The Centaurs of Shar

The Astral Equicenturions

The Empire
The Empire, their far-off island sanctuary, came into existence through an enigmatic tale of a fallen star. Legend has it that their Emperor shaped the world and stars themselves to draw their kind from the night sky, destined to conquer and control the world in their name. The true origins of their species have faded into the annals of history. All that remains is their unwavering loyalty to the Emperor, who they believe saved and brought them to this realm. They dutifully carry out the Emperor's commands, regardless of the cause or moral implications.
The island that serves as their home is situated on the edge of a vast island chain north of Acroshia. This island features expansive prairies bordered by jagged mountains along its coasts. The protective wall of mountains posed both challenges and advantages to the Equicenturions. The mountain passes were treacherous for their four-legged forms, but they also offered security. With tumultuous shores and towering peaks, outsiders dared not venture into their domain, allowing the Astral Equicenturions to flourish under their Emperor's watchful gaze.
The Emperor's primary concern was expansion. His will come from the stars themselves that he would shape in the sky. Detailed instructions left on stone slabs for the Council of Stars to read and give his orders to the people of his island. He divided his people into two groups: scholars and architects tasked with researching and planning settlements, and generals and warriors assigned to lead and colonize. Under the Emperor's directive, they created extensive road networks, stone-built towns, and cities to support their burgeoning civilization. Satisfied with the progress on their island, the Emperor issued a new command: to conquer a larger domain. He ordered his people to find new lands and expand their influence, and instead of retreating to the sky, he had a grand palace, the Pillar of Stars (The Emperor's Spire), erected in the heart of Star-Fall. This spire wraps around a glowing star-shard that is said to contain the Emperor. A prolonged ramp that wraps around the pillar hundreds of times before reaching the top is said to produce a vestige of the Emperor. Only the Council of Stars is allowed to make journeys up and down the ramp to seek his counsel.
This expansion plan puzzled the Astral Equicenturions, as they believed they had everything they needed on their island. Nonetheless, their loyalty to the Emperor, who had saved them, was unwavering. They mined a path through the mountains to the stormy seas and attempted to construct crude boats. These early attempts ended in failure due to their lack of shipbuilding knowledge and unsuitable materials. Some pleaded with the Emperor to consider an alternative approach, but their request was met with a brutal response. The Emperor's previous benevolence turned to cruelty as he publicly executed the scholars who dared to oppose him, sending a clear message that his will must be obeyed.
Undeterred by their losses, the Equicenturions persisted in their attempts to cross the treacherous seas and claim new territory. The first construction of the poorly made ships began after twenty years of fully colonizing the island. Another ten years of countless failed attempts cost them many lives. However, a determined scholar named Riviven eventually designed a seaworthy vessel, the Arc, using resources from every corner of their civilization. On the eleventh anniversary of the first failed ship, the Arc was crafted into existence. The Arc was said to be guided by the stars and provided safe passage, allowing the centaurs to rest until they reached their promised land. Unfortunately, Riviven's success was met with the Emperor's wrath, as the failed attempts had left the Emperor increasingly intolerant of failure. Riviven endured a gruesome punishment to stop the Spire, and his cries haunted the island.
The Emperor proclaimed that the outside world would have to wait, as a prophetic omen foretold a day when two-hoofed creatures would threaten their homeland. When that day came, the Equicenturions would rise to conquer the world. However, if they grew weak or complacent, these two-hoofed beings would enslave them and take everything they held dear. Following this omen, the Astral Equicenturions isolated themselves from the world, ensuring no outsiders survived the perilous mountain passes. They guarded their paradise fiercely.
Current Day Empire
In the current era, the Astral Equicenturions remain isolationist, but a select few scholars and warriors have been permitted to join the Red Fleet that patrols their island. This isolation has hindered their progress in research and technology. While they once held the potential to be one of the most philosophical races in the island chain, their isolation has led them to stagnate in their debates and ideas.
Resource management is crucial due to the limited space on their island, resulting in strict population control. High-ranking scholars and generals are allowed to have one or two children, while commoners are restricted to the same rule unless they wish to pay heavy taxes or face the Emperor's wrath. The military maintains a significant presence in everyday life, and centaurs must choose to become fighters or scholars at a certain age, contributing to the society's betterment.
A so-called Council of Stars writes the laws and maintains order on the island. Consisting of the greatest centaur minds that exist on the island, they spend long debates on what new laws can be created from the Emperor’s will. Many of the commoners of the island truly know that the island is controlled by the High Court. A group of families that have existed since the beginning of the island's settlement. Outwardly, the Council of Stars have final say on any matter that comes before the Emperor. As a result, the military is at the beck and call of the council. From time to time, the council does show their power by enforcing laws and orders that seem strange toward the larger population.

