Races of the setting

Different humanoid races and their subraces go here. Just edit the post with new races as they appear.

Humans

For countless generations, humankind has lived in the world. They are not the strongest, the most cunning or the hardiest of species, but they make up for their lack of vicious qualities with solid craftsmanship, clever strategies and good adaptability. Anywhere in the world where water can be found is a potential home to humans, and they are as diverse as the world they live in.

Humans live for anywhere between sixty and a hundred years. This varies depending on their affinity for magic, and an Adrilan tends to live longer than an Ivellean. Some wizards can of course extend their lifespans through magic, and this is a common pursuit as a wizard grows old, but none have yet managed to extend their lifespan past 130 years.

Humans start out with quite weak grasp of magic in their childhood, but their growth is exceptional in their teen years. Magic bonds with the human, giving the human a limitless source of magical energy and a magical ability that will remain with the person for the rest of their life. This ability is based upon the person's current skills, but as the person grows more adept at other skills, it will change and grow, taking on attributes from the other skills as well. A human who plays with fire as a child and teenager, and later is taught swordsmanship, will be able to manipulate fire as their basic ability, and gain great aptitude at adding flames into his swordsmanship.

Religion is a curious topic among humans. The Church of Magic has a wide following in Elthern and Ivellea, with people daily giving reverence to the magic that has allowed them to prosper as they have. By contrast, in more martial countries like Adrila, the most common religion is the Church of the Five, having the people rather see the five gods as benefactors and overseers of their daily activities, blessing those who excel at something. Other religions exist, though they are more considered cults and simplistic tribal magic. Not all humans believe in anything beside their own selves and what they can see, hear and feel, though.



The Cheetahmen (They have no name yet.)

Originally posted by Octie

THIS POST IS OBSOLETE. SEE XILLIDI GUIDE FOR UPDATED INFO.

Xillidi

A name given to the hybrid race of insectoids that inhabits the Old World. Racial mentality differs between castes; most Xillidi have general distaste for other races (some even detest each other within their own ranks), but it remains very mild in the lower castes. The higher the caste goes, the more racist the mentality tends to become. For more information on castes, see the Nations section.
Note: Until I do it in the Nations section, I'll detail it here:

Dsnia - Workers
Respcis - Civilians
Thesha - Merchants
Iru'Kinin - Human Slaves
Krztello - Military
Roda'Craan - Church
Cryxilla - Royalty
Zephss - Ascetics

In terms of appearances, this also differs depending on the sub-race that they are. There are countless sub-races in the Xillidi (each usually a given insect in humanoid form, but the most common are:

Coleoptus - Beetle-type Xillidi that make up a majority of the Dsnia Caste. Race traits include bulky shells and physiques, as well as horns/antlers on males in some cases. Usually have four limbs (two legs, two arms), but some have six (four arms, two legs. Vice versa is rarest kind). Can be find in most castes and places. Appearances differ greatly depending on the place they inhabit.

Culicin- A large sub-race consisting of scrawny, fly-like humanoids (resembling things like mosquitoes). They are found in all castes except the Zephss Caste. Some are vampiric and have needle-like probosci. Most have long, thin wings that can beat at insane speeds. Found mostly in humid and temperate areas; cannot survive in cold weather. They are lively at all times.

Vespula - Wasp-like Xillidi that make up most of the Krztello Caste. Race traits include enlarged abdomens with stingers, insectoid wings and sharp mandibles. All Vespula have four limbs (two arms, two legs). Found only in places near the Whispered Plains, though nomadic tribes can be found as far as Adrila. Short-tempered and always hold grudges.

Formicia - Ant-like Xillidi that compose a majority of the Dsnia and Respcis Castes. Race traits include long antennae, sharp mandibles and six limbs (two legs, four arms, or vice versa). Found absolutely everywhere, even the furthest most wintery Southern reaches of the Old World.

