Maze Walker

Maze Walker (a.k.a. Progenitor)

The Eladrin have ancient tales, legends of The Before that tell of how, when the gods first made Kohtalo, they left behind great magics for their offspring. Well, nothing is idiot proof. Following a great Cataclysm, it was decided by The Warden that some things were to dangerous to be allowed in the hands of any mortal. The Forgotten Gods charged Gazaath, Lord of the Lost, God of Twisting Paths with the protections of these great artifacts and magics. Gazaath created great labyrinths, as well as the original minotaurs to guard them. Maze Walker started life as one such minotaur.

Physical Description

Specialized Equipment

• Shackles of Immortality - Placed on Maze Walker by Gaazath, Maze Walker cannot age as a result of these, and slowly heals from most wounds, although he has also never received a wound that could be called “mortal”

• Crematorium - This axe was made using the skull of a red dragon as a setting for the blades. When it hits living things they are engulfed, as if in the breath of a red dragon.
  

• Lantern - This elven made axe has a crystal axe head with a sapphire mounted in the center, and a black stone haft. The axe head appears to contain a flickering crimson fire that occasionally leaks out as a azure faerie fire. This annoys many elves that Maze Walker meets as they constantly remind him that he “can make it stop if he doesn’t need the light.”
  

• “My third axe is dangerous, I carry it that its power cannot abuse others.”

• Ring of Water Breathing

• Ring of Invisibility (rumored) The other explanation is that he is just that good at hiding, or maybe that his clothes (or hat) bear the enchantment. Regardless, for weighing almost half a ton and being close to 10 feet tall, he moves with a surprising amount of stealth when he wants too.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

After learning skills that would be the envy of any thief, Maze Walker set out to the world at large in the year 951. Upon learning that there were others of his kind in what he now viewed as bondage, he made it his mission to free his people, joining in everything from religious pilgrimages to adventuring parties in order to gain access to mythical labyrinths. After the third Minotaur was freed from its labyrinth, Maze Walker was visited by Gazaath, who told him that for abandoning his duty, and coercing others to due the same Maze Walker would be cursed to never age, that he might see the consequences that his actions would bring. Maze Walker told Gazaath that it did not matter, his people’s freedom was worth any price.
After freeing almost 50 of his people, Maze Walker noticed that all minotaurs were male, and the first few he had freed were starting to age. Fearing that he was setting his people free only to watch them die a slow death, he began petitioning any scholars, priests, and druids he could find for a solution, by knowledge or by magic. He pursued this knowledge in conjunction with his continued quest to free his people.
It was in the year 1076 that he encountered the Kenku druid Intet. After hearing his plight, Intet told Maze Walker that it was his belief that there were no female minotaurs because the gods had made none, and that in order for his race to survive Maze walker would need to bring his plight to the gods themselves. The only known way to ask the gods for such a boon was to climb to the top of the Tower of the Forgotten Ascendant, or so the rumors told, as none had ever returned, although the boons some had said they would ask for had come to pass.
In 1079 during the Midsummer celebration in Sunrunk, the settlement that had taken in many of the minotaurs that Maze walker had freed, the first ever Minotaur females were seen, a group of nearly 60, one for each minotaur male that Maze Walker had freed.
Maze Walker does not speak of what transpired in the Tower, but at the time he was the only person ever to come back from it. When asked he will only reply “I did what was necessary to ensure the survival of my people.”
Maze Walker continues to seek out labyrinths to this day, having vowed that none of his people shall remain in the bondage of the gods.

Education

Whether by design or by accident, after 343 years of guarding a labyrinth that no one ever entered, Maze Walker was inflicted by the most insidious of diseases, boredom and curiosity. After memorizing the layout of the labyrinth he was in, he started to learn its inner workings. First was how to disarm, re-arm and avoid all the traps. Then, how to unlock and lock every hidden door and chest. After exhausting what his own labyrinth could teach him (over the course of 600-ish years), he left the labyrinth and was taken in by the elves that had settled in the forest around the labyrinth's entrance, who taught him to speak and get along in "civilized society."
Since then he has picked up several languages and a number of hobbies over the years.

Employment

As one of the Wandering Immortals, Maze Walker is technically employed by the gods to respond to any threats that may lead to Armageddon. He has been known to hire out his services to adventurers and explorers.

Accomplishments & Achievements

I wouldn't say I'm proud of it, but Relsk... yes that Relsk... Anyway, we were talking about various ways one can deal with a poison dart trap, which led to talking about poisons. Be around long enough and you learn that there are poisons, and other substances, that are more entertaining than dangerous. So we got to talking about Feywillow Sap, or "faerie gold" and Relsk goes "I swapped out a noble's entire coin pouch, and his signet ring, for Feywillow copies once. So he goes out gambling that night, and slaps his coins on the table, breaking the outer shell and getting that hand stuck to the table. So he goes on to yell and flail, and a waiter protects himself with his tray, which the signet ring cracked on. Guards came the next morning to get him unstuck..."
At this point, I admit, I stopped paying attention to the story, and started counting seconds to see how long it would take for Relsk to notice that I had swapped one of his daggers for a rather nice ladle (possibly made of Feywillow sap). It took him until the end of his next story a good 20 minutes later. I gave him the dagger back once he noticed. Well, you would also notice the slight cracking sound of a feywillow item if you sat on one. I got a laugh out of it, but if you do see him, let him know I would really like my boots back. See, when the demi-god of thieves steals your boots its not really a matter of getting a new pair, he STEALS your BOOTS, like forever. Until I find them or he gives them back I can't wear boots. I've spent the better part of 1000 years trying. I can put them on, but the second I take my eyes off them, *poof*. Its annoying. Whats more annoying is he occasionally slips one to Oak to chew on...

