Gargoyles

**Gargoyles** are nocturnal animals that turn to stone during the day. They live in close-knit groups called clans that protect their rookeries and the surrounding area. They are one of the Twelth Races to exist on Earth.

## Physiology

Gargoyles are bipedal gargates, and are generally more physically powerful than humans. And though greatly varying in physical prowess, even gargoyles with the frail or lanky build as Brooklyn, or as diminutive as Lexington, have both shown being able to lift full-grown humans over their heads with ease, and are also very agile, since gargoyles as large and physically imposing as Goliath and Broadway or as elderly as Hudson was seen capable of side-stepping, with surprising agility, away from strikes that are too fast for the human eye to follow. They are related to gargoyle beasts, much as humans are related to apes. Being nocturnal, gargoyles are very adept at concealing themselves within shadows, perfectly camouflaging themselves in the dark for ambushes, or simply to get around stealthily. In fact, apart from their inherent strength and beastly features, the cover of the night is generally a gargoyle's strongest weapon against their adversaries. Despite being bipeds, gargoyles are strong enough to gallop on all fours like a wolf.

Gargoyles exhibit tremendous visual variety, which presumably helps in them identifying each other since they, particularly in days of yore, generally do not take names for that. For example, some have hair and some don't. Most gargoyles have crests on their foreheads in addition to horns, but some gargoyles lack one, the other, or sometimes even both.

Some have relatively round, humanoid faces; some have more animalistic snouts, whilst there are those bearing features that are near-human. Most have prehensile tails possibly to provide aerodynamic balance as they glide airborne, many have six limbs (not including their tail) with four digits per limb: usually, two arms (each with three fingers and an opposable thumb), two legs (each with three forward toes and a back claw) that have curving spurs extending from where the knees and elbows are. Their lower body portions are usually analogous between human and quadrupedal lower limbs and corresponding appendages (allowing a gargoyle to drop down on all fours and run quicker that way) in that they stand on their toes, making a Gargoyle appear taller than he or she actually is, and two wings (where the four digits are often divided between ribbing for the wings and/or finger-like grasping claws at the wings apex), though among Mayan gargoyles it is not uncommon to have a snake tail instead of legs, and the Loch Ness gargoyles presumably have dolphin-like tails instead of legs.

### Stone Hibernation

   Gargoyles turn to stone, or an organic stone-like substance and surmisable as a brief form of continually reversible bodily calcification, at sunrise and will remain as such until nightfall, at which point everything will revert back to normal mobility; but the surface layer will crack and flake away, though a Gargoyle would generally have to burst itself free from the thin stone covering upon awakening, revealing flesh and blood underneath. Gargoyles generally refer to this as "sleeping". During this period (daytime) the stone form is absolute, and they are effectively indistinguishable from statues. Even the overall bodily scent is altered, making them less likely to be preyed upon by natural predators while in stone form. This is not triggered by direct sunlight since a Gargoyle kept in a dark and secluded place will still turn to stone when the Sun rises, and more due to the Gargoyle's "internal clock" as dictated by his or her circadian rhythms.

While in stone form, all physiological functions of the Gargoyle in question are stopped, with the exception of their natural recuperative processes, which seems to be even augmented in exchange for the other bodily attributes halted throughout the duration of stone sleep. Because of this, a Gargoyle can stay submerged in deep water while in a stone state, with later danger to his or her somatic systems and functions, such as breathing and circulation. However, a measure of cognitive activity must remain, since Gargoyles are said to be capable of dreaming while asleep this way.

Supposedly, a Gargoyle store up some form energy while dormant during the day in stone form, without of which they would lack the ability to not only glide with their wings but also with any other strenuous activity that they practice whilst awake. This is presumably internal bio-energy, similar to the kind that certain mammals accrue when they are in hibernation in order to last long winters and then awaken thereafter, though Anton Sevarious speculates the energy Gargoyles amass to be drawn from the Sun's rays. This would explain why most Gargoyles prefer to greet daytime as stone after securing for themselves a high foundation from where to roost as they sleep in stone, despite the fact that this practice leaves them exposed and vulnerable while out in the open like this. Whichever the case, Goliath's Gargoyle Clan seems to have no problem with the latter, since time and again members of the Manhattan Clan entered stone form in a shadowed place void of sunlight, only to awaken fully invigorated by nightfall with no signs of lethargy. Though in fairness, they spent over a Millenium in stone hibernation, taking in that much time's worth of sunlight the entire time, so it is fair to assume that they have that much energy to spare, explaining their vigor.

## Culture

### Clans

Members of the clan are not necessarily related biologically (bloodlines are shown to mean little to most gargoyles during the course of the series). Nevertheless, the gargoyles in a clan will consider themselves members of a single extended family, often referring to others of their generation as "Rookery Brothers" or "Rookery Sisters". This reflects the fact that gargoyles are hatched from eggs, which are stored communally in a rookery. As such, parents are never certain which of the hatchlings is their biological offspring. Rather, hatchlings are "children of the entire clan".

## History

   Once there were gargoyles in every corner of the world. Although habits differed slightly from place to place, most gargoyles lived in and above a "Gargoyle Rookery". These rookeries were generally natural or gargoyle-dug tunnels within the sides of a cliff or tall mountain. (Gargoyles like being in high naturally protected areas.) Eggs would be hidden in the tunnels. Gargoyles would spend their nights guarding the rookery and foraging for food; their days hibernating in the open air. When the Iron Age of Man arrived, the transformation to stone, which had once been a natural form of protection became a liability. Men could safely seek out gargoyles during the day and use iron weapons to smash them to bits. Many gargoyles were destroyed, and the race nearly perished.

One factor saved them. Men were more afraid of each other than of gargoyles. One very wise man struck a deal with a gargoyle. He would build his keep on top of a gargoyle rookery. During the day, his archers could keep both humans and sleeping gargoyles safe from enemies and harm. During the night, the gargoyles would do likewise. It worked out great, and the idea caught on like wildfire. Soon castles, keeps and fortresses were popping up atop every accessible rookery. Existing castles and new castles that could not find a rookery to co-exist with were carving fake gargoyles out of stone, to fool potential enemies into believing that their castle was also protected by gargoyles. This was the golden age of human-gargoyle relations. But it couldn't last.

## Background Information

The Gargoyles are creatures from Disney's animated series *Gargoyles* made in the 1990s.

## Trivia

* In GrimmFall: Hail Crom, Gargoyles and Trolls share somewhat common traits of turning to stone by day, but unlike Trolls, Gargoyles enter a form of hibernation.