Gnoll

### Hair Color

Light or Dark Brown fur marked with spots and stripes, dirty yellow to reddish gray mane.

### Distinctions

Combative personality, Rapid growth.

**Gnolls**are a carnivorous bestial race, described in appearance as humanoid hyenas. Gnolls are primarily found in the Salahad, but populations can be found across Sarhal, and disparate smaller groups are notable in Bulwar and southern Cannor. According to Regent Court mythology, the Gnolls are a Spawn of Agrados, and are descended from their progenitor Grilax. The Gnolls are known to worship demons and their societies tend to be characterized by infighting and siblicide, which many Cannorian scholars trace back to this infernal heritage, though rival schools of thought point to similar behavior in the common hyena as a likelier origin.

## History

Description and interactions with gnolls have been prevalent throughout early history, with many human tribes in Sarhal and the Salahad recording interactions with the savage race since the beginning of their civilizations. It was only in 1152 BA that gnolls entered prominence when the gnoll Krah led his pack up the Mother's Sorrow to Kheterata upon hearing of their weakness during The Onslaught, where he raided weak settlements and became the first slaver: he would later gain many riches enslaving the poor and selling to the rich across Kheterata and Bulwar - and soon other gnolls came to ply the burgeoning slave trade in those lands, often bringing enslaved humans from Sarhal.

### Mythological and Demonic Origins?

In Regent Court mythology it is said that gnolls were a part of the Spawns of Agrados, bestial races emerging from the rape of their earth goddess Halanna. It is said that gnolls came from the infernal plane of Hell from the domain known as the Pits of Grilax (named after their god, Grilax) that is somewhere in the Salahadesi Desert. While this location has never been found or confirmed, it is said that Castan Beastbane led his legions in a futile attempt to invade and destroy the Pits of Grilax but no survivor ever returned from his campaign to confirm its success.

Contemporary scholars refuted this idea, and suggested that any sort of demonic influence on the gnollish race started in the year 666 BA which saw the rise of the Xhazobine, the demonic-chosen champion of the gnoll peoples. However, since the rediscovery of Aelantir a precursor text dating to 27,500 BA was found describing creatures coming from 'a Mouth of Fire, where thousands emerge, and drag captured natives into its maw' which suggests that the origin from the Regent Courth myth may hold some truth, and that perhaps the Xhazobine was a revival of said practices.

## Social Behavior

Gnolls are naturally inclined towards dominance displays as their main form of social interaction; this is thought to be why gnolls are some of the most prolific slavers in the world. Some speculate this inclinations is from their demonic origins, while others believe it's due to their relationship with hyenas, but almost all scholars recognize its existence. For many gnolls, slavery has certain aspects of both forced adoption and animal husbandry, with slaves valued below other gnolls but significantly above something like a sheep or goat; valued parts of the family, but not very high-ranking members of it.

Importantly, while some gnolls rank higher or lower than others, the enslavement of another gnoll is looked down upon as both betrayal of the race and effectively useless due to gnolls making for particularly surly and unmotivated slaves; many would rather die than perform manual labor for the benefit of someone else, so as an alternative a practice of forced adoption into the winning pack is practiced when one group of gnolls subjugates another.

In addition to the forced adoption of losing gnolls into the victorious pack, those killed in battle are often cannibalized - how ritualistic this is differs by pack, with those more aligned to the Xhazobkult consuming the dead on the battlefield itself while others packs tend to be more respectful. This cannibalization is thought of in terms of consuming the strength of the slain, combined with a broad sentiment that not eating what you've killed is disrespectful.

## Notable Members

Grilax
Xhazobine
Krah