A Hillthrone mercenary travels through the Khenak range.
Hillthrone Gnolls were an ethnic group of gnolls, which ruled and populated much of Businor for millennia before facing a sharp and ultimately destructive decline during a series of invasions by Black Castanor and Jaher. They were ultimately eradicated in the aftermath of the War of the Copper Hills and the genocide that followed. Traces of their culture remains in the form of the Dovesworn Gnolls, which were formed out of Hillthrone exiles in The Empire of Anbennar.
History[]
In the destructive aftermath of the first Xhaz’s rampage across Bulwar, Sarhal and Cannor, it is believed that many gnolls found their way into Businor, where they settled and formed large pack communities. While the exact year is not known, accounts of gnollish settlement appear as early as 618 BA.
While initial gnollish settlers likely had quite some power in the region, they were not dominant until the rise of the Draconic Xhaz, during the Dragonwake. The new Xhaz resulted in an explosive conquest of parts of Dameria, most of Businor, The Borders; and supposedly as far north as Trialmount in Escann. However, this would end when the Draconic Xhaz attempted to make contact and enter into the service of Zaamalot the Black and was subsequently devoured by the dragon sometime between 475-480 AA.
The sudden death of the Xhazobine left the Hillthrone gnolls shattered, leading to a rise of human powers in Businor. A trend that would only change after the rise and subsequent fall of the Third Xhaz, which resulted in an influx of new gnolls into the region sometime after 669 AA. After this, with new strength and vigor, Businor was put under the heel of the gnolls via a multi-century conquest, which approximately lasted between the years of 786 and 904, with only a few minor setbacks such as their defeats in 809 in Abtanuz and later in 852 with the Stonehold Rebellion. Ultimately though, gnollish dominance over Businor would remain until the 979, when Black Castanor invaded. After a brief struggle, gnollish power would be shattered and subdued by 982. In 995 AA, the gnolls had primarily reconsolidated power in Businor, but did so under sworn oath to Iacob the Betrayer, who was the was ruler of the Businor Dominion under the Sorcerer-King.
Even this brief success would prove short lived, as a scant few decades later in 1008, the League of Free Realms along with Jaher liberated Businor, once more; and for the final time, shattering gnollish power in the region. The following years are recorded as dark times for the Hillthrone gnolls, who were forced to retreat almost entirely to the Khenak mountains. They endured there for many centuries still, finding a living in hunting, goat herding and the ever lucrative business of mercenaries.
It was only when the Lilac Wars began, that Xanzerbexis Queen-of-the-Hills; ruler of a once minor pack, reunited the 86 remaining Hillthrone gnoll packs, which would remain united until the end of the War of the Copper Hills. During this time she instituted the concept of the 'mercenary pack' in which the Hillthrones served as auxiliaries to various powers during the Lilac Wars.
Faced with increasingly scarce food sources and increasingly dismal odds, the Brainmarrow Pact would be decreed, stating that all Hillthrone mercenary packs must return with new technologies and ideas. This was an attempt to modernize and protect the Hillthrone gnolls against the encroaching Busilari threat.
Later, the War of the Copper hills began, and promptly ended which saw the final disillusionment of an independent Hillthrone gnoll kingdom.
Many Hillthrone gnolls followed the last Queen-of-the-Hills north, where they would integrate into Cannorian society and become Dovesworn Gnolls.
The remaining Hillthrone gnolls faced genocide and expulsion at the hand of Busilar, and have since ceased to exist in a meaningful sense.
Culture and Faith[]
Culturally, the Hillthrone gnolls are somewhat lesser known than many of their contemporaries due to the many misfortunes of their later history, which continued to reduce and wipe away most records and evidence of their day to day life. A large part of this can be attributed to the Hillthrones' relative isolationism to wider gnollish society as well as their constant contact with Cannorians that the Hillthrones were largely familiar with Cannorian customs and concepts, to the point that they often wore looted weapons and armour and spoke Common.
It is likely that until the rise of Xanzerbexis they remained rather decentralized, in many smaller packs; only nominally united. This was likely a contributing factor to the speed and ease of their conquest at the hands of Castanor and other foreign powers.
Records and evidence from the past indicates that the Hillthrone mercenary legacy known during Xanzerbexis' rule was actually one that spans back many centuries, with records indicating that in-fighting packs would often hire other packs to fight by their side. Even still, when human powers came to rule in Businor, the Hillthrones also were able to be bought to fight or at least leave their would-be foes alone. It is believed this mercenary practice was first done as both a source of income, and as a way to ‘prove’ their worth and skill to the pack.
The constant humiliations and defeats that started with the Castanorian conquest reduced the once proud Hillthrone gnolls to scavengers and bandits, hiding and desperately surviving in an inhospitable and barren land, enforcing and forming a strong communal spirit for the sake of survival. This appears as a particularly strong focus on the traditional gnollish traits of reuse and adaptation.
Some scholars theorize that the distance from other gnollish groups could have led to a decline in the demonic worship which dominates the Xhazobkult and a heavier focus on animistic elements and syncretism with neighboring faiths
The Brainmarrow pact, which began in the 16th century, began introducing very strong Cannorian influences into the Hillthrone culture, which likely contributed to the relative ease of the transition into the Dovesworn gnolls.
Appearance[]
Hillthrone gnolls, much like their Dovesworn descendants, have wildly varied in appearance, reflecting their distant ancestry as a legacy of the Great Xhaz.