diff --git a/res/eressea/equipment.xml b/res/eressea/equipment.xml
index 94d0deb07..d64a5e3e4 100644
--- a/res/eressea/equipment.xml
+++ b/res/eressea/equipment.xml
@@ -1,73 +1,6 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 <eressea><equipment>
 
-  <!-- one equipment-set per player-race for the first unit in a faction -->
-  <set name="seed_dwarf">
-    <item name="axe" amount="1"/>
-    <item name="chainmail" amount="1"/>
-    <skill name="melee" level="1"/>
-  </set>
-
-  <set name="seed_elf">
-    <item name="fairyboot" amount="1"/>
-    <callback name="equip_newunits"/>
-  </set>
-
-  <set name="seed_orc">
-    <skill name="polearm" level="4"/>
-    <skill name="melee" level="4"/>
-    <skill name="crossbow" level="4"/>
-    <skill name="catapult" level="4"/>
-    <skill name="bow" level="4"/>
-  </set>
-
-  <set name="seed_goblin">
-    <item name="roi" amount="1"/>
-    <callback name="equip_newunits"/>
-  </set>
-
-  <set name="seed_human">
-    <callback name="equip_newunits"/>
-  </set>
-
-  <set name="seed_troll">
-    <skill name="building" level="1"/>
-    <skill name="perception" level="3"/>
-    <item name="stone" amount="50"/>
-  </set>
-
-  <set name="seed_demon">
-    <skill name="stamina" level="15"/>
-  </set>
-
-  <set name="seed_insect">
-    <item name="nestwarmth" amount="9"/>
-  </set>
-
-  <set name="seed_halfling">
-    <skill name="trade" level="1"/>
-    <skill name="riding" level="2"/>
-    <item name="horse" amount="2"/>
-    <item name="cart" amount="1"/>
-    <item name="balm" amount="5"/>
-    <item name="spice" amount="5"/>
-    <item name="myrrh" amount="5"/>
-    <item name="jewel" amount="5"/>
-    <item name="oil" amount="5"/>
-    <item name="silk" amount="5"/>
-    <item name="incense" amount="5"/>
-  </set>
-
-  <set name="seed_cat">
-    <item name="roi" amount="1"/>
-    <callback name="equip_newunits"/>
-  </set>
-
-  <set name="seed_aquarian">
-    <skill name="sailing" level="1"/>
-    <callback name="equip_newunits"/>
-  </set>
-
   <!-- equipment-sets for random encounters -->
   <set name="rand_desert">
     <skill name="melee" level="d2"/>
diff --git a/scripts/eressea/equipment.lua b/scripts/eressea/equipment.lua
index d3ef5ccbb..ffe910e7a 100644
--- a/scripts/eressea/equipment.lua
+++ b/scripts/eressea/equipment.lua
@@ -24,24 +24,115 @@ local sets = {
             ['perception'] = 30,
             ['melee'] = 1
         }
+    },
+    ['seed_dwarf'] = {
+        ['items'] = {
+            ['axe'] = 1,
+            ['chainmail'] = 1,
+        },
+        ['skills'] = {
+            ['melee'] = 1
+        }
+    },
+    ['seed_elf'] = {
+        ['items'] = {
+            ['fairyboot'] = 1,
+        },
+        ['callback'] = equip_newunits
+    },
+    ['seed_orc'] = {
+        ['skills'] = {
+            ['polearm'] = 4,
+            ['melee'] = 4,
+            ['crossbow'] = 4,
+            ['catapult'] = 4,
+            ['bow'] = 4,
+        }
+    },
+    ['seed_goblin'] = {
+        ['items'] = {
+            ['roi'] = 1
+        },
+        ['callback'] = equip_newunits
+    },
+    ['seed_human'] = {
+        ['callback'] = equip_newunits
+    },
+    ['seed_troll'] = {
+        ['items'] = {
+            ['stone'] = 50,
+        },
+        ['skills'] = {
+            ['building'] = 1,
+            ['perception'] = 3,
+        }
+    },
+    ['seed_demon'] = {
+        ['skills'] = {
+            ['stamina'] = 15
+        }
+    },
+    ['seed_insect'] = {
+        ['items'] = {
+            ['nestwarmth'] =9
+        }
+    },
+    ['seed_halfling'] = {
+        ['items'] = {
+            ['horse'] = 2,
+            ['cart'] = 1,
+            ['balm'] = 5,
+            ['spice'] = 5,
+            ['myrrh'] = 5,
+            ['jewel'] = 5,
+            ['oil'] = 5,
+            ['silk'] = 5,
+            ['incense'] = 5
+        },
+        ['skills'] = {
+            ['trade'] = 1,
+            ['riding'] = 2
+        }
+    },
+    ['seed_cat'] = {
+        ['items'] = {
+            ['roi'] = 1
+        },
+        ['callback'] = equip_newunits
+    },
+    ['seed_aquarian'] = {
+        ['skills'] = {
+            ['sailing'] = 1
+        },
+        ['callback'] = equip_newunits
     }
 }
 
