Centaurs are an intelligent, semi-humanoid species, with a humanoid top half and the lower half of a horse.
History[]
One story is that the Graygem passed over tribes of horsemen, and the human and horse became one in a centaur. Men hated them instantly, so they became nomads, wandering Ansalon. The scattered clans joined and from seven great tribes: Ebon Lance, Laughing Brook, Iron Hooves, Green Willow, Soaring Mane, Leaping Hart, and Keening Wind formed. Together they would settle in a land for a few years, then were forced to leave, but one of their great warriors was Peldarin with his axe Soulsplitter. Without them the race may have been destroyed, but instead they settled in the lands around Abanasinia.
Biology[]
One of the greatest sources of prides are the centaur's tails. They are as varied as horses, some are known to be jet black, brown, gray, bay, or chestnut, a few mottle with more than one color. Centaurs wear their manes and beards long, with some of them tying up their hair and others shaving parts of them off. They also tie up their tails so that they can be free of tangles and burrs.
Centaurs do not get hangovers from drinking too much alcohol. They have the ability to speak to horses in a type of "horse" language. Do not practice sorcery or any type of magic, and instead rely on herbalists. Grass is one of the types of foods they can eat, but they are not strictly herbivores. The women are warriors just like the men, the usually go unclothed over their body, and both are extremely well muscled. The warriors use many weapons including spears, cudgels, swords, and scythes, but don't use axes. Since the greatest warrior killed the first High Chief, no other centaurs will ever use an axe in war.
Inside their huts it is normally bare earth, with mats of woven rushes for beds. One jug for water, one for wine, and a small, bronze basin for washing. A crude table but no furniture as that would just get in the way.
Leadership[]
Centaur tribes are led by a single chieftain who is usually male, and the role passes from father to son. It is almost unheard of for it to pass to a daughter, but it can happen.
Laws[]
In the tribes of the Abanasinian Centaur, a criminal would be gelded and then led through Darken Wood to beg forgiveness from each of the tribes there, then beheaded. This was a rare occasion and would be sentenced by the Circle of Seven. There is only one punishment for murdering a chieftain, and that is gelding and then death.
Beliefs[]
Almost all centaurs worship Chislev the Beast, and before drinking wine they pour out about a goblets worth on the ground or floor in her honor.
Customs[]
When a chieftain's son comes to a village, there is music with flutes, lyres, and drums along with singing. Centaurs dancing, fillies tossing silverwood blossoms across their path in celebration of them coming. When a chieftain's sons come home they are met at the village's gates by their father and a Wine of Greeting takes place.
A funeral for a centaur is a very loud occasion. It begins with the stallions and mare in a low rumble before they are keening at a high pitch. Jugs of wine are smashed on the ground and the shards trampled into dust. Then suddenly it all goes quiet. The Circle of Seven then arrives, carrying their banners if it is someone important, and each would wear a mask. Many tears are shed, and a dagger is used to cut their hands, pooling the blood in their hand before pouring it onto the deceased. The bodies are then burned on a pyre. To show they are openly morning something or someone, they will tuck a fennel stalk onto their war harness
When one centaur promises themselves to another he will place a wreath of willow withes upon her head to become married to each other.
Abanasinian Centaur[]
Abanasinian centaurs are the largest of the known centaur subspecies.
Crystalmir Centaur[]
Crystalmir centaurs are the smaller of the known centaur subspecies.
Skorenoi Centaur[]
Skorenoi Centaur are the warped abominations of centaurs from Darken Wood.
References[]
- Hederick the Theocrat, p.
- Dezra's Quest (novel), p. 2, 9, 10, 44, 56, 70, 74-75, 91, 112-116, 124-127, 132, 135, 198, 255, 306