The Great Game
The Creation of the Minotaur
When the First of the Minotaur were created and placed upon the Madragar Isles of Dracanus, the people called out to their Gods to guide them in forming a government that would lead them toward the divine goals set forth by their creator.
The Gods, moved by their creations’ wisdom in seeking divine counsel, responded with a decree: “You will create Labyrinths beneath the isles, where the young will be trained and tested to become the champions of the world. Only the strongest and wisest may become Citizens of the Mighty Empire, and only the most competent may become leaders of these Champions.”
The Labyrinth Beneath the Isles
Thus, the Minotaur peoples set about constructing a vast and intricate underground Labyrinth that spanned the length of each city and isle on Madragar. The Labyrinth was not a simple maze but a living entity—ever-changing, ever-shifting. The Clerics of the Minotaur Gods were entrusted with the task of ensuring that no Minotaur could ever gain foreknowledge of its layout or its numerous challenges. It was their sacred duty to oversee alterations to the Labyrinth, creating new trials and dangers with each passing cycle, ensuring that the competition remained fierce and fair.
Each island and city would be responsible for their section of the sprawling maze, ensuring that their people could demonstrate strength, intelligence, and cunning in equal measure. All Minotaur wishing to earn full citizenship in the Empire must enter the Labyrinth of their home isle, defeat its trials, and face combatants seeking the same honor. Only those who survived and proved themselves in battle would be granted the title of Champion.
The Path to Leadership
However, even achieving the rank of Emperor was not a simple matter of birthright. The path to the throne was as treacherous as the Labyrinth itself. To claim the crown, one must navigate a myriad of twisted corridors, traps, and enemies—all while vying for supremacy with the current Emperor. A successful challenger must prove their worth in combat and cunning, for the throne of the Minotaur Empire could only be claimed by the most capable of them all.
The Great Game was more than a system of government—it was the lifeblood of Minotaur society. Every decision, every path taken, was shaped by the perpetual test of strength and wisdom that lay beneath their feet. Only the fiercest and most ingenious could rise to the top, where they would lead their people with the guidance of the Gods, ruling over the empire that stretched from the surface to the very heart of the earth.
A Battle of Strength, Wisdom, and Endurance
The Labyrinth was not merely a test of physical prowess but of endurance, intellect, and perseverance. It was a battle not only for power but for the very soul of the Minotaur people. In this game, to lose was to be forgotten, but to succeed was to be immortalized in history.
The Minotaur Empire’s greatest champions were those who could not only survive but thrive within the shifting, treacherous corridors of the Labyrinth. To be victorious was to claim the right to rule—and to shape the future of the Empire for generations to come. For the Minotaur, the Great Game was not just a game at all. It was the foundation of their world.