Aranichi - Eight-limbed Xillidi fall under this sub-race (except Scorpion-type). Usually found as two arms/six legs or two legs/six arms. They can be found in all castes. In the Zephss Caste, only Scorpion-type Xillidi are part of it, and can only be found in this caste. Most common are Spider-types, usually identified by enlarged abdomens and up to six eyes (some cases have normal sized abdomens). Scorpion-types are generally the same, except instead of the abdomen, they have a stinger tail that can measure anything from 1.5m to 6m (longest recorded). Scorpion-types also tend to have pincers instead of hands, or a combination of the two. All Aranichi are found in Northern areas of the Old World around the Whispered Plains. Scorpion-types are only found in the elusive Zephss caste.

Mantid - Humanoid mantids that usually serve in the Krztello Caste and Roda'Craan Caste. Racial traits include thin shells with wings within them, slightly enlarged abdomens, and scythe-like limbs. Some only have the scythe-like limbs as their arms, while others have them attached to the shoulders instead in addition to normal arms. They are usually four limbed (six if they have shoulder limbs). Found generally everywhere.

Lepidos - An unusual sub-race that consists of caterpillar and butterfly-like humanoids. Young are often hidden away because of their ugly appearances, though upon maturing, they are released to the world. Have shorter lifespans than other Xillidi and thrive in sunlit areas. Moth-types are also rarely spawned from younglings. Moth-types are generally regarded as "destined for greatness" since in the past, Moth-types contributed to the population of the Zephss caste.

Anisoia - A mysterious and ancient sub-race that composes a majority of the Zephss Caste, and cannot be seen in any other. Dragonfly-like traits, with lanky forms and horizontal wings. They also have a more scaly appearance compared to other Xillidi.

Dermasi - Earwig Xillidi. Though they may look similar other sub-races, they are their own sub-race. Characterized by large pincers on the rear of abdomen and thin hard shell plates. Often found in desert and temperate areas. They are a very non-hostile sub-race and are usually found in economical positions.

Uncategorized - There are various small groups of Xillidi that are unclassified in the sub-races of the Empire, simply because they are too much of a minority to be granted such status. These include a tribe of stealth-adepts that resemble silverfish and a cult of vampiric tick-like Xillidi that are outcasts of the Empire. If you have any inquiries for characters that aren't in the listed sub-races, speak to me.

Originally posted by Mizu

Hello everyone.
This is my first post here, so I figured I'd take the time to say hello.


Sylvians (Alternatively: “Nemians”)

The sylvians are an old race of dryadic and nymph-like humanoid creatures that inhabit the feral regions of the world, tending to their sacred duty of nurturing and protecting nature. These creatures never boasted any form of militaristic or economic might, due to their secrecy and more tribal and independent tendencies, and have never been known to organize into any truly large form of community. They are elusive and shy by nature, and are infamous for their curious outlook, tenacity, illusive magic, and poor relations with humans.

The sylvian race is generally passive in nature, possessing little natural aggression, and boasts a staggering amount of resilience and longevity on the individual level. It is said that not a single sylvian has died of age, and that a sylvian only finds death in being killed. Whether or not this statement is true or not is up to debate, but whatever the matter, it’s indisputable that sylvians have been known to live for centuries, in perfect health, unmarked by the marrs of age.

Appearance and habits
A typical sylvian -or as intellectuals would call it: “Nemian”- is humanoid in appearance. Given the magical nature of a sylvian, each member of the species has a limited ability to change their appearance. Most often, they choose to take the full form of humans; whether it be to live among them or for simple pleasure, most sylvians are found looking remarkably “human”. This characteristic has been cause for much suspicion from other races, most predominant of which being the race that sylvians so often make a habit of mimicking.

