RANT Race: To be or not to be

Discussion in 'All Things LitRPG' started by RauthrMystic, Jul 28, 2018.

  1. Simon Fiasco

    Simon Fiasco Bringer of the Avocadopocalypse LitRPG Author Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    I'm fine with erotica - though it's not something I read - and I'm okay with the occasionally sex scene. I just don't want that to be the focus of the book.

    I don't have any hang-ups about whether it's with a centaur or a ghost, as long as it's tasteful and then the story can just move on.
     
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  2. Viergacht

    Viergacht Thunderdragon LitRPG Author Roleplaying Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    Well, centaurs are hung like a . . . ahem. Catherine the Great Syndrome, maybe.
    Funnily enough one of my twitter buddies is writing a centaur erotica short story that he started as a joke and went out of control - he got deeply into the worldbuilding. Apparently his centaurs have horse equipment in the usual place and human naughty bits on the front - which seems really awkward especially for the dudes, but it does neatly skirt the bestiality problem. Sorta-kinda.

    That aside, putting centaurs into a world has an interesting impact on all sorts of things. Do they function like Genghis Khan's hordes - superior mobility made them devastating in combat. What would an army gain if the entire force were technically "mounted" - they could move faster and carry more equipment but will probably be more impeded by mountainous terrain and might need more food per soldier, for example. Also in a fantasy world where their enemy might be able to ride dragons or gryphons, they're going to have a hard time not being able to use aerial mounts (unless some centaurs have been fooling around with pegasuses and made little hybrid flying centaur babies).

    There's also the fact that most conquering armies eventually interbreed with the people they've conquered, and make alliances between royalty with marriage - how would that function? You'd end up with either an extremely stratified society or one that's more eglatarian than usual, possibly.
     
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  3. TayTayLeighD

    TayTayLeighD Level 6 (Footpad) Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    I just finished reading Life Reset and I really liked most of it. There are a few non-human protagonists that I can recall reading about or humans that end up with non human traits.
    The Dark Herbalist Series by Michael Atamanov - Goblin MC with a ton of non human supporting (as of now I think there is 3 books)
    Adventures on Terra series by R.A Mejia - Human but gains non human traits also a lot of non human supporting (3 books so far)
    Mirror World Series by Alexey Osadchuk - Dwarf Like creature (I forget the name) (4 books)
    Ascend Online by Luke Chmilenko - Human that gains non human traits/appearance (3 books)
    and Life Reset that you mentioned

    I feel like there is one other one that I am forgetting I can find the amazon links to these if you want them.
     
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  4. Jay

    Jay Hiatus. LitRPG Author Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    Well, that's an interesting way to fix it, I'll give them that!:D

    And yes, I assume they had a culture quite similar to most "horse cultures", no pun intended. Probably mobile livestock if they had any, homes that were easily broken down and moved to follow herds and weather, and a culture that was tribal/clan based instead of stationary for most groups. Depending on their technology, they could be much like the Celts and basically small, mobile groups of fighters. Or if they had stronger leaders, more like the Mongols and be a rather feared army that controlled large expanses of land. That's a good point that they might be at a strong disadvantage against those with flying mounts or possibly with strong magic, depending on if centaurs had powerful spellcasters too.

    Hmm, that's a good point that making alliances would be a little awkward. I suppose it would depend on if the centaurs were patriarchal or matriarchal. If they were matriarchs, I could see them arranging marriages to ruling females and having the human (or elf or whatever species) be a "second (or third) husband" that isn't required to father heirs, but is considered part of her "herd", thus putting her children in line to the throne without having to worry about the fact that a human/centaur hybrid may or may not be possible, depending on the magic/genetics of the world. It's definitely an interesting thought!
     
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  5. Viergacht

    Viergacht Thunderdragon LitRPG Author Roleplaying Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    I have had so many thoughts about centaurs LOL I've been working on this headworld as a hobby since I was in college. I'd eventually like to maybe set a few books in it, but really it's just for pleasure.

