Minotaur

Racial Groups: Dwarf | Elf | Fey | Giant-Kin | Goblinoid | Human | Lycanthrope | Reptilian

Races: Human | Elf | Dracon | Dwarf | Gnome | Halfling | Half-elf | Half-orc | Lupin | Mau'ktarl | Minotaur

Custom Races: Adomkuro | Avariel | Centaur | Changeling | Drangonari | Ghost Elf | Gnoll | Goblin | Half-Dryad | Half-Nymph | Half-Ogre | Kobold | Orc | Shaahesk | Stone Dwarf | Tiefling | Wemic

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Overview

Minotaurs are a race of bovine humanoids who mainly live underground among the subterranean caverns and tunnels of the underdark, though some small settlements are known to exist in remote places in the north and east parts of Negaria. The main bulk of minotaur civilization is a theocracy paying homage to Paragus. Those who are not trained as fighters or servants often become his clerics. Most often it is the more intelligent minotaurs who choose this route as an outlet for their brilliance.

Personality

Above anything else, minotaurs value strength and prestige. In their society, tests of courage and might are constant and unrelenting, especially among the bull minotaurs who see them as necessary both for attracting females and gaining acceptance among peers. For the most part, prestige is gained on an individual level. Most minotaurs are too narrow-minded to see past their own accomplishments, and generally think little about their population as a whole and even less about how they could improve it. This trap of narrow-mindedness seems to keep the minotaurs contained within their own immediate local affairs. Thus, it is not from a lack of curiosity that minotaurs rarely venture far from their home cities, but rather from a lack of thought on matters of the wider world.

For minotaurs, life is very straightforward, as are their attitudes. They aim to gain prestige among their immediate onlookers through acts of courage and strength, no matter what it takes. Prestige and strength gain them a high stature in the community, as well as access to female companionship, which is pleasureable and necessary for propogating their species. Things are black or white, never grey. Applying this principle to any other situation or dilemma will yield the minotaur reasoning behind it. To other races, this makes them seen stubborn, serious, and confrontational, but to minotaurs these qualities are admired rather than seen as offensive.

Physical Description

Minotaurs are imposing figures, standing between 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 feet tall. Their heads are distinctly bovine in appearance, having deep-set brown or black eyes and a grayish yellow horn sprouting from each temple. Bull minotaurs have larger horns than female minotaurs, spanning between 1 and 2 feet, as opposed to female horns which only reach at most 1 foot. Their torsos are large, with broad shoulders and powerful muscles, and their arms are moderately human-like, ending in fully functional hands, complete with fingernails and fingerprints. Legs are also human-like, and strong, but they end in cloven hooves instead of feet. The entirety of their bodies are covered with fur, which is most commonly a rusty red color, but can often be brown, and occasionally black. Males have some extra hair on their heads that acts as a mane, and can be slightly darker than their body hair.

For clothing, minotaurs favor homespun fabrics made from whatever sources are available near their homes. Simplicity is the key to their fashion, for they favor basic loin cloths and baldricks to hold their items, and they usually shy away from full sets of breaches or tunics.

Relations

Surface races rarely encounter minotaurs. Largely, it is the subterranean races like the Adamkuro and kharakuro that run across them. Interactions between these races can vary depending on who is in control. Minotaurs are able to increase their prestige among their kin by owning slaves, and lone Adamkuro and kharakuro make prime targets for these acquisitions. On the flip side, the Adamkuro and kharakuro prize minotaur slaves as beasts of burden, and will abduct lone stragglers as well. Powerful minotaurs who gain control over an underground area will often ally with groups of Adamkuro or kharakuro in an effort to increase their holdings.

When minotaurs do make it to the surface, encounters in these strange lands are always disorienting and frightful for them, though they will not show it outwardly. Elves and fairies generally view them as dangerous creatures that cannot be trusted, while humans take a more curious attitude until someone gets hurt. Encounters on a large scale between minotaurs and surface races are extremely rare, however, and unpredictable.

Alignment

Because of their selfish goals and attitudes, minotaurs tend towards neutral evil. They do not prize the virtues of law and society, but realize that there are times and places where they are necessary and will do what they must to succeed.

Minotaur Lands

Minotaurs exist in small enclaves and pockets scattered around the underdark, as well as some of the jungles of Jechran, and north of that, where Jechran's vegetation turns to temprate forest. They lack the organization to form cohesive nations, but small bands and communities often have well established structures of rule and government, usually owing allegiance to a kind of minotaur warlord or chief.

Religion

Paragus created minotaurs, and is regarded by them as the only deity worth worshipping. In religious views, minotaurs have a superior attitude towards their own race, and tend to belittle worshippers of the other gods as lacking strength and glory. According to minotaur philosophy, Paragus is the greatest minotaur there could ever be, and all minotaurs owe it to him to live up to his model.

Language

Minotaurs speak their own tongue that does not seem to be related to any other languages on Avlis. Its syntax is direct and to the point, and contains few words for things that are not definite or precise. Some will pick up other subterranean languages or Jechrani, depending on where they live or travel.

Names

Each minotaur has three names. Their first name is given at birth, and only used if the minotaur is considered worthy of it by way of his accomplishments in life. Their middle names are clan names and are used primarily to identify each other. Minotaurs try to tie in their prestige to great heroes or ancestors of the past by taking the first names of these forebearers as their clan names. A minotaur's third name is its location of birth or place of long-time residence. This is rarely used unless the minotaur finds itself among strange clans or other races, but in these cases it is also seen as a source of prestige, especially if famous ancestors lived in the same area long ago.

Male Names

Argas, Burundol, Cirius, Cyrian, Delomnas, Fosher, Genloneras, Karkillian, Meranus, Terius

Female Names

Agra, Boolia, Byleana, Ceri, Delest, Elanu, Grendalia, Hesturi, Sikana, Tekta

Adventurers

Rarely do minotaurs venture far from their homeland, though a few specimens occasionally realize the futility of gaining prestige over such a small domain and they venture out to see what the world holds. These individuals are brave, courageous, and even wreckless in their desire to prove themselves and bring back fame to lord over their kin.

Note that minotaurs are not a playable race on Avlis.