Extra-large and hyper-aggressive, the Underpaw Clan is the most viscous of any Gnoll clan. Dwelling far beneath the earth, the Underpaw cared little for the happenings of other beings. It wasn't until The Age of Cataclysms, when all surface-dwelling races were thrust into turmoil, that the Underpaw awoke from their brooding hibernation. When the entrance to Splitpaw Lair was blocked off, the Splitpaw Gnolls began to venture deeper than they had before. When the two clans finally crossed paths, there was immediate confrontation as both clans claim to be the chosen of Brell Serilis. The events that followed were chronicled within the Splitpaw Saga.
While their physical appearance and hatred of any outsider paints the Underpaw as militant brutes, their aggressive isolationism caused them to discover the secret behind terraporters, short-range teleportation devices. From recovered Underpaw documents, "The terraporters would be useless if it were not for the discovery of the crystaline terramite found throughout Drowned Caverns. The terramite crystals are largely inert and harmless, but once imbued with a still living soul they begin to radiate an intense energy." The terraporters were an immensely powerful tool and their discovery led to the conflict described in the Splitpaw Saga.
Lastly, often mistaken for as cannibals, the Underpaw do not actually practice the debasement, as stated by their leader, Faroth Mal: "We must purify Splitpaw [Lair] by cleansing it of the cannibalistic filth that lives within!" If not for their innate distrust of anyone other than their own, the Underpaw may have developed a healthier relationship with the Splitpaw and the other sentient races on the surface. With such skills in combat and science, they could have been the most dominant (and respected) gnoll clan on Norrath.
Similar to the Splitpaw Clan, there exists a caste-system in Underpaw society:
| Class | Translation | Rank | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zulretch | Priest | Lus | High |
| Ilvitch | Mage | Pal | Middle |
| Garatch | Fighter | Nim | Low |
| Blotch | Scout |
So a Blotch Pal lyrist is a middle-ranking scout, An Ilvitch Nim spellbinder is a low-ranking mage, and A Garatch Lus Captain is a high-ranking fighter.
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