Gargoul

Basic Information

Anatomy

Gargoul are small humanoids resembling demons, with a pair of round, pointed horns atop their heads, leathery, bat-like wings on their backs and tails ending in points that resemble arrowheads. They have typical humanoid proportions with two arms and legs attached to a torso with a single head. They have sharp claws on their hands and feet of allow them to grip high perches in a variety of orientations. Their hands are made up with 3 fingers and an opposable thumb, which are all typically shorter than their human equivalents. Their feet are marked with 3 toe-like claws.

Biological Traits

Small winged humanoids, Gargoul have evolved to navigate the mountainous regions of Faewylde, adapting to both the terrain and the unstable magical that permeates their habitat. This has given them significant reserves of magical energy, although without efficient channels to direct it. With wings and tails to allow for controlled flight, their magical reserves also allow them to hover in place.
The species is split between two discrete biological sexes, male and female, which follow general human sexual characteristics.

Genetics and Reproduction

It is unclear where Gargoul come from, generally appearing in Bedouar abruptly around 900 SI and quickly spreading across Kornôgel. Creatures of the Faewylde, it is surmised that the Gargoul are creatures of pure chaos and magic made manifest by Bediz reality. The Gargoul have not been observed rearing children in Bedouar, although this may be done deep in Faerie, supported by the existence of two discrete biological sexes among the Gargoul.
One exception to this is found in Kontammet related to the Gargoul. Prone to pranks and imbued with significant reserves of chaotic Faewylde Magic, it is not uncommon for Gargoul to infuse powerful traps of raw chaos magic. In some exceptionally rare instances of direct exposure, a Bediz can be overwhelmed by this magic and become Milliget, eventually transforming into Gargoul themselves.

Ecology and Habitats

Gargoul are naturally found deep in the mountainous regions of Faerie and Bedouar, living high in the mountaintops and cliff faces, using their vantage points to hunt prey. Beginning in 900 SI, the first urban Tower of Gargoul appeared in the Cloth City of Laon, having stowed away on a passing windship. Since then, they have adapted to urban life, seeking out Cathedrals, clock towers and other high structures, from which they can observe the city below. They build small homes among gears, bells and. Stone alcoves ranging from feral nests to “furnished” dwellings.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Gargoul are hunting and foraging omnivores with a wide dietary range, primarily made up of rats, small birds, and plants. However, some urban Towers have begun to develop rudimentary procedures for storing and protecting their food stores from outside threats, as well as expanding their palettes as they find themselves surrounded by the vast amount of Bediz and Fae food that surrounds their urban habitats.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Like many Korrigan, the Gargoul form elaborate social groups, known as Troupes or Towers. Gargoul Towers are usually formed around the groups that inhabitant singular structures, such as church steeples, castle donjon and clock towers. Occasionally, these groups will take multiple such places if close together, such as double towers in Cathedrals, but this is not always the case. In the cathedral of Chartrez, for example, the North Tower and the South Tower have been engaged in a long-standing dispute with no end in sight.
Towers range in greatly size from around 4 to hundreds, largely depending on the size of the structure to support the population. Particularly strong, clever or magically powerful Gargouls will take prize positions in the heights (the higher the better for social status) and take the pick of food and pranks. However, social status is constantly shifting as Gargouls impress their peers or undermine each other’s machinations.

Domestication

The intelligence and constant need for mental stimulation has made the Gargoul excellent familiars and assistants to alchemists, a trend strengthened by their impressive elemental resistance. While they can prove invaluable to furthering magical and scientific discovery, their need for constant experimentation and general disregard for the safety and well-being of others around them can lead to dangerous results.
While many alchemists and scholars refer to these imps as “Homunculus” and “Familiars”, the Gargoul view themselves as fully independent or even in charge of the relationship.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

The elemental resistance and keen intellect of the Gargoul makes them invaluable assets to alchemical research, ignoring chemical and magical effects that would be harmful to Bediz.
Attempts have been made to use Gargoul chameleon glands to harvest and produce artificial glamour, but this has only been moderately successful and has been done only in small numbers, as it triggers brutal reprisals from the Korrigan community at large if caught.

Facial characteristics

Most Gargoul have generally human facial proportions and arrangement, although this can vary in extreme cases with protruding muzzles, plate-like ridges on the forehead or other variations. Gargoul typically have a pair of pointed horns rising from the top of their heads and large pointed ears aligned horizontally to their faces. Gargouls have large mouths filled with sharp teeth, often set in a mischevious grin.
Many Gargoul have hair similar in texture and proportional length to that of humans, although some mutations make other Gargoul naturally bald.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

The Gargoul are one of the most geographically widespread of the Korrigan, traveling in the rigging of ship and more recently, windships, to all corners of Faerie and the Western Realms of Bedouar. while isolate pockets are found as far South as Iram, most are found in the North in Letha, La Manche, Anjev, Akitainia and Neustria.
Gargoul originate in the mountainous regions in the North, where they delight in causing rockslides, strange echoes and other pranks to confuse travelers. With the advent of windships, they have spread to other areas by stowing away in the rigging on the craft as they pass through the mountains.
First appearing in the Northern Cloth City of Laon, now in the Gallian Crownlands, the Gargoul have since spread across the North, adapting well to urban environments across Bedouar. The largest populations are found in Per-Ys, Rotomagus and Samarobriva.

