Origin of the Ro'Gnesh Empire

The Before Times

In the distant past, long before Ro’Gnesh, the Gnoll Folk of the Khule Desert and Steppes were a people in decline. The reasons for their struggles were myriad. Disorganized and plagued by tribal feuding, the Gnoll Folk’s inability to unify stunted the growth of true civilization. This left them vulnerable to neighboring powers, who continually threatened their way of life.

Among the Gnoll Folk, the Spotted People were the strongest and most skilled hunters. Their strength shielded them somewhat from external pressures, yet it also made them the most likely to rise as leaders among their kin. Unfortunately, their leadership often drove them into war and conflict, perpetuating cycles of violence.

The Striped People were cowardly but cunning and opportunistic. Their aggression often expressed itself through manipulation and deceit, crumbling alliances and further preventing unity among the Gnoll Folk. Their scheming nature sowed discord, making collective progress nearly impossible.

The Strand People, by contrast, were pack-oriented and had developed abstract strategies to manage their natural Gnoll aggression. However, they could not compete for food with the Spotted People during the day nor with the nocturnal Striped People. This pushed the Strand People to the fringes, where they scavenged what they could. Over time, their numbers dwindled as their way of life became increasingly untenable.

The Aard People were an exception among the Gnoll Folk. As the most distant of the cousin species, they diverged significantly from the others. While the Spotted, Striped, and Strand People were bone-breakers, the Aard People had adapted to eating smaller creatures and insects. This unique dietary specialization allowed them to thrive on the fringes, unlike their Strand cousins, whose survival was far more precarious.

Despite their propensity for internal conflict, every few generations, a Flind would be born among the Spotted People. The Flind represented a new and emerging branch of Gnoll, distinct from their Spotted ancestors. Stronger and more commanding than even the Spotted People, the Flind possessed the power to unite both the Spotted and Striped People into formidable warbands. These warbands often expanded Gnoll territories through conquest, but their unity was fragile. The cohesion of these groups relied entirely on the strength and leadership of their Flind founder. When a Flind fell, the unity they had forged crumbled, and the warband dissolved. This cyclical rise and fall of short-lived campaigns limited the Flind’s influence and prevented them from becoming a self-sustaining subspecies. These sporadic bursts of Gnoll aggression slowed their decline but could not reverse it.

For generations, the Strand People and the Aard People existed on the outskirts of Gnoll tribal territory. The Aard People, solitary by nature, appeared content with their marginal existence. The Strand People, however, were restless and yearned for something greater as a community. Though scavenging was already a way of life among the Gnoll Folk, the Strand People occupied the lowest rung in this hierarchy. Their fortunes would change with the arrival of Ghakarhi.

The Death Gnoll

On rare occasions, a Gnoll would be born with a unique condition that left them without subcutaneous fat, their leathery skin stretched tightly over their bones and muscles. The result was a Gnoll that resembled walking death. While the true cause of this condition was unknown to the Gnoll Folk, the superstitious and religious among them believed it to be divine intervention—a blessing from their god, marking the newborn as one of the Death People.

These rare individuals were revered by the superstitious, who saw their condition as a sign that their god was watching over them, perhaps even concerned for their well-being. However, not everyone believed. Opinions on religion were deeply divided among the Gnoll Folk. Some viewed the Death People as afflicted by illness and avoided or shunned them out of fear. Others believed the Death People were harbingers of doom, seeing their presence as a reminder of their own failures or divine punishment. These individuals sometimes brought scavenged offerings, perhaps hoping to appease their god and stave off further wrath.

In 1312 CE, the Scavenger God was said to have placed his fetid maw upon a newborn of the Strand People. She was named Ghakarhi. As a Death Person, Ghakarhi was honored by many of her people. Yet, growing up among the marginalized Strand People exposed her to their suffering and struggles, shaping her perspective. The mixed reactions she received—from sacred reverence to fearful shunning—tormented her. Amidst widespread hardship, this duality instilled in Ghakarhi a burning desire to reform the Gnoll Folk.

Her dreams became vivid warnings of the future, visions of her people’s extinction if they failed to change their ways. Whether these dreams were divine messages or the product of her fears, they compelled her to act. Driven by a prophetic urgency, Ghakarhi sought power with unrelenting determination, vowing to save the Gnoll Folk from their looming downfall and reshape their destiny.

The Unification

Ghakarhi began her mission locally, listening first to the Strand People to understand what might inspire them to embrace change. She started speaking to small groups, but over time, more of her kin gathered to hear her tales. These were carefully crafted stories of a future where all Gnoll-kind would be united. As a member of the Strand People, Ghakarhi found that uniting her own kin was the first, and seemingly simplest, step in her grand plans—though “simpler” did not mean “easy.”

