The Tribes
Centaurs
Last updated 8/15/2015.
Of all the races to sign the Tri-leaf Pact, the centaurs were the most reluctant. A prideful and militant race, the centaurs battled amongst themselves over joining the Lands of Order for years before finally-and reluctantly-signing the Pact. The eventual decision came down to a victory of practicality over pride. The centaurs had a great love of war and conquest, but the rest of the civilized tribes were banding together, and victory would be impossible against a unified force. In the end, they chose to be included in the Lands of Order, though they remained very seclusionary.
The centaurs are the largest and strongest of all the civilized races. Their upper bodies are similar to a human, though much broader and more muscular. From the waist down they take the form of a horse, with four hooves and long tail. Many centaurs choose to adorn their upper bodies in large tattoos and jewelry pierced into their flesh.
Though Tri-leaf laws require centaurs allow travel through their lands along the Safe Roads, very few ever do so. Their soldiers heavily patrol the Wilds and consider any traveler who steps a single foot off the path to be a trespasser and subject to their barbaric laws. Elves, humans, and dwarves have been captured and occasionally killed simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Such frightful truths have kept the other tribes as far from the centenarian border as possible, ensuring the solitude they crave.
In centaurian society strength is power and influence is always earned by force. From the signing of the first Tri-leaf Pact to the end of the Blight, the home village of the tribe was always named for the ruling lord. The lord was decided when a soldier challenged and defeated the currently sitting champion. Such contests happened so often that the village would change names three to four times without the other tribes even knowing, sometimes more than once in a single year. At the time of the Blight, the village was ruled by Lord Ironhoof, thus it bore his name.
Centaur culture is a strictly patriarchal society. Not only do females hold no positions of power or influence, they also have no rights. Female centaurs are considered wards of their fathers until chosen by a mate and then become slaves to their husband. For as terrible as women are treated in centaurian culture, it’s even worse for any male who shows femininity. For a male to be loving, nurturing, or emotional is to be branded inferior. Effeminate or homosexual males are either imprisoned or killed.
Centaurs do not worship the Lady and hold the very notion of such a practice in disdain. The centaurian lord is the chosen representative at Tri-leaf Council meetings, though he rarely attends.
Spoilers for Eternal Forest below.
With their culture so barbaric and savage, many centaurs-mostly females-seek escape from the rest of their tribe and find refuge amongst the other races. For those living in fear in Ironhoof, escape is dangerous but often worth the risk. Many centaurs who escape find peace and purpose in worshiping the Lady and become students at the Temple. A seryan is chosen to represent the centaurian tribe, though she holds no actual influence in Ironhoof.
The centaurs are the largest and strongest of all the civilized races. Their upper bodies are similar to a human, though much broader and more muscular. From the waist down they take the form of a horse, with four hooves and long tail. Many centaurs choose to adorn their upper bodies in large tattoos and jewelry pierced into their flesh.
Though Tri-leaf laws require centaurs allow travel through their lands along the Safe Roads, very few ever do so. Their soldiers heavily patrol the Wilds and consider any traveler who steps a single foot off the path to be a trespasser and subject to their barbaric laws. Elves, humans, and dwarves have been captured and occasionally killed simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Such frightful truths have kept the other tribes as far from the centenarian border as possible, ensuring the solitude they crave.
In centaurian society strength is power and influence is always earned by force. From the signing of the first Tri-leaf Pact to the end of the Blight, the home village of the tribe was always named for the ruling lord. The lord was decided when a soldier challenged and defeated the currently sitting champion. Such contests happened so often that the village would change names three to four times without the other tribes even knowing, sometimes more than once in a single year. At the time of the Blight, the village was ruled by Lord Ironhoof, thus it bore his name.
Centaur culture is a strictly patriarchal society. Not only do females hold no positions of power or influence, they also have no rights. Female centaurs are considered wards of their fathers until chosen by a mate and then become slaves to their husband. For as terrible as women are treated in centaurian culture, it’s even worse for any male who shows femininity. For a male to be loving, nurturing, or emotional is to be branded inferior. Effeminate or homosexual males are either imprisoned or killed.
Centaurs do not worship the Lady and hold the very notion of such a practice in disdain. The centaurian lord is the chosen representative at Tri-leaf Council meetings, though he rarely attends.
Spoilers for Eternal Forest below.
With their culture so barbaric and savage, many centaurs-mostly females-seek escape from the rest of their tribe and find refuge amongst the other races. For those living in fear in Ironhoof, escape is dangerous but often worth the risk. Many centaurs who escape find peace and purpose in worshiping the Lady and become students at the Temple. A seryan is chosen to represent the centaurian tribe, though she holds no actual influence in Ironhoof.