Average Intelligence

Despite a reputation as “chattering imps”, the Gargoul are actually incredibly clever, easily able to intuitively grasp complex machinery and display remarkable social intelligence, although the latter is often intentionally ignored. Their reputation is largely derived from their constant need for stimulation, which makes them appear as unfocused and destructive.
Gargoul delight in elaborate pranks, and will often form large elaborate social groupings known as troupes to increase the scale and effectiveness of these. Most Gargoul are capable of speech and can be taught to read and write, should they put their easily distracted minds to it.
Like most Fae, Gargoul are susceptible to Time Madness, at high levels relative to the rates of among other Korrigan species.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Gargoul have excellent sight and hearing, evolved from living in gorges and mountaintops, especially suited to determining distances and positioning in 3 dimensional space. A Gargoul can easily and accurately pinpoint the distance and spatial positioning of a target over distances of kilometers.
Gargoul are well adapted to seeing in dark spaces as well, and have above average low light-vision and night-vision.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Gargoul towers tend to be very locally focused, often on their home structure and the surrounding areas, with little presence further afield. In larger cities, such as Per-Ys, Rouan and Naoned, several towers can vie for dominance, either through cooperative or antagonistic means.
The first and largest “organized” Tower is with any real political clout is “les Alchimistes du Gros Horloge” in Rouan, Normandi, a collection of Gargoul alchemists based in a large alchemical clock tower, recognized as members of the Lugoni Mercantile Guild

Gender Ideals

There is very little social differentiation between male and female Gargoul in Bedouar, although specific towers may adopt different customs based on their locality.

Average Technological Level

Of the Korrigan peoples, the Gargoul have adapted well to life among “civilized” peoples. Their intellectual curiosity and mental acuity has allowed some to become skilled alchemists and inventors, specializing in alchemical and clockwork devices. Others continue to live a more wild existence of hunting and foraging.

Common Dress Code

The dress of the Gargoul varies wildly based on individual preference, ranging from none at all to full outfits and accessories, with most favoring simple, handmade clothing. Generally, Gargoul favour maneuverability and practicality, shunning loose clothing that can be caught in gears or snagged on sharp stones. Brass has become a popular accessory material, used in jewelry, goggles and tools.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

The Gargoul are easily bored and in constant need of mental stimulation, leading to their penchant to create elaborate pranks and experiments to see what will happen. These are judged by others for how interesting the results are, which is often tied to explosions or exaggerated reactions by the victims. Social status is largely based on these, providing a route for clever Gargoul to overtake physically stronger rivals.
While these pranks have given the Gargoul a reputation as mischievous and often dangerous troublemakers, the same drive allows them to funnel their efforts into profound, albeit undisciplined, scientific discovery in alchemical Magik and craftsmanship.

History

Little is known of the history of the Gargoul, as like many Korrigan species, they kept no records among themselves until recently, compounded by their geographic isolation deep in the mountainous regions of the Erlking’s Forest.
It is believed that the first widespread arrival of Gargouls arrived in Bedouar during the Second Bleed around 600 SI, although the specifics of this are difficult to determine, as stories similar to those attributed to the Gargoul appear as far back as the days of the Empire.
What is known is that there was a marked increase in the Gargoul population around 900 SI at the height of the 3rd Bleed, when the first Windships of the Cloth Cities made forays into the mountains of the Erlking’s Forest, bringing back stowaways. The first urban Tower took nest in the hill cathedral of Laon, where an abundance of food and lack of natural predators allowed to population to flourish. Aided by burgeoning windship trade of the Cloth cities, the imps spread across the Western Realms, although less successfully in trading networks of the Golden Sea.
Around 950, the first instances of Time Madness were observed in the population in the Clockwork City of Roaun, Normandi. The condition began to appear in other cities as well, creating a split between the population and leading to a more organized social structure. Unlike other populations that stigmatized the condition, the mentally stimulated Gargoul welcomed it, as it allowed for more complex experiments and pranks to be enacted.
This was also around the time of a massive backlash by the Faithful to the events of the 3rd Bleed, as the Church and its allies began a push against the Fae and Korrigan. The Gargoul, who had taken residence largely in urban areas, primarily cathedral towers and church steeples, bore a large brunt of this. Having gained a reputation as dangerous creatures because of their often unrestrained pranks, their appearance matching descriptions of devils in the holy texts of the Faith and proximity to Church strongholds made them a primary target for purges. The Church introduced the Chimera, alchemical creatures designed to stalk the rooftops and kill Korrigan such as the Gargoul, and released them upon the urban landscape, devastating the Gargoul’s numbers.
In 1010 SI, the first “organized” Tower, les Alchimistes du Gros Horloge, submitted for recognition as an official guild, although this would not be approved until years later. Since their recognition, other Towers in Breizh, Normandi and Gallia have attempted to follow suit, with mixed success.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Korrigan

Lifespan

N/A

Conservation Status

Gargoul are plentiful throughout Northern Kornôgel, one of the most plentiful and numerous of the Korrigan races. For the most part, they are largely considered nuisances, but few efforts are taken to interfere with or eradicate them. One exception to this is the introduction of Chimera, such as Stone Harpies, to some cities by zealous alchemists of the Southern Church, which has largely only served to stir up the population.

Average Height

20 cm - 40 cm

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Gargoul come is a wide range of often vibrant colours in a full spectrum of the a rainbow, usually, but not always monochromatic in hue. These vary based on the individual.
Gargoul possess a special gland that allows them to mimic the color of their surroundings with glamour often blending in to observe targets and wreak havoc with their pranks.

Related Organizations

• County of Hesdin