Gnoll

Gnolls are a humanoid race that most closely resemble human-hyena hybrids and can be found throughout any kingdom of Xesteria. They are carnivorous humanoids, often known for their savage culture and warlike ways.

## Description

Gnolls are extremely tall, with the average member of the race standing on average between 7' and 7'6". Though gnolls are relatively lean for their height, weighing in usually between 250 to 300 lbs, they cut an impressive visage. In part because of their height and lean musculature, gnolls are very quickly compared with many other races such as humans. Gnoll skin is typically a brownish grey, and their furry hide a light or dark brown hue, sometimes marked with spots or stripes. Many gnolls also have a dirty yellow to reddish-gray crest-like mane that stood on end when they are angry.

Female gnolls are indistinguishable from males by size, in spite of a reputation for being shorter. In fact, so similar are male and female gnolls in appearance that they were often mistaken for one another. The only reliable way to tell the difference, other than through a close physical examination, is if a female was pregnant or openly nursing.

Gnolls have very short lifespans when compared with other sapient humanoids, living only 30 or so years on average and maturing to adulthood at a remarkable speed. Gnolls do not, however, age particularly dramatically except at the end of their lifespans, at which point the decline quickly ends in their death. When a gnoll dies, its bones are occasionally harvested by the other gnolls and animated by rituals into a witherling, a type of skeletal gnoll.

## Psychology

Moreso than many other humanoid races, primal instinct is a strong part of the gnoll psyche. Gnolls are natural predators and savour the thrill of the hunt. Almost all gnolls prefer the wilderness to the civilized enclaves favored by humans, dwarves, or other similar races and those that do take to cities have usually thought of them as just another kind of landscape.

Many other races have found the gnoll psyche feral and aggressive, male and female equally, and the behavioral tendencies of the race have certainly given this impression. Gnolls start fighting among one another at a very early age and as soon as they can walk, many crawl into places away from the eyes of adults where they engage in vicious, often lethal battles. A gnoll has been more likely to demand answers than it is to actually ask a question. Gnolls, however, would not see this as an act of hostility, but rather a basic demonstration of strength.

Though gnolls are not necessarily evil, the craving of the hunt and primal bloodlust that inhabit the gnoll mind have made many of the race lean towards a chaotic evil alignment by reflex.

## Society

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 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 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 is 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 is as loyal and faithful as they would be with their own brothers or sisters, embracing the outsiders as if they were family.

Though most gnoll packs over the centuries have embraced their reputation for savagery, others refrain from such utter depravity. These clans are also usually 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 may even come to befriend or at least peacefully interact with the members of other races, offering their services as trappers or hunters. However, they generally prefer their own kind and except when on business rarely visiting neighboring villages dominated by members of another race. Likewise, these gnolls remain aggressive and quick to anger, meaning visitors should be careful not to offend.

## Religion

Gnolls are most often worshippers of the demon lord Yeenoghu, who some claim created them. Though some pay only nominal reverence, many gnolls are fanatically devoted to their dark overlord, his influence being the primary cause of their savagery. Some gnolls believe it is their purpose as Yeenoghu's servants to cleanse the weak from the world, serving a higher purpose through the slaughter they had spread.

In spite of their devotion to Yeenoghu, few gnolls have any interest in ritual and there are few clerics or shamans to be found among the savage packs. Typically, gnolls see their very brutality as a sign of their devotion to the demon lord, painting the eye of Yeenoghu onto their weapons and armor and howling his name as a war cry in battle.