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Minos is a land of city-states among towering mountains, defined by hero worship. Legend traces its history to the founding of Athenius at the foot of Mt. Hymnoi by Kereseira, recounted in the epic Kerespereia. From Athenius, settlers founded many city-states, and those who contributed greatly were honored as "heroes," inspiring odes, epics, dramas, and temples. As city-states honored different heroes, tensions grew, eventually producing three alliances: Athenius (culture and intellect), Corinia (commerce, and birthplace of apple cultivation), and Lachedamon (the "home of the brave"). Hero worship became religion-like, centered on real historical figures rather than legends. Unlike modern expectations of moral perfection, Minoan heroes are admired for accepting inherent flaws and staying true to themselves. The alliances warred and made pacts, with athletic games channeling competition in peacetime.
Separated from Sargon by the Agnes River, Minos drew the ambition of Sargon's lords ameer. In 915 they petitioned Shahanshah Pahritu, the "Whitemane King," who resolved on a final war. In 917, nearly a million Sargonian troops invaded. The Minoans used mountainous terrain to inflict heavy casualties, but were gradually overwhelmed; their army was annihilated on the Aegean Plains, and by winter Lachedamon surrendered. Over half of Sargon's soldiers perished, and Pahritu died just before the conquest's completion, his son Shah Suleiman declaring victory.
Suleiman's sister Malla became Padishah and ruled ruthlessly: forcibly concentrating the population in the three main city-states, destroying the rest, banning traditions, Sargonizing hero worship, and enslaving war veterans. Yet she invested heavily, converting the city-states into large nomadic cities, and Minos became a major economic engine of the Empire. Her hardline methods impressed Core nations and influenced their later governance strategies.
Sargon's 1038 succession crisis gave Minoan revivalists their chance. In 1039 an uprising spread, led by heroes including Asurcles, Palladulis, and Promethian. Corinia was liberated in 1041, and the "Temples Reclaim" operation killed the Padishah and reclaimed the temples. In 1042 the new Shahanshah abandoned Minos, ending 125 years of occupation.
Modern Minos is a reformed city-state federation governed through temples and priests, with citizen political participation and elected sheriffs. It retains Sargon-built industry and thrives on agriculture, winemaking, textiles, sports events, and tourism. It is tolerant toward the Oripathy-infected, barring them only from the clergy. Sculpture, especially in marble, is the preeminent heroic art; the gigantic statues documented in Tarasis's Among Colossi were destroyed during the occupation. Sargon's border lords still covet Minos's land, and skirmishes along the Agnes continue.
Minos, the land of heroes, is shaped by towering mountains and vast lakes. Its nomadic cities and colorful buildings surround the Hall of Heroes. Passionate Minoans gather in open-air theaters, drinking wine and singing old ballads. Following the path of heroes, they stand against vicious invaders, sculpting their bodies and honing their spirits through endless trials. Rich in legend and myth, the land was once plunged into total destruction; today it slowly recovers from a century-long occupation by Sargon, yet danger has never truly left.
Legend holds that the founding of the city of Athenius marked the true beginning of Minos's history. The oldest city-state, it lies at the foot of Mt. Hymnoi, the region's second highest peak, and was built by refugees of various races fleeing war. The ancient epic Kerespereia recounts the journey of its founder: amid horrific wars, the indomitable Kereseira trod the breadth of the land, wearing out thirty pairs of shoes and braving countless perils by sea. Tormented by war and plague, she found herself beneath Mt. Hymnoi, where she founded Athenius in a verdant garden encircled by mountains. From this sanctuary arose the people of Minos, the wisdom of Athenius, the prosperity of Corinia, and the eternal halls of Lachedamon.
Mt. Hymnoi's glaciers glisten while glacial meltwater carves out fertile land, and plants with different blooming seasons create year-round flower fields. From Athenius, its people expanded throughout Minos, founding many new city-states. Great contributors—leaders and common folk alike—were honored with the title of "hero", inspiring rituals, odes, epics, and dramas. Hero worship became a public activity, and city-states built grand temples. Over time, each city-state honored different heroes, causing tensions to rise.
Conflicts among a dozen city-states led to three major alliances centered on Athenius, Corinia, and Lachedamon. Athenius became the cultural and intellectual center, worshipping scholars and poets; Corinia became the commercial and transportation hub, revering captains of industry; Lachedamon, the "home of the brave", had the most temples dedicated to soldiers and generals. Hero worship developed into something akin to religion, with citizens offering sacrifices at hero temples for blessings—unlike the Lateran Church's devotion to law. For Minoans, heroes were not just legends but actual historical figures who once walked the land.