    Speaking of nonhuman protagonists, "Threadbare" stars a teddy bear brought to life as a golem in a LitRPG world and is really good (I've only read the first two books but the whole thing is up on RRL). The author goes into a lot of detail about how the character starts with almost no understanding of the world and how it works, and did something very similar and also very well written in his "Dire" series (about an amnesiac woman who turns out to have a knack for super science and might just be villain in her supers world).
    "The Iron Teeth" is also a fantastic one from the viewpoint of a goblin who evolves into a bigger, smarter hobgoblin, is trained by a human who used to be that world's equivalent of Robin Hood, and gets caught up in their politics.
     
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  6. RauthrMystic

    RauthrMystic Elf Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    I will point out that most herd animals are matriarchal. The malefolk end up making 'bachelor' herds, while the females also have the kids. So you could have both actually as I'm sure the 'bachelor' herds have an alpha male. however while the matriarchy would likely pass down to one of her daughters, granddaughter, or niece in some occasions, the males fight for the top spot (so would be less likely to have a familial dynasty). This would be their early history of course, they are sentient so they may well have changed since then. There should be remnants though. Like females in many roles of authority and males going on 'hunting parties' that take them from the clan for long periods of time.
     
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  7. RauthrMystic

    RauthrMystic Elf Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    I never heard about this until I saw Epic Rap Battles, Rasputin vs the Greats (if you like them you should watch, it's gotta be my favorite one!). However even there we learn that it was malicious gossip. history channels web site: number 7. Her death, apparently, was rather boring. Which as death goes is probably a decent way to go
     
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  8. RauthrMystic

    RauthrMystic Elf Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    I dont buy many books but I do still sleep with a teddy bear :
    [​IMG]
    Sweet Halloween Dreams by begemott
    That Aside I'm loving our conversation on the different races and cultures and I hope we continue because it's AWESOME. I'm also going to attempt to create a list of GOOD books with nonhuman protagonists as we put it together.

    on a side note: I'm super glad I've found this little bit of cyberspace. You guys are fantastic and let me ramble without complaining! thank you very much!
     
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  9. RauthrMystic

    RauthrMystic Elf Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    Here is a question. In our list of NonHuman Protagonist it has been suggested that "Ascend Online" could work, as the human gains non-human traits. However he doesn't gain anything race like; He gains a template that could (in theory) be added to any creature. How 'strict' should we be about our NonHuman Protagonist?
     
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  10. TayTayLeighD

    TayTayLeighD Level 6 (Footpad) Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    I threw in Ascend Online because he gains non-human traits and its pretty hard to find a book where its not just a human playing a human acting like a human. Definitely use your opinion on how 'strict' you want to be with the different rules of your list. I'll keep throwing in books I read where there is a non human MC.
     
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  11. Jay

    Jay Hiatus. LitRPG Author Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    That's what I was thinking. As they became more advanced, males might not be sent away as much or at least not as far. They might have a fairly segregated but mostly equal society. Males have their "bachelor herds" or "hunting parties" or whatever they call them, and the females manage the "main herd". They might have a division of labor and power, such as males control where they hunt, etc. but the female control where they settle for times and what water they go to. Things like that.

    I imagine females control who they breed with and it's likely not strictly monogamous, at least not for long periods. A female might choose a husband for a year or two? Maybe three? Females probably share males since a desirable male's genes are wanted to continue, but not too much. So diversity is important. A female might have many "husbands" in her life and it's considered very lucky for a fertile, high-ranking female to choose a male. There's a lot of cool potential for that sort of thing.
     
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  12. RauthrMystic

    RauthrMystic Elf Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    There certainly is a lot of options. Something else to consider is "love". What kind of attachments do they make? obviously as we've discussed, it's likely there is a decently strong attachment to their mother. What about siblings? Are friendships more important than romantic relationships? What is 'romance' anyway? Are you going to have young colts and fillies running off because they are their one true love? ... I had a reason for asking all these questions and something else to add to the conversation but I've forgotten. I think it boils down to 'how much of them is human', or at least recognizable as such?

