Alright, I've been thinking about making some kind of centaur-esque race for maybe one of my RP settings, though I'ed like to hear your ideas on the matter. Traditionally in media, centaurs are effectively merfolk but with horse bods for their lower half. Though, it only takes one to think a little bit to understand what kind of disadvantages having a horse below your waist can have, especially if the upper part is not morphed to better accommodate to such a change. (IE: they're often portrayed as having normal human arms, but that can lead to quite a few problems (mostly on the quality of life and maintenance side of things.)).
So dear reader, I ask you to help me brainstorm up one of the more perfect ideas for a centaur-esque race! (in depth cultures will be later if we get into that, first we must handle their physiques!)
Now, the basics. First problem: arm length. If the equine bit's size is not handled differently, they're going to have all sorts of troubles wearing and even getting on armor and clothes of all sorts for battle and every day life. Best way to remedy this? I'm thinking maybe make their arms long and lanky. Maybe even tri-jointed to allow them to fold up part of their arms to make them shorter depending on the situation. (as strange as that would look, but hey, we're dealing with efficiency over aesthetics here.) That way they'd be able to reach over and across their bodies as far as needed. Of course, you could just make the equine bod shorter and more stout, but that lessens some of their appeal of being able to have more natural speed and mass behind their attacks.)
But like I said, we're dealing with efficiency over aesthetics here, so let's just keep running with the "short centaurs" idea here for a little bit. Forsaking size for ease of use and practicality, it might make one consider another entire design for our centaurs if they lose most of what is appealing about them. However, let's give them more to work with. Instead of favoring mass and power, let's favor mobility. How about instead of horse bods, we give them goat bods? (specifically of the mountain goat variety.) Less weight makes them able to correct their charge and runs paths easier, and the hooves of a mountain goat can allow them jump and scale over all kinds of obstacles. They still have a little bit of that charging power due to their physiques, but now they can parkour across all kinds of stuff while doing it too!
So, thoughts? Ideas? I'ed like to hear them.
So dear reader, I ask you to help me brainstorm up one of the more perfect ideas for a centaur-esque race! (in depth cultures will be later if we get into that, first we must handle their physiques!)
Now, the basics. First problem: arm length. If the equine bit's size is not handled differently, they're going to have all sorts of troubles wearing and even getting on armor and clothes of all sorts for battle and every day life. Best way to remedy this? I'm thinking maybe make their arms long and lanky. Maybe even tri-jointed to allow them to fold up part of their arms to make them shorter depending on the situation. (as strange as that would look, but hey, we're dealing with efficiency over aesthetics here.) That way they'd be able to reach over and across their bodies as far as needed. Of course, you could just make the equine bod shorter and more stout, but that lessens some of their appeal of being able to have more natural speed and mass behind their attacks.)
But like I said, we're dealing with efficiency over aesthetics here, so let's just keep running with the "short centaurs" idea here for a little bit. Forsaking size for ease of use and practicality, it might make one consider another entire design for our centaurs if they lose most of what is appealing about them. However, let's give them more to work with. Instead of favoring mass and power, let's favor mobility. How about instead of horse bods, we give them goat bods? (specifically of the mountain goat variety.) Less weight makes them able to correct their charge and runs paths easier, and the hooves of a mountain goat can allow them jump and scale over all kinds of obstacles. They still have a little bit of that charging power due to their physiques, but now they can parkour across all kinds of stuff while doing it too!
So, thoughts? Ideas? I'ed like to hear them.
The first step is not to overthink things. Extra-jointed arms isn't fully necessary. There is an easy fix to the armor thing for centaurs, and that's to have them helping one another put it on and take it off. This would force them to be a highly organized and cooperative race, running in large herds to draw strength and practicality from each other.
Sure, their arms would probably have to be a little longer to reach across their bodies, but even normal humans can't each everywhere. Rather than making them long and lanky, think of great ape arms, things that are long but also thick and strong to complement their powerful lower halves.
Also, you could allow their "human" spines to be extra flexible (like a horse's neck) to allow them better reach over the rest of their bodies, partially negating the need for longer arms in the first place. Heck, that might be even simpler than my original idea.
Sure, their arms would probably have to be a little longer to reach across their bodies, but even normal humans can't each everywhere. Rather than making them long and lanky, think of great ape arms, things that are long but also thick and strong to complement their powerful lower halves.
Also, you could allow their "human" spines to be extra flexible (like a horse's neck) to allow them better reach over the rest of their bodies, partially negating the need for longer arms in the first place. Heck, that might be even simpler than my original idea.
Didn't Fantasia shrink the horse bodies to fit better?
And yeah, I was thinking about social stuff do. Humans are highly social creatures (though we tend to restrict ourselves for some reason) and horses are herd animals, so it'd fit that centaurs would also work together a lot.
Horses are also pretty flexible. So are humans, if they stretch and practice.
If it came to it, if nothing else, they could use tossable armour and clothes that can just be tossed back and draped.
And yeah, I was thinking about social stuff do. Humans are highly social creatures (though we tend to restrict ourselves for some reason) and horses are herd animals, so it'd fit that centaurs would also work together a lot.
Horses are also pretty flexible. So are humans, if they stretch and practice.
If it came to it, if nothing else, they could use tossable armour and clothes that can just be tossed back and draped.
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