While the word "hero" now implies both outstanding strength and high moral standards, many Minoan heroes would be seen today as morally dubious. In traditional Minoan culture, both flaws and strengths are considered inherent rather than acquired, and this duality defines humanity. Those who accept their shortcomings are seen as having heroic qualities. Minoan heroes are admired for staying true to themselves and acting according to their own personal logic.
The three alliances frequently shifted between pacts and betrayal, warring repeatedly without decisive outcomes. This interaction also fostered peaceful exchanges, most prominently Minoan athletics: annual grand sporting events with rotating hosts. During Sargon's occupation, most competitions were discontinued and records lost or destroyed. Corinia, often disdained for commercialism, is in fact diverse, with achievements in science, art, and agriculture. It was the birthplace of apple cultivation, now ubiquitous across Terra, and its trade disseminated seeds and scientific knowledge across Terra.
The Agnes River, originating from Mt. Heria, separates Minos from Sargon. The Minos side has ample rainfall and fertile soil; the Sargon side grows increasingly desolate to the south. The desert long served as a barrier, but once Sargon conquered it and reached the Agnes, its lords ameer near the border turned toward the fertile lands beyond, and Minos became their next target.
In 915, several lords ameer petitioned the Shahanshah to annex Minos. The ruling monarch, Pahritu, the "Whitemane of the Aslans" and Sargon's longest-reigning ruler, was in the twilight of his reign, and resolved to launch one final war—the conquest of Minos. In early spring 917, a massive army assembled in northeastern Sargon. The Minoans had noticed warnings—suspicious figures in city streets, fewer diplomatic envoys, new fortifications—and swiftly formed an alliance, but Sargon had dispatched nearly a million troops.
According to The Epic of Agamem, on the last night of spring, Sargon launched its initial assault. Minoan generals positioned their armies in the rugged mountains from Agnes Plain to the Agamem Pass, inflicting heavy casualties. Sargon had hoped to capture Athenius by autumn, but by summer's end had not reached the pass. Sargon then poured in troops to overwhelm the defenders with numbers. Minos's forces were gradually depleted, retreating toward Agamem Pass; by autumn, Sargon caught the remnants on the Aegean Plains, where a final battle ended in the complete annihilation of the Minoan army. Athenius and Corinia soon fell, and by winter Lachedamon surrendered to avoid further bloodshed. A small group of holdouts fled into mountains and forests, beginning a guerrilla campaign. Sargon's victory came at staggering cost—over half its soldiers perished—and seven days before Lachedamon's surrender, the 81-year-old Pahritu died, ending his sixty-seven-year reign. His son Shah Suleiman declared victory.
The rulers of Minos had earlier sent messengers seeking aid from Victoria and Gaul; while those nations hesitated to commit officially, many volunteer soldiers fought for Minos. After the war, Sargon leveraged prisoners of war from both countries to extract substantial reparations, funds later used to reconstruct Minos.
Suleiman sent his sister Malla from Shar-Agade to serve as Padishah of Minos; other nobles informally dubbed her "Queen of the Far Shore". Facing defiant locals, Malla implemented a sweeping policy of assimilation: she forcibly relocated Minos's entire population into the three main city-states, destroyed the remaining city-states, burning countless buildings and artwork, and allowed lords ameer to migrate their people en masse. Most traditional plays, sports, and rituals were banned; hero worship was required to be conducted in Sargonian; hero temples were closed except the most prominent in each city; and songs, epics, and stories were rewritten as Sargonian poetry. Minoan history and culture were rewritten, destroyed, or erased; children in the Sargonian education system grew estranged from their culture; those teaching old traditions faced punishment, torture, or death; and war veterans were sentenced to generations of slavery.
Yet Malla demonstrated unwavering dedication, rarely leaving except to request resources, which were always granted. Between 920 and 950, the Aslan imperial household drained the national treasury to convert the three city-states into nomadic cities, all larger than any of Sargon's fewer than ten medium-sized ones. Studies show Minoans were not forced into heavy labor during construction, instead serving mostly as urban planners and consultants. Thanks to rich resources, unification, imperial investment, and immigration, Minos became one of Sargon's most important economic engines until 950, when Malla was summoned back to Shar-Agade.