    Sorry. My memory works like that and my meds are trying to force me to take another nap lol
     
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  13. Jay

    Jay Hiatus. LitRPG Author Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    Some interesting thoughts! If we're going with them being somewhat "equine" in personality, they would definitely be social. 99% of horses do very badly alone. They prefer other horses, but they'll make do with almost any animal they can bond with. Racehorses are famous for bonding closely with cats, ponies, and goats to the point that if their "comfort animal" isn't with them for races, they will perform very badly. So if we're following that line, centaurs would basically need a herd to be emotionally and mentally sound. Humans or other races might due, but instinct would lean toward other centaurs.

    That in mind, I assume maternal bonds would be stronger if they're raised in a herd-like environment where it's mostly females tending the young and males are more distant, focusing on hunting and protection. When the males are a little older and heading off into teenage "bachelor groups", the male-male bonds probably strengthen quite a bit, but I assume if they're like horses they always have a soft spot for "mom". A lot of horses I've met actually seem to remember their mother even years after separation.

    Arranged matings could be a thing too. Basically, the older females deciding the best combination of bloodlines for strong, healthy foals with good genetic diversity? I would think marriages for love/affection would be seen as a bit odd, but not necessarily taboo. It might be seen as a "folly of youth" when some young colt/filly decides they want to be with this other centaur forever and something they expect them to grow out of.
     
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  14. RauthrMystic

    RauthrMystic Elf Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    I like that. It's something 'humans' can still find a way to connect with but different enough to not be human. I'd never heard of the horse-bonding phenomenon. Though I've not had a lot of contact with horses sadly. They seem like such magnificent animals. How would they feel about horses, these centaurs. Would they use them as beasts of burden? what about ponies or donkeys? I think their relationship with the equines could be an interesting cross point to make. Forcing readers to think about where the lines of sentience are.

    I like the herd you've built. It seems to make sense, and with the 'breeding for love' thing being rather alien to them it makes their relationships that much more interesting. That's one of the main relationships we have as adults. We yearn for it in general. So what are the driving needs of these adults? i'm thinking from what you said that friendships are a bond that runs deeper than the average human friendship. Closer probably to the introverts friendships, a few very strong ones. Closer to family then friends.

    Speaking of would they have relationships with their fathers? or do males lack a paternal feeling?
     
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  15. Jay

    Jay Hiatus. LitRPG Author Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    Yes, horses are naturally very social animals. It's one reason a lot of racehorses have what they call vices. Basically, it's often the equine version of an anxiety disorder. They're kept in stalls and alone a lot so they tend to do things like crib (chew on anything they can get their mouth on), windsuck (biting and sucking hair), weaving (basically swaying back and forth, which is really hard on their legs), and kicking stall walls. It's basically an outlet for energy and mental stress that would normally be relieved by having company in a paddock or pasture for the average horse.

    The idea of what they might do with horses is an interesting one. I could see it going multiple ways. They could revere them as kin. They could dislike them as a reminder that humans view them as half-animal. They could be neutral. There's even potential they could breed with horses, depending on how the magic in your world goes. The Horseborn from the Banner Saga games had an odd history with horses. They saw horses being mistreated and despite being close enough with them genetically to breed with them, they ended up killing all the horses in the land. I assume to save them from being enslaved, but killing seemed an odd way to handle it? It was apparently a great source of shame for the Horseborn clans and a reason they withdrew from contact with other races.

    I assume that for centaurs social bonds would be very important. It would probably be more common to have strong bonds with the same sex, just due to the sexes being separated a bit in the herd scenario I was thinking of. That said, I could imagine romantic bonds actually being more common in those that are past breeding. An older female might have a favorite male that's retired to train or guard the herd instead of hunting. Without the burdens or responsibilities to the herd's future, they would likely have a solid chance to actually form a stronger, more romantic bond. I doubt they would get "married" in the human sense as I don't think that would be a thing in the herd scenario I'm thinking of, but they might be known to be close, even live together because why not? Of course, strong bonds between brothers, sisters, and such things are probably very common as well.