Star-Fall, their central city, has been transformed into a palace for nobility and powerful figures, with the imposing Pillar of Stars at its center. This city is heavily defended, taxing the outlying towns nearly to starvation. With the inner city almost reaching as high as nine thousand citizens, it holds the most out of all other major cities. Strictly centaur only, no other race is allowed within the miles of the city. If a non-centaur is found, they are either executed on sight or brought to their prisons to be tortured. The other major cities, Ram-Port and the Dardous, serve different functions. Ram-Port is their only gateway for trade with the outside world, closely guarded by the Red Fleet. Dardous is the industrial heart, mass-producing armor, weapons, and other goods, albeit with a thriving black market.
Ram-Port is a port city where the brave and few members of the Red Fleet conduct trade between the resources found within the island nation. It is the only port city that has been able to expand itself to contain ships that brave the rough shores of the mountainous range that surrounds the island. Many minotaurs can be found within the city acting as a bridge between the non-beastly races within the Red Fleet and the centaurs. Ram-port keeps much of the trading and information hidden from Star-Fall due to the racist viewpoints from the nobility. The city contains upwards of five thousand citizens and boat workers. Hidden from Star-Fall, the city has a rather healthy mix of minotaurs, centaurs, and other sea-faring races. Humans are still the rare race that appear throughout the Ram-Port.
Dardous produces all weapons, armor, and raw resources that are used in everyday life on the island. Mining from the mountains has always caused threats where many of the centaurs are forced to defend the miners and raw resources on day to day operations. At all hours of the day and night, alarms can be heard of collapsing tunnels, attacks, and mysterious creatures that lurk within the shadow. For such an industrialized city, a dark underbelly runs underneath the streets. Having the largest black market on the island, drugs and strange occult objects can be found there. The city contains around two to three thousand centaurs at a time while working within the mines. These centaurs live most of their lives mining and defending the mines. Around five to six hundred centaurs live as citizens and shopkeepers. In total, the city sits around three to four thousand inhabitants. This city is strictly centaur only except for the occasional creature that hides in the black market.
Finally, the outlying towns that surround the major cities are often in disarray. Being owned and taxed into the ground by thugs and outlaws, many towns are always in need of heroes to help them.
The Empire’s Higher Court
The Higher Court consists of the first families that settled under the rule of the Emperor. Each one “controls” an aspect of how the island works. Each one controls a portion of the island with the three main families controlling the major cities. These families control the most wealth on the island and have the true final say on what happens within each of the cities.
Socellius Amphion family
The Socellius Amphion family are said to be direct descendants of the Emperor. Their ways to divine and weave are known throughout all of Star-Fall. Each son and daughter of the family have high ranking positions in almost every court and office within the city. On the outside, the family controls everything in and out of the city with an iron first. Rumors have it, however, that trouble is boiling within the newest members of the family. Unable to conduct magic like the rest of them, some of the other noble families see this as a falling out with the Emperor.
Tettidis Saenus Family
The Tettidus Saenus family were the group of centaurs to master sailing while the rest of the island spent their time on combat and studying. Many centaurs that would be seen on the seas within the Red Fleet come from its descendants. Having an unnatural affinity to the water and the way of ships, they control everything that enters the city of Ram-port. Some have let it slip that a small pirate crew has started due to a falling out between two sons in the family.
Opsius Mercator family
The Opsius Mercator family controls the mines and blacksmiths within the Dardous. Appearing to master the craft of rock and iron, they amaze any who come into their shops. Out of the three major families that control the island, the Opsius Mercator have the most straightforward mindset when it comes to dealing in goods. You ask for a good to be made, you pay, the deal is done. While rumors have it that the city is corrupted, the Opsius Mercator would never have that be presented.

The Emperor

The emperor has been described as a hulking creature standing over thirty feet in height being made of pure-starlight. During the early days of colonization, images and depictions show a black featureless body with a tiny star that showed on important parts of his holy body. Many times, he had been compared to the night sky filled with endless stars. All that is known of this mythical being that he is endless. During the early days of the colonization, centaurs would describe him carrying a fallen star across the fields placing it into the ground to find Star-Fall. Upon the massive fallen star, a pillar to encase it would be constructed to house it. Whenever the Emperor needed to return to the stars, he would dash into the fallen star before a beam of radiant energy would shoot up into the sky. Days, weeks, years later, the beam would shoot back down causing the emperor to return back in semi-physical form.

