Gnoll

Gnolls are a race of the Demi-Human Species
Gnolls for Eons have been widely hated by nearly every civilization that rose and fell. Yet they're widely respected for their hit n run and guerrilla tactics. The earliest records show Gnolls enslaving each other during their warpaths across the southern region but after the first Emporian Dominion, nearly every gnollish warlord and clan banded together as one despotic slaver hegemony. Gnolls by nature live short and brutal lives and have adapted to that by making themselves kings over others via brute force. However, when it comes to other gnolls, they seem to form attachments to each other beyond just instinctual mating and survival purposes. It is hard to discern what sort of bond it is due to the lack of knowledge about the gnollish language and its dialects.
Details provided by the Emporian Ministry of Historical Records. Unless stated otherwise, assume the comparisons to be against humans.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Ga Looseclaw, Dha Grappledent, Saz , Ai , Dris, Bimva, Bitsziehz, Trreahzuh, Trraethmi , Tsuhlas

Masculine names

Rriat Xyn Thrizz Zat Iax Breron Voucit Etaaz Ixuz Khergekk

Unisex names

Krom Tral Sue Thec Thir Vualkon Threlmuth Gaaboul Eirgyt Trirhan

Family names

Sandhallow, Oozehunter, Soilwatch, Tametine, Muckguise, Dampcloak, Rentbash, Murknails, Pestfangs, Scumfeet

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Gnollish, a language consisting of barks, growls and other dog-like noises, it is unknown if there are dialects or variants of it

Culture and cultural heritage

The most defining factor in gnollish culture is the integral portion of slaves in every manner of both social and political life. It's been observed time and time again that slaves do in fact have an important role on a gnoll's political power. The average gnoll has between 5 and 10 slaves. The next group up which seems to be the warrior class has around 12-15, warlord around 20, and chieftain at almost thirty. There are several intermediate clusters of ranks within their political system but those are often integrated into one of those three. Gnolls often keep their slaves in pens in their own caves and regularly keep tallies of them due to slave theft being a common problem. When a military situation arises however, slave count no longer matters. Instead the gnolls seem to stand shoulder to shoulder as equals in times of conflict. In the event of protest against the chieftain, Duels have been observed.
Outside the political sphere, slaves have almost no effect on the social lives of gnolls other than fulfilling their needs. Despite apparent verbal laws, some gnolls still perform intercourse with their slaves but rarely do the victims of that survive, those who do are often killed and cannibalized when found pregnant.

Shared customary codes and values

It is very common for gnolls to have slaves, and more slaves a gnoll has, the more status that gnoll has within the clique. Within the Gnollish cliques, inter-species mating is almost unheard of if not actively frowned upon. Permanent mating between Gnolls and other species has only been observed in the outcasted population

Common Dress code

Gnolls, regardless of gender, often wear bones and leathers as both armor and common clothes. Unlike other races, Gnolls don't separate peace and war times and thusly their armor is the only clothing they have and the more bones and the more fur and skin it covers, the better the warrior is.

Art & Architecture

Gnolls utilize natural cave systems to house their illicit and normal activities. There is no record of a gnollish structure on the surface world. Gnollish architecture has changed over the Eons but often uses a lot of bones and leather from larger animals like Spectral Mammoths in the north.

Birth & Baptismal Rites

Newborn gnolls are often baptized in the blood of a slave or their mother if she was killed during birth, a rare (1/10,000 births) but ever present problem. According to outcast Gnolls, this is done to satisfy Thezec, the god of brutality and slavery.

Coming of Age Rites

When a Gnoll reaches the prime age of seven, the last year of childhood, they're sent away from the colony to hunt and amass a small collection of slaves or pets. Their either return successful or not at all, left to assumption of death.

Funerary and Memorial customs

It is believed that Gnolls do not bury their dead but rather cannibalize them. There are no records of finding anything resembling a cemetery or even a grave marker.

Common Taboos

Gnolls are not allowed to enslave other gnolls

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Gnolls use bones instead of metallic piercings.

Gender Ideals

Gnolls don't acknowledge genders outside of mating

"Creatures of wrath, bloodlust and greed... they seem no different from us humans" ~Conquerer Reman Fidelis, 1E1909

"Despite everything, they live and thrive. Despite everyone's attempts to civilize them, they refuse to change. That is true willpower, that is what it means to be a gnoll" ~William Ulysses II, EMHR Headmaster, 2E1890

Related Organizations

• Emporian Ministry of Historical Records