#kotengu

[jackdaniel69nice]

Research on Japanese folklore birds.

Gumyōchō 共命鳥

Yogen no tori ヨゲンノトリ

Kotengu 小天狗

I think if you read these you can understand why they would correlate to tokoyami and dark shadow. Making folklore AUs is so much fun XD

[corvid-lullaby]

👘

Answering this two ways!

Shikiya is a very long lived tengu from the Hingashi region. The first is of his younger self in his tribe's traditional attire. The second is his older modern self in his own flavour of traditional Hingan clothing.

[infinitexmuses-archive]

@kitxkatrp asked: “Oh, I guess I’ll go fuck myself, then.” Zange to Brianne (in refer to his boi he keeps failing to flirt with) Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime — Season 2  {Sentence Starters}

"If you keep up that attitude about it, you might as well." She responded, rather bluntly. "Not everyone is exactly... Intelligent, in that department. Especially the folk around here, if it wasn't obvious enough."

He was gonna have to try a few different approaches if he wanted to get anywhere with anyone, she'll be honest-

[infinitexmuses-archive]

@kitxkatrp asked: "What would I do without you?" Zange and Brianne Questioning Sentences, Vol. 7

"I don't know, that's a good question-" Given how many times she's had to save his ass from doing something stupid to try and be the jokester of the building. "At least you would've been bedridden several times by now, at least. I have to protect you more than I have to my actual contract."

[infinitexmuses-archive]

@kitxkatrp asked: “Now that’s embarrassing.“ Zange to Brianne Don't recall and reeeee-

"What's more embarrassing was that he seemed to be doing his best the entire time, too." She had to admit, watching the tanuki get toyed with like this was amusing yet almost sad. It was almost as if they worked together to torture the poor boy no matter what the situation. "Aren't you gonna give him a break? He looks like he's about to lose it."

[infinitexmuses-archive]

@kitxkatrp asked: without ash to rise from, a phoenix would just be a bird getting up. Zange to Brianne chaotic unhinged lines from 2022-2023 (prompt edition)

"You know what?..." She moved her gaze over to the other, unsurprised by the mindless mention of such a comment. "You're probably not wrong. Other than the bird getting younger and all that... And being made of fire a lot of the time. Phoenix's are strange as hell, let's admit it..."

[fox-graves]

Wings torn asunder, Wind God reborn a monkey banished from the sky.

_

My air genasi hobgoblin, Jiba aka Uncle.

He was born the avatar of the wind god, Kotengu, which marked him for greatness among his people. Uncle had other plans and preferred the life of a conman... and all was well until he conned the wrong person and fell foul of the mob, losing both his arms in exchange for them sparing his life.

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

I am once again thinking about associated animal symbolism, particularly in regard to Ren being associated with cats, and Akechi with crows, mostly because I love cats and crows in general. What am I saying this is just an excuse to ramble about cats and crows. Read my thoughts boy.

Cats are associated with good luck, fortune and protection, especially in Japan, but also the world over. Black cats are especially good symbols of one's luck turning over, with new prospects for wealth, love, and healing, but superstition makes some people assume the exact opposite - treating them with mistrust due to associations with bad luck, witchcraft, and the devil. Cats have important roles in folklore the world over, and are usually mysterious and adaptable creatures who are often attuned to magic and frequently shapeshifters.

Crows, on the other hand, get a bad rep. They are associated with bad luck and curses, where the call of a crow indicates that someone is going to die soon. Depending on the call, the exact meaning can change, but all crow calls signify some type of impending misfortune or death. However, crows also have strong spiritual connotations and are considered messengers of the gods, and while linked to death, they are also linked to transformation. They have good connotations too, particularly seen as intelligent, resourceful, and protective. Their dual associations can be seen in mythical crows such as the vicious, solitary trickster kotengu, and the wise messenger and guide Yatagarasu.

Moving away from symbolism, on the behavioural side of things, while cats and crows can actually get along, they can also pose serious threats to each other. Cats are frequently irritated by crows that will peck at and annoy them intentionally in order to instigate a reaction (which is kind of hilarious honestly).