• Considered by many to be the founder, or Progenitor, of the Minotaur race, an honorific that many minotaurs still call him to this day.

• Climbed the Tower of the Forgotten Ascendant, becoming the first of a group now known as the Wandering Immortals.

• Brokered peace between the city of Dawnsnake and the dragon Aighurydynth. In the year 2465. The deal has held to this day. Aighurydynth will only say that Maze Walker “more than earned his eyes” on that day.

• Part of the group that destroyed the orc lich Dorgarag in the Annussi Necropolis.

• Earned the favor of the Winter Seidhe court for "the return of undisclosed stolen goods."

Failures & Embarrassments

• The Annussi Necropolis, which is built in his original labyrinth, is where the bodies of tens of thousands of elves and humans who died in The Plague of Scalding Dread are interred. The plague is believed to have originated in Maze Walker’s labyrinth and raged across the continent for almost 4 years, starting in 1349 just after the Festival of Bountiful Harvest.

• Indirectly responsible for the releasing of The Shadow of the Summer Queen from Cysgodol

• Directly responsible for the escape of the Babbling Library into the world.  "At the time I thought 'how could more knowledge be a bad thing?' I see now that knowledge is one of those natural forces, like rain or fire, some is needed, but too much in the wrong places can lead to catastrophe."

• Started the War of Sorrows in the year 2133 when he killed King Raimundus upon learning that he kept a harem of pleasure slaves for use by himself and those he favored.

Mental Trauma

"It wasn't supposed to be like this" said Maze Walker. "We came here to save them."
"We can't win them all friend, but had we not stopped Akehjeva here this evil would have only spread," replied Bet. His head was mostly withdrawn into his shell, with his hood up only the tip of his beak was visible. Bet whispered "how long has it been now?"
"Seven hundred thirteen years... people still think they can find the axe here, you know. Fools." The last part was bitterly spat out. "The dwarfs keep most of them out, but still, the death toll passed 34,000 this year," Maze walker continued as he looked out over the ruined city, " but there will always be those whose curiosity and skill exceeds their wisdom."
"You could get rid of it, you know, the axe. It should not be your burden to bear."
"The worst part is it killed the children last. Like we needed more proof of the cruelty of gods. No child should feel so abandoned, crying alone not knowing why no one comes to comfort it. I keep the axe not because it is a burden, but as a reminder."
"Come, friend," spoke Bet, "You have lived this memory long enough. There is still work to do in the world at large. Other children need saving."
Shaking his head, Maze Walker stood up. "You know me well Bet," he said, patting his longtime friend on the shell. "But who brought you here to interrupt my trip down memory lane, timely though your intervention may have been."
"Your dam fox has been stealing food from me for the better part of 3 months,"  chuckled Bet. "Don't ask me how he finds me. I was half a world away rather enjoying my stay with the Half-pints. They have this new mead..."
As the two friends started to amble off into the forest, discussing what had changed in the world recently, a red fox poked its head out of a nearby bush. It glared at the iridescent black axe on the Minotaur's back and let out a low growl, as if warning the Intelligence inside to leave its friend alone. Then the fox gave a little shimmy, as if shaking off water, and bounded after Maze Walker and Bet. It wove between their legs until the minotaur picked it up, scratching behind its ears and offering it a piece of dried meat. As it curled up for a nap on Maze Walker's shoulders it let out a contented sigh. All was once again right in its world.

Morality & Philosophy

• Children are a gift and should be cherished
• Knowledge hoarded serves none but the oppressors.
• Slavery is a corrupt institution and needs to be stomped out wherever it rears its head.
• It is called a second chance, the saying is "lightning rarely strikes twice." Never is a third time mentioned.

Taboos

Harming Children, whether by action or inaction.

Social

Religious Views

"The Gods use mortals as playthings, I'm done dancing to any tune but my own."

Hobbies & Pets

Pet fox named Oak. It might be magical

Speech

Deep voice. Speaks most trade languages fluently, if in an older dialect.

Species

Minotaur

Date of Birth

"Awakened" in the year 343GR

Year of Birth

343 AF 4608 Years old

Circumstances of Birth

One of the original labyrinthine minotaurs created by the Gazaath, God of Twisting Paths

Birthplace

Annussi

Gender

Male

Eyes

Draconic Blue

Hair

Brown

Height

9'9"

Weight

863 lbs

Quotes & Catchphrases

"It is best to let sleeping dragons lie, but if you have to wake one up, I have found that a slow roasted boar or 2 goes a long way."
"Don't worry little one, I can assure you that there are no monsters under your bed. It is crowded enough with just me down there."

Aligned Organization

Wandering Immortals

Known Languages

Common Undercommon Sylvan Draconic Abyssal Dwarvish Elvish Primordial