Races: Centaur

Centaurs are described as half-man, half-horse but this is not really the case. They are an entity all their own. That back half may look distinctly horse-like, but it does have a few differences. Centaurs are not nearly as tall as most giants, but are generally at least a head taller than the average human. They are an intelligent race and very strong of body as well as mind. What they have in strength and brains though, they lack in coordination. A horse's body isn't the most flexible thing in the world, and when it comes to dancing they have two left feet.

Centaurs descended from Ixion who was one of the Lapiths of Thessaly. He had fallen in love with Hera, and Zeus, who doesn't believe in turn about being fair play, was as jealous as the sky is blue. So he thought it'd be a good idea to create a cloud named Nephele and mold it into Hera's image. Ixion, madly in love with Hera, did not know the difference between the goddess and the cloud and ended up begetting a son from the latter of the two. This child they named Centaurus, and he was quite the experimental youth. Whether he was ugly or he just preferred horse-flesh none can say, but one thing led to another and he ended up mating with the mares of Thessaly. From these mares we got the breed of centaur that we know today.

Centaurs are often associated with wild drunkenness, lust, and violence. They were a war-like lot and were a wild and lawless group who took pleasure in rampaging through the country destroying the dwellings of humans and raping their women. One centaur named Nessus did this to the wife of the hero Heracles, who became so enraged that he rushed to Thessaly to deal with it. He nearly wiped the lands clean of the centaurs, only sparing the friendly and intelligent of the lot by the time he was through. One of these centaurs, Cheiron, went on to become the mentor of Heracles.

Most centaurs we know today are of the kind and intelligent breed, but some humans are still not quick to trust them. The lands are slowly adapting to this new class of citizen, making strides to make them feel at home even among the human-built cities of Greece. There will still be a few of the rough and rowdy bunch for us to contend with, but there are just as many, if not more, humans who are just as bad or worse.

Centaur Society
We have already told you about their general height and characteristics and how they were brought into the world, but let's go into what makes a centaur in mind as well as body. Centaurs are very big on personal hygiene and rarely cover themselves with any sort of ornamentation, including tattoos, for this would be a sign of weakness and insecurity. They place little value on the coloration of their coats, though centaurs whose hair matches their coats are considered to be more pure in breed.

Centaurs are a proud and honorable people and have long memories when it comes to holding a grudge. This pride also rears its ugly head in their boasting natures and appetite for competition. Foot races, jumping contests, feats of strength, sparring matches... anything and everything requiring physical prowess will be utilized for the sake of competition. And after the contests it's time to relax... well, maybe relax isn't quite the right word. Centaurs are party animals, rivaled only by their distant satyr cousins. Rowdy and loud, their parties can last for weeks and employ all manner of music and dance and storytelling and, of course, a bit of the grape.

Most people think that centaurs refuse to eat meat, sticking merely to a vegetarian diet. Others go so far as to declare their love for oats and grass and apples and all other things that horses eat. These latter people usually end up with a pair of horseshoe shaped bruises adorning their body in exceedingly painful places. Centaurs do eat meat, they just don't eat it all that often. They prefer fruits and nuts and breads and stews chocked full of carrots, potatoes, and turnips. Don't make the mistake of ever comparing a centaur with a horse in diet or anything else... it may be the last mistake you make.

Famous centaurs in history:
Cheiron, Nessus, Pholos.

Did you know?
Cheiron was the son of a titan. Cronos, the ruler of the titans, is reputed to be the centaur's father.

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