Gnoll

Gnolls are a race of humanoid creatures with distinctly hyena-like appearances, native to the region of Drang in Southern Crestfall. Gnolls are known for their warlike culture and xenophobic avoidance of other humanoids, although some gnoll packs have been known to show a degree of civility to other races.

Appearance

Tall and gaunt, an adult gnoll stands at an average of seven feet tall (although their hunched posture might make them appear shorter.) and weighs between 280-320 pounds. A gnoll's body is covered in fur, which is usually light or dark brown and can be marked with spots or stripes. Most hyenas also possess a "mane" of longer hair which covers their head and neck, which can be brown, red or yellow in coloration. Like their hyena counterparts, gnolls are equipped with sharp claws and powerful jaws capable of delivering bone-crushing amounts of bite force.
Gnolls exhibit little to no sexual dimorphism, with male and female gnolls being almost wholly indistinguishable from an outside perspective. This lack of visual difference does not seem to interfere with the gnolls' largely matriarchal society, as the gnolls themselves appear to have no trouble identifying each other.

Traits and Abilities

The racial abilities of gnolls are as follows:

• Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1. Alternatively, choose one ability score to increase by two and another ability score of your choice to increase by 1.
• Age: Gnolls are comparatively short-lived, with most only living to be between 50-60 years of age.
• Size: Your size is Medium.
• Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision: You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
• Survival of the Fittest: You have proficiency in the Athletics and Survival skills.
• Bite: Your powerful jaws are a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
• Rampage: When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on your turn, you may take a bonus action to move up to half your speed and make a bite attack.
• Languages: You speak Gnoll. Some of the less xenophobic gnolls may also learn to speak Common or one other language of your choosing.

Civilization and Culture

History

The exact origin of the gnolls is unclear: according to the Drangese humans of the desert. the gnolls are the offspring of demons which took the form of hyenas following their banishment from heaven. In the gnolls' own mythology, they claim to have first sprung from the blood of their god Yeenoghu when it was spilled upon the desert sand. Whatever the case may be, the gnolls have existed in Drang for as long as anyone can remember, roving across the sandy dunes in nomadic tribes and hunting packs.
Due to the scarcity of resources within the desert, gnolls have frequently come into conflict with the other humanoid inhabitants of Drang, including the Drangese humans and (less frequently) the desert elves. While these conflicts most commonly result in raids and bloodshed, attempts to negotiate with gnoll packs have not been wholly unsuccessful, and some groups of gnolls have been known to establish non-hostile connections with human settlements.

Society and Culture

Gnolls display a matriarchal social structure, with a female gnoll (known as a flind) leading her respective pack across the desert in search of food and other resources. Gnoll packs often domesticate hyenas to serve as hunting companions, and while gnolls themselves are not usually adept at technology, they have been known to salvage technological items from other races obtained through salvaging or raids; Sandskimmers are a particular favorite of the gnolls, due to their speed assisting in hunting as well as the raiding human settlements.
Gnolls exhibit a warlike culture that could be viewed as savage by outsiders; in gnoll society, survival of the fittest is tantamount, no doubt in part due to the scarcity of the desert region they inhabit. This survivalist mentality is exemplified by the gnolls' religion: Yeenoghu, the chief deity of the gnolls, is said to embody the primal savagery of the natural world, and those who prove their strength in life will join him in the afterlife for an eternity of hunting and battle against Yeenoghu's enemies.
In battle, gnolls tend to favor heavy weapons and polearms, although some gnolls have branched out into experimenting with salvaged firearms, with mixed results. A unique invention of the gnolls is the flindbar, a morningstar-like weapon consisting of two heavy metal rods connected by a length of chain; one of the metal bars is typically affixed with a leather grip for swinging, while the other is often fitted with crude metal spikes for additional damage.

Lifespan

60 years

Average Height

6-7 feet

Average Weight

280-320 lbs.

Geographic Distribution

• Crestfall