    I do think friendships are probably more important to them and probably a bit more intimate than the "average" human friendship. If centaurs are like horses, they spend a lot of time grooming, eating, and sleeping together for the sake of safety. I imagine a centaur can groom itself reasonably well, but having someone to help you reach those itchy spots and harder to reach places is important. There's a lot of trust in having someone groom vulnerable spots or lift your leg to help with a hoof because a centaur would effectively be hobbled on three legs, even for that brief period of time. They help each other give birth in the case of females and have to rely on others when they're injured or sleeping. I expect centaurs probably don't lie and take the word of others much more easily than humans because those tight social bonds make such actions near impossible because any liars would violate that friendship. It's the same with horse herds: horses who are jerks are often rejected by others and not tolerated to groom or interact with them near as much.

    For the fathers, I assume there's some paternal pride and probably a touch of favoritism toward their own offspring, just in the sense of "look at my fine foal that will go on in the herd when I'm gone", but it's probably not near as strong as the bond with the mother. They probably have a better chance to bond with sons and develop strong familial bonds with them once they're teenagers and sort of passed on into the "male herd". I picture males being highly protective of foals, even if they're not responsible for much teaching until the males are older. They're likely very tolerant and it's probably not unusual to get the teenage males to watch/protect the older foals that can run around and have tons of energy, but aren't quite ready to "leave mom". It would teach them responsibility and make use of all that energy to tire out the kids.:p
     
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  16. RauthrMystic

    RauthrMystic Elf Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    I LOVE THIS!!!!
    I made the same mistake humans have made since we became aware of ourselves: I assumed sex and love. Like they are related to eachother. When I know for a fact that they are unrelated or at the very least independent of. Things like 'bath houses' (a la romans btw, nothing like they are today) would likely be fairly common. How that manifests would depend on how you envision their society. Are they still migratory or have they settled down? Likely a bit of both I suppose. With the males need for roaming. ALSO meaning most "adventuring" centaurs would be male. Not all mind, but most. Anyway, bathhouses: It could be a tent when traveling, large, with lots and lots of steam. A steam bath as it were. OHHHH in their 'city' there would be staff at the bathhouse. People who trained exclusively on how to clean and maintain a centaur body. Ok this society is so dynamic.

    I like that idea, of the paternal pride. It's a less perverted pride men often have when they are young (the one getting the most sex is the coolest, regardless of relationship status). SO a male that has been chosen/proven strong enough to father multiple children would have a high social status even if he's not considered the Alpha. Speaking of the male herd, it's likely they've learned to specialize. There are warriors (archers, staves, spears, javelins, greatswords etc), hunters, and likely even gatherers. THere are going to be those who know how to take care of, make and, repair equipment. Not to say females would never be a blacksmith for example, but it's less likely. Males are craftsman.

    Their spirituality is likely split as well. Simply meaning their religious beliefs would have a warrior of some sort, and a wise mother at home. The question is, how important is the martial aspect to the females of these centaurs? While stallions are certainly more aggressive then a mare. However, let the mare think that you are a danger to her baby and she is just as dangerous. I'd think that means that it's important for the females to learn to fight as well. Perhaps some sort of 'mystical' art that makes it seem different than what the males do.

    As to the racehorses...I feel HORRIBLE and I had no idea that happened! Keeping a horse in a box like that seems...torturous. I would try to sneak down and give the horse lovin all the time. Pets, carrots, apples, scratches, and snuggles!
     
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  17. Jay

    Jay Hiatus. LitRPG Author Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    The Thoroughbred racing industry is a bit old-fashioned to be honest. The Jockey Club is still the only major breed registry that doesn't allow artificial insemination, which has been around for literal decades and is widely accepted by pretty much every single other breed. Most people realize that the "old way" to keep horses (in a stall to protect their legs, etc.) is actually more harmful than good. The racing industry is slowly moving forward, but they're a bit behind the times in general. It is a pretty sad state and a reason that a lot of off-the-track Thoroughbreds have problems being rehomed. They have a lot of issues due to the way many of them are kept, in addition to basically being bred for speed, speed, speed without worry toward temperament or soundness. I digress though!

