Centaur Characters
Half-horse, half-man, very proud of their way of life, and isolationists to boot — or hoof. Intelligent and civilized enough to qualify as Beings, centaurs have requested that the Ministry of Magic classify them as Beasts to avoid being associated with such creatures as hags and vampires.
Society & Culture
Centaurs are communal creatures, existing in two basic society constructs. The most basic is the herd, which is essentially an extended family or small tribe. Then there is the clan, which consists of several herds united to hold a large territory.
There is a large clan of centaurs in the Forbidden Forest near Hogsmeade, called the Dark Forest Clan (so called for an alternative name for the forest). The Dark Forest Clan has little interaction with humans, and most encounters have been tense at best, if not openly hostile.
There are several herds within the clan, consisting of anywhere from ten to fifty centaurs each. Each wears fairly minimal clothing — what they do wear is mainly utilitarian, save for a heavy sash given at a centaur's coming-of-age. These sashes (and often their other clothing) are dyed in the colours found in the nature that surrounds them. One herd that resides close to the Black Lake wears dark blue. Another that lives deep in the forest adorns its members in forest green. The Starchasers, a herd that lives in the meadows of the forest with the surrounding thistles and heather wears purple. Those that live in open grassy areas of the forest wear bright green. Black is worn by the herd that lives in the marshy lands.
All herds embroider white spider silk stars the lengths of fabric, each star signifying a great achievement performed by the wearer. The more stars, the greater the status. The herd leaders usually have the most stars, often painstakingly embroidered into constellations completely covering the longest length of fabric.
The raising of young is considered the responsibility of the entire herd. The more experienced hunters, herbalists, diviners, etc. will teach the young colts and fillies their skills to ensure a strong future generation. Despite this communal rearing, a foal is still considered the responsibility of his or her sire and dam (father and mother, respectively) to provide for. However, centaurs almost never mate for life, so there is no guarantee that the sire and dam will be a united couple. Though centaurs do believe in coupling for love, and are usually monogamous while courting, such unions rarely last longer than a few years.
Centaurs are a spiritual people, and view the world in terms of omens and signs, making their decisions according to what they believe the Fates are trying to guide them toward. This belief, combined with their naturally aggressive demeanours, has led to a way of life that allows for raiding and theft (and even kidnapping, in some cases!) as perfectly moral behaviour, so long as the omens favour the act. If the theft is from another herd, only the High Chief can declare the signs to be in favour.
Unsurprisingly, divination is a revered art among centaurs, with a heavy emphasis on astrology. Seers are born among centaurs far more frequently than among humans. Those blessed with the Sight are considered blessed and are typically trained as augurs.
As they have a hunting culture, archery is a prized skill among centaurs. They make exquisite bows, and their best marksmen are unmatched in the world. No festival or celebration is considered complete without an archery competition.
The Starchasers
All centaur player characters must be members of the herd known as the Starchasers. They have long been considered mavericks among the Dark Forest Clan, frequently questioning the old ways. Though they are perceived as rebellious, they aren't eager to throw away tradition. They simply believe that centaur culture must adapt, or be crushed under the weight of history.
The herd was created when a meteorite fell to earth in the middle of the Dark Forest in 1840. Those that dared to seek out the fallen star were hailed as heroes when they returned with the heavenly stone. The Chief of the Dark Forest Clan declared that they were destined to retrieve the star, and dubbed them Starchasers, granting them the right to form their own herd. Those few departed with their mates and foals, settling on the lands surrounding the site of the star-fall — a lush meadow in a verdant vale. The star itself became a treasured relic of the herd, and a piece of it was shaped into a mighty medallion worn by the herd leader.
The Starchasers have been prolific, thanks to their fertile and plentiful lands. However, while they are one of the larger herds in the Clan, they have never been known for great battle prowess. Nor are their lands highly defensible. So when the conflicts within the Clan began in 1937, they refrained from taking sides. But that neutrality can only last so long, as suspicion and demands of fealty tear at the herd from all sides.
Roles within the Herd
Every centaur has a role in the herd. Everyone contributes something to the community.
Chief: The Chief is one of the two leaders of the herd. He is always male, and is responsible for providing for the herd and protecting it from threats. He declares hunts, trains the warriors, and decides on the distribution of resources. The Chief is chosen based upon the greatness of his deeds. When the old Chief dies, the greatest warriors and hunters compete in a series of strenuous competitions to prove their worth. The victor of this tournament becomes the new Chief.
Mystic: The Mystic is one of the two leaders of the herd. She is always female, and a Seer as well. She is responsible for the spiritual guidance of her people, and is the herd's penultimate interpreter of omens. She is also the herd's primary ambassador in times of peace, obligated with meet with the Mystics of other herds when inter-herd relations are called for. When the old Mystic dies, a new one will be identified by an omen portending her ascension. In the event that a herd lacks a female Seer to become Mystic, they must seek one from another herd (and if no herd will give one up, beseech the High Chief for the right to claim one by force).
