Back when the world was new many that are now revered as gods played across the world. Four such could be found in the country now called Altai. The four were the first centaurs and they greatly enjoyed playing. Though they swiftly discovered it could be very dull since there were only the four and they all had differing points of view on things. They made friends with other races and those friends were all of similar mindsets to them.
The four first centaurs were these:
Adonis Tyr Harlan: A proud and noble warrior of enormous proportions. He was given to some degree of wildness, but seemed tempered by a driving need to ensure everything was served justly. He was a massive red bay with black mane and tail. He also has black stockings and tanned skin. He went by the name of Tyr.
Athena Taika Epona: A gentle mare revered for her wisdom. She was very wise and knew a great deal of magic. She was a palomino with almost silvery man and tail. Her skin was a delicate cream color despite her time in the sun. She went by the name Athena.
Hippocrates Chiron Galenos: A gentle stallion. He was devoted to healing others. He knew a great deal on the herbs, medicines and how to cure many afflictions. He was a silver dapple with dark gray mane and tail. His skin was only lightly tanned, more akin to as if the sun just barely kissed him. He went by the name of Chiron.
Nuray Rhosyn Shashi: A dreamer who seemed to dream of grand things, she could often be found contemplating the stars. She would race the wind because she could and to her siblings seemed to have many ideals that were quite silly. She was ebony with silver mane, tail, and hooves. Her eyes are silver as well and her skin is as ebony as her horse portion. Since many did not seem to enjoy using either her first or middle name she resigned herself to being called by her last name.
So the four came together and decided that like many others they would craft a race. They wanted to have a race much like themselves. Sadly though they could not agree on what traits this race should have as they were all different.
Tyr favored a race that would be feared in war with all the strength and power he possessed. Athena wished them to be wise and knowledgeable. She also wished them to be powerful spellcasters. Chiron wished them to be healers and knowing of the ways of nature. Shashi wished them to be all of those things and more. She wished to be able to enjoy life as it was, be fleet of hoof, able to change as the world changed, able to choose their paths and to defend others. She also wished to have passion for many things and allowed to enjoy the freedom of choice.
Since none could agree on any one thing they agreed to split and gather ingredients to craft all the needed. So they split up and each sought ingredients for what the wanted in the race of centaurs. For each the ingredients would mean something different.
Tyr sough only two ingredients. He sought a heart of the mountain and a shard of fire. He felt the shard would grant the centaurs the fiery spirit needed to face all combat. The heart would grant them steadiness of nerve and the ability to temper their fire, but it would also cause them to never back down from a combat.
Athena also sought only two ingredients. She sought a globe of pristine air and a globe of living water. The air would grant the centaurs the ability to see things clearly. The water would grant them the curiosity to discover things just as the water changed itself to discover new things.
Chiron sought out a globe of pristine air and a shard of fire. To him the air would grant the skill to discern problems and aid the intellect. The fire would help purify diseases and keep centaurs strong in health.
Shashi sought many ingredients though and all of them represented things to her. She first sought a crystallized god breath. This would help grant the centaurs the ability to bond with a mate as the gods did. She sought to give centaurs the joy of feeling what their mate did and to know where their mate was. It was a joy on an empathic level she knew they would enjoy.
She then sought an essence of truth. This would grant the centaurs the desire to seek the truth on things rather than simply trusting the word of another. She wished them to always seek the truth even if the truth hurt. For to her being able to face truth however ugly was the best way to resolve issues.
The she sought a globe of pristine air. She wished the centaurs to be light hooved. So they could race the wind if they wished. She wished them to know the joy of digging their hooves into the earth as they raced and feel as if they could outrace the wind. This would also grant them a desire of holding onto freedom and fighting to defend the freedom of others.
She then sought the heart of a mountain. This was to steady them and help them mind their oaths. For even as they sought freedom, truth and a myriad other things they should always keep their word. So she sought the steadiness of the mountain to grant them the deep honor they would hold to.
Then came the orb of living water. To her this represented adaptability and the ability to choose what they wanted in life. So to her it was a must. The ability to flow and ignore obstacles if they were patient enough was also a great boon. So to her water represented adaptability, choice, and also patience.
Then came the shard of fire. To her this was passion in all it grandeur. It would grant them the passion and drive to defend what they loved. It would also grant them drive to always finish what they started. It would also grant them love of all types. So to her fire granted passion of all levels and the same with love. It was also the drive to finish things.
While searching she found two other things. Things she never added to the centaurs as she had not assigned a meaning to them. Perhaps one day these two items will be revealed and she will assign a meaning that can be added to the centaurs.
When the four met each put in the items and stated what they meant to them in a great ritual. Her pile amazed her siblings as they had assumed she would not take the task seriously. They also thought she assigned too much to the various ingredients. But they had agreed to it and so when they were done the first mortal centaurs were born. From this came the centaur race and soon many of our traditions came to reflect the many gifts that the first four granted them all.