Things to Know About Humans



Things to Know About Gnolls

Nomads, both geographically and socially, always seeking conditions most advantageous to themselves

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GNOLL 2

Terrain 3

Weather 3

Disasters 3

Government 3

Population & Demographics 4

Capital & Commodities 4

Technology (stone/bronze/iron/steel/mithral) 4

Magic (none/superstition/natural/synthesized/low-lv/ common items/mid-lv/unique items/hi-lv/artifact) 4

Offensive Tactics 4

Defenses (none/militia/warrior/fort/castle) 4

Taxes, Tariffs & Tithes 5

Cycle of activity (day, night, anytime) 5

Food 5

Social order (distribution of wealth, castes, responsibilities, hunting male vs gathering female) 5

Marriage and Family 6

Civilization (barbaric, tribal, nomadic,...) 6

Law (anarchy/.../martial) & Crime rate (% chance of being victim) 6

Alignment (lawful/neutral/chaotic, good/neutral/evil) 6

Neighbors 6

Non-Weapon Proficiencies 7

Appendix A: 8

MMI, FF, MMII or issue as appropriate with stats and info 8

Optional statistics for leaders or special characters 8

Racial Attributes 9

Height, weight, age 9

Appendix B: The gods of the Gnoll 10

YEENOGHU 10

Kiaransalee 12

Pazuzu (Prince of the Lower Aerial Kingdoms) 17

Shoosuva 19

Other Unique Immortals of the Abyss 21

Baphomet 21

KROCAA 23

Appendix C: Supplementary information, if any, which may be used to assist in understanding the race as presented. 25

Gnolls 25

GNOLL

Gnolls travel and live in rapacious bands of loose organization, with the largest dominating the rest. These bands recognize no other gnoll as supreme, but they do not necessarily dislike other bands, and on occasion two or more such groups will join together briefly in order to fight, raid, loot, or similarly have greater chance of success against some common foe or potential victim. They are adaptable and inhabit nearly any area save those that are arctic and/or arid. They have a so-called king, very powerful personally and with double normal-sized following, but his authority extends only as far as his reach.

For every 20 gnolls encountered there will be a leader-type with 16 hit points (attacks as a 3 hit dice creature).

If 100 or more of these creatures are encountered there will be the following additional gnolls with the band: a chieftain (armor class 3, 22 hit points, attack as a 4 hit dice creature and does 4-10 hit points damage/attack) and 2-12 guards (armor class 4, 20 hit points, attack as 3 hit dice monsters, and do 3-9 hit points of damage).

If gnolls are encountered in their lair there will always be a chieftain there, and there will be from 5-20 guards with him. The lair will also contain females and young equal to 50% and 200% respectively of the number of males present.

Gnolls are nomadic 85% of the time, but occasionally (15%) they will take up residence in an abandoned (or cleared) village or building of some sort. In the latter case they are 30% likely to have many undead, primarily ghouls and ghasts, living with them and acting as guards. Gnolls are quite likely (65%) to have 4-16 hyenas (80%) or 2-12 hyaenodons (20%) as pets and guards. They always have a number of captives (humanoid or beast) for food or slave labor (1 per 10 gnolls is minimum).

Gnolls employ a great variety of weapons, all carry spears, and a typical force will have the following percentages:

Great Bow 15%

Pole Arm 35%

Two-Handed Fail (treat as two-handed sword) 15%

Battle Axe 20%

Morning Star 15%

Gnolls will generally be on friendly terms with any neighboring race – provided the weaker types are not very much weaker in numbers and the gnolls are collectively about equal in strength to the stronger monsters.

Gnolls are strong, but they dislike work and they are not good miners. They have Extended Senses (provides sensory input sufficient for optimal operations, at 60’ range). They speak their racial tongue, and often (60%) that of neighboring races.

Description: There is a great resemblance between gnolls and hyenas. Gnolls have greenish gray skins, darker near the muzzle, with reddish gray to dull yellow mane. Eyes are dull black and nails are amber colored. Their armor is of horn, metal plates, and leather; like their fur capes and vests, it is shabby, and the latter are moth-eaten and dingy, being brown, black or grayish pelts. Gnolls have short life spans – 35 years being average.

Monster Manual I; Changed 85% subterranean for 85% nomadic; Listed Infravision as Extended Senses; changed undead to being with them if they are in ruins and hyena if they are nomadic; removed reference to alignment tongue; gave them 60% chance of knowing the languages of any neighboring race not just orc or hobgoblin. Changed weapons from all having swords to all having spears + indicated weapons.