Talekeeper: Though the centaurs are always looking to the future, they do not forget their past. The Talekeeper is an older centaur (at least forty years of age) whose responsibility it is to maintain the histories and legends of the herd. Though the majority of the most important tales are inscribed on hide scrolls, the Talekeeper always has a great many more stories memorised. It is the Talekeeper's duty to open every ceremony and celebration with a story that delivers a relevant lesson to the herd.
Augurs: Those born with the Sight hold a special place in any herd. Most are heavily trained in the art of divination, so that they might better understand their visions and prophecies. These dedicated soothsayers are known as Augurs. Every female Augur is a potential candidate to become the future Mystic. Though the Mystic is almost always chosen from among the previous Mystic's Chosen — her personal servants, selected from among the Augurs.
Leafwardens: Herbalists, healers, gatherers, and gardeners — leafwardens are the herd's experts in plant lore. They know many secrets hidden within plant life, and can produce remarkable salves and elixirs from them.
Hunters: The centaurs most often seen by humans are hunters, as they venture the furthest afield from a herd's village, seeking game and scouting their borders. All hunters are expected to train as archers.
Makers: Those that craft the things the herd needs to survive are well respected for their skills. Makers include woodcarvers, weavers, clothiers, leatherworkers, clayworkers, etc. Hunters and warriors are expected to craft their own weapons. Notably, there are no centaurs blacksmiths, as advanced metalworking beyond basic shaping of soft metals is beyond their ability.
Warriors: When danger threatens the herd, a small, elite cadre of centaurs rises to the challenge. Warriors are not as numerous as hunters, but they are trained specifically for battle, be it against trolls venturing too close to the village, a rampaging werewolf, or even another herd in times of unrest. In times of peace, warriors spend their time training (which may include the occasional hunting party with the hunters), as they must be ready to be called to action at any time.
Other Herds
The Starchasers are but one of the eight herds in the Dark Forest Clan. They are also the youngest herd in the clan. The other herds of the clan are as follows.
• The cunning Swift Arrows live in the deep forest, and wear forest green. This is one of the three founding herds.
• The hardy Trollbreakers live on the mountainsides, and wear grey. This is one of the three founding herds.
• The enigmatic and cerebral Moon Dreamers live by the Black Lake, and wear dark blue. This is one of the three founding herds.
• The fleet-hooved Greenrunners live in the grassy meadows of the forest and wear bright green.
• The Coiled Serpents live in the marshes and wear black. They immunize themselves against snake venom my mixing small doses into pigment, which they use to tattoo themselves with serpentine images.
• The reclusive Whispering Winds live high among the mountain peaks and wear white. They are easily recognizable by their shaggy coats, and propensity for wearing bear furs.
• The Unbroken Spears live in a region thick with brambles, and wear red. They are the most xenophobic of the herds, warning even other herds to stay away unless their augurs deem the time to be right for diplomacy.
Government
The governmental structure of centaur culture is dualistic. Each herd is led by a Chief and a Mystic (see above for details). Above every herd Chief is the High Chief, who rules over the entire clan. The herd of the High Chief is considered favoured by the Fates. He or she is both a trained warrior and a Seer. The High Chief consults the Fates in all decisions for the clan, so his or her word is considered indisputable law.
Appearance & Biology
From the waist up, centaurs appear to be human, resembling a stout and swarthy Scottish Highlander. Below the waistline is the robust form of a shire horse. Their human skin can be the same color found in any of the human races and their horse half can share the coloration of any equine breed. A centaur's hair will grow as normal for a human, and will usually match the colour of the tail hair. Generally they show an extremely high level of physical fitness in both of their aspects.
Centaurs gestate in the womb for about ten months, and foals can stand and run a short time after birth. They have an appearance similar to a human toddler from the waist up, but mental faculties more like a human infant. They require mother's milk for the first six to eight months of their lives, and mature at roughly the same rate as humans. A centaur's lifespan is typically from 70-90 years.
Magic
Though centaurs do not use wands for magic, they are known to be gifted diviners, and are well-versed in magical healing by way of herbal mixtures (similar to potions) and ceremonial rituals. Seers are much more common among centaurs than humans, as are beast speakers. In fact, centaurs know methods of awakening the mind to beast speech — a secret that has eluded wizards for millennia.
