I have an upcoming homemade adventure that contains gargoyles. They aren't central to the adventure or anything like that but it got me thinking about gargoyles in general. I find the gargoyle to be a tired schtick in D&D (or at least in 5e). Every statue on a building has players immediately assuming they are gargoyles (even when it rarely turns out to be one). What changes would you make to the gargoyle to give its story a refresh which may or may not inform new mechanics for it? Looking for some inspiration here!
D&D 5E How would you update the gargoyle?
- Thread starter Markn
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Hawk Diesel
Adventurer
One possibility could be that the Gargoyle is a spirit that inhabits statues. It can transfer from one statue to another instantly. Before it's destroyed it leaps it's essence into a new statue. That should turn the paranoia up to 11, because not only is every statue potentially this gargoyle, but the same one that continues to learn about the party and knowing their secrets and weaknesses. Kinda reminds me of that movie Fallen.
Quickleaf
Legend
The quest involves interacting with statues strewn throughout the grounds / dungeon, each with a riddle or socket in their eye for a gem to be placed. When the moon is bright and clear gems are placed in the sockets in the right places/order they reveal a secret passage.
However, several of the statues are gargoyles. The riddles under the statues give hints about how to identify gargoyles in each zone of the dungeon. For example "what's fair tis foul and fouler still" might mean that all the angelic looking statues in a chapel, specifically the ones depicted in stillness/contemplation/beatification, are actually gargoyles.
Because of the nature of the quest "destroy all statues" is not an option. In fact, for each region of the dungeon there is a consequence for destroying a non-gargoyle statue. For example, destroying a statue in the chapel might invoke a divine curse while destroying a statue in the graveyard might stir slumbering ghouls or zombies.
As the cherry on top, place a benign caryatid column or a NPC-mostly-turned-to-stone who can provide the PCs with valuable intelligence on the dungeon...if they don't attack it first.
However, several of the statues are gargoyles. The riddles under the statues give hints about how to identify gargoyles in each zone of the dungeon. For example "what's fair tis foul and fouler still" might mean that all the angelic looking statues in a chapel, specifically the ones depicted in stillness/contemplation/beatification, are actually gargoyles.
Because of the nature of the quest "destroy all statues" is not an option. In fact, for each region of the dungeon there is a consequence for destroying a non-gargoyle statue. For example, destroying a statue in the chapel might invoke a divine curse while destroying a statue in the graveyard might stir slumbering ghouls or zombies.
As the cherry on top, place a benign caryatid column or a NPC-mostly-turned-to-stone who can provide the PCs with valuable intelligence on the dungeon...if they don't attack it first.
Some more good ideas Quickleaf. While your idea won't directly translate to the adventure, certain elements will.
In truth, this thread was inspired by your post on trolls in Dave2008 Monster thread. The idea that trolls crave "the marrow of a blushing maiden" was incredibly inspiring and I have used that to great effect already.
Good stuff!
In truth, this thread was inspired by your post on trolls in Dave2008 Monster thread. The idea that trolls crave "the marrow of a blushing maiden" was incredibly inspiring and I have used that to great effect already.
Good stuff!
Oofta
Legend
You could always watch the gargoyle movie. I still remember watching this on late night TV when I was young thinking it was one of the best movies ever. Of course I was also a big fan of old 50's creature features like The Beast from 20,000 fathoms and Gorgo so you may want to take my opinion of movies from back then with a pinch of salt.
Basically, if I remember the movie (it has been a long time), the gargoyles were more like Cicadas in that they were dormant most of the time and hatched every so often to plague the land.
Basically, if I remember the movie (it has been a long time), the gargoyles were more like Cicadas in that they were dormant most of the time and hatched every so often to plague the land.
Lancelot
Adventurer
For a start, I'd give the gargoyle a breath weapon!
The thing that we normally associate with D&D gargoyles (a demonic statue on a rooftop) is actually called a "grotesque" in the real world; a fanciful statue. The word gargoyle comes from the French word for "throat", because the definition of a gargoyle is a decorative grotesque that is also a rain spout. All fantastical building statues are grotesques, but only those that pour water out of their mouths are actually gargoyles.
Hence, I'd suggest surprising the players with some kind of acidic breath weapon; perhaps even green slime. The gargoyle constantly oozes liquid from its mouth, and sprays either a stream or short-range cone of the goop at characters.
If your module supports a broader approach, then I'd consider introducing two types of gargoyle: the acid-spitting gargoyle (which, perhaps, cannot fly) and the non-spitting grotesque (which can fly). The two "sub-types" of gargoyle might hate each other with a passion. The gargoyles envy the grotesques for their wings, while the grotesques are infuriated that humans keep confusing them for the lowly gargoyles. Careful diplomacy might be able to play the two races off against each other, although given their embittered and evil alignments, the survivors are still likely to turn on the hapless adventurers.
One other possibility, again related to the fact that gargoyles are the rain-spouting variant: perhaps the party needs to talk to a gargoyle, as it holds a clue to a lost treasure or a mission objective. However, perhaps the party either doesn't speak Terran, or the gargoyle they need to speak to is mute. The players receive an obscure hint on how to communicate with the creature; "Look to its name". The trick is to restrain the beast somehow, and pour water through a vent in its neck. As the water emerges from its mouth, the trickling noise forms words in Common...
