The Centaurs of the Pridelands
The Centaurs are a proud people, steeped in centuries of traditions and credited with many innovations used throughout Kermoria, from democracy to water wheels. But there is so much more to their culture, and the multitudes of sub-cultures, especially deep within their homeland of the Pridelands.
Centuries ago, during the time of the Old World, long before the Draconic Age, the Centaurs were one people, albeit living amongst a multitude of tribes. Over the centuries, however, the ideology of their peoples split into three distinct factions, factions which still remain today.
The Cassini Centaurs consider themselves truest to their original faith and ideals; they remain a semi-nomadic, hunter/gatherer people, wholly devoted to their ancient religions and pantheon. They remain steadfast in their traditional ways, and though they do often trade with other centaur and even the northerners from the other side of Corik's Wall, they retain their tribal individualism.
Led by a warrior queen known as Liv Angersmeet, the Cassini Centaurs ferociously defend their lands, which extend far to the east from the Great Kingdom of Edeli and into the mesa and plateaus of the Eastern Badlands.
Though they retain a mostly nomadic lifestyle, the Cassini maintain a single, year-round city atop a mesa far to the east, overlooking a series of caverns, known as Bitterstone Bluff, where tribal leaders gather during important holidays and festivals to trade, mingle, and plan their guerilla strikes against their hated enemy, the Gnolls.
The Olahm-Ri centaurs are the only centaurs one could refer to as 'peaceful', and even they are a warlike band; though they practice a powerful (though complex) form of democracy amongst their people, they still make war, and often. Just like their cousins the Cassini, the Olahm-Ri have a blood debt against the Gnolls of the west; however, after the defeat of Lyras, local legends state that the elders of the Olahm-Ri took a sacred oath to protect the location of the Altar of Lanival, vowing to prevent the dark blade from ever being wielded, by anyone, ever again.
There is no true leader of the Olahm-Ri; many elders from all walks of life, from warriors to laborers and magical scholars, gather to debate, to create, and to think.
Many of the world's innovations are results of the Olahm-Ri's great thinkers, including the common merchant's abacus, modern parchment, and many of the more modern marble-cutting techniques for statuary and idols. Their capital city, Cambyses, features dozens of buildings with marble architecture, a sign of their mastery of the stone as an art form.
The unequivocal military powerhouse amongst the Centaur peoples, the Gorlok have a vibrant and proud tradition as warriors and priests, with a complex code of honorable conduct and a strict adherence to military regimen. The Gorlok are, without a doubt, the leading edge of the unified Centaur military complex, and the chief peoples involved in warfare with their hated enemy, the Gnolls.
The Gorlok are unique in their social and military structure, their laws configuring their society to maximize military proficiency at all costs, focusing all social institutions on military training and physical development. War is a business, and to the Gorlok, business is good. From a young age, every centaur takes part in a system known as 'agoge' [meaning 'to lead' in their native tongue, Sylvan], a system of cultivating loyalty to the clans through military training, pain tolerance, singing, dancing, hunting, and social education. Agoge teaches young centaurs literacy, military skills, and if so discovered, can hone their magical aptitudes towards the betterment of the clan.
Unlike the other centaur factions, who generally frown on slavery or widespread indentured servitude, the Gorlok see the possession of slaves as a status symbol; however, they do not enslave anyone unless they were captured or surrendered in battle. They find it dishonorable to take slaves simply by raiding villages, and will only enslave those who fought against them on the field, in whatever capacity the Gorlok consider a 'fair fight'; their code and system is convoluted and is only truly understood by those who have spent years learning it under the agoge system.
The Gorlok are constantly on the move, their military-based society continuously roving the countryside seeking combat with their blood enemy; however, they maintain a seat of central government (such as it is) within their fortified city of Lacuna, along the shores of the great lake known as the Mirror of the Sky.
Centuries ago, during the time of the Old World, long before the Draconic Age, the Centaurs were one people, albeit living amongst a multitude of tribes. Over the centuries, however, the ideology of their peoples split into three distinct factions, factions which still remain today.
Cassini
The Cassini Centaurs consider themselves truest to their original faith and ideals; they remain a semi-nomadic, hunter/gatherer people, wholly devoted to their ancient religions and pantheon. They remain steadfast in their traditional ways, and though they do often trade with other centaur and even the northerners from the other side of Corik's Wall, they retain their tribal individualism.
Led by a warrior queen known as Liv Angersmeet, the Cassini Centaurs ferociously defend their lands, which extend far to the east from the Great Kingdom of Edeli and into the mesa and plateaus of the Eastern Badlands.
Though they retain a mostly nomadic lifestyle, the Cassini maintain a single, year-round city atop a mesa far to the east, overlooking a series of caverns, known as Bitterstone Bluff, where tribal leaders gather during important holidays and festivals to trade, mingle, and plan their guerilla strikes against their hated enemy, the Gnolls.
Olahm-Ri
The Olahm-Ri centaurs are the only centaurs one could refer to as 'peaceful', and even they are a warlike band; though they practice a powerful (though complex) form of democracy amongst their people, they still make war, and often. Just like their cousins the Cassini, the Olahm-Ri have a blood debt against the Gnolls of the west; however, after the defeat of Lyras, local legends state that the elders of the Olahm-Ri took a sacred oath to protect the location of the Altar of Lanival, vowing to prevent the dark blade from ever being wielded, by anyone, ever again.
There is no true leader of the Olahm-Ri; many elders from all walks of life, from warriors to laborers and magical scholars, gather to debate, to create, and to think.
Many of the world's innovations are results of the Olahm-Ri's great thinkers, including the common merchant's abacus, modern parchment, and many of the more modern marble-cutting techniques for statuary and idols. Their capital city, Cambyses, features dozens of buildings with marble architecture, a sign of their mastery of the stone as an art form.
Gorlok
The unequivocal military powerhouse amongst the Centaur peoples, the Gorlok have a vibrant and proud tradition as warriors and priests, with a complex code of honorable conduct and a strict adherence to military regimen. The Gorlok are, without a doubt, the leading edge of the unified Centaur military complex, and the chief peoples involved in warfare with their hated enemy, the Gnolls.
The Gorlok are unique in their social and military structure, their laws configuring their society to maximize military proficiency at all costs, focusing all social institutions on military training and physical development. War is a business, and to the Gorlok, business is good. From a young age, every centaur takes part in a system known as 'agoge' [meaning 'to lead' in their native tongue, Sylvan], a system of cultivating loyalty to the clans through military training, pain tolerance, singing, dancing, hunting, and social education. Agoge teaches young centaurs literacy, military skills, and if so discovered, can hone their magical aptitudes towards the betterment of the clan.
Unlike the other centaur factions, who generally frown on slavery or widespread indentured servitude, the Gorlok see the possession of slaves as a status symbol; however, they do not enslave anyone unless they were captured or surrendered in battle. They find it dishonorable to take slaves simply by raiding villages, and will only enslave those who fought against them on the field, in whatever capacity the Gorlok consider a 'fair fight'; their code and system is convoluted and is only truly understood by those who have spent years learning it under the agoge system.
The Gorlok are constantly on the move, their military-based society continuously roving the countryside seeking combat with their blood enemy; however, they maintain a seat of central government (such as it is) within their fortified city of Lacuna, along the shores of the great lake known as the Mirror of the Sky.
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