Gorgon

* Lesser
* Pliny's
* Greater

## Reference

* Pliny's Gorgon
* Greater Gorgon

**Gorgons** are a type of cryptid that can be divided into three major species: lesser gorgons, Pliny's gorgons, and greater gorgons. It is possible, but rare, for different species of gorgons to cross-breed with each other.

## Appendix Entry

**Lesser gorgon** *(Gorgos* euryale*)*. One of three known species of gorgon, the lesser gorgon's gaze causes short-term paralysis followed by death in anything under five pounds. The bite of the snakes atop their heads will cause paralysis followed by death in anything smaller than an elephant if not treated with the appropriate antivenin. Lesser gorgons tend to be very polite, especially to people who like snakes.

**Pliny's gorgon** *(Gorgos* stheno*)*. The Pliny's gorgon is capable of gaze-based petrifaction only when both their main eyes and serpents' eyes are directed toward the same target. They are the most sexually dimorphic of the known gorgons, with the males being as much as four feet taller than the females. They are venemous, as are the snakes atop their heads, and their bites contain a strong petrifying agent. Do not vex.

**Greater gorgon** *(Gorgos* medusa*)*. One of three known species of gorgon, the greater gorgon is believed to be the source of many classic gorgon myths. They are capable of controlled gaze-based petrifaction, and mature individuals can actually look a human in the eyes without turning them to stone. They are capable of transforming their lower bodies from humanoid to serpentine. This is very unnerving. Avoid when possible.

## About

### General

All gorgons share reptilian and mammalian traits such as being warm-blooded, hairless egg-layers. They are succeptible to diseases common in both mammals and reptiles.

Females typically gestate eggs for three to four months, lay the eggs, and then incubate them in a nest for up to six months. The fertile eggs have temperature-dependent sex determination. The parents are incredibly protective of their eggs and their young.

Gorgons can train their snakes, but do not have complete control over them. The snakes tend to indicate their moods, and gorgons have an inherent distrust of other humanoid species with the ability to hide their emotions. The snakes have their own brains and must be individually fed. Their esophaguses then merge into the primary digestive tract.

Gorgon’s gazes are dangerous to various degrees. Johrlac are immune to the effects.

They believe in Medusa as a divine figure; the exact details of their beliefs vary by species, but most believe that each species is descended from one of the gorgon sisters of Greek myth: Medusa for greater gorgons, Stheno for Pliny's, and Euryale for lesser gorgons.

### Lesser Gorgon

Lesser gorgons can be mistaken for humans as long as they are wearing wigs, although their snakes tend to dislike this. Their snakes are the longest and most colorful of the gorgons. They do not have any body hair and often draw on eyebrows with makeup. They live about as long as humans.

Their gaze will temporarily paralyze an adult person, and their venom has a similar effect. Both can be fatal to small children and animals.

Lesser gorgons are spread throughout the world as a means of camouflage, and do not have a cohesive society. Their courtships are dependent on the agreement of their snakes. Their family names are tied to a location rather than a bloodline, which assures continuous ownerships of property or hunting grounds.

### Pliny’s Gorgon

Pliny’s gorgons are the most sexually dimorphic of their genus: females are approximately the size of humans and can reasonably blend into human society, while males can grow up to ten feet tall upon maturity. Both have snakes in place of hair and scattered scale clusters across their bodies.

Pliny's gorgon snakes' coloration is similar to American rattlesnakes, and their heads resemble the wedged shape of vipers. Based on this, they are speculated to have originated in North America.

The venom of their snakes is a petrifying agent, and their bite will turn victims into stone. Their gaze causes temporary paralysis; many Pliny’s gorgons wear special contact lenses when interacting with people outside their species. Pliny's gorgons are immune to their own venom and become intoxicated from most naturally occurring poisons.

Pliny’s gorgons form extremely tight-knit communities in rural areas and shun outsiders. They tend to have marriages of two to four members. They typically to send a couple females out to work with the local human populations for the safety of their community.

