Minotaurs
An account of the great, winter warrior race of Northern Golthien...
MINOTAURS
There are two major colonies of minotaurs in the known world. They include the "Winter Folk" of the Zero Lands in northern Golthien, and the "Summer Folk" of the eastern coast of the same continent. Both are detailed below...
THE WINTER FOLK
The "Winter Folk" of the Zero Lands in Golthien are a particularly tough breed of minotaur. Their coats tend to be thicker than those of their southern brothers, and they also are typically less aggressive. In their own legends, they are the first men of Golthien; a natural race not born of magic. However, this is contested by luminaries as influential as The Custodians, who claim the northern minotaurs are magical hybrids, created in the same manner as all others of their species.
It is quite possible that they were one of the initial "servitor" races of the gods, created and released into the world along with dragons and giants. If this is so, then the "Wintaurs" (as they sometimes call themselves) have either forgotten or willfully falsified their origin story. At any rate, they are a noble and proud race, who have held their savage territories for longer than recorded history.
When the Sanguine Order of blood mages took over Lentokk and became the "new" Lentokki, the Wintaurs prepared for war. As city after city fell to their defiling magical might, the minotaurs held their ground. Also unlike their brothers, the Wintaurs possess a quite high degree of patience.
When the city-state of Glointhal was initially threatened by a Lentokki incursion, the Wintaurs took no time in deciding to assist the besieged nation. Their help was as unexpected as it was welcome, and they were granted space for a garrison within the walls of the city. From here, they were instrumental in turning back the Lentokki invaders, time and again. In fact, the garrison is now a permanent fixture at Glointhal, and the Wintaurs consider their humanoid allies to be brothers in arms.
They are an extremely loyal race, slow to anger, but once enraged it is difficult to turn back the tide of their fury.
Physically, they stand at a height average to other minotaurs, roughly between 7-8 feet tall. Outside of their thicker coats and horns that sometimes curl in bizarre patterns, they are relatively common representatives of their race.
THE SUMMER FOLK
From their capitol city of Theiros, the southern minotaurs of Golthien rule the eastern shores at the "end of the world." Theiros is a city primarily composed of minotaurs, however it allows visitors of all types. Within its ancient walls, a senate of "Gold Horns" governs the roughly 10,000 minotaur citizens. Theiros is primarily known for two things: sailors and gladiators. Both these professions represent the pinnacle of society achievable for Theirosians of non-royal blood.
The minotaurs of Theiros are similar in most respects to their northern brothers, with the primary exception being the thickness of their coats. They tend to be more brutal (or "pragmatic") in their outlook on life, however, as much of their city's "industry" involves fights to the death in the gladiatorial arena.
Minotaurs from Theiros tend to have either gladiator or sailor backgrounds.
RACIAL FEATURES
Honor
Minotaurs are bound by a powerful sense of honor. Each victory brings greater honor to both individual minotaurs and their families. Defeat invokes a stain that only death can fully wash away.
Honor demands that minotaurs keep their word once it is offered, and each minotaur remains faithful to friends and clan above all else. Minotaurs rarely befriend folk of other races, as they all too often encounter them only in battle. If a minotaur does strike up a friendship, it is typically with other creatures that display the minotaurs’ virtues and love of battle. To such friends, a minotaur becomes an ally whose support will never waver.
Minotaur Traits
Your minotaur character possesses a number of traits that reflect the power and superiority of your kind.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Conqueror’s Virtue. From a young age, you focused on one of the three virtues of strength, cunning, or intellect. Your choice of your Strength, Intelligence, or Wisdom score increases by 1.
Age. Minotaurs enter adulthood at around the age of 17 and can live up to 150 years.
Alignment. Minotaurs believe in a strict code of honor, and thus tend toward law. They are loyal to the death and make implacable enemies, even as their brutal culture and disdain for weakness push them toward evil.
Size. Minotaurs typically stand well over 6 feet tall and weigh an average of 300 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Horns. You are never unarmed. You are proficient with your horns, which are a melee weapon that deals 1d10 piercing damage. Your horns grant you advantage on all checks made to shove a creature, but not to avoid being shoved yourself.
Goring Rush. When you use the Dash action during your turn, you can make a melee attack with your horns as a bonus action.
Hammering Horns. When you use the Attack action during your turn to make a melee attack, you can attempt to shove a creature with your horns as a bonus action. You cannot use this shove attempt to knock a creature prone.
Labyrinthine Recall. You can perfectly recall any path you have traveled.
* Sea Reaver. You gain proficiency with navigator’s tools and vehicles (water). *coastal (Theiros) minotaurs only*
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The minotaurs of Gothenya are physically similar to those depicted in the 5e Monster Manual.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Omnivores.
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