Importantly though, and relevant to these two characters, while cats and crows are widely regarded to be solitary, they are actually very social animals.

Cats, while independent, actually do get very lonely without companionship, and seek out affection when denied it. The thing is, they prefer to do this on their own terms - cats need to have the freedom to decide whether or not to initiate contact, and also to leave if they so choose. They're also very family oriented and it's good to adopt cats in pairs so they have a companion to play with (that is, as long as they get along!). They pick up on emotional states well and will often adjust their behaviour to match the emotional valence. While the jury's still out on whether cats experience complex emotions, they absolutely feel things like happiness, sadness, anger and affection, and have a need for stability - quickly uprooting them by moving to a new location can seriously stress out and upset a cat.

Crows are actually highly social, and have a complex communication system where they will chatter, pass along messages, and develop specific alarm calls. They have an excellent memory for the faces of those who have helped or wronged them, will remember this for years, and pass on this information to other crows. They are able to use and make tools, solve puzzles, and appear to have rudimentary understandings of things like simple physics, numbers, abstract reasoning, and future planning. They're family oriented as well, socially monogamous, with young crows often staying with their parents to assist them with food or younger siblings. They will even host "funerals" where they will gather around their dead, which are less about mourning (though this may actually be a part of it) and more about figuring out what killed them. While some crows are solitary, there are usually other crows not far away, and those that aren't part of a group may have been outcast.

Both animals absolutely can survive and do well on their own, but they are fundamentally much happier when they have companionship.

Well, anyways, I'm just talking.

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

Connecting to my previous post, I did find some funny information on tengu while doing a bit of Akechi and crow symbolism research. Please enjoy:

"There are countless folk stories about tengu being duped into trading powerful magical items or giving up valuable information in exchange for worthless trinkets. Often this happens because the foolish kotengu overestimate their own intelligence when trying to trick a human, and end up being tricked themselves. During the Edo period, most tengu lore was gradually superseded by amusing folk tales, dampening the vicious image portrayed in earlier stories."

rip Akechi lmao

[white-rabbits-captain]

Do you need any assistance?

--Four

[Nav held a jet black feather between his fingers. It's ruffled from the attack.]

This feather belongs to kotengu. A disrespectful lot.

[another-lost-mc]

There are no stupid OC questions?

Challenge accepted.

If your OCs weren't angels or demons but instead Yokai or fairy tale/folklore creatures from any culture around the world, which would they be?

My knowledge of Yokai is very limited so in terms of vague creatures, here's some rough ideas:

AZRA — I could still see him being a demon, probably an incubus. You know, one of the urban legend types that you think don't exist, 'til there's a dark figure you can see out of the corner of your eye, and you start having vivid dreams of someone you swear you've seen staring back at you from the other side of the mirror once or twice. If not that, then he'd make a good vampire too.

ZEE — Vampire with the ability to use a bat disguise. EASY.

KARASU — So, slaysins has some fan art of harpy!Solomon here (nsfw, mdni!) so a crow-version of that would be pretty spectacular. He could also be twisted from Kotengu, in some sort of modern!fairty tale AU.

TENEBRIS — Some sort of dragon that can shift into a human or hybrid-humanoid form.

BELIAL — Some sort of shapeshifter (preferring cat-like appearances), or a trickster-type creature like a fairy or kitsune.

BATHIN — Tricky tricky tricky. Maybe a vengeful spirit/ghost.

FLEURETY — A kitsune would be fitting. Could also be some sort of dark elf or fairy that lures humans into his traps so he can keep them as pets.

METATRON — Oh, he's definitely a mer-creature of some sort that people underestimate until he's got them under his spell. A siren on the streets, a naga in the sheets.

SERAPHIEL — Another tricky one. I want to say a shapeshifter type like a wolf or bear, if he's not a werewolf/werebear outright.

GABRIEL & URIEL — I think they would make fabulous demons or vampires.

HABUHIAH — There's a few possibilities. She's either a dark fairy that haunts her favourite forest, or she's some sort of naga-like sea witch.

