Dark Centaur Necromancers of the Great Plains
Capital
None (Nomadic)
Government
Herd-Lords & Shamans
Terrain
Vast Grasslands
Magic
Necromancy
The Wandering Tribes represent a dark and formidable presence upon Morgath — a civilisation that stands apart from all other centaur communities. Where other centaur peoples embrace nature's cycles, the Wandering Tribes have delved into forbidden practices and bound themselves through ancient pacts to forgotten gods whose very names have been erased from history.
They are masters of necromancy — death-speakers who command the restless dead as easily as a shepherd commands sheep. Their bone-marked territories are avoided by all travellers, their cursed burial mounds predate the current age, and their undead cavalry charges inspire terror across the grasslands of Morgath.
The Bone Shamans raise the dead through complex rituals — some serve as labourers, others as guardians at sacred sites, still others as shock troops in war. When tribal members die, ceremonies bind the spirit into service while the body is raised as undead or incorporated into the territorial bone-markers.
Pacts with forgotten gods bind the centaur collectively. The specific terms are often unclear even to those who maintain them — the oldest pacts predate tribal memory. What is certain is that regular tribute is demanded, and the tribes view these obligations with utmost seriousness.
Warrior leaders and political heads of the tribal bands. They earn position through martial prowess, the size of herds they command, and demonstrated wisdom. The greatest command herds numbering in the thousands.
Spiritual authority — powerful death-speakers whose communion with the restless dead and forgotten gods grants insights most mortals are mercifully ignorant of. Their word on matters of migration, combat, and sacrifice carries absolute weight.
Younger centaurs trained in the terrible arts. Those who perish during training often remain within the tribes — their spirits bound to further service even in death.
The terrifying mounted charges begin with coordination bordering on the telepathic. Hundreds of centaur warriors move in perfect synchronisation, striking with the full weight of their massive frames. What distinguishes these tactics is the integration of undead herd-beasts as shock troops — enormous creatures bound entirely to the shamans' will, ideal for absorbing arrow fire and opening holes in enemy formations.
The Wandering Tribes excel at hit-and-run raids that materialise from nowhere, strike with precision, and vanish back into the grasslands. Their ability to raise casualties as undead creates a war of attrition that favours the nomadic forces. Settling an army against them in open plains is considered tactically inadvisable by most commanders.
Vast arrangements of skeletal remains serving as territorial boundaries and sacred sites simultaneously. There is something deeply unsettling about approaching lands where the dead themselves have been conscripted to mark ownership.
Earthen structures of tremendous age predating the current era. Some say they are tombs of sorcerer-kings from the world's youth; others claim repositories of power so vast that even the death-speakers fear to unlock their secrets.
An ocean of grass stretching endlessly across Morgath's heartland. The horizon extends so far the curve of the world becomes apparent. No natural fortifications, no forests — only endless room for migration and freedom.
Sacred sites for ceremonies on nights of cosmic significance — the dark of the moon, turning seasons, moments of spiritual potency. Great fires burn while shamans reinforce pacts with forgotten gods and consult raised ancestors.
The capture of a tribal scout forces confrontation with enemies partially bound to shamanic pacts — they may continue serving their tribes even after apparent death.
An expedition to a cursed burial mound seeks to retrieve an artefact, thwart a powerful ritual, or investigate the origins of these ancient sites whose true nature remains mysterious.
Undead creatures bearing Wandering Tribes markings appear in settled territories far from the plains — indicating an expansion of operations, fulfilment of an ancient pact, or an attempt to establish dominion over new lands.
A mission to negotiate with or infiltrate the Wandering Tribes involves brokering peace, retrieving stolen individuals, or gathering intelligence on tribal movements.
A trusted ally is discovered to have made a pact with the Wandering Tribes, revealing that corruption runs deeper than suspected and tribal influence extends far from the plains.
Mining town
Dwarven forgehold
Lakeside village
Trading post
Frontier outpost
Coastal watchtower
Monastery village
Highland shepherds
Naval garrison
Border outpost
Blighted village
Elvish settlement