Gnoll
Encyclopedia
A gnoll or gnole is a fictional humanoid creature - a cross between a gnome
and a troll
. They first appeared in Lord Dunsany
's story in The Book of Wonder: How Nuth Would Have Practised His Art upon the Gnoles and subsequently reappeared in Margaret St. Clair
's, The Man Who Sold Rope to the Gnoles and Gary Gygax
's Dungeons & Dragons
. In Middle English
the word noll could refer to a stupid or very drunk person
fantasy
role-playing game
, gnolls greatly resemble humanoid hyena
s. They are usually between seven and eight feet tall, weighing around 250 to 320 pounds, and use armor made of horn, metal, or leather. Gnolls are generally depicted in the game world as feral nomads who kill and pillage without warning. Their whole bodies are covered in reddish-brown fur which becomes shorter as it surrounds their faces and clawed hands to reveal grey colored skin. Their pelts vary from mono-colored to spotted and their eyes are either yellow or black.
game, one notable subrace of gnoll is the flind, which is shorter, broader, and stronger than other gnolls; flinds are often found leading a tribe or settlement of gnolls. Flinds use a nunchaku
-like weapon called a flindbar, which consists of a pair of metal rods linked together by a chain.
Yeenoghu
, who also holds domain over ghouls
. Gnolls indulge in humanoid flesh in imitation of this aspect.
writes in the earliest edition of "Dungeons & Dragons" (1974): "A cross between gnomes and trolls (...perhaps, Lord Dunsany did not really make it all that clear) with +2 morale. Otherwise they are similar to hobgoblins..."
(1974), where they were described as a "cross between gnomes
and trolls
."
gnolls were described as hyena-men, a characterization that continues to the present. This book also describes Yeenoghu
, a demon lord
that many gnolls devote themselves to.
The flind, a more intelligent but less physically powerful relative to the more common gnoll, was introduced in the Fiend Folio
(1981)
The mythology and attitudes of the gnolls are described in detail in Dragon
#63 (July 1982), in Roger E. Moore
's article, "The Humanoids." The article also describes the shoosuva, servants of Yeenoghu that have characteristics of both gnolls and ghouls
.
The first "Creature Catalog" article, an insert in Dragon #89 (September 1984), featured the ghuuna, a lycanthrope
-like creature that could transform between a gnoll and hyaenodon
form.
(1977, 1981, 1983). The gnoll was featured as a player character race in the gazetteer The Orcs of Thar
(1989). Gnolls were also later featured in the Dungeons & Dragons Game
set (1991), the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), the Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game set (1994), and the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game set (1999).
The flind is also detailed in Dragon #173 (September 1991), in "The Sociology of the Flind," a variation on the "Ecology of..." column.
The gnoll and flind are detailed as playable character races in The Complete Book of Humanoids
(1993). The gnoll and flind are later presented as playable character races again in Player's Option: Skills & Powers
(1995).
The flind appears in Monster Manual III (2004).
The gnoll was later released as a supported 4th edition player race in Dragon
#367.
The gnoll also appeared in the Monster Manual 2 (2009).
of African bushman folklore, and the tall dog men (Cynocephales
) of early European travellers' logs and bestiaries. Hyenas were associated with death because they dug up and ate human corpses.
Gnolls feature in the Discworld
series novel Jingo
(and others in the series) by Terry Pratchett
. They are small, matted and dirty enough to sprout fungi and grasses on their hides (and seem to relate to soil as trolls relate to rock), and act as street-cleaners in cities like Ankh-Morpork; as Captain Carrot Ironfoundersson puts it, they "pick up this, pick up that, maybe bang it against the wall until it stops struggling..." In the case of at least Stoolie, if not every gnoll on the Discworld, there seems to be a tendency to drop the vowels in words, reflecting a croaking sort of voice.
Gnome
A gnome is a diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature...
and a troll
Troll
A troll is a supernatural being in Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. In origin, the term troll was a generally negative synonym for a jötunn , a being in Norse mythology...
. They first appeared in Lord Dunsany
Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron Dunsany
Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany was an Irish writer and dramatist, notable for his work, mostly in fantasy, published under the name Lord Dunsany...
's story in The Book of Wonder: How Nuth Would Have Practised His Art upon the Gnoles and subsequently reappeared in Margaret St. Clair
Margaret St. Clair
Margaret St. Clair was an American science fiction writer, who also wrote under the pseudonyms Idris Seabright and Wilton Hazzard....