All sylvians, nymphic as they are, possess a sacred duty to the flora of the natural world: to protect and to nurture them. With varying sects of sylvians playing different roles in this almost religious duty -named the “Pars Virilis”- each sylvian has a vastly different set of traits than those of another sect. While some are in charge of tending to the trees, others could be responsible for the changing blooms of the vernal months. What further defines each individual sylvian is what is known as their “Radix” (which, in much simpler terms, could be called their “favorite plant”). Their Radix, of which they are patron to, is the flora that they have the highest natural affinity for watching over and tending to. Caring for this specific element of nature, be it a type of rose or an oak, is what many sylvians view to be their entire purpose in life. As a human is born under a zodiac, sylvians are born with their Radix. In addition to this, their Radix will also reflect their abilities and even elements of their personality.

Although it would certainly appear otherwise, a sylvian, in many ways, is more akin to flora than fauna. Sylvians, like plants, are able to produce the majority of their own nutrients, of which they supplement with the occasional intake of food, as well as plenty of water. Not surprisingly, a sylvian will begin to die if kept from the sun for extended periods of time, and they will not fare well in excessively dry or treeless biomes.

Sylvians are extremely sensitive to pollution, as their skin, which they take the majority of their air and water in through, is especially absorbent. In addition to this, metals, such as lead, are especially toxic to them.

Abilities
Sylvians are magical beings, having access to a wide array of abilities that, although rich in variety, are modest in power. Their greatest magical talent lies in their mastery of the illusory arts; magic that plays tricks on the mind, or confuses through spectacle. Added to this, a typical sylvian has access to a set of spells that, the properties of which, are heavily dependent on his or her Radix. Although their magic may be wielded in different ways, none if it is inherently deadly, nor does any form of Nemian magic come with the explicit intention of killing. Additionally, as sylvians are very proud of their individual magical talents, many abilities, despite how trivial, are often rich in sensory appeal. A flower-based sylvian, eager to flee a scene, may explode into a shower of beautiful petals dancing in the breeze, or alternatively, a tree-based sylvian, wanting to entertain travelers, might make soothing music of the wind through the leaves. Their magic is just as diverse as their species.

Interestingly enough, sylvians have a surprising amount of difficulty with magic when they are unable to see; and, additionally, despite how essential water is to them, a sylvian completely drenched in liquid may be rendered unable to use potentially life-saving escapist magics.

The race is predominantly female, with males having become increasingly rare over the years.

Interactions with other races
One of the most interesting features of the sylvians is their incredibly quick and versatile adaptability. Most striking of which is their unusual breeding habits. In dire times, female sylvians are able to pair with members of other biologically similar sentient beings, ensuring that the gene pool keeps a rich biodiversity. Due to sylvian genotypes often overriding most of those of a human partner, no real “hybrids” are an outcome of interspecies pairing, and those that are born of the pairing are considered sylvian. Within Nemian culture, those born of interspecies pairing are known as “Redbloods”, and those of “pure” descent are known as “Whitebloods”. Sometimes, conflict arises between the Reds and the Whites, often stemming from the common belief that Whitebloods are naturally superior. Despite this, the conflicts don’t usually turn violent, and, interestingly enough, the actual color of blood between the two parties is near-indistinguishable. Redbloods have a natural instinct to follow the ways of sylvian culture, but also carry instinct to cling to human civilization, nearly always in secret, becoming what is known by humans as an “imus”. On the part of the sylvian’s mate, all are gifted with the health and longevity that the species offers as reward for the affection of its members; a highly coveted, albeit very misunderstood prize.

The peaceful, yet enigmatic nature of sylvians has gotten them into trouble on more than one occasion. Out of all races, interactions with humans have by far gone the worst.

Sylvians, for many centuries, were held by the common man to be fiendish creatures of the night; bogeymen of sorts. This was largely due to their unknown nature and suspicious tendencies, most strikingly of which was their mimicry of humans. Their tendency to masquerade as humans was, in long ages past, a source for much mythology. Some stories stated that the sylvians had an insatiable desire to feed upon the flesh of human children, and would disguise themselves as governesses or teachers in order to achieve that goal. And in other cases, it was widely believed that the sylvians, like sirens, would entice innocent young men from their homes in the dead of night in order to butcher them in the darkest depths of the forest. Although these legends were clearly false, given the average Sylvian’s inherent lack of predatory instinct, it didn’t halt the lasting stigma surrounding them that the tales, and others like them, had created over the centuries; which only served to feed their poor relations with humans even into the modern day.

