Centaur (Cen-tar)
Sometimes referred to as ghunʻir or qukas-fil, a centaur is a large beastman with the lower half of a horse and the upper half of a Human. Centaurs are a suspicious, nomadic, and wild race, preferring the open field to an enclosed city, and while slow to trust, are quick to help those who earn it.
Basic Information
Anatomy
A centaur has the lower half of a equine animal, generally a common horse. This grants them four legs in addition to their human arms and torso. While most resemble a common wild horse, some tribes have the lower parts of more exotic creatures. The major known variants are the camel-like Dromtaurs, who dwell in the Skretir Desert instead of the Eletheron Plains, the asinine Onotaurs, who are known troublemakers and are always the ones to start a centaurian revel, the elusive Servitaurs, who have deer, elk, or moose-like qualities and are the most reclusive of centaurs, the kind and nurturing Surtaurs, who resemble bovines, and often are found working as medics or chefs, and the artistic Zentaurs, who have zebra-like patterns that are constantly changing.
Genetics and Reproduction
Centaur pregnancies are extraordinarily difficult, with gestation periods lasting an average 16 months, just shy of two years. Centaur mothers must be extremely careful during this time, as quick movements can damage either half of the child and cause birth defects. Most expecting mothers remain relatively stationary during this time, relying on the members of its herd to help defend and provide for her.
Growth Rate & Stages
A centaur youth reaches adulthood at the age of 15, until then it is referred to as either a colt or a filly, depending on its gender.
Ecology and Habitats
Most centaurs prefer flat areas, such as open fields and plains, as rocky and uneven ground can easily cause the centaur to fall and injure themselves.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Centaurs have just a diverse menu as humans, but must consume almost double the amount to function properly. A centaur would never eat any form of equine meat.
Biological Cycle
Being nomadic, centaurs travel westward towards the slightly warmer side of the plains in the winter, and back eastward in the summer.
Additional Information
Social Structure
The dominant male of a tribe is known as the stallion. It leads the tribe along with the oldest female, and all of age females are considered part of his harem, with the other males competing for access to females. Despite a hierarchy, most centaurs tribes are close-knit, and often act on democratic councils rather than the dominant pair making all decisions.
Centaurs are tribal and nomadic in nature, rarely setting up permanent settlements on the fields that they run upon
Uses, Products & Exploitation
A centaurs ability to combine a horses power with a man's ingenuity makes them a prime target for slavers, and thus are often hunted by Hobgoblins and Gnolls.
Facial characteristics
The upper half of a centaur resembles a humans, and thus can be just as diverse, but certain traits manifest more commonly in specific tribes.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
A vast majority of centaurs can be found wandering the Elethrone Plains, but more exotic breeds can be found in remote parts of the world.
Average Intelligence
Centaurs are wise in the ways they have learned, but place little value on learning things outside what they need to survive in their community, and often shun those who bring in new ideas.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Unlike most beastmen, a centaur has no special sensory capabilities, instead relying on its human-like senses and its vast speed to escape danger.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Many centaurs ride alongside wild horses, and view them as close friends. They don't often use them for labor, instead preferring to do such work themselves, but do understand that other races can't navigate as quickly as they do, and accept that most use horses as a proffered method of travel. If they witness a horse being mistreated, they always will attempt to liberate it, and they consider certain riding gear, like spurs and invasive bits, to be inhumane torture implements, and will always execute anyone they find riding through their territories with such gear.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Centaurs refer to themselves as qukas-fil which translates to "wild racer."
Beauty Ideals
A centaur often focuses more on their equine half, braiding their manes or decorating their tails. Both male and female centaurs enjoy growing their hair out long, so that it may sway in the wind while they run. They often braid their hair in elaborate patterns for formal occasions or before battle.
Gender Ideals
Male centaurs are seen as guardians, warriors, and protectors, while females are seen as teachers, mentors, and guides.
Courtship Ideals
Males complete with each other by having large scale races to win the favor of females. The winner of the largest of these takes over as the tribes stallion, having access to every female. The other males are then given access to the females based on their placing in the race.
