Half-Horses

"One of the non-human races."A quartet of galloping hooves, a flash of swinging swords, a beat of distant drums. Half-Horses are equine hybrids, with the torso, arms, and head of a human attached at the waist to the body of a horse where its neck would be. They occupy the steppes of Eastern Uropa and are the oldest neighbor race recognized by humans.

Flight from Konpa
Although the Half-Horses have not been a mythical entity for over a thousand years, their history is still shrouded in the fog of time before their better documented interactions with humanity. Prior to settling within the nations which they currently populate, the original Half-Horses migrated from the far East, as far as what is now the Khitan Union and southern Rossiyan states. The region was dominated by a wide-reaching empire consisting of many Half-Horse tribes working together as raiders and nomadic barbarians, preying on human and Khitan settlements in a region they called Konpa.

That empire collapsed due to infighting after the assassination of their War Chief some time in the 5th century AR. This lead to a weakening of the hold on conquered peoples living within Konpa, who incited rebellions against the Half-Horses ruling them. Outside invasion from other regions drove the final wedge into their holdings, and many Half-Horses were forced to flee the region they had once ruled. The majority went West with a smaller portion fleeing North to live in the northern portions of the Rossiyan Frostlands.

Lovasz to the West
The larger portion of Half-Horses banded together to flee their collapsed empire in search of a homeland to call their own. They consisted of seven tribes, the leaders of which all swore a leg oath of loyalty to each other to protect their people whom they called the Kirel but others who encountered them referred to as Lovasz. The Lovasz traveled to areas now owned by the Osmaniyan Empire, and settled there for several centuries. During this period, known among the Lovasz as the "Era of Adventure," they engaged in many raids throughout much of Western Uropa too far inland for Nordian raiders to reach. This lead to neighboring nations hiring the Lovasz as mercenaries to attack other countries, a practice that occurred often enough that doing so became viewed as paying off the Lovasz to leave a nation alone.

During this period, the Lovasz worked for the Hellenic League often enough that they learned the lay of the land in that region, including the relatively unoccupied Karpanian Basin to the north of the League, which shared a climate and landscape very similar to the gentle rolling hills they left behind in Konpa. But they did not relocate to that region until a violent conflict finally forced them to abandon the region where they had been living. After being hired by another nation to fight with a third party, that targeted country enlisted the help of the nomadic peoples known as the Bisseni who lived to the south of the Lovasz and had been the target of many raids themselves. Given weapons and supplies, the Bisseni finally united in 881 AR to form a massive warband, intending to eliminate the Lovasz.

This Bisseni army attacked the Lovasz, who were still reveling in the feasts and alcohol from their latest raid, and the fierce attack proved too strong for the drunken Lovasz to withstand. Several terrible defeats across the next several years drove the Lovasz to flee the region completely, but the Bisseni soldiers were so set on revenge that they even threatened the fleeing wounded and elderly Half-Horses. In their time of dire need, a stout, unknown champion galloped into the fray to engage the Bisseni soldiers, turning aside their spears and parrying their swords. All up and down the front this mysterious warrior roamed, holding off the harrying Bisseni army for three days straight. Most bizarrely, he was seen wielding a strange, Western-style straight sword with a straight cross-guard instead of the usual curved Lovaszi swords.

After the last of the civilian Lovasz had safely retreated, rear scouts reported that this nameless guardian finally collapsed in exhaustion from days of non-stop fighting. And before they could help, he was skewered by dozens of Bisseni spears, until his body was held aloft by the sheer number of polearms impaled in him to finally end his life. For three days more the fleeing tribes hurried West, into the region now known as Karpania, a flat and fertile basic with rich grasslands. On the third day of the retreat, they came upon a hill and saw an enormous eagle soaring overhead. In its talons it carried a sword: a straight blade with a straight cross-guard, familiar to all those who had seen it flash in their defense. And atop the hill, the eagle dropped the sword it carried, planting it blade-first into the dirt there. That was the site that the Lovasz founded the capital to their new nation, the city of Obudest.

From then they proceeded to engage in raids across Uropa for several more generations, until at last they were visited by a young man from Alemannia named Stefan. This began the remarkable process of Ortueization of the Lovaszi Half-Horses and lead to a period of equal-footed relationships between Karpania and the other nations of Uropa.

