Government
The clan is led by a chieftain, the chieftains are known as khans.
Culture
The centaur clan has a profound connection to the land, preserving their traditions, and those who seek to assist them can earn their trust.
The Lapiths centaur are a society of hunters, nomads, and storytellers. They are a proud and territorial people who do not suffer insult lightly. Each season, a celebration known a the Kural is held, a
Time of discussion during which they share stories.
Renowned across distant lands, the centaurs are famed for their skill in crafting drums, an art they have refined over generations.
The Khural
The Khural, a seasonal celebration of the Lapiths clan, takes place at the heart of
Ysera's Plains. This event is a joyous occasion that involves both revelry and discourse, providing an opportunity to exchange stories. The festivities extend over several days.
The Khural is not solely a celebration for the living members of the Lapiths clan, but also an homage to their departed ancestors who have become one with Ysera and the natural world. However, due to Draconium's relocation to the Beastlands, they are now unable to commune with the spirits of their ancestors or with nature itself.
Cuisine
The Lapiths mainly eat game meat from the various wildlife of the Ysera's Plains. They also eat fish and sweets. Centaur prefer their meat and fish roasted to the point of being charred black and drenched in so much spice that it numbs the tongue.
Religion
The Lapiths worship Ysera, the
Dragon god of nature. She originally guided the Lapiths ancestors to Upper Draconium during the
War of the Ancients, and has watched over them ever since.
The Lapiths believe that the spirits of dead centaur live with Ysera and run alongside her when she fly on the winds above draconium. The ancestors always walk beside their living descendants, guiding and protecting them, to the point where the Khural is considered a gathering for not only the living, but the dead as well.
Lapiths tales are handed down through the generations through storytellers, a sacred role rooted in tradition. They tell these stories to pay respect to the ancestors and remind themselves of what's important.
Their deceased are laid to rest in subterranean chambers known as kurgans.
Marriage
The Lapiths practice betrothal. Tradition suggests that the centaur making the proposal should gift sweets to their intended partner's family. These sweets are then shared with the rest of the clan. Tradition also dictates that the proposer should receive a blessing from both their own and their intended partner's family before they make their proposal.
Names
Lapiths’ given names are passed down through 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. Lapiths 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.
Male Names: Bonmod, Boruvo, Chodi, Drozan, Kozim, Milosh, Ninos, Oleksi, Orval, Radovas, Radom, Rostis, Svetyos, Tomis, Trijiro, Volim, Vlodim, Yarog
Female Names: Daiva, Dunja, Elnaya, Galisnya, Irinya, Kotyali, Lalya, Litisia, Madya, Mira, Nedja, Nikya, Ostani, Pinya, Rada, Raisya, Stasolya, Tatna, Zhendoya, Zoria
History
During the War of the Ancients, a group of centaurs joined the elves in the Prime Material Realm to provide assistance. In recognition of their efforts, they were blessed by the dragon god of nature, Ysera. Guided by her, they journeyed north to the realm of the dragons, Draconium, where they found sanctuary and tranquility. This island has been their home ever since. When the island transitioned into a layer of the Beastlands following the
Draco-Giant War, the centaurs chose to remain in what had become their ancestral land.
Over the years, the centaur clan experienced changes, rise, and decline, yet they managed to maintain a relative state of peace among themselves and fostered harmonious relations with the dragons. This legacy endures to the present day.
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