Much like witch hunts, some people who were suspected of being imuses (“imus” being a derogatory term for human-mimicking Sylvians, meaning “inferior”), were round up and, in younger times, put to death by fire. It wasn’t until just over a century from the present that these waning occurrences finally ceased. However, they picked up once again with a far more deadly passion later on.

The blood of sylvians, the red and near-black coloration of which people formally used to identify innocence or guilt with in witchhunts, was eventually found to be an extremely profitable resource. Due to the sylvians highly regenerative nature and odd healing process, their blood was found to be an almost complete panacea for physical injury and minor illness, as well as having lasting health benefits when consumed, being a potent ingredient for alchemists, and having a great deal of worth to sorcerers whom wished to amplify their magical talents. Additionally, and even more importantly to the business world, their blood could easily be made into an oil to coat weapons and machinery with, greatly enhancing durability as well as providing outstanding efficiency. It didn’t take long for the harvesting and sale of sylvian blood, called “Ruber-Aurum”, to become an extremely lucrative and deadly industry across the Old World. The witchhunts of old returned with a new intensity, with people scouring the land for the dreaded imuses with all-new methods of routing them out. It was also discovered that when in contact with larger quantities of water, a Sylvian with the appearance of a human would begin to show tell-tale signs of its true nature, such as floral markings along the skin or shifting coloration of the eyes. This proved to be a far more effective method of catching imuses than the old ways, which had included laceration. Additionally, and more sinisterly, It was found that, when in direct contact with fire, a sylvian’s blood would begin to solidify and crystallize, forming thick, unhealing scabs on the wounds of injured sylvians.

Sylvians, or “Sprigs” (as their hunters, or “Venators”, often called them), were culled by the hundreds for the “Red Gold” by mercenaries and soldiers alike, whittling away at their numbers in merciless raids until they were only but a shadow of their former selves, untrustful of all humans. The sylvians’ only real form of defence, the Sentinels, were eventually unable to hold back against the constant stream of organized slavers and killers that continually assailed their numbers any longer, causing this small warrior-sect of the Nemians to fade into memory. In times of war, when their blood would be especially useful for the coating of weapons, sylvians were slain and captured in mass quantities, unable to defend against the superior numbers their assailants often possessed. Cauterisation was discovered to be a very efficient and brutal weapon against sylvians, as the old, and now outlawed book To Snap a Sprig outlines: “Sprigs are, in many ways, not unlike hydras. If you cut them, they will simply grow it back. Just as in the feats of Hercules, Fire is the key.”

Because of the strange healing process of the plant-like slylvians, large quantities of Ruber-Aurum were able to be collected at once from captive, often enslaved individuals. The way in which a sylvian heals his or her wounds is through excessive bleeding over the damaged area. Then, their magic-imbued blood, containing amazing regenerative properties, will quickly heal the wound through coating it. Despite the extremely efficient healing this provides for the sylvian, it causes them to bleed far more than an average human would, a feature that many hunters and businessmen took advantage of; through lacerating captives and harvesting the excessive blood flow, collectors could easily double their profits over standard raids. Although the organ structure and high concentration of Ruber-Aurum within a sylvian mitigates some of the harm in excessive fluid loss, this occurrence will often give them away as an imus. As the once-popular book A Modern Witchhunt once stated, “-And if she bears no markings, the easiest way to identify an imus is to cut off her leg.”

