Lix Lorn
2012-05-09, 10:01 PM
EQUITARIAN or LESSER CENTAURS
While their larger cousins are tribal beings, and hunters, the Equitarians are friendly, inquisitive, and creative. Often, they find themselves absorbed into other settlements, and their history is littered with occasions where they suffered for their naivete. Yet they persevere, and keep smiling.
TYPICAL EQUITARIANS
Most Equitarians are agile, with the stamina of true horses. They’re unfailingly friendly, always smiling, and good with their hands. They like to spend their time running, but enjoy just standing and watching the world too. Often, they love some form of art-many Equitarians are excellent painters, and some can sculpt beautifully.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
An Equitarian looks human from the waist up. They generally have light skin and fair hair, a lithe figure and gentle, tapered fingers eminently suited for detail. From the waist down, however, they are quite different-a small horse, in fact. Breeds vary, but they tend towards lighter colours, and tend to be agile, sure footed varieties rather than the powerful workhorses. Often, they are actually shorter than true humans, coming in at five and a half feet tall or less.
Relations With Other Races
In general Equitarians are integrated into other communities where they are found. Sometimes they join groups of their cousins, but often they join the settlements of other races, serving as artists or even light cavalry-or the steeds for them. Sadly, in the past, they were often misused in such a manner. Some groups have used Equitarians as dumb animals, training them the same way as simple horses. Fortunately, the practice has mostly died out-several large groups have placed their support behind Equitarians as a race, and enslaving them is looked down upon more strongly than most other races.
Alignment
Equitarians tend towards the chaotic and good ends of the alignment spectrum, although this is by no means a hard rule. Their spread out nature makes most Equitarians live in societies not their own, and many influences can shape their lives.
Equitarian Lands
Few Equitarians lands still exist, but rumours of small communities primarily made up of the small taurics persist even today.
Religion
Religious views differ among Equitarians, but many follow deities of art and creativity. Oddly, the draconic deity Hlal is a favourite, her fondness for stories meshing well with the proclivities of the lesser centaurs.
Language
Some groups insist that Equitarians once had their own tongue, but if they ever did, it has long since died out. Nowadays, Equitarians speak common, or the language of the society in which they live.
Common Names
Equitarians have a fondness for gentle names, soft names and flowing names, often using elven names. By and large, their naming practices fall within similar bounds as humans, or other nearby races.
Adventurers
Equitarians are curious, adventurous and very social-three traits that make them perfectly suited to adventuring. They often become bards, but some imitate the traditions of their older cousins and instead choose the path of a warrior or archer.
Equitarian Racial Traits
Abilities: Dex +2, Con +2. Equitarians are agile, and their forms give them stamina.
Size: Medium.
Type: An Equitarian is a monstrous humanoid. They are not subject to spells or effects that affect only humanoids, such as dominate person or charm person.
Movement Rate: 60ft.
Noble Steed: As tauroids, Equitarians are quadrupedal creatures. Their carrying capacity is 1.5 times larger than a bipedal creature of their size.
Equitarians are capable of carrying riders of medium size or smaller, presuming their carrying capacity is high enough.
They do double damage when charging with lances, as if they were mounted.
Equitarians have two hoof attacks, which are considered secondary natural weapons and therefore take a -5 penalty. They deal 1d3+1.5 Str mod damage on a successful hit.
As a Tauroid, Equitarians do not have a Boot slot. They may, however, utilise Horseshoe items, and most items made in boot form can function as Horseshoes just as easily.
Rather than the Ride skill, an Equitarian can take ranks in 'Be Ridden'. Making a Be Ridden check is identical to a rider's Ride check. The higher check applies.
Nimble Fingers: Equitarians are preternaturally skilled at close, delicate work. They gain a +2 racial bonus to craft checks.
Innocence: Equitarians are easily fooled, but something about them seems positively sweet. They gain a +1 racial bonus on diplomacy rolls, but suffer a -1 penalty to sense motive rolls.
Favoured Class: Bard or Ranger. A Equitarian's highest level Bard or Ranger class doesn't count against him or her when determining experience point penalties for multiclassing.
LA:+1
Racial Feats
Ironback Steed
Prerequisites: Con 15, quadruped
Benefit: Your carrying capacity is increased by half of a bipedal creature of your size's carrying capacity. For an Equitarian, this gives double normal carrying capacity.
In addition, you treat any living creature riding you to possess only half his normal weight.
Normal: The lithe, five foot pony can't pull a wagon.
Workhorse
Prerequisites: Con 17, Ironback Steed
Benefit: Your carrying capacity is increased by a bipedal creature of your size's carrying capacity. For an Equitarian, this gives triple normal carrying capacity.
In addition, you halve the weight of armor and worn equipment belonging to any creature riding you.
Normal: Physics objects when your rider wears full plate.
Magic Items
Nimbus Horseshoes
These white horseshoes, an improved version of the Horseshoes of the Zephyr created by Equitarian artificiers, come in a set of four. When affixed to an animal’s hooves, they allow the animal to walk on air, with the same effects as a permanent version of Air Walk. Most animals require training to do this safely, skillfully, and without fear, as described in the spell. All four shoes must be worn by the same animal for the magic to be effective.
