Gargoyle
Gargoyles are one of the many species of sapient animal that live on the Poison planet Paleum. They are Reptilian bipedal Leather winged draconic geckos that are able to produce a liquid venom from their fingers, which they infuse into their semi-hallow claws. These claws contain a sticky chemical on the hollow part that allows the venom to stick to the claw, turning a still strong weapon into something even more powerful.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Gargoyles resemble geckos in terms of body, aside from having a set of leather wings attached at the shoulders. They move and have the stance of koalas despite this. They have two arms, two legs, and two previously mentioned leather wings. They are often dark grey, pebble or charcoal, lead, or graphite or slate, in color.
Biological Traits
Gargoyles have venom glands near their fingers, which ooze out a purple toxin that cause lathargy, sweating and sometimes vomiting, as well as general feelings of nausea.
Genetics and Reproduction
Gargoyles reproduce sexually, typically in the spring, then lay a few eggs either in a small clutch (2-5) or a large clutch, (5-10) around 22-25 days after mating. The eggs hatch roughly 3-5 months after being layed.
Growth Rate & Stages
Gargoyles age like humans, and are considered toddlers by 2, true kids by 5, tweens by 11, teens at 13, and adults at around 18. Gargoyles are born with wings, but are they are only semi-developed, paralyzed and numb to all feeling aside from sharp pain. Once they turn two, their wings, while still paralyzed, begin to develop a sense of feeling, and begin to notice aching pains and grow a normal sense of touch after around 3 to 5 months. Once they turn 4, they gain the ability to flutter their wings a little as the paralysis slowly wears off, before they eventually are to move them completely as normal by around age 5.
Ecology and Habitats
Gargoyles prefer to live in the swamps of Paleum, high up in the trees, but still below the canopy as to provide shade, though they do sometimes fly out of it for easier travel. Gargoyles were known for using the algae of the shallow waters to disguise themselves from potentional attackers, sometimes they would also use moss for the same reason if algae weighs them down too much or if there less algae available then normal.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Gargoyles eat fruits, nuts, vines and some flower necter along with the flowers themselves, along with some insects. They will often fly through Paleum to gather these, although, sometimes they will climb from tree to tree instead if for whatever reason, flying would be a struggle. Some Gargoyles will farm orchids on the trees they live in to get a more consistent source of food.
Biological Cycle
During Paleum's summer, Gargoyles are free to go and gather as much plant pollen and flora as they wish, with most of the water out of the way and flora florishing, they often gather extra, sometimes, even a few seeds to grow on trees during the fall and winter. By Fall, Gargoyles now tend to fly a bit lower to gather plant life, now that they have much more space to do so, though they do still climb a fair amount to avoid the still sizable level of water that coats the land. During the Winter, Gargoyles will stay in their homes, only sometimes leaving. When they did, they often chose to climb instead of flying, when they gather the few surviving plant pollen and flora, along with a fair amount of mushrooms, they stay close to the canopy as to avoid getting their wings soaked, which could make flying harder. During the Spring, Gargoyles would fly lower and would rarely climb, as the water level is quite shallow at this point, the newly growing plant life and budding flowers make for great snacks to them, as the buds of some flowers are incredibly sweet, much sweeter then the full grown flowers.
Behaviour
Gargoyles are tame and focused, and will not attack unless attacked first. They spend most of their time up in the trees they live in when they were not out gathing food. They are also quite clever, and would carve away at tree stumps to make containers out of them for food storage, plant certain large ferns over ponds of clean water to keep any dead plant matter from falling in, as well as to produce a certain smell that keeps mosquitoes away and as previously mentioned, farm orchids on the very trees they live in. If they get scared, they stiffen up and freeze.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Gargoyles are social, but don't live as a pack, rather, seperate families live in different trees, and the families socialize with one another and can help one another with each other's problem's or protect them from attackers. Often, when an adult male and adult female get together, they leave their old nest to have whelps. They mate during the spring so their egg clutch will hatch in the summer. Once they whelps hatch, the adults take turns switching between going out and getting food, and staying home to rise the whelps as long as both are healthy. The Parent that stays will often gently stroke the wings of their baby/toddler whelps to help them grow a sense of touch in their wings faster. Once their wings have gained a sense of touch and the ability to move them properly, the parent that stays will help teach the whelps how to fly, which typically happens around age 5 or 6. Once Gargoyles become teenagers, they start to go out and gather food as well, often just for themselves. Once they near adulthood, they start to seek out a partner, once they find one, the cycle starts again, as they leave their old nests to make their own. Adult Gargoyles stay togather for life and remain in their nests once their kids fly out. Sometimes other gargoyles will go out to them to seek help or advice due to their life experience.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Gargoyles will sometimes sell their own venom to be deluted into medicines.
Facial characteristics
Gargoyles have faces that resemble iguanas mostly, and maybe partly a gecko's as well. They tend to have purple, gold or even red eyes.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Gargoyles prefer to live in the swamps of Paleum, as they contain the most trees, which they live in because they protect them due to their lack of size.
Average Intelligence
Around 100 on the human IQ test
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Gargoyles have a keen sense of sight, picking up on even the smallest bit of sunlights that peak through the swamp canopy. Though, they are noseblind, as a way to protect themselves from the noxious smell of the rotting plant matter within Paleum's shallow waters.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
They will take orchids, sometimes sick or dying ones, and place them into their own tree homes to give them a nice place to live, in return, the Gargoyles get a nice snack.
Civilization and Culture
Beauty Ideals
Gargoyles prefer dark grey colors along with average sized wings, as both overly small and overly large wings can sometimes make it hard to fly and is seen as awkward.
Gender Ideals
Surprisingly, male and female gargoyles, due to taking turns rising kids, have less gendered ideals then other species, though female gargoyles are still generally viewed as being more gentle and caring while the male Gargoyles are idealized as being more confident and rough. There is little shame in gargoyles acting more like the opposite gender.
Relationship Ideals
Gargoyle couples are idealized as taking turns taking care of or getting food for their whelps, as to ensure the whelps know and grow a bond with both parents and also show colaboration and care for one another.
Average Technological Level
Like all sapient animals, they use modern phones and the technology needed to work said modern phones.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Like all sapient animals, they speak English.
Common Etiquette Rules
An adult Gargoyle should only speak with a child Gargoyle that is not their own in a regular setting if it was meeting between parents and their kids.
Common Taboos
Like all sapient species, relationships with other species is seen as something as bad as incest.
History
They are one of the many sapient species of the elemental galaxy.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Gargoyles are seen as peaceful yet shy by other species, and are generally well liked because of this and their generally humble nature, they can also battle fairly well if they choose to do so. They are viewed as one of the more tame and chill of all the sapients and are seen as simple folk who just want to live their lives and not bug anyone.
Scientific Name
Diunguibus Gekkonidae
Lifespan
80 years
Conservation Status
They are of least concern.
Average Height
2'6-2'10
Average Weight
20-24 lbs.
Average Length
2'6-2'10 when laying down
Average Physique
Slender and compact
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Gargoyles are mostly gray, but come in various shades like pebble or charcoal, lead, or graphite or slate.
Geographic Distribution
Related Organizations
Related Materials
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