Gnolls
W
idely reviled as savage stalkers and merciless marauders, the collective identity of the gnolls is nonetheless as contentious a subject among scholars as it is among the gnolls themselves. Though they are commonly known for their feral instincts and relentless brutality, so too are gnolls both naturally adaptable and aggressively devoted to their packmates. Given substantial purpose to set aside their typical mistrust, the fearsome and lawless hyenafolk can make for valuable companions, fiercely dedicated to their found kinship and prepared at all times to viciously defend it.
Many stories exist about the gnolls. They are always villified, and will be killed on sight in most rural communities in the Concord. The gnolls are feared more than the orcs and the gnomes. They are linked to fiend worship and cannibalism, which is unfair, since most are just regular gnolls.
Basic Information
Anatomy
A strange hybrid of man and hyena. They are covered in yellow-spotted fur all across the body. They stand on two legs in a similar design to that of a hyena's hindquarters. Gnolls are hybrid creatures, with the combined traits of both Hyenas and mortals. Their heads and skulls appear to look like those of hyenas, with a feathered scalp and cheeks, forward-facing eyes; a large, toothed jaws. Unlike true hyenas, gnolls have human-sized craniums which allows them to have far larger brains than their mundane counterparts.
At their full height, gnolls can grow between six to seven feet tall. However, their broad shoulders and prominent traps muscles force most into a hunched posture. These prominent muscles are often covered in thicker fur or a mane of coarse hair, which can be used to communicate. This posture also forces gnolls to move in a hulking manner or a loping-kind of run.
Gnolls have large, raptorial hands that end in four digits including a thumb. Each digit has a blunt nail or claw and a callused paw pad to aid with gripping objects. Gnolls have jointed hind quarters like many quadrapeds, allowing them to move relatively quickly on all fours. Their feet end in four nailed digits as well, and most gnolls walk on their toes rather than the soles of their feet.
Like their mundane relatives, gnolls have jaws and teeth designed to snap bones and break down course animal parts. The carnassials, especially the upper, are very powerful and are shifted far back to the point of exertion of peak pressure on the jaws. The other teeth, save for the underdeveloped upper molars, are powerful, with broad bases and cutting edges. The strength of their jaws is such that a skilled gnoll warrior can crush the windpipe of a mortal with a single bite while not breaking the skin.
Ecology and Habitats
Gnolls were generally known to live in warm plains, though they were highly adaptable and could be found living in most regions, sometimes even underground. They were less common in arid and arctic regions.
Dietary Needs and Habits
While gnolls are omnivorous, it is not unusual for them to subsist entirely on meat, as a result of their society's strong focus on the hunt and resulting slaughter. They will stalk their prey from cover, hiding in long grass or underbrush, or even setting cunning but brutal snares to wound their prey before attacking with spears, spiked clubs, or jagged swords. Even if their quarry should escape this initial assault, gnolls have been known to pursue their crippled prey for days, patiently waiting for it to die from blood loss or exhaustion.
In addition to animals, gnolls will just as enthusiastically kill and eat humanoids of all types, occasionally including members of other gnoll packs during border skirmishes.
Additional Information
Facial characteristics
Almost idenitcal to a hyena's head, with upright ovoid ears which face out and forward when relaxed. The ears can rotate. Canid teeth, but the canines themselves are not fangs like an orcs. A gnolls lips are surprisingly stretchy and mobile, facilitating the use of speech whilst still allowing full use of their powerful rending jaws.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Most gnolls can be found scattered around Urbûn, typically around various warmer climates. Most sitings have come from south of Naghron, where packs of them squander with the other inhabitants. Gnolls were generally known to live in warm plains, though they were highly adaptable and could be found living in most regions, sometimes even underground. They were less common in arid and arctic regions.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Gnolls have exceptionally good senses of smell and hearing. Their eye-sight is similar to most humans. Unlike many other species in the world,
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
A gnoll's name is usually inspired by their appearance, behavior, or some other distinct facet of their early life. Gnoll cubs are customarily raised communally by elders of the clan known as 'denmothers'- who typically name each cub after their first season of childhood. Like most words in the Gnoll language, gnoll names are often short and guttural.