[jackdaniel69nice]

Inktober 17/2024 “Demonic”

Yokai are just demons under another name so Kotengu tokoyami and his shadow buddy are here. I’m not completely finished with dark shadows design but I think they will be an Ōnyūdō of some sort.

[frowningfox]

pspspspsps can u tell us more about uncle jiba because i really like your art of him he's such a Guy

😭I thought nobody liked Uncle, I thought I scared everyone away with him being??? idk being very visibly disabled and also happening to not be particularly skinny. he's my least interacted with art

Lil mini pic of Uncle for people before I ramble

[BIG INHALE] Let's start with his NAME. Jiba comes from J'ba, an underelven masculine title for a close family figure with a mostly friendly relationship with the speaker. Often translated as "uncle" even though dairau(darkelves/drow) don't really keep track of blood relations like that.

The street urchin children, largely the disenfranchised and displaced people like those who would speak underelven, took a shining to him and dubbed him their J'ba. Which he then took as his name because he left his at home*. Add Uncle to the front of it and he's essentially going by "Uncle Uncle". Now WHY they took a shining to him.

He is a conman and trickster magician. (Mechanically in DnD he started out as Monk with the Charlatan background and a feat that gave him some tricks.) He regularly steals from people and will often share his spoils with the street kids.

*He ran away from home because well... he's running from the burden of being "the chosen one". Every so often someone from his species(the Corarenke,/Korinki) is born as an Avatar of their god, a fey Wind God named Kotengu. Jiba was ever so lucky to be born as this Avatar and he HATED it. All the expectation and decorum and everything about it, he hated it. That thing on his chest? Natural fur pattern, baby! A permanent natural tattoo reminding him of his chosen-ness.

He yearned for being just a Guy. So he ran away and left everything behind except for his crow familiar, who was yet another avatar of Kotengu, one meant to be his spiritual guide.

Now, at this point he still had his arms. Which were also wings. (Coraranke have feathered wing arms that fold up kind of like a pterodactyl's). The amputation was a later in life development and one he is still learning to adjust to. Coraranke wing arms are very important to their mobility and spirituality, he can still manipulate things with his monkey feet and tail so it is functionally a lot more like a real life double leg amputation than a real life double arm amputation.

But I supposed how he lost his arms is an important character moment.

So you know how I said he was a conman and a trickster? Well he uh. Conned the wrong person, a higher up in a very influential gang, a rookie mistake, but he was... unfamiliar with the city and its politics. They put one of their hitmen after him and when wrangled he begged, pleaded, and bargained for all he was worth, and the hitman settled for taking his wings as trophies in stead of his life, and leaving him to die.

Luckily Kotengu the Crow was not about to let his charge die in a back alley and croaked out some words to get a passerby to follow him down the not at all creepy dangerous alleyway(that man would not have survived a horror movie... following a talking crow into a back alley in gang violence central smh), and he was carted away to a local monastery that took care of his wounds, nursed him back to health and attempted to rehabilitate him.

He very much wants to steal from the monastery but is conflicted because they took such good care of him

[collapses into a heap of bones and dust]

[reanimates]

Oh also the character concept came about from a joke about "unarmed attacks" and I decided to take it Too Seriously and explore an amputation disability and its impacts on a hero's life in the world we play dnd in.

Okay bye

[returns to dust]

[shadowcrafter-28]

Blood warning

He just had a ball with some of his teammates...

Btw, an Oni that eats human flesh would take over his body instead of a female succubus

The onis Ive thought of was either ushi-ono, jikininki, kotengu

Sketch, flats, and reference

Check out these threads!

https://x.com/Shadow28Crafter/status/1807851091532603874?t=BkAkxT2GdvcFE2871ovMnQ&s=19

https://x.com/Shadow28Crafter/status/1811928062596132885?t=EWjOJtLvRof1kjfNM095tQ&s=19

[lostgalaxylee]

🧡TENGU ORANGE🧡

Tengu: Brooding

There are several types of tengu in Japanese lore. This ranger, specifically, takes aspects of the daitengu and kotengu (greater and lesser tengu, respectively). The silver crest on the top of the helmet is shaped as such to mimic the long nose that daitengu is depicted with, but with wing shapes to represent the bird-like appearance that kotengu have. Daitengu are solitary but intelligent, and their intelligence makes them formidable and terrible. They typically live on high secluded mountaintops.

