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It was a
time of darkness. It was a world of fear.
It was
the age of Gargoyles.
Stone by
day, warriors by night,
we were
betrayed by the humans we had sworn to protect,
frozen
in stone by a magic spell for a thousand years.
Now, here
in Manhattan, the spell is broken, and we live again!
We are
defenders of the night!
We are
GARGOYLES!
In the year 2030, an ancient Scottish Castle
called Castle Wyvern was brought over to the UCAS by a
young and wealthy man named David Xanatos. Xanatos had been fascinated
by ancient myths and magics,
and with the Awakening of the 6th World, he became even more so.
And written in the margins of an ancient
magical tome was the story of an ancient race of beings called Gargoyles
who had been frozen in stone by a
spell. Xanatos met the conditions of the spell and broke it,
freeing the Gargoyles.
The Gargoyles struggled to adapt to their
new world, but decided that despite all the magical creatures and
Awakened Races that existed, that they shoudl remain hidden.
They believed they were the last of their kind,
and so decided hiding would help preserve the race.
During the next 5 years, the Gagroyles discovered
that they were not the only Gargoyles to survive. England,
Amazonia, and Japan all held small Gargoyle Clans, and one of their
own ancient clan had survived through
magic, the Gargoyle Sorceress named Demona. Demona had turned
cruel and evil during her years alone, hiding
from a family that generation after generation called themselves Hunters
and had followed her around the globe.
Most surprisingly of all, though, was the
fact that Gargoyle Clan's own eggs had survived the destruction of the
clan, when the eggs were taken to the Mystical Island of Avalon, where
time moves more slowly. The eggs have
hatched and reached maturity, and some of them have left the island
to explore the world.
In 2058 a small group of Gargoyles left Avalon
to live among the outside world. They stayed with Goliath and
his Clan, learning what they could about the World and about becoming
protectors. Then, in 2060, this group
became their own clan and moved to Seattle to make it their own protectorate.
It is now 2060, and those Gargoyles are living in
Seattle. Those gargoyles are you...
Welcome to the 6th World. Welcome to the world of Gargoyles.
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Optional Metatypes Rules: Gargoyles v2.2
Patterson's Guide to Paranormal Animals
Entry #30173
Author's note: Gargoyles are still
a subject of dispute among scientists around the world. Some refuse
to
even believe they are anything more than myth, despite numerous reportings
and photos. No one is sure exactly
where they come from, though the general consensus is that they are
not a "goblinized" form of human like Orks,
trolls, Elves and Dwarves are, nor are they an awakened form of animal,
like the basilisk or the hell-hound.
Theories connect the Gargoyles with the gargoyles
from North America and Europe presented in previous
Patterson's Guides, but no solid connection has been made, as several
traits are missing between the two, such as
intelligence and the Stone Hibernation.
I've had the chance to talk with several Gargoyles
from the New York area, so I know they do exist. There are
several interesting traits that almost seem racial, rather than based
on their society.
Gargoyles are very territorial, for one thing.
They will "adopt" an area to be their home. Most Gargoyles consider
themselves to be Protectors of their homes, and have a strong sense of
right and wrong, and of honor. One
Gargoyle did admit that their are Rogues out there that have no honor,
but these are considered Clanless and to
be outcasts, and the enemies of "Normal" gargoyles.
They also have a strong sense of Family, and
Clan. Most Gargoyles live with their clan their entire life, with
very
few exceptions. When a clan grows too large, it will split into
two clans, each clan having strong ties to each other.
All Gargoyles consider each other family, with the exception of the
Rogues, and clans can often call upon each other
for help.
Gargoyles can wield magic with ease.
However, there are no indications of Physical Adepts among the gargoyles,
and most gargoyles consider cyberware to be an abomination, and from
what I understood, cyberware and bioware
is not compatible with the Gargoyles Stone Sleep.
Another note is a distinct dislike in modern
weapons. Gargoyles have natural claws, and will often use ancient
weapons, such as swords and staves if they wield a weapon at all.
Rarely do gargoyles wield guns.
Identification:
While Gargoyles vary vastly in size and in shape,
there are primarily two types of Gargoyle.
One is a Canine like Gargoyle. they
are fairly intelligent and strong, but not as intelligent as a human and
lacking
any sort of speech capability. It weighs around 300 pounds in its flesh
form, is quick, very strong, and very loyal to
its "clan" of Gargoyles.
The second is the more common and Humanoid
Gargoyle. These always stand upright, like a human, and
possess a pair of wings that enable it to glide, despite its bulk.
However, for whatever reason, the appearance and
placement of the Gargoyle wings can vary greatly.
The more common appearances for a Gargoyle
is a semi-demonic looking face, sometimes with horns. The
wings are often leathery in appearance, similar to Dragon Wings, though
these as well vary, and are sometimes
membranes between the arm and torso of the gargoyle, or even feathered
and bird like.
