Centaur

>    *“On bended knee, I swear to protect my liege and Lady, to serve the good of both, though it may cost me my life. I shall serve faithfully and with honour, for the span of my life. I swear on my blood, my breath, my honour, and my chivalry, to hold this oath, lest death claim me.” -* The Knight’s Vow, taken by all Roylandian knights.
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Once a nomadic people, the Centaurs have become noble exemplars of honour and chivalry - yet also ferocity and viciousness. Most of their people represent the knightly nobility of the Kingdom of Roylandia, living out their days from great castles and citadels. To these Centaurs, dubbed ‘settled Centaurs,’ chivalry and service is above all. However, some of their number choose to live an ancient and more wild lifestyle with the Beast-Bloods or on their own. These individuals, dubbed ‘feral Centaurs,’ represent the savage ferocity and fierce determination that eventually lead to the formation of Roylandia itself.

## **Physical Description - Equine Physiology**

Centaurs both benefit and suffer from their equine-like physiology. Their top half appears human-like while their bottom half resembles that of a horse. They are a large race, easily standing 8 feet tall on average. They are also very heavy, weighing 600 pounds on average and even more with armour on. On one hand, this makes them visually imposing individuals but, on the other hand, makes certain tasks (like climbing) all the more difficult.

A Centaur’s upper skin varies just as much as a Human’s might. They can be extremely pale or a dark brown. Their equine-like hide also varies in colour. Most Centaurs will usually be a variation of black, bray, brown, or chestnut - but other colours, like whites and greys, also exist in less common cases. Centaurs will often have hairy tales, the look of which varies from long and straight to wild and shaggy. Some will also have manes that descend across the spine and back, or tufts of hair on their ankles.

A Centaur’s physicality goes just beyond their immediate being, though. Their clothing is also important. For Centaurs that are members of the Roylandian Knights, their armour is often considered an extension of their own body - a skin on top of their skin. As a result, they can be very protective over it. ‘Feral Centaurs’, on the other hand, disregard most clothes entirely, choosing instead to embrace what they see as the natural order and presentation of things.

## **Mentality - Chivalry and Freedom**

The typical mentality of a Centaur is two-fold, depending on whether they are a ‘settled’ Roylandian Centaur or a ‘feral’ Centaur. Roylandian Centaurs pledge to a strict code of chivalry and honour. This code dictates their entire lives and how they should conduct themselves both in private and in public. To ignore the code of chivalry is considered highly disgraceful and near-treasonous. This commonly results in these Centaurs leading strict, almost prudent, lives.

On the flip side of that, ‘feral’ Centaurs are not beholden to any code or oath at all. They might be loyal to a Beast-Blood herd but are ultimately agents of the self. These Centaurs are significantly more easy-going, but might not be the most trustworthy or forgiving. They will also do whatever is required to get a task done, regardless of the consequences or cost - whereas Roylandian Centaurs will not do anything that breaks their code of chivalry.

Due to their code of chivalry, Roylandian Centaurs are almost always loyal and trustworthy individuals. They will not betray their allies, go back on their word, or abandon a task after they have committed to it. ‘Feral’ Centaurs can be just as loyal, but they are not beholden to a strict code and, thus, are willing to manipulate and deceive should the situation call for it. That said, both sides will try to get along with other races - except for members of the other side. Roylandian Centaurs view their ‘feral’ counterparts (and other Beast-Bloods) as lesser than them, while ‘feral’ Centaurs view their Roylandian counterparts as traitors to the old ways and natural order.

## **Society - Feudal Overseers**

Roylandian Centaurs benefit from a strict feudal caste system - a system that places them at the top. They comprise an overwhelming majority of the knighthood and the nobility - whereas immigrants from other races comprise the peasantry and lower classes. In this society, Centaurs can be knights, lords, dukes, merchants, and other positions of wealth and power. That is not to say their lives are easy, though. As leaders and followers of the code of chivalry, it is their responsibility to protect their lands from threats and evil. They cannot and, often, will not simply reap the rewards of their privilege - they must earn it.

