Gnoll

Revision as of 08:56, 30 January 2009

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 and represent an ever growing threat to all civilization. They may seem primitive and feral, but their brutally efficient pack tactics and boundless cruelty should not be underestimated.

Description

Gnolls are best described as filthy, sinister hyena-folk. When standing, they assume an inhumanly slouched posture with shoulders arched forward and head held low to the ground. They 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 pack. 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, any circular artifacts are considered items of spiritual power to gnolls. These artifacts can include rings, belts, necklaces, bracelets and anything round in shape.

Gnolls live in small packs 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). Nothing goes to waste in a gnoll pack. 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.

Pack

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

Guttermaw Pack

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 always 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.

Religion

Because it's 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. The most notable deity among gnolls is Cynothoglys, the Mortician God. Other notable deities include 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 renown 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 have for the most part adopted the common speech, with a few noticeable differences. 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.

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