Base: Gnoll
Gnolls are a race of hulking humanoids resembling large bipedal hyenas in appearance and mannerisms. Though they, as a race, have socially outgrown much of the past stigma of their physical similarity to the yipping scavenger beasts, some gnolls are still quite sensitive about the history of these comparisons and strive to act as civilly and professionally as possible in a social or business setting.
Due to their relative strength and size, gnolls are capable laborers in any field, and many larger-scale manufacturing trades employ gnolls and lizardfolks for their improved reach and strength. Many gnolls find their calling in hunting, ranging, patrolling, and any outdoor activity that involves covering a lot of ground rapidly. Particularly talented gnolls might be tested for admittance into the Gruzzrad'i, a protectorate of gnoll hunters passing down their ancestors' secrets and traditions of the hunt.
Many gnolls relish combat, with numerous gnoll family lines having strong connections to their tribal hunting heritage. When hunting, gnolls tend to favor ambushing much larger game with a group of hunters; in combat, an untrained gnoll will use a mixture of pack tactics and individual standoffs, where they may protect an ally or charge an enemy depending on their perception of the combat situation. While victories and successful hunts are highly prized, no gnoll throws away their life without good reason, noting that it is better to run with one's tail tucked than to lose one's tail entirely.
In more isolated communities, gnoll leaders operate in pairs, with one being some flavor of divine spell caster, such as a cleric, druid, or oracle, and the other being martially trained and accostumed to the ways of the wild, like a ranger, shifter, or hunter. In urban environments, gnolls are most likely to rise through the ranks by strength and skill than with wit and wisdom.
Gnolls are rarely less than six feet tall, and, despite appearing lithe for their size, weight between 250 and 350 pounds. Nearly all gnolls share a similar brown and black coloration, with stiff, bristly manes of black which grow from a gnoll's head to base of their spine, regardless of gender. Gnolls are born with a short tail, tipped with the same black bristles that compose their mane. The eyes of gnolls are almost always some shade of brown, though occasionally a gray- or green-eyed gnoll babe is born.
Gnolls engaged in hard labor or long pursuits develop a unique musk of skin oils and dried sweat that comes from periods of intense or extended exertion. While rural gnolls accept this as a fact of life and never think of it, urban gnoll laborers can grow a bit neurotic about it, and will take to dousing themselves with water numerous times during any extended hard work, in an effort to stave off the development of this pungent musk.