In 1038, Suleiman's grandson, the reigning Shahanshah, was poisoned by his queen, sparking a succession struggle. The Padishah of Minos became enmeshed in court intrigue, leaving an opening for Minoan revivalists. In 1039, guerrillas and conspirators in Athenius attempted to assassinate prominent Sargonian officials; though it failed, it ignited a spreading rebellion. Twelve heroic leaders rose, most respected among them Asurcles, a temple priest; Palladulis, a descendant of Lachedamon's royal family; and Promethian, a stonemason. The Padishah received no military aid as lords ameer battled for the throne. Corinia was liberated in 1041, and the heroes pressed on, culminating in the decisive "Temples Reclaim" operation, killing the Padishah and reclaiming the sealed temples. A new Shahanshah ascended in 1042 and, seeing Minos as lost, withdrew all forces. After 125 years of foreign rule, Minos was free.
The heroes' first priority was salvaging cultural traditions. Priests relearned ancient Minoan, but after a century of neglect it was impractical, forcing them to invent a modern version. The same fate befell rituals, sports, and other practices, and Minoans still search for surviving artifacts.
Minos lies within the "Minoan Massif", part of Terra's Central Mountain Range. Its three most prominent peaks are Mt. Heria, Mt. Hymnoi, and Mt. Athos. Snowmelt forms major rivers—the Delphi, Agnes, and Arachne—flowing through plains between mountains. The Delphi is the most important, revered as much as the three mountains. Catastrophes are rare, and the original sites of the three cities have almost never been struck—a rarity across Terra.
Minos now operates under a reformed city-state federation rooted in ancient traditions. Governance centers on the temples, where priests hold primary authority, leading meetings with representatives of all social classes. Minos is divided into three regions, each centered on a nomadic city. Cities are divided into districts whose residents elect sheriffs, who seek guidance from temples and answer to priests. The military is recruited and maintained by the temples, with priests as commanders, supplemented by civilian defense groups. Minos maintains friendly relations with most nations except Sargon; border lords ameer still covet Minoan land, and troops along the Agnes remain on high alert, with regular small skirmishes.
Minos has long thrived agriculturally—one reason Sargon targeted it—and during the occupation was Sargon's most productive and stable grain region. It retains most Sargon-built industrial facilities, resulting in dispersed but high-quality, high-output production. Hero temples support frequent intercity and international competitions, making tourism a thriving sector. Hero worship defines Minos's culture, with poetry, theater, and sculpture developed around it. Minos is relatively tolerant toward Oripathy sufferers, who receive proper treatment and can pursue almost any profession except the clergy, since contracting Oripathy is believed to sever one's connection to the heroic spirit. Minoans are most passionate about sculpture; the word "idol" originally referred to a statue. The finest material is marble from the three main peaks—Minoans believe humans and stone both come from the earth, and the purer the stone, the more it symbolizes a hero's noble origins. Before the occupation, city-states competed to build the tallest hero statues; the Iberian writer Tarasis documented these in his bestselling novel Among Colossi. During the occupation, all massive statues were destroyed. Yet with the revival of Minos's culture, it's possible such wonders may one day be witnessed again.
The Minoans have reclaimed their homeland from the greedy, brutal lions. Now that the enemy has been driven away, how will the heroes of Minos rebuild their temples on this scarred and battered land?
CHAPTER 5.14
Minos, the land of heroes, nestled among towering mountains. Steep, rugged peaks and vast, serene lakes shape her city-states. The layered mountain landscapes, unique nomadic cities, and colorful buildings surround the towering Hall of Heroes. Passionate Minoans gather in grand open-air theaters, drinking wine and singing the ballads of old. Following the path of heroes, they stand against vicious, bloodthirsty invaders, sculpting their bodies and honing their spirits through endless trials. This land, rich in legends and myth, was once plunged into the darkness of total destruction. Today, she is slowly recovering from a century-long occupation by Sargon, yet danger has never truly left.
Legend has it that the founding of the city of Athenius marked the true beginning of Minos's history. This ancient city-state, the oldest in Minos, lies at the foot of Mt. Hymnoi, the second highest peak in the region, and was initially built by refugees of various races fleeing from the ravages of war. The ancient Minoan epic, Kerespereia, recounts the journey of Athenius's founder: "In those dreadful times, mortals slaughtered one another in horrific wars. The indomitable Kereseira trod the breadth of the land, wearing out thirty pairs of shoes and braving countless perils by sea. War and plague tormented her, yet at last, she found herself beneath the shadow of Mt. Hymnoi. There, she founded Athenius, establishing her followers in a verdant garden encircled by mountains. From this sanctuary arose the people of Minos, the wisdom of Athenius, the prosperity of Corinia, and the eternal halls of Lachedamon."
Minos is blessed with a stunning natural environment; the area around Mt. Hymnoi is particularly spectacular. The mountain's snow-capped peak and glaciers glisten faintly under the sunlight, while melted glacier water flows down to carve out a fertile land. Plants, each with different blooming seasons, thrive in the rich soil, creating a year-round display of vibrant flower fields swaying in the gentle breeze. It's easy to imagine the scene of paradise that greeted those who first arrived in this land.
