Blacktooth Gnolls
Origins: The Curse of the Blackfang
Long ago, the gnolls of the Dreadclaw Savannah were little more than scattered scavengers, surviving by preying on weaker creatures and raiding villages along the outskirts of their territory. According to legend, their transformation into the Blacktooth clan began with a cursed artifact. the Blackfang Spear, a weapon said to have been forged from the fang of an ancient demon lord of hunger and slaughter.
The spear fell into the hands of a gnoll warlord named Vhorrak the Howling Hunger, who was driven mad by its power. Under the spear’s influence, Vhorrak united the disorganized gnoll packs into a single bloodthirsty horde. The gnolls' teeth blackened, their eyes glowed faintly red, and their insatiable hunger deepened as they became avatars of the spear’s corrupting influence. Vhorrak renamed his people the Blacktooth, signifying their newfound strength and their cursed, predatory nature.
The Age of Carnage
Under Vhorrak’s leadership, the Blacktooth Gnolls swept across the savannah and into the surrounding regions, leaving devastation in their wake. Their bloodlust was matched only by their cunning, as they relied on swift, coordinated raids and overwhelming numbers to crush their foes. Villages were razed, trade routes were abandoned, and even larger kingdoms feared the gnolls’ growing power.
The Blackfang Spear became a symbol of their dominance. Legends say that every gnoll who carried it would hear whispers of hunger, driving them to acts of unspeakable cruelty. The gnolls believed that their endless hunger could only be sated by the suffering of their enemies, leading to rituals of slaughter where their shamans, known as Bloodhowlers, would dedicate their kills to the demon lord from whom the spear originated.
The Downfall of Vhorrak
As the Blacktooth’s power grew, so did their enemies. The human tribes and kingdoms, elven enclaves, and dwarven citadels formed an uneasy alliance to combat the gnolls. The Battle of the Broken Fang, fought on the outskirts of the Dreadclaw Savannah, marked the turning point.
During the battle, Vhorrak wielded the Blackfang Spear with devastating effect, cutting down dozens of warriors and inspiring terror in his foes. However, the spear’s curse turned on him—his insatiable hunger consumed him from within, leaving him weakened and vulnerable. A human, Edric the Ironblade, struck the killing blow. The gnoll horde, leaderless and fractured, retreated back to the savannah.
Fragmentation and Survival
After Vhorrak’s death, the Blacktooth Gnolls fractured into smaller clans, each claiming dominance over different regions of the savannah. Without the unifying power of the Blackfang Spear, many gnolls reverted to scavenging and infighting. However, the Blacktooth name endured, tied to the legacy of hunger, cunning, and ferocity.
One faction of the Blacktooth, led by the cunning matriarch Grasha Clawspite, sought to rebuild the tribe’s strength by adapting rather than relying on brute force. Grasha forged alliances with outlaws, orc warbands, and even goblin tribes. She encouraged her gnolls to act as mercenaries, trading their lethal skill in combat for supplies, tools, and weapons. Over time, the Blacktooth became known not just as savage raiders but as opportunistic scavengers and ruthless negotiators.
The Blacktooth Gnolls left the Savannahs of Areno just before the Tibur Empire completely took over the region. They left and ended up in the Goffik Tibesmen area far to the north east from the Areno's Dreadclaw Savannah.
Modern Blacktooth Gnolls
The Blacktooth Gnolls are no longer the unstoppable horde of Vhorrak’s time, but they remain a dangerous and unpredictable force. Their society is built around a brutal hierarchy, with the strongest warriors at the top. Leadership of the tribe is determined through bloody challenges known as the Howl Trials, where gnolls fight to the death for dominance.
The current leader, Grasha Blacktooth, with her second in command Rhazik the Red Maw, is a towering, scarred gnoll with a reputation for cruelty and cunning. Rhazik has revitalized the Blacktooth through strategic alliances, particularly with the Tree Choppaz Orcs. The gnolls act as scouts and skirmishers for these larger tribes, using their speed and vicious tactics to weaken enemies before larger forces move in.
Culture and Beliefs
The Blacktooth Gnolls still venerate the demon lord associated with the Blackfang Spear, though his name has been lost to time. Their shamans, the Bloodhowlers, perform grisly rituals to honor this entity, offering the blood and bones of their enemies to appease the hunger that gnaws at their souls.
Their society is one of ruthless pragmatism. Weakness is despised, and any gnoll unable to fight, hunt, or contribute to the tribe’s survival is cast out or killed. Despite this harshness, they are fiercely loyal to their pack, and betrayal is one of the few crimes punishable by a slow, painful death.
The gnolls’ insatiable hunger is not just physical but symbolic. They believe that their curse drives them to consume the strength of their enemies, making the Blacktooth stronger with every kill.
Enemies and Allies
The Blacktooth Gnolls have few true allies. Even those who work with them, such as the Tree Choppaz, do so out of necessity rather than trust. The gnolls are infamous for turning on their partners if the situation changes or if a greater reward is offered.
The Order of the Silverbrand, a knightly order dedicated to combating monstrous threats, considers the extermination of the Blacktooth Gnolls one of its primary goals.
Legacy of the Blackfang Spear
Whispers persist that shards of the Blackfang Spear still exist, hidden across the savannah. Some believe that reassembling the spear could restore the Blacktooth’s former glory, while others fear it would unleash a new wave of terror. Rhazik the Red Maw has been rumored to be searching for these fragments, hoping to reclaim the power of Vhorrak and lead the gnolls to dominance once more.
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