The legends of Tengu stretch back all the way to the year 720, first mentioned in the 23rd Chapter of the scripture in Nihon Shoki. The book itself is considered to be the second oldest piece of classic Japanese history.
The true origin of the Tengu as a species is a mystery in itself, but it is believed that they were birthed by a falling star, shattering into pieces and taking the forms of small forest spirits known as Kodama. That they eventually evolved, not only physically - taking on avian characteristics - but also in skill, splitting them up into several subspecies. It wasn't until the 14th century, during the area of the famous warrior Minamoto No Yoshitune, that the Tengu truly stepped into the world of the humans, disguising themselves as samurai warriors. Some praised their valiant efforts, retelling their tales of wisdom and skills with a blade, throwing grand festivals in their honor as Kami(gods). While others labelled them Yokai(demons), accusing them of being the true cause of all the chaos and war. Inevitably the two races' spats and turmoil spiraled, and the Tengu retreated back into the forests, hiding away - Or so, the humans would like to have you believe.
Subspecies of Tengu:
Kawa Tengu – A small water-dwelling Tengu that lives around rivers and appears mostly avian. It is rarely seen but it is believed to be a nuisance to fishermen by creating strange fireballs.
Karasu Tengu - Appears mostly as a humanoid bird. They are guardians of the forest and don't particularly like humans. They will guide friendly travelers to safety, but leave them disorientated. If any harm is done to their forest, they will attempt to kill and devour the culprit.
Konoha Tengu – A large demonic bird that mostly lives in solitude and stays hidden from Humans. They are believed to be able to take more of a humanoid form much like the Karasu Tengu. They are wise tricksters and are often depicted in ghost stories. They are believed to have psychic powers, reading minds and predicting the future, maybe even dream walk or manifest fears but they are also considered weak and harmless due to their disinterest in taking part in physical altercations.
Yamabushi Tengu - They are mostly human but with wings and bird features like talon hands and feet. They are believed to live mostly in mountains and forests. Some live close to civilizations and spend most of their time harassing the locals or travelers. They can take on full human forms and their intelligence and skills differ from one Tengu to another. Some can inflict mental illnesses, disorientate, or regenerate. Others can bend an element or teleport.
Dravin Larsen. Although Dravin's lineage can be traced back to 14th century in the Kamakura period during the Genpei War, his family -who were Yamabushi Tengu- boarded a ship and traveled abroad in the forms of humans, taking a western surname. After generations past they finally settled in America.
During the time Dravin was conceived the family fell on hard times, they had grown too large to support and started to split up due to beliefs and ambition. The head of their family was murdered by one of their own which caused a domino effect and ultimately led to the downfall of the clan. The family scattered, some fled, some turned to The Triads (Chinese Mafia) while others to The Yakuza (Japanese Mafia) Dravin's father and siblings ended up among the deceased while his mother sought shelter with the Yakuza. Discovering her true identity as a Tengu when she gave birth to Dravin, the Yakuza separated mother and son, using him as a bargaining chip to have her do their bidding. He stayed in America until a toddler and then was sold as a prize to one of the head families in Yakuza back in Japan, a Shateigashira (second lieutenant).
Today he is 21 in human years but due to not aging past the physical appearance of 18, his assigned to a high school the Shateigashira's son attends. His duties along with protecting the kid are selling narcotics to the youth and recruiting delinquents as cannon fodder for the Yakuza. Full aware of his situation but chained to the Yakuza's will he is looking for a way to get out from under their thumb, to regain the freedom that was stolen from him.
