THE MINOTAURS
Courtesy CD Mjollnir

Unlike most of the other races of the Known World, the minotaurs have no creation story. It is not known how they came into being; whether they were created by Faeterna, the Tree of Life, or whether they just...well, were.

The Minotaurs as a race do not have a home within the lands of Telgard; even the Delfae have their home under Korgarr in the Dwarven Kingdom, but Minotaurs are migrants, and none can say from whence they came. A traveller might occasionally find a minotaur settlement, usually within Lirynn or Korresh because of the amiable climate; some can be found in the Ahrin Straights or in another of the numerous islands in the Telgard Sea.

Still, there are numerous minotaur tales, and they have managed to retain a great deal of thier ancestral culture, whereever it may come from. One of the greatest stories they tell is how they came to be as they are today.

It seems that a long time ago, the Minotaurs were a race not unlike the elves for their love of art, music, and scholarly pursuits. Where the elves tended towards the magical arts, though, the minotaurs tended towards the arts of war, immortalizing battle in their haunting songs even as they clashed with other races and with themselves.

A great cataclysm struck their homeland, however, and none can remember what it was. But the result is that minotaurs had to leave, migrating wherever they might find a home and living as they might. Contrary to popular believe, minotaurs are not cannibals and are actually vegetarians; this legend grew from the fact that in battle, they often painted their faces with the blood of their enemies to absorb their tactics and their passion.

Since then, minotaurs have been wandering creatures, pacing the lands of Telgard as though searching for another place to rest their weary hooves. Eventually, they ceased their battle-hungry ways out of necessity; they were in other peoples' lands, and those other people were much more numerous than they. So they turned to their other love, the love of music and art.

Minotaur art is said to be inspired by the Lady's song, She who plays under Faeterna. In this, they share another kinship with the elves, and they can only thank a legendary character they know as Khraag who, knowing that they could not live solely off of war, begged the Gods for something else they could love.

The Gods then gifted the Minotaurs with beautiful voices. Any who have heard the voice of one of the bull-people have noticed the dual tone to their voices. They are a chorus unto themselves, and can produce multiple tones out of their thick, undelicate throats. Their music has a haunting quality, and since the cataclysm, any minotaur one is likely to meet is as likely to be a bard of amateur skill or better as anything else.

Minotaurs do not forget their history, and any minotaur is fearsome in battle. Some sell themselves as mercenaries, even. But it is their songs for which they are now reknowned, and anyone who has heard them will agree. It awes even myself.

-- By the hand of El'ian Bjor'dian, Bard.