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Documentation Area

Document Path: /doc/monsters/gargoyle

Name:
	Gargoyle  (Magical Creature)

Stats:
	No. Appearing  : 2-16
	Climate/Terrain: Any land, subterranean, ocean
	Frequency      : Uncommon
	Organization   : Tribe
	Activity Cycle : Any
	Diet           : Carnivore

Description:
	These monsters are ferocious predators of a magical nature, typically
	found amid ruins or dwelling in underground caves. They have their own
	guttural language.

Combat:
	Gargoyles attack anything they detect, regardless of whether it is good
	or evil 90% of the time. They love best to torture prey to death when
	it is helpless.

	These winged creatures are excellent fighters with four attacks per
	round. Their claw/claw/bite/horn combination can do great damage, while
	their naturally tough hide protects them from victim's attacks.

	Gargoyles favour two types of attack: surprise and swooping. Counting
	on their appearance as sculptures of some sort, gargoyles sit motion-
	less around the rooftop of a building, waiting for their prey to ap-
	proach. Alternatively, a gargoylemay pose in a fountain, or a pair of
	the horrid beasts sit on either side of a doorway. When the victim is
	close enough, the gargoyles suddenly strike out, attempting only to in-
	jure the victim rather than to kill it all at once (to a gargoyle, in-
	flicting a slow, painful death is best).

	When on the move, gargoyles sometimes use a 'swoop' attack, dropping
	down suddenly from the sky to make their attacks in an aerial ambush.
	In this case, they can make either two claw attacks or one horn attack.
	To make all four of their attacks, they must land.

Habitat/Society:
	Gargoyles live in small groups with others of their kind, interested in
	little more than finding other creatures to hurt. Smaller animals are
	scarcely worth the trouble to these hideous monsters, who prefer to at-
	tack humans or other intelligent creatures.

	Gargoyles often collect treasure from human victims. Individuals usu-
	ally have a handful of gold pieces among them, with the bulk of their
	treasure hidden care- fully at their lair, usually buried under a large
	stone.

Ecology:
	Originally, gargoyles were carved roof spouts, representing grotesque
	human and animal figures. They were designed in such a way that water
	flowing down gutters would be thrown away from the wall, so as to pre-
	vent stains and erosion. Later some unknown mage used a powerful en-
	chantment to bring these spreading throughout the world.

	Gargoyles do no need to eat or drink, so they can stand motionless for
	as long as they wish almost anywhere. The damage they do to other crea-
	tures is not for sustenance, but only for their distorted sense of
	pleasure.

	Because they are fairly intelligent and evil, they will sometimes serve
	an evil master of some sort. In this case, the gargoyles usually act as
	guards or messengers; besides some gold or a few gems, their unsavoury
	payment is the enjoyment they get from attacking unwanted visitors.

	The horn of the gargoyle is the more common active ingredient for a
	potion of invulnerability and can also be used in a potion of flying.