The Tauren : Revised for Elysium

**The information on this page is "player-written". It is not regarded as official lore and hence may not be compliant with the official Elysium events. Regardless, the information on this page describes lore which may be used by one or more players within the Elysium community. You are welcome to incorporate as much or as little of this information as you choose.**

The Tauren is not anything that I have created, it is something from WoW which I really enjoy. I have created a revised version to better fit Elysium, and to help people know what it is. - Treepuncher2014

**For a more in depth, original version, please visit :**

https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/game/races/tauren

I used several different wikis and sources to my disposal to get all this information, along with some of my own to fit Elysium.

## The Tauren

### Additional info

They originate from Fei.

###

## **The Tauren**

*"Honorable Conservationists"*

The Tauren are a peaceful, honorable race that strive to preserve nature. They also wish to achieve a balance between nature at the behest of their goddess, the *Earth Mother*, the ideal spirit/spirits of nature. The Tauren are fine warriors and hunters, and religious figures.

The plains of Elysium have long been a home to these gargantuan nomads. The tauren are a race of shamans, hunters,druids and 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. 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. This silence may be attributable to the strife of recent times. Tauren have no love for bloodshed, as their deep spiritual beliefs do not have a place for warfare. The elders of a tribe solve most issues, or two tauren might resolve a conflict with a ritual challenge resembling a duel. Having become members of the new world, the introspective race has been involved in more and more conflict, creating a demand for tauren warriors and healers. Many must spend time putting great thought into the actions they perform on the field of battle. Taking another life, whether it is man or beast, is an act filled with great significance and responsibility to the tauren.

## Appearance

The Tauren are quite reminiscent of a large cow, or the Mino*taur*. Tauren are large, muscular humanoids and bovine in appearance, complete with hooves and horns. Tauren stand anywhere from nine to twelve feet tall and weigh anywhere from 650 to 1000 lbs. Their immense bodies are covered with fine, short fur that ranges in color from black, gray, white, red, brown and tan and any mottled combinations or variations thereof. They have strong, sharp teeth for both combat and also good enough for gnawing on plants.

 Tauren are large, muscular humanoids with bull-like heads. Males average from out to be very tall, while females are usually slightly shorter and lighter. Tauren are mostly made up of muscle, having incredibly developed physiques and brawny frames most suitable for combat. Soft, downy fur (usually quite short) covers the tauren body, with manes growing along head and neck, the lengths of the arms, and the shins. Tauren men and women almost always wear their hair long, and the males prefer braids to any other style. Coloration can range from solid black to blond and even to white, or mottled pelts with a range of spots and different colors. They have three fingers on each hand. They're generally one of the most strong beings, and against common belief, aren't that slow.

Horns are most prominent on males, although all tauren have horns. Tauren wear natural clothing — leather or hide, and some cloth. They prize jewelry, designing fine trinkets of ivory, bone and amber. From these materials they make bracelets or necklaces, and sometimes adorn their horns or locks with such beautiful displays of artistry.

## History

Tauren have a long and complex oral tradition that has been handed down for generations. Since almost no written record exists of tauren history, the accuracy of their tales is unknown. Regardless, many of their stories provide the only known account for several events in history, and so these stories must be regarded as having at least some believability. The tauren race is presumed to be as old as the elves since both races are said to have awoken during the creation of the world. Much like the elves, they have a strong attunement to nature and the elemental spirits. Thus, their society is largely based on shamanism. They live to serve nature and maintain the ever delicate balance between the wild things of the land and the restless spirits of the elements.

## Culture

The earliest history of the tauren is recorded in a series of myths. These chronicle the period of time from the creation of the world to present day.

Though the noble tauren are peaceful in nature, the rites of the Great Hunt are venerated as the heart of their spiritual culture. Every tauren, warrior or otherwise, seeks identity as both a hunter and as a child of the

Earthmother. Tauren, young or otherwise, seek to prove their bravery by setting themselves against the creatures of the wild. Despite killing the animals, the tauren are taught never to waste anything given to them by nature and to g

ive back what they can. They learn the fine balance that exists in nature and that if they honor the Earthmother, she will bless them in return.

Despite their enormous size and brute strength, the remarkably peaceful tauren cultivate a quiet, tribal society. However, when roused by conflict, tauren are implacable enemies who will use every ounce of their strength to smash their enemies under hoof. They are noble and proud and have never, despite significant adversity in the past, succumbed to their enemies.

The Tauren like grassy areas, and vast open land. Typically warmer, or hotter areas.

### The Earth Mother

The Earth Mother is the tauren ideal of all the spirits of nature. She is the benevolent goddess of the tauren, who believe that the deity is responsible for all the natural beauty of the world. They see her smiling face in the sky, the stones, the sands, and the seas.

Tauren mythology describes her as the creator of the land, and the tauren. The sun (An'she) and moon (Mu'sha) are her eyes. She lives in the rivers, trees, plains and mountains of Elysium. She is the embodiment of nature. All lesser nature spirits come from the Earth Mother, and return to her upon death. The Earth Mother represents all the animistic forces of nature. River-spirits, sea-spirits, tree-spirits, rock-spirits, and animal spirits all reflect one facet of the Earth Mother.

In a sense, tauren see the Earth Mother as a sort of universal consciousness. While individual spirits represent a particular location, animal or object, such as the spirit of a single tree or the spirit of a valley, the Earth Mother represents the land. She is everywhere life and nature is. The only spirits separate from the Earth Mother are the spirits of sentient creatures. Tauren ancestor spirits live in harmony with the Earth Mother, but are not part of her.

Tauren religion teaches to respect and love the Earth Mother by treating her body, the land, and her children, the plants and animals of the world, with respect. Tauren disrupt the natural balance of the land as little as possible. They take only what they need from the land and eschew mass logging and mining. They respect the animals they hunt and never wastefully discard animal carcasses.

## Other, Notable Abilities

The Tauren are pretty much completely resistant to nature magic and other things of the sort. That, and the Tauren have great endurance and are excellent herbalists.

## Tauren Sayings

* Peace and patience be with you, friend. Remain strong as always.
* May the Earth Mother empower your path.
* May the eternal sun shine upon thee.
* May the winds guide you.