The Origin of Muranog (1 of 5)

THE HISTORY OF THE MINOTAUR MURANOG – THE EARLY YEARS

In the year 267 of the Fourth Era, over two and a half centuries since
the Breaking of the World and the Ascendancy of Korath, a minotaur
was born in the domain of Mahn-Tor. This minotaur, Muranog by
name, was the son of one of Mahn-Tor’s most trusted guard
captains, a warrior of some considerable stature by the name of
Ghuvak, and like his father was trained in the combat arts by the
finest fighters in Mahn-Tor’s service. But Muranog’s mind was of a
spiritual nature from his earliest years, and he studied long and hard
with the minotaur priests Tyrgoth and Sumaron, wise followers of the
goodly gods and higher powers, becoming an acolyte cleric as well
as a warrior trainee.

In the summer of Muranog’s twentieth year, tragedy struck. A band
of thieves from the ruined city of DeTreille crept into Mahn-Tor,
seeking the treasures of the minotaur realm. The wicked ones
penetrated to the inner sanctum of the citadel before they were
detected and the alarm raised. Muranog’s father Ghuvak led the
guards that responded to the alarm, and Muranog’s mother Helati
was among their number. The human thieves were surrounded by the
outraged guards, but fought viciously, employing such dishonourable
tactics as poison and dark magics. Although they were overcome,
many of the minotaur defenders – including both Ghuvak and
Helati – were slain in the fight.

Muranog himself was wounded and lay in a venom-inspired coma
for many months, confounding the efforts of the best healers and his
priestly teachers, Tyrgoth and Sumaron, to cure.

It was winter when Muranog awoke from his coma. Nearly half a
year had passed as the young minotaur slumbered, and his sleep was
filled with visions of strange portent and frightening clarity. One
factor remained prominent throughout all his dream visions – the
Power known as Caldyr. Waking from his sleep, Muranog began to
speak openly of the Power that had touched his dreaming mind.
A God from across the Dragon Sea to the far east, a God of light,
justice and righteous battle, by the name of Caldyr. A paladin God
who loved the minotaur race – and a God whom all minotaurs
should worship.

The reaction was swift in coming. Tyrgoth and Sumaron were
surprised, shaking their heads in sad forgiveness. The rest of
Mahn-Tor society was less lenient. Other senior advisors of Lord
Mahn-Tor, such as the unholy priest Darkoth and the mighty mage
Amyrok, charged Muranog with heresy against the established
Powers, for raising the standard of a God from across the sea whom
none of them had ever heard of. Darkoth, long an enemy of
Muranog’s teachers, went further to accuse the young minotaur of
preaching sedition, of seeking to turn the people against their lord
Mahn-Tor in favour of this new God. When Mahn-Tor convened
his council to decide young Muranog’s fate, it was all Tyrgoth and
Sumaron could do to veto a vote of execution. Instead, the fate
agreed by the assembled council was lifelong banishment.

Conveying the council’s decision to his young acolyte, Tyrgoth spoke
to Muranog, as he had many times in years gone by, of the city of
Nevrast, far to the north and east of their realm. Here a more
enlightened order ruled, where Muranog might find help for his
malady – for even Tyrgoth would not accept that this Caldyr might
truly be a God to whom the minotaurs of Mahn-Tor should turn –
or, at the very least, might live out a happy life.

Bidding his teacher farewell for the last time, Muranog
left Mahn-Tor via a mystical gate cast by the mage Amyrok, and
stepped out in the vast urban sprawl that was Nevrast.