This period of cruelty was relatively short lived, thankfully, as the common folk of some more civilized regions, whom had been significantly ignorant on the origin and collection of Ruber-Aurum, soon became distressed at the suffering and slaughter of the sylvians. Within the century, the collection of Ruber-Aurum soon became outlawed across many provinces, and more recently, in a select few regions, the murder of a sylvian is held to be a crime equal to that of murdering a fellow human. Despite this, imuses changed little from their old ways, as even Redbloods were still denied citizenship and equal protection under the law, even in the regions more tolerant of their kind. Racism still continues against sylvians, and it is not uncommon to see sylvian slaves.  Although it’s widely considered to be derogatory by most sylvians, most people will refer to them in whole as “imuses”, whether it be meant as an insult or not, or alternatively, by an audacious few, they will call them the far more offensive “Sprig”.

In the present, sylvians are still sometimes killed for Ruber-Aurum, depending on how tight or thorough the control is of a region’s government. And although trade in Ruber-Aurum has been outlawed, furtive black market trade in the hard-to-obtain substance has caused profits to skyrocket from its collection. A man could live off the profits of a gallon for the entirety of a year, if he plays his cards right. Worse still, the specialized bands of Ruber-Aurum hunters, known as Venators, still make a habit of poaching and kidnapping sylvians wherever they can, be they free-roaming or otherwise. Additionally to this, some wizards have become especially covetous of Ruber-Aurum, as well as Nemian slaves, which they often come into possession of a large quantities of. Sylvian servants, although expensive, are especially valued as slaves given their apparent lack of needs, their resilience, and their longevity. It is held in common belief that all a sylvian needs to survive is water and sunshine, of which they can do fine on obtaining on their own, and that the presence of a sylvian in the household will add plenty extra long, healthy years to their master’s life. It is, however, debatable on whether or not these beliefs are true, or more importantly, ethical.

Venators often kidnap both free-faring Redbloods and Whitebloods, if not having killed them, to turn a profit by either harvesting their Ruber-Aurum themselves, or by selling the captives off as slaves. Given a sylvian's elusive and mischievous nature, Venators usually employ a strategy often referred to as "dousing". Dousing envolves coating a captive sylvian with either water or, more efficiently, types of thick oils. Then, often through use of thick cloth, the sylvian's sight is completely obscured. Finally, the captors will often engrave criss-cross shaped cuts along the captive's back and arms, all coming together to render the captive completely unable to feasibly use any mode of their usual escapist magics. Once enslaved, the fate of a sylvian is uncertain. In the most fortunate of cases, a sylvian will wind up as a gardener or perhaps a house servant. In the the most luckless of circumstances, however, a sylvian could become a wizard's test subject or a living blood bank. Their experiences aren't without hope, however, as sometimes their indentured lives are met with fair conditions or even pay. If a master is feeling particularly greedy, however, he or she may allow his or her subject to pay for their freedom in blood. Literally.

Marriage between a sylvian and a human is, despite recent reforms in the treatment of sylvians, strictly taboo in human culture. Many don’t understand the workings of it, and many more are left confused by the benefits to health and longevity their partner receives. As stated before, sylvians were kept often as slaves in an effort to obtain these gifts, which many believed are a result of close proximity or contact with sylvian individuals.

