Playing off of an (uncommon) nickname for computer users who never go outside, the particular species of players will be Gnolls, though only in so much as the Trolls in HS resemble other Trolls.

Physically, gnolls resemble hornless trolls with oversized ears and darker skin, or perhaps humans with dark (almost black) gray skin and animal ears. They have a tendency to bear sideburns or "chops" regardless of sex, and females tend to be taller and more powerful than males, while males are slight and socially submissive.

The group of players is composed of sixteen young gnolls (two chat-connected sessions of eight players), each from one of three clans (Fehu, Haegl, or Tewaz; respectively having some superficial similarities to spotted hyenas, striped hyenas, and aardwolves). The "North" session includes the heirs to two clan matriarchs, while the "South" session includes only one. Gnoll society considers a gnoll to be a fully capable adult by age thirteen, and most youths are kicked out of their home at this age, often going to live in ghettoes and government-funded housing (which also provides schooling) with other young people until they can manage some success in life. Those who come from impoverished clans or who have very low status within their clans can expect to owe the government for this time for the rest of their lives.

While their society is not as violent as Alternian culture, gnolls highly value aggression and strength in combat, and martial sports are the most popular entertainment, including mock wars. Males who engage in these pursuits are assumed to be trying to catch the eye of a powerful female, while females who avoid such sports are seen as perversely masculine and weak-hearted. An exception is made for clan matriarchs and their daughters, who are understood to be better suited to planning and strategy by virtue of ancestry.

Each clan has a ritual to mark the heirs of their matriarch: Fehu heirs receive numerous body piercings, Haegl heirs undergo detailed scarification, and Tewaz heirs have their right hand amputated. Gnoll culture in general sees these acts as perfectly natural and normative, and objection to them or hesitation about performing them just makes no sense. Clan members also wear the emblem of their matrilineal ancestors (based on the Younger Futhark runes), with matriarchial heirs being expected to wear them largely and prominently, while lower-status members of branch families may simply have a very small mark on their clothing, skin, or accessories.

Gnoll housing is much more open and communal than troll or human homes, and privacy is a rare luxury. Walls tend to exist mainly for structural support purposes, and youth housing (or cheaper parts of housing) with lower funding often amounts to little more than a single large open room with a few bare columns and the occasional privacy curtain for certain necessities.