Tauren

Visit Tauren on D&DBeyond

### Appearance

**Tauren** -  Also known as '**Oxen-folk**', and sometimes incorrectly called **Minotaur**, are huge bovine humanoids that once lived in the various open plains of across the moderate climates of central Vari. Tauren are large, muscular bipedal humanoids and are bovine in appearance, complete with hooves and horns. They resemble Minotaur, yet though they are much larger they are not nearly as monstrous, it is possible that they share similar ancestry. The Tauren are mostly made up of muscle, having incredibly developed physiques and brawny frames most suitable for combat.  Of the societal species of Vari, only an unusually tall goliath can truly rival a tauren's massive height, which can stand between nine and eleven feet tall and weigh anywhere from 650 to 900 lbs. Males average 10 1/2 feet tall, while females are usually slightly shorter and lighter, though this is not always the case. Their immense bodies are covered with fine, short fur that ranges in colour from black, grey, white, red, brown and tan and any mottled combinations or variations thereof. They have three fingers on each hand. Horns are most prominent on males, although all tauren have horns.

> We Tauren have always held a great respect for the ways of the Lifemother.
>
>

### Culture and Faith

The tauren are regarded as a race of shamanistic individuals, with incredibly skilled hunters, wise druids and proud warriors who long ago developed a complex culture and system of living without the aid of stonework, steel or conquest. This is not to say that the tauren are a race of pacifists, for when they are angered they are capable of retaliating with swift and decisive brutality. For the most part Tauren are, in a word, stoic - embodying the strong and silent type with their quiet contemplation. This introspective air combined with their immense size are why many view the tauren as a wise and dangerous race. Tauren rarely speak unless there is a true reason to, preferring to act instead of talk. However, once a tauren has learned to interact with a companion, there seems to be a more open and enthusiastic exchange of words. Since tauren warm slowly to non-tauren, they are usually silent and may sometimes appear brooding. Most tauren have no love for bloodshed, as their deep spiritual beliefs do not have a place for warfare. It is rare for a tauren to place value in materialistic things, as such, very few tauren amass large amounts of wealth. They hold far more value in their personal armaments, family heirlooms and hunting trophies.

For the **Tauren**, nature is the mother of the world, and their faith holds a deep and resonant tone within their hearts. Vari, known by the Tauren as She Who Breathes Life, is the central focus for most of their kin as they claim they are connected to the ebb and flow of the world. They revere the spirits of the land and of their ancestors, and they turn to these spirits for wisdom and guidance. This connection manifests in their deeply animistic culture, where druids and shamans stand side by side with warriors and hunters. Tauren do not see a separation between the veneration of nature and the hunt; to hunt is to honour the spirits of nature. Their ancient connection to nature is shared similarly by many creatures such as Elves and Centaur, which tauren are quicker to warm to than other races. Sometimes Tauren interbreed with elves or orcs, producing horned half-elves or half-orcs which are both commonly mistaken as Tiefling (known by some as a 'Taurlings')

### City Life

After generations of nomadic existence, most of the tauren made permanent settlements in Vari's nine cities. Today, the Tauren often live in large wooden cabins or massive hide-canvas tent homes in open clearings within city limits, or, where possible outside the city. As tauren are the only race known to live on the outskirts of the massive city walls without complaint, in fact, some prefer it. Outside the city of Emberwind, a large Tauren community spans quite a large portion of the outer perimeter of the city, considered the first line of defence against intrusion and commonly referred to as the 'Bullguard', though this term is considered by some as derogatory.

### Natural Enemies

**Tauren** have a deep-seated rivalry with their monstrous **minotaur** cousins, their presence can cause a Tauren to change course from their usual calm approach to a more primal reaction. Mistakenly calling a tauren "a Minotaur" is considered a great insult, one which is unlikely to ever be forgiven. Many Tauren also have an overwhelming fear of mazes, or being lost in complex winding tunnels or caves.