Average Technological Level
Due to their nomadic nature and rejection of new ideas, centaurs have little in the way of technology, preferring a simple life of running through fields and living off the land.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Most centaurs speak Ard Common as their primary language, but many can be found speaking Alkan, Elven, Giant, Orcish, Sylvan, or Terran.
Common Etiquette Rules
It is considered rude for a two-leger to ask to ride on a centaurs back, and a centaur allowing one to ride on its back willingly is a sign that the centaur holds that person in upmost respects.
Common Dress Code
Due to their large stature, clothing is more of a hinderance for the centaur. Their constant movement and temperate climate keep them plenty warm, and clothing and armor must be specially tailored to fit them. Thus, most centaurs only wear elaborate headdresses made from animal skulls to express themselves.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Races are a common pastime for centaurs, who love to challenge each other and test their speeds. This extends to other tribes, and various tribes will meet up during different times of the year to trade, exchange stories, and partake in revelries. Centaur parties are known for their rambunctiousness, and those who are invited are often praised just being able to survive one.
Common Taboos
Allowing an outsider to access the tribe without permission is an action punishable by banishment in centaur law.
Common Myths and Legends
A majority of centaurs worship Hisaluu, the racer, their Primal Beastman. It is believed that when mortal life was young and the Alpha still roamed the realms, it would often run with the animals who gathered around it. When a human saw these majestic creatures, they wished to join, but could not keep up with the divine and its beasts. It is said that they petitioned Yea for help, who carved from stone a great beast capable of traveling swiftly and who held incredible stamina. With Yeas creation, the human was able to finally ride with the Alpha, and soon the Alpha took notice, and a race began. After running for days, the human found that all of the other beasts had been left behind, and only them and the Alpha remained. Determined, the rider pressed on, and the race lasted an entire year, in which the human and its mount finally claimed victory. The Alpha's labored breath fell upon the two, and they saw that they had become combined, and thus Hisaluu was born. The Alpha, impressed with Yeas' work, beset him to carve more, and breathed life into them as well, populating the world with the first equines.
Many centaurs also have a healthy respect for Tathallion, the human deity of knighthood, due to the emphisis his church places on the proper treatment of its equine mounts.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Centaurs are an old and traditional race, and have trouble adapting to newer ideas. This means that the stranger customs of other races often means that a centaur will often pull away from large interactions with other races. Centaurs don’t often let other races deep into their territories, often meeting with them at borders or certain predetermined sites to talk or trade. Due to often being targeted by them, centaurs have an intense dislike of both Hobgoblins and Gnoll Alka.
Racial Table - Centaur: Hit Dice: D10; Class Skills: Craft, Intimidate, Perception, Stealth, Survival; Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier per level; Weapon Proficiency: Simple, plus longswords, spears, javelins, and natural attacks; Armor Proficiency: None
| Level | BAB | Fort | Reflex | Will | Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Animal Minded, Hooves, Nomad, Quadruped, Run |
| 2nd | +2 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Improved Overrun, Natural Armor |
| 3rd | +3 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Size Increase, +1 Intelligence, +1 Charisma |
| 4th | +4 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Natural Armor Increase |
| 5th | +5 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Hooves Increase, Trample |
Random Starting Ages
| Adulthood | Intuitive1 | Self-Taught2 | Trained3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 years | +1d4 years (16 -19) | +1d6 years (16 - 21) | +2d6 years (17 - 27) |
Random Height and Weight