After Athenius was established, its people used the city as a base to expand throughout Minos. They, alongside many new immigrants, founded a host of new city-states. Those who contributed significantly—leaders and common folk alike—were honored with the title of "hero", inspiring a series of rituals in their honor. People composed odes praising the heroes, penned epics detailing their deeds, and wrote dramas based on their lives. Hero worship became a public activity, and city-states built grand temples in their honor. Over time, as each city-state developed its own unique culture and preferences, they began to honor different heroes, which caused tensions to rise.
Prolonged conflicts between a dozen different Minos city-states led to the formation of three major alliances centered around Athenius, Corinia, and Lachedamon. Athenius became the cultural and intellectual center of Minos; its people worshipped scholars and poets. Corinia became Minos' commercial and transportation hub; the Corinians revered captains of industry. Meanwhile, Lachedamon, the "home of the brave", had the most temples dedicated to soldiers and generals. At this point, hero worship in Minos had developed into something akin to religion. Citizens from the various city-states would visit temples dedicated to their heroes, offering sacrifices to the statues in hopes of receiving blessings. This form of reverence was very different from the Lateran Church's devotion to law. In Laterano, where people followed the laws with the aim of creating a harmonious society—or at least one that appeared harmonious. For the Minoans, however, the heroes were not just legends, they were actual historical figures. Though most of these heroes had long passed, they were real people who once walked the land.
The word "hero" has a similar meaning in many different cultures, referring to those who have accomplished great feats and possess extraordinary abilities. In modern times, as different cultures have intermingled, the word "hero" has gained more specific connotations. Most people now instinctively associate heroes not only with outstanding strength but also with high moral standards. Heroes are often expected to have a "near-perfect" character, with qualities like perseverance and self-discipline. However, Minoan heroes are quite different. By today's standards, many of them would be seen as having engaged in morally dubious behavior. In traditional Minoan culture, both a person's flaws and strengths are considered inherent rather than acquired, and this duality defines what it means to be human. Therefore, people are encouraged to accept their shortcomings. Those who can do so are seen as having heroic qualities. In Minos, heroes are admired for staying true to themselves and acting according to their own personal logic.
One of the most well-known ancient heroes in Minos, whose image appears on a widely popular t-shirt, is a figure with no name, no known background, and no destination. He spent most of his time living in a large wine barrel in the temple. He mocked social order and legal rules, living as if completely detached from civilization, despite residing in Athenius. When Athenius was under attack, this hero, barrel and all, rolled down the hill from the temple, knocking down countless enemy soldiers along the way. Legend has it that the modern sport of bowling was inspired by this act, with the three holes in a bowling ball representing the opening of the barrel and the two holes punctured by the hero's horns.
The three major alliances frequently shifted between forming pacts and betraying one another. Though they warred time and time again, none of the factions ever decisively defeated the others. This constant interaction also fostered peaceful exchanges, with Minoan athletics as the most prominent. Each year, competitors from the city-states gathered to showcase their skills at grand sporting events, drawing spectators eager to support their champions. Hosting duties rotated among the city-states. These games fulfilled the people's desire for competition during peacetime. Unfortunately, during Sargon's century-long occupation—the darkest period in Minos's history—most athletic competitions were discontinued, and records of them were lost or destroyed. As a result, it is now difficult to understand how people once trained and prepared for these events.
In contemporary discourse, Corinia's commercialism and materialism are often met with disdain, as if the pursuit of profit were inherently improper. Yet, Corinia, much like the other major city-states of Minos, is diverse and multifaceted. It boasts significant achievements in science, art, and agriculture. Notably, Corinia was the birthplace of apple cultivation, a crop now ubiquitous across Terra. It stands as one of the earliest regions to systematically study and promote the cultivation of wild plants. Its flourishing trade attracted caravans from across the lands, disseminating seeds and scientific knowledge to every corner of Terra.
The Agnes River, originating from Mt. Heria, serves as a natural boundary separating Minos from Sargon. The terrain on either side of the river is starkly different—on the Minos side, near the mountains, there is ample rainfall and fertile soil, while on the Sargon side, the further south one goes, the more desolate and barren the deserts and wastelands become. For a long time, the vast desert served as a barrier between Minos and the expanding Sargon Empire. Once Sargon conquered the desert and reached the Agnes River, its lords ameer, especially those near the Minos border, turned their eyes and claws, toward the fertile lands on the other side. With only the river separating them, Minos became the next target of their ambitions.
