Lepirian

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Lepirian
Type
Intelligent Species
Region(s)

Everwind Country

The Forgotten Lands

The Frostlands
Average Height

6' / 1.83m (Male)

5'5" / 1.65m (Female)
Average Weight

175lbs / 79.4kg (Male)

125lbs / 56.7kg (Female)
Dietary Type Mostly herbivorous
Lifespan ~80 years
Languages Lepiri

General Information

The Lepirians are a beast race that originates from the continent of Middum. They are bipedal with traits of both humanoid form and those resembling cervine or bovine. Throughout history, Lepirians were associated with a tribal and nomadic lifestyle, where they excelled as foragers and stockmen, often raising animals of burden to aid in the traversal of their ancestral lands. They are staunch traditionalists in many ways, and often are found as farmhands or stockmen among Human and Elven societies, though there are of course outliers. Lepirians are also known for their highly sensitive hearing and their natural affinity for sprinting, with many serving as couriers or scouts. Though they no longer dwell as the nomadic tribes they once were, Lepirians still retain much of their tribal identity in the form of subrace identification and familial ties.

Anatomy

Lepirians possess anatomical traits not unlike those of Humans as well as those similar to creatures of a cervine or bovine nature. The upper torso, head and arms are very humanoid in appearance, while the legs are unguligrade and terminate in cloven hooves. Lepirians only have four digits on either hand, including one thumb and three fingers. Their hands are darker pigmented than the other parts of their body, and their fingertips possess dull claws instead of nails. Their arms from elbow to hand are coated in fur, leaving only their digits exposed. Like their forearms, a Lepirian's hips and legs are also coated in fur. Their ears are elongated and broad like a sheep or cow's ears, and originate from the same spot on their heads that human ears would. Their ears are also covered in fur, like their limbs, and give Lepirians extremely sensitive hearing beyond that of some of the other mortal races.

A Lepirian's fur color and texture can depend on which tribe his or her lineage traces back to, as well as genetic. Most fur colors range from light tans to deep, dark brown, almost black. At least one tribe is known for having white or grey fur. A Lepirian's fur does not grey as they age, though it can thin slightly.

They share much facial anatomy with humans, including similar eyes, nose, and mouth, though with some minute differences. For example, Lepirians generally have slightly more pronounced incisors than humans, and duller canine teeth. There is also generally more broadness to the nasal bridge area, with a wider facial triangle between nose and eyebrows. This nasal bridge feature can also be affected by tribal lineage, with some having almost no noticeable deviation in nasal structure from a Human, while others still may have more pronounced differences.

Lepirians grow hair on their head just as Humans do, and the color and texture of their hair is often affect by tribal lineage, just as with fur. Hair colors range from blondes to darks, including black and deep brown. White hair is a rarity among the young, but is possible, especially in certain tribal lineages. A Lepirians hair does grey as they age, just like Humans.

Antlers or horns sprout from a Lepirian's head, both males and females. Males have larger, more pronounced horns or antlers, while females adornments are significantly smaller and duller. These adornments are usually a good indicator of a Lepirian's tribal lineage (at least on the paternal side) as each of the major tribes or groups had a unique antler or horn shape. The adornments are almost always indicative of the father's lineage, and it is rare for a young Lepirian to be born with adornments matching its mother.

Internally, Lepirians are almost identical to the majority of the other mortal races, with almost the same organs and circulatory systems. Their blood is almost indeterminable from that of many other mortal races, with the same red color and a very similar chemical make-up, giving it an identical smell to humanoid blood.

Diet

As with many of the mortal races, Lepirians are technically omnivorous and will eat both animal meat and products as well as plants such as fruits and vegetables. In their past, they were known as foragers, often surviving on wild vegetables, grains, fruits and berries, nuts, fungi and insects. Many tribes lived on the milk and cheese from the animals that they shepherded, such as Ragdons. Some tribes hunted small animals such as birds and lizards for sustenance, but large game and animals where rarely (if ever) consumed. Many tribes also brewed teas and baked flat breads from wild grain. Occasionally, tribes would harvest small freshwater fish and crustaceans from rivers and lakes, as many did not dwell near the coast.

In the modern age, Lepirians still tend to favor plant matter and smaller game such as birds, insects, and shellfish, though their diet is not restricted. Since the intermingling of races under the governance of kingdoms and nations, many Lepirians have found a taste for a variety of foods not common to their tribal ancestors. As such, Lepirian cuisine has grown and adapted to new ingredients during the modern age.

