Gargoyles

Gargoyles with a Gargoyle Bossel by Enuryn
(commissioned by Pirateaba)

Gargoyles are monstrous creatures with a thick stone skin that frequent mountainous areas such as the High Passes.

Appearance

They look vaguely like a bird crossed with an ogre. The hulking giant beasts have a skin that looks like stone but slides around like flesh. Their wings don't allow them full flight, but they can make enormous jumps and glide with them. Ryoka estimates them to be twice as tall as she is, which leaves them at a height of around 12 feet.

However, they have blood flowing through their body, and they have a spine and a brain which can be smashed.

Behavior

They are carnivorous - besides their ambush tactics, they sometimes also hunt actively and can devastate settlements. As Ryoka found out, they have a sense of smell. Also, they live in nests.

Higher up the High Passes food chain are Gargoyle Bossels, which are bigger and more intelligent, and lead clans of Gargoyles. The conclusion of Gargoyle evolution is called a Suzerain of Stone.

Powers and Abilities

Gargoyles are considered a Gold-rank threat due to their proclivity to pose as pieces of the landscape until their prey wanders by and then ambush them. Although not nearly as dangerous as many Gold-rank monsters, their tough skin, ability to ‘spit’ stone shrapnel and their tendency to hunt in packs makes them too much of a threat for Silver-rank teams to handle. Their innards are as fragile as those of other creatures however, and once their stone skin breaks, Gargoyles fall quickly.

Enemies

Besides adventurers, there are other creatures that are dangerous to Gargoyles. While Eater Goats are typically easy prey for them, the goats are fearless and even eat them if they have them overpowered. Goblins are able to overpower Gargoyles - the Redfangs were known to have often dealt with them, even luring them into traps with Eater Goats. Even Pyrite could claim to have killed one once.

As far as most humans know, Gargoyles are the most dangerous creature in the High Passes, but this is in fact only true in some of the areas - lower altitudes and the outer areas. The Inner High Passes have more fearsome monsters.

Products

Gargoyle hides can be tanned and used to craft armor. It requires a high level [Tanner] or [Armorer] to work with unless one knows the method, like Dwarves and Goblins.

Trivia

• Gargoyles can found in Izril and Terandria.
• They are called Thungen in their tongue.