| Gender | Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 6 ft. 5 in. | +2d10 in. (6 ft. 7 in. - 8 ft.) | 1,800 lbs. | +(2d10x50 lbs.) (1,900 - 2,800 lbs.) |
| Female | 6 ft. | +2d10 in. (6 ft. 2 in. - 7 ft. 7 in.) | 1,600 lbs. | +(2d10x50 lbs.) (1,800 - 2,600 lbs.) |
Centaur Aging Table
| Middle Age (-1 to Str, Dex, and Con, +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha) | Old (-2 to Str, Dex, and Con, +2 to Int, Wis, and Cha) | Venerable (-3 to Str, Dex, and Con, +3 to Int, Wis and Cha) | Maximum Age (GM secretly decides maximum age) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 years | 42 years | 50 years | 50 + 1d20 years (51 - 70 years) |
Random Centaur Homelands
| % Rolled | Homeland | Trait Gained |
|---|---|---|
| 01-60 | Plains | Nomadic |
| 61-80 | Forest | Wanderlust |
| 81-90 | Desert | Desert Nomad |
| 91-96 | Non-centaur Settlement | Free-Spirit |
| 97-00 | Unusual Homeland | (Roll on Unusual Homeland table) |
Random Centaur Families
| % Rolled | Parental Status |
|---|---|
| 01-50 | Both of your parents are alive |
| 51-70 | Only Father is alive |
| 71-90 | Both of your parents are dead |
| 91-00 | Only Mother is alive |
| % Rolled | # of Siblings |
|---|---|
| 01-80 | No siblings |
| 81-95 | 1d2 Siblings |
| 96-00 | 1d4-1 Siblings |
Lifespan
51 - 70 years
Average Height
6 ft. - 8 ft. 1 in
Average Weight
1,800 - 2,800 lbs.
Average Physique
Centaurs are large, hardy creatures, and are able to easily carry heavy loads or travel vast distances in a single day.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
The upper torso of a centaur usually is a similar tone to their equine half, although it is usually of a slightly lighter shade.
Geographic Distribution
Centaur
Type
Monstrous Humanoid (Centaur)
Ability Score Modifier
+2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -2 Dexterity. Centaurs are hardy and have much natural wisdom, but are clumsy when trying to make precise movements.
Size
medium
Speed
Centaurs have a base speed of 50 feet
Language
A centaur begins play speaking Common (Ard). A centaur with a high Intelligence score can pick from any of the following languages: Alkan, Elven, Giant, Orcish, Sylvan and Terran.
- Materil: Centaurs are intrinsically tied to the Earth Materil, and must become Earthbreakers.
- Animal Minded: A centaur gains a +2 racial bonus on Handle Animal and Wild Empathy checks towards horse-like creatures. This bonus increases by one for every two hit dice the centaur possesses beyond the first.
- Hooves: Centaurs have two hoove natural attacks that deal 1d4 points of damage. These hooves are secondary natural attacks (and thus gain a -5 penalty on attack rolls). These attacks increase to 1d6 at 3rd racial level and 1d8 at 5th racial level. At 5th racial level, the hooves are instead treated as primary attacks.
- Nomad: At 1st racial level, centaurs gain a +4 racial bonus on Constitution checks and Fortitude saves to avoid fatigue and exhaustion, as well as against other ill effects of running, forced marches, starvation, and thirst. This bonus increases by 1 for every two hit dice the centaur possesses.
- Quadruped: Centaurs possess four legs, granting them a +4 racial bonus to their CMD against trip attempts and a +10 foot bonus to their speed (this is already factored in above). While rideable by smaller creatures, a centaur finds another creature on its back to be heavily distracting and uncomfortable. A centaur with a creature mounted on it only has a speed of 30 feet and takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and concentration checks. This also means that wearing armor is quite difficult for a centaur. A set of armor only provides half as much bonus to a centaurs AC unless the centaur has it specially crafted to fit them (a process that usually costs twice as much as the normal armor).
- Run: Centaurs gain Run as a bonus feat at 1st racial level.
- Improved Overrun: At 2nd racial level, a centaur gains Improved Overrun as a bonus feat. If they already had the Improved Overrun feat, they gain Greater Overrun instead. The bonuses from those feats increase by 1 for every five hit dice the centaur possesses beyond the second.
- Natural Armor: At 2nd racial level, a centaurs hide thickens and provides a +1 Natural Armor bonus to their AC. This bonus increases by 1 at 4th racial level.
