Centaur
Non-Playable Sophont
Equine Travelers
The Centaurs are a proud and naturally nomadic people who claim to originate from the treacherous lands of Sío'Fiachus, far across the Endless Ocean. Though many Beastfolk lived on Solith before their arrival, it was the Centaurs natural leadership and authoritarian traditions that united them under a single banner. Together they were able to fight back man's advances into Haven and preserved their races through the War of Blade & Claw.
Despite their exalted status among the Beastfolk, the Centaurs have all but abandoned Solith in the wake of their gods reappearance within the heart of the Blistered Expanse. When their most ancient god returned to Haven and beckoned their people home to Sío'Fiachus, only a single Centaur clan remained behind to guard the doorway to Venerus through which vital trade now flows.
Recent rumors circulating through Haven whisper that the Centaurs do not come from across the Endless Ocean but in fact from another world entirely. Venerus, the Realm of the Hunt, is believed by some scholars to be the true homeland of the Centaurs.
Centaur History
The Centaurs first arrived on Solith upon the once lush fields of the Blistered Expanse before it became the scorched wasteland of today. Here their gods assured the Centaur's survival, sacrificing some among them to bless the land and breathe new life into the original Tuathan Seed of Life. The First Men had yet to reach the shores of plenty, and because of this, only the Saheel were more than simple primitives and uncivilized natives. The roots of the Centaurs sunk deep into this new land, and they quickly rose to prominence among its native inhabitants. They would live in this relative peace until the First Men landed upon the continent.
When the First Men came ashore in the Jagged Expanse, the war between the bestial natives and the invading humans was inevitable. Without the unifying banner of the Centaurs, the disorganized Beastfolk would have undoubtedly faced utter annihilation before the crusading First Men knights. The War of Blade & Claw would last over two generations, and its wounds would go on to fester over a millennia later. The few Centaurs that remain on Haven today may have made peace and forgiven Humanity for their many atrocities, but none would ever forget. The war claimed countless Beastfolk lives and brought many to the brink of extinction, even resulted in the expulsion of the Centaur gods from the continent.
After the shattering of the Govveneth Stone, the Centaurs fractured as they mourned their fallen deities, and some would even splinter to travel north seeking greener pastures. As if to add insult to injury, when The Fall saw Lady Death plummet from the heavens, she scorched the once lush fields the Centaurs had come to settle. As countless Centaurs perished in that searing wave of pain and anguish, it gave birth to fervent resolve among surviving kin to end the Unfallen plague. They became instrumental in the confinement of the colossal hordes that coalesced in Death's Cradle and even more so in the eradication of the swarms that appeared in the unprepared civilized lands. Their efforts allowed safe-havens like Shardholm and Verdant to thrive despite the newfound plague as Centaurs taught and developed countermeasures to their new enemy. Upon Lady Death's return, Oryn Runescar reunited the broken shards of the Govveneth Stone. Thus returning the Centaur gods to Haven and creating a gateway to their homeland. Believing Haven to be a lost cause, the Centaur clans returned to their home at the summons of Gia Fear'eich. At the same time, those who remained chose either to serve as the elite guard protecting the way to Sío'Fiachus or to forsake their people.
General Information
Lifespan
60 to 100 years old, maturing at the age of 12.
Average Height
6 to 7 feet tall.
Average Weight
1,500 to 1,800 pounds.
Average Length
From 7 to 8 feet long.
Related Ethnicities
Naming Schemes
Centaurs pass down their given names through the generations, each typically taken from the most recently departed family member of the same gender. These names are bestowed on new foals to keep alive the memory of the dead and perhaps even their spirit. Centaurs oddly don't use family names, but rather wear symbols that represent their familial, clan, or herd loyalties. These symbols might include representations of plants or animals, printed mottoes, elaborate braids in their hair, interwoven beads, or even patterned fabrics draped over their equine halves.
Sylvan
Sylvan is the native tongue of the Centaur.
Description
Centaurs, unlike other Beastfolk, do not appear as humanoid animals but as strange elven-equine hybrids. They have the upper body of a humanoid, bearing a striking resemblance to the Briar Elves with their pointed ears and slender bodies. Meanwhile, below the waist, they have the powerful equine bodies of horses complete with sleek fur coats and muscular flanks. They tower an impressive six to seven feet tall and are just as long as they are tall, requiring special care to fit in the dwelling of other sophontic races.
Their fur coats come in a wide variety of colors and hues with denser, woolier coats being more common among the centaur that settled in the northern Moorwald. Along with this, Centaurs decorate their upper bodies in wraps of fabric, hanging jewels and hunting trophies as a means of communicating achievement and heritage. The subtle clues offered by all these many factors can be used by Centaurs and other Beastfolk to establish much an individual's life, experience, and loyalties.
Remained Behind
When creating a Centaur, remember that you represent a very small percentage of Centaurs that decided to remain on Solith. Whether you chose to ignore the call of your gods and your people's will or you now serve as a protector of the path home, you live in the shadow left behind. Many Beastfolk spurn the Centaurs for abandoning them while others celebrate their exodus. Why did you remain behind when so many others left?
Society
Despite the nomadic culture that the Centaurs boast of, they have not spread far since their original landing on Haven. They disseminated into the Verdant Expanse well but the only other large population of Centaurs can be found in the Highwald Expanse of frozen Moorwald. The centaurs of the Verdant Expanse were governed by The Six Clans for generations before Gia Fear'eich returned and beckoned them back to their homeland. Now, only a single clan remains in Haven formed from the most elite among Clans Magol, Faroth, and Gerthas; this new Clan Marothas guards the gateway home. As a people, the Marothas Centaurs care little for the meddling of politics or the religions of others preferring to keep to themselves when possible.
Meanwhile, the Centaurs separated from their kin in northern Highwald Expanse turned their back on their clan structures and instead now hunt across the highlands in large communal herds. These Highwald Centaurs rely on these tight-knit communities for their continued survival, and their herds normally stand fifteen to twenty strong and claim large portions of the Highwald Expanse as their own. However, Herds rarely fight as it is taboo to hunt in another Herd's range. Over the ages, these Centaurs have mastered falconry like no species before them and worship the great Wald Rocs that hunt the same windy forests. They remain unaware of the call to return to Sío'Fiachus and have yet to learn of the portal to their ancient homeland.
The Final Clan
Among the Marothas Centaurs, there is no higher honor than protecting their people's vital gateway to Sío'Fiachus on Solith. This single tribal clan is lead by an Elder selected from among the original three bloodlines who has the final say in all clan matters. Each of these clan bloodlines is allowed to rule for exactly six years before willingly relinquishing power to the next clan in the cycle.
by Wired
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