In the year 915, several lords ameer united to petition the Shahanshah, requesting his support in annexing Minos. The ruling Sargon monarch at the time was Pahritu, the famous “Whitemane of the Aslans”, also known as “Whitemane King”, Sargon's longest-reigning ruler. By then, Pahritu had reached the twilight of his reign. He had spent most of his life using every possible means to maintain Sargon's stability and prosperity, addressing courtly, regional, and societal conflicts, though the Empire was still rife with hidden crises. Perhaps to relieve the Empire's internal strife, or to pave Sargon's path toward the Core, or maybe simply sensing his life was approaching its end, the Whitemane King resolved to launch one final war—the conquest of Minos.
In early spring, 917, a massive army began assembling in northeastern Sargon; war beast hordes marched to the beat of war drums from all corners of the Empire. Soldiers from both the desert and the rainforests converged in disarray outside the valleys of Minos. The Minoans were not ignorant to these developments. Years prior, suspicious figures had begun appearing in the streets and alleys of the major city-states. The number of diplomatic envoys visiting Minos had sharply decreased, and the Minoans could see new fortifications being constructed across the river, day after day. It became clear that the Whitemane King had shifted his focus from the mysterious Shar-Agade to the pleasant mountains of Minos. The Aslan, hungry for conquest, were poised to strike, ready to capture the prize the Shah had long coveted.
The large-scale Sargon troop movements did not go unnoticed, and the leaders of all the Minos city-states swiftly formed an alliance to prepare for the imminent war. However, when the two armies faced each other for the first time across the Agnes River, the Minoans found themselves vastly outnumbered. The Minoans hadn't anticipated that Sargon would dispatch almost all of its forces—nearly a million troops—against their small nation. It seemed they were destined for defeat.
Yet, the Minoan commanders displayed remarkable composure in the face of the overwhelming odds. Their soldiers were unified and highly motivated to vanquish the foreign invaders. On the front lines, there was no thought of retreat, and they resolved to use their terrain to their advantage. According to The Epic of Agamem, on the last night of spring, Sargon's forces launched their initial assault across the Agnes River. The Minoan generals positioned their armies in the rugged mountains that stretched on for tens of kilometers from Agnes Plain to the Agamem Pass, using their knowledge of the complex terrain to inflict heavy casualties on Sargon's front lines in the early stages of the war. Sargon's original objective was to capture Athenius by autumn, but by the end of the summer, they had yet to reach Agamem Pass, the gateway to central Minos.
Eventually, the Sargonians adjusted their tactics to adapt to the mountainous terrain; they continued to pour troops into Minos, seeking to overwhelm the defenders with sheer numbers. In the intense and prolonged battles that followed, Minos's forces were gradually depleted, and they were forced to retreat toward Agamem Pass. By autumn, Sargon caught up with the remnants of the Minoan army on the Aegean Plains. There, both sides engaged in a decisive final battle. The Minoans fought valiantly, but were defeated. In fact, their forces were completely annihilated. The city-states of Athenius and Corinia soon fell as well. By winter, the last remaining city-state, Lachedamon, opened its gates and surrendered to avoid further bloodshed. A small group of Minoan hold-outs fled into the mountains and forests, beginning a long and drawn-out guerrilla campaign.
Although Sargon ultimately succeeded in conquering the city-states, their victory came at a staggering cost—over half of the Sargonian soldiers who fought in the war perished. Furthermore, just seven days before Lachedamon's surrender, the 81-year-old Shahanshah, Pahritu, passed away, bringing an end to his sixty-seven-year reign. The longest-reigning monarch in Sargon's history did not live to see the conquest of Minos, his greatest, and final, achievement. It was his successor, his son Shah Suleiman, who ultimately declared victory.
After occupying all the city-states, Shah Suleiman sent his sister, Malla, from Shar-Agade to Minos to serve as its Padishah, overseeing all regional affairs. A direct descendant of the Aslan imperial household, she was later informally dubbed "Queen of the Far Shore" by Sargon's other nobles due to her extensive control over Minos. In her youth, Malla had been one of Shah Suleiman's closest advisors; there were even rumors that her assistance was the reason the Whitemane King chose Suleiman as his heir. Upon her appointment as Padishah of Minos, Malla quickly realized that governing Minos was a complex and challenging endeavor. Minos had a vibrant culture that the locals were proud of, vastly different from that of Sargon. The Sargonian conquerors clashed with the resentful, defiant locals. Many administrative orders were met with fierce opposition, making governance difficult. Minos provided almost no benefits to the Empire, and it threatened to become a lingering sore that could exacerbate internal conflicts within Sargon.
