Non-Monstrous - Equinis Faust

Now, as a weekly special Sunday sort of thing, I present to you a favorite species.

The Equinis Faust, as named for the codex of TwV​

Equinis Faust
Classification: Semi-Magical Equine

Unarmed: They’ve only got 4 hooves, but because of their self-awareness, they can still use them fairly well. They can stand on their hind legs for a short period of time to swing a simple object between their fore-hooves. Otherwise, they can use their teeth to hold or use most items that don’t require dexterity. While this is an incredible detriment compared to other species, it doesn’t seem to slow them down much.
Equine Speed: While half the size of a normal horse, they’re still able to move at the same rate. Allowing them access to the “mount” speed list, instead of the normal walk/run of bipedal species.
Natural Melee Attacks: In melee, Equinis Faust have the following options for unarmed attacks:

1. Hind Kick: An attack to the rear. This has a weapon damage of d12, counts 50% extra Strength, deals crushing damage, and requires the enemy to make an Endurance check versus knockback. This can only be performed once in a turn.
2. Bite: A frontal attack made with their strong teeth. This attack deals weapon damage of a d4*5 in breaching 8 damage.
3. Trample: Stomping on the feet of someone nearby, this attack can deal weapon damage of d10 with a 50% bonus to Strength for crushing damage.
4. Charge: This is where one Equinis Faust throws her entire weight into the target. This deals a flat amount of damage which is Total WU plus Endurance.

Aspect Producers: Every member of equinis faust represents a certain aspect energy. Each member of the species will have a picture displayed upon both flanks which resemble their natural talent. This talent directly relates to their aspect energy, which can be a very wide variety of things. This allows them to gain constant benefits from a chosen Aspect Stone as if they were armor.
I.E: Marshmallow Cream has a talent for making good deserts, and so she would receive the benefits of an Aspect of the Artisan or an Aspect of the Chef. Since she receives the bonus as if she is armor, she will receive a constant Knowledge bonus based on her CR, and a permanent training bonus to the corresponding skills of the aspect.
If an equinis faust is violently murdered, the aspect stone can be harvested from their rear hip region, between where the flanks are. It’s an extended bone part of their pelvic region. It can’t be harvested from one that has died of natural causes, as the aspect stone will die as well.
For technical reasons, the aspect stone will turn to ash like it does if improperly removed from an item it’s been previously fused to. As with magical items that become destroyed, the stone merely melts away or turns to dust. The more thorough explanation of that can be found in the Arcanum section of the book.
They cannot be removed from equinis faust who are still alive. The innate signals of the body are still active, and the stone will receive the “connection severed” signal and melt to ash when cut out. The connection is with the soul of the equinis faust, so the soul must detach from the body before the stone can be removed. As with items, there will only be a 15 second window of opportunity before the stone, if still connected to dead material, turns to ash.
Regular Workers: As long as no species background options are chosen, equinis faust receive a +10% roll bonus to any profession-based misc. skills. This includes usage and training.

So you see, equinis faust make for magical and interesting creatures. They’re best in groups amongst others of their kind, as most other species just don’t get it. The deities however, still watch them with interest, and so they get three life karma and the following stat adjustments:
+8 Strength
+12 Endurance
-6 Magic
-2 Willpower
+4 Speed
+4 Perception
-4 Knowledge

Primary Deity
Equinis Faust theology is closely comparable to the Egyptians. As rare and timeless as Alacornus are, the other members of the species will usually end up worshipping their power and praying to them as physical deities. While alacornus have powers that sometimes come close to that of a demi-god, their super-natural powers are actually quite natural for them.
Just don’t tell their followers that…


Background Options
All of the background options are mutually exclusive with the exception for blank flank, which can be taken with any of them.
(+5) Blank Flank: As a character, she has not yet found what special talent she possesses. The picture on the flanks will not yet show, and she will not yet receive the benefits of the Aspect Producers trait. Beginning class for a Blank Flank must be Adventurer. Blank Flanks gain the image on their flanks once they complete an adventure in-game that “shows them their special talent.” At that point, she will gain the full bonuses of the Aspect Producers trait.
Seahorse: Born under the sea, they breathe water, and the rear half is replaced by a curving fish-like tail. This causes them to lose Hind Kick, but they can now Breathe Water (instead of air,) and they start with 15 Levels of Swimming.
(-5)Draft Pony: Born with larger hooves, a stronger back, and bigger muscles. Draft ponies modify their base stats by +6 Strength, +2 Endurance, -6 Speed, -2 Stealth. Draft ponies also start with 5 levels in the Strength-Based Misc. Skill “Carry”.
(-15)Pegasus: Born from winged equinis faust. This gives the character large feathery or leathery wings, and Flight on normal flight-speed rules. They can also walk upon clouds as if they were giant pillows.
(-20)Unicorn: Born from equinis faust who are, actually, magically capable unicorns. Supposedly, the horn on their heads gives them some kind of special connection to the flow of mana. They go from being Semi-Magical to Highly-Magical. Then their Magic stat gains a 16 point bonus, (becoming a base of +10.) With the boost in Magic, unicorns gain the ability to cast magic spells without the use of hands, and cast the magic out of their horns without needing to incant. Lastly, unicorns have the base level Levitation super power.
(-25)Breezy: Tiny fae-related equinis. Their classification becomes Highly-Magical Fae-Kin Equine, and added onto their species traits are all of the species traits from the Sprite species. However, due to their size, they lose the Natural Melee Attacks from their species. Their base Strength and Endurance each lose 8 points, and their Magic and Willpower each gain 8 points. Breezies also have the ability to cast magic using the antennae as if they were hands.
(-80)Alacornus: Where they come from, nobody knows. An Alacornus has the changes from both the Pegasus and Unicorn backgrounds. Alacornus also gain one full school of 1SPX cost super powers. Alternatively, they can gain 3 out of 4 columns of a school of 2SPX cost super powers, or 2 columns of a 3SPX cost school, or 1 column from a 4SPX cost school. If Blank Flank is also chosen, these super powers do not develop until their aspect is known.