    And love and sex can definitely be related and often are! I just figure centaurs are probably not as attached to the idea of sex equaling having to be together forever, or owning someone. For them, it's probably got some fondness, but a lot of it would likely be about duty and what's best for the herd/clan/tribe. If they're sentient beings, I assume they still have sex for fun and pleasure, but if they have fertility cycles similar to horses, they probably separate "fun sex" from "making babies". Group-grooming is probably definitely a thing and I could definitely see bath-houses and such. They probably likely would view bathing, nudity, and all that similar to the Romans/Greeks; nothing to be ashamed of and not necessarily related to anything sexual. I could definitely see human towns with strong ties to centaur communities having "groomers" and "farriers" that specialized in dealing with centaurs and their unique needs as well. It would be a good market for travelling centaurs or a small group visiting that might enjoy the relaxation of it.

    I could definitely see that. A male that's chosen several times and sired strong foals for the herd would likely have some rank and renown. He might not necessarily be a leader because of that, but if he might get picked more if he's a leader and proven himself. Depending on their religion and deities, it might be seen as a particular blessing for a stallion to sire several healthy foals that look similar to him, for example. Or fathered a set of healthy twins (which I think is probably rare, but not as dangerous as it is in horses if they have smaller, less developed foals that are more human-like). I could definitely agree they probably have specializations for their talents. Runners for the swift ones, herders for the ones that are quick on their feet, archers, lancers, and a lot more. Their profession might actually be a reason they're chosen for matches. A female that's small and delicate might pick a larger, stronger male in the hopes of having more solid foals (something they do in real life with horse breeding). A female that's larger and more coarsely built might pick a "runner" whose more lean and leggy so her foals don't end up too heavy/drafty (if that's not desirable in the herd). There could even be potential for generations of "heavy knights" where the largest, more powerful males are desired the most so the whole herd eventually ends up being like destriers.

    I think if the herds are fairly advanced, there's likely some blending between the male and female divisions. A female that loves hunting could be a hunter. A male that's more of a "homebody" could easily be a weaver or a farmer if he chooses. It's probably viewed as a bit "odd" but as long as they're useful to the herd and do their share, I can't imagine it being a huge deal. Granted, tradition might involve the elder females and males encouraging the "rebel" to do something more "correct" for their gender/sex, but I doubt for most clans it would be strictly forbidden. It would honestly probably be more accepted for females given the society is matriarchal. In some herds, a female that's an excellent hunter or warrior might be particularly designed as powerful and impressive even!

    I'm sure if they're like most tribal style cultures in the world (real and otherwise), likely everyone learns how to defend and survive. Females might be smarter at gathering plants and catching small animals, while males might be more versed in hunting larger game, but I can't see a society where every foal isn't taught at least basic defense and how to feed itself if it gets separated from the rest. "Basic education" is probably done by the females and it's only when the genders are placed into their groups that the teaching is different, I'm sure. So probably somewhere around the human equivalent of 10-13, the young centaur starts being groomed (or picks?) their chosen profession. I can actually see them being carefully watched and evaluated by the older females so when the time comes, the young centaur is encouraged to take a profession that suits their personality and abilities.
     
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  18. RauthrMystic

    RauthrMystic Elf Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    I've never gotten into horse racing, but that just sounds appalling. I hope they move forward faster.

    I certainly see a stallion that could breed twins would be especially desirable, regardless of his profession. Like any society sometimes it's the 'rebels' that actually move the society forward. New creations, scientific breakthroughs, perhaps even religious advances (depending on how 'real' the divinities are in the world). The leaders of the herd probably understand that so while they don't exactly encourage they let them be (with being watched). Though that could be a great plot point: the centaur finding a gift in whatever field that makes them a 'rebel', and the 'elders' being non-bending traditionalists.

