Gargoyle Beast

Gargoyle Beasts are a species of animal closely related to gargoyles.

Characteristics

Gargoyle beasts are, in fact, the only other living member of the biological class of "gargates." Gargoyle beasts are generally found living with gargoyles, as pets and "watch-dogs". They originally lived in the wild, but at least by A.D. 1 they had been domesticated and lived among gargoyles.

Although gargoyle beasts look roughly dog-like in appearance, they are not dogs at all, and in fact, are very closely related to gargoyles as closely as chimpanzees are to humans. They are quadrapedal and have no wings, though it is thought that they may retain some vestigial wing bones not visible on the surface. They cannot speak, communicating with by animal vocalizations, particularly barks and growls. Unlike gargoyles, they all have white eyes, without visible irises or pupils.

Though not quite as intelligent as gargoyles, gargoyle beasts appear to be pretty smart. Bronx has demonstrated the ability to understand commands that can mean different things under different circumstances ("help" someone, for example). Bronx is also perfectly capable of assessing a situation himself and deciding on what action to take without being told. Additionally, he seems to be able to determine what levels of force are necessary when, attacking robots and more mosterous foes at full force, while holding back with more vulnerable targets. His intelligence has its limits, though. In "City of Stone Part Four", Bronx does prevent Demona from smashing the stone Elisa, but he backs off afterwards and makes no attempt to resume attacking Demona, even as she explains her intention to kill the rest of the clan and Xanatos. What she's actually saying is beyond Bronx's understanding and since her tone isn't hostile and he can't tell that she's doing anything wrong, he doesn't try to stop her.

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 more quickly than gargoyles, but otherwise enjoy the same life-span. They are loyal, formidable animals, who battle devotedly alongside their clan in its defense, 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 include 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, who will join the Manhattan Clan upon Brooklyn's 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.