Male Names: Arri, Arym, Braunr, Dagnyr, Drakar, Fangar, Ferrik, Garr, Garm, Garrun, Gnarl, Gorik, Greszik, Grahl, Grym, Hakryn, Herne, Ishkr, Kaal, Mognyr, Ragnr, Rekk, Ruenr, Skarn, Thrakk, Thrnn, Vargr, Varok, Vekryn, Zaryn
Female Names: Asza, Brauna, Dagrun, Drakka, Durna, Ferra, Garra, Gnara, Gorza, Grakka, Gresza, Grymda, Gudrun, Ishka, Kaia, Krezka, Krsha, Kylma, Mala, Mrna, Mrsha, Reeva, Runara, Saga, Shara, Vakra, Yara, Zudya
Beauty Ideals
Clean and well-groomed fur, with clear and distinctive colour markings. Gnolls with more indistinct markings (either strips or spots too close in shade to the underlying fur colour) have difficulty finding mates
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Gnolls are organized into nomadic tribes led by a matriarch and her mate. These matriarchs hold significant influence over the tribe, making crucial decisions related to hunting, territory, and leadership. The mate of the matriarch serves as a close advisor and enforcer of her authority.
Gnolls typically travel in small, roving hunting packs, each consisting of about half a dozen members. These packs are highly efficient and work together to secure prey. Gnolls are known for their aggressiveness and unyielding determination, often stopping at nothing to sate their carnivorous hunger.
Gnolls are both feared and misunderstood, with their reputation as ferocious hunters and nomadic tribes. Their unique societal structure, matriarchal leadership and nomadic lifestyle contribute to their enigmatic presence on the outskirts of civilization.
In spite of the savage nature of the gnolls, there are some aspects to their culture that are not inherently repulsive. Gnolls place a very strong value on the family, for instance, respecting blood ties perhaps more than any other aspect of a relationship. Though gnolls within a pack will commonly fight with each other for dominance, these battles are quickly forgotten after their resolution, and in most situations, gnolls of the same bloodline are loyal friends and allies to one another. These bloodlines have almost always been traced maternally, through the female line. This loyalty to family is particularly obvious during combat, either with rival gnoll packs or other races. Gnolls who fight side by side regularly throw away personal glory in order to help their brethren. Perhaps most surprisingly, when a gnoll has been separated from clan and family their instinctive need for such blood ties leads them to form a surrogate "pack" from those whom they choose to befriend. To these unlikely allies, the gnoll can be as loyal and faithful as they would their own brothers or sisters, embracing the outsiders as family. Gnolls are also accomplished scavengers. While all gnolls have an innate tendency for collecting souvenirs and trophies, nomadic packs, particularly the savage ones who have had little contact with other races except during wartime, have found few other ways to acquire new technology, as they craft few tools of their own. The result of this is that most gnolls rely on the other races as their source of wealth and technology. This extends to arms and weaponry, giving gnoll armour a unique aesthetic where each suit is typically kitbashed together from scavenged pieces of armour found either abandoned, or on their victims. Gnolls of all kinds have an affinity for hyenas, who many see as their brethren and whom they occasionally keep as pets or for hunting. Besides hyenas, they are known to keep hyaenodons as pets. Mainstream Gnoll Culture Though gnolls of all kinds have a strong loyalty towards family, they do not typically extend such courtesies to those outside their pack, and mainstream gnoll culture has a much-deserved reputation for brutality. Most gnolls are nomadic, wandering from land to land and living off raids on the local populations. Victims of these attacks can expect no mercy from their attackers, and those who are not killed are taken as slaves and brutalized and abused both physically and mentally. Gnolls detest physical labour and use their slaves to perform menial chores. To ensure utter obedience from slaves, their brutalization and maltreatment has been honed to an art form. For this purpose, most packs have specialized slavers, known as tantekurash or "spirit breakers," who make it their business to break the will of a slave through repetitive torture. The processes wreaked on a slave's mind by the tantekurash are brutal and often irrevocable. Those captives who will not submit are eaten, often in front of other slaves as yet another form of torment. Slaves who accept their fate often live short and brutal lives, which are usually still ended by them being devoured. Few victims are lucky enough to be rescued, and those that are take years to shake the scars from their psyche and recover. An even less fortunate few find their minds so broken that they actually embrace the brutality of their captors, becoming the kryshantel, or "savage souls," who now follow their masters into battle as thralls. Most of these individuals are utterly broken creatures, little more conscious than the hyenas that the gnolls favour as pets; but a handful do retain their intellect, effectively becoming gnolls in all but form. These kryshantel are the most dangerous since they, unlike regular gnolls, are able to act as infiltrators, performing sabotage and laying the ground for gnoll raids, too often undetected until it is already too late. Variant Cultures Though most gnoll packs embrace their reputation for savagery, some few refrain from such utter depravity. These clans are also nomadic, but unlike the others rarely engage in violent raids except when seriously provoked. Likewise, though they retain the natural gnoll bloodlust, they take no joy in torture or unnecessary cruelty, embracing hunting and tracking over outright slaughter. In some cases, these gnolls might even come to befriend or at least peacefully interact with the members of other races, offering their services as trappers or hunters. These races could include bugbears, hobgoblins, ogres, orcs, and even trolls. However, they generally prefer their own kind, and, except when on business, rarely visit neighbouring villages dominated by members of another race. Likewise, these gnolls remain aggressive and quick to anger, meaning visitors should be careful not to offend.