The Arc and Savanna Caballos

The Arc, powered by elemental energies, embarked on a mission to expand beyond their island. It carried over a hundred centaurs across the Red Sea to Ancient Acroshia, but from the island's perspective, it failed, disappearing without a trace. Unbeknownst to them, the Arc had indeed landed on the northern beaches of Acroshia. However, at that time, the Kingdom of Acroshia was embroiled in a war against the Demons of Mishra to the northeast, and they paid little attention to the strange invaders.
The centaurs established a beachhead on this new land, marveling at the vast plains and unusual sights. To the east, a mountain range held a stone city within view, while to the west, a massive forest reached into the sky. They were captivated by these unfamiliar landscapes and initially avoided the stone city due to their past encounters with the bugbears. Instead, they sought to colonize the vast forest to the west, unknowingly angering its elven inhabitants.
Their assault on nature drew the ire of the elves from the Deepwoods. The centaurs, who had been conquerors on their home island, found themselves challenged by the guerilla tactics of the elves. They shifted from formation-based warfare to a more adaptive approach, led by a general known as Screaming-Head. Spears replaced pikes, and small groups of centaurs engaged in ambushes and hit-and-run tactics. The elves' mastery of cover and hit-and-fade strategies proved effective, forcing the centaurs into the open prairies.
In their interactions with the outside world, the Savanna Caballos developed their weapons and tapped into their more primal nature. They transitioned from a disciplined society to ruthless, wild warriors. Within three years, they transformed into relentless savages, clashing with the elves for control of the Deepwoods. The elves eventually faced substantial losses and lost significant territory.
The Savanna Caballos fragmented into multiple groups, with some adopting an extreme "centaur-only" mentality, while others became mercenaries, working alongside other races. The breaking of the Savanna Caballos resulted with multiple figures and leaders taking different directions on how they should be ruled. Some wishing to control the entire borderlands, some only wishing to fight great beasts, and others only wanting death and destruction. The once proud Astral Equicenturions had evolved into a brutal, relentless force on Acroshia's soil, carving out their territory.
Today, they have secured a portion of land with open fields and forests, suitable for their expansion. Yet, the memory of their isolation and enslavement to the stars remains vivid, making them fiercely protective of their newfound freedom and territory.
The Great Teams
The Teams (a herd of centaurs) of the Savanna Caballos happen to be made up of many different smaller tribes that control the large portions of the borderlands. While constant infighting with their own kind and the Free Towns, six teams branched out to make a name for themselves. Each one becomes different enough to declare themselves the true rulers of the borderlands. While some have different philosophies on how to rule and interact with the outside world, all come from the same blood.

Okhmhaka- Storm Chasers
The Okhmhaka team controls the northern parts of the borderlands that reach the mountains of the northern portions of Acroshia. It is said that an Okhmhaka is near when the sound of thunder and the smell of rain is present. For they chase and hunt the mystical thunderbirds that hunt in the borderlands. Many from this team care for nothing more but the glory of bringing down a massive beast. Interacting with this team is cautious, they do not usually interact with other teams or non-centaurs except for the exchange of weapons to bring down the thunderbirds. Notable features of the team have them smaller compared to the average centaur. Longer and faster with giant bird feathers from hunting Thunderbirds. Purple and blue paint run across their skin with primordial writing in the symbols of thunder and lightning.
Notable figure
Yaunta Lightning Axe- Yaunta Lightning Axe is one of the few Okhmhaka members to single handedly take down a Thunderbird. The battle shook the earth and by the end of it, the legend of the Lightning Axe started to spread across the borderlands. He leads the largest of the Okhmhaka teams calling for the largest Hunt the borderlands has ever seen. He hunts the legendary Thunderbird Oriss. A Thunderbird so big and dangerous that it is responsible for cracking open the Cascade Bluffs to the world.

