Ramanaur (5e Race)

Ramanaur

“	Minotaurs we are not! We have brains! Centaurs we are not! We have brawn! Geitlans we are not! We have wills! We are brain! We are brawn! We are will! We are death: their death! We are ramanaurs!	”
—Archeoros the Great's speech before the battle of Sylviathor

Always standing between fight and peace, between love and lust and between acting and thinking, the temperamental and proud ramanaurs will be ready for action, any action available. Either training in the wild, fighting their enemies or raising their offspring this race of beasts will give it all.

Physical Description

Easily to confuse with a minotaur, a goatfolk or a satyr at a distance, the ramanaur have quite a few differences once you get closer.

Their brown hair covers almost all of their slender body, except their almost human face, and is abundant with a rough texture, although they can shave it and make excellent textiles with it that can be both resistant and soft. Their square-pupiled eyes have colors from various shades of brown that vary from honey to dark brown, almost black.

They have hooves instead of feet, almost too small for their body, with human-like hands.

In general: Their hair has a limited variety of colors and they have bigger horns than the geitlan, these horns are spirally curved unlike the minotaur's and, unlike the satyr, they have abundant bodyhair.

Source: https://www.aaronsimscreative.com Property of Aaron Sims.

History

As much as we know, ramanaurs live in the forests, grasslands, mountains and savannas since the dawn of time, but that is because they are not fond of writing or any form of art, as they consider it "for weaklings". Their history is transmitted by oral tradition, with only the oldest ramanaurs being able to write at some extent, teaching only the name each ramanaur chose. The oral tradition is reduced to important warriors, important battles, survival abilities and military training. As experts in guerrilla tactics as they are, they have been known to be fierce in the battlefield to the degree of being able to defeat giants.

As mighty as they are in the field, they do not fight unless provoked... and not many want to. Some of their best-known warriors are Archeoros the Great and Oramnus the head crusher. We know of them because of the records of other civilizations. Acheoros had as many as 50 thousand ramanaurs and allies under his banner. According to records, this army was able to defeat the army of the legendary king Manus, made out of centaurs, minotaurs and even giants, that had double their numbers. This forced the king to recognize their right over what is still called the nomadic lands.

Society

Ramanaur are nomadic and only look for their survival. They are perfectly equipped for this: They can see in the dark, they have a really fine sense of hearing and they have a powerful nose able to detect enemies only by smell. They don't care much about comfortable lifestyle, they don't build anything, they rarely use clothes except if stolen from other creatures or given by other ramanaurs and they only fight as a way to become stronger.

They live in herds guided by one leading male. Although he has the authority inside the herd for almost every desition, he is not allowed to punish any member of it unless the rest of the herd is okay with it. Each herd has a temporally defined territory where they gather, eat, reproduce and train. They don't build houses at all, they rather sleep on the floor, a cave or under a tree if available. They leave the territory to find a new one at least 4 times a year. Each herd is independent of the next, although if they find a common menace they can ally with little to no ceremony, with the leading males deciding who is the leader of the big herd by combat. After the conflict, the big herd is split but each individual ramanaur may choose in which herd they will live.

Fighting is their lifestyle since they are born. Few have activities different to gatherers, artisans or fighters, most of them considered only as a necessary evil and have limited rights inside the herd. Males and females have to fight, but only males can get leadership by combat. They don't form any kind of familial association and marriage is a concept that they don't understand. Reproduction rights are for the strongest male on the herd, although females can reject him is they can defeat him in combat, this situations are extremely rare. Their reproductive cycles depend on the climate, with most ramanaurs being born during the rains.

Trade with ramanaurs is difficult not only because they are nomads but because they don't accept coins nor do they accept products they consider superfluous. Their trade consists mostly on their raw hair, dried berries, expensive and potent poisons and antidotes, weaponry made mainly of bone or wood so hard it can rival iron or even steel, and medicinal herbs. Raw metals are especially appreciated as they don't mine their land, weaponry made out of metal and rare antivenoms is always a safe bet, artisans tools are a must trade amongst the few that are not fighters. Baked goods, fruits or vegetables might be considered a luxury and should be approached cautiously, although this depends more on the leader than on the herd.

Once a ramanaur leaves the herd, they may return back but only if the leader lets them, with each desition being final, which may require favors or tolls. This is the only instance where the leader may decide to execute a ramanaur with absolutely no consequences.

Ramanaur Names

Ramanaur's are given name 6 months after birth when they start foraging by themselves. There is no actual convention on the name, except that names of legendary ramanaurs are forbidden. Although they prefer their traditional names, which tend to have duplicated letters, they can use names of any origin. It is not rare that this is the only word they know how to write.

Male: Baara, Corrie, Maronn, Mufflun, Ommas, Oviaron

Female: Cappra, Merrion, Nebbel, Lamaa, Licka, Ruminna

Ramanaur Traits

Race of nomadic, violent rams
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1.
Age. Ramanaurs mature fast, becoming adults at the age of 10. They usually die violently in combat before old age, but there are reports of ramanaur prisoners living up to 80 years old.
Alignment. As their lifestyle is nomadic, they are usually chaotic neutral.
Size. Ramanaur are between 5 and 6 feet tall and they are rarely heavier than 150 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 35 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.
Acute Senses. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to hear and smell.
Nomadic Lifestyle. You have proficiency on the Survival skill.
Guerilla Training. If you surprise a creature and hit it with an attack on your first turn in combat, the attack deals an extra 2d6 damage to it. You can use this trait only once per combat.
Ram Speed. If you move at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and make an Attack against it the target takes an additional die of damage and must succeed on a Strength saving throw equal to 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus or be knocked prone.
Wilderness Diet. Ramanaurs are strict herbivores and can't consume meat in any form. If you do so you are poisoned until you complete a short or long rest.
Languages. You can speak Common. Reading and writing are frowned upon in ramanaur society.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
4′ 10''	+2d8	110 lb.	× (2d4) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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