Centaur

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The centaur are a half-human, half-horse, warlike tribal race. They abound in central and southern Kalimdor, primarily in Desolace and the Barrens, where they engage in constant war against other centaur tribes. They are savagery and brutality incarnate.

Appearance

Centaur appear as a creature with a horse body and legs with a humanoid torso, arms and head extending from the front part of where a horse neck and head would normally be placed. A full grown male centaur can stand over seven feet tall from hooves to head and weighs over a ton.

Origin

The centaur are the bastard offspring of Zaetar, a keeper of the grove and the eldest son of the demigod Cenarius, and the earth elemental princess Theradras. They are therefore related to keepers of the grove and dryads through their Cenarion lineage, and the element of Earth. The centaur, ever grateful creatures, slew their father in a bloodthirsty rage, and their mother buried his remains in Maraudon, which became a holy place for the centaur. To this day, she stands guard over Zaetar's remains, holding his spirit prisoner.

Conflict with the Horde

Hatred of the Centaur, a tauren myth, tells how the early tauren were driven from their ancestral lands (presumably in Mulgore) and forced to wander the Barrens of Kalimdor. The tauren claim that the centaur have always existed to scourge the land.

When the orcs first arrived in Kalimdor, they found the nomadic tauren under constant attack from the centaur. Through the aid of the orcs, the tauren were finally able to reclaim their ancestral lands and live in peace once more. The conflict between the Horde and the centaur continues, however, particularly in the Barrens. The members of the Horde hate them so intensely that they have taken to skinning the corpses and making rugs out of them. Such decorations are a common sight in cities such as Orgrimmar and Thunder Bluff.

The Horde and the Alliance are both attempting to control the savage centaur by encouraging inter-tribal conflicts, so as to prevent the centaur from banding together and becoming a dangerous force.

The Pariah

Despite the hostility each centaur clan has traditionally had for the others, recently a centaur known only as the Pariah, labeled as a heretic by his people, developed plans to unify the clans. Adventurers aided him in his design by entering the holy tomb of Maraudon and forging the Amulet of Union, which he intended to use to bring his warring people together as one. Whether or not the Centaur will actually be able to consolidate into a unified, civilized people remains unknown.

The recently redeemed spirit of Zaetar also spoke of hope for a more positive future for his offspring.

Other Legends

According to Flavor Lore in the Warcraft III Manual, and Manual of Monsters within the world of warcraft is a competing myth for existence of the centaur race which it was theorized that centaurs may have been the direct bastard offspring of Cenarius. However the sources were also quick to point out that this was only a legend and not necessarily true.

"Legend holds that the primitive, barbaric centaurs are actually the bastard off-spring of the night elf demigod, Cenarius. Whether or not this is true, it is certain that they are savagery and brutality incarnate.Template:Cite "

However while the legend ultimately proved to be untrue for the five tribes of centaur living in Kalimdor, there may be some truth to the legend, see Centaur (Eastern Kingdoms).

Tribes

Kolkar

File:Male and female centaur.jpg

A male and a female centaur

Location: The Barrens, Desolace, Durotar

Levels: 2 - 35

Classes: Ambusher, Battle Lord, Bloodcharger, Destroyer, Drudge, Invader, Marauder, Mauler, Outrunner, Pack Runner, Scout, Stormer, Stormseer, Waylayer, Windchaser, and Wrangler.

Famous/Named: Barak Kodobane (level 16, quest); Verog the Dervish (level 18, quest) Hezrul Bloodmark (level 19, quest); Warlord Krom'zar (level 20, quest); Warlord Kolkanis (level 9, rare); Stonearm (level 15, rare); Brokenspear (level 17, rare); Rocklance (17, rare elite); Khan Dez'hepah (level 34-35, elite)(73, 42 location); Spirit of Kolk <The First Kahn> (level 43, elite, founder of Clan)

Maraudine

Location: Desolace (Maraudon)

Levels: 33 - 42

Classes: Bonepaw, Khan Advisor, Khan Guard, Marauder, Mauler, Priest, Scout, Stormer, Windchaser, and Wrangler

Famous/Named: Khan Hratha (level 38-42, elite); Spirit of Maraudos <The Fourth Kahn> (level 46, elite, founder of Clan)

Magram

Some interior decorators might consider this a tad morbid...

Location: Desolace

Levels: 31 - 39

Classes: Bodygaurd, Bonepaw, Marauder, Mauler, Outrunner, Pack Runner, Scout, Stormer, Windchaser, Wrangler, and Spectre

Famous/Named: Warug (level 44, quest); Khan Jehn (level 37, quest); Spirit of Magra <The Third Kahn> (level 43, elite, founder of Clan)

Gelkis

Location: Desolace

Levels: 28 - 36

Classes: Earthcaller, Marauder, Mauler, Outrunner, Scout, Stamper, and Windchaser

Famous/Named: Uthek the Wise (level 44, quest); Khan Shaka (level 36-37, quest); Spirit of Gelk <The Second Kahn> (level 41-42, elite, founder of Clan)

Galak

Location: Mulgore and Thousand Needles

Levels: 5 - 37

Classes: Assassin, Flame Gaurd, Marauder, Mauler, Messanger, Outrunner, Pack Runner, Scout, Stormer, Windchaser, and Wrangler

Famous/Named: Achellios the Banished (level 31, rare); Spirit of Veng <The Fifth Kahn> (level 47, elite, founder of Clan)

Outcasts

Centaur as seen in Warcraft III

Location: Desolace

Levels: 38 - 40

Classes: Necromancer

Famous/Named: Pariah (level 42, quest, friendly)

Culture

The nomadic centaur culture and the term "Khan" have their roots in the cultures of the Huns and the Mongols. Centaur vilages resemble traditional Mongol yurts.

Each tribe of centaur is lead by a Khan, who is generally a leader of above average strength and intelligence. Some of the clans, if not all, practice cannibalism and will eat the flesh of other sentient races as well, such as tauren.

Centaur follow a Shamanistic faith, but their brand of Shamanism is far different from the gentle practices of the Horde. Curiosly, most centaur Shamans are female.

The Centaur are savage and brutal, and they often take prisoners. These prisoners are usually eaten. However, rumors tell of Centaurs dragging humanoids of all sorts off to become slaves, forcing them to work in hardscrabble opal mines. Opals are used to make crude trinkets, or are thrown into sacrificial offerings to the spirits. Young Tauren have made something of a game out of this tradition, snatching away the Centaur's offerings and leaving insulting totems in their place. They must be swift, lest they be caught by the Centaur, who leave their gutted remains as a warning to others who would consider doing the same.

Filthy creatures, the Centaur are always followed by swarms of flies, which are attracted by the Centaur's repellant odor. Centaur have no qualms about leaving piles of dung strewn about their encampments, and no concept of privacy.

Each tribe has its own unique tribal color: Black, Brown, Green, Red, and Yellow. Members use the colors to mark their weapons and their faces.Template:Cite

See Also

• Origin of the races
• Manual of Monsters
• Warcraft III Manual
• Myth for the Centaurs of Greek mythology.