Two Origins for Gnolls? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Two Origins for Gnolls?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Hugin
Feb 07, 2005 22:52:02 I was reading Thorfinn's timeline (ya, I actually decided to read the entire thing top to bottom) and noticed that there are two seperate origins for gnolls mentioned in canon material. This may have been discussed before, I'm not sure, but it's definately new to me.

Gaz 7 has gnolls migrating south with other humanoids into the Northern Reaches around 1700 BC.

The Hollow World DM's guide says that the gnolls were created by Nithian wizards trying to imitate the Immortal Pflarr's servant-race, the Hutaaka, in 1050 BC.

So, were the gnolls formed from the Beast-Men and then migrated south (I also noticed that Thorfinn called these "hill gnolls") or created in Nithia by through the arcane arts? They could be two different species that merely appear similar, even inter-breeding, creating a few sub-species. This could mean the Graakhalia gnolls are still a pure-bred Nithian strain. Gaz 10 has sub-species info in it already.

*scrambles to find gaz 10*
Ah, there's three sub-species listed here for gnolls. Glancing over it I'd say it sounds like Canis Erectus Septentrionum could be the descendants of the northern gnolls that formed from the Beast-Men. These could also been involved in the Great Horde led by King Loark.

Perhaps the gnolls of the northern Hardanger Mts influenced the wizards of Nithia to make their version of the Hutaaka more war-capable; a servant race that could both labour and fight.

It's funny how gnolls just got a lot more interesting to me all of a sudden. :whatsthis
#2
zombiegleemax
Feb 09, 2005 4:48:54 No HUgin, that was clearly an errata that appeared in GAZ7. It always stayed so, even in HW timeline, unfortunately.
The Gnolls' origins are unquestionable: they are a magical byproduct of the Nithian sorcery, and they were created in BC1050.
Every other note is incorrect and shouldn't be taken into consideration.
Just like the dates where they put the elves' creation in BC5500 instead of 6000: they are plainly WRONG.
End of the issue ;)
#3
Hugin
Feb 18, 2005 21:46:20 Gotcha! Just one of those things like Gaz 1 saying the Great Rain of Fire happened in 2000 BC, eh?
#4
katana_one
Feb 19, 2005 23:25:20 IIRC, most all Gazetteer and other Mystara products had a standard disclaimer about how you should consider the more recently-published product to be correct whenever a contradiction came up.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Hugin Feb 07, 2005 22:52:02	I was reading Thorfinn's timeline (ya, I actually decided to read the entire thing top to bottom) and noticed that there are two seperate origins for gnolls mentioned in canon material. This may have been discussed before, I'm not sure, but it's definately new to me. Gaz 7 has gnolls migrating south with other humanoids into the Northern Reaches around 1700 BC. The Hollow World DM's guide says that the gnolls were created by Nithian wizards trying to imitate the Immortal Pflarr's servant-race, the Hutaaka, in 1050 BC. So, were the gnolls formed from the Beast-Men and then migrated south (I also noticed that Thorfinn called these "hill gnolls") or created in Nithia by through the arcane arts? They could be two different species that merely appear similar, even inter-breeding, creating a few sub-species. This could mean the Graakhalia gnolls are still a pure-bred Nithian strain. Gaz 10 has sub-species info in it already. scrambles to find gaz 10 Ah, there's three sub-species listed here for gnolls. Glancing over it I'd say it sounds like Canis Erectus Septentrionum could be the descendants of the northern gnolls that formed from the Beast-Men. These could also been involved in the Great Horde led by King Loark. Perhaps the gnolls of the northern Hardanger Mts influenced the wizards of Nithia to make their version of the Hutaaka more war-capable; a servant race that could both labour and fight. It's funny how gnolls just got a lot more interesting to me all of a sudden. :whatsthis
#2 zombiegleemax Feb 09, 2005 4:48:54	No HUgin, that was clearly an errata that appeared in GAZ7. It always stayed so, even in HW timeline, unfortunately. The Gnolls' origins are unquestionable: they are a magical byproduct of the Nithian sorcery, and they were created in BC1050. Every other note is incorrect and shouldn't be taken into consideration. Just like the dates where they put the elves' creation in BC5500 instead of 6000: they are plainly WRONG. End of the issue ;)
#3 Hugin Feb 18, 2005 21:46:20	Gotcha! Just one of those things like Gaz 1 saying the Great Rain of Fire happened in 2000 BC, eh?
#4 katana_one Feb 19, 2005 23:25:20	IIRC, most all Gazetteer and other Mystara products had a standard disclaimer about how you should consider the more recently-published product to be correct whenever a contradiction came up.