Minotaur

At a glance

Feature	Details
Appearance	Bovine humanoids with horns, hooves, thick fur, and muscular builds.
Origins and communities	Sterion was destroyed; survivors include communities at Kisaut Landing and the Shadow Keep.
Culture	Traditions shaped by Severn’s gift of cunning, age-based castes, and an older connection to Haern.
Racial abilities	Irongrip; Intimidation; Headbash

Origins and history

Originally, the Minotaurs, one among the thousands of species created by Haern, were dull, weak beasts that stood upon the brink of extinction. Seeing their plight, Severn took pity on the Minotaurs and granted them cunning in exchange for their loyalty to Him.

Most of the Minotaur population once resided in the village of Sterion, nestled deep within the Tarean mountain range near Mount Gallows. The physical link between the Shadow Plane and the Prime lay within the village, making it a key point of contention during the various Shadow invasions, until the village was destroyed during the Second War of Night. Minotaurs also appear in small pockets elsewhere, notably within the territories of Duiran, as many often feel an affinity for the wilds due to their ancient heritage.

Following a prophecy of a looming calamity, a vision gleaned from the seers of the shaman-caste, the elders of Sterion made a fateful decision. They sent their young out into the world, tasking them with searching for signs of the coming disaster.

Appearance

Trait	Details
Eyes	black and brown, rarely lighter colours such as blue, green or yellow
Pelts	black and brown are most common, greying as age takes them
Size	6 – 7 feet / 1.7 – 2.1 meters
Sexual dimorphism	Males have manes that start at the top of the head and extend to the shoulders. Females tend to have smaller horns.
Legs/Feet	Unguligrade with hooves.

Minotaurs are covered in tough, mangy fur that protects them from the elements. Bipedal, their most notable features are their large horns and large snout-like noses. Minotaurs naturally have thick, developed muscles. It is important to note that in Aetolia, Minotaurs are fully bovine from head to toe. They do not have udders and possess standard humanoid breasts and mammary glands.

Culture and beliefs

Historically a race destined to fail, Lord Severn took an interest in the Minotaurs and blessed them with the spark of intelligence. In return, most Minotaurs of Sterion worship Him exclusively. They are far more attuned to Shadow than any other race, settling within the Tarean mountain range near Mount Gallows, where the Shadow Plane is at its most potent. The elders among them have taken up smoking a repulsive concoction to help them glean the future, while the younger amongst them are driven by conflict and proving themselves in combat.

Minotaurs tend to be brash, stubborn, and quick to fight. Despite this, they possess a sharp cunning that is often underestimated. They are highly pragmatic, more so than most other races. It is not uncommon for some to have a deep affinity for nature, a trace of their ancient heritage before Severn.

While most Minotaurs find their calling in their village and carry out their sacred duty, some can still be found elsewhere, with other allegiances. These Minotaurs are looked down upon by those of Sterion, considered to either be cowards unsuited to the traditional duties of their race, or gone feral for those that are in touch with their Haernite heritage.

Sterion and its survivors

Sterion Village was the Minotaurs’ ancestral home after Severn took them as His wards. Its people guarded the physical link between the Shadow Plane and the Prime. The settlement was known for its brutish pragmatism and slaves taken from other races performed much of its manual labour. Sterion was destroyed during the second War of Night.

Their society was built around an age-dependent caste system, with the youngest belonging to the warrior caste. At the same time, older, maimed, or otherwise unsuited Minotaurs joined the shaman caste. The eldest belonged to the caste of the wise that governed the village. Many Sterion Minotaurs died young in service to the harsh duties Severn gave them, so age is revered. Other minor castes existed, such as priests, but they were exclusive and selective, with few members.

The Shadow Keep

After the War of Night and the fight against the Leviathan, Sterion had lost nearly all of their warriors. The elders, foreseeing a terrible future in the years ahead, sent their youngest to the Carnifex to be trained and become the next great warriors of Sterion. Trained with their potent rage and strength and equipped with greatbows, the new Minotaur warriors can be found proudly marching the Shadow Keep in a grand display of Savagery.

Kisaut Landing

Following the destruction of their home, the younger Minotaurs that had been away from Sterion during its scouring found themselves disillusioned with their people’s fate. Though some found their livelihoods in other city-states, a number of the survivors began to congregate near Kisaut, drawn back to the ruins of their ancestral home to mourn and form a small enclave. Eventually, they thrived, and many began to see themselves as Kisauti more than Sterionese.

While some of the younger Minotaurs had little memory of their ancestral home, the older members remember the lessons of the shaman caste well – as well as the knowledge that has been lost. Some sought to rebuild their new home through their memories of Sterion, while others embraced new traditions without the shamans to guide them. Yet, no matter where they stood, without the duty Severn had entrusted to them, they now look to find their place in this new world.

Racial abilities

Level 1: Irongrip

Syntax: IRONGRIP and RELAX IRONGRIP

By gripping your weapons tightly, you can prevent others from disarming you.

Level 31: Intimidation

Syntax: INTIMIDATE <player/denizen>

By openly intimidating your target, you can instil fear in them.

Level 61: Headbash

Syntax: HEADBASH <player/denizen>

Slam your head into your target’s skull in a mind-numbing blow. This also deals a small amount of recoil damage to you.

If your target is an adventurer, you can begin this attack from an adjacent location and it will also drain 1 intelligence from both you and the target.

Class ideas for roleplay

These are potential starting points for a character’s story and are offered as suggestions only. You can make almost any class or race combination work in Aetolia, as your race gives no special advantage with these classes; availability follows the usual class and guild rules.

Carnifex

A Minotaur from a warrior tradition might seek a place among Bloodloch’s Carnifex. Training warhounds and drawing power from captive souls would put their appetite for combat in service to the city’s ideal of Strength, with little room for mercy.

Shaman

A Minotaur drawn to their people’s older Haernite heritage could become a seer of Dia’ruis in Duiran. Communion with the Guardians would give that affinity a religious practice, distinct from the Severn-centred traditions of Sterion.

Revenant

A survivor of Sterion could carry their people’s connection to Severn’s legacy into service alongside Spinesreach’s Sciomancers. Revenant training combines weapons, Kalsu, and ambient shadow, giving them a way to defend the Prime after seeing what an invasion from Shadow cost them first-hand.

See also: The Races of Aetolia · The World of Aetolia · Character Classes