The Gargoyle Hills

[Havard]

Part 1
Between the Duchy of Ten and the Duchy oof the Peaks, northwest of the Wilds of Ten, lies a landscape of rocky hills called the Gargoye Hills. Most living creatures stay away from this are and elves and humans particularly keep their distance.

The rocky terrain is sometimes interrupted by what appears to be the occasional abandoned quarry. In other places, hideous figures or demonic faces have been carved into the rocks.

Besides a few families of Hill Giants and some wildlife, the main population of these hills are as the name suggests Gargoyles. What these demonic energy infused statues want or where they came from is a complete mystery to all. All, except the Hermit.


THE HERMIT OF THE HILLS
Some say that the Hermit was one of the Red Mages who originally settled the Duchy of the Peaks. Others say that he was one of the apprentices of Lord Ran, before going insane. The truth is that the Hermit was a stone mason who once sought to create figures of the outmost beauty. He eventually managed to create a statue perfectly imitating the woman of his dreams. Not only was the statue perfection in his own eyes, but also in the eyes of others. So fascinated with this work of art was he, that he fell completely in love with his own creation. Whether it was out of this love, or the prank of some higher power, the statue came alive, becoming the stone mason's wife.

Unfortunately, nothing last forever, and the living statue left her creator. This was too much for the stone mason to handle. He fled into the wilderness. No longer would he create beauty, but only the ugliest of horrors. And like his statue of perfection, they too came alive. Years later, the entire region was populated by his horribe and deadly Gargoyles.



Some background:
Some information on the Gargoye Hills can be found in DA4 p32. The story of the Hermit is my invention, but inspired by Dave Arneson's descriptions of the Pygmalion in the FFC as well as the historical Pygmalion legend. Also, some inspiration is taken from Clark Ashton-Smith's The Maker of the Gargoyle



Comment and feedback is welcome as usual!

-Havard

[Yaztromo]

Very enjoyable!

[Havard]

Thanks Yaz!

For the next part, I am thinking about giving the Hermit a Dungeon. But what secrets could it contain?

-Havard

[RobJN]

Obviously, the Hermit stumbled across a Stone Dryad. :mrgreen:

Perhaps the Hermit has picked up the blue and green stones that are all that is left of slain stone dryads? An oracle stone that knows the secrets of the sidhe court would be a valuable treasure, indeed. And the Hermit would have a powerful tool in the polymorphic properties of the green dragonstone...

Of course, such stones would be well hidden. And perhaps the Hermit is hunted by the "normal" gargoyle servants of the dryads, who seek what is left of their slain sisters...?

[Havard]

Could the Hermit have actually been the original creator of Stone Dryads? Perhaps before he abandoned the idea of creating stone figures of beauty?

I also envision this Dungeon of the Garoyle Hills as filled with Living Statues, Stone Golems and other similar constructs.

-Havard

[RobJN]

Could the Hermit have actually been the original creator of Stone Dryads? Perhaps before he abandoned the idea of creating stone figures of beauty?

I also envision this Dungeon of the Garoyle Hills as filled with Living Statues, Stone Golems and other similar constructs.

-Havard

Stone dryads are as beautiful as gargoyles are hideous, so much so that the sight of them causes awe ( as Stunned), rooted in place as the creature approaches to feed/attack.

Could the Hermit have crafted the first one? It would be a great variant origin, one much more generic-world friendly than the Thorn's Blackmoor/Andahar twins-specific "petrified shrike/siren" source (Bargle's tampering with black dragonstone tech and the Handmaidens notwithstanding...).

So, is their creation at the hands of the Hermit his blessing, or his curse? :evil:

[Havard]

Could the Hermit have crafted the first one? It would be a great variant origin, one much more generic-world friendly than the Thorn's Blackmoor/Andahar twins-specific "petrified shrike/siren" source (Bargle's tampering with black dragonstone tech and the Handmaidens notwithstanding...).

So, is their creation at the hands of the Hermit his blessing, or his curse? :evil:

That brings us back to the nature of the Hermit and his motives.

As I see it, the Hermit originally (before he became that), was obsessed with creating sculptures of beauty. He ended up creating a statue so beautiful that he fell in love with it. Surprisingly the statue came to life. So far, this is all as per the Pygmalion legend.

Then however, this legendary statue of beauty abandons its creator, depriving him of his love ever after happy ending. The man looses his mind, ending up mindlessly creating countless more figurines, but these are all hideously ugly. They too come to life and become Gargoyles.

Perhaps there could be some way to cure the Hermit of his madness? Returning the Pygmalion to him might work, but I am not sure she would be interested in that. Perhaps he would settle for some lesser beauty, like a Stone Dryad?


Or could the Stone Dryads be something he created as proto-types for the Pygmalion? Perhaps they did not come alive untill she did. If you want them to be enemies of his, then perhaps they are jealous of his affection for Her only, and seek to destroy him? This could create some tension within the dungeon, that adventurers could exploit...



-Havard

[RobJN]

As I see it, the Hermit originally (before he became that), was obsessed with creating sculptures of beauty. He ended up creating a statue so beautiful that he fell in love with it. Surprisingly the statue came to life. So far, this is all as per the Pygmalion legend.

Then however, this legendary statue of beauty abandons its creator, depriving him of his love ever after happy ending. The man looses his mind, ending up mindlessly creating countless more figurines, but these are all hideously ugly. They too come to life and become Gargoyles.

Perhaps there could be some way to cure the Hermit of his madness? Returning the Pygmalion to him might work, but I am not sure she would be interested in that. Perhaps he would settle for some lesser beauty, like a Stone Dryad?

Or could the Stone Dryads be something he created as proto-types for the Pygmalion? Perhaps they did not come alive untill she did. If you want them to be enemies of his, then perhaps they are jealous of his affection for Her only, and seek to destroy him? This could create some tension within the dungeon, that adventurers could exploit...

What if the Hermit had a personality split? In his "desirous" state of mind, he carves Stone Dryads, and when he is in his "rejected" state of mind, his loss and anguish cause him to carve the hideous gargoyles?

[Yaztromo]

I'm thinking not only of "living statues", but also of fully "living rooms" (or caverns, or complexes, etc.)

[Havard]

I'm thinking not only of "living statues", but also of fully "living rooms" (or caverns, or complexes, etc.)

I like it! :twisted:

Suggestions for how that would work in terms of game mechanics? Save or be squashed? Or other stuff too?

-Havard