The thing that we normally associate with D&D gargoyles (a demonic statue on a rooftop) is actually called a "grotesque" in the real world; a fanciful statue. The word gargoyle comes from the French word for "throat", because the definition of a gargoyle is a decorative grotesque that is also a rain spout. All fantastical building statues are grotesques, but only those that pour water out of their mouths are actually gargoyles.
Hence, I'd suggest surprising the players with some kind of acidic breath weapon; perhaps even green slime. The gargoyle constantly oozes liquid from its mouth, and sprays either a stream or short-range cone of the goop at characters.
If your module supports a broader approach, then I'd consider introducing two types of gargoyle: the acid-spitting gargoyle (which, perhaps, cannot fly) and the non-spitting grotesque (which can fly). The two "sub-types" of gargoyle might hate each other with a passion. The gargoyles envy the grotesques for their wings, while the grotesques are infuriated that humans keep confusing them for the lowly gargoyles. Careful diplomacy might be able to play the two races off against each other, although given their embittered and evil alignments, the survivors are still likely to turn on the hapless adventurers.
One other possibility, again related to the fact that gargoyles are the rain-spouting variant: perhaps the party needs to talk to a gargoyle, as it holds a clue to a lost treasure or a mission objective. However, perhaps the party either doesn't speak Terran, or the gargoyle they need to speak to is mute. The players receive an obscure hint on how to communicate with the creature; "Look to its name". The trick is to restrain the beast somehow, and pour water through a vent in its neck. As the water emerges from its mouth, the trickling noise forms words in Common...
MarkB
Legend
There tend to be a couple of major variants of the gargoyle concept - either they are statues imbued with life and motion as guardians of a location, or they are feral hunters who have developed the ability to mimic statues as protective camouflage. There's also the concept of a person being cursed, either to transform into stone or to have their spirit bound into a statue.
Try to find something that moves away from those concepts, or twists them into a new angle.
For instance: Gargoyles are the creations of certain more powerful and malevolent medusae. When a medusa petrifies a creature with her gaze, she can later choose to imbue it with a very small, specially-enchanted portion of her blood. Rather than reversing the petrification, this ritual leaves the stone form pliable and clay-like, allowing the medusa to re-shape it through a combination of her hands and will. As the creature's form is changed, its soul is warped to match its new form, which is inevitably bestial and predatory.
Some medusae employ gargoyles as guardians, or as servants to gather fresh victims, but many simply unleash them upon the world, in what they consider an act of artistic expression, sending their twisted visions of humanoid life out into the world.
Despite their vicious nature, gargoyles maintain some sense of what they once were, and will often return to familiar places, finding some high and inaccessible perch from which to gaze upon their old world, both hating and longing for it.
Try to find something that moves away from those concepts, or twists them into a new angle.
For instance: Gargoyles are the creations of certain more powerful and malevolent medusae. When a medusa petrifies a creature with her gaze, she can later choose to imbue it with a very small, specially-enchanted portion of her blood. Rather than reversing the petrification, this ritual leaves the stone form pliable and clay-like, allowing the medusa to re-shape it through a combination of her hands and will. As the creature's form is changed, its soul is warped to match its new form, which is inevitably bestial and predatory.
Some medusae employ gargoyles as guardians, or as servants to gather fresh victims, but many simply unleash them upon the world, in what they consider an act of artistic expression, sending their twisted visions of humanoid life out into the world.
Despite their vicious nature, gargoyles maintain some sense of what they once were, and will often return to familiar places, finding some high and inaccessible perch from which to gaze upon their old world, both hating and longing for it.
Quickleaf
Legend
Ah, I gotcha now. Yeah, I was trying to create an interesting gargoyle scenario that avoided the "D&D cliche" that some players may be familiar with. But you're a bit more interested in a twist on gargoyle ecology/psychology/reason for being.
I think you'll find a lot of ideas to mine from "tutelary spirits" and "genius locii." In my mind, gargoyles are a more modern interpretation of those principles.
An existing example in D&D is the dryad with its tree bond. You could give gargoyles a similar bond (heck, even a "stone walk" or "chapel walk" ability) to the stonework of whatever place they inhabit. When I look at the 5e lore tying gargoyles to Ogremoch, I'm reminded of a short story about a wicked lake....I think it was by H.P. Lovecraft....wherein the evil tutelary spirit / genius locii of a lake kills someone...or more precisely leads them to their demise.
This would be a play off of "the house has ears" sort of haunting, only the monsters are gargoyles, not ghosts.
[MENTION=21730]Hawk[/MENTION]Diesel's idea of letting the gargoyle learn the party is really great, and this sort of piggybacks on that. You never know when you're being watched by one of the gargoyles. Maybe that grotesque mirror frame with the cherub face is actually a gargoyle waiting for its chance to strike?
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Savage Wombat
Hero
In 2nd edition, I started a plot off with the villain figuring out how to turn large numbers of soldiers into gargoyles. It doesn't matter how many the PCs kill - an entire army of flying soldiers immune to normal weapons guarantees the fall of whatever ordinary city or fortress they're aimed at.
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