6

N

16

7

-2

2

Hyenas are cunning, powerfully built carnivores that bear a heavy resemblance to dogs and other canines, though they are not themselves canines. Though all hyenas are often maligned as cowardly carrion eaters, their tactics depend on their specific breed: spotted hyenas are active pack hunters that kill most of their prey themselves, while striped and brown hyenas are more likely to be scavengers. Their jaws are exceptionally powerful, allowing hyenas to seize a victim and pull it to the rest of the pack. Hyenas are pack-hunting scavengers known for their unnerving, laughter-like cries, and they aren’t above supplementing their carrion diets with fresh prey. Hyena Legends The hyena’s intense cunning, combined with its unnerving laughter, has caused hyenas to become associated with all manner of evil—hyenas are claimed to rob graves, steal children, and wield sinister supernatural powers. Though normal hyenas are no more malicious than any other natural predator, their unearned reputation often causes witches, warlords, and ill-natured creatures to seek out hyenas as pets or guard animals. The fact that gnolls in particular have a special preference for hyenas, considering the animals to be close relatives, does little to improve the animal’s already-poor reputation.

3

20

-4

1

Creature

6

7

8

4

low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet

Medium

40

6

3

Animal

1