Gargoyle Beast

Gargoyle Beasts - A species of animal closely related to gargoyles.

Characteristics

Gargoyle beasts are, in fact, the only other living member of the biological order known as gargates. Gargoyle beasts are generally found living with gargoyles, as pets and "watch-dogs".

Although gargoyle beasts look roughly dog-like in appearance, they are not dogs at all, and in fact, bear much the same relationship to gargoyles as chimpanzees do to humans. They have no wings, are four-legged, and cannot speak, communicating rather by animal noises, particularly barks and growls.

Presumably, they are not fully sentient, but have more of an animal intelligence level. Like gargoyles, they turn to stone by day and come in various shades of color, and also like gargoyles, the females are fertile once every twenty years, and each lays a single gargoyle beast puppy egg at a time, which takes ten years to hatch. They reach maturity quicker than do gargoyles, but otherwise enjoy the same life-span. They are loyal, formidable animals, who battle devotedly alongside their clan in its defence, and can strike terror into the hearts of their enemies.

The earliest-known gargoyle beast is the "Hound of Ulster", a companion to the ancient Irish hero Cuchulain at the beginning of the 1st century A.D. Other known gargoyle beasts consist of Bronx of the Wyvern Clan in New York, and Boudicca of the Avalon Clan. Brooklyn will acquire a gargoyle beast from the Xanadu Clan on his Timedancing journeys, named Fu-Dog, and it will join the Manhattan Clan upon his return. There is also at least one gargoyle beast known to live among the Ishimura Clan, and at least two other gargoyle beasts besides Boudicca dwelling on Avalon. However, the general evidence that we have indicates that gargoyle beasts are even rarer than gargoyles, and in greater danger of extinction. Fortunately, the Xanadu Clan has taken it upon itself to protect and breed these rare animals.

It is likely, judging from the reports of the "Hound of Ulster", that gargoyle beasts are in some way the original of the "black dog" legends of the British Isles, but further data on this is as yet unavailable.