Centaur
On the plains, in the forests, and across the steppes live creatures who blend humanoid and equine aspects. Centaurs are neither man nor beast, but occupy a strange niche in both the civilized and natural worlds. They are born with grace befitting a human king, but are possessed of the fierce savagery of a wild stallion. Centaurs are a scattered race, roaming in small clan groups from the Etharis Plains (where thier numbers are great) to the court of the Ostogan Empire , whom several serve as personal guards. but they also have a reputation for banditry and bullying, and most cultures consider them dangerous.
Centaurs are largely a nomadic people. Their archery is excellent and their healing arts are well advanced. Because they have little interest in magic or in writing, other cultures sometimes disregard centaurs, but they do so at their peril. Large centaur hordes have smashed baronies and even nations flat.
Raiding and Banditry
Upon reaching the age of majority, all young adult centaurs embark on their "bandit years," a practice designed to siphon off those who are particularly troublesome and give some experience to more agreeable colts and fillies. These young centaurs run free, away from the clan groups, to exorcise their aggression and immaturity. At the end of this period, they can choose to remain outside their clan or horde, or they can return with the understanding that they have tamed their wild ways--at least to the degree that's acceptable to centaur society. Most young adults choose to return after their bandit years, though the occasional centaur leaves the horde permanently out of curiousity, romance with another race, or any number of other factors. Young centaurs of the same age go on their bandit years together, with instructionis from the clan chief about when they'll be allowed to return. Centaurs believe in personal property, but they also believe that a person who claims to own something should be strong enough to defend it. They never steal from their clan, but anyone else is fair game. Shipments or supplies of grain and alcohol are their favorite targets. During a raid, centaurs take advantage of their speed, maneuverability, and skill in archery. They use diversions to draw defenders away from targets, or use heavy volumes of arrows to keep them pinned down. The bandit years are the time when centaurs drink most heavily. Within the clan, celebrations can be shockingly raucous, but everyday life is not. During the bandit years, however, young centaurs are drunk more often than not. This constant inebriation fuels more raids, fights, and reckless behavior. The bandit years are also the time when centaurs are most liekly to take up a life of adventuring, even if only for a little while. many centaurs spend their bandit years not strictly as bandits but as wanderers and adventurers, eventually returning to their clans with loot and stories.Basic Information
Biological Traits
Charge. If you move at least 30 feet straight toward a target and then hit it with a melee weapon attack on the same turn, you can immediately follow that attack with a bonus action, making one attack against the target with your hooves. If the Charging attack was made with a pike, the target takes an additional 1d6 piercing damage. The number of extra damage dice increases by one at 6th level (2d6) and again at 11th level (3d6). You can apply this extra damage only once per turn. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum 1), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Equine Build. You count as one size larger when determined your carrying capacity and the weight you can push or drag.
In addition, any climb that requires hands and feet is especially difficult for you because of your equine legs. When you make such a climb, each foot of movement costs you 4 extra feet instead of the normal 1 extra foot.
Hooves. You have hooves that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Natural Affinity. Your fey connection to nature gives you an intuitive connection to teh natural world and the animals within it. you therefore have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Medicine, Nature, or Survival.
Centaur Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the pike and the longbow.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Centaurs' given names are passed down throough family lines. The name bestowed on a new foal is typically the name of the most recently deceased family member of the same gender, keeping alive the memory--and, the centaurs believe, some shard of the spirit--of the departed. Centaurs don't use family names, but they wear symbols that represent their family membership. These symbols might include graphical representations of plants or animals, printed mottoes, braids and beads worn in the hair and tail, or even specific patterns of woven fabric.
Males Names: Bonmod, Boruvo, Chodi, Drozan, Kozim, Miosh, Ninos, Oleski, Orval, ravodas, Radom, Rostics, Svetyos, Tomis, Trijiro, Volim, Vlodim, Yarog.
Female Names: Daiva, Dunja, Elnaya, Galisnya, Irinya, Kotyali, Lalya, Litisa, Madya, Mira, Medja, Nikya, Ostani, Pinya, Rada, Raisya, Stasolya, Tatna, Zhendoya, Zoria
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