Out of the Box introduction

Always read the fine print. I know I have stated this before, but it bears repeating. Sometimes that’s where the real secrets to success or failure are hiding. It seems these little moments of discovery are hidden in plain sight, almost always occur accidentally, and inspire something bigger. These little discoveries are important. Write them down. Why? Because they will have value later.

This terrifying foe awaits adventurers unlucky enough to become lost in the arctic wastes. [Art by Pablo Fernandez Angulo]

Such is the case here. I stumbled upon a tiny entry under the minotaur when studying mindflayers for something else. This tiny entry is the reference to Labyrinthine Recall. It states a minotaur can perfectly recall any path it has traveled. This means something more than the trope of a maze. It means a minotaur, essentially, cannot be lost if it has been somewhere before. It means they will always find their way home. That’s important.

Then, perhaps, because I was also studying other reference material for my current campaign villain who dwells in her icy lair, something clicked. I remembered the chimera in Series One. Specifically, I was seeing the conversion of a chimera to an arctic version in an encounter called Gang of One. If minotaurs are essentially the combination of a bovine and a human, then why must that bovine be a domesticated bull? Why can it not be something more wild and harsh, better reflecting the savage nature in the heart of every minotaur anyway? Instead of combining the common bull into an enormous human body, imagine a massive figure combining the arctic muskox and a humanoid body. It’s long, white, shaggy hair would protect it from the elements, it’s muskox nature would mean it could survive on almost anything, and it’s minotaur special sense, Labyrinthine Recall, would help it navigate the second element of this encounter – the weather.

Snow, be it already fallen, or creating an obscuring wall of white in the air before you, has been the downfall and end of many explorers. A monochromatic landscape, further complicated by obscured vision, is a recipe for getting lost. Once lost, the weather becomes one’s undoing. Exposure, hypothermia, starvation, exhaustion…death.

An arctic minotaur would not just survive, but thrive in this environment. Rugged, strong, and very rarely lost, they would be the masters of this frozen world. The entry at the end of this article will display such a minotaur variant. A minotaur would have to be larger, more resistant to the cold, and likely slower to account for the size and terrain. They would be more focused on being sure-footed than speedy. Therefore, a variant will be required to better reflect these traits.

All that remains is the terrain…and of course…the weather…

Environment

Wilderness/Arctic

Level

4-6

Description

The tundra spans before the party, rising and falling before the group as if a frozen, rock-coved sea. Powder-like snow swirls and blows at your feet in frozen eddies and paths, pouring between the small and sparse scrubs like white oil. Grey-white clouds, low and thick, threaten poor weather very soon.

Some parties might wish to prepare or try to make camp. Feel free to allow the characters to use either an Intelligence/Nature or Wisdom/Survival check (DC: 12) to gauge how bad the weather might be. Those who succeed at achieving a 10 will know the storm is approaching, whereas those who make the DC of 12 will know it will be a snow storm. Those who beat the DC by 5 or more will know the storm will be intense and will make the next hour a true test of survival…without knowing what else awaits ahead.

When the storm hits, unprotected creatures will have to deal with falling and blowing snow that qualifies as heavy precipitation. Characters who remain in the outdoor weather (in case they have a tent or other cover) will have to deal with the storm’s effects. The falling snow will mean characters will make all visual Wisdom/Perception checks at Disadvantage. Furthermore, there’s a 50% chance any Wisdom/Perception check dependent on hearing will be interrupted by a gale of shrieking wind, making any such checks also at Disadvantage.

Unless the characters have a method of staying warm (like a campfire or cold weather clothing), they may also suffer the effects of Extreme Cold. This may result in the characters requiring a successful DC:10 Constitution saving throw, or suffer a lvel of exhaustion, as per those rules.

