Gnolls

Basic Information

Anatomy

Gnolls are massive humanoids, though there is some debate on if they are humanoids or more "fiendish" in nature

Biological Traits

Gnolls are perhaps one of the most brutal of the wild races, for they are like an ogre in their unending hunger. This hunger is not the same unceasing thirst as ogres, but it comes close to them needing more food than most other races. This is theorized to be due to perhaps a very high metabolic rate, which also helps them in not gaining weight. Gnolls are immensely tall, slouching humanoids that have many traits similar to types of hyenas. They are strong despite their lean appearance (though some examples have been able to build muscle) and their jaws are said to be able to puncture steel if need be. Their meat based diet has led them to be expert hunters, and seem to have a natural inclination to seeking out adrenaline and other exciting activities. Of course, another signature trait of theirs is their distinct "cackling" sound they can produce. They seem to cackle both when in stressful situations and also as intimidation or to sound threatening. Perhaps the cackle depends on the context for the exact meaning.

Genetics and Reproduction

Gnolls reproduce sexually, with periods of heat occurring every so often. Gestation lasts roughly 6 months

Growth Rate & Stages

Gnolls are relatively helpless for the first 2 years of their life. After this, however, they rapidly mature and reach full maturity at around 4 years of age.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Gnolls are only capable of eating meat, and usually prefer it raw, as their stomachs are adapted to not get sick from eating raw meat. However, they can of course eat cooked meat, and most gnolls in civilized cities do in fact eat meat.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Gnolls can primarily be found in desert or warm climates, but have since moved across the entire world. However, they tend to avoid colder regions like the plague.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Gnolls possess the ability to see in the dark thanks to their Hyena ancestry, and possibly their distant demonic origins

Civilization and Culture

Major Language Groups and Dialects

The gnoll language is a mix of low, guttural chatters and trumpeting hoots and wails. Interestingly, normal, animal hyenas can seemingly understand this language on a very basic level. The way their language is, it is incredibly hard to transcribe onto parchment accurately, and most attempts lose the nuance in tone and pitch the language presents. Some have even pointed that some pronunciations share similar structure to some demon/infernal scripts, perhaps due to their "unique" heritage.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Gnollish culture is primarily influenced by their need to secure food, however, they still display many diffrent cultural ideals and levels in their societies. In the wilds, gnolls form into clans with a complex clan hierarchy that is both competittive and strict. Female gnolls tend to be leaders the most often, being typically reffered to as Clan Mothers, thanks to typically being larger and more aggresive than the males (however this doesnt say that males are timid by any means). Due to this, much of gnoll culture is matriarchal, with males primarily taking a warrior role or scavenging. There are severla types of gnolls, the most popular being plains gnolls, and then there are gutter gnolls that live in sewers and cities and rock gnolls that live in mountains.
Much of gnoll daily life is honing their hunting skills, and looking for opprotunities to be allowed to go out to hunt and unleash their wild and pent up aggression. However, this pent up wildness is something that is mostly determined by their enviorment. Gnolls that have long since lived in cities display a markedly reduced level of aggression, though they still show the same level of hunger as their more wild kin. Gnolls are known as free spirited and hardy, and have quite easily found themselves largely in the outskirts of society, or as mercenaries. Gnolls also display an importance on family and clan, with clan names being considered badges of honor or shame depending on the clans reputation.
Perhaps the most commonly known fact of gnolls is their worship of strange outer entities or fiends. While those living in the city largely do not worship these beings, the gnolls in the wild largely worship strange eldritch entities or demons of the Hells. They primarily do this for the boons of power promised to them by these beings, making them foot soldiers for dark beings of dark hearts. this also leads into some gnolls growing mutations in the image of their worshiped beings. Some of these beings are further expanded upon, but are named as thus:

• Nach-I, Eater of Worlds and Master of Hunger
• Baimrhi, The Dead Thing
• Tmcaor, Fallen Angel of Correction, and Lord of Disease

History

Gnolls are perhaps one of the most intimidating of the "wild" races, save for maybe orcs. Gnolls have frequently been portrayed as savage, and in truth alot of their history does lean into this. However, they are a race like any other, capable of both good and evil, and most of their brutal demeanour is mostly due to their upbrining and worship of strange outter entities.
Their origins are not well understood, and there are a few theories as to where they came from. One story reports that at the dawn of time, a being known as "The Walker in the Dark" abducted many animals and corrupted them, gnolls being his favoured for their cunning ways. Another says they were created by an unkown ancient and long dead diety, but during this fiends influenced his works and offered power to them. The ancestoral gnolls than accepted these bargins and became beings of darkness. While more popular, this does not explain how they were created or why they forgot this ancient diety. The last theory is the most widely accepted among scholars: being they are the result of the children of a demon. According to tales, a powerful fiend known as Nach-i (commonly also called the Eater of All) rampaged across the material plane. While a being of hunger, he did not forsake the pleasures of flesh, and is said to have lain with many animals, dire hyneas being the ones that would bear his children. It is said that evnetually these children became the gnolls.
Gnolls have existed for as long as mortals can remember, and have in recent years been experincing something of a population boom thanks to the sheer vastness of life in the world. Many have argued that they are not humanoids, and instead simply monsters only capable of violence and death, however this is complicated by the fact that they are not mindless. They are living, breathing people, with a culture and language of their own. A not small amount of gnolls have learned to live in cities with other races, even if it is mostly in the outskirts of society. Regardless, the world has come to largely grow weary when they hear the sound of their signature cackling and whooping in the night, and thier beady red or green eyes looking with eyes of hunger.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Gnolls have a fairly infamous reputation amongst most of the civilized world. They are infamous hunters and scavengers, and of course their penchant for eating meat has led to them eating many of their victims out in the wild. This has led to many to see them as monsters, but in truth many gnolls still live in civilized areas and live completly normal lives. However despite this population, there is some truth into the ferocity of gnolls in the wild being something of a common fear for many villages and towns. Due to this unfortunate reputation, gnolls tend to live on the outskirts of society if they do, typically occupying criminal or illicit activities, though many also work honest jobs.

Lifespan

60 years, but strange cases of gnolls approaching elven lifespans has been rumored.

Average Height

Standing incredibly tall at around 7'5"ft tall on the low end.

Average Physique

Despite being tall, gnolls are fairly lean, but some have been known to grow an impressive muscular build. They also tend to have a slight slouch, giving them a menacing silhouette

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Gnoll fur can be light to dark-brown on some and a gray or sometimes nearly white color on others. Another variation can also have warm sand like fur color or even a reddish color