Additional Details
- Sylvians have a Birthmonth rather than a Birthday. Generally, this is celebrated as a festival of sorts, where everyone who shares the same Birthmonth congregates somewhere deep in nature to celebrate, usually happening for a week in the beginning of the month and a week at the end. There's often food, dancing, and magical competitions. Sylvians are allowed to bring one guest. Traditionally, Reds and Whites are not allowed to differentiate from each other during the celebration.
- Sylvians celebrate the start of Spring as one of their most important holidays; however, they do not celebrate the start of Winter, as it is a time of fear for most sylvians.
- Sylvians are strongest and healthiest during the apex months of their Radices. e.g. when their flower is in bloom or when their tree bears fruit. When their Radices are dying (such as in Winter), many sylvians become weaker and more edgy.
- Venators most often hunt in Winter and rarely in Spring. Additionally, Venators are considered outlaws in many territories.
- Sylvians, while immune to many poisons and diseases deadly to humans, are extremely sensitive to pollution and toxic chemicals.
- Sylvians, when deprived of sunlight for too long, will experience symptoms similar to dementia and schizophrenia in humans. Most will either die, or alternatively, given their adaptability, turn to more predatory instinct.
- Sylvians have a habit of letting colors affect their psychology. Most sylvians find the color yellow to be sedative, the color blue to be invigorating, and the color green to be soothing.
- The affection of a sylvian (whether it be romantic or friendly) has been known to positively affect the health of those it's centered on. Many believe that simply close proximity will suffice, however.
- Ruber Aurem is sometimes heated in furnaces, making mock-gems, which can be sold for a great deal of money.
- While many sylvians are absolutely terrified of Venators, sylvian-hunting is a very dangerous business, and it's not unrare that even a successful raid is without its losses.

Originally posted by Octie

Vampires

Vampires in TOS are a race that inhabit a land to the South. They share some traits with conventional vampires, but have some more unique aspects from the general consensus of vampirism. First and foremost, vampires are not an undead race; they are a living, sentient race of beings that reside in the Old World. Vampires are mostly hostile towards other races outside of trade, and others kindly return the favor, though vampires don't often wage wars.

Biology

Vampires are beings that are generally defined by pale complexion, scary eyes, pronounced fangs and other dark features. They are weakened by sunlight and strengthened in the darkness of night. The cause for this is their place of origin being a realm of perpetual night and/or cloudiness, the sun being obscured completely from their lands. Hence, they become weakened by the harsh rays of sun (though they don't burn to ashes). Vampires suck blood from other creatures as a primary source of nourishment; the blood of humans is favored above others. However, animals will suffice if no human is available. Vampires do eat, but it is mostly luxury since they derive the nutrients they need from blood. Drinking the blood of another vampire is considered cannibalism (except when drinking the blood of a parent; see details on reproduction). Physically, vampires have enhanced strength and regeneration compared to humans (these increases are reduced to below human levels when exposed to sunlight). They can also see through darkness with ease and they have a natural charm ability that uses their gaze to either seduce or intimidate others.

In terms of reproduction, common misconception is that extra vampires are made via converting humans by sucking their blood. This is not true at all in TOS. Vampires reproduce naturally like other races do, and have capabilities to cross-breed with humans to make Dhampirs (see Dhampir section below). However, the ways vampires are raised are different than most conventions followed by humans. From birth and through childhood, the paths of vampires' lives are designated through the way the mother raises them. The mother can nurse her child via feeding from the breast or feeding from her jugular vein. Breast fed children become vampire civilians and pursue any non-combat role in life. Those who feed upon the blood of their mother are destined to become fighters. The blood of their mother increases the natural bloodlust of the vampire, so even if they try to deter from their given path, they'll be cursed by the lust to fight and kill. Because of this, vampire society tends to become segregated between those who think of nothing but battle and killing, and those who live ordinary lives. While they are xenophobic, the blood-raised vampires are the ones mostly giving the bad impressions left on other nations. They are also mostly the only vampires that venture outside their territory.

Dhampirs

Dhampirs are a sub-race of vampires, and they are the results of vampiric cross-breeding with other races. Most Dhampirs are human-vampire hybrids, but there have been cases of even Xillidi-Vampire hybrids. By law, Dhampirs are permitted to live on land designated as theirs within the vampire territories. However, felonies such as murder and rape are not considered criminal offenses and if Dhampirs venture outside of their designated land, vampires may do what they want with them with no penalty. Socially, they are considered outcasts/abominations and get little to no remorse from other vampires. Dhampir children, as dictated by law of the state, are not allowed to live outside of vampire territory. If the father/mother of a Dhampir child is foreign, they must come and live in Dhampir land or have their child and spouse executed. In terms of biology, Dhampirs reproduce normally and do not follow the usual vampire codes. They share some traits like enhanced strength and regeneration, but they are usually dulled down versions compared to real vampires. Dhampirs also are more resistant to sunlight, but still find it unpleasant.

