So, my friends and I were laughing about Ixi Raider (you know, this guy: http://images.neopets.com/games/new_tradingcards/lg_ixi_raider_2004.gif) and how there’s like, no reason at all that he’s like the only taur-like character on the site (excluding rukis).
Was there actually a reason, lore-wise or otherwise, that he’s like that? Weird mutation? Unreleased colour? An artist just went “screw it, I want a taur ixi”? 😛 I love him either way ahaha
He’s not the only one! 😀 The Ixi Raiders were a whole enemy faction in The Darkest Faerie (the Playstation 2 game). They were invading one of the main villages and there were various quests asking you to take them on. Their bossman is also a centaur but a grey-ish colour, I think? Look up Ixi Chief or Chieftan.
The Meridell plot, the TCG set, and the PS2 game were all being worked on simultaneously over a long period, so a lot of stuff crossed between them.
Anyway, I couldn’t tell you exactly why we didn’t just use normal Ixi. It was either Adam (one of the Neopets creators) or an Idol Minds/Sony suggestion. Your “screw it” theory is also possible! Our artists were rad and came up with lots of cool stuff that we approved and used. But I would bet it was someone on our side. We often made enemies slightly modified versions of existing species so they felt famliar but off. (Or we just made up new stuff. Like, there’s Blugthak from that same storyline/set who’s just… a monster thing? Adam probably just said “gimme a 2-headed ogre guy!” to an artist.) Using something familiar but with a twist was also a great way to surprise existing site fans who played external stuff. So our reasoning was very likely along those lines for the Ixi Raiders as well.
As for how they became centaurs in actual lore… I don’t know if it was ever officially established in the game. If not, it would have been either magic or mutation. They’re hidden on the outskirts of a village so probably a mutation of some sort.
Or, maybe the Ixi we know mutated from them! …nah.
Caveat: That Meridell stuff was a LONG time ago so I may have some details wrong. Hopefully the creative thinking and processes give you some good insight regardless!