Minotaur (mai-nuh-taw)

Minotaurs are barrel-chested humanoids with heads resembling those of bulls. Blessed with a supernaturally strong sense of direction, minotaurs make great navigators. They have a striking resemblance to the infamous demon prince Baphomet, leading some sages to believe that minotaurs are fragments of Baphomet's will, bleeding into the Prime Material plane and beyond. Another legend claims that minotaurs were first created by an alliance between The Nexus Queen and Baphomet, to patrol the magical mazes that she uses to trap her foes.

Horns and Hooves

Fashioned with the likeness of Baphomet, minotaur are a monstrous yet magnificent race, standing well over 6ft tall with a combined form of humanoid and bull. Thick hair extends down minotaurs’ necks and powerful backs, and some have long patches of hair on their chins and cheeks. Their legs end in heavy, cloven hooves, and they have long, tufted tails. Minotaur horns range in size from about 1 foot long to easily three times that length. They often carve their horns to sharpen their edges, etch symbols of power into them, or sheathe them in metal to prevent them from shattering during battle.

Chained Guardians

50,000 years have passed since the first minotaurs appeared on Aolara. For much of that time, they have been seen as a lost race, feeling unwanted and purposeless. They were hunted for their abnormality, hired for their brutality, and shunned for their origins. For a long time, minotaur tried to stick with one another for safety and consistency, but history and its people tore them apart, burning their bridges and spreading them across the levels of reality, to become an isolated and solitary race of beings. Some of these lone and rare creatures took to the guardianship of ancient temples and places of worship to Baphomet himself in hopes of finding kinship.

Changes through Time

As the eras progressed, so did the beliefs and learnings of each generation of minotaur, many leaving behind their faith in Baphomet to follow new paths and people. Their intelligence and capability for empathy grew, learning to supress and control the primal bestial instinct cursed upon them by their abyssal creator. One such minotaur by the name of Carcuss Duun took it upon himself to unfasten the chains that had held his people for many a millennia, showing many a better and simpler path. He formed and led countless colonies of minotaur, aiming to find and construct safe, secure havens away from the rest of world's curious eyes. Places where minotaur no longer answered to any master.

The Modern Minotaur

In the present day, meeting a minotaur is rarer than ever. Many still act as monstrous servants to the Prince of Beasts. But some stand in the light, as warriors, protectors, and allies trying to get by best they can with other races. There are even small colonies out there scattered across excluded islands in peace, and rumours of a great minotaur civilisation that lies hidden somewhere on Aolara.

“Are we Beasts of burden? I say nay. No longer shall we bend the knee to those who exploit us. We are free thinking beings, capable of taking our lives into our own hands. The Prince of Beasts can and will no longer suppress our kind. He will be our lord no more.” - Carcuss Duun

Minotaur Traits

Ability Score Increase

When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. You can't raise any of your scores above 20.

Size

You are Medium.

Speed

Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Horns

You have horns that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier piercing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Goring Rush

Immediately after you take the Dash action on your turn and move at least 20 feet, you can make one melee attack with your Horns as a bonus action.

Hammering Horns

Immediately after you hit a creature with a melee attack as part of the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action to attempt to push that target with your horns. The target must be within 5 feet of you and no more than one size larger than you. Unless it succeeds on a Strength saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier, you push it up to 10 feet away from you.

Labyrinthine Recall

You always know which direction is north, and you have advantage on any Wisdom (Survival) check you make to navigate or track.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for the character.

Minotaur

Type - Humanoid
Size - Medium
Alignment - N/A
Preferred Terrain - N/A
Abilities - Hammering Horns, Labyrinthine Recall

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