The Strand People, while smaller than the Spotted People, were fierce, highly competitive, and deeply committed to hierarchy. These traits made them ideal candidates for militarization, but Ghakarhi still had to prove herself through ritual combat and persuasive oratory. By demonstrating both strength and cunning, she swiftly rose to power, uniting the scattered Strand clans under her banner.

The Aard People, the smallest and most solitary of the Gnoll Folk, had adapted to their marginal existence by mastering scavenging and hunting small creatures like rodents and insects. Thriving on the fringes, they might have survived independently of their cousins. Yet they revered the old traditions and feared the divine power of the Death People. Ghakarhi capitalized on this respect and fear, forging an alliance by offering the Aard People favorable positions in her envisioned civilization. In return, they took on critical roles as scouts and spies.

Often overlooked by both the wider world and their fellow Gnolls, the Aard People excelled in gathering intelligence and sowing rumors. They spread throughout Gnoll territories, quietly advancing Ghakarhi’s schemes and solidifying her influence over the growing coalition.

The Striped People, while the cleverest of the Gnoll Folk, were also the most cowardly. Ghakarhi exploited this trait through the Aard People, who uncovered secrets that could be used to manipulate them. Meanwhile, the Strand People began sharing their best scavenged finds with their Striped cousins, ingratiating themselves while planting stories designed to stoke the Striped People’s fears.

When Ghakarhi finally approached the Striped People, she invoked the Scavenger God’s divine plan, preying on their fear of divine wrath. She told them of their god, the Great Collector, who gathers the souls of all that die. She described the Scavenger God as a reflection of the harsh and unyielding deserts and steppes they called home. According to her teachings, the soul was not an independent entity but an energy bound within flesh and bone. Simply dying was insufficient; the flesh had to be torn, and the bones broken to release the soul's spiritual energy. Consuming the flesh ensured the natural cycle’s continuation.

She warned the Striped People that the Gnoll Folk were failing in their sacred duties as the Scavenger God’s agents in Fanterath. This tale of scavenging resonated deeply with their traditions and fears, reinforcing her authority. The groundwork laid by the Strand and Aard People ensured a mostly seamless transition of the Striped People under Ghakarhi’s banner.

For Ghakarhi’s growing army, the Striped People proved invaluable. Their cunning made them excellent administrators, and they efficiently handled bureaucracy and logistics. As her coalition grew, Ghakarhi continued to expand and refine the beliefs surrounding the Scavenger God, weaving them into the fabric of her unification efforts.

The greatest challenge lay ahead: the Spotted People. Larger, more powerful, and unparalleled as hunters, the Spotted People were essential to transcending the Gnolls’ tribal divisions. However, they had little need for the skills or resources of the Strand, Striped, or Aard People. For the Spotted, only conquest carried weight.

The conflict with the Spotted People was brief but decisive. Ghakarhi’s united and meticulously organized forces vastly outnumbered the Spotted warriors in every engagement. Among the Gnoll Folk, there was no greater glory than overwhelming an outnumbered foe, and Ghakarhi’s combined forces provided ample opportunity for this. After several crushing defeats, the Spotted matriarch was forced to sue for peace.

Ghakarhi granted the matriarch a swift death by her own maw, a symbolic act of dominance. However, she spared the matriarch’s daughters, offering them the chance to fight for the honor of commanding the hunts of the newly unified Gnoll nation.

All People

In 1322 CE, at the age of ten, Ghakarhi founded the first unified nation of the Gnoll Folk: Ro’Gnesh. Over the next decade, she consolidated her power, beginning with the beastkin—Hyenas, Dire Hyenas, and Hyenaedons—by driving back natural competitors like lions, cheetahs, wolves, and others.

She then extended her influence to the mystical beastkin, such as the Therianthropes. These included the Bultungin and Kaftar, who could shift between hyena and human forms to infiltrate human society. These allies provided Ro’Gnesh with invaluable intelligence and facilitated trade with the human world. Additionally, monstrous creatures like the Leucrocotta and Crocotta became powerful infantry units in the Gnoll military, while the semi-domestication of the Hyaquine as a beast of burden revolutionized transportation and logistics. These advancements enabled Ro’Gnesh to support a larger, more complex society.

The Striped People, spreading stories of Ghakarhi, proclaimed her anointed in the fetid saliva of the Scavenger God. This narrative strengthened her divine status, and belief in her favor began to unite the Gnoll Folk. However, Ghakarhi’s most brilliant innovation was yet to come.