Tails are a common trait of Gargoyles, though
not every gargoyle has them. Skin color also varies wildly, though
is usually a darker color. Deep reds, blues and grays are common,
though almost every color has been reported.
They have a variable number of teeth, ranging
from 20 to 48, with fairly sharp and slightly elongated canines.
Most have hair like humans, but this too is
variable, as are most characteristic. Some are hairless, while others
are covered in fur, or even feathers.
Their hands and feet end in three fingers
and three toed claws. These claws are strong, and often capable of
tearing into stone and even steel. Most gargoyles do not use their
claws as weapons, though considering this
dishonorable. The most common use for the claws is climbing,
where their strength allows them to dig furrows and
hand holds into the sides of stone and plasticrete building, letting
them climb up to gliding heights.
One interesting note was that one of the Gargoyles
sighted in Amazonia did not have legs. Rather, it was serpentine,
and have a snakelike lower body, though it still possesed arms and
wings.
The Humanoid Gargoyles range in size from
several feet tall, to seven feet tall, with substantial bulk due to their
muscle mass. Despite rumors, however, they re not made of stone,
at least not at night. During the daylight hours,
however, they transform into a stone-like substance that is very much
like granite.
Another interesting note is that the Gargoyles
overall appearance is often regional, resembling creatures of myth.
The Japanese gargoyles are reported to have a very oriental look to
them, their shape and horns resembling traditional
Samurai armor or oriental goblins. The English gargoyles resembled
Unicorns, Griffons, and Lions. The reason for
this is unknown, but along with the Awakened Paranormal Animals, Gargoyles
may also be partly responsible for
many regional myths and legends.
Habitat:
Gargoyles most often prefer to "sleep" in their
stone form on rooftops, looking much like their namesakes, the
traditional Gargoyle Statue. However, during the night, in their
flesh form, they can reside almost anywhere, though
they do prefer large, open structures, usually on the top of large
buildings.
Habits:
As noted above, Gargoyles are active during the
night only. From sun-up to sundown, they are trapped in a
Stone Hibernation. This transformation is not reliant on being
in sunlight, as even gargoyles underground away from
any sunlight still transforms. This has led scientists to believe
the transformation is magical in nature.
Their life span is, as of yet, unverified, though
it is estimated to be slightly longer than a normal human lifespan,
from 100 to 120 years. This is possibly due to their stone hibernation,
and that they may not age while they are stone..
Gargoyles lay eggs, which take around 10 years
to hatch.
Young:
Female Gargoyles can lay between 1 and 8 eggs, though
the average is three. Puberty occurs when the gargoyle
is around 18 to 20 years.
Commentary:
Gargoyles appeared around 30 years ago in New York.
Since then, there have been scattered, rumored sightings
around the world, with most recent sightings placing a clan in Seattle.
Gargoyles are rare, and according to the
gargoyle I interviewed, they were almost wiped out during the
dark ages.
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GAME STATS:
There are 3 playable types of Gargoyles: The
Small, Medium, and Large Gargoyle. Each has different
advantages and disadvantages to them, so I'll cover them in turn.
The Canine Gargoyle is not a playable
character, but can make an interesting NPC. Canine Gargoyles
are not pets, and no Gargoyle would consider
them as such. They are simply a different type of gargoyle, slightly
less intelligant than a metahuman, but still
possessing a sentiance beyond any animal.
Small Gargoyles --
These are the Smallest and weakest of the Gargoyles.
However, they are also the fastest
and the smartest of the gargoyles. Most Gargoyle Mages come from
this category. These gargoyles are usually
between 3 and 5 feet tall.
Advantages: +2d6 initiative, +2 Quickness, +1 Intelligence,
+1 Charisma, Low light vision, Gliding WIngs, Claws
Disadvantages: -1 Strength, Stone Hibernation, Bioware/Cyberware
Restrictions.
Medium Gargoyles --
This is where the majority of Gargoyles fit in.
These are usually between 5 and 6 feet tall.
Advantages: +2d6 Initiative, +2 Body, +1 Strength, +1
Quickness, Lowlight Vision, Gliding WIngs, Claws
Disadvantages: Stone Hibernation, Bioware/Cyberware restrictions.
Large Gargoyles --
These are the rarest of all the gargoyles.
They are also usually the leaders of their clans, and are powerful warriors.
Advantages: +1d6 Initiative, +3 Body, +3 Strength, Lowlight
Vision, Gliding Wings, Claws
Disadvantages: -1 Quickness, -1 Intelligence, Stone Hibernation,
Bio/Cyber Restrictions.
POWERS:
Gliding Wings: Gargoyles can fly, after a manner, by gliding
on air currents. They cannot actually fly, though, so
must launch themselves from above the ground, usually off a building
or such. While flying, their Quickness
multiplier is 5. Minimum height for gliding is 15` off the ground.
