Gargoyle (D&D)

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 **Language(s)** | * Common
* Terran

**Gargoyles** were vicious predators imbued with magic.

Allegedly, Gargoyles were all originally made of stone, artistic monuments placed on buildings to help prevent the erosion of the walls of stone buildings by deflecting rain water.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.

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 have torture any victims they can 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 is 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 flying. They could often be found lairing underground or in ruins with small groups of their kind.

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 is hidden among other statues of non-living gargoyles – hiding in plain sight. These treacherous creatures then ambush anyone who passes by; slaying the unfortunate being and stealing anything of value. Gargoyles particularly enjoy shiny objects containing gemstones and precious metals.

## Variants

### Kapocinth

Gargoyles that lived underwater; their wings are used to aid in their swimming. Other than their habitat, they where the same as their land-dwelling kindred, 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 where sometimes found leading a group of normal gargoyles. Their skin was much harder and they are more difficult to spot against stone.

### Grist

Grist were also known as Greater Gargoyles or True Gargoyles, Grists resembled constructs more than they do magical beasts. They were created by casting wish, stoneshape, polymorph any object, fly and Geas/Quest on a statue resembling a gargoyle. Grists where 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 is impossible to determine whether they are alive or not without magical aid. Their ability to fly comes from the magic used to create them, but their wings improve their maneuverability in the air. They had no vocal cords so they cannot speak, cannot reproduce and thus in their species and they cannot grow, remaining at the same height throughout their lives. They occasionally eat gemstones and coins that they find on their opponents bodies but, like other gargoyles, do not need to eat.

## Trivia

* A tribe of gargoyles is known as a nastiness, the plural of which is nastinesses.