Gargoyles have been touched in a number of RPGs as a playable race, but for the most part, they’ve been treated as a one-off entry in a supplemental book. Eiridia changes that. Gargoyles are a core race, and important to the lore of the world.
In long ages past, mages of great power attempted to create new races by combining existing ones. These meddling wizards were known collectively as Lifeshapers. The only known Lifeshaper in present-day Eiridia is Lochivar the Black Hand, but that’s a tale for another day.
Many centuries ago, a Lifeshaper by the name of Artemis Cannon focused on the daunting task of building the perfect warrior race. He had many failures, some of which live on today as horrific monsters. His second success, however, was the race that came to be the Gargoyles.
Artemis took traits of stone giants and demons and combined them. He bound the new creation together with spells intended to encourage persistence, endurance, and aggression. In a last-minute fit of inspiration, Artemis added to the mix an ancient artifact containing the essence of hope. Though the priceless artifact was destroyed in the process, it was the addition of that object that made the gargoyles into a viable, long-lasting race.
The first dozen creatures to emerge from the birthing matrix grew up to be skilled hunters and warriors. Their chiseled, devilish features earned them a fearsome reputation on the battlefield. The second dozen gargoyles, however, had a much stronger gentle streak. They grew to become wise and knowledgeable, and one of them even became Artemis’s apprentice. The story of Rynwist the Stonemother is also a tale for another day. All in all, there were thirteen birthings of gargoyles from the original matrix. Each of these became a tribe and, after the death of Artemis, scattered to the four winds.
Over the centuries, the thirteen gargoyle tribes became fifty-seven. Their numbers increased dramatically, with some tribes reaching over ten thousand members. Each tribe has a long history remembered through oral and written traditions. Most gargoyles are intermingled throughout human society and get along as equals, but the three largest tribes have built a massive city of stone near to the wingfolk city of Tandarus.
Gargoyle adventurers are nearly as common as human adventurers. They’re fierce, curious, and quick to learn. Beyond that, their personalities vary just as much as humans’.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse into another of the races of Ingenium Second Edition. Next week will be something new: a look at one of the more interesting organizations growing in Summerfort. See you then!