‘Feral’ Centaurs live significantly less structured lives. Many join Beast-Blood herds and live their lives as hunters and cavalry troops. However this is not the case for all, as some choose to simply wander the world as their earliest ancestors did. They choose not to belong to one single society, instead making their own place or ‘society’ for themselves.

Centaurs in other lands serve a variety of purposes. There are large merchant and artisan populations amongst their race that often spend time in other nations - either for business or inspiration. It is also not necessarily uncommon to see Roylandian Knights on special quests of chivalry, honour, or in search of the fabled Holy Grail.

## **Centaur Adventurers - Determinism or Free Will**

Centaurs that turn to adventuring might do so for a variety of reasons. Maybe they’re a knight looking to prove themselves or regain their honour after a disgraceful incident. Maybe their code of chivalry compels them to assist in a local issue, an issue that snowballed into adventuring in distant lands. Maybe they’re a ‘feral’ Centaur and they have become an adventurer for the constant travelling - or simply for the fun of it.

## **Centaur Names**

A Roylandian Centaur, like most races, is given a first name and a family name. Their first names are gender-segregated for the most part, like many other races. Being nobility, their family names are typically derived from their city, kingdom, or house - though not exclusively. ‘Feral’ Centaurs do not follow this naming structure, instead naming themselves in the same way other Beast-Bloods do.

**Example Male Names -** Emile, Florentin, Noel, Jean-Charles, Hector.

**Example Female Names -** Anastasie, Tania, Emma, Renee, Amelie.

**Example Family Names -** Betencourt, Leclair, de Troyes, Veil, Bozonnet.

## **Centaur Traits**

Your Centaur character has a number of traits in common with all other Centaurs, regardless of if they’re ‘settled’ or ‘feral.’

* ***Ability Score Increase -*** your Strength score increases by 2, and either your Dexterity or Constitution score increases by 1 (your choice).
* ***Age -*** Centaurs experience rapid maturity, reaching physical maturity at age 3, but they have expansive life spans. A Centaur will typically live up to 300 years old.
* ***Alignment -*** Roylandian Centaurs are strictly lawful to their code of chivalry, arguably to a fault. They are also unquestionably good, at least from their perspective. ‘Feral’ Centaurs vary a lot more, though. They tend to be on the neutral or chaotic side, but can be good or evil or truly neutral.
* ***Size -*** most Centaurs stand at around 8 feet tall, and their horse bodies are about 9 feet long on average. Your size is Large.
* ***Speed -*** your base walking speed is 40 feet.
* ***Humanoid Build -*** even though your size is Large, your upper, humanoid torso is still of similar scale to that of other humanoid races. You use equipment and wield weapons as if you were a Medium-sized individual and you have twice the carrying capacity of a Medium creature.
* ***Hooves -*** you are never unarmed. Your hooves are a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you make an unarmed strike with your hooves, the damage die is a d8. You are considered proficient in these strikes.
* ***Nomadic Heritage -*** at one point in time, all Centaurs were nomadic travellers. This instinct is still present within all Centaurs, even today, and so many are in synch with their native environment. Choose one of the following environments: deserts, forests, grasslands, hills, badlands, mountains, or jungles. While you are travelling through the chosen environment, you add twice your proficiency bonus to Nature, Perception and Survival checks related to your immediate surroundings. You also ignore difficult terrain while in your chosen environment.
* ***Trample -*** when you use your action to take the Dash action on your turn, you may make one attack with your hooves as a bonus action.
* ***Ungainly -*** due to your equine body, you cannot make use of most mounts and have trouble with things your humanoid counterparts may not, such as climbing ladders and rope.
* ***Languages -*** you can speak Common and Centauri. Most Roylandian Centaurs speak with little-to-no word or syllable stress. They also pronounce certain letters differently to other races, such as speaking the letter ‘h’ as silent or ‘th’ as a ‘z.’ ‘Feral’ Centaurs will speak in a similar way to both the Beast-Bloods and their Roylandian cousins.