Centaurs

"The idea of the pillaging centaur is the product of childish paranoia, and holds about as much merit. Perhaps in the distant past some tribes did commit the acts so fondly attributed to the race as a whole, but the average centaur is no more compelled to act on their lusts than the common citizenry of Savarra."
—Magister Vrycele

Writer Credit

Gardeford
Centaurs Codex Entry

Codex

Name: Centaur (pl. Centaurs)
Sexes: Male/Female
Height: Varies by location. Centaurs in the plains of the Frost Marches average between 8'0 and 12'5".
Weight: Bulkier specimens can weigh upwards of one ton, but typical individuals range from ½-¾ tons
Skin: Centaurs have soft human skin, with colors ranging widely depending on location. Their lower bodies are commonly covered in fine hair of similarly varied coloration. Frost Marches centaurs tend toward lighter natural skin tones.
Hair: Centaurs have hair similar to humans. Frost Marches centaurs favor darker hair colors, but their horse halves may vary from their human halves. Some centaurs have fluffier tufts of hair on their legs.
Eyes: Centaurs have standard human eyes, with equivalent vision to that of a human
Ears: Frost Marches Centaurs naturally have horse-like ears atop their heads.
Lifespan: 60 to 90 years
Maturity: 12 years

Description

Centaurs are quadrupedal monstrous humanoids native to the world of Savarra. From a fair distance they could easily be mistaken for human men and women riding horses, but such imagery falls apart upon closer inspection. Where human waists would transition to a pair of legs, centaurs instead have the entire body of a horse. Given only the image of a face, one would be hard pressed to guess whether a person were a centaur or a human.
Female centaurs tend to have larger chests than humans on average, but not unbelievably so, ranging from DD-F cups, with outliers on both ends. Male centaurs are fully equipped with equine penises, averaging two feet in length.

Reproduction

Breeding among centaurs is a relatively simple affair, taking place in the usual manner. That said, for most of the year centaurs have extremely low virility and fertility, requiring a painstaking amount of effort to conceive. Female centaurs go into heat naturally once a year, for a period of about a week. During this time their fertility rates are flipped, with pregnancy becoming all but a guarantee. The musk produced by female centaurs during their heat period causes a boost in male centaur virility to rival their partners. Some centaurs hoard this musk, both to enjoy the high it brings, and to sell to other races desperate for a higher chance at conception.
Centaurs can be pregnant for up to a year before birth occurs. This, combined with the low rate of conception outside of heat periods, prevents overpopulation in areas occupied by centaurs. Centaurs rarely have more than one child at a time, with twin births being exceptionally rare and possibly dangerous to a first time mother.
Centaur mothers stay closely involved with their children, but not to the point of jealousy. Foals begin walking quickly, so raising children is a tribe effort. For the first few months, centaur foals nurse from the mother's horse half, transitioning to the human breasts when they grow tall enough to reach them. A centaur's teats generally remain very small, hardly noticeable for some, but particularly prolific mothers or wet nurses may see theirs grow and remain engorged with milk.
Fully grown centaurs are encouraged to stay within their birth-tribe, but it is not all that uncommon to find a free spirited centaur in the midst of a larger town or city, or plumbing the unexplored reaches of Savarra. Such adventurers are welcomed back with open arms should they decide to visit their homes.
Centaurs are fully capable of breeding with most of the races that populate the Frost Marches. Most interracial couples find it tougher to conceive, even during a female's heat period, or with the aid of a females musk, but this is rarely seen as a problem. Marefolk who desire more than violent breeding often take male centaurs they deem fit as lovers, preferring their company to their race's bestial males.

History

Centaurs have existed since before the recording of history became a commonality. Their exact longevity as a race is hard to gauge, as their histories are often oral, and any recordings are the result of stories taken down by human or elvish scholars. Centaur civilization extends to a number of tribes across the world, with numerous subcultures being mapped by historians to this day.

Society & Culture

Centaurs group themselves into tribes of varying size. Tribes are governed by a ruling pair, a chief and chieftess. Tribal chief pairs are elected from pre-existing couples, usually pairs with the healthiest relationship. Disputes occasionally occur regarding a chief or chieftess' standing, but most govern until their deaths.
Once every 5 years, ruling chiefs of both genders may choose a willing member of the tribe to mate with during their heat periods. Refusal is an option, but being chosen to birth or sire a chief or chieftess' child is a boastable honor that can garner standing amongst the tribe. The current youngest child, or any who have come of age but have yet to secure a mate. of a governing pair often receive the most attention, with tribe members vying to match their children with those of the chiefs.

Racial Differences

The centaurs of the Frost March plains are the most commonly known around the world. Tall, commonly fair of skin, and possessing varying degrees of shaggy hair. They are far from the only variety of centaur in the world, but tend to be the most social.
The iron coast of Jassira is home to a race of more lithe centaurs with dark skin and darker hair. These desert faring centaurs travel mostly for trade purposes, staying in towns or cities that see lots of traffic. They will remain anywhere from a matter of days to extended stays of a year or more.
Centaur troupes with the lower bodies of moose or elk can rarely be spotted in the forested regions of Savarra. These scarce offshoots don't often interact with other civilized society, but can be genial to hunters who respect the land, or to races like the wyld elves from the Frost Marches.
Small herds of incredibly short centaurs with the bodies of goats can be found atop many of Savarra's tall mountain ranges, higher than most civilized races dare to tread. Adventurous climbers often find these herds to be good company, and can find food and warm shelter where there would otherwise be none.

Codex Acquisition

Only one of the conditions below must be met to unlock the Centaurs Codex entry:

Having talked about the CentaurVillage with Ahmri while she's at the Champion's camp

Other Information

From the frilly dressed to more staunch tribe members living in Harvest Valley, centaurs are a species that have spread throughout most of Savarra. Their true number and history are all but impossible to track due to many of them living within various tribes. Centaurs don't come in one simple look but the centaurs of the Frost March plains are the most commonly known around the world. Other breeds and sizes hail from around the world.

At the start of CoC2, a tribe of settled centaurs lives in Harvest Valley. Kass' arrival has ultimately led to many getting corrupted, throwing the area into disarray -- driving people like Sugo and Ahmri to flee or fall to corruption.