Kardus wore his black hair as any Elf, and woven into it were a number of charms and ornaments. He carried more such charms on his necklace, and others upon the broad belt that lay upon his hips. Some of them were bespelled- gifts from other Wildmages- since if Kardus could not cast spells of his own, that certainly did not keep him from taking advantage of the magic others gave him. His horselike body- for the Centaurs only closely resembled horses, being actually smaller and stockier- was as black as his hair, and he had three white feet, a pattern Kellen had not seen in any other Centaur. -- Mercedes Lackey, When Darkness Falls
Centaur come in many different forms, and live in many
different places- from secluded forests and great mountains,
to the wide open grasslands, their connection with the
natural world, and their bodies that so perfectly blend the
mortal with the animal are probably their greatest single
unifying traits. The Centaur Tribes hold respect for one’s self,
one’s people, and for the natural world to be most the most
important things in life.
Strong and Wise
A Centaur is physically defined by an almost perfect blend of
beastly and humanoid traits. They have well-muscled bodies,
and even the lithest among them having a certain supple
strength. Mentally they are as intelligent as any other mortal
race, with an intution and a sense for animals that far
surpasses their more human counterparts.
A Tribal People
Regardless of type, Centaur communities take two forms– the
first is traditionally known as the herd: roving tribes of
Centaur following their food sources and staying ahead of
their enemies. The other is distinctly modern: mixed rural
communities of Centaur and others whom work hand in hand
to protect and sustain their existences. In either case,
Centaur hold loyalty to the community as high in their esteem
and will certainly fight to preserve the safety of their herd,
whether that herd is the tribe, the village, or a company of
adventurers.
Centaur are usually serious and hardworking with a
typically stern disposition, but that isn’t to suggest that they
are always morose, the typical Centaur loves to celebrate the
culmination of their labors with good food and drink, laughter
amongst friends, and dancing. Festivals punctuating the
Autumn and Spring are the typical causes for such
celebration.
Centaur respond to danger with courage and boldness,
putting the safety of the herd before their own. Amidst the
weapons used by Centaur Warriors, hafted weapons like
spears and axes are particularly beloved. Other Centaur
choose to protect their communities with powerful druidic
magicks and most Centaur communities are led or advised by
some variety of druidic shaman.
Wary of Outsiders
Centaur communities, whether they be mixed race or purely
Centaur, are typically deeply suspicious of outsiders. Those
from outside the herd are seen as potential dangers, and are
unlikely to be trusted. For this reason, most such
communities will be loath to ask for outside help, even as
problems present themselves as being too large to handle on
their own– adventurers may have to prove themselves many
times over before they are given the trust of the herd.
Once the trust of the herd has been achieved however,
there are few more loyal allies. Centaur make loyal
companions, and tend to make friends for life- viewing life as
a series of hardships to be overcome by strong bonds of
family and friendship.
Centaur Names
Centaur favor names that favor a hard consonant in every
syllable. For surnames they tend to identify themselves as a
member of a regional herd, more than individual families- as
a result such a name can change over the course of their life
as their herd itself might change.
Male Names: Kardus, Tinskell, Sarm, Seltari, Burdock.
Female Names: Selva, Kori, Helgra, Valtora, Chamri.
Herd Names: Herd of the Great Forest, Herd of the River
Plains, Herd of the Western Pass.
Centaur traits
Your Centaur has a variety of natural abilities, the result of
their unique physicality and culture.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by
2.
Age. Centaur typically live around the same length as
humans, living to about 80 normally, with some living to be
nearly 110 years of age.
Alignment. Centaurs are ultimately social creatures whom
value group cohesion about all else, they tend toward lawful
alignments, and have a propensity for neutrality- the
wellbeing of their own clan being their primary motivation.
Natural Cavalry. You may serve as a mount for a single
creature your size or smaller, when you do so you always act
independently of your rider. You also count as mounted at all
times for the purposes of equipment, and any creature you
carry in this way counts as half their normal weight for the
purpose of determining whether or not you are encumbered.
Centaur Weapons Training. You have proficiency with the
lance, spear, battleaxe, and shortbow.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and
one extra language of your choice. Centaur are well traveled,
and depending on what other peoples your herd regularly
deals with, you might be versed in tongues such as Elvish,
Dwarvish, or Sylvan.
Subrace. Centaurs are a race deeply in tune with the
natural world, and while all Centaurs share certain common traits, as well as a deep and abiding love for their Herd-different lands have given rise to different breeds of Centaur:
equine centaur, cervine centaur, and asinine centaur. Choose one of these subraces for you Centaur character.
Equine Centaur
As an Equine Centaur you are the strongest amongst the
centaur and possess rippling muscles unmatched by any
other type of Centaur. Equine Centaur are known for their
stern and capable warriors, soldiers fully capable of fighting
even the most terrifying threats and overwhelming them with
their incredible power. They tend to live in northern forests,
where they pit their strength against the harsh conditions of
the savage wilderness.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by
1.
Size. Your Size is Medium.
Charge. If you move at least 30 feet straight toward a
target and then hit it with a melee weapon attack, you can
choose to make the attack with advantage.
Heavy. You have disadvantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics)
and Strength (Athletics)checks made to climb.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 40 feet.
Cervine Centaur
As a Cervine Centaur, life for your Herd is intimately tied to a
mystical understanding of the natural world. The most
prolific magic users among the different Breeds of Centaur,
they possess keen minds and the slender, agile bodies of
Deer. Each Cervine Herd is led by a small cabal of druids
whom guide their people wisely. Cervine Herds tend to live
primarily in temperate forests, and communicate mostly with
Elves and Fey.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by
1.
Size. Your size is Medium.
Mystical Culture. As a Cervine Centaur, you have a natural
talent for magic. You know the Druidcraft Cantrip. Wisdom is
your spellcasting ability for it.
Darkvision. Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky,
you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can
see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light,
and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color
in darkness, only shades of gray.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 40 feet.
Asinine Centaur
As an Asinine Centaur, you are the toughest Centaur breed.
Smaller than your Equine or Cervine cousins your Herd lives
picking its way through mountain passes and other high
places. Regardless of conditions, the tough donkey-like bodies
of Asinine Centaur are ready to endure and adapt, and Herds
of Asinine have been known to range the same mountains for
generations, stubbornly clinging to the land regardless of
whatever might threaten them.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases
by 1.
Size. Your size is Small.
Stubborn. You have advantage on saving throws against
being charmed.
Toughness. Your hit point maximum also increases by 1
and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when
determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can
push, drag, or lift.
Sure-Footed. You ignore non-magical difficult terrain.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.