Legends of Belariath

Minotaurs

Both in form and culture the Minotaur are not unlike the races of elves and men, though their sheer scale and idolatrous bovine features have often assigned them in history the label of monsters. They grow to an immense height of ten to thirteen feet, the presence of long and curving horns oft adding to their stature. There is no division between the sexes among them, though social hierarchy is of great import; most Minotaur bearing a ring through their nose which tells the tale of their standing through its material and craft. A golden ring is a sign of royalty or high nobility for example, whereas silver rings demonstrate those of wealthier families and members of the merchant class. A simple steel ring through the nose shows that the Minotaur in question is a commoner or possibly a slave.

Minotaur are treated with understandable deference among the other races who not long ago quite actively avoided them, wars of the distant past having never ended well for those who challenged their kind. That has changed of late, and as the Ilfirian Empire begins to infect their culture through the force of trade, tensions mount among them as to what should be done.

Character Creation

Starter Classes: Warrior, Shaman, Druid, Bard, Entertainer, Laymen, Artisan, Mage, Healer, Knight, Cleric

Advanced Classes: Warlord, Earth Mage, Fire Mage, Water Mage, Necromancer, Warrior Mage, Hierophant, Priest/Priestess

Starting Stats:

STR INT AGI RES STA SPL LFE
Basic Stats 6 1 1 2 8 2 8

Minotaur Advantages:

Strength of a Bull:
Minotaurs are, almost without exception, very large and very strong. A blow from a minotaur can knock even the strongest warrior back a few paces. And a minotaur swinging an ax, or indeed any sort of weapon, is a terrifying sight to behold. Mechanically speaking, this strength amounts to a +1 damage to all successful !clophyatks rolled by the minotaur.

Unrelenting:
Minotaurs posses a stamina and endurance that matches their physical prowess. A minotaur can run for miles without rest and be barely winded, can endure all but the most extreme temperatures without ill effect and can suffer grievous injury and yet keep on moving. It is lucky for the other races that minotaur are not as plentiful or as procreative as humans are or they would likely be the most powerful force in the world.

Minotaur Disadvantages

Large Silhouette:
A Minotaur's strength comes in part from its bulk and size. Minotaurs are very easily noticed amongst a crowd and in a combat situation presenting such a large target to your opponent yields little reward. Minotaurs suffer a -2 to their defense against all forms of ranged attacks.

Bullheaded:
Despite their size, Minotaurs are not the type to usually rush into battle with a hot-headed temper, instead they are surprisingly stalwart and practical when it comes to disputes. However, once they have gotten their horns into something, its almost impossible to pull them off the path they've set themselves on; whether that is an opinion, a grudge or a manner of thinking. Equally impressive is the fact that, while slow to anger, once a Minotaur has been riled and made to boil over, very little with the exception of victory will bring them back down to earth.

Appearance

Minotaur as a race are very human in their body structure, but set apart by their bovine heads. Their facial features reflect the magic of their creation, carrying distinct bovine traits. Full grown, it is common to see them reach the immense height of 10-13 feet, and oft times the presence of curving horns, will only add to their already massive stature.

Some are covered with a short fur completely, while others seem near devoid of it, other then upon the face, the skin appearing fur-less once shoulders are reached. This fur seems to only appear in the colors that naturally occur within cattle. It should also be noted, that while they may have tail, swishing behind them, their haunches and legs are the most human in structure. Most interesting, are those who come across the feet of a Minotaur, feet that are like any other two footed race complete with toes, but about them from ankles to heel a strange surface, not fur, and not skin, but hardened ridges of flesh, that seem to only remind one of hooves.

Society and Taboos

In culture and entertainment Minotaur are much the same as humans, reveling particularly in mass social gatherings around grand spectacles of martial might or artistic prowess. It was through great games that the four kingdoms first began talks with the Ilfirian Empire, spectacular tournaments that broke the ice for long years of seemingly good relations. Most all Minotaur love a good fight, but their kingdoms would never have held themselves together for as long as they have if they didn't also understand good fights could go bad quickly, and so their culture is largely built around turning their primal penchant to violence into a positive element in their society, a constant source of sport and merriment, not a Tavern in the kingdoms without a fighting cage.

Class is also at the core of their culture, and cemented in their ethos by the age old tradition of their nose-rings. The meanings of each ring vary from Kingdom to Kingdom, but always came down to the same core principle: the more precious the metal, the greater your worth in all facets of life. To not wear ones ring is a harshly punishable crime, rarely forgiven even it had been forcibly removed, doing so also a grave offense. To wear a ring of craft and quality above your standing is punishable by death. Its not unheard of for wandering Minotaur to dismiss the caste system of home and wear what they well please, but that opens them to great peril from their own kind.

Combat Modifiers

Disabilities and Their Mechanics
Type: Attack Defense Init
CloPhy RanPhy CloMag RanMag CloPhy RanPhy CloMag RanMag
Sight -30% -100% -30% -100% -30% -30% -30% -30% -50%
Hearing N/A N/A N/A N/A -25% -25% -25% -25% -25%
Speech N/A N/A -100% -100% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Hands/Arms*** -25% -25% -50% -50% -25% -25% -25% -25% -20%
Legs/Feet*** -25% -10% -25% -N/A -25% -20% -25% -25% -25%
* Attack/Defense Enchantments are not effected, penalties apply to base stats.
* Those temporarily blinded in one eye will receive half penalties for blindness to all attacks.
** All penalties are cumulative.
*** Penalties are cumulative per limb.