gnolls

Gnolls are a fictional humanoid race frequently encountered in fantasy settings such as tabletop role-playing games and fantasy fiction. They are hyena-like canids with humanoid build, large canine heads, powerful jaws, and a stocky, athletic frame. Their fur colors range from tawny to gray or russet, and they often have penetrating, yellow eyes. Height commonly around six to seven feet, with a weight proportionate to build. They are renowned for their ferocity and endurance, and for a culture organized around packs rather than individual clans. Gnolls typically form nomadic or semi-nomadic tribes led by a pack lord or chieftain; leadership is earned by strength and cunning, and dissent is punished swiftly.

Gnoll society centers on the pack, with hierarchy reinforced by ritualized displays of dominance and brutal enforcement. They favor raiding, ambushing caravans, and hunting for sport as well as survival. They are commonly depicted as chaotic evil and merciless, yet capable of strategic planning when the prey is worth the effort.

Many gnolls venerate a demon lord known as Yeenoghu or other hyena-related deities, and their rituals often reflect a brutal appetite for slaughter.

In settings such as Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder, gnolls inhabit deserts, wastelands, and ruined settlements, often forming camps in harsh climates and preying on nearby civilizations. They appear as antagonists or mercenary forces and sometimes as adversaries in heroic quests; they also show up in various fantasy media and games.