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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Echohawk" data-source="post: 3973572" data-attributes="member: 9849">Horse SenseIn the lands of the Houyhnhnms, humans and horses have traded places. The former are no more than wild beasts suitable for little more than physical labor, while the horses, or Houyhnhnms, are creatures of great wisdom and rational thought.Houyhnhnms (1-100): AC 7; MV 24; HD 2+2; THACO 20; #AT 2; Dmg 1-2/1-2; SZ L; ML Champion (15-16); Int Highly (13-14); AL LN(G); XP 120.Even under a close physical examination, Houyhnhnms appear to be domestic breeds of horses. Their coloration is the same as normal horses. Houyhnhnms keep themselves well groomed and wear their manes and tails long. They never put on bridles, saddles or other riding equipment. Some post-Swift illustrations show Houyhnhnms wearing aprons, capes or shawls.Houyhnhnms possess very dexterous forelegs and can raise their front hooves up to their mouths or above their eye level without bending their backs. They use their pasterns, the area between their fetlock and hoof, to milk cows, construct buildings or even thread a needle. These intelligent quadrupeds have a language that sounds like soft and mild neighing.The only time Houyhhhnms resorted to brute force to solve a problem was to reduce the population of Yahoos on their island. Thus, Houyhnhnms have never learned any of the combat arts. On the other hand, Houyhnhnms possess natural weapons of hooves, teeth and great natural strength. Furthermore, these equines have prudence, unanimity, are oblivious to fear and maintain a great love for their island nation. These factors make Houyhnhnms a dangerous military force. In addition, Houyhnhnms can learn to use most of the weapons, and wear all types of horse barding, listed in the Player's Handbook. However, outsiders, like the player characters, would have to give or sell the Houyhnhnms crafted weapons and armor, as well as teach proficiencies in these weapons.Houyhnhnms think of them selves as the perfection of nature. Using their own bodies as a guide to judge others. Houyhnhnms will consider only other intelligent quadrupeds, such as pegasi and unicorns to be their equal. Houyhnhnms will be thunderstuck by bipedal characters who can shape change into equine like creatures. Centaurs will be thought of as Houyhnmnms society.Houyhnhnms instinctively know the correct way of behaving. Thus, they never argue or quarrel with each other. Ignorant of cruelty, warfare and deception, Houyhnhnms are what Adam and Eve were like before they fell from the state of grace. To Swift, Houyhnhnms are rational beings who lack all of the negative passions that most other sentient beings possess. Despite this ice-cold reason, Houyhnhnms practice the art of universal friendship and benevolence to their entire species, to Gulliver, and to the player characters. These quadrupeds do not know other languages, but they are willing to teach their language and culture to visitors.This Houyhnmnms utopian commonwealth has no "physicians, lawyers, censurers, back-biters, pickpockets, highwaymen, housebreakers, bawds, buffoons, gamesters, politicians, wits, tedious talkers, ravishers, murderers, robbers, virtuosos, as well as no dungeons, axes gibbets, whipping posts, or pillories." Visitors, such as Gulliver and the player characters will never suffer from physical illnesses as long as they live on this island. This effect is similar to the third level Priest Spell, Cure Disease. Houyhnhnms don't wear clothing, as they see no need for it. They will not let anyone or anything ride them. The only literature Houyhnhnms create are poems in the praise of virtue or songs of praise.Their stratified society is ruled by a class of equine philosophers. These philosophers elect a representative council that meets on the vernal equinox of every fourth year. Representatives from every part of their island assemble upon a large plain or grassland to discuss the state of the Houyhnmnms nation. These meetings are also used to regulate the number of children born during the upcoming years.Unless they die by accident, a Houyhnhnm's average life span is 70-80 years. They eat grass, hay, and a mash made of oats and milk. Typical Houyhnmnms farms have asses, cats, cows, and other domesticated animals.Houyhnhnms use arranged marriages based upon the strength of one partner and the comeliness of the other. Positive human desires of romantic pleasures, such as courtship, presents, and love, as well as negative emotions such as jealousy, quarreling and discontent are unknown in their thoughts and language. They have a gestation period of ten months and produce one child per birth. Youths of both sexes get the same education in temperance, industry, and cleanliness. Exercise races are held many times each year to increase agility, endurance, speed and strength in their children. Winners of such races are rewarded with a song of praise.Houyhnhnms know how to make pottery and stone-age tools. Their buildings are made from wattle and daub construction. The player characters will notice that doorway frames and individual chambers are larger than in human homes. Houyhnhnms need bigger homes to accommodate their large equine bodies. They do not build defensive constructions such as moats or ramparts. Proficiencies available to PC and NPC Houyhnhnms are agriculture, animal handling, animal training, fire-guilding, healing, herbalism, pottery, rope use, swimming, weather sense and weaving.From "In a Strange Land: Following in the Footsteps of Gulliver" by James P. Buchanan; Polyhedron #106</blockquote>

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