Maghashi

Amongst the flows of mana ride the peaceful spirits of the maghashi (singular: maghashi, adjectival: maghashi). They enjoy a tribal existence and celebrate a rich heritage of herbalism and magic.

Physiology

Maghashi are unguligrades — they have hooved feet, reminiscent of bipedal bulls or goats. They have large, curling horns like a ram's which protrude from the crown of the head. Their ears are short and resemble those of a deer or a lamb. They have a slender, flat nose, and almond-shaped eyes which come in colors from dark brown to bright gold. As natural herbivores, the maghashi have flat teeth. Either gender could be found with long wavy or curly hair, which is almost always brown, but there have been some with black and auburn. Maghashi have sleek fur covering their lower halves. Males tend to have beards, especially elders. Young maghashi bear freckles on their face and shoulders, and spots on their leg fur. These markings begin to gradually fade once the bearer reaches adulthood, which is around 15. Maghashi live for not more than 60 or 70 years. Their stature is slightly taller than a human's: males are on average 6′4ʺ, females 5′9ʺ. In addition, the maghashi that call mountainous terrain their home tend to be slim and agile, while the maghashi that live in the plains and lowlands are often very stout, tall, and strong.

Appearance

The maghashi are forbidden to wear the hides and furs of animals. The clothing they do wear is predominantly cotton, linen, hemp, or silk. The typical maghashi is found wearing a loincloth. Some wear vests, and many females can be found with a simple band around the chest. In cold weather, a maghashi enjoys a scarf or a mantle. They prefer jewelry of solid metals, like iron, copper, silver, and gold. The maghashi are especially fond of piercings, most popularly the ears and septum. They have no use for footwear as their cloven hooves are suited to any terrain.

Personality

Maghashi are calm and very often wise. Their culture is built on the traits of respect, willpower, patience, and peace; they make excellent arbiters. A maghashi usually loves friendly challenges like sports, competitions, and games, and you'll likely not find one a sore loser. They are brought up to unconditionally respect wildlife and don't domesticate animals. While they don't chastise other races for their use of animal goods, they would almost universally refuse clothing and food derived from a creature unless it meant life or death (these prohibitions do not apply to insects). Their noted patience and precise beliefs often keep them from being the life of the party, but they typically excel at close friendships.

Habitat

A tribe of maghashi can be found amongst a semipermanent or permanent settlement. The most popular form of architecture amongst these villages is the wigwam, a wooden domed structure providing excellent refuge from all types of weather. The maghashi of the plains tend to cover their wigwams of reeds and brush, whereas the mountainous maghashi prefer fir boughs and bark. In the lowlands, these settlements are built adjacent to crop fields. In the mountains, the villages are interspersed amongst terraced beds.

Occupations

Renown for their mastery over the chemical and medicinal properties of plants, fungi, and minerals, the maghashi make excellent herbalists, chemists, apothecaries, and healers. Their rustic lifestyle makes them well suited to wilderness craft, and might partake in the livelihood of a guide, porter, or ranger. You might find a few maghashi in the ranks of the Wilders.

The culture of the maghashi is interwoven with magic and many have an aptitude for the arcane, particularly Perceptive magic. They are a peaceful people, but many are taught forms of martial defense. Maghashi have been noted to wield bludgeoning weapons, especially wooden ones. They also employ their horns and powerful legs for close-quarters combat.

Max Caps

• Insight 12
• Cunning 8
• Personality 8
• Self-Control 12

Powers

• Horn Player: A maghashi's horns can be used to ram opponents. This is a hand-to-hand attack with a Harm of 4, usually as part of a charge. A horn bash used to destroy an object grants a +4 bonus to the Smash check.
• Hustle: Maghashi have powerful hoofed legs. They gain a +2 to Run checks. They also gain a +2 to Lift checks when dragging or pulling a load.