This is a human-bird race that now lives entirely on Elfhome. They have three toes foreward and one back and lay eggs., Jin Wong is the Voice of the tengu because he has the mark of Providence and he has been trained to understand the dragon language. As a race, they are beholden to Tinker through Jin Wong.
Creation[]
The tengu were originally a small human tribe that wondered on to Onihida. This tribe worships a dragon named Providence. To free him from the oni, they fought but, in the end, they killed his body. As punishment, the oni genetically changed them; they combined the surviving members of the tribe with the crows that were eating the dead. It was a cruel fate for them to have the instinct to fly but not the wings. However, Providence gave them a spell tattoo that can create wings for them. The oni have also created tengu on Elfhome by taking normal human children and changing them.
Earth[]
As the oni discovered Earth, they took the tengu with them. When the gates were closed by the elves, the tengu were separated on planets; some were on Earth and some were on Onihida. They hid their crow-like feet and blended in with the humans. They had to have a strict breeding policy because of their limited genetic pool. The spell wings that they had could not be used on Earth because there was not enough magic. They made it their mission to get to Elfhome, where they might be able to live without fear. However, they were still connected with the oni on Earth. When Leonardo Dufae invented the bridge gate, the tengu wanted to work with the oni to get it built. When Dufae died, they did this.
Elfhome[]
The tengu started to go to Elfhome every Start Up. They also were some of the people on the spaceships being sent nowhere through the gate. One of these tengu was their leader and connection to Providence, Jin Wong. Eventually, all remaining tengu traveled to Elfhome to live in the trees surrounding Pittsburgh. Without their leader, Jin Wong, they turned to Riki Soji, his nephew. Riki’s cousin Joey was kidnapped by the oni and Riki was blackmailed to help kidnap Tinker. He later also kidnapped Pony as a whipping boy. After the gate was destroyed, Jin Wong returned to his people. He became the beholden of Tinker so his people would be safe on Elfhome. They often provide intel and military support to Tinker when needed.
Tengu
Arisu[]
Nestling encountered by Louise and Jillian at the American Museum of Natural History
Haruka Sessai[]
aka Crow Boy, aka Daffodil. Rescued from Ming's mansion by Jillian and Louise. Charged with escorting nestling to Elfhome.
Lee Yai Zhao[]
Nesting encountered by Louise and Jillian at the American Museum of Natural History
Miao[]
Baker in the Tengu Village
Shoji, Joey[]
- The youngest cousin of Riki. He was kidnapped by the oni and used as blackmail to Riki. Rescued from the Oni by Jane Kryskill. He met Tinker at the treehouse, soon after he had just got his wings.
Shoji, Keiko[]
- One of Riki's cousins. She is about thirteen years old. She meet Tinker in the treehouse.
Shoji, Mickey[]
- One of Riki's cousins. He is ten to eleven years old. He meets Tinker in the tree house.
Shoji, Riki[]
Tengu blackmailed into betraying Tinker to the Oni, nephew of Jin Wong. Has a Masters degree in Physics (he told Tinker).
Wong, Wai Sze (Gracie)[]
Jin Wong’s cousin, married to Tinker father, blames herself for his death. Was crew on Chinese colony ship.
Wong, Jin[]
Leader of the tengu, uncle to Riki Soji. Was a close friend of Tinker's father, as well as his college room-mate. Captain of the first Chinese interstellar colony ship. He can call by magic any or all Tengu.