Gnolls and the Underdark

[caldura firebourne]

a while back, gnolls didn't start with undercommon, and could grow surfacer only plants, and when I asked, I was told playing a roleplaying as a deep gnoll would require a major award and approval

now mechanically it seems they are an underdark race first and foremost, they are given undercommon as a starting language, and cannot grow certain plants that are tagged for the surface only

I would like to see this reverted because it seems like a lazy way to force gnolls into a UD setting where they never truly belonged "not that not belonging is a bad thing" gnolls are primarily a surface race, rarely dwelling underground or in caves preferring the nomadic life or surviving on the fringes of society as per what little lore can be found on them

I'm not however asking that gnolls be given a place of their own, or start them on the surface, or allow them near settlements, because that also does not make sense to me.

[Hunter548]

If your concern is just that they're not inherently underdark-y creatures, that's true of a good half of the Andunor races. Goblins, Kobolds, Hobgoblins, Ogres, etc etc aren't any more inherently Underdark-y than gnolls are.

I wouldn't view the addition of undercommon as forcing them lazily, but rather allowing them to actually try to fit into the UD if they want, given they'll likely spend 90% of their time there (Cannibal abyssal slavers being their racial "hat" and not being terribly popular on the surface).

[Dalenger]

I was and am very much in the give-gnolls-UC camp. The gnolls in the arelith setting are forced to spend most of their time in the UD-- there isn't anywhere friendly to them on the surface. As a race, gnolls are no more UD creatures than kobolds, goblins, etc. But in this setting, it makes sense that the gnolls of the island would know the trade language of the city they are forced to reside in, most of the time.

Its also a major quality of life perk for an obviously UD-focused arelith race.

[The Salt Elemental]

Honestly, I feel like a gnoll camp would be.. good. Because gnolls aren't inherently underdarker monsters. Kobolds still have their own place as far as I know. Why can't gnolls? I get that the team wants 'underdarker races' to associate and rp with each other but it doesn't really make sense to confine them to just once place in Andunor.

[Sab1]

That slowly will lead to the way things had gone during the pit town time. Gnolls had camp, svirf had own area, Duergar went to Jhareds, goblins went to old grond, Drow were holding on to old Udos, etc and had everyone spread out everywhere because every UD race wanted their own spot. It will inevitably come to well they have own spot, why don't we.

[Hunter548]

Honestly, I feel like a gnoll camp would be.. good. Because gnolls aren't inherently underdarker monsters. Kobolds still have their own place as far as I know. Why can't gnolls? I get that the team wants 'underdarker races' to associate and rp with each other but it doesn't really make sense to confine them to just once place in Andunor.

Kobolds don't have their own place. Neither do goblins. Everyone's pushed into Andunor.

Gnolls aren't any less inherently underdark-y than goblins, kobolds, and hell even duergar to some level.

[Griefmaker]

Honestly, I feel like a gnoll camp would be.. good. Because gnolls aren't inherently underdarker monsters. Kobolds still have their own place as far as I know. Why can't gnolls? I get that the team wants 'underdarker races' to associate and rp with each other but it doesn't really make sense to confine them to just once place in Andunor.

Kobolds don't have their own place. Neither do goblins. Everyone's pushed into Andunor.

Gnolls aren't any less inherently underdark-y than goblins, kobolds, and hell even duergar to some level.

Andunor has a goblin cave and a kobold cave (and even an ogre cave) in the Sharps as I recall. It is not its own settlement or district, but a distinct area. I think that is what The Salt Elemental is talking about.

[Iceborn]

There is a communal cave in the Sharps, that most of the time the goblins take, and that's it.

[Seekeepeek]

Could give Andunor a butcher who's pestered by a Gnolls (whom have made a small camp just beside his shop) and he complains about it constantly. Hook him up on one of the district's expanded warehouse for meat. lol