Gargoth

Camouflaging predators of the Grey Cliffs.

Abstract​

Exactly how the gargoths originally came to be on the face of the Grey Cliffs is somewhat of a mystery. They do not seem to be a natural part of the local fauna since they have no natural enemies, at least when they are adults, when they are children they are often the prey of birds and similar that find gargoths a quick if tasteless snack. There are rumours that some sailor from far off introduced them to Arkdün and the Grey Cliffs but that remains idle speculation.

Since they grow very attached to their owners they are quite often seen as a valuable pet. However, because of difficulties when it comes to breeding them outside of the wild, they remain very expensive. If anything this has only led to making them seem more exclusive and there are many nobles who will pay a pretty silver to keep a gargoth as a pet.

Physical Appearance​

The gargoth is vaguely similar in both size and nature to the common house Cat, though there is no fur, instead a leathery skin covers the body. The body is long and sinuous and the spine is easily as supple as that of a Cat. There are several places where they differ though. The tail of a gargoth is much larger and more like that of a reptile and so tends to drag on the ground behind the gargoth when it walks around on all fours. Beneath this tail is also a small gland that produces scent particles that the gargoth uses to mark its territory.

Though the gargoth usually walks on all fours it is capable of flight for short periods of time. This is done by flapping the bat-like wings placed on its back just behind the forepaws. Since the gargoth has such a supple spine the lower body tends to drag along the under it if it moves over any considerable distance. The wings of the gargoth are meant to lift it upwards, into the cliff nests that are their natural homes. And even this takes a bit of strain for the stubby wings. For this reason gargoths are usually seen assisting their wings by using their claws to climb at the same time, this makes them scale buildings at speeds most can only dream of.

It is the skin that makes it so valued as a pet since it can change color both to match its surroundings and to stand out from it. When two male gargoths are fighting over a female or simply fighting for territory they can usually be seen standing still across from each other each trying to gain a more colorful skin than the other. The object of this fight is, contrary to popular belief, not to be able to gain a prettier skin than the other but merely to be seen to be able to change from one very different color to another. Switching colours quickly is an important survival trait in a gargoth as they rely on disguise for both hunting and concealment from their enemies.

The front claws of the gargoth contain three fingers, each with a claw attached, where one acts as a thumb allowing the gargoth to grasp small things such as pencils. Most gargoths that have been raised as pets have their claws cut however, as their owners tend to find the claws digging into them a little uncomfortable. The hind claws however are simpler without the more complicated bone structure needed for a thumb. Gargoths can often be seen standing upright, resting on their hind legs and their tail. This doubles their height over the ground and allows them to see any enemies or predators that are approaching. Not to mention that it makes it easier to see prey.

Their mouths are wide and filled with tiny, white fangs. When they are petted a gargoth tends to give a grin that is said to be oddly disturbing by some. They have little by the way of ears, merely a pair of holes in the head, carefully shielded by flaps of skin that make it look almost like they have no ears. This makes them somewhat hard of hearing. One of their facial features is not unlike that of a bat, an upturned nose ending in an upside down v. A pair of beady red eyes allows them to perceive the world. Their sense of both smell and sight are very acute. However when the suns light up the world their sight is at best lousy, they are mainly nocturnal creatures, relying on a form of Darkvision.

Climate and Terrain​

The gargoths generally spawn from the Grey Cliffs area near Arkdün, though gargoths have been seen in such other cities as Jaedaxia and Nexus Prime. As the cities moved in on their territory they embraced this new place of living and thrived in eating both the leavings of those from the city and their more traditional meals of rat, mouse and other rodents and Animals of similar size. They exchanged their cliff nests for new ones on rooftops and can often be seen there, scouting for prey, which they will swoop down and devour, or clamoring along some back alley with a fresh piece of meat in their mouth.

Some gargoths are kept as pets and treasured as they are known to grow very attached to their owner. This and the fact that they can be taught to change colors at command make them interesting subjects of conversation at parties and there has been a fashion of wearing a gargoth draped on the shoulders while in polite company. Raising them as pets however is a difficult procedure, as they are very territorial and do not take well to other gargoths outside of mating season, therefore getting a gargoth as a pet is an expensive affair.

Diet​

Gargoths prefer small meat prey, such as small rodents or fish.

Organization​

Gargoths are very territorial creatures. Each gargoth has a territory that it deems its own, these brightenings this would perhaps be a part of a street or a certain back alley. If another gargoth were to move in on this territory there would be a fight till the looser decided that he or she has had enough and left the territory. Such fights hardly ever cause one of the gargoths to die. The fight starts in an almost ceremonial fashion with the two gargoths standing on their hind legs and tail, facing each other, each trying to outdo the other by using a more colorful guise. Fangs will be bared and the wings splayed out to make the gargoth look as fierce as possible. Only if this does not produce a clear winner will the two creatures enter a physical fight. Once a winner has been chosen the loser will leave to find a new territory for himself, either by actually finding a new one or fighting someone else for an old one.

While a female will gladly fight a male for a good territory the opposite is not true. Males rarely if ever fight a female to gain their territory, and are more apt to leave if confronted by a female, this is not only due to the size difference. It seems to be recognized that the females need better perches and while both males and females will fight amongst themselves, two of opposite genders fighting is a very rare sight.

The only time gargoths congregate in any numbers is during mating season. This happens during the very last months of autumn. Females will then fly to the highest place in their territory and start spreading their scent on the winds. It does not take long for males with their exceptional sense of smell to start appearing. The general ratio of males to females is one to four. So here will generally be a fight, conducted in the same way as a territorial fight, to ascertain who will get to mate with the female. However the female is not above taking the first that arrives on the scene and then later mating again with the one that wins the fight. In this way the traits of one gargoth is kept from dominating the entire race.

Combat​

When two gargoths fight it is usually more a matter of who can shift quicker between various wildly separate colors than an actual fight. However if it was to come to a fight their claws are sharp and made to render flesh, this is also true for their fangs. They are not however very dangerous for anything approximately human-sized as they will tend to shy away from creatures larger than themselves, unless of course they are cornered or provoked. A mother will usually go to some lengths to protect her nest, and those climbing buildings trying to get at gargoth nests are in danger of finding an angry gargoth mother doing her best to claw their eyes out while climbing.

Special Abilities​

Gargoths can make their skin change color, both to match the background and to stand out as much as possible.

They can also enter a kind of hibernation that is similar to a false death, where the heart beats so slowly it is barely perceptible. During this time the skin will automatically revert to a grey color, the body of the gargoth will grow cold and the limbs will seem much less supple than what is usual. During hibernation the gargoth will seem almost made out of stone. Gargoths will usually spend most of the sunlight hours hibernating in this fashion. When they are hibernating they give off no body heat, nor any discernible scent making them extremely hard to track and a desperate gargoth will hibernate in order to hide from any predators that are desperate enough to try for gargoth flesh.

Resistances/Weaknesses​

Gargoths are very resilient and can withstand a lot of punishment, thanks to a large extent to their tough, leathery skin. However aside from this they do not have any special immunities or resistances.

Other Notable Information​

They are fond of finding some kind of high perch that they can use both as a nest and as a lookout point to keep track of their territory. The quality of the perch is often more important then the size of the territory involved.

Credit​

Credit goes to Darian