Brooding Soldier:

Orange is new to being part of a group. He has been on his own for so long it’s hard for him to adjust to a team dynamic. Vulnerability makes him uncomfortable, and he likes to process his feelings on his own. Orange uses clever tricks to redirect the focus of discussion away from himself. He doesn't want to burden others with his baggage. His team tries to help him learn to unwind and let go of the tension he’s been carrying. He has a group of friends now, not just a team, a group that supports each other no matter what.

[sakurasorceress]

Spirit Overview: Tengu

The following information is my UPG based on folklore and personal experience.

This is a re-post from an old account. I have made mild edits from the original post.

Biology: 

Tengu have masks that appear very similar to those in folklore. The donning of such masks can also trigger things like the growth of talons replacing fingers, skin becoming more rigid, and their speed increasing, though these transformations are optional. To wear their mask is to show formality as well as a protective glamor.  

The coloration of the masks varies based on the landscape they’re in. Mountains with red clay earth will have tengu with red masks. Landscapes with richer earth may result in more brown hues. This is mainly due to the fact that local clay are used in creating the masks. Coloration and design are often unique to various clans, not unlike Scottish tartan patterns.

While predominantly found in mountains and forests, tengu can be found in many, often rural, environments, such as fields, plains, and even a Japanese garden. 

Outside of their masks, tengu spirits are humanoid, though they usually retain their wings.

“Okay Uzuki, but what about kotengu?”

Kotengu, which are often either young tengu or weaker in strength, retain more avian characteristics, like feathered arms and legs and even beaks. Kotengu can evolve into daitengu as they grow into themselves and gain strength both physically and magically. 

Energy: 

Tengu, like all yokai, have the same baseline yokai energy. However, as they are avian to some degree, it is lighter in density and airier than pure yokai energy. I would categorize tengu energy to be on the darker end of the spectrum but on the wispier side of density. 

Because of their Buddhist connections, many tengu seem to interact well with reiki, which cannot be said about most yokai. 

Personality: 

Tengu are predominantly a warrior race–though larger clans have a wider diversity of jobs and specializations. As such many are dutiful in their tasks and can be almost martial about how they go about doing things. They are very moral, though not in a human sense. They are protective of their clans and family, a danger to either will result in a swift end for the enemy. 

Life Cycle: 

Like many humanoid yokai, tengu reproduce sexually. Infants will be mostly humanoid but will begin to grow feathers and even talons as they become toddlers. Up until puberty, many tengu will retain the appearance of kotengu in folklore. During adolescence, many tengu begin military training and learn to harness their powers more firmly. While the lifespan of yokai is hard to pin down, it is not unheard of for an elder tengu to reach several thousand years of age. 

Children & Family: 

Tengu children are treated with a lot of care. Yokai do not reproduce often, I’ve noticed, though I haven’t fully discerned the reason why quite yet. Regardless, children are viewed as precious and are often cared for by the clan as a whole. Many female tengu will foster each other’s young as well as teach them academics and how to maintain the home. 

Tengu culture is somewhat patriarchal, as men are often leaders of clans. But much like in chess, the bride of the clan leader is just as powerful, if not more, than the clan leader himself. Tengu, like humans, range from strict patriarchal structures within their household to egalitarianism based on personal beliefs. 

Friendship & Courtship: 

Tengu make friends just like humans. And how deep those bonds go are up to the individual. Most friendships are within the clan though, as many tengu clans are isolated. In the case that there is interaction with other clans, they’re often diplomatic in nature.

In the same vein, views on romance and sex are quite varied and highly individualistic. I have noticed that many tengu seem to be generally open to relationships with those on either end of the gender spectrum. Many would consider themselves pan- or bisexual if asked. 

