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View Full Version : Understanding Tengu Psychology vis-a-vis Talon and the Luxon?


The Experimentor
15-04-2006, 06:37
Here's a weird thought to nibble on:

One of the strangest but most appreciated features of Factions (or the FPE) was the ability to hire a tengu henhman: Talon Silverwing. Tengu are almost universally hated as monster adversaries in the game, given how effective they are as monsters. But to be able to have one fight by your side- I think there's little that captures that experience except "sheer pleasure".

Anyway, Talon is actually a Luxon henchman, replaced or unavailable for the Kurzicks. To go deeper into the FPE with him, you had to fight for the Luxons.

Here's the thing: the Luxons preach Strength as the only virtue worth having. The Strong take what they want when they like. Luxon society is a form of meritocracy where respect is based on martial prowess and ability.

Is that why they have a tengu warrior fighting for them?

In the first place, it makes you wonder how a tengu can even side or work for humans. Is Talon actually some sort of outcast or renegade? What circumstance would get a tengu, scourge of places like Kryta and the Souther Shiverpeaks, to ally himself with what are traditional enemies?

But whether or not he's outside of tengu society somehow, I wonder if the Luxon philosophy and culture is what got him to side with them?

Perhaps the tengu actually have a similar psychology, a society based on strength and power, a meritocracy where you're entitled to grab what you want if you can when you can?

This would explain why they would be natural enemies for Ascalons, Deldrimors and Krytans, who don't share a similar psychology and culture, and who often serve as their targets for raids or for looting.

Zaxares
15-04-2006, 13:13
Reports from those who attended the Factions Backstage Event say that Talon Silverwing is actually an instructor at the Shing Jea Monastery. Why he comes to join the Luxons is unknown; perhaps he's been sent to help broker peace between the Luxons and Kurzicks by Master Togo just as Mhenlo and his friends were sent to the Kurzicks. We'll no doubt find out first-hand once Factions is released.

halfthought
15-04-2006, 15:46
I always thought that some occurence would make them hate each other in tyria, but in cantha, it would have never happened and they would still be allied

Quintus Antonius
15-04-2006, 17:52
What does Tyria have in its past that Cantha doesn't?

The First and Second Magic Wars

Remember, at one time, Charr, Centaur, Human, Forgotten, and Tengu were all at peace, until the Old Gods gifted the races with magic. The Forgotten retreated to the Desert, and the humans were almost wiped out. King Doric saved the world with his plea to the gods at Arah, and the Bloodstones were created.

Peace prevailed again, until Hell's Precipice erupted, spewing the Bloodstones across Tyria (whether that is the continent or the planet is unknown at this time, as two or three Bloodstones are unaccounted for). War broke out once again.

If I had to guess, I'd say the division in the races happened sometime during those two wars. Humans in Tyria seemed to be very imperialistic, while humans in Cantha seem to live more at harmony with nature. So I'd agree with those people who say the Tengu and humans are not natural enemies, but had some sort of scism in their past.