Minotaur

Towering beasts with humanoid bodies and the heads of great horned bulls are a rare and unsettling presence in the wilds of Keleva. Always solitary—never seen in groups larger than two—they haunt ruins, patrol crumbled keeps, and wander deep cave systems with unrelenting purpose.

While considered monsters today, their human-like build and defensive patterns around old structures have long stirred debate among scholars and adventurers alike. Some believe the Minotaurs are the last fragments of a forgotten people, something ancient that broke and withered over time, whether by magic, war, or something far worse.

Though bestial in behaviour, they are not mindless. Patterns can be noticed: the paths they walk daily, the symbols they scratch into stone, and the certain songs they hum while alone. Their behaviour around ruins is consistent: patrol, observe, preserve. No one knows why.

 Though their appearances vary slightly by region, they share similar traits: ritual-like behaviour, strong territorial instinct, and an uncanny awareness of those who trespass, some say it's through their incredible sense of smell.

Minotaurs avoid civilisation and loathe direct contact with other races. When encountered, they do not speak, barter, or flee. Instead, they observe. They wait. And, if one steps too close to what they consider sacred, they defend it with terrifying aggressiveness.

Scholars say they speak no known common tongue, but communicate in deep, guttural sounds. Even so, Fauns react the most strongly to Minotaurs—not with fear, but with uncanny familiarity. Faun elders have reported that their deep murmurs feel almost like speech, bearing the faintest resemblance to the Faunic tongue, distant in structure, but hauntingly familiar in rhythm.

Some Fauns describe hearing what feels like unfinished sentences, or fragments of meaning lost in time. While no Faun has successfully translated or understood their words, the sense remains, and they believe the Minotaurs are not just beasts.