    As to body types, again you are awesome! There isn't just one 'Herd', there are many. The Centaurs of the mountains are going to want the bigger, bulkier body to deal with the snow. It's likely that the mountain centaurs would have some sort of relationship with satyrs (because goat feet are amazing on cliff sides!). I have this awesome image of three males in an arrow formation coming towards me, snow all around. SO PRETTY! OMG! But assuming our centaurs started their culture in the forests and plains, I agree. They're likely to breed for purpose. which is something almost anathema to humans (though we should probably think a bit harder about how we are evolving as a species that is a different conversation). As for sex again it would depend on how 'human' you want them to be. What I'm seeing is a society where the genders are much more affectionate with each other than they are with the opposite gender. Enough so that it probably would confuse humans who live in a "straight-gay" dichotomy. I'm not saying sexual, I think your right that sex itself would only happen for procreation, and is started by the female coming into 'season'. It's very interesting to think about.

    I hadn't thought of those pre-puberty years. EGADS, can you imagine how intense puberty would be for these poor people? ugh. You are right there is going to be a pretty big emphasis on their physical growth. Kind of like how a young horse colt/filly will start walking almost immediately. It's important with those big bodys and extra limbs to learn how to use them and be safe. I still have this idea of a female sect of 'monks' that preside in the 'great mothers' temple. They fight differently then the children of the hunter, warrior, messenger, or crafter. I can actually see there being more gods than goddesses, but it's the goddesses that reign supreme (take that zeus!)

    Professions would likely be important to the centaur as they began to become 'civilized'. I like to think they've got various councils of professionals. They, as much as the matriarchy, likely watch the younglings to see how they do in various exercises (which would be designed to help figure out where a childs natural talents lie).

    I'm not sure I see them being very welcoming to humans. Maybe elves, certainly the forest races, but humans are such a young race and tend to be very 'human-centric'. they try to foist their beliefs on others. course that could just be my own prejudice. you know since i'm an elf stuck in a human body lol I hadn't thought about other races training to take care of/bath the centaur. I thought maybe it'd be other centaurs but it makes sense that since they are civilized that they do interact with others. I'm not sure how welcoming the centaur civilization is to others though. Only because there is so much focus on the herd (with the matriarch[s?] thinking of male and female herds) and it would be tough to show the elders how they could benefit the heard. Also while the centaurs aren't as "Individualistic" as humans they have a fierce pride. I can't see them allowing someone not in their 'family' (including close friends) see them in vulnerable situations.
     
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  19. Jay

    Jay Hiatus. LitRPG Author Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    That's likely true. I'm sure in a lot of herds there would be a mixture of traditionists who snort and grumbles about those rebels and some more indulgent elders who realize that trying to force a square peg into a round hole just won't work at all. I picture herds having a matriarch whose leader, but probably having quite a few advisors as well.

    And oh, yes. I could see desert-born herds wanting to be fairly leggy, light, and fast to make the most of their sandy home. The mountain and thicker forests probably produce heavier, thick-boned, and very strong centaurs. Those on the plains and open spaces probably are more medium built for a combination of speed and stamina to cover lots of ground. The possibilities are vast. There could even be herds with certain colors that blend better into their environment, such as darker colors for forests and paler coats for those some snowy northern environments!

    I could definitely see puberty being awkward. They suddenly have a near-adult sized body and little idea of how to use it so training is probably actually pretty helpful in most herds. It gives them time and help to learn how to manage, as well as build muscle up. And that's a neat idea. Different fighting styles for different sects, as well as probably different body types. The heavy 'warhorse' types probably learn to charge and body-check, but the lighter 'cavalry' types probably learn agility and speed for example.

