Thunderspire: 'It Should Be (In) a Museum' or 'How Best To Rehome Your Minotaur' (SC'20)

Written by Steve Tremblay

Hundreds of years ago in the age when the kingdoms of Solus and Rancor were at war across the continent, many towers like Thunderspire (a more recent name) were built. Their purpose was obvious, to keep an eye out for the other army and use the higher ground as a point of advantage whenever possible. Solus had built hundreds of towers to house troops across the western half of the continent over the 50 year span of the war.
Over the years through the ravages of time, the destruction of war and sometimes poor planning, all but one of these towers fell.
This last tower, now named Thunderspire stands as a lone testament to the Kingdom of Solus. It was built by humans and as such, has normal sized windows and doorways much to the chagrin of the current occupants. In addition to the dishonor of too-small openings, one side has been slowly sinking into the earth giving it a sundial-like profile.
103 years ago, the Minotaur who had lived in the mountains to the east were abruptly evicted from their home by the Dwarves in an act of petty revenge. Many Minotaur were killed and the rest moved west and are still plotting their triumphant return to the mountain.
Some 80 years ago, many settled at the tower and named it Thunderspire. It took some work to solidify the crumbling foundations and make it livable. To this day, most of the Minotaur who live at the tower do not live inside it. The upper floors are reserved for the leader, currently Larris Darkhoof and his advisors while the lower floors are reserved as a nursery and a shelter for the younger (and smaller) of the clan.
Of course the living conditions inside the tower do not make for a leisurely existence and somehow being a ranking member of the clan means living in a cramped room with tiny windows, a door you have to contort to get through and risk sliding across the sloping floor into a wall. The rest live outside in a large tent encampment which serves to protect the leadership and the young alike.
Thousands of Minotaur reside at Thunderspire, biding their time, building their numbers and hoping for a stroke of luck or an unlikely ally that will allow them to finally reclaim their ancestral home inside Stonesunder Mountain.

For more information on the war and the history of Thunderspire, see the NOW AVAILABLE! book The Adventurers Guide to Theria vol. 1: Ellara