Structuring a Nation

Ghakarhi understood that unifying the tribes required more than conquest—it demanded a stable societal framework. She knew that the Spotted People, with their unmatched ferocity and strength, would always demand leadership in military matters. Yet, their lack of strategic foresight and their volatile nature posed risks. She also foresaw the destabilizing potential of Flind People, whose extraordinary combat prowess could disrupt the fragile balance of power. Additionally, the eventual birth of another Death Person could challenge the religious foundation of her burgeoning empire.

To address these challenges, Ghakarhi founded the Imperial Hunt, an elite military order revered by all Gnolls. The Hunt provided the Spotted People with a structured outlet for their competitive nature. Leadership within the Hunt was determined through rigorous combat trials, ensuring that only the strongest could rise. This system channeled the Spotted People’s energies inward, encouraging them to compete for dominance within the Hunt rather than vying for control of the empire.

The Strand People introduced the Spotted to abstract games of dominance and power, minimizing the death toll of internal conflicts while allowing the Imperial Hunt to grow in strength and number. Warbands within the Hunt frequently clashed in sanctioned contests, reinforcing their martial prowess and maintaining unity.

The Flind People, born among the Spotted, naturally ascended to leadership roles within the Hunt due to their exceptional combat abilities. To prevent destructive, all-or-nothing leadership conflicts, Ghakarhi instituted the role of Finders. These Flind-led warbands were tasked with venturing far from the empire to scout and attack distant targets. This arrangement redirected the Flind’s aggression and solidified their role as long-range recon patrols, preserving the Hunt’s stability.

While the Hunt leader commanded during operations, Ghakarhi emphasized that war strategy lay outside the Hunt’s domain. The Strand People, with their strategic minds, assumed responsibility for planning and logistics, ensuring the empire’s military efficiency.

Spiritual Governance

The Striped People, known for their cunning and caution, presented a different challenge. With the Spotted occupied by the Hunt, the Striped would inevitably seek influence over governance. To counter this, Ghakarhi established the Church of the Scavenger and introduced the Scripture of the Scavenger.

This institution provided a spiritual framework that aligned the Gnoll Folk with the divine will of the Scavenger God. The Striped People’s pragmatic and territorial nature made them ideally suited for the Church’s shadowy manipulations. Revering the Scavenger God while fearing divine wrath, they found purpose in directing the social and spiritual cohesion of Ro’Gnesh.

While the Imperial Hunt harnessed aggression, the Church cultivated fear. These complementary forces—aggression and fear—created a delicate balance between the Spotted and Striped People. This equilibrium allowed the Strand People, with their pragmatic and strategic outlook, to assume governance of the empire, guiding Ro’Gnesh toward stability and growth.

A Nation is Born

In 1330 CE, Ghakarhi solidified the governmental structure of Ro’Gnesh. Leadership was divided into three branches:

1. The Hunt, embodying military strength and competition.
2. The Church, representing spiritual authority and social cohesion.
3. The Emperor and Empress, selected from the Alpha male and Alpha female of the Strand People, overseeing governance and strategy.

Ghakarhi remained the spiritual leader of the empire, ensuring a smooth transition of power and guiding Ro’Gnesh through its formative years. Her vision of uniting the Gnoll Folk under a shared purpose had been realized, creating a lasting legacy that would shape the future of Fanterath.

Scriptures of the Scavenger

Freed from the responsibilities of direct rule, Ghakarhi dedicated herself to working with the Striped People to expand and codify the Scriptures of the Scavenger. Her efforts laid the foundation for the long-term spiritual and cultural stability of the empire, ensuring its survival for generations to come.

Ghakarhi taught that the Gnoll Folk were the chosen agents of the Scavenger God on Fanterath. Their sacred duty was to scavenge the flesh and bones of all creatures, releasing their souls for collection by the Scavenger God. However, according to her teachings, the Gnoll Folk had failed in this divine mandate. Their endless squabbling and internecine warfare had caused their decline, drawing the displeasure of their god.

To regain the Scavenger God’s favor, the Church demanded unity and organization among the Gnoll Folk. The faithful were called to scavenge the dead, the sick, and the old of Fanterath, preparing their remains for collection by the Scavenger God. This sacred act was not merely about death—it was seen as an essential part of nature’s cycle, a form of pruning that removed the weak to ensure the health and strength of all life. By fulfilling this divine duty, the Gnoll Folk hoped to restore their place as favored servants of the Great Collector.