As of recent times, Dhampir presence in the vampiric territories has been mostly eradicated since the purges were carried out. Most Dhampirs that survived have fled the territory completely, and have either settled elsewhere or have been killed off. All the Dhampir settlements and land is now treated as forsaken ground, with plans being made to build over them.

Politics

Their territories are located in the South between Ivellea and Adrila, where it is much colder. They control two other pieces of land in addition to their mainland. The state is led via aristocracy. The heads of various prestigious vampire families form a council that leads the country. When a head of a family dies, their designated successor takes their position in the name of the family. In the mainland, all the territories are divided into "realms", each one owned by a family head in the council. Such realms are named after the family that rules in. The council often focuses on internal relations and society, since it is a rarity for the entire council to fully agree with each other.

In terms of foreign relations, the council is bitter to most other nations, only willing to accept negotiations and deals in trade. Any other type of political gesture is either ignored or rejected. The council also actively avoids wars, and will do much to avoid conflict with other nations, mostly because of their internal instability. While foreigners may traverse freely through their lands, they are not covered by the judiciary laws. Therefore, crimes against foreigners crossing through the land are not counted as offenses, so it is difficult for one to gain compensation if they are robbed or wounded while traveling through. Because of this, most avoid the country altogether and opt to go around it.

Northwest of Elthern, upon the wide prairie there, roam many tribes. The Rhino Tribes have roamed around here for ages, trampling and decimating anything unfortunate enough to get in their path. One of those who have succeeded at getting out of the way of the rhino stampedes for long enough are the centaurs. These proud and swift nomads can move swiftly, often moving from one part of the prairie to another in search of better bounty. Yet, while they are well known, humans have not gotten to interact much with them. The centaurs often keep their distance from humans with ease, though some stories exist where a human and a centaur cooperate successfully.

Biology
The common lifespan for a centaur is shorter than that of a human; a centaur is at the same stage at age 14 as a human is at age 20, and usually centaur die when they are between 50 and 60 years old. A 14 years old centaur may still be found slightly childish by humans, if their nature is of the calmer and gentler kind. If they are of the wilder and fiercer kind, they often strike civilised humans (such as Ivelleans and Eltherners) as bloodthirsty savages, when in reality they simply have yet to mature mentally to the point where they will know when to stay their blades and when to draw them.

Their lower bodies are generally the same size as a smaller horse, making them quite bulky beside smaller races. They remain agile for their size, however, and most centaur warriors can react even better and faster than a rider on horseback. Their upper bodies are quite dextrous, making them able to reach down to pick things up from the ground and shoot backwards over their own rears. Of course, this comes with the disadvantage of not seeing where one runs.

While the centaur can accommodate themselves to other environments if they must or wish, they are at their peak on the prairie, where their omnivorous eating habits come to play. A centaur clan eats as much in one day as a human band of the same size would eat in a week, due to their size and constant activity. Regions like Adrila can sustain a centaur clan with ease, but the journey from the prairie through Ivellea and the Fallathian pass will be far too difficult for a centaur clan to make.

Culture
Centaur tend to stay together in their clans, roaming the steppes between the Federation mountains, the western coast, Elthern and the Federation mountains. The centaur clans thus become tightly knit, where anything worth celebrating for one often becomes a clan-wide celebration, and likewise with sorrowful events. There is little organisation inside the clan, only that the strongest of them will lead them, with the assistance of the wisest. The rest base themselves upon a principle of sharing amidst each others, and any disputes are solved through a fistfight, most commonly. The centaur have a low birth rate, and their numbers have dwindled slowly in the last centuries, but they are still a common presence on the plains.