Faint Transmutation, CL 7th, Craft Wondrous Item, Air Walk, Price 50,000gp, Weight 4lb for four
While their larger cousins are tribal beings, and hunters, the Equitarians are friendly, inquisitive, and creative. Often, they find themselves absorbed into other settlements, and their history is littered with occasions where they suffered for their naivete. Yet they persevere, and keep smiling.
TYPICAL EQUITARIANS
Most Equitarians are agile, with the stamina of true horses. They’re unfailingly friendly, always smiling, and good with their hands. They like to spend their time running, but enjoy just standing and watching the world too. Often, they love some form of art-many Equitarians are excellent painters, and some can sculpt beautifully.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
An Equitarian looks human from the waist up. They generally have light skin and fair hair, a lithe figure and gentle, tapered fingers eminently suited for detail. From the waist down, however, they are quite different-a small horse, in fact. Breeds vary, but they tend towards lighter colours, and tend to be agile, sure footed varieties rather than the powerful workhorses. Often, they are actually shorter than true humans, coming in at five and a half feet tall or less.
Relations With Other Races
In general Equitarians are integrated into other communities where they are found. Sometimes they join groups of their cousins, but often they join the settlements of other races, serving as artists or even light cavalry-or the steeds for them. Sadly, in the past, they were often misused in such a manner. Some groups have used Equitarians as dumb animals, training them the same way as simple horses. Fortunately, the practice has mostly died out-several large groups have placed their support behind Equitarians as a race, and enslaving them is looked down upon more strongly than most other races.
Alignment
Equitarians tend towards the chaotic and good ends of the alignment spectrum, although this is by no means a hard rule. Their spread out nature makes most Equitarians live in societies not their own, and many influences can shape their lives.
Equitarian Lands
Few Equitarians lands still exist, but rumours of small communities primarily made up of the small taurics persist even today.
Religion
Religious views differ among Equitarians, but many follow deities of art and creativity. Oddly, the draconic deity Hlal is a favourite, her fondness for stories meshing well with the proclivities of the lesser centaurs.
Language
Some groups insist that Equitarians once had their own tongue, but if they ever did, it has long since died out. Nowadays, Equitarians speak common, or the language of the society in which they live.
Common Names
Equitarians have a fondness for gentle names, soft names and flowing names, often using elven names. By and large, their naming practices fall within similar bounds as humans, or other nearby races.
Adventurers
Equitarians are curious, adventurous and very social-three traits that make them perfectly suited to adventuring. They often become bards, but some imitate the traditions of their older cousins and instead choose the path of a warrior or archer.
Equitarian Racial Traits
Abilities: Dex +2, Con +2. Equitarians are agile, and their forms give them stamina.
Size: Medium.
Type: An Equitarian is a monstrous humanoid. They are not subject to spells or effects that affect only humanoids, such as dominate person or charm person.
Movement Rate: 60ft.
Noble Steed: As tauroids, Equitarians are quadrupedal creatures. Their carrying capacity is 1.5 times larger than a bipedal creature of their size.
Equitarians are capable of carrying riders of medium size or smaller, presuming their carrying capacity is high enough.
They do double damage when charging with lances, as if they were mounted.
Equitarians have two hoof attacks, which are considered secondary natural weapons and therefore take a -5 penalty. They deal 1d3+1.5 Str mod damage on a successful hit.
As a Tauroid, Equitarians do not have a Boot slot. They may, however, utilise Horseshoe items, and most items made in boot form can function as Horseshoes just as easily.
Rather than the Ride skill, an Equitarian can take ranks in 'Be Ridden'. Making a Be Ridden check is identical to a rider's Ride check. The higher check applies.
Nimble Fingers: Equitarians are preternaturally skilled at close, delicate work. They gain a +2 racial bonus to craft checks.
Innocence: Equitarians are easily fooled, but something about them seems positively sweet. They gain a +1 racial bonus on diplomacy rolls, but suffer a -1 penalty to sense motive rolls.
Favoured Class: Bard or Ranger. A Equitarian's highest level Bard or Ranger class doesn't count against him or her when determining experience point penalties for multiclassing.
LA:+1
Racial Feats
Ironback Steed
Prerequisites: Con 15, quadruped
Benefit: Your carrying capacity is increased by half of a bipedal creature of your size's carrying capacity. For an Equitarian, this gives double normal carrying capacity.
In addition, you treat any living creature riding you to possess only half his normal weight.
Normal: The lithe, five foot pony can't pull a wagon.
Workhorse
Prerequisites: Con 17, Ironback Steed
Benefit: Your carrying capacity is increased by a bipedal creature of your size's carrying capacity. For an Equitarian, this gives triple normal carrying capacity.
In addition, you halve the weight of armor and worn equipment belonging to any creature riding you.
Normal: Physics objects when your rider wears full plate.
Magic Items
Nimbus Horseshoes
These white horseshoes, an improved version of the Horseshoes of the Zephyr created by Equitarian artificiers, come in a set of four. When affixed to an animal’s hooves, they allow the animal to walk on air, with the same effects as a permanent version of Air Walk. Most animals require training to do this safely, skillfully, and without fear, as described in the spell. All four shoes must be worn by the same animal for the magic to be effective.
Faint Transmutation, CL 7th, Craft Wondrous Item, Air Walk, Price 50,000gp, Weight 4lb for four