A common hold over from tribal times is the reverence for some insects as a delicacy, a tradition that is often eschewed by mortal races such as Humans and Elves. Certain varieties of insects are considered to be highly sought after in Lepirian culture, and most are preferred raw instead of being cooked or prepared.

Animal Husbandry

Many Lepirian tribes practiced animal husbandry to provide animal labor, products and material for clothing. The primary example is the herding of Ragdons, though there were other animals that the tribes shepherded. Ragdons were an excellent animal partner to the ancient Lepirians' nomadic lifestyle, as they were powerful beasts of burden capable of carrying significant weight. Ragdons were also used for milk, which in turn was used for feeding young, making cheeses and in cultural displays. In the northern tribes, woolly Ragdons were often sheared for their wool to provide clothing and textiles.

Predation

Most Lepirian tribes regularly endured combat against Gnolls, which were known to eat Lepirians, especially the weaker and smaller young. While never eaten by other intelligent races, the tribes often had to protect against raids or attacks from other races. Besides Gnolls, Orcs and bands of outlaws from Human kingdoms could be threats to the nomadic tribes.

Interspecies Relations

In the years since the events of the Dragonspire, Lepirians have moved away from their nomadic pasts and taken up citizenship and residence among many of the mortal kingdoms of the world. Relations with other mortal races is often dependent of societal norms and history of a given region. Generally, Lepirians are regarded by Humans, Elves and Dwarves alike as one of the more enlightened beast races.

Still, in some parts of the world (mostly outside of Middum) Lepirians can be regarded as lower-class subjects, and sometimes are often the victims of discrimination or prejudice. For example, in many Elven communities, their penchant for ingesting insects has marked them with a stigma as being 'unclean' or 'uncivilized.'

Tribes

There Were various Lepirian tribes that originated in the continent of Middum. While all held to some of the same core traditions, each had some differences from the others, and each tribe also had variations in appearance, most notably in the horns or antlers.

Tribes of Everwind Country

  • The Swifthoof Tribe

This tribe made its home in the verdant Swifthoof Steppes in the northwestern part of Everwind Country. The Swifthoof enjoyed peaceful relations with most of the neighboring nationss, and had a reputation as a private and tranquil people, preferring to be left alone. They were arguably the least nomadic tribe in Everwind, though they still very much held to many nomadic traits. There were several stationary villages, though these were often sites where older tribe members would settle down to cultivate crops such as root vegetables and fungi. They were known as one of the tribes with the most expertise in herding Ragdons, often utilizing the beasts as pack animals to carry entire camps from place to place, and valuing these creatures as not only equipment, but beloved companions.

When conflict found the tribe, they relied heavily on range and speed. The Swifthoof had some of the most mobile warriors, specializing in weapons that emphasized speed and reach, such as spears, javelins and slings. Although there were some capable warriors, the preferred tactic was to avoid a fight completely if possible, often employing diversionary tactics to allow the tribe to detour away from the battle, while the warriors kept aggressors at bay, or misdirected them. These Lepirians were often referred to as 'Fieldstriders,' a name that was also incorrectly applied to the less nomadic members of the tribe as a separate tribal denomination.

The Swifthoof Lepirians were known for their antler-like horns, which grew out of the heads of males into two or three short branches, while the main stalk remained mostly straight. The females often had only one stubby branch on their short antlers, if any branches at all, with the main stalk typically limited in growth to about three or four inches long. They were known as being relatively dark furred, with most sporting a dark, almost-black fur of deep brown. Likewise, their hair was known for darker colors as well, although it wasn't unheard of to spot the occasional blonde-haired Swifthoof.

  • The Strongclaw Tribe

Originally prominent in the Strongclaw Highlands area that shared the tribe's namesake, the Strongclaw Lepirians made their existence by roving through the rough and hilly terrain of their homeland. The heightened presence of Gnolls and Orcs in their lands during centuries past shaped the Strongclaw into the most warlike of the three tribes in Everwind. The tribe was fairly xenophobic, and avoided contact with the neighboring Human and Elven kingdoms where possible.

They were adept at combat in the hillsides and mountains, often utilizing weapons that were salvaged from ruined forts or as spoils of battle. It was not uncommon for a Strongclaw Lepirian to be skilled with the ax or mace. Many utilized slings for ranged combat, as stones were plentiful while wood was scarce, making arrows costly. Some weapons were crafted by the tribe however, including maces made from a fallen relative or comrade's horns. Unlike their field and grassland dwelling cousins, the Strongclaw wore more than leather or cloth armor, usually light mail scavenged from fallen enemies or raided caches, as well as animal skulls or bone. Painting of tribal symbols on the armor or body was not uncommon, and was usually designed as an intimidation factor to deter aggressors. Though the Strongclaw did occasionally raid Gnoll camps or ambush Orcs who ventured out of their caves and captured fortresses, they did not routinely undertake large assaults, preferring more often than not to avoid a battle if it could be helped. Often, their wandering bands were guided by forward scouts and protected by caravan guards, often referred to as 'Battlerams.'

