Kenku? Other monsters?

[swirler]

I was planning on giving it a shot. Of course if someone else planned to as well don't let me stop you. I'm not exactly pro at it. Lol
Not yet anyway. lol

[billiambabble]

There must be something AD&D OA on these guys (but my copy is in a different building a few miles away, and it's cold outside ...)
Perhaps it would be better to start afresh. I also can't remember much from the modern editions.

Kenku/Tengu/Kengu hmm...
"Tenku"? - Could you get away with that?

That wikipedia article got me thinking (apart from about villains in Studio Gibbli films!).
I'm not sure about stats, but I'd have two types to start with.

Tenku (mundane)
and
Tenku (Greater/Oriental) (Demon?)

The Tenku (mundane)
is a low level humanoid - smart "brute". (do they have small claws for hands?)
2-4 HD ?
As well as weapon use they may choose to attack with clawed feet, which can either damage or hold (PC sav vs. ...), followed by a nasty beak peck next round. It needs to be something very bird like to justify the monster.
Perhaps they can cause limited confusion with a flurry of wing/arm feathers?
They have high magic defences due to some sort of arcane heritage and cosmic luck - Save as : MU4 or something.
Weak to fire - feathers burn easily. (?)
They can't actually fly but they can jump as part of their attack.
Are they stealthy? Keen vision - bonus to certain checks.

The mundane or normal Tenku can be also a base for character-play as well. Perhaps starting with normal PC HD (unless experience penalty is used) - the damage from the claws and beak would be kept low enough (1-4/1-6), to justify a PC choosing "the way of man" and using weapons. It could be perceived among civilised monkisk Tenku that use of bill and talon in anger is uncivilised. Also perhaps MUs can't do more damage than 1-4 with claw or beak, because they are weak and intellectual...

Tenku can come in many breeds of bird - perhaps the bird type is tribal. PC's playing a Tenku could choose to be like ravens or hawks (or God, don't mention the Runequest "Ducks" ....) - the appearance will not effect damage, but may effect reaction checks depending upon a situation. 6ft eagle-headed man may not be the best person to calm down nervous locals, unless they're used to that sort of thing, and then of course they might make wise cracks.


Tenku (Greater/Oriental) would be a different creature all together. Perhaps more like a shape-changing Baba-Yaga. An Ogre Mage with surprises. Human/man-bird/large bird/small bird. In human form they still have some bird like characteristics like a long nose, or a peculiar way of hopping. They are into air magic - or the spells they have take on extra swirls of wind. They may have acute keen vision, perhaps bird familiars of their chosen form.

Okay, no stats, but there's some ideas. It's been awhile since I DM'd and I'm not sure if I'd balance them right.

I especially like this picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SekienTengu.jpg
I'd happily attempt to draw a facsimile of that (copy, ahem ) or similar if you need an illustration, although something more humanoid would be required for the "mundane"/brute version.

[billiambabble]

I was planning on giving it a shot. Of course if someone else planned to as well don't let me stop you. I'm not exactly pro at it. Lol
Not yet anyway. lol

Oops I didn't see your post! Just read the above as rough ideas.

Edit:
Random ... check out the 18th C. pictures in "Night Parade of A Hundred Demons": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gazu_Hyakki_Yak%C5%8D

[Solomoriah]

How about fully demonic Tengu, and their mortal followers who look just like them but have only mundane levels of power?

[billiambabble]

^
That would make sense. I think we have the makings of a "lair" encounter scenario ...
A ground nest? A temple of some kind? Made from pasted feathers of dead warriors?

I was waiting for Swirler to post again - after all he's needs something tailored for his own campaign.

I keep having this nagging feeling that these creatures might be better off as solitary tricksters and brigands - but it could be AD&D Fiend Folio working it's laws of the old universe magic on me...

Raven-men should be cowardly and thuggish, scavenger, opportunists. Other types could be more noble and aloof, or skittish and servile. Oops, this sounds liking the making of a caste system ... Damn, I hate creativity - no time, I say, no time for new ideas!

