The Bariaur

Native to the rolling hills and woods of Ysgard, the centaur-like bariaur wander the lands in search of evil. When a vile foe is located, the bariaurs charge into glorious battle. If no evil is found, they bask in the beauty of the land and search for sweet and savory berries and fruits. They are difficult to track down, and that's just the way they like it.

Sexually Dimporphic

Standing roughly half a foot taller than a human, a bariaur resembles a centaur. The males' lower body is that of a mountain sheep, with sleek brown or golden fur and cloven hooves. Its upper body is humanlike, powerfully muscled and sporting a pair of ramlike horns atop its head. The skin of a bariaur ranges in color from a pale tan to deep nut-brown. The males weigh about 30 to 50 pounds heavier than females.

Standing about as tall as a human, the female bariaur looks similar to the males, but with a few important differences. The lower body is still that of a mountan sheep. The upper body looks humanlike as well, but slimmer, less muscular, and lacking horns.

Wandering Herdfolk

To those unfamiliar with these strong folk, bariaur seem carefree and in some cases, irresponsible. This is just a sign of their inherent wanderlust. They never settle down in one place for long, preferring a life of travel and freedom to sedentary life. They travel the world in flocks of about one hundred bariaur. Bariaur have a cautious attitude towards strangers, keeping them at arm's length.

Vigilant Watchmen

Bariaur are strictly a good folk, native to the Upper Planes, and when they see evil rear its ugly head, their carefree wanderlust vanishes and is replaced with a righteous fury. In such times, Bariaur are driven by a single-minded pursuit of anything that would threaten goodly folk in the vicinity. Baraiur learn the languages of fiendish creatures to better prepare themselves against such targets.

A few of the strongest of each generation become titans among bariaur, growing to be two feet taller on average. These exceptional bariaur are stronger and tougher than the rest of their folk, and are filled with a crusader's mindset. They focus solely on hunting evil and protecting good folk. Though they still wander the lands, they do so without the attitude typical of their people.

Religion

Bariaur revere Ehlonna, deity of the woodlands, more than other deities. Some bariaur also give praises to gods of strength, such as Kord, or Pelor, god of the sun.

Bariaur Names

A bariaur's name is given to him by his parents. It is usually a simple, one- or two-syllable name that is easy to shout across the hills and plains. Within their flock, they add "Ram of" their father's name for males, and "Ewe of" the mother's name for the females. Outside the flock they use the name of the flock. Flock names typically describe the types of lands the flock favors, but can change over time.

Male Names: Bex, Hul, Jek, Roc, Lor, Sen

Female Names: Daeth, Lyd, Saph, Tif, Vash, Ran

Flock Names: Oakrunner, Dalewatcher, Plaingrazer, Woodstrider