The minotaurs of
Adressia are strong in body, dedication, and courage. They are at home on the battlefield, willing to back their cause with action. They combine a burning fury in battle with keen tactics that make them excellent commanders as well as valuable shock troops. Off the battlefield, they're a community driven species that revels in a good legend and a warm fire.
Horn and Hoof
Minotaurs are barrel-chested bovines who stand over 7 feet tall. Their horns vary in size, shape, and angle: from around a foot long and straight-pointed, to great curling weapons easily three times that length. They often ornament their horns with metal rings, carve symbols of power into them, or sheathe them in metal to protect them from damage. Manes of shaggy fur extend down minotaurs’ necks and powerful backs before becoming short and fuzzy, and males have long tufts of hair on their chins and cheeks that they often style and trim. Their legs end in heavy, cloven hooves that allowed their ancestors to cover great distances, as well as deliver powerful kicks to foes.
Bovine Battlers and Bards
Minotaur culture contains a strong oral tradition - song, poetic sagas, myths and legends, campfire stories, and old cow's tales all play an important role. Young minotaurs are taught lessons and learn to emulate (or do the opposite of) the actions of folkloric ancestor figures, whose adventures nearly any minotaur can recite by heart. These tales typically include a great battle to be won or mighty villain that the hero must vanquish. Minotaur commanders will often reference these stories when speaking to their troops, equating the battle they're about to face with one a great hero won in the past. There's a strong musical tradition as well, and many minotaur children learn to play the drum, flute, or lyre while they're in schooling.
Herd and Home
Family bonds among minotaur are some of the strongest in all the World. When there's danger, nearly any minotaur will fight and die for those they care about. This especially applies to parents, who take the protection of their children to a fearsome extreme. In the community, all members of a herd work to provide for the whole - taking turns watching the children, caring for the elderly, cooking, laundering clothes, repairing equipment, and maintaining campsites. The axiom goes: the herd is only as strong as its smallest calf.
You can use the minotaur personality table to choose a character trait and it's related legendary minotaur figure, or to inspire a new one for your character.
| d6 | Table |
|---|
| 1 |
I try to emulate the perseverance of Astherion, the imprisoned hero. |
| 2 |
I study to be as wise as Hapis, the great magician. |
| 3 |
I strive to be as insightful as Marduk, the great city builder. |
| 4 |
I wish to be as brave as the storm rider, Teshub. |
| 5 |
I train myself to become as strong as the warrior, Kao. |
| 6 |
I aspire to be as protective of my own as Nandi, the guardian. |
Minotaur Names
The legends that recount the deeds of ancient minotaur heroes are full of other names as well: those of the retainers, allies, lovers, servants, enemies, and others who played roles, however small, in the lives of the heroes. Almost every minotaur name is drawn from that long list of minor characters of legend, so that those folk are never forgotten.
Female Names: Bolsa, Irnaya, Jaska, Thakyath, Yelsha.
Male Names: Alovnesh, Dornij, Kalazmir, Nirikov, Vraslab.
Minotaur Traits
Your minotaur character has the following species traits:
Ability Score Increase
Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.
Age
Minotaur reach maturity around 15 years of age, and can live well into their early 100's.
Alignment
Minotaurs lean towards neutral alignments.
Size
Your size is medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Horns
Your horns are natural melee weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Goring Rush
Immediately after you use 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 shove that target with your horns. The target must be no more than one size larger than you and within 5 feet of 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.
Strength of the Herd
You gain advantage on all saving throws if you're within 10ft of an ally who isn't incapacitated.
Labyrinthine Recall
You always know which direction is north, and you have advantage on any Wisdom (Survival) check you make to navigate or track.
Language:
You speak Common and Bovish.
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