Centaurs

**Centaurs**, native to the wide open grasslands of Almeras, are a proud people with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse. Above all else, centaurs retain a love of open spaces and the freedom to travel. As much as they can, centaurs run, roaming far and wide. They race the wind, hooves thundering and tails streaming behind them, stopping only to hunt, and to defend their territories against any and all who would take it from them.

## Description

Centaurs have the upper bodies, down to the waist, of humans, displaying all the human variety of skin tones and features. Their ears are slightly pointed, but their faces are wider and squarer than those of elves. Below the waist, they have the bodies of horses, with a similar range of coloration-from various shades of chest­ nut or bay to dappled or even striped patterns. Most centaurs style their hair and their tails in a similar way. Some favour long, flowing hair, while others cut their hair in rough, spiky styles. The upper bodies of centaurs are comparable to human torsos in size, and their lower equine bodies average about 4 feet tall at the withers. Though they are smaller than a human rider mounted on a horse, they are fast and nimble, notoriously good at being cavalry warriors, messen­gers, outriders, and scouts.

## Culture & Society

Centaurs have an inherent affinity for the natural world. They celebrate life and growth, and the birth of a foal is always cause for festivities. At the same time, they revere the traditions of the past, and among all of the clans there are those tasked with being the voices of memory and history, preserving old ways and keeping alive the legends of ancestral heroes. They feel a close kinship with wild animals, perhaps because of their own horse­like bodies, and delight in the feeling of running along­side herds and packs of other beasts.

As part of their reverence towards the interconnectedness of the natural world, centaurs celebrate family and community as microcosms of that greater connection. The particularities of this change from clan to clan. Some have a strong clan identity, loyal to the clan above all else, while others are fiercely loyal to tightly-knit family groups within the clan. Their love of history and tradition also means that centaurs are more likely than most to follow in the exact footsteps of their ancestors, with professions and responsibilities being passed down through countless generations.

Centaurs' given names are also passed down through family lines. The name bestowed on a new foal is typically the name of the most recently deceased family member of the same gender, keeping alive the memory (and, the centaurs believe, some shard of the spirit) of the departed.

## Properties

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Medium.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 40 feet.
* ***Charge.*** If you move at least 30 feet straight toward a target and then hit it with a melee weapon attack on the same turn, you can immediately follow that attack with a bonus action, making one attack against the target with your hooves.
* ***Hooves.*** You have hooves that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals 2d4 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
* ***Equine Build.*** You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push or drag. In addition, any climb that requires hands and feet is especially difficult for you because of your equine legs. When you make such a climb, each foot of movement costs you 4 extra feet, instead of the normal 1 extra foot.
* ***Natural Affinity.*** Your natural affinity with nature gives you an intuitive connection to the natural world and the animals within it. You therefore have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Medicine, Nature, or Survival.