[swirler]

both versions could work and would be interesting. Mainly what I want them for is a stealth "thieves/assassins guild" race. I ran a 3.5 game that had them as such working with kobolds. The kobolds lived in caves in a rural area and were grave-robbing for corpses. They would use the corpses in the caverns to grow a specific type of mushroom. The mushrooms were used by the Kenku to make an untraceable poison. The low level PCs ran across the kobolds investigating the grave-robbing. They'd learn some bits of info and then ran across the kenku assassins at higher levels in a large city.

[SmootRK]

I like the idea of a strong demonic/celestial host/whatever sort of true Tengu, with a lesser Tenku (Ten'ku/Kengu/whatever is finally decided) humanoid... perhaps even viable as Race (at least for NPC use). Having both allows for broader range of encounters for various levels (from single member of the lesser race, to a squad of Tenku Pilgrims, to a full Temple Fortress, to an extra-planar excursion to battle in their own domain).

I like a little Asian flair in my game, so bring it on. Also, Asian related (but not really on topic), anyone do a Monk/Martial Artist/Kensai sort of class?

[swirler]

Speaking of monsters, what guidelines do you (anyone) use when making a monster? Like say you have an idea, how do you decide how many HD it has? or how strong it's attacks are? Things of that nature.

[Solomoriah]

I use my gut instincts.

No, seriously. Years of GMing give you a feel for that. Often, though, I start with a similar monster and then revise the stats until they work for me.

I'd probably make the mortal Tengu average 3 or 4 hit dice, to make them a credible threat, and assign the other stats however felt right. Probably AC 14 naturally, representing superior Dexterity and tough feathers; movement of 40' to make them equal to unarmored humans; a morale of 10 (they're a bit tougher to scare). For treasure type, I'd probably assign whichever types have gold, platinum, and gems (shiny things) for personal treasure, and maybe good ol' treasure type A for groups (same as human NPC parties). Number of attacks: 2 weapons (they're FAST, or maybe they dual wield), damage 1d8 or by weapon. Maybe add a 60' gliding movement rate (can't gain altitude, would need a maneuver rating of 20' or more) for a little surprise for the players.

That's about as much thinking as I generally put into a monster. The demonic Tengu would be a bit more nasty, probably 6-8 hit dice, other good stats, some special powers, etc.

[billiambabble]

Had a touch of insomnia the other night and did a pen scribble in a notepad - inspired by this thread (I'd totally forgotten about the "Tengu" variation of the name by the way, oops)

A type of Tengu/Kenku/bird-dude.
(colour in GIMP)


(click thumbnail)

This one is armed with a Beak-Axe, traditional Beak-Claw ("Pick-Grab") nest-heirloom weapon (possibly ceremonial).

Hey, what's the consensus their wings? Are their fore-claws part of their wings, or are they six limbed?
The picture is of a type of flightless (minimal flight) - low caste dirt-dancer, undergrowth-egg-hider.
He is a second-hatched-mature (a fact included in his name along with title and territory name of his colony)
He is a Collector, although not as renowned as his immediate hatchkin in the nest for lining the home with shiny treasures.

I've tried not to be too influenced by old or current illustrations, but it's really hard to get away from the loose robes look. (That and being hesitant about drawing body and wing claws - or deciding which way around the knees go

I started babbling to myself and language and habits, which vary from (caste)breed to breed. Telepathy is definitely a necessity for some types, whereas others can mimic human tongue, but can't help add a sing song intonation and repetitive phrases usually at the start and end of a statement. Some find humanoid alliterative phrases "Friend or foe?" and rhyme simply hilarious. Culture is passed on in secret songs (sound-runes). Wilder tribes make simplistic scratches in ground and bark, these record warnings and area markers but generally communication is oral (perhaps with elders knowing archaic song form, which may differ from modern speech). Ticks, whistles, gutteral noises, rasps - all part of beak and chest talk. Some castes are gifted carvers. Pre-Marriage rituals involve home making, sculpture, hunting, acts of bravado, singing and rites of strength. Even the more solitary breed-castes will occasionally gather to secure the collective-nest realm in preparation for the "young-coming", "The Settle" before the "Hatching".

Just some more half chewed ideas to add to the random grub pot!