"The senator spoke for an hour and no one in the hall stirred. Afterward I asked my mentor how she did it. She said centaurs don't learn to speak, they remember how." — a young clerk of the Senate of Aetheria
Centaurs are fae-born. Long ago, the fairies shaped them from the aether of the Aether Fonts to be their steeds and guardians. They were made swift enough to carry word between the fonts and strong enough to defend them. After the War of the First Races, when the fairies retreated into hiding, many centaurs stayed in the open world and built lives of their own. Some still keep the old bond with the fairies, and it's said a centaur's voice carries a trace of the fae music they were made from.
Names
Centaurs carry fae names much like the elves': a flowing personal name and an earned name their family became known by, often for speed, song or their old duty at the fonts. They keep these names wherever they're raised. Examples:
- Caelinor Swiftsong, of a family known for its orators
- Faelwen Brightmane, of a family known for its swift messengers
- Thalanor Fontwarden, of a family that still keeps watch at the fonts
Centaurs by Homeland
Aetheria
In Aetheria, centaurs are known as orators, and many serve as senators. They make up about 4 to 5% of the people. Many honour Solthar, the Spirit of light and hope, who is depicted as a centaur with a golden lyre.
Sylvaris
In Sylvaris, centaurs revere the Starlit Guides, and those who still hold to the old bond keep watch near the fonts alongside the fairies.