Legends of Belariath

Centaurs History

It is told, o child, of the days of our ancestors...of how they walked, how they lived in the Earth. But we were not always of this place, o child, but instead created to help defend that which the humans could not. The Great Goddess decided that we were needed, and so, she brought us into being...the torso of a human, the hind parts of a horse...faster, stronger, and quicker than our human counter-parts.

But not all was great for us, o child, as we were shunned by both races...humans, because we were what they were not, and horses, because we could not help in the bringing about of more. So our ancestors were driven out of the cities, into the fields, where we banded together, and survived. But not for long. The humans, who so hated us, watched us thrive...watched us hunt, and they coveted our prowess. So they drove us from our hunting grounds, not able to admit their own failures, thinking instead that it was the place, not the people. But as we were driven further and further from their homes, we learned to survive.

And survive they did, o child, because we are a hearty race...we adapt, learn, and live...fast enough to track the swiftest prey, yet smart enough to know when to move. We are nomadic, o child...we do not stay in one place too long, for fear we be shunned again, and that our hunting grounds be once more taken from us. We do not wander near their cities often, because we know that if we do, we will find only pain and torment at their hands.

But this was not to be forever, o my dearest child, as we find that in times of strife and war, they need us once more. We can be both rider and mount, fighting with ferocity and blood lust equal to their greatest chieftains without the need to take a horse from one of those who cannot run like we can. When the humans attacked us next, they found we were not as timid as before. The battles have been bloody, constant, and never ending...but still we survive.

We are a proud people, o child, and we will never fade from this realm...not as long as you do as you have been ordained to do, as our story keeper...tell our story to the future...and make sure that no one forgets...

To see the Centaur here and now one must delve back further into this races past. Gaea loves her children and this love extends to the mixture of half man and half horse. She wanted someone to watch over her fae and her nixies, she demanded a way to have a hand within their ranks that was heavier and could handle the stench of battle should it be called on. The Wolven did their jobs as she needed but that glimmer in her eye wasn't satisfied. A simple seeming Goddess she is and yet everything must have a balance. While some of her more refined races sported claw and teeth, she wanted one that could command a blow of fist without always ruining the tapestry of her nature.

Pooled upon a rock within a slow moving river, those eyes swept the loving embrace of her green world upon a lazy summer day. A lovely dapple rumped horse caught that very gaze and for a very long time she spent woeing the creature to come closer until finally its soft nose nuzzled at her hand. Impressed by the intelligence within deep dark eyes and the flow of strength within its body, Gaea began rethinking her ideas and began reworking how best to suit this to the world of humans. Certainly they already treated this fantastic animals as something for their use alone, this wouldn't do of course, they were to be warriors and deep seated thinkers. A gentle hand made with an iron hoof. But they must also be able to intermingle and speak with her creations of old and with that thought came the need to see the two mixed.

Days went by until she finally felt it was right. Flickering upon the outskirts of her Temples to the lands where horses roamed free she set upon one human male whom had a tender heart but a strong sense of right from her own Temple. Jardin. Upon the herds, she chose a roan collared stallion who had shown fierce loyalty and a sense of pride in what he was. His strength seen when he protected his heard and in this one she as well, spoke at great length until both agreed to become as one.

Together they would learn to walk and talk and to think as the mortals upon this earth thought. Together they would be strength and stamina and iron will. They would carry out her needs to see her own creations always protected and to relay back to her the growth of this Mortal world. Together they were made and the first day that Jardin trampled and kicked up his hooves upon the earths soft surface made the Goddess laugh and clap hands in utter joy. It was a peaceful union and an intelligent move and thus, within the world of Belariath, this new creature was born. "I will call you a Centaur and you my creation, will always be there when called upon." and indeed, the Centaur was.