While a wedding ceremony is not required, mates often bond for life (or multiple lives), some choose to have one. These ceremonies are similar to traditional Japanese weddings and are often private affairs with immediate family only. Because of their loyalty to their partner(s) it isn’t unusual to see a widower never take on a new spouse. That being said, they choose do choose to find a new partner are rarely shunned. Because of past lives playing a role, while uncommon, polycules are not frowned upon.

Conflict: 

Conflict among individuals is generally frowned upon in tengu culture though the occasional family rivalry does pop up now and again. Because tengu live in a martial culture, sparring is a common pastime between friends and rivals alike. However, if a true conflict arises between two individuals, a higher-ranking tengu will often mediate to resolve the issue at hand.

Unless fighting with an enemy, sparring will only leave bruises and slight scratches. Maiming or intent to kill is heavily frowned upon between members of the same clan. To do so, or worse, can result in either exile or death for the perpetrator. Sparring is a means to gain experience, intent to harm will only lead to fewer soldiers able to fight if necessary.

“Okay Uzuki, but what about if I want to meet them? What should I know?”

Offerings:

Like many yokai, you can’t go wrong with a nice green tea or sake. A good general rule of thumb for offerings is to stick with more traditional foods and drink, e.g., sencha, genmaicha, and any sake that’s not flavored or involves fruit (except for maybe umeshu and yuzushu). As tengu typically live away from civilization (but not completely isolated from humans) they prefer to keep with the old ways of life when it comes to offerings. Foods such as rice, meats, fish, and traditional soups like miso soup are also preferred offerings for tengu.

Incenses like sandalwood, myrrh, and frankincense have worked well for me in the past. But food is the most preferred offering. 

While some may be open to more modern offerings like pop music, candy, soda, etc. It’s best to assume that they prefer more conservative, traditional foods and other offerings unless told otherwise. 

Etiquette:

When it comes to how you should interact with tengu. Generally, stay polite. Yokai don’t do wordplay in the same way as fae. If anything a lack of giving gratitude would be seen as disrespectful. Much like speaking with a superior or elder in Japanese culture, be formal with you introduce yourself. Bowing at 30 degrees or higher (as in bowing down lower and closer to 90 degrees) is probably best when first introducing yourself. Welcome them into your home and offer them your, well, offerings. 

Personally, I tell my guests to leave all weaponry at the metaphorical or literal door, but the details of if they are allowed to be armed in your presence are up to you. 

Overall, try not to be boisterous and loud and until they decline, continue to give them drink, especially if you have a pot of tea. If I had to attribute tengu to an anime archetype, it would be the traditional matriarch character. The one who is critical of sloppiness and missteps. This doesn’t mean that all tengu are like this, though higher ranking ones tend to be more “uptight” than lower ranked ones. 

Bonding Activities:

Should you befriend a tengu or find yourself a companion to one, a good way to bond is through sparring. Learning to fight in the astral is a good skill to have and sparring is practically a love language for tengu. 

Alongside martial arts, tengu hold artistic culture to be important as well. Instruments are treasured and beautiful works of poetry and story are highly regarded among the higher-ranked nobility of tengu clans. 

Many of the things that tengu excel in, stealth, fighting, strategy, protection magic (both offensive and defensive), and guardianship, to name a few, will be a good determiner of how you can bond with a tengu spirit. 

Specific ways of bonding will differ tengu to tengu, so one may be boisterous and enjoy spicy foods, listening to metal core, and watching horror movies while another may be more grounded and prefer listening to the rain, reading historical classic novels, and calligraphy.

All this to say, while the forms of bonding listed above is typically well received, more defined methods of bonding is highly individual.

Warning:

Though tengu are seen as a noble race of yokai, they are still capable of harm if they perceive your actions as disrespectful. Because of this, I highly recommend looking into Japanese etiquette as a whole before approaching one yourself. Along with this, yokai overall are not beginner friendly. Tengu may be some of the “tamer” races, but having prior experience with spirits is important when dealing with yokai, in my opinion.