Powerfully-built humanoids that resemble hyenas, gnolls are cunning warriors and hunters. Their frightening visage and efficient tactics have given them an ill-starred reputation, most being intimidated by the folk at first sight.
If you want to play a character who's efficient, ruthless, and frightening on first sight, you should play a gnoll.
You might…
Always try to work smarter, not harder.
Keep a bone from a favorite relative to ask for advice.
Others probably…
Are intimidated by your size, teeth, and eerie laugh.
Respect the brutal efficiency of your hunting style.
Physical description
Gnolls are large, hyena-like humanoids with short muzzles, sharp teeth, and large and expressive round ears. Their bodies are covered in shaggy fur, rougher on the back and softer and lighter on the stomach and throat, usually in an off-white, tan, or brown shade—spots and stripes are both common. Gnolls typically stand between six and seven feet tall. Women are usually about a head taller than men, and correspondingly stronger. Gnolls are considered adults at fifteen, and live about 60 years on average, though some can reach a hundred or more in good health.
Society
Gnolls live in clans, usually made up of various interrelated family groups. They tend to live in camp-like settlements, so they can move easily once they've hunted all the good stuff.
Bonekeepers focus on tending to the wishes of gnoll ancestors and gods— they take their name from the ancestral bones that festoon their clothing and homes. Storytellers serve as teachers and sages, and are expected to have an encyclopedic knowledge of clan history, regional lore, and anything else relevant to the clan. They usually speak several languages.
Equally misunderstood is the gnoll practice of ancestor worship and endocannibalism. Gnolls consume their dead as a sign of reverence, holding a grand feast and transforming the bones of the fallen into art or weapons. Gnolls extend this honor to respected foes, hoping to bring their enemy's cunning or strength into the clan. While it's a sign of admiration, not everyone sees it that way.
Newborn Gnolls are given a root name, typically that of a bone, plant, or animal (though never Hyena, as this is considered narcissistic and arrogant). As a gnoll reaches certain milestones in life, they add descriptors to their name. Root names are often passed down through families, while descriptors are chosen to fit the gnoll's personality, usually in raucous ceremonies.
Example names: Red Thorn, Woodpecker, White Acacia, Jackal.
Beliefs
Gnolls, unlike most ancestries, are monotheistic. Their offers and rituals focus on Ysirgeis, which makes outsiders regard them as brutal and intimidating. In reality, they wish to give the fallen a safe passage to the afterlife.
Popular Edicts
Celebrate the deceased.
Respect and share knowledge.
Strive for efficiency.
Popular Anathema
Disrespect the deceased.
Refusing to participate in a grand feast.
Stats
Legacy.
