Centaur People

Among the largest of the World's Children, Centaurs possess the trunk, head, and arms of a Human, wedded to the lower body of a horse. The Human half of their bodies is no larger than that of an average Man, but their horse bodies ensure that Centaurs stand at least a head taller than most Humans, though they are not typically as tall as a Half Giant. In terms of coloration, there are three main varieties of Centaur: Bays, whose horse parts are covered with rich, golden brown coats, Dapples with chalky gray coats, and Blacks, whose coats are the color of night. Interestingly enough, the hair on a Centaur's head need not match their coat, and runs from fair to honeyed-gold to red, brown, and black, as with Humans. Centaurs place no special value on the color of their coats - Blacks, Bays, and Dapples have equal status in their eyes. Centaurs whose hair and coat match, however, are considered purer of breeding, and tend to rise to positions of power and status among their fellows.

Centaurs place a high priority on grooming and personal cleanliness: their men favor closely cropped, well kept beards, and both sexes tend to tie their hair back. Centaurs disdain tattoos and piercings of any kind, and rarely wear jewelry or other ornaments. Such practices, they believe, imply that one is insecure about one's natural beauty. The only exception to this rule, however, is their use of horseshoes. The Hooves of a Centaur are virtually identical to those of common horses, and most Centaurs employ horseshoes to minimize wear and increase the effectiveness of their kicks in battle. Shoeing and re-shoeing ceremonies are a serious occasion among the Horselords, and Centaurs who can pass through the entire ordeal without any outward sign of discomfort are accorded high honors. Unlike horses, Centaurs are perfectly capable of eating meat, though they tend to eat less meat than Men, favoring fruits, breads, and rich, spicy stews. They have little love for oats, and never eat grass. Mocking a Centaur's diet is a sure way to earn his wrath.

Centaurs are remarkably strong, with endurance equal to that of the hardiest Dwarf. Their equine bodies leave them somewhat less agile than the average Man, but can take an enormous amount of punishment in battle. Centaurs are not known for their keen intellects. Indeed, the average Centaur is cleverer than a Dwarf or Half Giant, but not exceedingly so. In Spirit, however, Centaurs surpass all the Children of the World. The devotion of the Centaurs to Kenaryn and the All-Father is legendary, and the Horse-men master matters of Faith as easily as Warfare. Centaurs can run as quickly as any other horse, and often use their hooves as weapons in combat. Any Warrior who faces a Centaur in combat quickly learns to fear their powerful kicks, and a battalion of armored Centaurs is almost invincible on the field of battle.

See Also

• Centaur Lore
• Centaur Ways

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