Gnoll
"I LOVE MY JOB", GNAWBONE THOUGHT, AS HE LOPPED across the plain with the wind blowing past his face, the wonderful smells constantly in the air, he was a happy gnoll. Scouting for the caravan who hired him, Gnawbone enjoyed his job. Besides being able to run free, he was never yelled at or beaten by his employers. Instead, they really seemed to enjoy having him around. The kids liked to play with him and the food was absolutely delicious! A smell pulled Gnawbone back to the present, something smelled off...
The average gnoll views the virtues of work and self-sufficiency with distaste. Gnolls with leadership skills or who tire of sharing the fruits of their labors frequently break off from the pack alone or in small groups to fend for themselves. Sometimes a male gnoll foolishly announces that he believes males are more fit to lead, and necessarily sets out on his own until he can find a new pack or the controversy is forgotten.
Gnolls who possess the will to face danger make excellent adventurers.
Bred for the Hunt
Moreso than many other humanoid races, primal instinct remains a strong part of the gnoll psyche. Gnolls are natural predators and savor the thrills of the hunt. Almost all gnolls prefer the wilderness to the civilized enclaves favored by humans, dwarves, or other similar races and those that do take to cities usually think of them as just another kind of landscape.
Many other races find the gnoll psyche feral and aggressive, male and female equally, and the behavioral tendencies of the race can certainly give this impression. Gnolls start fighting amongst one another at a very early age and as soon as they can walk many crawl into places, away from the eyes of adults, where they engage in vicious, often lethal battles. A gnoll is more likely to demand answers than it is to actually ask a question. Gnolls, however, do not see this as an act of hostility, but rather a basic demonstration of strength.
Other gnoll practices might seem equally strange, such as the gnoll propensity for scavenging. At its most basic level this tendency leads many gnolls to collect trophies that remind them of past victories, items sometimes grisly though just as often simple and mundane,[3] Gnoll trackers sometimes use this to their benefit, keeping scraps of clothing or other objects with the scent of their prey on them, which they use to point them in the direction of their quarry
Loyalty to the Pack
In spite of the savage nature of the gnolls there are some aspects to their culture that are not inherently repulsive. Gnolls place a very strong value on family for instance, respecting blood ties perhaps more than any other aspect of a relationship. Though gnolls within a pack commonly fight amongst one another for dominance, these battles are quickly forgotten after their resolution and in most situations gnolls of the same bloodline are loyal friends and allies to one another. These bloodlines are almost always traced matrilineal, through the female line.
This loyalty to family is particularly obvious during combat, either with rival gnoll packs or other races. Gnolls who fight side by side regularly throw away personal glory in order to help their brethren.
Perhaps most surprisingly, when a gnoll is separated from clan and family their instinctive need for such blood ties may lead them to form a surrogate "pack" from those whom they choose to befriend. To these unlikely allies the gnoll is as loyal and faithful as they would their own brothers or sisters, embracing the outsiders as if they were family.
Another common trait of gnolls, that of scavenging, is taken to new levels by gnolls who live in the wild. While all gnolls have an innate tendency for collecting souvenirs and trophies, nomadic packs, particularly the savage ones who have little contact with other races except during wartime, often find little other ways to acquire technology, having crafted few tools of their own. The result of this is that most gnolls rely on the other races as their source of wealth and technology. This extends to arms and weaponry, giving gnoll armor a unique aesthetic where each suit is typically made kitbashed together from scavenged pieces of armor found either on victims or abandoned.
Gnoll Names
Gnoll names are typically simplistic, based many times onwhat they do or like. There's no difference between the names of males and females.
Gnoll Names. Barker, Bloodbone, Bloodymaw, Bonebreaker, Brokenleg, Gnawbone, Giggler, Howl, Slasher.
Gnoll traits
Your gnoll character has several special traits, the result of a wild nature and growing in a harsh environment.
Age. Gnolls reach adulthood at age 12, and they live short and brutal lives. The rare examples that die of old age experience only around 70 summers.
Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. You are also considered an gnoll for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be an gnoll.
Size. Gnoll females are taller and more powerfully built than their male counterparts. The former range from 7 to 8 feet and usually weight more than 250 pounds, while the latter average 6 inches and 30 pounds less. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You cannot discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Scent. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Bully. Although gnolls are cowardly at heart, they like to disguise their fears by abusing others. You have disadvantage on saving throws against being frightened. On the other hand, whenever you make a Charisma (Intimidation) check for dealing with obviously smaller or weaker targets, you are considered proficient in the Intimidation skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal
proficiency bonus.
Live to Fight Another Day. When you take the Disengage action, your base walking speed is increased by 10 feet.
Gnoll Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the
spear, shortbow, longbow, light crossbow, and heavy crossbow.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Gnollish. Gnollish words sounds almost like growls for the uninitiated, and gnolls tend to use scents and small gestures
to convey subtle meanings. Two gnolls speaking can almost
seem like dogs barking at each other to a casual observer.
Subrace. Although not, strictly speaking, different races,
gnolls from the civilized lands live in an environment so
different than their savage brethren that they are considered separate subraces. Choose one of them.
Civilized Gnolls
As a civilized gnoll, you are well-fed and enjoy the comforts
that your primitive cousins can only dream of. You were
valued as a mercenary, a temple guard, or simply a thug due
to both your inherent toughness and your desire to please
those that are in charge.
Obsequious. Whenever you make a Charisma (Persuasion) check for dealing with obviously bigger or more powerful
targets, you are considered proficient in the Persuasion skill
and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead
of your normal proficiency bonus.
Savage Gnolls
As a savage gnoll, you are in touch with your animal
side and understand the ways of nature. Your tribe has
been raiding the desert or the plains for generations, and
you know the land in which you live like the back of your
hand.
Scavenge. Whenever you make a Wisdom (Survival)
check for gathering food or locating water, you are
considered proficient in the Survival skill and add double
your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
