MINOTAUR

“I would describe the greatest race on the planet in four words; Powerful, brutish, militaristic, honorable.

“You make fun… I am not amused. I do not speak of the giakahn, I speak of my people, the minotaurs. The Second People, the true kings of the world… Let me explain.

“When the Regents first created this world, they brought into being three races: the dragons, the elves, and the giants. We all know that the dragons were the first born, however, the elves would have you believe that they were created next, despite the evidence to the contrary. As members of the Second People, it is our duty to educate them. Naturally, we will use any such educational tools as might be available. Take this axe, for example…

“Seriously, the minotaurs are one of Kirrac’s most misunderstood peoples. We are a paradox, blunt and brutal, yet subtle and gentle. We are classified, by your human sages, with the armies of evil, yet many stand out as shining examples of goodness. There is almost nowhere on Kirrac that you will find beings who are so enigmatic, yet so eminently understandable. The reason that there have been so few treatises written on the subject of minotaurs is that we do not wish to be understood by your scholars, from a vicarious point of view. We feel that if you desire to understand minotaurs, then you should find out about us for yourself. Our view is, ‘If you are unwilling to face the danger, perhaps you ought not come at all. Once you get to know us (if you survive that long), you’ll understand us, all right.’

“It’s all about honor, family, and strength. Without these we would be useless. Honor informs our lives and gives structure to our society. It enables us to resist chaos and enslavement. Family teaches us the virtues, the ideals that make us minotaurs. It sharpens the horns or it cracks them. Finally, strength is that by which we triumph. It is the raw power of life. Individually, each of these ideals is valuable–but not enough. We forge them together… and when this is done, we are well nigh unbeatable.

“Now let’s go get us a drink and maybe even push some elves around.”

––Lucas Wujcik, Lore Master at the Academy

Minotaurs are a powerful race of sailors, traders, soldiers, and merchants that live in the Minotaur Isles of the Western Ocean. Many other races foolishly underestimate the intelligence, honor, and savagery of the minotaur race. Inspite of this, or perhaps because of it, they have come to dominate the sea lanes and have an iron grip on ocean going mercantile trade.

Personality: Minotaurs are supremely confidant in their own abilities and destiny, so much that they often treat others with arrogance and contempt. Yet minotaurs have a highly developed sense of honor and nobility. They have a strong code of correct behavior and duty towards family and nation. Minotaurs remember their debts and obligations and understand perfectly their status in society.

Despite their clear honor and trustworthiness to those who have their respect, minotaurs are anything but straightforward. Their minds are devious and labyrinthine; they are masters of feigning interest and loyalty to those they are forced to follow but hold in low regard. Minotaurs believe that might makes right–indeed, they base their code of honor upon this maxim–and they rarely ignore the might of a cunning mind.

Physical Description: The physical presence of a minotaur is awe-inspiring. Powerful, seven-foot tall humanoids with the horned head of a bull, minotaurs have fur all over their bodies, ranging in color from red to brown, even black. Some rare individuals have white or blonde fur. Their ivory-colored horns reach up to two feet in length (half that for females). Minotaurs rigorously wax and polish their horns, and criminals are punished and forever exiled from minotaur society by having their horns sawed off. When not armored for battle, minotaurs prefer loose clothing such as robes, tunics, and in warmer months, simple kilts or loincloths.

Relations: Minotaurs intend for their race to rule, and they will go to any lengths to ensure that it does. One might infer that the minotaurs feel that other races exist only to serve the minotaurs or to be used and discarded; this is in fact a correct assumption. A minotaur will certainly never accept anything less than a position of equality. If on a less-than-equal footing, a minotaur will use any means at his disposal–he will attempt to destroy his oppressors from within or without, as long as he regains his freedom.

Alignment: Minotaurs are most often lawful, and most have a bent towards evil. Those who tend toward neutral are sages, engineers, researchers, scholars, investigators, or consultants. Those who tend toward evil are soldiers and slavers.

Minotaur Lands: Minotaurs live in a sea-based culture on the two island kingdoms of Mienos and Taureas, in the Western Ocean. Because minotaurs care little about architecture and aesthetics, their cities and towns are squalid; most buildings are made of plaster and rough planking. The streets between the buildings are dirt or gravel. Built on the rule of might, these kingdoms are led by an emperor, who rules over both kingdoms. This emperor is chosen every ten years on the island of Pleistos, in a great gladiatorial battle. Each of the Kings brings their greatest champion to compete for the prize; the winning side rules the empire for the next ten cycles.