Tooantuh- The Flesh Eaters
The Tooantuh team is usually the first thing that comes to mind when you think of centaurs. Ruthless monsters that care for nothing but eating the flesh of humanoids. This team has been pushed towards the border of the borderlands where the grasses turn into sand. Hyper aggressive with anything and everything, they are more akin to the lowly galdur than an actual centaur. It is recommended to not interact with this team and kill them on sight. However, gifts of meat and flesh might sway them. It has been noted that they draw the markings of Asmodan on themselves before marching into battles. Notable features of the Tooantuh have them overall bigger and more savage looking. Having armor and weapons made out of the bodies of their victims. Many of the teams have the blood symbols of Asmodan blistered onto their skin.
Notable Figure
Bloodhoof- Unknown to be a centaur, demon, or pet, a huge blood coated cenatur-like beast roams within the Tooantuh carrying with it battle and blood. It appears the Tooantuh hail it as some sort of champion/god. The Tooantuh feed it discarded parts from their kills causing it to grow in both size and strength. A rather large bounty has been placed on its head by the government.
Choovio- The Enderbringers
The Choovio team is nestled to the far northwest in deep caverns that might be the last rocky terrain before hitting the Deepwoods. The Choovio is said to commune with demonic beings far beyond any mortal man can interact with. Using mushrooms found in caves owned by the Noc’dourr, they distilled a liquid that allows them to transcend their mortal coil. Allowing them to fight longer, faster, and become nearly unstoppable until collapsing dead when the liquid runs out of their system. A symbiosis relationship has developed between some of the Noc’dourr and the Choovio. They protect the caves by owning the caverns that contain them. The Noc’dourr grants them mushrooms and other items from their journeys into the deep dark. Notable features show them to be slender cloaked in spider webs. Glowing vials are attached to their hips for easy access. At night, bioluminescence paint outlines their features giving them an undeath look about them.
Notable Figure
Chaaka Vemon-Blade- The only known pallid elf that lives amongst the Choovio as an equal member of their team. Riding on the backs of other centaurs, she rides with them defending her home from invaders. She seems to be unaffected by most of the other pallid elf inflictions being associated with the nine. Rumor has it that she wishes to break her people’s pacts and free them to a better life.
Migisi- The Wish Makers
Migisi team appears to be the most open for non-centaur interaction out of the rest of the teams. These centaurs have been blessed with a magical aura that makes them wonderful with trading and dealing. Almost always getting the better deal out of interactions while within the borderlands, they have blossomed into wealth with Acroshians and Free towns hiring them for missions and jobs. It is never understood why they tend to have this ability; However, it is better to have a Migisi on your side of a deal than against it. The Migisi team tends to stand out compared to the other centaurs within the borderlands. Dressed in fashionable gold jewelry, the more a Migisi wears, the more valuable it is to have on your group. Somehow, they do tend to fashion their jewelry into armor and weapons. Some of the most experienced Migisi have their entire bodies covered in gold jewelry.
Notable Figure
The Genie- There is legend on the winds within the Migisi controlled spaces of the borderlands. Apparently there is a centaur that is completely blue that appears along the long open roads offering his services toward any traveler that offers him a nice meal. The evidence that supports this claim are few inbetween. It is said this figure can grant wishes making commoners kings, restoring youth, and making the dead raise. Many of these stories come from drunks at the Free Towns inns and children wishing for a better life out in the borderland. Some thought of it as a rumor to treat centaurs with respect in hopes to prevent them from killing you for coming onto their lands.
Hinto- The Mail Runners
The Hinto team actually is the only team spawned from the Free Town and Acroshian interference. During the early days of settling the borderlands, they soon found that communication would be impossible with all the roaming centaur tribes. Either by enslaving or converting them to their cause, the centaurs were turned into a more docile subservient creature. They started to use them to send messages across large stretches of land from Free Town to Free Town. Most of them died out when the Acroshian government endorsed magical guilds to teach individuals to actually use magic correctly. However some of the old timers within the borderlands tend to use a Hinto runner if they spot them within the towns. It is to be known that calling a centaur a Hinto is a great insult. Many would rather die before becoming a Hinto. Many Hinto are dressed in strand issue government gear to help them stand out compared to other centaurs. Usually a Free town stamp showing which Free Town they are from or an Acroshian brand on their right hand.
Notable Figure
Akash- The Wind- Compared to being the greatest Hinto deliverer in all of the borderlands. Akash earned his name by racing from the northern tip of the borderlands to Seth in just four days. By any normal creature, it would at least take a week on horseback to get to Seth. As a result, Akash was used mainly by the Acroshia government as a runner between the three major cities up until a year ago. He broke his leg on one of the trips resulting in his leg being removed. He has settled in the Free Town of Tul-Kana drinking himself to death. If you buy him a drink, he will tell you about the stories of him running all across the Acroshia desert.
Vahluras - The Blood Host
The Vahluras is more of a legend compared to the other teams. Not much of a large team but small groups that hide within the shadow and night. The creatures appear to be a mixture of a parasite and centaur. Unknownst how or why they exist, hearing the screams across the grasslands causes terror to spread against those commoners who travel the lands. A rare team that hides in the shadows of night.