Gnoll
Gnolls are hyena-like humanoid creatures who excel in scavenging and stacking odds in their favour for successful hunting. No battle tactic is off-limits to a gnoll pack, and to face one is to know unbridled carnage. A gnoll that does not follow the path of chaos laid out before it by Yeenoghu is rare, by virtue of loyalty to their kin.
The idea that Gnolls are intrinsically evil by their very being is not entirely unfounded, but not without flaw.
Mixed Origins
Most gnolls worship Yeenoghu, the demon lord of of savagery, holding fast his tenets of relentless hunting and indiscriminate slaughter. Most gnolls that are created by Yeenoghu reside in the Abyss, the plane of existence where demonic creatures and demon lords reside.
Gnolls long existed before any ties to the abyss were made however, and there are rare instances of 'natural' packs of gnolls in the material plane who still worship an old patron deity, Gorellik, the Demigod of hyenas and hunting, despite his untimely demise by Yeenoghu's hand.
It is usually outwardly apparent as to a gnoll's heritage. A gnoll of abyssal origin will usually have an abberant eye or fur color, and might even diplay strange behavioral 'tics'.
It is unquestionable that, regardless of their origins, gnolls live their lives as ruthless hunters, preying on the weak and subjecting them to lives of torturous slavery before killing and eating them.
Bonds of Blood
Whether they are of abyssal origin or not, blood relations and family are a cornerstone of a gnoll pack's strength. Gnolls will almost always throw aside their own safety or personal glory for the betterment of one of their own. A gnoll is only as strong and successful as the pack it runs with, and the safety and success of the pack is paramount to the motivations behind their actions.
Gnolls that are separated from their pack for an extended period may decide to adopt a 'surrogate' family, who they treat as they would their own. To a gnoll, there is strength to be had in numbers, and to live alone, is to condemn oneself to death. This can lead to a gnoll finding itself in peculiar company; but despite their discomfort, they will almost always prefer the advantages of safety in numbers.
Gnolls do not extend their loyalty of protection to anyone outside of their family, and are usually suspicious or hostile towards outsiders or people they aren't familiar with.
Background by TacoSauceNinja (DA)
Gnoll race by /u/lukemortora01
version 1.0 - 12/14/2017 - Subject to change and review
Special thanks to /u/fek_ for a great amount of input!
Wandering Raiders
Gnolls are naturally war-like creatures. From a young age, they need very little encouragement to fight and grow stronger through combative means. Only the strong or the quick can survive the savagery of the lifestyle they lead, making them among the fiercest of warriors. They aren't to be mistaken for headstrong, however, as they almost always prefer to prey on the weak and scavenge what they can from the devastation caused by larger, more dangerous creatures.
Instead of developing their own tools or weapons, gnolls rely on other races to steal or scavenge anything they need. Their armor is usually made from ill-fitting armor plates which have been bashed into a wearable shape. Very few gnolls possess magical talents, and
those that do are viewed as
peculiar or unnatural by
their peers.
Gnoll Quirks
Gnolls that integrate into interspecies groups can sometimes have a hard time adhering to some social standards. You can pick or roll on the table below to see what quirks your gnoll might have:
| d6 | Quirk |
|---|---|
| 1 | Unless I am reminded not to, I feast on almost every kill if I can. |
| 2 | I have only learned a broken form of common, and I am often misunderstood. |
| 3 | The tedium of social customs and niceties makes me irritable and impatient. |
| 4 | I have a short fuse and can be quick to anger or violence. |
| 5 | I am equally intruiged and disgusted by the idea of domesticated animals as pets. |
| 6 | Cities and crowded social areas make me jumpy. |
Gnoll Origins
Gnolls usually travel and hunt in packs, but it is quite likely that you no longer associate yourself with yours. A jarring life event or circumstance may have steered you towards a life of adventuring.
You can choose or roll on the table below to decide why you might be different from your kin:
| d8 | Origin |
|---|---|
| 1 | I wanted to do something great within my short lifespan, and that meant finding a new pack. |
| 2 | I was lost as a pup, and survived long enough to make new allies. |
| 3 | A party of adventurers showed me mercy, and taught me a new way to live. |
| 4 | My pack abandoned me because I was the runt of the litter. |
| 5 | I was held captive in a monastery of holy men who were determined to change my ways. |
| 6 | A wandering humanoid healed my wounds when I was close to death, now I treat him/her as family. |
| 7 | I stumbled upon an ancient shrine to a god called Gorellik, and learned a new truth to my ancestral origins. |
| 8 | I grew tired of obeying my demonic masters, now I live life for myself. (Abyssal origin.) |
Gnoll Names
Gnoll names are difficult to pronounce and often do not translate well to common. Those who travel with a Gnoll often choose a nickname which sounds similar instead. Most Gnoll names are pronounced with gutteral growls and harsh consonants.
Male Gnoll Names: Agrron, Diazlo, Drux, Gnizz, Kaah, Khyrk, Rroxyk, Rrynyx
Female Gnoll Names: Glythyr, Myrth, Rru, Rrhyhrrith, Srel, Szorzo, Tai, Trrith
Gnoll Scout by BenWootten (DA)
Gnoll Traits
Gnolls share similar physical attributes, with either spotted or striped fur patterns which are usually light or dark browns. It is common for a pack to share similar markings and colors. Gnolls usually have yellow or green eyes, and some have crest-like manes which run from the top of their heads to their backs. Gnolls of abyssal origin may have other eye or fur colors, and sometimes other abberant characteristics
Regardless of your appearance, your gnoll character will share the natural killer instincts of your kin.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.
Age. A gnoll's lifespan is short. They reach maturity within 7 years and typically live up to 35 years. Gnolls often do not show signs of deterioration due to age until their final years of life.
Alignment. Gnolls that are not evil are almost exclusively chaotic in nature due to their unpredictability.
Size. Gnolls are taller than a typical humanoid, averaging at 7 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60ft of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Iron Stomach. You have advantage on Constitution saving throws to resist diseases, and the adverse effects of eating food of inferior quality, such as carcasses or rotten fruit.
Savage Combatant. You are proficient with your unarmed strikes, and you can attack with your claws or your bite. Your claws have the finesse property and can be treated as a weapon. On a hit, they deal 1d4 slashing damage
(claws) or 1d6 piercing damage (bite).
Competitive. When any of your allies lands a
critical hit on an attack roll, you can use your
reaction to make a weapon attack on the same
target, as long as you were able to see them
perform the attack.
After using this ability, it cannot be used
again until you complete a short or long rest.
Languages. You can speak, read and write
Gnoll. You can speak Common, but you
cannot read or write it.
Gnoll Weapon Training.
You have proficiency with spears,
flails and the flindbar.
Background by Anthony Avon
Flind by Midfinger
Flindbar
A flindbar is a pair of chain-linked iron bars. It is a martial weapon with the finesse property that does 2d4 bludgeoning damage.
Variant Gnoll: Flind
Flinds are the bigger bulkier cousins to the Gnoll. When playing as a flind, replace the ability score increase trait with the following:
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1, and your Constitution score increases by 2.
