Gnoll

Gnolls have four limbs and can switch between bipedal and quadrupedal whenever the desire arises. The structures at the ends of their arms closely resemble hands, though the fingers are a bit shorter and tipped with claws instead of nails. They are capable of holding objects, crafting, and anything else hands of other humanoids can do. Other than that, however, they are very close to their ancestral species. When on all fours, only their size will distinguish them from hyenas.

Gnolls are stronger than the average human (+2 Strength modifier). They are slightly more dexterous as well (+1 Dexterity modifier). However, their customs and tendencies tend to make them a little less charismatic (-2 Charisma modifier).   Stronger gnolls, especially clan leaders, are typically stronger and more agile than average gnolls (+3 Strength modifier, +2 Dexterity modifier).

Gnolls have a strong preference for warm, dry climates, as their fur isn't terribly thick.

Most gnolls are partially omnivorous, able to eat a wide variety of foods, but need meat or other animal products in order to survive. Gnolls can survive on a pure meat diet, although some supplement in vegetables and fruits for additional nutrients. Like bull sharks, gnolls are capable of eating just about anything, even raw meat, carrion, and sometimes, garbage. It is rare for a gnoll to starve to death. For these reasons, gnolls are very hearty and could survive almost anywhere. They can survive for days without water if needed.   Aardgnolls are a special case, as they primarily eat insects. Although they are capable of eating other food sources, this is usually done as a last resort, as they need to eat insects to survive. They tend to spend the most time around termite mounds, however, many have settled among the settlements of other species, working as a form of pest control. One clan in particular has made a career of hunting large insectoid species for pay from settlements that want the insects gone.

A group of gnolls is called a clan or a pack. The number of members and hierarchy will depend on the ethnicity of the clan. Despite this, the leader of the clan is always called the Pack Parent (name may change to reflect the gender of the Parent in question), as the leaders are almost always parents of a substantial portion, if not the majority, of the group.   Spotted gnoll clans can consist of up to 150 or more members (packs that settle down and build permanent societies tend to have larger numbers, as having one single place to return to every night makes keeping track of members easier). Spotted gnoll clans are almost always helmed by a Pack Mother. She and her children are at the top of the hierarchy, followed by all other female gnolls and their young, with incoming males at the bottom.   Striped Gnoll clans   Brown gnoll clans    Aardgnoll clans

Gnoll packs pepper the Savanna Land Bridge, with some crossing the border into Saltu, some the border into Solitudinem.

Gnolls are typically less intelligent than the average human (-2 modifier). The tools and structures they craft tend to be simple, their language isn't complicated, and the workings of the world tend to stump them. When it comes to wisdom, however, they are on par with humans (no modifier).

Gnolls have very acute senses of smell that let them smell food from long distances away. They also use this sense as a means of identification, the same way a human might use their sight to remember a face or use their hearing to remember a voice. Of course, gnolls can also remember faces and voices, but smell seems to be the primary method of confirming an identity. They also possess darkvision, allowing them to hunt in the thick of night, though anything beyond 60 feet becomes unclear.

Gnolls love eating, and so it is considered good manners to show when a meal is enjoyed. It isn't uncommon for gnolls to get over-zealous, playing with their food and shoving their faces into it to eat as much as they can as quickly as they can. This shows they are really enjoying their meal, a non-verbal way of saying, "This meal is so delicious I cannot resist gobbling it up!" Licking one's chops and fingers post-meal shows a desire to eat every last bit, and resting or even falling asleep immediately after shows that the meal was filling. Gnolls are rarely invited to dinner by outside societies. There are "Common Etiquette" classes held in Saltu for gnolls who are looking to travel the world.   Gnoll greetings involve lots and lots of sniffing and vocalizing in order to learn a new person's scent and voice. The ethnicity of the gnoll will determine the vocalization used. Spotted gnolls are known for their "laughter," though to them, it is a sound they make when hunting, fleeing from an adversary, or when upset. Each gnoll's "laugh" is different, and so they sometimes "laugh" with each other to better learn each other's voices. While observing other species, gnolls learned that laughter is associated with positive emotions. As a result, spotted gnolls will typically make jokes when meeting other beings - including other, non-spotted gnolls - so they can learn the sound of the new person's laugh (and, subsequently, their voice). Aardgnolls cluck and bark with one another. When meeting outsiders, they may yell, and encourage whomever they are meeting to yell back, as to familiarize one another with their "barks."  Striped gnolls are not very vocal, and can be quite hard to understand, especially if the person they're meeting isn't used to low talkers. They communicate in lots of growls and grunts, and so they frequently come across as cold or unwelcoming to new people from outside cultures. In reality, this is just how they communicate. Brown gnolls are similar to striped gnolls in that they growl and grunt a lot and it can be hard to hear them, however, they are even quieter, and typically keep their greetings short and to the point. If a striped gnoll comes across as unwelcoming, a brown gnoll may come across as outright antisocial or even hostile to those unaware of their communication habits. In addition to their grunts and growls, they also squeak.

Golls generally do not feel the need to clothe themselves. Gnolls living closer either to Saltu or Solitudinem tend to wear scraps over their shoulders and loins, likely as a result of the influences from the serpent-borns - who have always worn clothes as a means of protecting their delicate bodies from the harsh weather of the desert - and the Greater Apes and Monkes. Gnolls living isolated in the heart of the Savanna may only cover their "private parts" to keep them protected from the elements or nothing at all. Those living among other civilizations may fully clothe themselves as a result of the standards of the larger society. There are more warlike gnoll clans who dress themselves fully in armor fashioned from the remains of their prey or, if they're lucky, armor from would-be invaders.

Gnolls evolved from hyenas that called the Savanna Land Bridge home. The most popular theory is that they learned to walk upright and eventually use tools by watching the Monkes and Greater Apes of Saltu, however, because clear records were not yet kept at this time, it is equally possible they learned from the serpentfolk who lived in Solitudinem. Unlike many other anthropomorphic species of the world, however, gnolls are very in touch with their roots, and can switch between being people and being animals on a whim.

Gnoll myths vary depending on where they live. Gnolls that live in the north tell myths of a great serpent that slithers in the sand of Solitudinem that will gobble up any gnolls that cross its path.  Gnolls that live in the south tell myths of all kinds of strange creatures - giant tigers, enormous birds of prey, giant snakes, and so on - living in the wilds of the jungle. Gnolls living on the coasts believe in sea monsters that will devour any gnolls that swim too far from shore, or try to sail out on too small boats. It is believed that these myths originated as tall tales in order to keep young gnolls from straying too far from the pack, though many grown gnolls seem to believe in these legends. As little research has been conducted in the thickets of these places, it is possible the myths have substantial kernels of truth to them. Gnoll clans that live amongst other societies will tell the same myths and legends of the society at large.