Centaur
Also known as Avolos, Ixiondae, and Sons/Daughters of Ixion, centaurs appear like horses possessing the head, arms, and upper body of a humanoid where a horse neck and head would normally be.
Their origins warrant legend all their own, starting with a corrupt king known as Ixion. Ixion robbed and slew his own father-in-law after inviting him over for a celebration. This violation of Xenia (the rules of hospitality in the Central Sea and Midlands) was so abhorrent, no other king would authorize any dealings with Ixion and all clerics far and wide were warned never to grant him atonement.
Disheartened and quickly losing money and territory, Ixion lamented and prayed to Zeus for help offering many sacrifices even other kings were hesitant to offer. Impressed with the offerings, Zeus took pity on the shamed king, and welcomed the mortal to dine with him among the gods (a rare honor). Rather than being grateful or gracious, Ixion, drunk on wine, lusted after his host's wife, Hera. Insulted, Zeus summoned a shapeshifting elemental spirit to take the form of Hera and seduce the mortal in his drunkenness. He would awaken to see the shapeshifters true form and cry out in horror and shame, scrambling to escape its embrace only to find Zeus waiting for him. Humiliated, Ixion was expelled from Olympus and blasted with a thunderbolt. As Ixion fell, Zeus ordered Hermes to bind Ixion to a winged fiery wheel that was always spinning. Therefore, Ixion was bound to a burning solar wheel for all eternity in the depths of Tartarus.
However, the elemental being with whom Ixion mated was impregnated by the coupling and gave birth to a hybrid being known as Imbros the Centaurous. Possessing the qualities of both a man and a primordial shapeshifting being, Imbros had difficulty interacting with the world, never able to take one form for long. In a maddened haze, Imbros took the form of a horse and mated with several mares imbuing them with a portion of his power. This allowed him to take one shape and remain comfortable and regain his senses for a time. He'd later realize this act of procreation was the only way for him to regain control over his form for a time, leaving him to continue doing this as he wandered the world a lowly bastard demigod.
The mares with whom Imbros first mated gave birth to the first centaurs, who themselves would become a new race and the first chimeras to become a viable species unto themselves.
The word "Ixion" is now associated with centaurs but also with a person who violates rules of hospitality. Centaurs are not exactly known for their civility, as they are a wild and barbaric people. They are often a symbol of barbarism, freedom, hunting, rudeness, and wildness. Most centaur live in nomadic herds, though on occasion some have been known to befriend other humanoids. Most centaurs are not welcome in urban areas because of their reputation for being barbarians, but they are also not necessarily shot on sight.
CREATURE TRAITS (17 RP)
- Types Size 6 Sapient Tauric Organism (Centaur, Chimera, Humanoid, Ungulate)
- Reach 5 feet
- Speed Land 50 feet
ATTRIBUTES (0 XP)
- +2 Con, -2 Dex, -2 Int, +2 Str, +2 Wis
LANGUAGES (-1 XP)
- Starting Languages: Common
- Bonus Languages: Elven, Gaios, Giant, Sylvan, Undercommon.
INNATE ABILITIES (18 XP)
- Fast Movement (6 XP): Centaurs have a +10 innate increase to their base land speed. This is already calculated above.
- Large (7 XP): Centaurs are large giving them a +2 size bonus to their Strength score, Brawn checks, Parry DC, and Armor DC, and a -2 size penalty to their Dexterity score, Stealth checks, Dodge DC, and Reflex saves. Large creatures wield and wear items of large size dealing +1 die of damage, costing more based on size, and have +5 foot more reach than normal (already calculated above).
- Low-light vision (1 XP): Centaurs ignore penalties attack rolls and Perception checks resulting from dim lighting conditions. This does not allow them to see in total darkness.
- Natural Archer (2 XP): Centaurs begin with the Weapon Proficiency feat for bows, even if they do not meet the prerequisites.
- Tauric Body (2 XP): Centaurs have the upper body of a humanoid and lower body of a quadruped. This gives them a +10-foot increase to their base speed (already calculated above), innate disadvantage on Climb checks, +2 innate bonus to Parry DC vs. Bull Rush, Drag, Reposition, and Trip attempts, reduces their reach by 5 feet to a minimum of 5 feet if Small or larger or 0 if Tiny or smaller (already calculated above). They also wield handheld items and items worn on the upper body as if they were one size smaller.
VARIANTS
Other variants of centaurs may exist such as an elf/deer hybrid or dwarf/bear or even non-hooved creature lower halves such as a orc/wolf or human/lion. Most variants are rare but in cases where it is not a hooved creature they lose the Fast Movement trait and gain other traits instead such as Bite, Breath Weapon, Claws, Extra Legs, Natural Armor, Tail Slam, Tail Whip, Venomous Bite, Wings, etc.
ADDITIONAL ABILITIES
Centaurs begin with their innate traits and can gain additional traits from the following list as feats.