Clan Mukhan: Gnolls and Gender
Hyænuic tradition defines a third gender, ihru, being between that of male and female. They are named after Hyænu’s fourth concubine, Ihr, who was said to have possessed both traditional sets of genitals and impregnated Hyaenu with the seed through which the Gnoll race was conceived. (Her first three concubines impregnated her with the seeds of stars, land, and animals/plants, respectively.)
Ihru individuals may be assigned male or female at birth but come to assume non-traditional gender roles, often serving as mediators for internal clan disputes and emissaries during times of warfare. The term may also be applied to individuals born with intersex conditions.
During the height of Gnoll society, ihru were fairly common, constituting as many as one in five of all Gnolls. However, with the rise of Yeenoghu and the destruction of Hyaenuic belief, the ihru were widely persecuted, and those that were not executed, like other Hyænu believers, were forced to flee.
Early in Tisrah’s life, Yengra almost immediately identified Tisrah as ihru, but avoided referring to them as such to avoid upsetting Tisrah’s father, Kabli, who was raised around humans and held more hostile views towards non-“traditional” (human) sexualities and gender identities. It wasn’t until after the raid that Yengra began to openly share with Tisrah the history behind their ihru identity. (She had previously used the term with Tisrah, but with very little explanation, and encouraged them not to express it around other clan members. She later expressed to Tisrah that she regretted this decision.)