However, Malla was well-versed in Minoan culture and demonstrated great resolve in her governance. She implemented a sweeping policy of assimilation to quash dissent. First, she forcibly relocated Minos' entire population into the
Upon witnessing the might of the Sargonian army, the rulers of Minos immediately recognized their inability to repel the invasion unaided. They dispatched numerous messengers to the Core countries, seeking assistance from Victoria and Gaul. While these two great nations hesitated and refrained from committing officially, many volunteer soldiers independently journeyed to Minos to combat the Sargonian threat. After the war, Sargon leveraged prisoners of war from Victoria and Gaul to extract substantial repara-tions. These funds were subsequently used by Sargon to reconstruct Minos.
three main city-states: Athenius, Corinia, and Lachedamon. Then, she completely destroyed the remaining city-states, burning countless buildings and artwork in the process. Finally, she allowed Sargon's lords ameer to migrate their own people into Minos en masse, fulfilling the promise Whitemane King made at the outset of the war. Most of the traditional Minoan plays, sports, and religious rituals were banned outright. Hero worship was required to be conducted in Sargonian. The once-bustling hero temples were closed, with only the most prominent temple in each city allowed to remain open for basic cultural activities. Songs, epics, and stories about the heroes were rewritten as Sargonian poetry. Malla's appointed lords ameer frequently raided villages to seize ancient scrolls and artwork carried by refugees. Malla herself never intervened to stop these acts of barbarism, let alone punish those responsible. The political activities of the city-states were completely controlled by Sargon—every political upheaval in Sargon resulted in a reshuffling of Minoan leadership.
Despite her ruthless approach to governance, Malla demonstrated unwavering dedication to Minos. She rarely left the region, except for the occasional trip to Shar-Agade to meet with her brother and request additional resources for Minos. Her competence, and her brother's trust, ensured that her petitions were always granted. Malla vigorously promoted the now-Sargonized "Minoan Art", funding local officials and scholars' travel to Sargon while encouraging more Sargonians to settle in Minos. Malla actively immersed herself in the lives of the Minoan people, frequently organizing and attending performances and celebrations; she was often seen among the locals.
In less than two generations, she completely transformed every aspect of Minoan life. Thanks to the region's rich natural resources, the unification of the city-states, the immense investment from the Sargon Empire, and the influx of Sargonian immigrants, Minos experienced an unprecedented surge in productivity. Almost overnight, it became one of the most important economic engines of the Sargon Empire, and this rapid development continued until 950, when Malla was summoned back to Shar-Agade by the new Shahanshah.
News of Sargon's conquest of Minos soon reached Victoria, Gaul, and the other superpowers. Malla's governance of Minos not only earned the Shahanshah's approval but also stunned the Core nations. In the past, when these countries expanded their territories, they often implemented more lenient systems, like Gaul's vassal state model. Under this system, conquered lands became vassals without direct rule by the conquering nation. Lingones used this system to expand their empire without much effort, though it was only effective in nations with similar cultures. Moreover, this loose method of governance over the vassal states was relatively inefficient, requiring a long time to achieve full assimilation. Malla's hardline policies in Minos and their visibly effective results deeply shocked and impressed politicians from the Core, inspiring them to adopt similar governance strategies that evolved and expanded over time. A century later, at the end of the War of the Four Nations, Victoria and Leithanien treated Gaul even more harshly than Sargon had treated Minos, resulting in a far more tragic fate for Gaul.
While Minos briefly revived the Sargonian Empire, most Minoans did not share in this prosperity. The resources produced on Minos were either sent back to Sargon or used by Sargonian settlers. The Minoans watched helplessly as their
■ During Sargon's rule, in an effort to force cultural assimilation, some officials demanded that the local Minoans wear traditional Sargonian clothing. There are no sandstorms in Minos, so the Minoans, naturally, despised the useless headscarves and robes. However, a Minos animal tamer accidentally found one practical use for the headscarf: Calming down burdenbeasts by covering their faces with it.
The local officials, believing it was a sign that the Minoans were becoming "civilized", enthusiastically supported the practice and mandated that all burdenbeasts wear headscarves. After Sargon was expelled from Minos, the custom of using Sargonian headscarves as burdenbeast masks persisted, becoming a symbolic way for the Minoans to mock their former rulers.
history and culture were rewritten, destroyed, or erased, while their children in the Sargonian education system became increasingly estranged from the culture and values they once held dear. Those who dared to teach their children the old Minoan traditions or publicly promote traditional culture faced severe punishment, torture, or even death. The grand palaces and beautiful gardens in the nomadic cities were only open to those who spoke Sargonian, and Minoan was pushed to the brink of extinction. Minoans who had fought in the war against Sargon were sentenced to generations of slavery. Most were sold to Sargon's slave traders, while those who remained suffered hard manual labor. The new generation knew little of their ancestors' glorious past and were compelled to accept a Sargonized version of Minoan culture.
