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Hyenafolk

aka Gnoll Folk

Gnolls are towering, humanoids with features reminiscent of hyenas. This resemblance extends beyond appearance, as gnolls share an innate connection with the scavengers they emulate, often keeping hyenas as companions and adopting their behaviours.

While skilled hunters, gnolls prefer scavenging or stealing kills to the effort of tracking prey. This opportunistic nature leads them to enslave others, forcing captives to construct dens, gather resources, and even hunt for their gnoll masters.

To gnolls, other creatures fall into two categories: meat or tools. Even their fallen comrades are treated with pragmatic detachment. A respected gnoll might receive a brief prayer or ritual before being consumed, while others are seen as just another meal. Tribes that consider themselves "civilized" may refrain from eating captives, using them instead for labour or trade.

In combat, gnolls are cunning and opportunistic, attacking only when the odds favour them. They prefer ambushes, overwhelming numbers, or stealing kills. Courage holds no value to them—they would rather retreat to fight another day than risk unnecessary losses. This mindset is reflected in their saying, "Better to run with tail intact than lose it entirely."

Gnoll tactics mix chaotic individuality with pack coordination. A gnoll exploiting an advantage focuses on weaker targets rather than helping allies. Against stronger foes, however, they band together to eliminate key enemies, aiming to demoralize and scatter their opposition.

Encounters with gnolls in the wild typically involve Finder War Bands, composed of Laughing Gnolls led by a Flind Gnoll. These leaders are often rangers, though clerics are also highly respected. Arcane magic is rare among gnolls, making bards, sorcerers, or wizards uncommon.

Humans may occasionally encounter Aard Gnolls—smaller, nimble gnolls often mistaken for Kitsune or other Beastfolk. Aard Gnolls are known as entertainers or thieves and sometimes operate within human societies, even joining Thieves' Guilds. However, few humans recognize them as a subspecies of gnolls.