Mis (The last Haven of)
by Francesco DefferrariLocation: North western Davania, east of Arica and West of the Izondian
Wall.
Area: 50.000 sq miles
Population: unknown, maybe from 50.000 to 100.000 inhabitants, very
variable.
Language: Minoides, not written.
Calendar: no numerical calendar. See below.
Government: tribal chiefs and priestesses, sometimes with an unifying war
leader
Industries: hunting, fishing, mining, horticulture, weaponcraft.
History: Sit, young, and hear the story of the priestess. From her mouth,
you hear your story and your fate ! "In the far far times, minotaurs lived
in richness and prosperity. They were immortals like the powers and they
lived in caves of gold where no bounty was missing. They had wings to fly,
and lived in perfect happiness. Their Great Chief was a warrior named
Minoides, wise and strong. But one day, the storm came from the north.
Lightings and rains killed many minotaurs, and the cruel wind broke their
wings. When the storm ended, a white and little sun appeared, shining weakly
on our sorrow. Minoides went to the sun, and spoke to him. What have we done
sun father, - he said - to deserve such a punishment ?. The little sun did
not answer to Minoides question. Many times the priestesses tried to speak
with the sun father, but never he answered their questions. And the
beautiful wings of the minotaurs faltered and fall, and the whelps began to
die. Betrayed by the sun father, broken by their sorrow, Minoides and his
people sat on the mud, awaiting death. Then a female arrived, dressed in
black, with her face painted white. I'm here to save the most noble and
strong people of all - she said - who the immortals betrayed to make way to
their weak progeny. Deny the immortals - she cried - and fight their
corrupted progeny who killed your whelp. And so Minoides saw she was the
only truth, the dark mother Ela. In her name Minoides and the priestesses
declared the First Cycle of Rage (2050bc), and the minotaurs fought with
all the weak progeny of the evil immortals. Many and many nights minotaurs
fought and win, destroying the corruption of the immortal progeny, and many
Great Chiefs ruled after Minoides. Many nights the minotaurs ruled forests
and hills and rivers. But one day the vengeful immortals leaded the black
men from the west to our lands, to destroy the minotaurs, to exterminate the
minotaurs. The black men killed warriors and priestesses, whelps and young ones.
So began the Second Cycle of Sorrow (1750bc), and the minotaurs were driven
in the evil desert, under the eye of the cruel sun father, in the lands of
the cruel lizard men. In the cycle of sorrow lizard men killed whelps and
young ones, enslaved the minotaurs, and hunted the minotaurs wherever they find
them. But one night a great priestess came, calling the minotaurs to fight
in the name of Ela. Areias was her name, and she began the Second Cycle of
Rage (1300bc). The minotaurs rose against the lizard kin, servants of the
cruel sun father, killing and enslaving them. And many nights they ruled in
the desert, under the envious eye of the cruel sun father. But one day the
sun father sent from the west other servants , the big grey men, seeking
revenge against the strong minotaurs. The grey men were as numerous as the
sand, and they killed young ones and whelps, warriors and priestesses, until the
minotaurs were exterminated, and the survivors were driven north, to the
land of the eternal grass. So began the Third Cycle of Sorrow (900bc). In
the land of the eternal grass lived the horse men. They were too servants of
the cruel immortals, but they were not cruel as the immortals. They fought
the minotaurs with honour, they did not killed young ones and whelps. So the
minotaurs made peace with them, because the horse people were honoured
warriors. But the minotaurs were few, and from the south the grey men raided
and took prisoners, and from the north others grey men came, to kill whelps
and young ones, to enslave and to exterminate the minotaurs. Long was the third
cycle of sorrow. But one night a warrior came, Kres was his name, and
proclaimed the Third Cycle of Rage (400bc). The minotaurs fought with
honour and courage, and killed many grey men in the south, and many black
men in the east, and many of the white man and the little grey man in the
north. And so the minotaurs rebuilt their rule, and the progeny of the
immortals once again feared them. But one day many and many grey man came
from the south, to kill minotaurs and horse men, to take all the land of the
minotaurs. They killed young ones and whelps, fighting without honour with their
dark power, and so began the Fourth Cycle of Sorrow (100bc). The grey men
hunted the minotaurs everywhere in the land, spreading the blood of the
whelp on the land of the eternal grass. And so the minotaurs went north, but
north they found no haven, only others grey men who killed whelps and
young ones. So the minotaurs had to hide in dark forests and bare hills, with no
food to give to their whelp. Hard, hard and sad was the fourth cycle of
sorrow. But one day a priestess came, Hagias her name, and she proclaimed
the Fourth Cycle of Rage (250ac). The minotaurs leaved the dark forests and
the bare hills, and descended upon villages and cities of the grey men, and
upon villages and cities of the black men. And they killed and won, and no
progeny of the immortals dare to defy the minotaurs, for many nights,
because the minotaurs were ruler of hills and forests. But one day many grey
men came, many from the north, many from the south, and many of the little
grey men from the east. And so began the Fifth Cycle of Sorrow (500ac). All
the progeny of the immortals attacked the minotaurs, trying to exterminate
them. There were no place to hide, no land to live. Every day the minotaurs
were fewer, every day many minotaurs died. But Ela send them an omen, and
the minotaurs went to the lands of the horse people. And the horse people,
who were warriors of honour, hid them in their land. Many nights the
minotaurs lived in the lands of the horse people, but at last there was not
enough food for the whelp of the horse people, and the whelp of the
minotaurs. Stay with us - the horse people said to the minotaurs - and we
will divide the food. But the minotaurs went away, because they did not want
the horse people suffer for them. And so the minotaurs began to wander in
the land of the eternal grass, always fighting their enemies, always with
little food for their whelps. Many nights are, that last this cycle of
sorrow. But we, the priestesses, have received an omen from Ela. Prepare
yourselves, minotaurs, because this cycle is near to the end, and one night
a warrior will come, and he will lead us to the Fifth Cycle of Rage.