Ivogorot, the Labyrinth Polis of the Horned Ones

The underground labyrinth city of the Minotaur of Vangolia, quelling the eventual corruption that pours out from the sealed Gate to the Abyss. The Longhorn King To-Radn Roarenmo, solemnly oversees the marshalling of his warrior brethren and the stalwart vigil he holds against the Keepers of Chains and their works to keep the seals empowered by the sacrifices of blood to hold back the Abyssal Gate and the chains of the Terror. Facing forwards to the threat of their ancient enemy, the Gnolls of Gammordah, and balancing the scales between the essential duty to protect his people and reinforcing the ancient chains that bind the greatest terror of the known world. Holding back the floodgates of the Abyss, and the very real danger present in their home, the long-sealed Tarrasque.  

Cities of Stone

Minotaur cities are made of well crafted worked and placed stones. Much akin to what one would suspect out of mountain dwarves would construct if they were between 7 and 9 feet tall. These stone houses are usually in a larger community of a city. It is very rare to find a minotaur living outside of a community. These cities are usually smaller in size to keep their secrecy. They are also usually tiered with layers carved into the sides of their hidden mountain homes. Usually, only a single staircase connects the segmented levels.   Cities always contain an odd number of tiers, with three being the lowest possible number. This is because the central tier is always dedicated to the worship of Baphomet, the patron deity of the Minotaur. All clergy and such related housing, church, ritual rooms, and such exist in the middle tier of the cities. This symbolizes the central foundations of the clergy to their society.   The lower tiers are reserved for the fighters and the upper tiers for the hunters. This is how it is sold but mostly the lower class and upper class are the distinctions, there is a physical as well as a social separation of opportunity in the city.   A big reason why Minotaur civilisation is kept a secret is the elaborate and complicated mazes they construct to get to their cities. With minotaurs natural sense of direction that rivals that of any previous creatures I've seen navigating even the most complex mazes is as simple as taking directions to the next town. They can easily stroll through a maze understanding where they are and where they've been at almost all times.   At the end of these mazes are usually 2 exits, one obvious and one not. Hidden stone doors in the least obvious exits are the final protection to the city proper. Even if this door is found posted guards usually only ever open the doors for minotaurs, which is a rare occurrence, to begin with.   The other end is the treasure room which most intelligent creatures will take from the spoils of previous maze victims. Large amounts of coins, finely crafted art, and materials, even magical weapons are stockpiled in these treasure rooms. Minotaurs are not fond of wealth and find it a useless distraction, although if it is needed for any reason any Minotaur of the community is able to venture into the maze to acquire the necessary treasure to complete their task.