Terrain

Gnolls are naturally inclined towards roaming open expanses of grassland. They are however able to adapt reasonably well to steppe and tundra, provided that large game animals exist in sufficient numbers.

Weather

Although gnolls have a very utilitarian coat of fur they are susceptible to severe weather. If gnolls are found in areas that experience periodic severe weather they will frequently have well established underground dens. These retreats will be used as emergency shelters or semi-permanent bases and as refuge against seasonal extremes of weather.

Disasters

Although they build no permanent communities and live a nomadic lifestyle, they avoid areas prone to disasters whenever possible. Such areas are not suitable for the development of the animals or sentient life upon which they prey and therefore are less suitable as hunting grounds.

Government

The basic unit of gnoll society is the band. Each band of gnolls is formed into a loose hierarchy from the largest and strongest to the “weakest”. “Weakest” in gnoll society is a bit of a misnomer, as there is very little deviation between the personal power of the biggest warrior in a gnoll band and that of the weakest. Bands of gnolls are composed of accepted equals sharing respect for one another’s abilities. To join a band a gnoll, one must prove himself worthy of the privilege. Those gnolls that pass these tests are accepted into the band. Gnolls that fail are driven away to find other less worthy companions, to fend for themselves, or to die. To the band it matters little, even to the individual’s parents, if they still live.

Decisions are based on group consensus. Dissenting gnolls may either follow the will of the group or leave. If they choose to leave under these terms they are often accepted back into the band with neither fanfare nor ill will at a later date.

Population & Demographics

Males generally outnumber females 2 to 1. There are normally 4 young gnoll for every female in the group.

Females are fully equal members of the band and must pass the same rigorous tests as the males to become members. Because of this, most females in the band tend to be slightly larger, stronger, and possibly even more aggressive then their male counterparts. This is necessary for them to be accepted by the group, fulfill their obligations to the band, and provide for their young.

Capital & Commodities

Nomadic hunters, gnolls frequently trade in leathers, furs, pottery, horn and bone tools and weapons, and ornamental jewelry made from available materials. They herd sentients or animals for a lunch on the hoof.

Technology (stone/bronze/iron/steel/mithral)

Gnolls typically remain at Stone Age technology though some advanced tribes with ready access to metals may develop rudimentary bronze technology.

Magic (none/superstition/natural/synthesized/low-lv/ common items/mid-lv/unique items/hi-lv/artifact)

There is very little magic in gnoll society. Most gnoll have superstitions about magic. The exceptions to this rule are spells and particularly alchemy related to necromancy animation. Yeenoghu’s special relationship with the Lord of Ghouls and the gnolls reflective association with undead gives them relatively easy access to the necromancy animation class of magic and a uniquely pleasant and familiar association with undead of any sort, particularly to ghouls and ghasts.

Offensive Tactics

The favorite tactics of gnolls are typical of pack hunters. They favor attacking weak targets, especially the old, sick, young, or wounded. They gradually surround their victims forcing them to expend energy to defend against one type of attack or from one direction and then another until they are slowly cut to pieces. These tactics are applied to game, individuals, homesteads, villages, or armies.

Defenses (none/militia/warrior/fort/castle)

Early detection followed by swift retreat is the normal defensive reaction of a band of gnolls, when discretion is decided to be the better part of valor.

Taxes, Tariffs & Tithes

Larger or more powerful bands receive tribute from smaller or weaker tribes when they encounter one another. This tribute is given in order to avoid unnecessary hostilities of inter-band warfare that would only end up weakening both bands to no useful purpose. Likewise a more powerful gnoll may be given special courtesy or gifts to avoid unproductive confrontations. Typically such exchanges are more for form than substance. If the exchanges ever became more costly then the value of association, the gnoll(s) would simply chose to avoid the confrontation and leave the area.

Tithing is common to appease the spirits of their ancestors. More plainly, they animate their dead and then provide them with their leavings which both sides find to be an amicable agreement. The undead will often rise up to protect the living members of their band if they are near. In the absence of such tithing of course the undead grow restless, so the removal of a band of gnolls often leads to the rise of very unhappy and hungry dead.

Cycle of activity (day, night, anytime)

Fully adaptable to day or night, gnolls are active during the periods of their prey’s inactivity. Often this means that they are most active at night.

Food

Carnivorous by nature gnolls prefer meat and meat alone. Preferably the meat should be raw or from still struggling prey. Despite this preference they are quite capable of eating meat that is old, even rotting. Their strong jaws are well suited for crunching bone, gnawing leather, and their stomachs are capable of processing virtually any animal bi-product no matter how disgusting.

