Gargoyles are created when someone agrees to become a monster to protect a person, place or thing. They may seem like unthinking beasts, but they still have the soul of a person inside. Get more after the jump.

Creating A Gargoyle

Gargoyles are not a monster found in the wild: They’re made, and made by black magick.

A spellcaster will find a willing victim. That’s right. To become a gargoyle, someone has to agree to the transformation. Someone will not transform if they say no when the offer comes during a sorcerous ritual. That person usually dies once they decline.

The soon-to-be gargoyle is usually a follower of a spellcaster, a member of a cult or rite. They have absolute faith in the magick user and the powers they’ll soon possess.

To be clear, not every gargoyle has to be in a religious cult. It could be anyone that understands the duties they’ll soon take on. Gargoyles are protectors of a person, place or thing.

The Use Of Ritual Magick

It takes the darkest magick to turn someone into a gargoyle. They give up their human form to become a monster.

The ritual itself is rather simple. While the spell won’t be written here, the steps include:

1. The ritual must take place at the place the gargoyle will protect or in a place owned by the person it will protect.
2. The spellcaster draws a symbol on the ground or floor that represents the source of the dark magick.
3. The victim comes forward and lies on the symbol.
4. The spellcaster brings forth the elements (like stone, feathers, claws, etc.) they want the gargoyle to take on and places them on the victim’s chest. The spellcaster also places something from the location or person to bind the victim to the site or person.
5. The spellcaster recites a spell and asks the victim if they agree to the terms.
6. Once agreed to, the spellcaster stabs the victim in the heart to ‘kill’ them, so they can be reborn the next night as the gargoyle.

Over the next 24 hours, the victim’s body goes through a transformation that sees them decay, rebuild their bodies based on the elements from Step 4, and rise in their gargoyle form as darkness falls.

Bound To A Person Or Location

Gargoyles have a leash. They’re bound to the location they were created or to a single person. In some cases, it’s a thing like a painting or other artful object. Those are rare cases.

For a place, it will be the historic size of a property. For example, let’s use a church. In the 1800s, it may have owned 10 acres, but it got carved away as the years went by. When the gargoyle forms, it will roam the full 10 acres. It doesn’t matter if the church still owns it or not.

For a person, it usually stays within their home or within a quarter-mile of the person. Now, the person who commands the gargoyle will need to wear something to link them together. It could be a ring, necklace, bracelet or other piece of jewelry.

Gargoyle Abilities & Weaknesses

As a supernatural monster, gargoyles will have many different abilities. But they only have one weakness. It’s a doozy, too.

Supernatural Abilities

Gargoyles have many physical powers that are linked to the elements used during the ritual. There are some abilities that all gargoyles have. Those include:

• Resilience to physical harm
• Nightvision
• Super-strength
• Enhanced speed
• Fire immunity

After that, it will take on the abilities of the elements used in its creation. If the spellcaster used a feather, the gargoyle will have wings. If a matchbook was used, it can breathe fire. If a snakes skin was used, it has a poisonous touch or venomous bite. You get the point. There’s a lot of variety and appearances with gargoyles. It’s hard to predict what you’ll get.

Weaknesses

Gargoyles may seem powerful, but they have a debilitating weakness: They become stone during the day. They’re like attack dogs that only roam the grounds or a person’s home at night.

For a personally-bound gargoyle, it will turn to stone if the shared object is removed or destroyed.

Gargoyles also turn to stone if they leave the area they protect. It may be night, but they have a range. Step outside and turn to stone. Once the gargoyle becomes stone, it can be shattered, which will slow it down.

A shattered gargoyle isn’t dead. It died once it transformed the first time. You can put the parts back together and recite the spell to re-form the gargoyle. This ‘rebuilt’ gargoyle will be a touch weaker.

Nothing is ever the same after it’s broken.

What To Do If You Encounter A Gargoyle

Like most monster encounters, get the hell out of there ASAP. You’d be surprised at how effective running away can be.

Not everyone has that option. Usually, gargoyles aren’t out to kill anyone unless they threaten to harm the land, building or person that binds the gargoyle.

It may grab you, knock you out or break a limb (it happens), but killing is a stretch for gargoyles. Remember, there’s the essence of a human in that monstrous body. You might be able to talk your way out of it.

Think of it as negotiating with a grizzly bear. Back away slowly. Avoid eye contact. Close the gate behind you.