''The Lapith are a proud nation of Centaurs, dwelling in their mountainous and tree covered Kingdom. There are no major cities in their lands, but many scattered villages and settlements, The main settlement is known locally as 'Lundan Taan'. The Centaurs of the Lapith speak in a dialect known as 'Cockney'; a sort of slang involving much rhyming patois and lazily shortened words. This makes it reasonably difficult for outsiders to understand what they are going on about. Although they are by nature rogues and scoundrels, they show considerable hospitality to visitors to their lands. In fact they are famed for their friendly and welcoming attitude, being both generous and very often entertaining hosts. Of particular note is their appetite for alcoholic beverages of all kinds, and their passion for tobacco in the form of smokable cylinders, which to the amusement of many outsiders, they call 'Fags'.
The Lapith Centaurs are not keen on warfare, not reveling in the glory of war, like so many of the other races of Shadowmere. But they are able to fight extremely effectively in their own lands, using primarily guerrilla tactics, which allows them to make the best use of their superb Rangers. They proudly proclaim the fact that they have lost no lands to invaders since the last Cataclysm. It is a foolish army indeed which ventures into the mountainous forests of the Lapith. Many nations have found that the cost of war with the Lapith is far too great to maintain the conflict for long.
The Centaurs here follow the Goddess of Passage; Tinker, and her teachings of 'Tinker's Dream'. Although there is also a small cult of Ul Mar known to exist in the south of the Kingdom. The dedication of the population to Tinker is thought to be equaled only by the High elves of Panoyiza Valley, a nearby kingdom and close ally of the Lapith.
The nation is nominally led by a selected 'head man' (called by them a 'Top Geezer' or 'Boss'), rather than a monarch. The selection of this leader is thought to be roughly every ten years, and is a process shrouded in mystery. The most that is known, of this process of State, is that it involves a phenomenal amount of alcohol and quite possibly Elven dancing girls too. No outsider has ever been permitted to witness this solemn event.
The current leader of the Lapith is a young Centaur called Charon, a rather eccentric individual who disbanded the council of Elders and moved all State and Government process from the Great Hall of Lapith into his own tavern. He caused uproar amongst traditionalists within the Kingdom by dismissing the Parliament and replacing it with, what can only be described as; 'his drinking buddies and other people he owed money to'. Charon is known to be a loyal subject of the Royal Family of Forgotten World and a friend of the Endoran Council.
Charon forged close links with the High Elves of Panoyiza Valley, and together with their Queen, Panoyiza, formed the Alliance called 'The Sagittarius Defensive'. The SDA is a thriving Alliance containing many races and Kingdoms, thought to be about 30-40 members strong. Each kingdom in the Alliance contributes in different ways, the Lapith specializing in recruitment and diplomacy. When the Alliance takes to the battlefield they do so with a wide variety of troops, many Sprites, Elves, Dwarves and Centaurs, and also some Ogres, Goblins and even Vampires. The Alliance is considered by most to be Neutral, serving neither the force of Good nor Evil. ''
-Extracted from 'The Rough Guide to Forgotten World' - Revised Edition by Dr Robert Graves Esq. |
