Gargoyle (Folklore)

Common Gargoyle
Name	Common Gargoyle
Gender	Male & Female
Species	Angels/Demons

A Gargoyle is a living monster that was made of a stone-like substance during the day. By night they become flesh by shedding the stone-like substance. They come in many varieties: some are full bodied, often with wings; others are simply disembodied visages that simply watch (having only half a body.) Gargoyles are not the same as other stone beings, such as the Golem as Gargoyles are always in the form of in-human, possibly demonic, creatures. They stand guard in Gothic style structures, such as Cathedrals and European castles.

It has also been said that Gargoyles only come alive to fend off evil, which would explain them being found on churches commonly. So there is a possibility that Gargoyles just look evil and scary to fend off bad intruders. (It is also said in some legends that they are a type of lesser guardian angel that is sometimes often considered to be an abomination due to the fact that they are half angel half demon.) So nobody actually knows if a gargoyle is evil or good.

The name "Gargoyle" comes from the Gargouille, a dragon that spouted water from its mouth, causing floods. Gargoyles, the stone decorations, were originally representations of this monster.

Powers & Abilities

• Immortality - Gargoyles are immune to the passing of time and cannot get sick.
• Human Form - Gargoyles can take on human form.
• Flight - Gargoyles can fly under their own power.
• Camouflage - Gargoyles can blend in with the inanimate gargoyles so it can surprise intruders that infiltrate buildings
• Endurance - Being made of stone, gargoyles cannot be wounded in the way other creatures can. This is, however, dependent on whether gargoyles turn to flesh when animated.
• Petrification - In some fantasy-based games, gargoyles are capable of turning other beings into stone by touch. The petrification may also be slow, spreading like an infection from a wound inflicted by a gargoyle's claw.

Weaknesses

• Proximity - Gargoyles usually cannot leave their home structures. If a gargoyle ventures too far from its lair then it will either be compelled to turn back or it will return to its inanimate state.
• Sunlight - Some stories describe gargoyles as being completely nocturnal and cannot move in the daylight, turning inanimate when exposed to the sun's rays.