SOCIETY

At the centre of their society, literally and figuratively, is the church and the arena. One could say they might as well be the same. The practise of their religion is gruesome, bloody, and even at times fatal combat. Warriors battle each other in the arena for glory to Baphomet and his entertainment.   Tournaments, challenges, and executions are treated with glee and excitement for the show to come. Those who excel at the arena are seen as heroes and idols. Some of the culture's greatest heroes are warriors who only ever fought other Minotaur.   It's not uncommon for them to look down upon the other races until they step into the arena. The only way to convince the minotaur community you are worthy to speak is to fight in the arena. Thankfully, this usually doesn't mean death.   The Grand Tournament is held in the summer months of every year and is considered the highest of ceremonies to Baphomet. 16 warriors fight to the death for the coveted grand title. This tournament is the lottery ticket to becoming part of the privileged upper class and is spent all year training for. WIth each combatant only allowed to wear a loincloth and one weapon, or pair of weapons (like a shield and spear) of their choice. They must succeed or die. Typically this consists of mostly lower class citizens but will always have at least one upper-class citizen. The Upper class, especially those who did not earn their way, do not wish to include more into the fold.   They are not a socially complicated group. There are essentially four social categories: Warriors, Clergy, Champions and Royalty. Each class lives in their own ways but there is a hierarchy of them. Of course, at the top, the royalty stands above all (the Longhorn Kings), but while the Clergy is, in theory, next, truly it is the Champions than the Clergy. The Warriors are mundane workers who fight in the arena at the bottom.   A city monarchy is the highest of the class and this only includes the Longhorn King, the Queen of the Herds, and the Ivory Prince and Princesses. This only applies to the immediate lineage of the current King and Queen. Ruled as a pair, since there is no dominant sex, the royalty makes all decrees aside from anything that defies the edicts of the religion.   The Champions are more akin to human-thinking Nobles, are the second class. They live within the higher levels and echelons of the labyrinth city and are not required to fight in the arena unless honour, challenge or grudges demands it. This is a privileged position and they are free to pursue arts or other non-essential paths if they so choose. They are in this privilege as the grand tournament winners and all of their descendant's lives are paid for.   While religion dominates most of the Minotaur culture, the clergy has in truth little power. Their only real sway is when people act outside of the established edicts of Baphomet. They can only judge the punishment of the heretic regardless of station. More bureaucratic and officials in tournaments than pillars of faith, they maintain and organise the arena. However, there are those who are true fanatics and will often fight on the behalf of the nobles only for the glory to bask in the arena. Some of the strongest warriors in Minotaur history were clergy members revelling in their faith. They do however pick the entrants for the grand tournament, unfortunately, this is more agenda based than divinely inspired.   Warriors, this class farms, hunts, cleans, cooks, prepares, and fights for most of their lives. While not living in bad conditions, they have little say in what they do as all businesses support the community for free. Jobs are not decided by talent but instead by birth. A baker is a baker's son/ daughter. Forced to attend weekly arena matches (although most would go willingly) and are elected via a divine (whatever the clergy feels) selection for matches.  

THE QUIET REVOLUTION

Younger generations, usually in the upper class, have started to stray away from religion and yearn for nature. This movement is inspired by the ancient ways of a more natural-based society before Baphomet's influence fully caught hold. The hidden story from most Minotaurs is that there were actually 2 gods of minotaurs, 1 good, 1 evil. It seems that at least in their legends, evil won. For fear of their very lives, those who do not fit in rarely have a chance to organise but it is slowly and steadily gaining traction.  

Variations

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Mountain Dwellers:

Commonly seen as mountains make for good hiding places for whole cities. Most commonly they run in with dwarves as even a few of the cities lie within the mountain itself, although much further up the mountain instead of below it. Dark browns, blacks and spotted furs are the usual colourations. The trending style is short hair with long-head hair. Mountain minotaurs prefer leather outfits but have iron or stone armour pieces for heavier battles. Their clothes usually is red or black thanks to various rocks and creatures used for dyes.  

Swamp Dwellers:

Despite living in humid and usually drab environments, their clothes are bright greens and blues thanks to the various mosses available for dyes. Their civilisation is deep in these swamps and jungles, usually in a maze all around, sometimes even magically enchanted areas of confusion making navigation even further difficult. These Minotaurs build their cities out of stone pyramids that house the tiers with each consecutive layer. Master Engineers and Masons constantly maintain their cities. They are usually light brown and grey and prefer a shorter hairstyle all around as the humidity makes grooming more difficult. They are the closest to Lizardfolk and often are in open communication with a local tribe.  

Deep Dwellers:

Living in massive cave systems or the Underdark these minotaurs are frightening. Like the drow, duergar, or other subterranean races they possess both light and infra-red sight. They are still massive but almost exclusively black-furred. Just as with any creature, albinos can occur there also seems to be a significantly increased rate of them, as much as 1% of the population. Their cities are carved out the natural stone into these wide complexes of caves. Their clothes are usually vibrant purples and oranges thanks to mushrooms and cave mosses and they prefer longer hairstyles. Males usually have long braided beards.  

Maze-Guards:

Either too old to fight, injured, or simply mentally hampered, these minotaurs are the only outward-facing Minotaurs to other civilisations. This tactic has served them well to quell their curiosity and keep them protected physically all the same. Those individuals who might divulge the secrets are not guards and are simply killed by consecutive battles in the arena. Even at disadvantage, they are able combatants and will be a challenge to many humanoids even if outnumbered. Mentally disabled ones are still trained fighters and even if they did not learn well they are still dangerous enough.  

