Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 runwithdogs Jul 31, 2010 13:41:02	I'm a new DM running a 4.0 summer adventure set in the Forgotten Realms for my 10 year son, two fathers (both old schoolers like myself) and their kids. I'd like to introduce an enigmatic Minotaur Monk NPC. Do Minotaurs exist in the Forgotten Realms? What would be the most credible way to introduce a Minotaur and where in the Forgotten Realms would be from? Thanks for the help!
#2 Jorunhast Jul 31, 2010 14:03:24	I'm a new DM running a 4.0 summer adventure set in the Forgotten Realms for my 10 year son, two fathers (both old schoolers like myself) and their kids. I'd like to introduce an enigmatic Minotaur Monk NPC. Do Minotaurs exist in the Forgotten Realms? What would be the most credible way to introduce a Minotaur and where in the Forgotten Realms would be from? Thanks for the help! Definitely yes, there are minotaurs in the Forgotten Realms.  Although we don't have many details about "pockets" or regions with lots of minotaurs, in the past or presently, there have been relatively small groups of minotaurs that have lived in isolated areas.  If memory serves, there was a small group of them in the Northern Underdark called the "Labyrinth" or something similar, but that was around 100 years prior to 4E time and a lot of the underdark has changed dramatically since then.  They could have easily spread out afterwards.  There are also s few "famous" historical minotaurs that are noted in the deeper past of Faerunian cultures, such as Grong-Haap the ruler of an area along the Moonsea around ~1500 years ago.  And... seems like some other isolated minotaurs here and there. My impression is that they probably have quite a few scattered pockets of minotaur villages in the Underdark, or in other really truly hidden and isolated spots, because they keep popping up from time to time.  But so far as I know, they don't have any well-known minotaur cultures, villages, etc. anywhere on the surface presently.  All the better, as it increases the mystery and secretiveness of them in my opinion.
#3 runwithdogs Jul 31, 2010 17:19:09	Thank you Journhast for the information! The mystery of Minotaurs on Faerun will play nicely into the background story of the Minotaur monk I intend to unveil soon.
#4 Dragon9 Jul 31, 2010 17:40:36	Thar is considered a breeding ground for Minotaurs.  (FRCG on page 85 under Moonsea Lands)  They likely could also show up in the Beastlands and even in Durpar.
#5 iakhovas Aug 02, 2010 10:48:34	Indeed. Centuries past, the Moonsea region was home to a great nation of minotaurs, Grong-Haap. www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/d...
#6 drunken_master_nowak Aug 02, 2010 16:27:42	Minotaurs have historically not gotten much coverage in FR due to them being so closely associated with the Dragonlance world. But, yeah, they're there. In addition to the minotaurs of Labyrinth and old Grong-Haap, notable minotaur individuals include a bouncer working at the Inn of the Dripping Dagger (or is it the Dagger's Rest?) in Waterdeep (named in the RPGA LFR adventure WATE1-1, "Heirloom"), and there was once a very famous minotaur champion of the arena in Hillsfar (pre-Spellplague), Taurus.
#7 cronje Aug 02, 2010 18:43:05	There's also the pirate Magrath the Minotaur, who bought Suzail while the king was away at war (GHotR, p73).
#8 capnvan Aug 03, 2010 3:42:04	Thay has a number of minotaurs. Check out the Thayan Gladiator PrC from Champions of Ruin.