Social order (distribution of wealth, castes, responsibilities, hunting male vs gathering female)

With only minor variation, all gnolls of a band are of approximately the same social standing and personal power. Those unable to live up to the measure of the band leave, of their own free will, to avoid even the potential for bullying or uneven treatment.

Bands form and reform constantly with any given gnoll possibly able to claim membership in multiple bands simultaneously.

Males and females are equals. They each hunt, fight, and defend their territory together male and female alike.

Young are given privileges and rights within the tribe equal to their ability to take on an adult’s role. Very young children are protected and provided for by their mothers. Often relatively non-combat “weak” mother bands form with all their various children in tow. These last as long as it takes a mother’s child to grow sufficiently to hold his own in a better, more prosperous, band.

Marriage and Family

Much as they avoid any lasting commitments to a band, individual gnolls form no lasting marital bonds between one another.  Mutual consent (or not if there is a substantial difference in personal power between them) is the only requirement for mating.

Mothers raise their young exclusively and spend as short a time as possible in doing so. Young gnolls are abandoned to fend for themselves at or slightly before the age of 7.  The young from a litter will commonly form their own mini-band for mutual benefit until they are able to achieve better prospects.

Civilization (barbaric, tribal, nomadic,...)

Societies of gnoll wander in uncivilized nomadic bands.

Law (anarchy/.../martial) & Crime rate (% chance of being victim)

The only law in gnoll society is that the weak will be taken advantage of. This is why bands of gnolls are composed of members so relatively equal in strength.

Alignment (lawful/neutral/chaotic, good/neutral/evil)

A culture of Chaotic Evil beings, gnolls look out for number one. Society for them exists because of the advantages that exist for the individual in a band. If the disadvantages outweigh the advantages for an individual, that individual will move on until he finds a place or group more suitable to his tastes.

It should be noted that gnolls kill because they are hungry, are protecting their territory, or need something that a weaker individual or group has, the same basic motivations of any society. Yes they are evil, but they aren’t necessarily vicious, cruel, or badly disposed to others.

Neighbors

Gnolls make excellent fair weather friends with most any group that will accept them. Orcs, goblins, and many other races find that as long as they are of relatively equal strength or more preferably stronger than the gnolls in the area, gnolls take a relatively friendly and accepting posture.

Unlike virtually any other race, gnolls freely accept as full member into their society any individual who passes the same tests that would be required of any new gnoll desiring to join their band. Thus in some areas, a band of “gnoll” may easily include virtually any race or monsters roughly equal in personal power to the gnolls of the group.

Weaker neighbors of course often miss this friendly aspect of interacting with gnolls and are commonly hunted as prey animals and treated much like gnolls view buffalo or elk.

Non-Weapon Proficiencies

Although lacking refinements, gnolls have a surprisingly wide range of non-weapon proficiencies from all categories. Virtually any NWP, excluding those expressly utilizing technology may be found in a gnoll community. The exact grouping of NWP available varies mostly by location and usefulness in the environments the gnolls inhabit. Individuals have a tendency towards being Jacks-of-all-trades and masters of none.

Appendix A:

MMI, FF, MMII or issue as appropriate with stats and info

| |Gnolls |Flinds |

|Frequency: |Uncommon |Rare |

|No. Appearing: |20-200 |2-24 |

|Armor Class: |5 |5 |

|Move: |9'' |12” |

|Hit Dice: |2 |2+3 |

|% in Lair: |20% |20% |

|Treasure Type: |Individuals L, M; D, Q (x5), S in Lair |A |

|No. of Attacks: |1 |1 |

|Damage/Attack: |2-8 or by weapon type |1-6+1-4+disarm |

|Special Attacks: |Nil |Disarming |

|Special Defenses: |Nil |Nil |

|Magic Resistance: |Standard |Standard |

|Intelligence: |Low to average |Average |

|Alignment: |Chaotic Evil |Chaotic Evil |

|Size: |L (7'+ Tall) |M (6.5’ tall) |

|Psionic Ability: |Nil MMI |Nil FF |

Optional statistics for leaders or special characters

|Cleric |Druid |Fighter |Paladin |

|5 |No |9 |No |

|Ranger |Magic-User |Thief |Assassin |

|No |2 |8 |Unlimited |

|Listed limitations may be used in place of listed information for 'leaders' or other 'special' individuals |

|typical of this culture if the individuals are determined by the DM to be advanceable. |

|Exceptional or unique figures, equaling ................
................

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