In spite of the savage nature of the gnolls, there are some aspects to their culture that are not inherently repulsive. Gnolls place a very strong value on the family, for instance, respecting blood ties perhaps more than any other aspect of a relationship. Though gnolls within a pack will commonly fight with each other for dominance, these battles are quickly forgotten after their resolution, and in most situations, gnolls of the same bloodline are loyal friends and allies to one another. These bloodlines have almost always been traced maternally, through the female line. This loyalty to family is particularly obvious during combat, either with rival gnoll packs or other races. Gnolls who fight side by side regularly throw away personal glory in order to help their brethren. Perhaps most surprisingly, when a gnoll has been separated from clan and family their instinctive need for such blood ties leads them to form a surrogate "pack" from those whom they choose to befriend. To these unlikely allies, the gnoll can be as loyal and faithful as they would their own brothers or sisters, embracing the outsiders as family. Gnolls are also accomplished scavengers. While all gnolls have an innate tendency for collecting souvenirs and trophies, nomadic packs, particularly the savage ones who have had little contact with other races except during wartime, have found few other ways to acquire new technology, as they craft few tools of their own. The result of this is that most gnolls rely on the other races as their source of wealth and technology. This extends to arms and weaponry, giving gnoll armour a unique aesthetic where each suit is typically kitbashed together from scavenged pieces of armour found either abandoned, or on their victims. Gnolls of all kinds have an affinity for hyenas, who many see as their brethren and whom they occasionally keep as pets or for hunting. Besides hyenas, they are known to keep hyaenodons as pets. Mainstream Gnoll Culture Though gnolls of all kinds have a strong loyalty towards family, they do not typically extend such courtesies to those outside their pack, and mainstream gnoll culture has a much-deserved reputation for brutality. Most gnolls are nomadic, wandering from land to land and living off raids on the local populations. Victims of these attacks can expect no mercy from their attackers, and those who are not killed are taken as slaves and brutalized and abused both physically and mentally. Gnolls detest physical labour and use their slaves to perform menial chores. To ensure utter obedience from slaves, their brutalization and maltreatment has been honed to an art form. For this purpose, most packs have specialized slavers, known as tantekurash or "spirit breakers," who make it their business to break the will of a slave through repetitive torture. The processes wreaked on a slave's mind by the tantekurash are brutal and often irrevocable. Those captives who will not submit are eaten, often in front of other slaves as yet another form of torment. Slaves who accept their fate often live short and brutal lives, which are usually still ended by them being devoured. Few victims are lucky enough to be rescued, and those that are take years to shake the scars from their psyche and recover. An even less fortunate few find their minds so broken that they actually embrace the brutality of their captors, becoming the kryshantel, or "savage souls," who now follow their masters into battle as thralls. Most of these individuals are utterly broken creatures, little more conscious than the hyenas that the gnolls favour as pets; but a handful do retain their intellect, effectively becoming gnolls in all but form. These kryshantel are the most dangerous since they, unlike regular gnolls, are able to act as infiltrators, performing sabotage and laying the ground for gnoll raids, too often undetected until it is already too late. Variant Cultures Though most gnoll packs embrace their reputation for savagery, some few refrain from such utter depravity. These clans are also nomadic, but unlike the others rarely engage in violent raids except when seriously provoked. Likewise, though they retain the natural gnoll bloodlust, they take no joy in torture or unnecessary cruelty, embracing hunting and tracking over outright slaughter. In some cases, these gnolls might even come to befriend or at least peacefully interact with the members of other races, offering their services as trappers or hunters. These races could include bugbears, hobgoblins, ogres, orcs, and even trolls. However, they generally prefer their own kind, and, except when on business, rarely visit neighbouring villages dominated by members of another race. Likewise, these gnolls remain aggressive and quick to anger, meaning visitors should be careful not to offend.
Lifespan
Gnolls reach adulthood at age 8 and live up to 80 years
Average Height
7′0″‒7′6″ (2.1‒2.3 m)
Average Weight
280-320lb (127-145kg)
Geographic Distribution
Related Organizations
Related Ethnicities