's, The Man Who Sold Rope to the Gnoles and Gary Gygax
Gary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
's Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
. In Middle English
Middle English
Middle English is the stage in the history of the English language during the High and Late Middle Ages, or roughly during the four centuries between the late 11th and the late 15th century....
the word noll could refer to a stupid or very drunk person
Physical description
In the Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, gnolls greatly resemble humanoid hyena
Hyena
Hyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family Hyaenidae of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora , and one of the smallest in the mammalia...
s. They are usually between seven and eight feet tall, weighing around 250 to 320 pounds, and use armor made of horn, metal, or leather. Gnolls are generally depicted in the game world as feral nomads who kill and pillage without warning. Their whole bodies are covered in reddish-brown fur which becomes shorter as it surrounds their faces and clawed hands to reveal grey colored skin. Their pelts vary from mono-colored to spotted and their eyes are either yellow or black.
Subraces
Within the context of the Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
game, one notable subrace of gnoll is the flind, which is shorter, broader, and stronger than other gnolls; flinds are often found leading a tribe or settlement of gnolls. Flinds use a nunchaku
Nunchaku
is a traditional Okinawan weapon consisting of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope.-Etymology:The Japanese word nunchaku is the Kun'yomi reading of the Kanji term for a traditional Chinese two section staff....
-like weapon called a flindbar, which consists of a pair of metal rods linked together by a chain.
Religion
Gnolls in most Dungeons & Dragons settings are worshippers of the demon lordDemon lord (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demon lords are demons who have gained great power and established a position of preeminence among demonkind. Each demon lord has a unique appearance and set of abilities. Most control at least one layer of the Abyss...
Yeenoghu
Yeenoghu
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Yeenoghu is a Demon Prince, the Demon Lord of Gnolls, and the bestial embodiment of savage butchery. His personal weapon is his dreaded triple flail, created from the bones and skin of a slain god. Yeenoghu commands the obedience of ghouls and ghasts...
, who also holds domain over ghouls
Ghoul (Dungeons & Dragons)
For the generic mythological creature, see Ghoul.In the Dungeons and Dragons roleplaying game, ghouls are monstrous, undead humans who reek of carrion.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
. Gnolls indulge in humanoid flesh in imitation of this aspect.
Publication history
Gnolls are the literary descendants of Lord Dunsany's "gnoles", who were clever, evil and nonhuman. Gary GygaxGary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
writes in the earliest edition of "Dungeons & Dragons" (1974): "A cross between gnomes and trolls (...perhaps, Lord Dunsany did not really make it all that clear) with +2 morale. Otherwise they are similar to hobgoblins..."
Dungeons & Dragons (1974-1976)
The gnoll was introduced in the earliest edition of the game, in the Dungeons & Dragons "white box" setDungeons & Dragons (1974)
The original Dungeons & Dragons boxed set by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson was published by TSR, Inc. in 1974. It initially included the original edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game...
(1974), where they were described as a "cross between gnomes
Gnome (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, gnomes are one of the core races available for play as player characters. Some speculate that they are closely related to dwarves; however, gnomes are more tolerant of other races and of magic, and are skilled with illusions...
and trolls
Troll (Dungeons & Dragons)
Trolls are fictional monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Dungeon Masters can use them as enemies or allies of the player characters.-Publication history:...
."
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
With the 1977 publication of Gygax's Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Monster ManualMonster Manual
The Monster Manual is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It includes monsters derived from mythology, and folklore, as well as creatures created for D&D specifically...
gnolls were described as hyena-men, a characterization that continues to the present. This book also describes Yeenoghu
Yeenoghu
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Yeenoghu is a Demon Prince, the Demon Lord of Gnolls, and the bestial embodiment of savage butchery. His personal weapon is his dreaded triple flail, created from the bones and skin of a slain god. Yeenoghu commands the obedience of ghouls and ghasts...
, a demon lord
Demon lord (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demon lords are demons who have gained great power and established a position of preeminence among demonkind. Each demon lord has a unique appearance and set of abilities. Most control at least one layer of the Abyss...
that many gnolls devote themselves to.
The flind, a more intelligent but less physically powerful relative to the more common gnoll, was introduced in the Fiend Folio
Fiend Folio
Fiend Folio is the title shared by three products published for successive editions of the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons...
(1981)
The mythology and attitudes of the gnolls are described in detail in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#63 (July 1982), in Roger E. Moore
Roger E. Moore
Roger E. Moore is a designer of role-playing games. He is best known for his long-running tenure as editor of Dragon magazine, and was the founding editor of Dungeon magazine.-Early life:...
's article, "The Humanoids." The article also describes the shoosuva, servants of Yeenoghu that have characteristics of both gnolls and ghouls
Ghoul (Dungeons & Dragons)
For the generic mythological creature, see Ghoul.In the Dungeons and Dragons roleplaying game, ghouls are monstrous, undead humans who reek of carrion.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
.
