Are Gnolls Derived From Any Real Mythology?

[Excalatus]

I mean the term "gnoll". Or did D&D make it up? I ask because I see it in a lot of non-D&D games.

 

[Filby]

As far as I can tell, gnolls were created by either Dave Arneson or Gary Gygax (probably Dave). I know of know stories involving hyena-men, and I imagine that any culture who would tell stories involving them (ie, Africans) would not call them by such an Anglic-sounding name as 'gnoll'.

 

[Krishnath]

After having checked several internet sites about real world mytholgy I would have to say, as far as I know gnolls aren't from any earthly mytholgy, but humanoids with animal heads where/are common in many of the worlds mythologies, most well known of these are the minotaur from greek mythology.

I belive, as was mentioned by filby, that the gnoll is a creation of Dave or Gary, If I remember correctly, the gnolls where originally a gnome/troll crossbreed.

However I belive that the term gnoll has become so common in different fantasy games, because, much like the Orc, Goblin and Kobold has come to represent a savage race of evil that is common to use. And besides, it's good with variety.

On a different not, in my campaign setting, gnolls are usually CN rather than CE, only raiding and pillaging when food is scarce.

 

[Filby]

One other reason for gnolls' abundance in other games is probably because D&D is the most popular fantasy medium to rip off, and because TSR didn't have much of a legal department for its first few years.

I don't think the gnome/troll concept was a universal thing... as far as I'm aware it applied solely to the Mystara campaign setting, where they were created by the Nithian Empire. How a gnome crossed with a troll produces a man with a hyena head is beyond me.

 

[Krishnath]

Well, in those days such things wheren't exactly logical...

 

[Excalatus]

Well, in those days such things wheren't exactly logical...

It was all fun and games back in the yonder days.

Thanks for the info, guys. It is mucho appreciated. I really just wanted to know if the term "gnoll" was fair game for publishers and game designers outside of D&D.

What about treant? I've seen that elsewhere as well.

 

[Filby]

As far as I can tell, treants are just Ents (from LotR) with a different name, because Tolkien Enterprises keeps a stranglehold on its material. From what I've seen from older D&D products, treants started out much more Ent-like but became more tree-like as time went on.

 

[DonaldRumsfeldsTofu]

Halfling = Hobbit
Trent = Ent
Balor = Balrog

It took me quite a while to figure that out. Well, the Halflings are pretty obvious, but still...

As for Gnolls, Are they any relation to Grolls?

And while we're on the subject of the inspiration for D&D monsters, a friend of mine says the Displacer Beast is from a mediocre science fiction story, but he couldn't remember the name of it. And I also thought the Ettin was a creation of Gygax or Arneson until I heard the word mentioned in Beowulf. Anyone know the deal with that?

 

[Krishnath]

Ettins much like kobolds where originally from old european folklore, although they've been changed quite a bit from their roots. (kobolds for example where a type of mountain trolls...)

Also, your friend is correct, the displacer beast is from an old sci-fi comic, amazing stories if I recall correctly.

 

[Gez]

The gnolls became hyena-headed because this magically engineered crossbreed servitor race was perverted by an immortal with an affinity with hyaenas. Don't remember the name, though. That's also why the experiment failed and they became savage humanoids rather than obedient domestics.

The word gnoll itself may come from "gnole". (Not the French word "gnôle" that means booze, however.) Rather, Lord Dunsany come up with the word. And the idea of a gnome/troll crossbreed, but these weren't D&D gnomes and trolls.

About gnoles, see here. It's funny.