Gnolls
"I've nary seen a Human with their ruthless cunning, nor an Orc with their ferocity."When Arrboth Veng first sought to unify the tribes of the Midland Steppe, Human and Orc warbands alike ultimately fell under his banner. But whether it was a failing, an oversight, or a simple distaste or disinterest, Gnolls remained almost entirely independent. This is perhaps not a surprise when one considers the race's reputation - roving bands of grotesque, cowardly, beastly humanoids that will tear a man limb from limb without a second thought. Not unlike Goblins or @Kobolds, many completely civilized areas of The Eye condone killing them on sight without a shred of guilt. This first impression is not unfounded. To most, Gnolls appear uncivilized, closer to beasts than men, with their sharp claws, elongated toothy snouts, and frequent use of a quadrupedal gait. Their attire rarely helps, either stolen and ill-fitting or primitive and tribal. To make matters worse, the first experience that many will have with one is their caravan being attacked by these ravenous beastmen on a trip across Arrboth, only for them to retreat at the first sign of being outmatched. As with many monstrous races of The Eye, however, the truth is more nuanced. Living in the shadow of both Man and Orc, Gnolls consider themselves rugged survivalists that do what is necessary to survive. Like the hyenas they resemble and consider brethren, they scavenge, raid, and hunt in packs, taking what they need now and will need later. Pragmatic by necessity, they see no cowardice in running from a losing battle, but can show a fierce loyalty to their packs. While a pack of Gnolls running from a fight is a common sight, just as common but oft-dismissed is carrying their wounded away during the retreat.
Racial Modifiers
- Characteristics: Gnolls gain a +1 bonus to AGI and PER, but suffer a -1 to WP.
- Natural Weapons: Gnolls gain a claw attack on both hands, dealing Base Damage equal to their base Strength +40. It is necessary to train in fighting with these natural weapons to avoid penalties, but if they do so they also gain an additional bite (thrust, same damage) after their other attacks at -40. This bite can only be used on a target if they've already used their main and offhand attacks on the same target, or in the case of Predatory Rush (see below).
- Hyenoid: Gnolls are treated as kin by hyenas, allowing them rudimentary communication and the benefits of the Animal Affinity advantage for any species of hyena. They also possess +30 to any Notice, Search, or Track check related to smell, and a +1 to Perception checks for the same.
- Tough Hide: Gnolls gain the Natural Armor advantage for free, giving them 2 AT to anything but energy which does not count as an additional layer for the purposes of penalties.
- Predatory Rush: On any given turn, a Gnoll can opt to run on all fours, granting them +2 to MV. This prevents them from making any physical attacks besides their bite (regardless of weapons or martial arts), though they may make this without the usual -40 penalty if they have trained it. This bonus does not translate to any other forms of movement besides running and climbing, though it does work with Weight Elimination and similar methods of running on unusual surfaces without issue.
Basic Information
Dietary Needs and Habits
Despite what some would believe, Gnolls are omnivorous, supplementing their diets with fruit and berries. A more founded claim is their occasional consumption of other sentient beings, though only certain packs engage in this behavior.
Civilization and Culture
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Mostly passing down myths and legends through oral tradition or carvings, Gnoll culture is not entirely unlike that of Goblins, though these similarities can perhaps be attributed more to their similar position outside of polite society rather than by choice. Gnoll packs are typically ruled by whoever has survived the longest, with acts of cowardice or betrayal proving exceptional disqualifiers. Their packs frequently complex division of labor below this ruler, with dedicated hunters, tamers, scouts, trappers, leatherworkers, cooks, and the occasional spellcaster or psychic. Being accepted into a pack can be a difficult process of gaining trust, but often proves surprisingly unbiased; anything from orcs to elves could potentially join the ranks of a pack if they decide to.
There is very little common leadership besides these pack alphas, resulting in vast differences in practices across packs. Some abstain from raiding entirely and subsist on hunting and gathering, perhaps even trading with more open-minded Arrbothi towns, while others may go as far as torture, ritual sacrifice, or consuming other sentient beings. The tribes do not exist in a vacuum, however, and share some common mythology. They share the founding myth of the continent, but perhaps put more stake in their own myth - the Rise of the Allfather, a cunning hyena that was said to have spied upon celestial beings and learned to emulate the secrets of walking upright, learning to use spell and spear alongside his claws.
Even outside their packs, Gnolls keep much of their cultural heritage, and those few that integrate into civilization tend to be fiercely loyal to their friends, forming tight-knit cliques but treating most others with healthy scrutiny. Those who befriend them find friends for life, if they can get past their blunt, pragmatic personalities.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Humans
Gnolls find some common ground with those humans that are willing to give them the chance to do so. While they lack the outlandish imaginations of the descendants of Illusion, their creativity is equal if not better when it comes to quickly solving problems. Some friendships between the two races are formed upon a basis of puzzles and riddles, and perhaps the occasional prank. More commonly, however, gnolls see humans as hypocritically putting themselves on a pedestal to look down on them.Orcs
As their other rival on the steppe, Arrbothi orcs have as much history with gnolls as humans do. Often, orcs see gnolls as even more underhanded than humans, while gnolls see orcs as slow-witted brutes. Those who find a mutual respect, on the other hand, tend to do so based on martial skill and loyalty, though gnolls can be somewhat condescending towards their orcish compatriots when it comes to their apparent insistence on 'doing things the hard way'.Elves
Elves have a somewhat ironic benefit when it comes to interacting with Gnolls: as they are often solitary travelers that travel light, they rarely serve as worthwhile targets for raids compared to proper caravans. This is compounded by the inability to predict just what magic a passing elf might have; while some say it is out of fear, gnolls tend to be fairly respectful towards these travelers. At the same time, however, they rarely form close friendships with them. Many elves look upon gnolls with the same disdain that they do orcs, so the two races tend to have no issues giving each other a wide berth.Goblins
More so than orcs and men in the current age, goblins are competition. Fights over resources between the two races are common, though this same factor gives the two something of a mutual respect that has since deteriorated in the now-civilized races. It is far from unheard of for goblins and gnolls to work together if a particularly large and lucrative target is on the table. Still, many gnolls consider goblins to be wasteful and trigger-happy, especially when they cause such raids to fail.Kobolds
Pragmatic and crafty, Gnolls can easily relate to kobolds, and see great potential in their inventive traps. They often offer meat and materials from their raids in exchange for such inventions. At the same time, they typically consider the diminutive race weak and pitiable at best, and lacking in the boldness of goblins. Still, as with humans, they can find much common ground when it comes to their wits when given the chance.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments