Gnoll

Revision as of 18:32, 7 May 2014

In Belegarth, gnolls are a monster race driven by an insatiable desire for carnage and the subjugation of all other species. Gnolls hold allegiance only to the dead and possess a reverence only for the slaughter of every living thing. Gnolls maintain a tenuous truce with all monsters that share their vision of a world shrouded in chaos. Although primitive and feral, their brutally efficient pack tactics and boundless cruelty represent an ever growing threat to all civilization.

Description

Gnolls are best described as filthy, sinister hyena-folk. They are relatively short when compared with other humanoids and very lanky. They assume an inhumanly slouched posture with shoulders arched forward and head held low to the ground and dress universally in baggy pants or skirts that extend below the knee. Garb is made in whatever fashion and with whatever material is available, resulting in a very sloppy, stitched together appearance.

When a gnoll celebrates their first birthday, it is customary for the gnoll to craft a distinctive leather collar representing the bond to their clan. The collar remains around the gnoll's neck, even in death (though the neck itself will be cannibalized). The collar is a sacred item and over a lifetime accumulates all manner of charms, bones, feathers, and various leathers and skins.

In addition to the collar, gnolls possess a bizarre fascination with any circular artifact. These items can include rings, belts, necklaces, bracelets and anything round in shape.

Gnolls live in small clans of five to ten individuals and are largely nomadic. Gnolls are primarily meat eaters, but will occasionally supplement their diet with whatever other foods can be scavenged. A large part of gnoll culture centers around the hunt and pursuit of any creature thought by gnolls to be weaker (particularly humans). Gnolls are notoriously bad artisans and scavengers by nature. All items in possession of a gnoll were at one time taken from somewhere else, so arms and armor are largely eclectic and mismatched, determined by what's available and a gnoll's personal taste.

Gnolls enjoy killing. When not killing, they enjoy fighting. When not fighting, they enjoy eating/sleeping/breeding. Every other aspect of gnoll culture is considered superficial.

Appearance

• Garb

Anything goes. Gnolls are scavengers and will wear whatever garb they can find. That said, gnolls have a preference for dark colors and earth tones, primarily browns, yellows, and greys. Red and green are not commonly worn because gnolls are red/green colorblind. Gnolls dress in layers to conceal their movement. Inspiration is drawn from the ancient middle east and china.

• Collar

Every gnoll wears an ornate collar. The bigger the better. Gnolls often attach scraps, charms, and event tokens to their collar.

• Skirt

Gnolls wear a skirt that extends below the knees. They also wear sleeves that extend past the elbow.

• Rings and Belts

Gnolls ritually collect and wear circular objects. Rings, belts, bracelets, necklaces are all prominently displayed.

• Warpaint

Black and yellow are the most common war paint colors. Most gnolls wear two types of patterns on their face, one for their clan, which typically goes on their face, and one for themself.

Allies/Enemies

• Skaven: Because they share similar goals and attitudes, skaven and gnolls get along quite well.
  
• Goblynz/Ogres/Hobgoblynz/Orkz: Gnolls respect the intelligence and cruelty exhibited by these races.
  
• Trolls: Considered too stupid and narrow-minded to be a reliable ally or threat.
  
• Lizardmen and Kobolds: Gnolls generally dislike and are slow to trust these cold blooded monsters.
  
• Bugbears: Bugbears and gnolls are mortal enemies. Bugbears commonly kill gnolls for sport.
  
• Civilized Humanoids: Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and their ilk are held with the highest disdain imaginable.
  

Clan

The vast majority of gnolls belong to a clan. The clan serves as an extended family for a gnoll and the clan always acts as one. Different clans have different customs and traditions that are dictated by a (usually) self appointed leader or in some rare cases, shaman.

Guttermaw Clan

Guttermaw have a reputation for talking trash. Guttermaw delight in the excesses of gnolldom. They take pride in wearing the ugliest clothing available to them, are constantly chewing on something, and are typically the loudest presence in a fight.

Black Blood Clan

The Black Blood Clans' goal is the complete irradication of the "pinkies". They are unrelentless, they ruthless, and they enjoy every second of it. Members of the Black Blood Clan bow to the god Yeenoghu.

LongClaw Clan

LongClaws are known for their unusually long, and often sharpened claws. They dwell slightly farther north than most gnolls, in plains neighbored by a mountain range. This clan is nearly extinct due to a group of pinkie bastards who took it upon themselves to eradicate the clan that had terrorized the area for years. The remaining members can be identified by a horizontal stripe of warpaint across the forehead.

Religion

Because it's commonly perceived as being purely aesthetic, many gnolls choose to forgo any religion, even going so far as to declare it delusional and a sign of weakness. Regardless, there are a growing number of religious gnolls who receive great power and wisdom from the gods. The most notable deities among gnolls are Cynothoglys the Mortician God, Yeenoghu the Demon Lord, and the Fallen God Gorellik.

The Cult of Cynothoglys

These are the deranged worshipers of Cynothoglys the Mortician God. Cynothoglys is regarded by It's cultists as the master of death. Cynothoglys has no permanent shape or form except for a single mummified arm that tirelessly reaches through the fabric of the universe, bringing death to whatever It can grasp. In addition to reigning death amidst the mortal world, Cynothoglys is also responsible for the death dealings of all Gods. Whenever a God dies or becomes lost to It's followers, it is Cynothoglys' responsibility to hunt down that God, and put them to rest.

Followers of Gorellik

Gorellik is widely considered to be the progenitor of all gnolls. As his children have spread across the world and found their own paths, his power has gradually declined. Gorellik is a legendary hunter.

Worshipers of Yeenoghu

Yeenoghu is a Demon Prince, the Demon Lord of Gnolls, and the bestial embodiment of savage butchery. Yeenoghu embodies killing and butchery. Seeking power over his rivals and the gods themselves, the Beast of Butchery commands his followers to show no mercy over their opponents. Yeenoghu welcomes to his worship any who exult in death and slaughter. His personal weapon is his dreaded triple flail, created from the bones and skin of a slain god. Yeenoghu was a mortal gnoll whose bid for Immortality was sponsored by the dark power Thanatos. Using the name Ranivorus as an Immortal, Yeenoghu helped bring the destruction of the Egyptian-like Nithian culture by spreading hatred and insanity throughout the ranks of their nobles. One myth claims that Yeenoghu created the gnolls himself by feeding demons to a pack of mortal hyenas. These hyenas gave birth to the first gnolls.

Language

Gnolls speak many different languages but have for the most part adopted the common speech, with a few noticeable idiosyncrasies. Gnolls always refer to everything in it's singular form as gnolls are seemingly unable to perceive quantity. The only state of being to a gnoll is to "be." "Am," "is," "are," "was," "were," and "been," are all replaced with "be." Also, gnolls have a difficult time distinguishing the past, present and future. Most past and future events are referred to in the present tense. Gnolls do not typically use articles in their speech; words such as "a," "an," and "the."

There exist several hieroglyphic scripts that are unique to gnolls, but their meanings and designs are so obscure as to have little value.

An ancient gnoll war chant:

"Te Kurash tantel krysh

Te krynte tantel krysh"

Translates roughly to:

"I Make you bleed

I drink your blood"

Trivia

• Gnolls are exceptional liars.
• Never gamble against a gnoll, especially when bluffing is involved.

Known Gnolls

Gnolls are a comparatively young race. Gnolls from around the world are still disorganized.

• Giggles

• Morwen

• Maybe Losivvt?

• There's mention of two gnolls from The Lowlands

• Bruder was a gnoll, but is now a pinkie?

• Azreal of the Black Blood Clan

• Daggar and Onion

• Raxis