The first "Creature Catalog" article, an insert in Dragon #89 (September 1984), featured the ghuuna, a lycanthrope
Lycanthrope (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the lycanthrope is a humanoid shapeshifter based on various legends of lycanthropy.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
-like creature that could transform between a gnoll and hyaenodon
Hyaenodon
Hyaenodon is an extinct genus of Hyaenodonts, a group of carnivorous creodonts of the family Hyaenodontidae endemic to all continents except South America, Australia and Antarctica, living from 42—15.9 mya, existing for approximately .-Morphology:Some species of this genus were amongst the largest...
form.
Dungeons & Dragons (1977-1999)
This edition of the D&D game included its own version of the gnoll, in the Dungeons & Dragons Basic SetDungeons & Dragons Basic Set
The original Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set boxed set was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1977, and comprised a separate edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, distinct from the first edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game, which was initially published in the same...
(1977, 1981, 1983). The gnoll was featured as a player character race in the gazetteer The Orcs of Thar
The Orcs of Thar
The Orcs of Thar is an accessory for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Contents:This book covers the Broken Lands that are inhabited by humanoids such as orcs, goblins, and bugbears...
(1989). Gnolls were also later featured in the Dungeons & Dragons Game
Dungeons & Dragons Game (1991 boxed set)
The New Easy to Master Dungeons & Dragons Game is an accessory for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1991....
set (1991), the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), the Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game set (1994), and the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game set (1999).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
The gnoll and flind appear first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), and are reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).The flind is also detailed in Dragon #173 (September 1991), in "The Sociology of the Flind," a variation on the "Ecology of..." column.
The gnoll and flind are detailed as playable character races in The Complete Book of Humanoids
Complete Book of Humanoids
The Complete Book of Humanoids is a sourcebook for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was written by Bill Slavicsek for TSR, in 1993....
(1993). The gnoll and flind are later presented as playable character races again in Player's Option: Skills & Powers
Player's Option: Skills & Powers
Player's Option: Skills & Powers is a supplemental sourcebook to the core rules of the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. This 192-page book was published by TSR, Inc. in 1995. The book was designed by Douglas Niles and Dale Donovan...
(1995).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)
The gnoll appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000).Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)
The gnoll appears in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003).The flind appears in Monster Manual III (2004).
Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)
The gnoll appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008), including the gnoll huntmaster, the gnoll claw fighter, the gnoll marauder, and the gnoll demonic scourge.The gnoll was later released as a supported 4th edition player race in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#367.
The gnoll also appeared in the Monster Manual 2 (2009).
In folklore and literature
Gnolls are similar to the were-hyenasBouda
Werehyenas are mythological or folkloric creatures capable of assuming the shape of hyenas. They are present in the stories of several African and Eurasian cultures...
of African bushman folklore, and the tall dog men (Cynocephales
Cynocephaly
The condition of cynocephaly, having the head of a dog — or of a jackal— is a widely attested mythical phenomenon existing in many different forms and contexts.-Etymology:...
) of early European travellers' logs and bestiaries. Hyenas were associated with death because they dug up and ate human corpses.
Gnolls feature in the Discworld
Discworld
Discworld is a comic fantasy book series by English author Sir Terry Pratchett, set on the Discworld, a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants which, in turn, stand on the back of a giant turtle, Great A'Tuin. The books frequently parody, or at least take inspiration from, J. R. R....
series novel Jingo
Jingo (novel)
Jingo is the 21st novel by Terry Pratchett, one of his Discworld series. It was published in 1997. The rising of a previously submerged island and the subconstituent sovereignty dispute were inspired by the real-life island of Ferdinandea.-Plot:...
(and others in the series) by Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett
Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
. They are small, matted and dirty enough to sprout fungi and grasses on their hides (and seem to relate to soil as trolls relate to rock), and act as street-cleaners in cities like Ankh-Morpork; as Captain Carrot Ironfoundersson puts it, they "pick up this, pick up that, maybe bang it against the wall until it stops struggling..." In the case of at least Stoolie, if not every gnoll on the Discworld, there seems to be a tendency to drop the vowels in words, reflecting a croaking sort of voice.
Additional reading
- Pramas, ChrisChris Pramas-Career:His works for Dungeons & Dragons include: Slavers , Guide to Hell , Apocalypse Stone , Vortex of Madness , as well as some work on the third edition Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide .He has also done work for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.He quit Wizards of the Coast in 2000 to...
. "Chainmail: The Gnolls of Naresh." Dragon #289 (Paizo PublishingPaizo PublishingPaizo Publishing is an American publishing company in Redmond, Washington that specializes in game aids and adventures for "the world's oldest fantasy roleplaying game" and its flagship spin-off game and setting, Pathfinder...
, 2001).