Minotaur Legions | dlsaga.com

Minotaurs dominance grew exponentially since the cataclysm on both Taladas and Ansalon. In the Age of Mortals, Ansalon is finally feeling the true military might of the Minotaur Legion. Buy Races of Ansalon: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/27946/Races-of-Ansalon-35?affiliate_id=50797

Transcript

Cold Open

They may have come from a history of slavery, but today they are poised to rule both Taladas and Ansalon.

Intro

Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about Minotaurs. This is the second in a multi episode series about the history, empires and legacy of Minotaurs. I am referencing DLR2 Taladas: The Minotaurs game accessory and Races of Krynn Sourcebook for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below.

Discussion

There is no other enclave of Minotaurs that comes close to the organization and power of the League of Minotaurs on Taladas. Though they number fewer than fifteen percent of the overall league’s population, they are the ones in absolute control. They exert their authority through political and military means, and coexist respectfully if not peacefully with other races. This is an incredibly rare situation on Krynn. By way of an example, the League has a long standing truce with the Armach elves. Nothing like this can be seen anywhere on Ansalon. Their culture is one of collectivism, rather than individualism. This is necessary to ensure the continued rule and safety of the Minotaurs, remember their history of repeated enslavement? Their society is broken into classes, with the Emperor at the top, followed by the Horned Houses, then the -iskis, or non minotaurs who have exhibited such honor as to be recognized. Following them are the Loyal Families. These are the original supporters of the Minotaurs when they returned from Ansalon after the Cataclysm and formed the League. Then we have common citizens, those who work for themselves. Free citizens, those who work for others, and finally slaves. It is important to note that slaves in the League often life better lifes than free citizens, and minotaurs are never slaves.

The might of the League of Minotaurs in Taladas has reigned for hundreds of years. When one speaks of the Minotaur League, however, one normally means the Five Great Cities that form the heart of the Empire. These are Kristophan, Trilloman (both in New Styrllia), Vinlans (in Highvale), and Morgad and Thera (both in Eragala). All have original character and are part of an even wider array of provinces all around Southern Hosk.

Back on Ansalon the Minotaur Legions have evolved over millennia. With varying setbacks and pitfalls, the legion is realizing its true might in the Age of Mortals. This is encapsulated in their sweeping victory over the elves of Silvanesti and the founding of Ambeon on the southern mainland. It is the Imperium which is fed by one-third of all of the minotaur houses that has grown to its impressive size under Emperor Hotak. Emperor Faros continues the threat to Ansalon by importing resources from the eastern islands and exporting the forest’s supplies through the port city of Sargonath. They are eyeing Kern as their next target. The Imperiums realm of control is truly vast, spanning Ambeon in the west to the island colonies in the east. Everything is based out of the twin isles of Mithas and Kohas. Nethosak is the capital of the empire. The capital of Kothas is Morthosak. There are many other islands where the imperium draws its resources from and settlements on the mainland. To say that the Imperium has a strategic chokehold on Eastern Ansalon is an understatement. They are not as welcoming or accepting as their Taldas cousins, but can you really blame them?

These two forces, the League of Minotaurs on Taladas and the Minotaur Legion in the Imperium on Ansalon are both immensely influential to life on their respective continents and have allowed minotaurs to finally live in pride and honor after millenia of struggling. They are not however the totality of the minotaurs on Krynn, many who may operate from time to time with the two forces, but are in fact separate from both. The Kazelati for example weren’t known of until the Chaos War. They were founded by Kazinganthi de-Orlig. Their realm exists on the Holakan Islands, where their capital city Ganthysos rests on Sesta Kyri. Their society is led by a Patriarch, and below him is the Council of Twelve. Next are the fifty Sentinels who govern the various districts. They do not worship Sargonnas like the other Blood Sea minotaurs, but rather Kiri-Jolith and Paladine, in honor of their founder Kaz and his friend Huma. They employ shielding spheres to hide their islands. They have been known to side with some Blood Sea minotaurs during the Chaos War and again during the Minotaur Wars.

The Thoradorian Minotaurs dewl in the Thorad-Duur, an inhospitable region on the southwestern coast of Mithas. They were outcast before the Cataclysm and have adopted more primitive and bestial appearances. They are broken into two casts down gender lines, with the men being warriors and the women as Kagas or spiritual leaders. They feature five distinct tribes and have yet to exact revenge on their Blood Sea cousins for their outcast. Back in Taladas, there are many scattered minotaur groups. Northern Hosk features five separate tribes which consist of mutinied sailors. They avoid their homeland to escape punishment and life free lives away from the fleet. The five minotaur tribes include the Gleaming Horns, the Blackened Blades, the Mountain Cattle, the Dirge, and the Smoking Vengeance. These tribes don’t work together, but are vaguely aware of each other. Up in the icy reaches of the Panak desert is a lost outpost of the Legion. Forgotten to time, they await orders to return home. The brutal environment has shaped them over their century of duty. They are commanded by Major Zinaf Chelonian who rules with an iron fist. She is trapped with the desire to send word to the legion but dares not lose any of her staff or soldiers in the brutal trek. They may as well be stationed on one of the three moons of Krynn.

Deep in the tropical forests of Neron is a small enclave of Minotaurs who shun all outsiders, living in secret. Their lineage dates back to the first exodus from Taladas.This group is fearful of all outsiders, and nearly incapable of sustaining themselves. They have deteriorated and are ruled by women who were forced to pick up the slack from their men. They are fiercely protective and will ambush any who enter their territory. The Rainward Isles features a colony of stranded minotaurs who were set upon by the undead. They were forced, with the other people of the isles, to work together for mutual protection against the undead hordes. They are led by the captain Akesthra Evenkeel who demands strict obedience from her sailors and any who live with them.

Finally Old Aurim was seen as a testing ground of one’s mettle from its minotaur explorers. Over four hundred settlers moved into the ancient empire’s ruins and the wastelands surrounding it. They swore to come to each other’s aid when needed. They witnessed the Dark Queen’s failed Traag experiments and the coming of the hobgoblins. They were decimated by the natural environments and the creatures that dwelled within, but through fearless resilience they overcame the odds and are now more than a thousand strong, arguably the most proud and honorable of all minotaurs on Krynn, forged in the fire of survival.

We have seen minotaurs struggle to survive in a world where they were not wanted. Shunned, enslaved, tortured and beated, yet they did not stand down. They bided their time, grew strong through their focus on honor and strength and are now poised to dominate both major continents and the seas surrounding them on Krynn.

Outro

And that is all the time I have to talk about the Legions of Minotaurs. I hope you enjoyed the information. Do you use the Minotaur military in your campaign? Is there some cosmic justice in their rise from slave to slaver? And finally, do you think Silvanesti will ever be taken back by the elves? Leave a comment below.

I would like to take a moment and remind you to subscribe to this YouTube channel, ring the bell to get notified about upcoming videos and click the like button. This all goes to help other Dragonlance fans learn about this channel and its content. Thank you for watching, this has been Adam with DragonLance Saga and until next time, remember:

Honor is not something to be spent or used, but to be kept. The key to honor is to keep it, always, and pass it on as a heritage to one’s son.