Gnoll

Gnolls are big wolf-people, but not as gruff and grounded as might be hoped. The Gods thought gnolls would be cool. So did the gnolls. Only the outsiders can see the truth.

Behaviour

The primary driving force for a gnoll is the urge to achieve a traumatic past that earns lots of pity points, multiple idiosyncratic physical beauty details, and a super unique and overwhelming fighting style. Gnolls never fight alone, cause nobody they respect would see their rad moves if they did. And survive (see Combat, below). In nature, the few remaining gnoll clans spend most of their time hunting, running around aimlessly with the wind in their hair, grooming themselves, applying makeup, performing Feats of Strength, dancing badly, participating in competitive boasting, and having talent shows. Like most immortals, they hardly ever try to build or craft anything. Only the urge to impress ever motivates any sort of artifice. Products of gnoll industry are recognizable by the way the shoddy craftsmanship is partly obscured with sequins and shiny rocks.
Gnolls speak so as to prevent any undue impression of intellectual accomplishment from being accidentally transmitted. However, they are slightly smarter than centaurs and merfolk, though much less self-aware. This fact came as something of a surprise to the scientific community, as a favorite method of entrapping gnolls is to cause them to leap a pit which is to wide to be leaped. The specimen to be collected is informed that the jump is impossible, and this triggers a compulsive behaviour to prove the examiner wrong.

Combat

If you find yourself in combat with a gnoll or, more likely, at least two, you can expect to hear all about their "traumatic backstory", and all about their different exciting cosmetic items which are actually deeply meaningful. Expect them to call shots and use lots of named attacks. Also, don't be surprised if they really mess you up. They do a lot of actual combat training in the course of their attempts to impress one another. Some gnolls, especially the physically smaller and more intelligent, may study basal magic similar to that of elves; most, however, completely neglect this relatively boring pursuit. They universally prefer hand-to-hand combat to any sort of ranged attack. In mass conflict, expect and prepare for the gnoll's signature battle formation in which every member simultaneously tries to lead the same charge, resulting in the gnolls spreading out consistently along a line of defenders.

The Hegemon's Review

Gnolls are best accommodated with the torch or the heavy crossbow. Casters are instructed to attack the will. At need, a shield-wall of hardened soldiers can be employed to cause loss of interest. Gnolls are easily manipulated; a soldier fitted in non-standard-issue battle dress can issue a challenge to summon exactly one gnoll to fight him, facilitating its easy disposal via numerous spears to the back. The pride of the gnoll makes it particularly easy to rile. See Applicable Insults, Ch. 4 of the Hegemon's Review for further details.

Naming

Names have the cool knob almost unscrewed: Rex Nightstalker Wolfsoul, Fastfang Lightningstep, Maximus Silverclawshadow. Almost half of females are named Lillith - something, such as Lillith Silvermoon or Lillith Moonsilver, but the rest go as far afield as Windclaw Crescentclaw or Moon Fangtoothmouth.

by Oogalook

Two representative gnolls, known as Fabulousie Mooncrescent Silvervale and Kool Klaw. These subjects were apprehended at Millstap and studied for three months before they gave in to torpidity and had to be terminated.