A centaur clan ranges from around 20 to 35 individuals at a time. It's common for a centaur couple to get two children, of which the elder stays and the younger is married away to another clan, often in exchange for a partner for the elder centaur in return. This double marriage is often celebrated with a great feast and afterwards a parting ceremony, where the centaur leaving to another clan will be given family heirlooms, many of which have been through this ceremony before. The clan's wisest will give the young centaur some words of advice and the promise of never forgetting. Then, the centaur's life in their new clan will begin, and the two clans depart in different directions.

The centaur are not very religious people. They believe that upon death, their spirits will find a new body to inhabit, so that while their memories and knowledge may fade, their souls will endure. The centaurs' only further development on the topic is the Soul Tearer, who will come to dying centaurs of particular greatness and tear off pieces of their soul, to make sure a great centaur in one life will not become even greater in the next. While this stands as an unlikely story to both followers of magic and followers of the Five, the centaur rarely bother discussing the topic and are not very eager to enter deep religious discussions.

As earlier mentioned, centaur population is slowly dwindling. There once was eighty clans of centaurs roaming the lands; now there are only half as many. Whether this is due to human and Xillidi expansion, or the eighty clans were simply too many for the lands to sustain, is unknown. The centaur themselves are largely undaunted by it, caring far more for their own clans to worry about the misfortune of others.

Relations with other creatures
The centaur often interact with others, usually the Rhino Tribes when these wildmen once in a while stop to collect food and drink, and to let their massive mounts rest. The centaur often hunt smaller animals and collect edible herbs and roots, trading these to the Rhino Tribes. What the centaur get in return varies greatly. It may be weapons looted from enemy tribes, it may be goods stolen from plundered caravans. What is certain is that the centaur lean towards spears, halberds and ranged weaponry, as they as often fight Rhino Tribes as they trade with them, and while their arrows cannot harm the rhinos themselves, arrows and spears can take down a rider. It is a foolish centaur indeed who tries to face a rhino head on.

When it comes to more civilised people, centaur prefer keeping their distance, as there is no knowing what an Elthern slave dealer might do if an opportunity for an exotic beast of burden presents itself. The centaur and the Xillidi are able to interact, but rarely do so, as the centaur have little to trade to Xillidi merchants, and they know better than to attack the Xillidi Empire.

On rare occasions more adventurous centaur will leave their clan and venture towards human lands in search of excitement. As a result, centaur clans have begun adapting more to human contact, often wearing clothes on their upper bodies to avoid bipedes staring at them. They dislike physical contact with people they are unfamiliar with, but those who become a friend to the centaur will find the centaur having no issues with physical contact of friendly nature.

If one seeks to meet centaur, the best place would be Rhino Rock out on the prairie. Here, the Rhino Tribes gather often for tribal meetings, deciding on new areas to roam and trading armour and other equipment for their rhinos. Centaur clans often venture here to trade with the tribesmen. While the tribesmen find the centaur weak and puny compared to their mighty rhinos, they recognise the manoeuvrability of the centaur and respect them for this. On only one occasion did the Rhino Tribes and the centaur go to war together; this was against Chandeum many, many years ago. The tribesmen simply refer to this event as "The Charge", while the centaur, marginally less simplistic, have records of the event written down. It is considered the greatest victory the Rhino Tribes have yet won, and the most humiliating defeat Chandeum ever suffered. Even though Chandeum territory stretched even into today's Xillidi lands, Rhino Rock has never been conquered.


Magics
The magics of centaurs are not too far from those of a human, often being similar in nature. Some centaur have magical abilities outperforming humans, but these come at the price of a shortened lifespan. Most centaur care little for magic, often developing simple abilities like sensing impending threats or sleepvision, allowing them to keep running in their sleep without colliding with anything.

Trivia
While centaur aren't taking pride in their craft, they can create extremely stubborn cloth. In old times, these were used as mere blankets, but lately these have become exotic trade goods to Elthern nobles, who often have them made into everyday clothes. The irony, perhaps, is that the common slave would be better served with such clothes, doing far more demanding work than the noble.