In 1038, the grandson of Shah Suleiman, the reigning Shahanshah of Sargon, was poisoned by his queen, sparking a fierce struggle for the throne among his heirs. This marked the end of over a century of relative stability in Sargon. At the time, the Padishah of Minos was a strong contender for the throne. However, he had barely any experience governing Minos—having lived in there for a month. He decided to focus his efforts on Sargon's internal politics and became enmeshed in the labyrinthine intrigues of the court. The Shahanshah's death left the padishah with no time for Minos, creating a long-awaited opportunity for the Minoan revivalists who had been waiting in the wings. In 1039, guerilla forces hiding in the mountains and conspirators embedded in Athenius attempted to assassinate a group of prominent Sargonian officials. Although the plan ultimately failed, it ignited a long-suppressed rebellion among Minoans in Athenius; the uprising spread rapidly to the other two nomadic cities, sparking a large-scale liberation movement across Minos. During the ensuing war for independence, twelve heroic leaders rose to prominence. The most respected among them were Asurcles, a temple priest who organized the assassination attempt, Palladulis, a descendant of the royal family of Lachedamon, and Promethian, a stonemason. The uprising came as a complete surprise to the oblivious Padishah of Minos. He scrambled to request military aid from Sargon but received no support, as the powerful lords ameer were busy battling for the throne. Left with no choice, he returned to Minos and attempted to suppress the growing revolution with the local Sargonian garrison. The city of Corinia was the first to be liberated, in 1041. After this victory, Asurcles and the other heroes decided to press their advantage and launch an offensive on the remaining two nomadic cities, culminating with the decisive "Temples Reclaim" operation. During this pivotal battle, they killed the Padishah of Minos and reclaimed all of the major temples that had been sealed up for decades. By this point, Minos had effectively regained its independence. A new Shahanshah ascended to the Sargonian throne in 1042, but as he saw it, Minos had already been lost. With his own kingdom still in turmoil, the Shahanshah was forced to abandon any further attempts to regain control over Minos. He halted the deployment of additional troops and ordered the withdrawal of all remaining forces. After 125 years of foreign rule, Minos was finally free once more. After gaining their freedom, the twelve heroes' first priority was to salvage what remained of Minoan cultural traditions. Descendants of the guerilla fighters
Although Malla ruled with an iron fist, she also brought some positive changes to the lives of the Minoans. Between 920 and 950, under Malla's leadership, the Aslan imperial household drained the national treasury to invest heavily in converting the three city-states of Minos into nomadic cities. At that time, Sargon had fewer than ten medium-sized nomadic cities; Minos's three new nomadic cities were all larger than any in Sargon's homeland. Shah Suleiman aimed to make Minos a strategic outpost for accessing the Core, so the design, construction, and maintenance of these three nomadic cities were all directly funded and managed by the engineers and laborers recruited from Shar-Agade. Recent studies show that the Minos people were not forced to do heavy labor during construction. In fact, they mostly served as urban planners and consultants.
who fled to the mountains were welcomed back to Minoan cities in hopes of recovering fragments of their culture. Priests began to relearn ancient Minoan, but after more than a century of neglect, the language had become impractical and obsolete. The priests and intellectuals were forced to invent a modern version of Minoan using the resources they had available. The same fate befell Minoan rituals, sports, and other traditional cultural practices. Even to this day, the Minoans continue to search for surviving artifacts to piece together their lost cultural heritage.
Minos lies within the “Minoan Massif”, a region considered part of Terra’s Central Mountain Range, like the Kjerag Mountains. Located at the southernmost end of the mountain range, the Minoan Massif has a more moderate elevation, making it more habitable than the higher plateaus. However, the region still features many towering peaks, the three most prominent of which are Mt. Heria, Mt. Hymnoi, and Mt. Athos (listed from tallest to shortest). The Minoan Massif’s moderate elevation also makes it easier for snowmelt to form rivers. Major rivers like the Delphi, Agnes, and Arachne Rivers, along with their tributaries, flow through the plains nestled between the mountains. The Delphi River originates from Mt. Hymnoi, flowing through the ancient cities of Athenius and Corinia, making it the most important river. In traditional Minoan culture, the Delphi River is every bit as revered as the three Mountains. In addition to the ever-flowing rivers, the city-states at the foot of the mountains are frequently nourished by rainfall. Most importantly, Catastrophes are rare in the Minoan highlands. The original sites of Athenius, Corinia, and Lachedamon have almost never been struck by Catastrophes. Such favorable conditions are rare across Terra.
