LABYRINTH

The Labyrinth is a mountainous area to the north of Alea and Net’Alea. Technically, the Labyrinth lies within both Alea and Net’Alea, but neither nation officially claims the rugged area.  The blind passes, sheer cliffs, steep trails, and frequent fjords make travel hazardous before factoring in weather conditions.  Scattered vales and cave complexes allow small civilizations to emerge, but provide precious few resources for cities to emerge.  In this harsh environment, the orks, trolls, goblins, and minotaurs have taken refuge.  Within these unforgiving environs, the former followers of the Dark One have given pause to the genocidal needs of the other races.

The Labyrinth possesses no major cities, no large conclaves of people, and no major manufacturing sources.  Mining and agriculture are equally brutal and take a harsh toll on those who practice these professions.  Fishing and small livestock are common means for small communities to feed themselves, but difficult to support more than a couple dozen families in an area.  

The Minotaurs, who usually refer to themselves as Minosians, are the least aggressive inhabitants of this area. Some stories tell of unusual Aleans who have set up simple trade outlets with the Minosians, exchanging basic subsidies for small amounts of metal, gemstones, and/or furs.  Most Minosians speak and write Alean, Minosian, and Ork.

Orks, trolls, and goblins are far more dangerous.  An ancient Alean proverb states, “A troll will destroy a wall because an ork told him to, an ork will kill you because only the strong are allowed precious resources, but a goblin will slit your throat while you sleep because it likes the gurgling sound.”  Political structures in the Labyrinth rarely last more than five years as the young challenge the old.  It is common wisdom that most inhabitants of the Labyrinth are rarely allowed to live past thirty before being killed by their younger opponents.  Orks, trolls, and goblins typically speak Ork, few write it, and fewer still ever learn another language.

Often, Minosian territory is called Labyrinth while Ork territory is called Labarunt.