Centaurs

Centaurs are a race of half horse, half humanoids that reside in the temperate plains of the eastern and western kingdoms.

## Biology

Centaurs have the whole body of a horse up to where its neck should be, at which point their spine curves up vertically and they take on the form of a human from the waist up. It is also worth noting that Centaurs have a secondary brain used primarily for motor control located at the bottom segment of the human portion of their spine. Damage to this secondary brain can completely incapacitate the lower horse portion of their bodies.

Every Summer, Centaur females enter a state of heat in which they have a strong desire to mate. During this time period, Centaurs are usually much less active as all their energy is expended breeding.

## Society

Centaurs are a largely nomadic race. Most of the shelters that they create are made from wood and cloth, leather, or fur and can be easily carried with them as they travel. The few permanent settlements that centaurs hold are made entirely of wood. Centaur geomancers create temporary stone huts for themselves and their leaders, however, they will always destroy them when they leave as keeping them up is seen as an omen that their journey will be unsuccessful and they will need a home to return to; for this same reason centaur warbands will also sometimes tear down their own camps before decisive battles. The only time the average centaur will sleep between stone walls is when they capture and occupy a human town and even then they usually do not stay long after they have extracted what they see as their proper tribute.

Centaurs live in tribes that roam across large territories, territories that are often claimed by other tribes or races of Ib, leading to conflict. Each tribe is run by a chieftain known as a khan and rule of the tribe is passed to their fiercest child upon death. The only males allowed to reproduce in a centaur tribe are the direct descendant's of the khan and his primary two wives and each of them is their own harem of females assigned by the khan himself. When one khan begins to rise to power through great feats and acts of glory, lesser khans will sometimes pledge their tribe's service to them.

While centaurs are not particually good at seiging or defending walled settlements, their combat potential in open fields is legendary and their "mounted" archery is without match.

Centaurs often ally themselves with Satyrs, Agtaurs, and Minotaurs.

During the period of summer heat, even the most virile of khans sometimes have trouble satisfying their harem's needs. Some may even allow other males to aid them, however, they will kill any of the centaur offspring born from such couplings. To alleviate this issue, sometimes centaurs will recruit the aid of Satyrs who have more than enough males and are always happy to help.

While some centaur tribes do raise horses to use as beasts of burden, most avoid owning them as they have a rather uncomfortable relationship with the beasts, especially among the males who are not allowed to mate.

## Psychology

Centaurs value strength, glory, and freedom above all else. They love to travel and claim whatever great sights they see. Centaurs are very territorial and they demand tribute from all those they see as imposing on what is rightfully theirs, and they are quick to think of reasons why something they want should be rightfully theirs.

## Variants

Zetaurs - Striped centaurs that live in the southern Savannahs.

Yaktaurs - Massive centaurs with thick fur that live in the north

Bitaurs - Massive centaurs that reside in the far western badlands

Rhitaurs - Rhino body, Gorrila head