Medium creatures and receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
 * Speed: Tengus have a base speed of 50 feet.
 * Languages: Byakuro begin play speaking Common and Byakuro. Byakuro with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except for secret languages, such as Druidic).
 * Byakuro have Greater Spell Resistance (11+Character level)
 * Moon-Touched Damage Resistance: Byakuro gain DR/5 Silver
 * Static Bonus Feat: Byakuro gain Extra Combat Talent feat
 * Quick Reactions: Byakuro gain the Improved Initiative feat
 * Senses: Byakuro have low-light vision allowing them to see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.