Gnolls

Not much is known about the origin of the gnolls, though many believe they were all members of one of the first expeditions to Nuzona . What they were before that is a subject of debate, even among the gnolls themselves. According to their oral traditions, their ancestors entered the ruins of a giant’s laboratory somewhere in the nation that would eventually become known as Nolla. There, they discovered a device that transformed them into the first gnolls. The transformation made them better equipped to survive in the deep deserts of Nuzona, and like Lizardfolk, they have the capacity to eat just about anything put in front of them. They have claimed Nolla as their homeland.
The location of the ruined laboratory is unknown, and therefore it is impossible to verify their origins. While they have no formal name for their nation, gnolls view other gnolls as a massive extended family. This is because the various gnoll families split into smaller groups when their population becomes too large to sustain the large family. The smaller group goes to find new foraging locations. They probably won’t see each other again until the next spring, when the various families within about a ten-mile area all meet up at a predetermined landmark in the desert and hold a large festival known as the Sower’s Meet. Many different families attend many different Sower’s Meets during the season.
This festival is also where the gnolls dance with those they are interested in dating, and there is a lot of singing and dancing. Important decisions are also often made here between the different families, such as where the lines of their territories begin and end, whether to go to war with another family, and anything that will affect the gnolls within that ten-mile radius. Families that have feuds typically set them aside during this time and celebrate their existence together.
Outside of the festivals, when two friendly gnoll families meet they will sing a song of greeting to one another. When two unfriendly families meet, instead of singing a song, they will beat on their shields as a warning. If that warning is ignored, the families will often fight short battles. The losers are given the option to either fold into the victor’s family or leave peacefully after that. Because of this, inter-generational feuds between gnolls are rare, but do happen. These are typically the result of a vast difference in ideas on what is and is not acceptable behavior for a gnoll.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Typically, gnolls resemble a humanoid canine and stand between 7 and 9 feet tall.

Growth Rate & Stages

Gnolls age at the same rate as humans and live to be about a century old.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Gnolls can and will eat just about anything.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

They have excellent smell and can see in the dark.

Gnoll Culture

Though there are a myriad of gnoll families, each with their own traditions and beliefs, but they do share a lot of core common themes. Many gnolls have non-monogamous relationships. There are those who do have monogamous relationships, and they are treated with the same respect as the others. Consent is very important to gnolls, if somebody tells you no, you are expected to respect that no. They also have a strong sense of honor, and many of them believe that defeating an opponent without killing them is the mark of a great warrior. Accusations of murder, theft, or violations of consent are very serious and are frequently addressed with an emergency Meet with the involved families and a group of neutral gnolls made up from the different families within the area who were not directly affected by the crime.

Variations of Gnolls

While the most common form of gnoll resembles a humanoid hyena, there are gnolls that also resemble various canids, including wolves, domestic dogs, foxes, coyotes, jackals, and dingoes. Nobody is sure where these mutations come from, but it is largely suspected that it has something to do with the ruined laboratory that transformed them into gnolls.