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PERILS:

• Corruption in their lands tainted by the Abyss, historical...
• Dangers of untamed and wild animals.
• Presence in the Underdark: a bleak, dark region of the world - wilds, horrible creatures, potential aberrations.
• Flooding in their labyrinthine capital - some things that even they do not understand.
• Attacks and raids from the Feral-Tieflings barbarian clans, Gnolls and Orcs - taking them and sacrificing them to their dark gods, whereas the Orcs act territorial and come to their lands to hunt their beasts. As a means of survival.
• The sleep of the Great Terror.
• Residing in the corrupt lands of the Blightholme, corrupted by the AByss from long ago in a deep-scar, and the deadened bodies of the Mor'Goron and Verdiant's that inhabit the landscape.
• Fighting against the corrupt spirits of the lands.
• If they do not sacrifice, then they believe they will be plagued with hard winters and dry summers, and not bring the rain.
• Becoming divided and their herds spreading too far away from safety.
• Disease.
• Evil is as evil learns - they are not inherently evil but are influenced and taught to be so; ties in from not only their society, but family, and especially their religion. Not evil in the sense of destroying other civilisations, but undeniably devout to an evil deity and performs acts of violence mostly to each other for the appeasement of Baphomet. The most devout will be the evilest, but not in the same sense as an orc or a goblin. There is narcissism to the ultimate detriment of others that drives this more than active plundering and harm.
• Casting out weakness - they are not fond of supporting those who cannot support themselves. This excuse is made for children, but not said for the elderly or disabled. If one loses their ability to fight - there are two ways to be cast out: death or exile. Exile is considered a terrible dishonour. Those advancing in their years tend to take on more dangerous foes and challenges. Exiled minotaurs are confined to the "Maze" to act as guardians of their civilisation - most commonly, Maze Minotaurs are mentally disabled children cast out once their weakness is revealed.

RESPONSE TO PERILS:   JOYS:

• Hunting wild game, claiming the greatest prizes and trophies from them as a reward.
• Tournaments - a gruesome and bloody practice, even fatal - seeking glory for Baphomet and entertainment. Treated with glee and excitement to any tourney, challenge or execution - those that excel are seen as heroes and idols. Some of their great cultures are those who have only ever fought Minotaurs. In speed, strength or mind - rarely challenges are mismatched as the strength of the mind is considered magic, with them being less adept. A tourney that allows them to become part of the privileged upper class, and spend all year training for it.
• Destroying another demon, and quelling the threat of the Gnolls in the west.
• Gladiatorial combat and duels of strength.
• Raising newborn beasts and creatures to martial against the wilds.
• Sacrificing in order to appease the storm and the demons.
• Standing together as one herd.
• Collect special items from home or fallen enemies, wearing them as special decorations.
• Giving out euphoric expressions of their rage, venting their frustrations in combat and in their passions elsewhere.
• Being loyal to those that have forged strong bonds between them.
• Growing out their hair to show that they are undefeated in combat.
• Building out of stone - making great constructs and stone-works. Keeping things grand but also in a style that makes them undetectable or unrecognisable.
• Winning the spoils of a successful raid.
• Worshipping the lost vestige of Asterion, the first Longhorn King.
• Protecting the souls of lost animals.
• Taverns aren't an unusual thing, as the favourite pastime outside of the arena is drinking and singing a song - usually children of all ages at these establishments with their own sections to fight, drink and be a bull as they say. Fights are less common with adults in taverns, as grudges are taken up in the arena.

PRODUCTS:

• Blood Magic (blood hunters?)
• Ivory - furs - leather - skins.
• Great and contested bloodlines of warriors and hunters.

HOPES:

• To keep the secret and dark power of the labyrinthine capital safe, and to never allow the awakening of the Great Terror.
• To eliminate the threat of the Gnolls once and for all.