Connects to: 14.02, 19.04, 29.14.11, 29.14.12, 30.12.01 and the City of Shuttered Windows.
Only couple generations of men in the past, the minotaurs numbered among the Twelve great nations. Now, all that left is an empty and bricked up embassy in the City of Shuttered Windows and an outpost in the furthest north of Freehold lands.
The Minotaur nation was brought low by the combination of Grumluda’s military might, the necromancers of Naros, and merfolk of the Southside Ocean. Not coincidentally, the arch-lich of Naros was destroyed shortly thereafter, ending that nation as well. Minotaurs were decreed to be as they were when the world was young - slaves to the orcish Eternal-King in life and fodder to be reanimated in death. What were once minotaur lands were absorbed by the conquerors.
Gumlunda coerced the Doge of Shuttered into signing the Horn Treaty, decreeing any minotaur to be property of the orcish nation. The minotaurs of the embassy were forced to flee into the savage northern lands, but given the time and cover to do so in exchange for turning over the arch-lich’s spellbooks. Even considering the value of the objects offered, it was a difficult deal to push through, as the bull-like shape of the minotaurs has always marked them as something semi-heretical to the church of the City.
The outpost Lastmaze is populated by the descendants of the ambassadors and staff of the minotaur embassy, as well as few groups of refugees that managed to escape across Keening Sea. They have a decent sized ostrich herd, shared communally, but it isn’t enough to sustain the population. And so, they raid - mugging travelers and traders throughout the freeholds.
While there has been talk of freeholders banding together (and/or hiring mercenaries) to oust the minotaurs from Lastmaze, the effort has thus far fizzled in the face of other concerns. The few times mercenary companies have been paid for and sent to Lastmaze, they’ve been routed. Brigadier Kalas (30.12.01) of the Grumlunda has made an expedition to Lastmaze as well. His failure is testament to desperation-fueled defiance of the minotaur’s last outpost.
In the wake of these failures, the many of the freeholders tell each other that rooting out the minotaurs would not be worth the bother as they provide a buffer against orc raids from the north. Although the savage northern orcs had nothing to do with the conquest of their homeland, several orc raiding parties that otherwise would’ve reached the Freeholds have been hacked to pieces by minotaur axes.
Lastmaze is a roughly hewed rock structure, burrowed over the past two generations into a system of twisting, natural caves. The entrance and surroundings are always well defended and well patrolled. At the very center is a shrine to Chimalia, around which all daily activity within the freehold centers.
The Prime Bull of the Herd is a one-horned paladin of Chimalia named Ja of the Red. Ja of the Red usually suffers no outsiders in the lands around Lastmaze. However, travelers that first prove their martial might can barter for safe passage (or other trades. In particular, Ja seeks information on the severed heads of Tiamat, which he believes can be located past World’s Edge. He is also interested seeing Brigadier Kalas Montra-brey defeated. Gifts of live ostriches or other useful supplies can purchase some goodwill as well.