 function equip_unit(u, name, flags)
-    set = sets[name]
+    local set = sets[name]
     if set then
-        items = set['items']
+        local items = set['items']
         if items then
             for k,v in pairs(items) do
                 u:add_item(k, v)
             end
         end
-        skills = set['skills']
+        local skills = set['skills']
         if skills then
             for k,v in pairs(skills) do
                 u:set_skill(k, v)
             end
         end
+        local spells = set['spells']
+        if spells then
+            for k, v in ipairs(spells) do
+                u:add_spell(v)
+            end
+        end
+        local callback = set['callback']
+        if callback and type(callback) == 'function' then
+            callback(u)
+        end
         return true
     end
     return false
diff --git a/src/bindings.c b/src/bindings.c
index 72a2db782..bbea46e60 100755
--- a/src/bindings.c
+++ b/src/bindings.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "kernel/save.h"
 #include "kernel/spell.h"
 #include "kernel/spellbook.h"
+#include "races/races.h"
 
 #include "bind_unit.h"
 #include "bind_storage.h"
@@ -845,8 +846,13 @@ static int init_data(const char *filename)
     return 0;
 }
 
+static int tolua_equip_newunits(lua_State * L) {
+    unit *u = (unit *)tolua_tousertype(L, 1, 0);
+    equip_newunits(u);
+    return 0;
+}
 
-int tolua_read_xml(lua_State * L)
+static int tolua_read_xml(lua_State * L)
 {
     const char *filename = tolua_tostring(L, 1, "config.xml");
     lua_pushinteger(L, init_data(filename));
@@ -1023,6 +1029,7 @@ int tolua_bindings_open(lua_State * L, const dictionary *inifile)
         tolua_function(L, TOLUA_CAST "translate", &tolua_translate);
         tolua_function(L, TOLUA_CAST "spells", tolua_get_spells);
         tolua_function(L, TOLUA_CAST "read_xml", tolua_read_xml);
+        tolua_function(L, TOLUA_CAST "equip_newunits", tolua_equip_newunits);
     } tolua_endmodule(L);
     return 1;
 }
diff --git a/src/races/races.c b/src/races/races.c
index 92a3d3e3d..120a15dd9 100644
--- a/src/races/races.c
+++ b/src/races/races.c
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 #include "races.h"
 
 #include <kernel/building.h>
-#include <kernel/equipment.h>
 #include <kernel/faction.h>
 #include <kernel/item.h>
 #include <kernel/pathfinder.h>
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@ void age_skeleton(struct unit *u);
 void age_zombie(struct unit *u);
 void age_ghoul(struct unit *u);
 
-static void equip_newunits(const struct equipment *eq, struct unit *u)
+void equip_newunits(struct unit *u)
 {
     struct region *r = u->region;
     const struct resource_type *rtype;
@@ -81,8 +80,6 @@ static void equip_newunits(const struct equipment *eq, struct unit *u)
  * in die jeweilige Rassendefiniton eingebunden */
 void register_races(void)
 {
-    register_function((pf_generic)equip_newunits, "equip_newunits");
-
     /* function age for race->age() */
     register_function((pf_generic)age_undead, "age_undead");
     register_function((pf_generic)age_skeleton, "age_skeleton");
diff --git a/src/races/races.h b/src/races/races.h
index ea7be1337..78c8b062f 100644
--- a/src/races/races.h
+++ b/src/races/races.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ extern "C" {
 
     void register_races(void);
     void make_undead_unit(struct unit *);
+    void equip_newunits(struct unit *u);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/src/xmlreader.c b/src/xmlreader.c
index 5b6f7d8c1..cbae06f58 100644
--- a/src/xmlreader.c
+++ b/src/xmlreader.c
@@ -862,27 +862,6 @@ static void add_items(equipment * eq, xmlNodeSetPtr nsetItems)
     }
 }
 
-static void add_callbacks(equipment * eq, xmlNodeSetPtr nsetItems)
-{
-    if (nsetItems != NULL && nsetItems->nodeNr > 0) {
-        int i;
-        for (i = 0; i != nsetItems->nodeNr; ++i) {
-            xmlNodePtr node = nsetItems->nodeTab[i];
-            xmlChar *propValue;
-            pf_generic fun;
-
-            propValue = xmlGetProp(node, BAD_CAST "name");
-            if (propValue != NULL) {
-                fun = get_function((const char *)propValue);
-                if (fun) {
-                    equipment_setcallback(eq, (equip_callback_fun)fun);
-                }
-                xmlFree(propValue);
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 static void add_spells(equipment * eq, xmlNodeSetPtr nsetItems)
 {
     if (nsetItems != NULL && nsetItems->nodeNr > 0) {
@@ -1021,11 +1000,6 @@ static int parse_equipment(xmlDocPtr doc)
 
                 xpath->node = node;
 
-                xpathResult = xmlXPathEvalExpression(BAD_CAST "callback", xpath);
-                assert(!eq->callback);
-                add_callbacks(eq, xpathResult->nodesetval);
-                xmlXPathFreeObject(xpathResult);
-
                 xpathResult = xmlXPathEvalExpression(BAD_CAST "item", xpath);
                 assert(!eq->items);
                 add_items(eq, xpathResult->nodesetval);