Garghoul

Ruin

Bite

Claw

Garghouls are gargoyles that were born out of an infusion of a mortal spirit into previously inanimate stone through powerful necro-conjuration magic. Though a garghoul retains no personality traits or memory of its former life, the nature of its creation grants it an intelligence superior to traditional gargoyles and consistent with the mortal races. Garghouls have limited spellcasting abilities and their faces are so horrifying as to induce madness in those that meet their gaze. 

Garghouls live to serve their creator. They submit to their superior eagerly for as long as their sadistic urges are given an outlet. Even knowing that there is but a chance that they will be allowed to torture a tresspasser for as long as they please is enough for them to guard, motionless, a building for decades at a time. If their creator is dead or otherwise absent, garghouls seek out other vile-minded individuals so that they may satisfy their primal instincts of service. They pledge their undying fealty in exchange for the opportunity to be part of a greater wickedness. While guard duty is their most common and preferred assignment, it is not uncommon for garghouls to carry out more mobile tasks, such as assassination or kidnapping. 

Garghouls have uniquely-shaped jaws and claws that leave distinctive markings which are recognizable by a well-trained eye. Any bodies left behind by a garghoul are marked with many non-lethal wounds inflicted before a killing blow was delivered, a result of the garghoul’s penchant for inflicting suffering. 

For reasons unknown, but likely as a result of some peculiarity of their creation ritual, garghouls have an instinctual fear of the color purple. Those who dress themselves in such a color or paint their skin accordingly will have advantages over the garghoul in combat. Silvered weapons deal increased damage against garghouls. 

Gharghouls that serve a master are typically assigned to guard dark dungeons, forbidden vaults, and other places of power. Independent garghouls that do not currently serve a master are rare. These rare garghouls, though, prefer to lair at sites similar to what they would typically guard, such as ruined temples and abandoned crypts. 

Garghouls attempt to fight in areas that are at least dimly lit, so that other creatures can fall victim to their Maddening Gaze. They use their Claw attack first when using their Multiattack, hoping to paralyze their target before following up with their Bite. They reactively cast Shield to protect themselves from attacks that would otherwise hit them. They use their 60 foot fly speed to prioritize their attacks on vulnerable back-line party members.

 Wisdom (Survival) check, or other check the GM deems appropriate, to obtain loot from the 

. On a successful check, the GM chooses one piece of loot, or has the PC roll a d4 to determine what they get. On a failed check, the PC gets a Garghoul Eye. A PC can choose to have another make their skill check if they so choose.

Garghoul

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