Pilgrimage and Taxation

While the Imperial Hunt expanded the territorial control of Ro’Gnesh, the Priests and Priestesses of the Scavenger God ventured forth on pilgrimages across the Khule Desert and surrounding steppes. Their purpose was to collect a unique tax: the dying and the dead. These religious emissaries framed their work as an act of mercy, teaching the vassal tribes that they were collecting on behalf of the Scavenger God—the one true God of Death.

The non-Gnoll tribes of the Khule, who had once feared the predatory Gnoll Folk, found themselves under their protection. The depredations and wars that had long plagued the region were held at bay by the unifying presence of Ro’Gnesh. In return, the tribes paid their tithe in the form of the deceased, an arrangement framed as a sacred duty and a small price for peace.

Integration of Non-Gnoll Peoples

As the Gnoll Empire prospered, so too did its vassals. This reciprocal relationship fostered goodwill and allowed the Church to further integrate non-Gnoll peoples into the empire. The expansion of Ro’Gnesh created an unprecedented era of stability for the desert and steppes, where even non-Gnoll tribes came to see the Scavenger God as a benevolent force, rather than a harbinger of fear.

Ghakarhi’s vision for the Church ensured its role as a stabilizing and beneficial force within Ro’Gnesh. It became the cornerstone of both the empire and the surrounding regions, uniting the people of the Khule under the shared reverence of the Scavenger God and the divine mandate of the Gnoll Folk.

Alienation of the Aard

Ghakarhi’s true genius lay not only in the formation of Ro’Gnesh or her many victories but in her profound understanding of her people and her creation of a sustainable hierarchy. She designed roles ideally suited to each of the three main Gnoll Folk groups, embedding self-reinforcing hierarchies within each. Yet no system is without flaws, and the promises made to the Aard People did not endure.

Over time, the Aard People returned to their traditional role as the lowest class among the Gnoll Folk. Often mistreated and, in some cases, enslaved by their cousins, they were driven once more to the fringes of society. Forced to adapt, many Aard made their living as entertainers or occasional thieves. Some found a place within the Church of the Scavenger, but even those who rose through its ranks could never assume true power.

Despite this, a different perspective emerged among the Aard People. Many claim that Ghakarhi fulfilled her promise to them in an unexpected way. Though outcasts on the surface, the Aard People argue they are better suited to their current status, free from the rigid hierarchies of Ro’Gnesh that bind and oppress their cousins. This perspective suggests that Ghakarhi understood the Aard better than anyone else, granting them a unique kind of freedom.

This belief became the foundation of the Cult of Ghakar, the primary religion of the Aard People. Members of the Cult roam relatively freely through both Gnollish territory and the lands of others. This decentralized and informal network of spies and scouts believes that Ghakarhi deliberately freed the Aard from the constraints of empire. The Cult teaches that the Aard People serve the Gnoll Folk in their own way, by embracing their solitary and territorial nature.

Guided by their faith in Ghakarhi’s vision, members of the Cult of Ghakar can be found scattered across Fanterath, gathering intelligence and subtly shaping events in ways that align with their interpretation of her divine will. According to the Scriptures of the Scavenger, the Aard People are like the carrion birds that circle death. They roam the world, seeking places where the Scavenger God’s eye may be needed.

Despite their unique role, the Aard People remain marginalized and often mistreated, even by the Church of the Scavenger. The Church rationalizes this treatment as a divine necessity, claiming it keeps the Aard strong and constantly on the move, fulfilling their role as harbingers of the scavenge.

The Collecting of Ghakarhi

As time passed, Ghakarhi grew older and eventually disappeared. The official account, enshrined in the Scriptures of the Scavenger, claims that the Scavenger God personally descended to collect Ghakarhi with his own maw. Her flesh was said to have been rended, her bones broken by the teeth and jaws of the divine, completing the sacred process of release. According to this tale, her spirit coalesced at the left hand of the Scavenger God, and as an ascended scavenger, she would watch over her people and guide the growth of the empire from beyond.

The true story of Ghakarhi’s fate remains unknown, as is so often the case with histories shaped by faith and legend. Yet her legacy is undeniable. Today, Ro’Gnesh spans the vast Khule Desert and significant portions of the surrounding plains and steppes. Generations have passed since Ghakarhi was claimed by the Scavenger God, but her vision endures. Her brilliance, determination, and understanding of her people have left an indelible mark on the Gnoll Folk and their place in Fanterath.

And so, Ro’Gnesh—the first Gnollish empire—was born, a testament to the enduring legacy of its creator, Ghakarhi the Necro Gnoll.