Post by BetaWolf on Apr 11, 2015 6:45:16 GMT
History
The Gnolls as a collective have a long and delightfully blood soaked history in the Eastern Plains. Individually the five distinct subspecies of Gnoll have slightly varying histories before their eventual unification.The Spotted Gnolls fought the Orcs and managed to hold out against them until they formed their Empire and subjugated them. The Crocuta Gnolls remained independent from the Orcish Empire, only ever seen as the occasional gladiator. The Striped Gnolls were crushed and turned into a class of slave laborers, while the Brown Gnolls willingly joined as a servant class. The Aard-Gnolls were forced to pay high tithes, but remained relatively safe, and were afforded the protection of the Orcs, by means of the slave warrior Spotted Gnolls who made up the bulk of most Orcish Armies at that time.
When the Empire fell, the Gnolls were cast into the light of freedom with not so much as a clue to their cultural identities, and so made their own new ways. There were a select few remaining Gnoll Clans in the wilds, but they were either destroyed or overthrown by the roving bands of newly freed warriors, servants, and slaves.
Little of their former history is known to them, save that they work best in mixed groups, but it rarely works for long. Nearly the entire population had something against someone, be it other Gnolls of their subspecies, Gnolls from the other "breeds" as they call them, or the newly fractured Orcs who oppressed them for so long.
Many Gnoll Clans remained loyal to their former masters, allying with the more powerful Orc Clans, but many, many more were focused on simply building up their own newly formed Clans in the aftermath of the Imperial downfall.
It was however in this time that the Striped and Brown Gnolls formed an alliance to combat the more aggressive Spotted Gnolls. This alliance not only prevented further attacks by the Spotted Gnolls, but allowed them to push the offensive.
In this dire time for the Spotted Gnolls, they needed a strong, wise, and cunning leader. A former slave soldier of the Empire, a Spotted Gnoll warrior rose to unite the Clans under one banner. While they managed to slow the onslaught of the other Gnolls, they were making no progress. So while the mighty Matriarch left her armies under her three sisters, she herself went to the deadliest of Gnolls. The Crocuta.
She managed to sway them to her side after proving herself in combat against their warriors, as the ways of the Crocuta have always been less than pacifistic. With her powerful new allies, she lead her armies into battle and crushed the Spotted and Brown Gnolls and brought their rampage to a heel. She was however merciful, and spared them of further slaughter, bringing them under her banner as she completed the "unification".
Ever since the rise of the first Gnoll Queen, the great unifier, that in the revitalized ruins of an Old Orcish city that a Gnoll Queen has ruled and maintained the standing Grand Gnoll Army.
Biology
Subspecies: There are five distinct subspecies of Gnoll. The most common and dominant are the Spotted Gnoll, then you have the Brown and Striped Gnolls who scavenge, followed by the timid insectivorous Aard-Gnoll, then the rarest, largest, and fiercest Gnolls are the Crocuta, also called Giant Gnolls. All Gnolls average out at a lifespan of about eighty years, but are physically matured by the age of four.
Spotted Gnoll.
Average Male dimensions: 4'6" to 6'3" in height, 100lbs to 236lbs in weight.
Average Female dimensions: 4'8" to 6'5" in height, 120 to 256lbs in weight.
The most common of their kind, the Spotted Gnolls are the second largest subspecies, and ferocious pack hunters. Often thought to scavenge like their smaller cousins, nothing could be farther from the truth. The Spotted Gnolls are proficient and vicious hunters, but often have their kills appropriated by the deadly predators of the Eastern Plains. They are also the most social subspecies of Gnoll, having close-knit family groups, often making knolls to reside in out of Indricothere ribcages half buried then covered over with dirt, often times leading down into warrens.
Striped Gnoll.
Average Male dimensions: 4'2 to 6'2 in height, 90lbs to 220lbs in weight.
Average Female dimensions: 4' to 6' in height, 85lbs to 210lbs in weight.
Tied in commonality with the Brown Gnoll, the Striped Gnolls are one of the dominant scavengers of the Eastern Plains. They have Clans like the Spotted Gnolls, but are more spread out than their Cousins, over a small territory with several dens in it. Unlike the Spotted Gnolls, the Striped Gnolls scavenge their armor and weapons instead of forging it.
Aard-Gnoll.
Average Male dimensions: 3'8" to 5'6" in height, 60lbs to 100lbs in weight.
Average Female dimensions: 3'8" to 5'6" in height, 50lbs to 90lbs in weight.
The smallest, least violent, and most timid subspecies of Gnoll. They are slight of stature and build, and eat insects almost exclusively. Due to their lack of carnivorous tendencies, they aren’t in direct competition with the other Gnolls or the Orcs, and thus are generally left alone. They do however hire themselves out for pest control, easily nullifying problem insect populations that are harmful to crops or buildings.
Brown Gnoll.
Average Male dimensions: 4'6" to 6' in height, 100lbs to 230lbs in weight.
Average Female dimensions: 4'4" to 6'2" in height, 90lbs to 220lbs in weight.
As common as the Striped Gnoll, the Brown Gnoll is a direct competitor of its striped cousin, both of which are scavengers. They are however the more aggressive of the two, and will even be so bold as to follow Spotted Gnolls on the hunt. They, like the Striped Gnolls, keep their Clans spread out over several dens in a small territory. They have learned to make their own basic weapons, but still must scavenge for decent armor.
Crocuta Gnolls.
