Cervitaur (5e Race)
Cervitaur
Physical Description
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| A young cervitaur |
Those who are familiar only with centaurs are quick to point out the similarities in resemblance between them and cervitaurs, but closer observation reveals an abundance of differences. Cervitaurs have the lower bodies of deer and the upper bodies of youthful humans: indeed, even an old cervitaur will still have the appearance of a man no older than twenty, and they rarely live twice that number. Cervitaurs are lithe creatures, quick on their hooves and flighty by nature. They are much lighter in coloration than most centaurs, both in the upper and lower parts of their bodies.
The cervitaur race encompasses a variety of phenotypes: one population of cervitaurs might have longer fur, rougher character and resemble reindeer, while another will share the tiny frame and tusks of muntjacs. This makes it hard to make generalizations about cervitaur physiology, although the following usually hold true: males have imposing antler crowns, while females sport smaller, straighter antlers; they are herbivores and almost always ruminants; and they are relatively small, standing no taller than a human and often much shorter.
More interesting than their physical characteristics are the minds of cervitaurs. Cervitaurs (at least those who have not been influence by other cultures) live in the moment. It is built into their very character. They express emotions - both positive and negative - in large, obvious ways. A cervitaur in love will woo the target of their affection constantly, and might hurt themselves if their love is not returned, while an angry cervitaur will concentrate only on hurting those who have angered them. But once the emotion is gone, it will rarely be returned to: cervitaurs hold no grudges, nor do they long remember lost loved ones.
History
Though they look like centaurs, cervitaurs actually hail from the Feywild. Indeed, they have more in common with the fey than any mundane race, in that while they have no natural arcane prowess, they possess a mind that's hard to comprehend to, say, a human. Cervitaurs have almost completely adapted to the material plane, to the point that they are nowadays quite rare in their native Feywild. Cervitaurs have no history as a race per se: they do not build nor have they ever built nations or empires, they feel no need to record their deeds or attempt to make themselves famous, and they rarely if ever consider the long run. They have little to show for the thousands of years of their existence in the material plane. This ties into their live-in-the-moment nature.
Unfortunately, this lack of a need to assert themselves has led cervitaurs into being cruelly mistreated in many parts. Their mindset means that cervitaur bands respond to aggression with fierce resistance, but the moment the offender backs off, the cervitaurs do too. It's not that they forget: rather, they cease caring. This makes it easy for a tactical foe abusing this tendency to devastate cervitaur populations. Cervitaurs also possess a fairly low level of technology unless they live close to a more stable society. Their weaponry consists of little more than sharpened sticks, and they have no need of constructed dwellings.
Society
Cervitaur society is arranged by gender, although again this might vary by phenotype. Males usually live alone or in small gatherings, while females live in larger packs with the fawns. An interested male will approach a pack of females and attempt to court them. A male will usually court around three to five of the females at once. If their affections are returned, the male will live with the pack for a while. While in no way monogamous, a male cervitaur with children will frequent the packs that contain their young, and will protect them as best they can (and often sire more children at the same time).
This only holds true for cervitaurs living solely with their own kind, however. Cervitaur populations that live near other races will quickly adopt any positive features of their cultures. These populations are a breeding ground for cervitaur adventurers, a line of work the cervitaur mindset is actually well suited for. Cervitaurs are present-moment-oriented, adaptive creatures with a penchant for moving in small parties - all qualities of the archetypal adveturer.
Cervitaur Names
Cervitaurs often take fey names and are content with just a first name, made possible by the small size of their populations.
Male: Ailde, Eadan, Rònan, Odiane
Female: Eimhir, Donella, Ellette, Liliana
Cervitaur Traits
Creatures with hybrid bodies and transient minds.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Age. Cervitaurs mature in around 2 or 3 years and live up to be around 40 years old.
Alignment. Tend toward neutrality.
Size. Most cervitaurs stand 4 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 40 feet.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Hooves of Fury. You may attack with your hooves as though they were your unarmed strike. You are proficient with your unarmed strikes, which deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage on a hit.
Horse Half. You cannot wear boots, pants, or anything that is worn on the legs or waist area except for belts and specially made armor and saddles. All armor you wear must be specially made to accommodate you, doubling the cost. You cannot ride mounts.
Rideable Anatomy. You can willingly serve as a mount for a Medium or smaller creature as long as their additional weight doesn't cause you to be encumbered. Furthermore, your carrying capacity is doubled.
Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic cannot put you to sleep.
Languages. You can speak, read and write Common and Sylvan.
Random Height and Weight
| Base Height |
Height Modifier* |
Base Weight |
Weight Modifier** |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5′ 8'' | +2d4 | 200 lb. | × (2d6) lb. |
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*Height = base height + height modifier | |||
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