Regents: Minotaurs are usually aligned with Prathos, although individual minotaurs may bare the baenrahl of any Regent. Minotaurs vary greatly in their attitudes and outlooks on this issue. Most minotaurs are dedicated followers of Praethos, seeing him as the father and savior of the first minotaur peoples.

For the most part, minotaurs have no organized belief system. Historically, the minotaurs have been consistently disappointed by the Regents that they called upon, especially during their centuries of enslavement and debasement. Minotaurs hold death in no special regard, neither fearing it nor sanctifying it. Since they know that death is inevitable, minotaurs often wish to make their deaths affairs of high drama. They desire to meet it in a way that will honor them and their family. Minotaur warriors often eat the heart of a respected enemy, thus to gain some of his fighting prowess, and believe that the spirit of a brave minotaur warrior will sometimes be reborn to continue the fight for glory.

Worship is a matter of personal loyalty to a deity that promises power and success. The most influential Urathear over the minotaurs is Prathos. His templars involve themselves in political intrigues and influence important nobles, all while maintaining their own secrecy. Some minotaurs, particularly those who make their living from the Western Ocean, are aligned to Naliad, Queen of the Sea.

Language: Minotaurs speak their own language, known as Laios. Most minotaurs also know the trade language, Common, as well. Minotaurs see little need in learning the languages of the other races.

Names: A minotaur has a given name, chosen by his parents, as well as a family name which traditionally comes from the most accomplished or glorious of his ancestors. Occasionally a minotaur is so successful that his glory eclipses that of his family ancestor; in this case, the minotaur is known by his first name only, and his descendants form a new family line named after him.

A minotaur who takes the name of his home as a name uses the suffix Es- (in Mienos) or Et- (in Taureas).

Male Names: Aeolus, Alcon, Amiantos, Aratus, Artemas, Bacis, Carpus, Chalcon, Chersis, Cronos, Damasos, Demoleon, Doreius, Geleon, Hagnon, Imbrasus, Kadmos, Kalesius, Kosmas, Kyrillos, Leicritus, Pammon, Radamanthos, Tebaeus, Thalpius.

Female Names: Achradina, Aglaia, Amarhyllis, Amela, Basiane, Claera, Delara, Deineira, Fliara, Gygaea, Helati, Hylissa, Ippollonia, Kallisto, Kesthra, Lais, Laothoe, Miranda, Nesaea, Orgenta, Pelippa, Perialla, Scylla, Thaleia, Veliana.

Adventurers: Minotaur adventurers are commonly the youngest children of large families who take up a life of risk and danger in hope of making something of themselves. Others are hardened sailors, explorers, or even pirates who have given up their old lives and are finding a new use for their skills. Most minotaur adventurers are driven by similar motivations: ambition, pride, and glory.

Minotaur Race Traits

• ECL=3: Minotaurs add 3 to their character level in order to determine XP for level advancement.
• Extra Action Points: Minotaur characters get to start with an extra 12 Action Points.
• +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma. Minotaurs are a physical people, but they are not known for their grace or charm.
• Large: As Large-size creatures, minotaurs can carry twice as much weight as a human can and use larger weapons. They inflict 1d6 points of damage in unarmed attacks. However, minotaurs must pay twice as much when purchasing armor, and suffer a size penalty of -1 to attack rolls, -1 Armour Class, and -4 to Hide checks.
• Minotaur base speed is 30 feet.
• The long horns that all minotaurs possess ensure that they are never considered unarmed; thus, minotaurs who make unarmed strikes do not provoke an attack of opportunity.
• Charge: A minotaur can charge an opponent, lowering its head to bring its mighty horns into play. In addition to the normal benefits and hazards of a charge, this allows the minotaur to make a single gore attack that deals 3d6+Str points of damage.
• Scent: Minotaurs have a hightened sense of smell and can detect even faint odors.
• +4 race bonus to all Search, Spot, and Listen skill checks; minotaurs benefit from natural cunning and sharp senses.
• Automatic Languages: Laios, Common. Possible Languages: Denwarfrey, Aeldor, Maundling, Thyslin, Giak, Saric. Minotaurs will occasionally learn the languages of other race in the Minotaur Isles region.
• Favored Class: Fighter. Strong and powerful, the minotaurs make excellent fighters. A multiclass minotaur’s fighter class does not count when determining whether he suffers an XP penalty for multiclassing.