A Pelatian adventurer on the land of Mis
by Francesco DefferrariFrom Erkani Erental, adventurer and explorer, to Illeia Ishelial, third golden matriarch of Pelatan
Bless upon you, my radiant mother
Here is, as you wished, some information about the minotaurs of the land of
Mis. I will begin with their history, as I learned it from them, together
with some consideration of mine upon the matter.
The minotaurs divide their history in cycles. I will try to organise the
cycles in a timeline more familiar to us.
From 4900 to 2400 BI (before Iemara, BC 5500-3000)
The first cycle was the time when they had wings, and lived in perfect
happiness. It's easy to comprehend that they refer to the times of the enduk
empire. They have just a confused myth of these times, and they call this
cycle the Cycle of Strength.
From 2400 BI to 1450 BI (3000-2050 BC)
The second cycle is the time of rainstorm and dark days when many of them
died. They call this cycle the First Cycle of Sorrow, and they said that in
this time the Sun God abandoned them. Obviously they speak of the dark and
difficult time after the Great Rain of Fire. In this time they began to
worship the Death Goddess, who they call Ela. It's very interesting the
fact that they don't make mention of the enduks, neither of the civil war
between the winged enduks and the fallen minotaurs. As we know well the war
ended with the decimated enduks forced to sail north and leave Davania
forever.
From 1450 BI to 1150 BI (2050-1750 BC)
But the civil war is not included in the first Cycle of Sorrow, but in the
First Cycle of Rage, when the minotaurs attacked every living being on
Davania. With regard to the enduks, the fact that they are not mentioned in
minotaurs history, as if, after the First Cycle of Sorrow, was survived no
winged minotaur, is a clear signal of the sense of guilt for the killings of
their brothers. The minotaurs are not mindless brutes as many nations of
Davania believed and still believe. They have a strong sense of honour, and
they have never tried to exterminate other people, neither the enduks, while
other people, particularly Aricans, ogre tribes and Izonda, often tried to
exterminate them. That don't exclude that to forget about enduks was an
useful lie too, and a way to forget the curse the Sun God placed upon the
followers of Minoides: never to have a nation, never to have peace. That
don't exclude either that people of Davania suffered under the minotaurs'
rule, particularly elves of Pelatan and the newly arrived Tanagoro colonists
in Arica.
From 1150 BI to 700 BI (1750-1300 BC)
The minotaurs' power upon the people of Davania ended when Aricans, aided
by the elves, defeated the minotaurs. So begin their Second Cycle of Sorrow.
It has been reported in ancients chronicles that the elves of Pelatan
stopped to aid the humans disgusted with their ferocity against the defeated
minotaurs. So the assertions of minotaurs' history are made testimony to even by
our chronicles. In the following centuries the minotaurs, driven in the
desert, were enslaved by the lizard kin, until a priestess leaded them to a
revolt that reversed the situation.
From 700 BI to 300 BI (1300 - 900 BC)
The minotaurs ruled in the desert for four centuries, and in that cycle,
called the Second Cycle of Rage, they raided mostly Arican humans, leaving
ourselves in peace. There are even reports of Pelatians merchants who
travelled to the lands of the minotaurs and traded with them.
From 300 BI to 200 IY (900 - 400 BC)
The civil war in the Arican lands drove away ogres and ogre kin of Arica.
The ogre kin of good nature escaped mostly in our lands or in the north,
while the ogres and ogre kin of evil intention attacked the minotaurs. So
began their Third Cycle of Sorrow. The ogres had no mercy of their enemies.
The minotaurs were driven north, where only the kindness of the zebrataurs
saved them. The zebrataurs gave the minotaurs some of their lands. This fact
is only partially recognised in minotaurs' history. As we know well the ogre
kin founded Izonda, and shortly after more humanoid came from the north.
That was a bitter time for all the people of Davania, but for us was also
the glorious time of the foundation of the Golden Matriarchy (600 BC).
From 200 IY to 500 IY (400 - 100 BC)
When the humanoids began to diminish for the constant wars with Izonda, the
minotaurs began their Third Cycle of Rage. They drove away many humanoid
tribes, defeated Izonda, and secured the grassland north of the desert for
them and the zebrataurs. In Izondian history the shame of the defeat at the
hands of "barbarians" minotaurs has been carefully hidden.
From 500 IY to 850 IY (100 BC - 250 AC)
The real barbarians were revealed in the minotaurs' Fourth Cycle of Sorrow.
The Izondian army invaded minotaurs lands killing everyone without
discrimination. The minotaurs escaped north, only to encounter other hostile
humanoids and the goblins of Kresh. They hid in jungles and hills, and hid
so well that a Pelatian explorers of that time wrote to the Golden Matriarch
Iasia he was sure that the minotaurs had been utterly exterminated by
Izondians and savages humanoids.
From 850 IY to 1100 IY (250 - 500 AC)
But that statement was not the truth, because some centuries after the
minotaurs came out from their hidden villages, to begin their Fourth Cycle
of Rage. Once again they defeated Izondians and humanoids and conquered many
lands in the north. The Golden Matriarch Iasia sent an ambassador to speak
with minotaurs chiefs, and for some time Pelatan and the minotaurs had an
informal alliance against Izonda.
From 1100 IY to the present days (500 AC - 1016 AC)
When Izonda declared the great humanoid war the minotaurs were a primary
target of Izondian ferocity. So began the Fifth Cycle of Sorrow. This time,
as is well recognised in minotaurs history, the zebrataurs saved them from
extermination, giving them hospitality. When Izondian pressure on the north
diminished the minotaurs became the nomadic people they are now. They roam
the grassland peacefully, fighting only if attacked. But still they await a
Fifth Cycle of Rage.
Here ends my report. I hope it will prove useful to you, my radiant mother.
I hope also that Pelatan will establish peaceful and constant relations with
those people. Living among them I began to comprehend and appreciate them.
Their honour and their courage, and even their stubbornness to live against
the will of the immortals.
Forgive my last phrase.
Bless upon you, my radiant mother.