Language
The Centaur language is a tricky thing for non-centaurs to understand. It is steeped in metaphor and symbolism, with the same words and expressions meaning very different things based upon context, and even upon the astrological conditions under which one is speaking them. The same sentence spoken under a half moon while Mars is rising might mean something else entirely during a new moon with Venus descending. Centaurs are swimming in omens and signs from birth. But to one who has not had such an upbringing, their tongue is nearly indecipherable.
Names
Centaur names can vary greatly, but rarely sound like modern human names. Some known examples include Firenze, Bane, Magorian, and Ronan (please do not use these names, as they are canon characters). A centaur's name is carefully chosen at birth, selected according to signs that present themselves in the foal's first days.
Centaurs use only one name, as they believe a person's name should stand on its own, not on the shoulders of one's ancestors. Nor do they believe in titles or honorifics. To a centaur, an individual's name carries his story within it — some would say his entire destiny.
Clans and herds also have their own names, clans identified by region (e.g. "Dark Forest Clan") and herds by a symbol of the omen that foretold their formation (e.g. "The Starchasers"). However, clan and herd are usually identified by adornment and dress rather than speech. They are only used in conjunction with a personal name when clarification is needed. For example, if there were two centaurs named "Bane" in the Dark Forest Clan, but of different herds, they would be called "Bane of the Starchasers" and "Bane of the Swift Arrows". But this would only be done if it was ever in question which one was being referred to. In all other circumstance, each would simply be "Bane".
RP Notes
Centaurs have some similarities to humans, but they are not simply humans with horse legs. They are fierce and passionate — quick to anger and slow to forgive, but the bonds of loyalty they forge are nearly unbreakable. They value action over promises, and have long memories for both a person's great deeds and their sins. Centaurs are slow to trust those outside of their herd and clan, and generally view humans with suspicion. Centaurs are strongly in tune with nature, and much prefer the open wild to the confined spaces created by humans.
Note that centaurs will be restricted from the London section of the grid. There may eventually be some special circumstances that will allow for them to visit the Diagon Alley area, but that would be rare (not that any centaur would even want to be in such an urban environment).
Character Generation
Name: As mentioned above, centaurs use only one name, and eschew titles and honorifics. Their names come in great variety, and can draw from many sources, or seem completely made up. Just try to avoid them sounding like modern human names. Also, there is a misguided tendency to choose ancient Greek names, given the origin of centaur myths. Generally only Greek centaurs have Greek names. Some few Scottish centaurs might have a Greek name, but this is far from the norm.
Actor: As with most non-human species, staff will be picky about Actors used for centaurs. They centaurs of the Dark Forest Clan have a swarthy Scottish look about them. As with all centaurs, they are a hale, sturdy, and primal people. Characters with Actors that are considered too narrow, frail, or "made-up" in appearance will be asked to change.
Organization: All player character centaurs should have "Starchasers" for their Organization.
Position: The role the centaur plays in the herd.
Rank: A given number of Stars earned for great deeds. Most characters will have 0-10. Veterans will have 10-20. Heroes, 20-40. More than that isn't often seen beyond the greatest of heroes, Chiefs, and Mystics.
Skills: The only Wizarding Skills that centaurs may take are Creature Lore, Divination, Herbology, and Potions. Note that they do not brew potions the way wizards do. Rather, the potions rules are used to represent their herbal medicines. Centaurs can only make potions with the Healing keyword. Centaurs may also take Medicine up to rank 6 (which would represent a skilled centaur shaman; the average centaur should no more than 3 ranks). This is similar to Muggle medicine, but with an holistic focus.
Languages: Take both English and Centaur (the latter language is free for centaurs, meaning that you may overspend by 2 points in character generation). Some centaurs might also speak Scottish-Gaelic, but other human tongues are usually not allowed. Some speak Troll, as they share the forest with the trolls. Beast Speech languages are relatively common among centaurs (and less expensive to purchase with Cookies).
Quirks: Centaurs do not require money, so they should not take a Wealth Quirk (meaning they should have a maximum of four Quirks).
Special Rules
- Powerful Body: Centaurs are faster and stronger than humans. They receive a +2 bonus to all rolls involving feats of strength and physical stamina, and +4 to any roll involving running. As a rule, a centaur will always outrun a human in a straight race. Only a human who has trained specifically for running speed has a hope of matching centaur speed.
- Eyes of Fate: Centaurs have a natural talent for divination, and gain a +2 to all Divination rolls.
- Healing Hands: Centaurs are skilled healers, and gain a +2 to all Medicine rolls, and to Potions rolls to make Healing potions.
Related Lore
Recent History
The information found within the below collapsible section contains spoilers for anyone not playing a Centaur. If you are not playing a centaur, please refrain from clicking the section below. It is considered OOC knowledge for non-Centaurs. If you want to ruin it for yourself, that's up to you. But do not ruin it for others by talking about it, or using it as IC knowledge.