Gnoll: Eater of Men

I will join in the fun and throw James a bone.

The Gnoll:

At least 6 feet tall, sometimes approaching 8 feet, the Gnoll walks semi-upright like a chimpanzee or great ape and runs on all four limbs like a bear. It has the intelligence to use weapons in battle and the hand dexterity required, but almost always refrains from doing so to keep it's hands free for maximum movement speed. Gnoll paws are remarkably similar to a bear, but with great articulations and strong prehensile ability. They have claws on both hands and feet, but use these almost exclusively for grasping an opponent rather than raking.

Powerfully muscled, a fully grown adult male can reach speeds of 80 to 90 km/h (50-55 mph) and weighs approximately 200 kg (441 lbs). It has the strongest jaw strength of any mammal ever recorded and Gnolls have been observed breaking Ogre bones in two to eat the marrow. Gnolls are capable of chasing down powerful ungulates like deer, horses, and elk; however they prefer smaller prey like boars and dog for the ease of the kill.

Gnolls have powerful night vision, capable of seeing in all but complete darkness, and have one of the most powerful olfactory senses in existence. They can positively identify prey by smell at over 250 meters distance and can see nearly as far. Exact sight distance is unknown as no Gnoll has ever been captured alive for study.

Gnoll operate in packs of 3 to 5 males, hunting primarily at night. They call to one another through the darkness, using a wide range of sounds that can communicate large quantities of information over great distances. These calls are extremely disturbing to anyone not used to them, as the Gnoll language sounds like a mix between coyote and the whooping of a crane or large bird. In close combat, Gnoll communicate with a gibbering pace of speech that often adds to the terror of the prey and sometimes confuses groups by drowning out their own speech and preventing effective coordination.

Their preferred hunting tactic is to stalk a group of travelers over several days time, picking off one or two individuals a night when they urinate or take up the watch. They only engage in combat for reasons of sustenance or territory, so eventually the Gnolls will either eat their fill or the travelers will leave the pack's territory. Attacks are highly coordinated and based on sudden charging attacks to knock an opponent down before breaking their neck with a quick bite. The corpse is then carried off into the night and eaten a safe distance away from the target group. Gnolls rarely fight to the death and will attempt to carry their wounded from battle if possible.

Though intelligent and capable of speaking in their own language, Gnolls do not engage in trade or commerce with any other races. They collect items of interest to them in their lairs and gnoll hunters have found many Gnoll lairs littered with gems, rings, and other sparkling items. They have no need for tools or manufactured items, and absolutely no understanding of magic. Unless visually appealing, these goods are rarely removed from the carcasses of victims unless accidentally ingested.

Gnolls are found in any climate.