### Greater Gorgon

Greater gorgons can shift from appearing relatively humanoid to having a lamia-like serpent’s tail. They become less human-like as they age, losing their ability to blend in around the age of fifty. They are the longest lived gorgons and have been known to reach two hundred years old.

They are considered the most dangerous among the gorgon subtypes, by far. Their snakes resemble bush vipers. Their gaze and venom are both petrifactors and turn their victims into stone, although their gaze petrifies faster than their bite. They are the only type of gorgon that can control their petrifactor abilities.

They are immune to most venoms, which merely have an intoxicating effect.

Greater gorgons appear to be a solitary species, although it is believed they had established communities before being hunted by the Covenant.

They are speculated to have originated from Africa.

### Hybrids

All gorgons species are cross-fertile with one another, and offspring are typically sterile. There is at least once example of a greater gorgon/Pliny's gorgon hybrid reproducing with a full-blooded Pliny's gorgon to create a three-quarter blood.

## Characters

* Hannah - Half Greater, half Pliny's
* Lloyd - One quarter greater, three-quarters Pliny's

**Lesser Gorgons**
* Carol
* Kalakos Family
* Manos
* Dee Taylor de Rodriguez
* Frank Rodriguez
* Megan Rodriguez
* Walter
* Clark

**Gorgon Deities**
* Medusa

## In the Series

### Sweet Poison Wine

Jonathan Healy and Frances Healy visit the Carmichael Hotel on their honeymoon and are introduced to the Kalakos family of gorgons.

### Discount Armageddon / Midnight Blue-Light Special

Verity works with a lesser gorgon named Carol. She gives Carol a serum to help calm the snakes and suggests putting them under a beehive wig.

### Snake in the Glass

Verity Price and Dominic De Luca visit the Carmichael Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. They learn that Lydia was born a Kalakos, and her husband Angelo took her name when he moved to the Carmichael Hotel to marry her. Her sister Aspa moved to a gorgon community in Canada, where she took her husband's name. This system ensures ownership of property or hunting grounds is continuous since it's tied to the family name.

### Half-Off Ragnarok / Pocket Apocalypse

Alex Price works with Deanna Rodriguez, a Pliny's gorgon, who helps him with his basilisk breeding program. When a petrifier kills several victims in Columbus, Ohio, he convinces Dee to take him to the gorgon community on the outskirts of town. They learn that Hannah, the leader of the community, had a child despite being a usually-sterile hybrid gorgon.

### Tricks for Free

Antimony Price shares an apartment with Megan Rodriguez, who is in her residency at the Lowryland hospital. Annie does not know that Megan's family knows her brother Alex.

## Trivia

* Verity calls gorgons one of the "loner" type cryptids, which disagrees with Alex's experience of them.
* The Prices speculate that various subspecies actually come from different places in the world such as Pliny's gorgon's coming from America instead of Spain, and the Greater Gorgon from Africa, but don't have any evidence to back it up.

## In Popular Culture

* Gorgons weren't well known in popular American culture until the 1981 film Clash of the Titans, even the Hammer Horror film in 1941 "The Gorgon" did not spark interest in the titular character. The design of the former film has led to portrayals of various Gorgons since taking on a more reptilian appearance with a serpentine lower body being optional.

## References

1. ↑ Dictionary.com
2. ↑ Audiobooks narrated by Ray Porter
3. ↑ Appendix Field Guide: Books 1-11
4. ↑ Appendix Field Guide: Books 3, 4, 7, 8, 9
5. ↑ Appendix Field Guide: Books 3, 4
6. ↑ Half-Off Ragnarok Ch. ?
7. ↑ The Measure of a Monster
8. ↑ Snake in the Glass
9. ↑ Half-Off Ragnarok Ch. ?
10. ↑ Half-Off Ragnarok Ch. ?
11. ↑ Discount Armageddon Ch. 16
12. ↑ The Price Family Field Guide: Pliny's Gorgon
13. ↑ The Price Family Field Guide: Greater Gorgon