Gargoyle Gargoyles were vicious predators imbued with magic . Behavior . Their original nature aided them in that they are adept at appearing perfectly still , as if they are still made of stone , and their hides were rough and thick , similar to stone as well . They favored surprising their opponents , either by moving suddenly from their motionless state or by suddenly swooping down on their prey from a height . Gargoyles also loved to inflict pain . They would torture any victims they could hold helpless , going as far as eating them alive just to hear their screams even though they required no food to survive , but much prefer intelligent races over anything else . Inflicting pain gave the gargoyles pleasure . Sometimes , they worked for an evil master in exchange for some small amount of treasure , though their primary payment was the opportunity to attack intruders . Gargoyles were often hunted for their horns , which had value to potion - brewers as the primary ingredient in potions of invulnerability and are also used in potions of fly ing . They could often be found lairing underground or in ruins with small groups of their kind . Description . Gargoyles appeared to be winged statues of demon - like humanoids . These creatures had mastered the ability to stand motionless for long periods of time , which added to the façade of their statue - like appearance . Gargoyles were found amid ruins and perched on tall buildings . Here , their appearance was hidden among other statues of non - living gargoyles , thus hiding in plain sight . These treacherous creatures then ambushed anyone who passed by , slaying the unfortunate being and stealing anything of value . Gargoyles particularly enjoyed shiny objects containing gemstones and precious metals . Society . A tribe of gargoyles was known as a " nastiness " , the plural of which was " nastinesses " . Variants . Kapoacinth . Kapoacinths were gargoyles that lived underwater ; their wings were used to aid in their swimming . Other than their habitat , they were the same as their land - dwelling kin , preferring shallow waters and undersea caves . Kapoacinths were known for loving torture , and a number of them lived in lairs beneath the city of Ascarle near the Purple Rocks . Margoyle . Even more vicious than normal gargoyles , margoyles preferred living underground and were sometimes found leading a group of normal gargoyles . Their skin was much harder and they were more difficult to spot against stone . Grist . Also known as greater gargoyles or true gargoyles , grists resembled constructs more than they did magical beasts . They were created by casting " wish " , " stoneshape " , " polymorph any object " , " fly " and " geas / quest " on a statue resembling a gargoyle . Grists were only semi - intelligent and could only understand simple instructions , though they would follow these instructions to the letter . The spells used to create them make them incredibly resistant to damage and unlike their less magical kin , it was impossible to determine whether they were alive or not without magical aid . Their ability to fly came from the magic used to create them , but their wings improved their maneuverability in the air . They had no vocal chords so they could not speak , they could not reproduce their species , and they could not grow , remaining at the same height throughout their lives . They occasionally ate gemstones and coins that they found on their opponents ' bodies but , like other gargoyles , they did not need to eat . History . Allegedly , gargoyles were all originally made of stone , artistic monuments placed on buildings to help prevent the erosion of the walls of stone buildings by deflecting rain water . At some point , an unknown mage gave life to these monuments , who became the monsters that once stalked Faerûn . Four gargoyles served Imgig Zu , defending his tower north of Waterdeep in the Year of the Prince , 1357 DR . They attacked a City Guard patrol that investigated the tower . Later , they snatched up Cybriana , Priam Agrivar , Vajra Valmeyjar , Timoth Eyesbright , and Onyx the Invincible , carrying them into the tower , but were slain . A number of gargoyles , alongside flying kenku s , were attendants to the one who waits in the Nine Hells . Later in 1357 DR , when the Great Door appeared in the Hells , the gargoyles and kenkus flew through and emerged first in the skies over Waterdeep . They were met in battle by Vajra Valmeyjar and Timoth Eyesbright , before the City Guard and Khelben " Blackstaff " Arunsun arrived to defend the city . Later , when the exit of the " gate " was restored to its location in a pit outside the city , the same flying creatures assaulted Parwyyd Hanifar , Dunstanny , Onyx the Invincible , and Cybriana , before they ended the threat of the Great Door and the one who waits .