Minos currently operates under a reformed city-state federation system rooted in her ancient traditions. Governance of the three nomadic cities centers around the temples, where priests hold primary authority. They lead regular meetings with representatives from all social classes to address public concerns and make collective decisions.
The Minoans have deliberately revived the ancient tradition of civic political participation, allowing citizens to engage in political life. While the details of political affairs may seem tedious to some, the Minoans are passionate about debating them.
Currently, Minos is divided into three regions, following the ancient custom, with each nomadic city—Athenius, Corinia, and Lachedamon—serving as the central hub of its respective region. Outside each city are towns and villages that fall under the city’s jurisdiction. The temples within these cities do not directly govern the nomadic cities themselves. Instead, a city is divided into dozens of districts, with each district’s residents electing their own sheriffs. These sheriffs seek blessings and guidance from nearby temples and are accountable to the priests who oversee them, while maintaining order in their respective districts.
The military of Minos is recruited and maintained by the temples, with priests and other religious figures serving as commanders. In addition, Minos has numerous civilian defense groups, such as city guards and village militias. Minos's army is organized as it was during the Sargonian occupation. While the names of the military ranks have been translated into Minoan, the respective roles and responsibilities remain the same as they were under the Sargonian army.
Today, Minos maintains friendly relations with most nations, except Sargon, often engaging in international exchanges through competitive events. However, the Sargonian lords ameer in the borderlands still covet Minoan land, and Minoan troops stationed along the banks of the Agnes River remain on high alert. Small skirmishes between the two sides occur regularly.
Thanks to its favorable climate and environment, Minos has long thrived agriculturally, which was one of the main reasons Sargon targeted it for conquest. During its 100 years of occupation, Minos was the most productive and stable grain-producing region in Sargon. Other industries that developed alongside agriculture, such as winemaking and textiles, also flourished and had a profound impact on Minos's culture and beliefs.
After regaining independence, Minos retained most of the industrial facilities that Sargon built during the occupation. Today, Minos's industrial landscape is shaped by its geography, resulting in relatively dispersed infrastructure, but high-quality production and significant output.
Additionally, with strong support from the many hero temples, Minos frequently hosts intercity and even international competitions. The tourism industry, fueled by these sporting events, has become a thriving sector of the Minoan economy.
Hero worship defines Minos's culture, with its society and traditions deeply shaped by, or at least closely connected to, this practice. The vast majority of Minoans believe their lives follow the path set by heroes, and Minoan poetry, theater, and sculpture have all developed around this enduring reverence.
Minos is relatively tolerant towards Oripathy sufferers. They receive proper treatment and care and do not face systemic discrimination or restrictions. In Minos, infected individuals can pursue almost any profession, except for the clergy—it's believed that contracting Oripathy severs one's connection to the heroic spirit, making them unfit to serve as priests.
Among all the art forms that celebrate heroes, the people of Minos are most passionate about sculpture. The art of sculpture may have been born alongside hero worship—the word “idol” originally referred to a statue. The people of Minos use many different kinds of materials to create likenesses of their heroes. The more precious the material, the greater the sculptor’s admiration for the hero. The finest material is marble quarried from the three main peaks of Minos. The Minoans believe that both humans and stone come from the earth, signifying a deep connection between the two. The purer the stone, the more it symbolizes a hero’s noble origins. In this regard, their beliefs overlap somewhat with Sargon’s views on life and death.
While the grand statues were torn down during Sargon’s rule, the Minos people never abandoned their love for sculpture. Unable to directly carve heroic figures, they resorted to shaping street fixtures like signposts, benches, and drainage outlets into abstract human forms—known only to the Minos as symbols of their beloved heroes.
Before Sargon’s occupation, when hero worship was at its peak, the city-states would compete to see who could build the tallest hero statues, leading to an abundance of gigantic statues throughout the Minos. An Iberian explorer and writer, Tarasis, documented his experiences in Minos in his novel, Among Colossi, which later became a bestseller and inspired many adaptations. During Sargon’s occupation, however, all of these massive statues were destroyed, and none remain today. Yet with the revival of Minos culture, it’s possible that one day we may witness the wonders described in the book once again.
The Minoans have reclaimed their homeland from the greedy, brutal lions. Now that the enemy has been driven away, how will the heroes of Minos rebuild their temples on this scarred and battered land?