Average Male dimensions: 6'8" to 7'2" in height, 240lbs to 320lbs in weight.
Average Female dimensions: 6'6" to 7' in height, 230lbs to 310lbs in weight.
These are the largest, most violent, and fearless subspecies of Gnoll. They are so large they can equal a Bolag Orc in size and strength. They are however the slowest kind of Gnoll, their great size and thicker, stouter limbs unable to carry them at fast speeds beyond short bursts. This lack of speed has forced them to adapt their hunting style, often choosing to raid caravans and villages instead of going after larger, slower, and more dangerous prey animals.
The Clans
Gnoll Clans: Gnolls gather into communities known exclusively as Clans, several of which are directly beholden to an Orcish Clan. Regardless of size, any group of three or more Gnolls living together are a Clan. These Clans vary greatly in size, from half a dozen up to a hundred individuals, which are usually lead by a mated Alpha pair, or a lone Matriarch. Very rarely do males lead the actual community(almost never with the Spotted Gnolls), more often they are allowed to lead hunting or raiding parties.
The Bone-Bleeders: A large and aggressive Clan of Spotted Gnolls, infamous for their deadly bone piercing weaponry. They are also known for stringing up their enemies and hammering taps into the larger bones, living them to die from their “bleeding bones” as they say. Their crest is a black blade piercing a white bone.
The Dusted: A nomadic Clan of Brown Gnolls, they are constantly on the road with a trail of dust at their backs. Their crest is a brown cloud.
The Back-Breakers: A Clan of Crocuta Gnolls, they are well known for snapping their enemies spines, with hammer, mace, flail, and even their bare hands. Their crest is two fists snapping a spine.
The Tallmanes: A Clan of Striped Gnolls known for keeping their manes well kept and always raised. Their crest is a fairly traditional white mane with the customary black tips.
The Bug-Beaters: A Clan of Aard-Gnolls that hold ownership over a vast field of termite mounds and ant hills, which they beat to pieces to collect and preserve the hiding bugs for food. They do this both to sustain themselves and to sell their preserved insects to fellow Aard-Gnolls. Their crest is a club smashing something, but all you can really see is six legs coming from under the club.
The Clawless Paws: A reclusive Clan of pacifists, they have sworn a pact of non-aggression with the Orcs, Ti’burren, and other Gnolls. They are revered by other Gnolls for their commitment, and respected by their neighboring Orcs. The Clan has existed for at least three centuries, and never broken their solemn oath of pacifism. Contrary to popular belief, the members of the Clan do in fact have claws, they simply choose not to use them violently. Their crest is a paw without claws.
Culture
The Pecking order: Gnoll society is Matriarchal, meaning the Females are those in power and in leadership positions. In the past, all the subspecies of Gnoll were separate, with only the Crocuta and Spotted Gnolls being Matriarchal, the Striped, Brown, and Aard-Gnolls were all Patriarchal and often in conflict with the Spotted and Crocuta Gnolls.
However, a particularly powerful Spotted Gnoll Matriarch rose up and formed the Grand Gnoll Army, primarily made up of Spotted Gnolls, with Crocuta Gnolls forming heavy units. This “Gnoll Queen” as she came to be called, conquered the Striped, Brown, and Aard-Gnolls and assimilated them into the Grand Army, and for the longest time imposed a Matriarchal construct on them for their pack structure.
This only lasted for so long, as the Gnoll Queen in her latter years realized it was not the way of the cousin Gnolls, and allowed them to revert to their uncultured Patriarchies, though still ultimately under the rule of the Spotted Gnolls and the line of Gnolls Queens.
The Alpha Male Gnolls’ power ends where the lowest ranking Females’ power begins. The Alpha Male usually will have the Matriarch backing him, so he will throw his weight around occasionally(though only amongst the lowest ranking females rarely, and constantly among the Males.) The Alpha Male also nearly always the Clans Shaman, the spiritual leader and advisor of the Matriarch.
Queen
Grand Matriarch(of which there can only be one)
Regent Matriarchs(of which there is one per Gnoll controlled area, these areas being called a Dominion)
Matriarch(of which there is usually one per Clan of Spotted or Crocuta Gnolls)
Patriarch(of which there is usually one per Clan of Striped, Brown, and Aard-Gnolls)
Traditions: The Gnolls are a very traditional people, often even if the tradition is brutal beyond reasoning.
Blooding: This tradition is held by all Gnolls, save for the Aard- Gnolls. The Cubs of a Clan are taken on their first hunt by the Matriarch, or their parents, and are to kill for the first time. It is usually something small like a rabbit or fawn, but some individuals choose to(or are expected to) take down dangerous game.
In the case of the Crocuta, the young must kill something dangerous, the higher their status(or the higher they want their status to be if they survive) the more dangerous the beast they must kill. Frakuza the Bold is said to have mauled a cave bear to death with her bare hands.
The Hunt: The Hunt is a tradition that is never, ever left out of a Gnolls upbringing(again, save for the Aard-Gnolls). The youths of the Clan are taken on their first group hunt by the Matriarch, and must take down a large herbivore with teamwork. The Crocuta however usually raid a small settlement in this tradition.
The Matriarch is there to observe only, and will only interfere if the future of the Clan is jeopardized by the possibility of the newest generation being killed off. If such a thing occurs(usually if a group of predatory animals or Humans appear and attack) the Matriarch will sound an alarm call and rally the young ones into a close circle, and slowly make their way back towards their own territory.