Greater Minotaur
Hailing from the island archipelago southwest of the Republic of Arcadia, Greater Minotaur are the civilised, intelligent branch of minotaur kind — distinct from the brutish “Lesser Minotaur” by their superior intellect and civic organisation. They have built a Theocracy called Minotauros that venerates the Demon Lord Baphomet, the Horned King.
Minotaur embody the tension between civilisation and savagery, discipline and madness. They stand in two worlds, tugged toward violence but bound by conscience. The greatest of them seek the balance between the monstrous and the refined. The weakest succumb to Baphomet’s thrall.
Racial Traits
Size: Medium | Speed: 30 ft Age: Adulthood in late teens; live about 150 years Darkvision: 60 ft Languages: Abyssal and Arcadian. Additional: Sikassan, Al’ Malik, Giant, Gnoll.
Racial Abilities
Horns: You are never unarmed. Horns deal 1d6 piercing + Str modifier; you are proficient with them.
Hammering Horns: Immediately after hitting a creature with a melee attack as part of the Attack action, you can use a bonus action to shove with your horns. Target must be no more than one size larger than you and within 5 ft. DC = 8 + prof + Str modifier; on failure, pushed up to 10 ft away.
Goring Rush: Immediately after taking the Dash action and moving at least 20 ft, you can use a bonus action to make one melee attack with your horns.
Powerful Build: You count as one size larger for carrying capacity and weight you can push/drag/lift.
Imposing Presence: Proficiency in Intimidation or Persuasion (your choice).
Appearance
A minotaur combines human and bull features: the build of a hulking humanoid with cloven hooves, a bovine tail, and a bull’s head. Fur covers the upper body — coarse and thick on the head and neck (males have longer facial hair, often braided elaborately), thinning toward the shoulders, becoming human-like over the arms and upper torso. Thick and shaggy again from the waist down, with tufts at the tail and around the powerful hooves.
Fur & Skin Colour: Albino white to coal black; common range is red or brown, often with spotting patterns. Eyes usually black, brown, or red; rarely green or orange.
Horns: A point of deep pride. The sharpness, size, and colour of horns signal an individual’s place in minotaur society.
Labyrinthine Patterns: Important to minotaur culture — appear on clothing, armour, weapons, and sometimes on hides. Each pattern is clan-specific, growing more complex with deeds and history across generations.
| Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 74” + 2d10 | + Con Mod | 1.7(Hgt) + 10d20 | + 10(Str Mod) |
| Female | 64” + 2d10 | + Con Mod | 1.5(Hgt) + 10d20 | + 10(Str Mod) |
Society & The Theocracy of Minotauros
Minotauros is ruled by a democratically elected Senate — but all laws and candidates must be approved by the Council of Baphomet, composed of priests and zealots who have risen through the ranks, ruled by a High Priest. It is a theocracy in all practical senses.
All minotaur society must contend with the shadow of Baphomet — the pull toward madness and violence. Social structures, clan honour, and the labyrinthine patterns on their bodies all serve as anchors against the abyss.
Alignment: Tend toward neutral. Driven by self-serving tendencies. Often evil, but those who resist gravitate toward neutral or even (rarely) good.
See also: Species Index | Deity Index | ChapterTwo_RacesOfAmantia_09March2024.pdf