Appearance

Tentaki tend to have very toned, powerful builds with skin tones that range from red to brown to grey. They are very rarely seen without some type of animal mask, hiding an otherwise elongated, avian-like face with mildly long, pointed ears, a pointed nose and very angular yet soft facial features.

Many of the Tentaki brand or tattoo themselves with tribal markings of animal spirits or significant accomplishments. Such an appearance combined with their perceived power are impressive indeed, though very few consider the Tentaki beautiful. Instead they are almost always viewed as a dark omen that should be avoided and feared.

With such a mysterious culture, very few of the Tentaki Legends are well known. Though the Tentaki know them well, with tattoos or brands that cover their entire body with animal-like features that have helped such Legends blend in completely to the lands they live in. Their power presented as a silvery aura that makes them appear as ghosts in the starlit night.

Talents

Dark: Agents of the night, Tentaki are skilled with using the absence of light to their advantage. Unfortunately, they are not very skilled in wide open areas or in situations of bright light.
Mysterious: Keeping mostly to themselves, Tentaki are skilled with keeping secrets or otherwise making the most of incorrect perceptions. Sadly, this doesn’t always go well when attempting to build new relationships or speaking with individuals on civil terms.
Reverent: Tentaki hold respect above all else, providing situational modifiers when interacting with individuals who have gained or earned your respect. This can cause problems in situations where you feel someone is undeserving of your respect.
Survivor: It is very easy for Tentaki to handle adverse situations, especially when these are situations of someone else’s making. Unfortunately, this can cause situational problems when things seem too good to be true.

Social Details

The Tentaki get their name from the word Tengu, derived from Japanese Lore. In Valanas, they are an innocent people who have suffered at the hands of many conflicts, often due to the neglect of the rest of the world. In recent time, the Tentaki are now forced to face yet another dreaded conflict: Facing and attempting to tame the destructive Naganezu Orrathi Gyone, a task they take in stride.

History

Since the beginning of time, the Tentaki have been a people of determination and mystery. They care not for who made them, or who was better than whom. Instead, the Tentaki live with the Tengu way: They do whatever they can in order to survive, and they do so with unwavering focus and skill.

This has been a behavior ingrained into them since the day the Tentaki had to confront the truly destructive and demonic Lunakai. When the first Nightfall took place, the Lunakai sought assistance from the other bloodlines, though every single one turned their backs claiming that it was not their concern. As they did so, each one in turn severed their connections with their people, leaving the Tentaki to die.

As all hope seemed to be lost, there was one among them who called herself Kamun, the first ever known Shinobi. She spoke with knowledge that was otherworldly and a talent with the use of deception and manipulating the environment to her advantage. Above all else, she taught them the level of respect for the Animals of the land and sea, and Moon with it’s power over the tides and people of the land. Such understanding and respect soon became known as the Way of the Tengu.

Very few are willing to admit that the Tentaki were among the first survivors. It was the ignorance of all that fateful day, as it forced the hand of the Creatoan and the very reason why the Laws of Creation were forged. Now, thanks again to the ignorance and pride of the rest of the world, the Tentaki are having to confront Naganezu Orrathi Gyone, an emotional monster determined to bring about Nightfall once more.

Language And Dialects

The most prominent language used among the Tentaki is known as Morikata, a pictographic language that when spoken brings with it a level of awe and fear to those who hear it. Few Tentaki have been known to speak Celestial, though such Tentaki are viewed as the Priests or Wardens within their respective Hidden Village. Only the women are reserved the highest level of respect and are called the Taiiniso as a sign of respect for the now transcended Goddess Kamun.

When it comes to the various uses of Morikata, there are four different forms of how one speaks the language to another. All of it is based on the level of respect one has for one over the other. The levels tend to be that of equals, that of an elder or more experienced individual, that of the student or inexperienced, and that of everyone else. Those who do not speak accordingly are looked down upon, or simply spoken to with the a level of disrespect with every choice of word.

Others typically think Tentaki operate in a caste system, when in fact all Tentaki are considered equal with the only exceptions being those outside of their Hidden Villages. Showing disrespect in any way is considered a great sin, to do such a thing often requires betrayal or going against the Way of the Tengu before an individual or village takes action.

Regions and Politics

Native to the island Tsukishima, the Tentaki live fairly simple lives tending to their lands and trading with those brave enough to cross their borders. Tentaki often live in small hidden villages that each specialize in specific styles of Kisetsu. Those who master the specialized art utilize their Kisetsu as mercenaries that help maintain balance and power among their nations, as no two Hidden Villages are the same and each one is capable of holding a number of Kisetsu variants.

Within each Hidden Village people operate in order to support their Shinobi who each are considered to be among the most respected of all, sometimes even more so than the Lunar Priestess in key situations. Such individuals are called Tengu, and abandoning the respect of Tengu is viewed as the greatest sin often punishable by death. Even then those who are not killed are watched mercilessly and are given the lowest level of disrespect of all.

When dealing with those in other nations, it can be possible for an individual to be spoken to with respect differently from the rest of the world. Still treated with a level of distrust, ones who have payed a great sacrifice or performed actions that put one above lessers is often all it takes to be respected. Once accomplished, the level of respect is very rarely ever lost. If it ever is, they are treated just like the rest and are either killed or disgraced completely.

There is only one collective that the Tentaki despise the most: The Nezuto. It was their people who crash landed on the Temple where the Goddess Kamun transcended and left her body in order to become one with the land, sea, and sky. At first the Tentaki had thought the Nezuto brought peace and hope to their people. Instead the surviving Nezuto quickly learned their language and attempted to explain their attempts at hiding from a threat that they themselves started.

Having destroyed their holy temple and the body of Kamun held within, the Tentaki forced the Nezuto from their only connection back home. Now only a venomous and bitter relationship between the two bloodlines is left. Over the course of time the Nezuto have been able to gain a limited level of respect, requiring an extreme level of secrecy to do so. Starting their own organization called the Kukuri Enclave, they are considered among the most mysterious Shinobi tasked with discovering and protecting the next Lightbringer, individuals that do not speak of their membership to absolutely anyone out of fear that Orrathi succeeds at summoning Nightfall.

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