    Depending on how big a herd/clan gets, they could easily have 'guilds' for various professions and have representatives that talk with the Matriarch and the council about any problems or needs of the herd. I don't see centaurs being too much for cities, but I could see them settling into a farming town sort of scenario. That raises the question if they tend to have homes of their own, or share larger ones like long-houses perhaps as some Native American tribes and Vikings did? Big, open houses with multiple sleeping areas that were shared and lived in by a fairly large group of people. All sorts of potential for that.

    I could see centaurs being cautious about interactions, but trading with other species could definitely benefit. They could get better weapons, better medicine, books, and other supplies that they might not be able to get easily. They could actually be really exceptional traders without too much problem since they are probably nomadic by nature. I could see their society being similar to gypsy/travellers fairly easily as well. Always on the move, open to trade, handy when they're in town for things, and having a somewhat closed society even if they interact with outsiders.
     
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  20. RauthrMystic

    RauthrMystic Elf Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    I could see that. Maybe they have a few cities but there is a lot of the gypsy/traveler type out there too. I see a city built of stone. Its round, and likely built ontop of some hill as all roads slowly rise to the center where the main "temple" and matriarch reside. I see very wide boulevards. you're not gonna see tiny sprawling alleys, the centaur body wouldn't do well. I imagine the side roads being like our country lanes are. Now there may be "messenger" lanes that are only big enough for one centaur of a specific body type meant for running fast and far, it's likely meant to go one way and not meant for general traffic. For some reason I still see the houses as relatively low. I think the centaurs are more likely to build 'out' than 'up'. The city doesn't have any walls b/c when the gypsy/travelers come back the streets seem to just extend into a tent city. SO the city can exponentially expand when needed. I'm not sure where the farms are. I hadn't thought about the farming aspect of settling down lol I suppose they would be further out. could you imagine a centaur mine? how tall it would have to be! As to centaur houses I think it would be a mix, but mostly communal. We haven't really talked much about a centaurs sense of self. Like would they collect trinkets, put art up, etc. I suppose it's like having roommates without the bedrooms eh? but still one centaur might like a piece of art the others don't want put up. hmm thinking to do.

    Oh guilds, thats a good idea. a guild council that one of the younger matriarchs sits on to 'advise' and report to THE matriarch about the state of commerce. I really like that. There might also be a male to represent the alpha (I do see there being an Alpha, which is the top male. I'm not sure how they decide it, but he's a warrior so it's probably some sort of war game. He would have a say...i'm just not certain what kind of say). It makes a lot of sense that the centaurs would have guilds, being the social creatures they are it would be natural for those of the same or similar crafts to bond. It's the merchants that we have to watch out for. Those whose only business is buying and selling. They don't make anything themselves. Gosh it would be difficult for them to meaningfully help the herd.

    I don't think trading would necessarily be things like weapons. I think it would be things that the centaurs wouldn't think of themselves. SO silks, soaps, spices, maybe cotton, alcohol (only because it seems like every part of creation finds a different way to create an alcoholic drink so it seems a safe bet there would be stuff the centaurs haven't had). Maybe even things like metal trusses if they've been designed. those would be a huge benefit to centaur architecture. Hmm art of course as art is never contained within one species ...except here on earth. I'm sure if I had a list of items I could pick them out. There would be a ton of stuff, but being a martial/philosophical society they are pretty good at weapons, shields, armor and such. Not to say that the couldn't find and learn of other weapons they could use, just that it wouldn't be a normal trading venture. Maybe instead of merchants the centaurs have traders. Similar but somehow different in my mind.

    I agree on the body types mostly, except I would say the forest centaurs would need to be agile if they are running. They'll have to be deer-like in their ability to go around trees, bushes, and deadfall. I hadn't even thought of desert horses. It always seemed weird to me that they had horses in the desert. Seeing the desert centaurs would be an interesting site to see.

    and I agree on the advisors or council. She, THE matriarch, has the final say. However there are a lot of voices that want to have their voices heard. Also her role would be much more complicated here than it would've been if they'd remained purely nomadic. I also think there would be other matriarchs. Those mares who have proven themselves fertile, successful, and devoted to the herd.
     
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