Nbu T'ka is a tengu. He has spent most of his time living in the mountains of Tian Xia. Raised and trained by martially-oriented monks, rather than his own kind, he never quite fit in. His natural tendency was to look for the literal spirits rather than the 'enlightened' ones the monks kept talking about. His departure from the monastery was inevitable.
Nbu T'ka traveled long and far, all on foot. He avoids the sea as much as possible, being completely confused by the way ships stay afloat. He is not a luddite, but he has led a very insular life. And so, when the young occultist came to Absalom, he was completely overwhelmed. A group of Pathfinders found him and taught him the ways of the world. As one often does with his saviors, Nbu T'ka latched on and eventually joined the society. He was an avid student, drinking up all the Masters of Scrolls, Swords and Spells had to say - and showing equal aptitude at all three classes, something his colleagues were quite resentful of.
Still, Nbu T'ka is eager to prove himself as a Pathfinder and turn his new theoretical knowledge of the world into a practical one.