- Size Increase: At 3rd racial level, a centaur increases its size to Large, gaining a -1 size penalty to attack rolls and AC, and a +1 size bonus to CMB and CMD, although it still wields weapons of the Medium size category. A centaur only takes a -1 penalty to wield a large sized weapon in both hands, and at 5th racial level, can wield large weapons with no penalty.
- Mountable: At 4th racial level, a centaur no longer takes penalties when a creature is mounted on it. Additionally, the centaur gains the benefits of the Mounted Combat feat, save that they may attempt to negate attacks on their rider instead.
- Trample: At 5th racial level whenever a centaur succeeds an overrun combat maneuver check against a creature smaller than it, it deals 1d8 + 1-½ times its strength modifier to that creature. That creature can attempt a reflex check (DC = 10 + ½ the centaurs hit dice + the centaurs Strength modifier) to half the damage.
Alternate Racial Traits
- Dromtaur: Centaurs whose lower halves resemble camels instead of horses, the dromtaur are native to the Skretir Desert and can survive much longer without water. A dromtaur gains Endurance as a bonus feat. This trait replaces the Run trait. Ichithyocentaur: Centaurs whose bottem halves instead a cross between a horse and a dolphin; they dwell in the oceans of Vatenrealm. Ichithyocentaurs have a base movement speed of 5 feet and a swim speed of 50 feet. This trait replaces the Run trait and alters the centaurs movement speed.
- Onotaur (Ex): Centaurs with the lower halves of donkeys and mules, Onocentaurs are the most rowdy, loud, and rambunctious of centaurs. 1/day, a onotaur who hasn't taken any actions yet this turn can enter a fit of mocking laughter, as if it had failed its save against a hideous laughter spell, save that it doesn't fall prone. If it does, a creature of its choice becomes hostile (if it wasn't already) and begins to move towards the Onocentaur or act aggressively towards it, ignoring other creatures in a rage against its ridiculer. A creature can resist this effect with a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the Onocentaurs hit dice + the Onocentaurs Charisma modifier). While laughing, the onocentaur cannot take any other action other than to cease laughing (a standard action), or change the target of its ridicule (a swift action). Changing to a new target ends the compulsion effect, but likely will not end the hostility of the creature. A onocentaur can only magically compel creatures to anger for a total number of rounds each day equal to its hit dice (but is free to continue insulting creatures without the aid of magic). This is a sonic mind-affecting effect. This trait replaces the Animal Minded and Run traits.
- Servitaur: Centaurs with lower halves more resembling deer and stags instead of horses, the Servitaur also grow long horns atop their heads. They gain a gore attack as a primary natural attack that deals 1d6 points of damage. This trait replaces the Run trait.
- Stargazer (Sp): Some centaurs study star patterns and the night sky, and can easily avoid getting lost. These centaurs gain a +4 racial bonus on making Survival checks to avoid getting lost, and they roll twice and take the greater result when making such checks at night. 1/day they can cast starsight on themselves as a spell-like ability, using their total hit dice as their caster level. This trait replaces the Nomad trait.
- Surtaur (Sp): These centaurs have the lower halves of bovines instead of horses, and are considered regal and holy creatures. A surtaur can cast create water as a spell-like ability 3/day, using their total hit dice as their caster level, save that they instead conjure a nutritious if somewhat bitter milk instead of water. This trait replaces the Run trait
- Zentaur (Su): These centaurs have the lower halves of zebra instead of standard horses, and can magically shift the stripes on their bodies. Doing so in a rapid manner can cause hypnotic effects to those viewing them. 1/day, a zentaur can cast hypnotic pattern, using their total hit dice as their caster level, save that pattern manifests on their bodies, acting as the point of origin for the spell and fascinating creatures looking at them. At 4th hit dice, and every 4 hit dice thereafter, the zentaur adds an additional 1d4 to the hit dice total it can hypnotize with this ability. This trait replaces the Hooves and Run traits.
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