When the storm is at it’s height (at the Dungeon Master’s discretion), Ukkshuu the Muskotaur will attack. Ukkshuu will be 60’ way from wherever the characters are camped, and will be downwind (…in case they ask. Ukkshuu understands how odours travel). He will launch a boulder at either the outermost character (seeking to ambush somebody alone), or a tent-like structure (hoping to collapse it and perhaps strike a target at the same time). Ukkshuu is not a genius, but he is very cunning and understands that less rugged creatures do not suffer the cold like he can. Removing a tent or other structure, then returning later may mean he can weaken all of his prey for an easier meal an hour or two later.

The Muskotaur will seek to drag one character (or a beast companion) off for an easy meal. He is not so proud as to fight to the death for a single meal. He can wait out the storm and find his way back if necessary. This storm will last for two hours, based on his experience with the north, so he may try twice for this one group. If neither attempt succeeds, he may pull back and wait for another attack at a later time. Because he knows the terrain well, he may lay simple traps with his Survival skill, like falling rocks, tripping hazards with sticks or other hazards to hamper and weaken the party before striking again. A falling rock trap might require either a Passive Perception or Wisdom Perception check of 16 or above to spot. Otherwise, it will require a random character to make a DC: 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 Bludgeoning damage from falling rocks when they pass through any crevasse or hollow. If Ukkshuu lays a trip hazard, it will look simply like a few scattered tree branches, but will have ropes made from bark under the snow tying them together. This will mean dragging one will drag the lot, tripping up the target character. Such a target will require the character to succeed in a Dexterity saving throw, DC: 12, or fall prone and take 1d4 Bludgeoning damage from falling on the frozen ground.

This encounter may well become a war of attrition. Ukkshuu knows that. Soon, the characters will too.

Monsters

Ukkshuu – Arctic Muskotaur

Treasure

Survival. Trust me. That’s the greatest reward.

Complications

Weather can frustrate and confound many players. Too many games happen on days that never rain and nights that are pleasant. That’s slowly began to change of late, and it can be a shock. Make sure to give the characters ample hints about what environment they might need to be concerned about. Perhaps moments like this will truly harden the characters into heroes, and teach the players that not every land has weather like a Halfling shire from a movie. Listen to their concerns about these challenges, but do not pull back. Trust their instincts and the players will grow with the challenge level.

Muskotaur lore

The frozen wastes are a dangerous place for many reasons. The Arctic Muskotaur is certainly a good reason for that. This breed of minotaur offshoots may have been the result of an ancient race of minotaurs becoming trapped in a distant wilderness location, or a cult of northern barbarians who beseeched the favour of Baphomet. The truth is only known to the Muskotaurs, and they’re not telling anyone.

Insatiable. Savage and resilient, this race of minotaurs have adapted expertly to the frozen regions of the world. Access to heavy proteins and little competition apart from giants, white dragons and yeti, and lots of space to grow have allowed Muskotaurs to grow to a huge size. This has not abated their appetite – indeed it has fuelled it. Unlike their smaller cousins, Muskotaurs are omnivorous. Their keen senses allow them to dig up roots, brambles, hibernating animals, and prey attempting to hide below snow and ice. Not much escapes their constant need for nourishment. Some brave (or foolish) souls have tried to bribe this huge monstrosities with food or game, only to be eaten themselves when the muskotaurs return.

Unerring trackers. The internal compass born into all minotaurs serves these creatures well, allowing them to navigate snow and ice covered wastes in the worst of conditions. Blizzards and heavy snow that would confound lesser creatures are not a problem for the internal compass and keen nose of the Muskotaur. More than one group that have become lost in horrid storms have fallen prey to the senses of these monstrosities. Furthermore, their great size and wide hooves give the Muskotaur species a stable platform upon which to navigate their frozen homes, if at a slightly slower speed to their smaller cousins.

Lone wanderer. Fortunately, Muskotaurs are solitary predators. Their huge size and constant hunger drives them to mark out large territories within which to hunt. Bulls and cows only congregate to breed in the late spring, separating after the mating is done. Even the young are pushed out on their own once they are strong enough to hunt for themselves.

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