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One of the best parts of creating stories set in fantasy worlds is that you get to populate them with all kinds of creatures that don’t exist in real life like unicorns for example. Stories explore them in various ways from illuminating how they live, how they interact with beasts unlike them, and so on. One of the best creatures of the genre is that of the fantasy centaur.
One reason why the centaur is popular is due to its appearance. It is essentially a mix between a human and a horse, the latter of which is practically synonymous with fantasy since it appears in virtually every world. This beast is majestic in appearance and all those around it pay attention since it has a commanding presence.
The fantasy centaur is known for its deep intelligence. It is proficient in many areas, notably astrology where it continually observes the stars. Due to its wealth of knowledge and the fact it is capable of communicating with humans, the centaur is a great source to ask for information, as long as you don’t anger it.
Unlike its horse brethren, the centaur is not widespread, appearing in many areas. Rather it is rare, being found in only a select few. This means that those who wish to see one or speak with it need to know where to go and that is only half the battle. In some areas, the centaur is well protected and can spot intruders from afar, meaning it will move quickly to neutralize anything it deems a threat.
This is the sixteenth article in the series diving into the many kinds of fantasy creatures. If you like this article and would like to see what else we have, our blog page is the place to go since it is chock full of a bevy of articles that cover a wide variety of subjects!
Unlike some animals whose appearance might change depending on the world and its creator, the centaur has remained consistent throughout decades. In fact, if you got out a picture of it and showed it to someone who didn’t know much about fantasy, he would recognize it, knowing perfectly well it belonged in the genre. It is up there with dragons as one of fantasy’s top creatures.
What sets the fantasy centaur apart from the vast majority of its animal peers is that it is a hybrid. It is a fusion of two wholly different species, the human and horse. It has four legs with a human head and a horse body and tail. Instead of feet, it has hooves which enable it to gallop across long distances in a relatively short amount of time.
The appearance of the centaur is cognizant on what gender it is. If it is a male, it’ll have a mane that covers its head, a face with chiseled jaws, and a muscular chest. The remainder of its body will also be muscular. If it is a female, it’ll have long, flowing hair, accentuated cheekbones, and a slender chest and body. It’ll be smaller in size compared to its male counterpart but don’t let its size fool you. It is equally formidable and still packs a powerful punch.
When it comes to the horse part of the fantasy centaur, it is modeled after the palomino. It has a long, luxurious mane and tail and well-structured hooves that make it easy for it to move from one place to another. While the palomino is the most common one used, other types of horse bodies like the charger have been used.
In some worlds, other horse type bodies besides the palomino are portrayed as a sign of social status, appearing in important leadership positions such as chief or the head of a herd. They have no qualms about asserting dominance and will use their bodies to violently attack those they consider their rival with the intention of either destroying their attempt to usurp them or push them out of the herd. They use their powerful hooves to hurt them, often leading to visible blood spots on the wounded centaur who must either submit or leave the herd outright.
Some creatures in fantasy are known for one thing. For example, dragons are scary and contain immense power whereas unicorns are one of the most beautiful animals. When it comes to the centaur, it is known for its intelligence which makes it one of the smartest beasts in all of the genre.
The reason why the fantasy centaur has a wealth of knowledge is because it has a deep thirst for learning. It wishes to learn as many thing as possible and it does so through a number of things. It is an apt observer, studying many subjects from other creatures to trees to animals, in order to learn all about them.
Where the centaur truly shines in terms of knowledge is through its extensive studying of the stars. It tracks the movements of the stars, endeavoring to understand what it means because it foretells the future, heralding either good or dark times. Should it believe the latter is coming, it will do nothing to prevent it from coming to pass, believing that it is meant to happen.
Its intelligence is precisely the reason why people seek out the fantasy centaur. They wish to ask it questions since it is an expert in so many subjects, especially astrology, though many centaurs have a prickly personality and are quick to anger. By knowing what not to do and say when communicating with one, people are able to get answers though they may not necessarily like them.
The centaur uses its brains to give ambiguous answers to questions which usually leaves the person who asked the question in bemusement. It does so because not many centaurs trust humans, believing they will use said knowledge in ways that benefit themselves and not other people though there are exceptions.
The centaur is a relatively uncommon animal, meaning it doesn’t appear all over a fictional world. Rather, it is found in select areas and should someone wish to speak with it, he must first find out where it lives. The centaur resides in areas that are not in close proximity to humans, preferring instead to be surrounded by nothing but nature.
The forest is the number one place where you’re most likely to come across a fantasy centaur. This doesn’t apply to every forest in the world though. The forest offers everything it needs from food and water to clearings where they can look up at the starry skies in peace to study their movements and as a bonus, it is a place where many humans don’t go into.
Besides the forest, the centaur also lives in the jungle. Its oversized trees and bushes make it difficult for humans to get through, making it unlikely many people will step foot in. The centaur can find a clearing in which to study the stars and not have to worry about human interference.
The mountains are an excellent place for the fantasy centaur to call home. It is close to the stars and their high altitude make it tough for humans to climb up safely. Additionally, the centaur gets to see even more stars since the skies are wide open.
One last place the centaur resides in is the cave. While this might come as a surprise, if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. The cave is dark but that doesn’t bother the centaur. It ventures outside to gaze at the skies in nighttime and not many humans would bother entering a cave when it is dark out since they don’t know what’s inside.
The fantasy centaur is a great animal to bring into your world and story. It has things to offer that many others don’t like its knowledge and prodigious observation of the stars. Moreover, it is fiercely independent and harbors a dislike of humans which makes for interesting storytelling.
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