Vsadnyks to the North
After fleeing their besieged homeland of Konpa, a smaller group of Half-Horses went north in search of a land to call their own. For a time they maintained a peaceful, nomadic life with only a few clashes against local tribes. Over the centuries this developed into increasing amounts of conflict with the growing Rossiyan Empire, staying mobile to avoid persecution while conducting raids across the spread-out Rossiyan territories. Eventually these hostilities gave way as increasing military technology made the arrangement too costly for the Half-Horses, who agreed to take on the role of a mercenary enforcement caste for the Rossiyan Itor in exchange for a land to call their home.

Although they referred to the region they were given as the Kazaki Loshedi, these Rossiyan-aligned Half-Horses became known as the Vsadnyk in the the Rossiyan tongue, and the name stuck. In addition to the land granted to them, the Vsadnyk were given generous exemptions from most taxes and obligations so long as they agreed to rally whenever the Itor needed them. Throughout the centuries, the Vsadnyk have mobilized several times to defend Rossiya against invasion and followed orders to crush serf uprisings and insurrections by other client races and religious minorities, notably rioting Cassumites and outbreaks of the Returned. They remain in this arrangement to this day, and make up nearly half of the cavalry units within the Rossiyan military.

Description
Although at first glance, Half-Horses appear to simply be the torso of a human set atop the body of a horse, these hybrids are not a one-for-one combination. Standing next to the larger breeds of Uropan horses reveals that the lower bodies of the Half-Horses are slightly smaller and shorter, ranging from 135-152cm, or 53 to 60 inches from ground to top of the withers (the ridge between the front legs' shoulder blades). Their human upper torso is approximately the size of a normal human's, though on the larger side of human potential. Combined height from ground to top of the head reaches an average of 242 cm or 7'11" for males and 226 cm or 7'5" for females. Half-Horses weigh an average of 290 kg or 640 lbs. for males, and 260 kg or 573 lbs. for females.

Additionally, medical examination of the Half-Horse anatomy reveals that they are not identical internally either to humans from the waist up. Half-Horses have two additional ribs to their rib cage, and these help to protect the significantly larger lungs and heart that take up almost the entirety of their torso, with the digestive system not beginning in earnest until beneath what would be the pelvis region in a human, where the stomach sits. The rest of the digestive system resides within the lower equine half and is more complex than that of an actual horse, allowing the consumption of a much wider range of foods, including meat. Due to the stomach's position where the human torso meets the equine trunk, the liver sitting above that is proportionally small compared to the overall size of the body, causing the Half-Horses's renowned low alcohol tolerance.

While the Lovasz Half-Horses and the Vsadnyk are similar in terms of size, they do have differences in appearance. The Lovasz have hair and equine body colors that range from black to dark reddish-brown to brown, and may sport black coloration on their lower legs and ears. Very scarcely they may have white markings with the rarest of individuals appearing entirely white. Lovasz Half-Horses tend to have wider lower chests that are not quite as deep as those of the Vsadnyk, though that distinction can be harder to notice by those without significant experience with horses or Half-Horses. Lovasz tails and hair also grow significantly faster and longer than Vsadnyks' and as such are often decoratively braided.

Vsadnyk also sport black and dark reddish-brown coloration, but also range into gray or lighter red-brown hair/fur colors with none quite reaching the full brown of the Lovasz. They do not have any who present with white markings, but some have darker, nearly black patches that may cover the legs or travel along the spine. The Vsadnyk have slightly shorter legs than the Lovasz but have deeper lower chests so there is not much of a height difference. Vsadnyks tails tend to be shorter and they often cut their hair short as well, with young males sometimes shaving along the sides of their heads.

Capabilities
The most immediately noticeable strength of the Half-Horses is their physical prowess. Nearly able to match the sheer brawn of horses, Half-Horses sport significant lower body strength and their upper body strength is aided by their torsos being larger than those of average humans. Half-Horses also have incredible stamina and physical hardiness, being resistant to diseases and with tough enough hooves to need very little - if any - care.

Mentally, Half-Horses posses a degree of courage bordering on stubborn foolhardiness. It is near impossible to intimidate a Half-Horse once worked up and ready for battle, though sudden noises can still startle one. But even charging into near-certain death, a Half-Horse warrior won't blink or falter, allowing them to succeed in charges on enemy positions that any human soldier would balk at rushing. This can certainly get them killed, but it won't be for lack of valor.

