Centauri

The Centauri are many things. But above all, they're survivors.

— Skyfarer Thrynea Galell

The Centauri are the descendants of the first settlers to arrive in the expanse of the Shadow Shard two hundred years before the Final War. Hardy and determined, they established settlements along the island asteroid chain. Those colonies formed crucial port-of-calls for lightning ships travelling between Illuria, Evermist and other locations in the Worldspace.

They are a stern, direct people. This is a result of generations living in the Eternal Twilight and its lethal dangers that surround their island asteroid chain. Some rumors suggest they are a cruel folk, but that is just a myth. The Centauri are simply blunt and direct in their conversations, which can be disconcerting for visitors first meeting them. While they can be stubborn about holding a grudge, the Centauri are just as stubborn when holding onto friendships, family, and alliances.

Natural Navigators

Determination isn't all they have going for them. The Centauri have a little something extra...

— Kalas Pascal

Their island asteroid chain comes with many challenges. The magic-irradiated dark matter blast at the end of the Final War battered the region. Dark Horde invaders left a fair share of pollution and the corrupting Blight behind. Then there are the persistent background magics emanating from the surrounding Shadow Shard itself that encompasses the Centauri Belt.

This combination of mystical energies and lethal hazards has contributed to the Centauri developing a 'natural navigation' or a 'sixth sense' to find a successful route through inhospitable or rough areas. But it isn't a mystical sense, a skill the Centauri developed at 'reading' a region. This allows them to get a sense of magnetic north, solar winds, mana flow, and other small natural details that hint at nearby hazards.

hough living in a magic battered wasteland like the Centauri Belt has had other effects. The Centauri have a higher than normal instance of members born with innate magical 'gifts', such as creating orbs of luminous plasma or being able to see through pitch dark as if its daylight.

— Skyfarer Thrynea Galell

Society

Centauri society is made up of groups of families called 'Pacts'. Their organization and operation are like a window into the past of how trade guilds or 'houses' functioned centuries ago. But unlike a guild house, it isn't one family in control. Instead, it's a collection of families working together for a common goal for mutual survival.

This could be mining with subsequent crafting, gadgeteering, and smithing work that could be traded to other Pacts. It could also be expertise in underground agriculture. It's common for many Pacts to have more than one 'guild product'. Because of the small number of Pacts, competition can become intense with each Pact jealously guarding ‘family recipies’ used to make their particular trade goods. These trade goods are sold in Centauri Belt markets and to the few merchant ships that have begun to arrive from Illuria, Mandrake and elsewhere.

Most Pact name are derived from locations, often ancient ones that may no longer exist. The prefix of 'Dra' is an ancient term meaning 'for the honor of'.

Common Pact Houses

Pact Dra'Vindar, Pact Dra'Illistyn, Pact Dra'Rakas, Pact Dra'Kesis

Contents

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Alternate Name

Belters

Related Locations

• Centauri Belt
• Shadow Shard

Demographics

The Centauri are not as large a group as other cultures, but what they lack in numbers, they make up for in diversity.

Human (22%)

Rel’sidhe (18%)

Seraii (16%)

Dwarf (15%)

Elf (14%)

Synthroid (12%)

Other (3%)

Customs of the Centauri

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Names and Naming

Centauri names are a mixture of their ancestors that immigrated to the Belt. Influences from Vinland, Ice Reach, Nirnoth Mountains and elsewhere have become mixed over time to produce what is now common Centauri names.

Most Centauri names are similar to many other places. The only exception is that most family names contain the affix of 'Vas' which is an ancient Illurian term from the Cove region that means 'from the' or 'of the'.

Examples

Liam Mal Canin

Yasha Mal Duarte

Common Family Names

Duarte, Canin, Ramrild, Bastos, Serd, Breth

Common Female Names

Yasha, Lena, Thuri, Dren, Bianca

Common Male Names

Brig, Liam, Ian, Donovan, Rian

Language

In contrast to their mannerisms and dress, the Centauri language of Siripeth has a soft, almost musical sound. It has many root elements that are found in the Highland language of G'Pir Puree. Some scholars wonder if the Centauri language is a distant cousin.

They also have a sign language, called Dininpe. This developed out of necessity as some of the more dangerous wildlife among the island asteroid chain react to sound. A Stoneborer Wyrm is at the top of that list.

Stoneborers will occupy asteroid colony ruins, especially those with mines. The creature has poor eyesight but makes up for it by sensing prey through vibrations and hearing. There are other dangers in the less settled or Blight infested areas of the Centauri Belt. When in those regions, the Centauri almost only ever use their sign language to communicate with each other.

Clothing

Centauri clothing is woven from the local grown linens and wool sheared from domesticated four-horn rhinoceros. Leather comes from processed tunnel lurker or stoneborer hide, both of which are in abundance in the island asteroid chain.

Vests styled in the fashion of the old 'tinker vest' with dozens of pockets is common. So are boots with gaiters to protect the wearer against sharp rocks in the mines or ruins in the Belt. They also provide protection against Blight infested areas.

Material colors tend toward browns, greens, black and grays because of the available mineral pigments they have available. Purple and red are available when crops of the tough beetlewood mushrooms trees can be safely harvested in the late spring.

Aside from the vests, the overall style of Centauri clothes can be considered a page out of history. They have been isolated for so long, the main clothing styles originate from old Coalition of Worlds duty or work uniforms. Many refer to the style as ‘Old Coalition’.

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In many small ways they are a page out of history. Their culture grew up in this floating wasteland but has a deep mix of pre-Final War Coalition cultures that vanished 800 years ago.

— Skyfarer Thrynea Galell