Strongclaw Lepirians were known for their large, thick horns, which grew curling downwards and out to the sides much like a ram's horns. Typically the older an individual grew, the more his horns would curl. A female's horns rarely ever reached a full curl. As with the typical Lepirian anatomy, a female's horns grew far smaller and duller. Like their cousins in the neighboring Swifthoof Steppes, the Strongclaw tended to have darker fur, with far less instance of tans and reds. Their hair was known for shades of browns ranging from dark to light, and even a prevalence of auburn tones.

  • The Ironhorn Tribe

The tribe for which the great southern Ironhorn Plains were named was, of the three tribes in Everwind Country, the most social with their neighboring kingdoms. They were nomadic like the others, but often trade and commerce were driving forces for their migrations. Harvesting wild wheat as they traveled and trading their harvest to the local Human and Halfling settlements was one of the principle activities that the Ironhorn tribe engaged in. They favored the ales and brews that Halfling townships such as Autumnstead had to offer, and often provided an almost symbiotic protection to these small communes against attack from the local Gnoll clans. The scouts that the Ironhorn utilized through their nomadic lifestyle were often in possession of valuable intelligence regarding the plains and its main roadways, information that often was worth good trade to the local Human establishments.

The Ironhorn had a similar expertise to the Swifthoof tribe when it came to combat, usually relying on speed and range to route their opponents, while using diversionary tactics to allow their caravans to flee, or to draw enemies away. Like their northern cousins, they relied mostly on slings, javelins and spears, though some brandished other weapons found through trade or spoils of battle. The Ironhorn were not opposed to standing their ground, and at times would use the illusion of retreat to allow for renewed hit-and-run strikes. These prevailing plains tactics, as well as the cordial trading relationship with other locals allowed the Ironhorn tribe to enjoy a relatively peaceful existence in their homeland.

The physical traits of the Ironhorn tribe included long, straight horns, which were relatively smooth and tapered to a point. They were a bony-yellow color, with faint ridges circling their circumference as they grew. As is typical of nearly all Lepirians, the male's horns grew longer, sharper and more prominent, while the female's grew shorter and duller, around five inches in length. Typically, Ironhorn had the lightest fur tones of the three Everwind tribes, with some holding light brown or tan fur, sometimes described as a caramel color. Their hair, likewise, was often seen in lighter tones, such as blonde and sand-colored, though darker tones and reds were not unheard of.

Tribes of Shadowwood Country

  • The Antlersong Tribe

The Antlersong tribe was based in the Black Forest in the southeastern reaches of Shadowwood Country. They were a reclusive tribe that lived in the deep woods, unlike many of their cousins who thrived on the plains and grasslands of the continent. They still lived a very nomadic lifestyle, roaming the woods in large groups that camped among the trees. They avoided the roads, where most travel between Shadowwood Country and Everwind Country took place, although their scouts kept tabs on most comings-and-goings through the woods. The tribe performed very little in the way of animal husbandry, instead relying mostly on foraging and gathering, finding plentiful supplies of food in the lush forest.

Though there are caves throughout the Black Forest that were home to clans of Goblins and Kobolds, the Antlersong did not commonly engage in battle. The tribe relied on its knowledge of the forest to remain several steps ahead of would-be aggressors, and did not make habit of delving into caves that other beings already called home. When combat was unavoidable, the Antlersong were skilled guerilla fighters, utilizing the underbrush and foliage to mask their approach as well as their retreat. They relied less on ranged weapons compared to many of their cousin tribes, instead utilizing bolas, clubs and spears.

The Antlersong tribe was known for its similar antlers to the nearby Swifthoof tribe in Everwind, though their antlers' surface was more craggy, and they grew sharper and longer. The males of this tribe typically had between 3 and 5 branches off of the main stalk, which gnarled and curled upwards like the branches of the trees themselves. Females possessed the typical smaller antlers of the species, with at most one branch and still duller points than the males. The main stalks of a female's antlers would grow to between 4 and 6 inches in length.

  • The Frosthorn Tribe

Dwelling in the cold northern forest of the Shadowwood Country, the Frosthorn tribe was an elusive and rarely seen tribe.

Other Images

Lepirians with Horn Diagram