Whereas several other races have superior senses in terms of sight or hearing, Half-Horses do not possess any specific impressive sense. But what they do have is a degree of intense, hyper-focused alertness that grants them nearly supernatural anticipation. By locking their mind on the movements and behaviors of a target, a Half-Horse can not only track but even predict the movements of a person or object. This has been used to great effect in the past by Half-Horse skirmishers who were able to hit running enemies with arrows or swords even while at a full gallop, and is still useful in the modern era when utilizing firearms or modern cavalry sabers.

And finally, although Half-Horses do not possess much knowledge in the ways of using magic, there is one enduring tradition among them that has survived to this day. Though adopted from old Pagan chants from the days before their swift conversion to Ortueism, modern day Steppe Hymns are the means by which Half-Horses can manipulate and direct Essence even into the modern era. Their love of music and song manifests in the form of melodic prayers or praise to the Living God that can soothe the weary soul or fill the heart of the listener with resolve.

Limitations
The undeniable willpower of the Half-Horses has one significant drawback in the form of their overbearing pride. The tribal honor of their warrior culture past lives on in the form of intensive expectations in matters of etiquette and respect. As such, a show of disrespect will often be taken as a personal challenge and answered with impatient irritation at best, and belligerent hostility at worst.

As mentioned previously, Half-Horse anatomy has an undersized liver in proportion to the rest of their digestive tract. This leads to a propensity to swift and intense inebriation upon drinking alcohol. And when combined with Half-Horses' headstrong nature, the rush of drunkenness can cause them to make very brash and deleterious decisions. Many historical accounts of Humans besting Half-Horses in combat almost always incorporate elements of the Half-Horse being given too many mugs of ale or too strong a drink a wine without realizing it. Additionally, quite a few tales of Half-Horses engaging in acts of barbarous brutality begin with a night of drinking first.

And finally, although Half-Horses gain quite a few advantages from their considerable size and musculature, they are still weak to rough, uneven landscape that present a risk of slipping or stumbling. Some of the Half-Horses remaining still in the far East have adapted to the mountainous terrain by developing shorter, stronger legs and hooves more able to dig in and grip on rocks, but all of the ones who moved into Uropa have grown dependent on ground that mimics the relatively flat and firm steppe lands where they live. Even Human cobblestone roads can be navigated and especially with horseshoes, but on broken ground they risk leg injury, which can be debilitating for a considerable period of time.

Unification Status
History of racial interaction

Modern positives/integration

Negative stereotypes and friction

Humans
"'While too many have forgotten the darkness of the woods and the openness of the skies, humans never fail to impress with their ingenuity and inventions. There may come a time when they decide that we are archaic and incompatible with their technological society, so the possession of our own homeland is more important now than ever before."

Night Ravens
"'Unrooted to any nation, the Birds of the sky migrate as they will. Their love of shiny baubles makes them easy enough to hire, but unreliable as mercenaries. Yet their circumstance reminds of bittersweet past, freedom to travel the land at will. They may one day find a cause dear enough that they follow in our hoofsteps and settle a land of their own. They would make interesting but covetous neighbors.'"

Wolfen
"'If there is any cause to express gratitude to the Wolves, it is for their lesson on the importance of cooperation. At least their disguises do not allow them to blend in with our herds, but the Humans are fools for tolerating them. They can be fierce warriors and competent sentinels, but they are not so tamed as to be universally worthy of trust just yet.'"

Dragon Daughters
"'While too slow and clumsy to be much of a threat on open ground, the Mountain Giants are too dangerous to engage in close combat and they can hurl boulders large enough to crush a fully-grown warrior. They seem to have been entranced by the civilization of the Humans, but too many tales of them devouring our kind have filtered through the centuries for them to be entirely unsubstantiated.'"

Fey Cats
"'The Cats from the Southern continent are no concern of ours except when they intrude. Their dark-haired witches have sought out our collaboration on alchemical formulae and will trade for ingredients, but their dusky women are far too full of themselves, and the pale ones take far too many liberties in their insistence on matters of borders. While acceptable as guests, Cats are wise not to overstay their welcome.'"

Burrowers
"'Such little rodents get too easily underhoof. They are worth not angering if only to avoid them opening up a hole in the dirt where a leg could get lodged and sprained. But otherwise it is best to encourage them to stay to Human territory.'"

Sea Hounds
"'It is unfathomable to imagine a life under the water. They are welcome to it.'"