Claws: The claws allow the Gargoyles to make shallow cuts
and grooves in even the hardest materials like steel
and stone. If used in combat, they deal (Strength)M Damage.
Keep in mind that most Gargoyles will not resort
to using their natrural claws as weapons, though.
Stone Hibernation: Wherever they are in the world, gargoyles
will transform into stone from as soon as the sun
rises to just when it sets. This transformation is not dependant on
sunlight, and will occur even if the Gargoyle is
somewhere that Sunlight can not penetrate. This is a magical
transformation, and cannot be prevented except through magical means (i.e.,
the enchanted amulets worn by the gargoyles in the Amazon in one episode).
Stone Hibernation has the added benefit of healing
almost any wound the gargoyle may suffer.
The Stone that the gargoyles turn into is very resilient
and tough. Treat it as having a barrier rating of 6.
Bioware/Cyberware Restrictions: Gargoyles are very magical
in nature, and because of this, combined with their transformation into
stone each day, they are unable to alter their body structure in anyway,
as the new body
part will not transform, and can cause problems, especially in the
case of Bioware.
(NOTE: In case someone wants to bring it up, Coldstone was a special
case. He was built from the remains of three shattered gargoyles
and brought back to life with magic. In essence, he was Cybermanced
with Blood Magic.
He doesn't count.)
(NOTE 2: Yes, I know that in the "Future Tense" episode of Gargoyles,
Lex had some cybernetics. <shrug>
As of now, no one has figured out a way to cybernetically enhance a
Gargoyle.)
Magic Note: Gargoyles can be magicians, and are almost
always Hermetic in tradition, though not always.
Phys Ad powers are VERY rare in Gargoyles and should not be allowed
in PC Gargoyles, as combined with
their already powerful natural abilities (Especially the natural Initiative
bonuses), they can be quite abusive. This
is also the main reason for disallowing Cyberware.
The gargoyle can be a powerful Character, and as
with all my Optional Metatypes, should only be allowed into
a game with care. They can present a terrific new flavor to a
game, and can be great fun to role-play. However, they
can easily be abused by the local Munchkins (Though one dork with a
hammer can take care of them during the day:)
so use them with care...
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PLAYING A GARGOYLE PC:
Gargoyles have far more benifits than penalties,
so using the point cost generator from the companion, they
cost 20 points instead of 10 for a normal Metahuman. If using
the Priority System from SR3, they are priority
A. Full Gagroyle Mages must take Magic for Priority B, and Aspected
Magicians and Adepts take Magic at
Priority C.
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CROSSOVER INFO:
The events from the first 2 (and a half) seasons
of the show happen in 2030, instead of 1994 (or whatever the
show date was). David Xanatos runs a AA Corporation that so far
has been strong enough to avoid being
bought out by the AAA Corps. It is based in New York, and Xanatos
Enterprises has worked on several
occasions with Ares Macrotechnology.
Rumor has it that Ares is an ally of Xanatos Enterprises,
and that the Megacorp has aided Xanatos in avoiding a takeover. Xanatos
Enterprises most often bumps heads with Aztechnology and Saeder Krupp.
The Children of Oberon are all unique free spirits
from a Metaplane called Avalon. Avalon physically borders
the real world, and as such there is an entrance on Earth to the metaplane.
However, the entrance seems to be
mobile, so that you don't find Avalon unless it wants to be found.
Most beings that find Avalon simply think of it
as a magic island rather than a metaplane.
Goliath's clan currently resides in New York, and
recently a second generation of Gargoyles from Avalon have
made their way into the outside world.
Despite the appearance of Awakened Beings (Elves,
Dwarves, Orks, Trolls, Dragons, etc), the Gargoyles are
still leery of letting the outside world know they exist, and as such
are still hiding and protecting in the shadows. The
very existance of all the other Races and Creatures in the Shadowrun
World, though, has helped keep the secret,
because they shock Metahumans much less than they would (and do) in
the show. Thus Gargoyles are often
dismissed as Trolls with a Jetpack or Hang Glider or the Unintelligent
version of the creatures from the Paranormal
Animals of North America and Europe books.
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In my home campign (Note to all my players here),
I will be using bits and pieces from Net Fan Fic, most notably Christine
Morgan's fan fiction. Be sure to read up on those at some point, though
I'm not sure how much will be used
right away. Christine's Fan Fic can be found at: http://www.eskimo.com/~vecna/garg_fan_fiction.html
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The rules and concepts presented here are an interpretation
and slight revision of the no longer produced
Disney Cartoon, Gargoyles. It presents a slightly alternate world,
incorporating the Cartoon's history into the
6th World of Shadowrun. Gargoyles is a trademark of Disney, Inc,
and Shadowrun is a trademark of FASA,
Inc. No infringement upon these Copyrights is intended.
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