Massa (4e Environment)

Minotaur’s Isolationist City; The City of Massa

(Brown Bull Head with White Horns)

Population: 5,000+

Massa is the name of the city and of the island at the mouth of Ceto Pass. Massa is a Minotaur culture built around the Labyrinth and the Goeban Castle. The Goeban Castle is a stone castle with ring wall and catapult towers.

Imports, Exports, and Resources

The economy is in ruins with the long war. Before the war, the average monthly wage was 2 gold pieces (the basic pay of the army). Now, the average monthly wage is 1 gold piece (the basic pay of the army). Before the war, magic items were more available as a market item in the major cities (most items of level 1 through 5). Now, the availability of magic items is rare. There are no magic item stores or merchants (only 1st level items are available, when a magic item can be found to buy).

History

Many centuries ago, Uovana built the Labyrinth of Faith using devoted Minotaurs. Massa was founded as a work camp and developed as a community connected to the Labyrinth.

Government

Massa is ruled by four high priests of Minord War who have successfully survived the run of the Labyrinth. The Square of Minord is the main temple complex and residence of the civil government of the four high priest of Minord. The Council of Four have complete authority.

There is a 2 gold pieces tax on all merchandise bought or sold, also there is a 10 gold pieces gateway tax on all travel into the city. No mounts and no weapons of any kind are permitted within the city.

The law of the land is the Five Natural Laws of Pilgrim’s Creek. In 1258 DY, the scribe Gnome Eldon Feywild codified five laws into a civilized system. The Five Natural Laws are against violence, stealing, harming, interfering, and disrupting the peace. The Five Laws are often displayed: No violence is allowed. No stealing or falsehood is allowed. No harming of the natural environment is allowed. No interfering with the community authority is allowed. No disrupting of the peace is allowed.

Culture

Massa has a Minotaur population of 5,000. Station defines a Minotaur’s thinking and self-identity. There are primarily three caste levels in which a Minotaur is born into: Priest Caste, Warrior Caste, and Common Caste. The Minotaur civilization is very religious. Their civilization is built around the Demigod of War that they see as a Minotaur.

Key Locations & People

Important Places

1. The Square of Minord is the main temple complex and residence of the civil government of the four high priest of Minord. The Council of Four have complete authority.

Important People

Asteron Bloodthirsty, Patriarch, is one of four members of the Council of Four. The Council of Four have complete authority and are easy to identify by their golden horns with a silver labyrinth pattern.

Bjorkus Goreman, Patriarch, is one of four members of the Council of Four. The Council of Four have complete authority and are easy to identify by their golden horns with a silver labyrinth pattern.

Codrus Zion, Patriarch, is one of four members of the Council of Four. The Council of Four have complete authority and are easy to identify by their golden horns with a silver labyrinth pattern.

Terios Savage, Patriarch, is one of four members of the Council of Four. The Council of Four have complete authority and are easy to identify by their golden horns with a silver labyrinth pattern.

Institutions & Organizations

Guilds and Brotherhoods: There are several international organizations that transcend culture and race. Almost none of the international organizations are present.

Warrior Circle: The Town Militia is made up of the Warrior Caste and serves as military protection and law enforcement and is made up of over 2,000 soldiers. There are sixteen levels to the Warrior Caste, each defined by honor and battle prowess. Within each Warrior Caste there is an order of leadership without titles or positions but based on battle. The sixteen levels (four levels of four) are so named in order of lowest to highest:

Fourth and Lowest Caste:

Strong Arm Soldier (with 200 +/- warriors: identified by 1st circle tattooed/carved on the left horn

Armor Bearer Soldier (with 200 +/- warriors: identified by 2nd circle tattooed/carved on the left horn

Armiger Soldier (with 175 +/- warriors: identified by 3rd circle tattooed/carved on the left horn

Defender Soldier (with 175 +/- warriors: identified by 4th circle tattooed/carved on the left horn

Third and Middle Caste:

Scutifer Master (with 150 +/- warriors: identified by 1st circle tattooed/carved on the right horn

Weapons Master (with 150 +/- warriors: identified by 2nd circle tattooed/carved on the right horn

Veteran Master (with 150 +/- warriors: identified by 3rd circle tattooed/carved on the right horn

Warrior Master (with 150 +/- warriors: identified by 4th circle tattooed/carved on the right horn

Second and Middle Caste:

Hoplite Warrior (with 125 +/- warriors: identified by 1st white horn tattooed on the left brow

Hero Warrior (with 100 +/- warriors: identified by 2nd white horn tattooed on the left brow

Archon Warrior (with 100 +/- warriors: identified by 3rd white horn tattooed on the left brow

Myrmidon Warrior (with 75 +/- warriors: identified by 4th white horn tattooed on the left brow

First and Highest Caste:

Banneret Lord (with 75 +/- warriors: identified by 1st white horn tattooed on the right brow

Chevalier Lord (with 50 +/- warriors: identified by 2nd white horn tattooed on the right brow

Champion Lord (with 50 +/- warriors: identified by 3rd white horn tattooed on the right brow

Superhero Lord (with 50 +/- warriors: identified by 4th white horn tattooed on the right brow

Temple/Worship: The Minotaur have their own name for the Demigod of War, it is Minord War. [Minotaur (Human) Demigod of War (Unaligned Demigod) [symbol: vertical sword]: Minord (Minord) War] The high festival day is the 1st day of Deka (October) and is known as Blood Festival.

The hierarchy of the Priest Caste from lowest to highest are as follows: Novitiate, Acolyte, Adept, Apprentice Priest, Priest, Curate, Bishop Elect, Bishop, Cardinal Elect, Cardinal, High Priest/Priestess, and Patriarch/Matriarch. The Priest Caste can be identified by their white tunics with an elaborate brown labyrinth pattern. There are only four Patriarchs/Matriarchs in Minotaur society.

The Square of Minord is the main temple complex and residence of the civil government of the four high priests of Minord. The Council of Four has complete authority. The four members of the Council of Four are easy to identify by their golden horns with a silver labyrinth pattern. The members of the Council of Four are Patriarch Asteron Bloodthirsty, Patriarch Bjorkus Goreman, Patriarch Codrus Zion, and Patriarch Terios Savage.

---

Back to Main Page → 4e Homebrew → Environments
Back to Main Page → 4e Homebrew → Campaign Settings → Erets and City-States In Chaos