| Depending upon whom one asks, there are two (slaves to the Tremere and free), three (sentinels, warriors and scouts) or one (just lump the ugly bastards together) classifications for members of the Gargoyle bloodline. In these tumultuous nights, it is often easiest to break down the Gargoyles by affiliation, rather than ancestry -- among the ranks of the free Gargoyles, terms like "scout" are shunned as evidence of a less-than-pleasant past. As the years tick by, more and more free Gargoyles have made themselves known, many of them aligning with the Camarilla. Whether the choice of sect comes from Gargoyles' desire to thumb their collective nose at their former masters, a deep-seated residual need for order and the chain of command, observation that the Camarilla's pay scale is significantly better than the Sabbat's, or even fundamental agreement with Camarilla philosophy is irrelevant. There are more and more Gargoyles appearing on the streest, and more and more of these place themselves firmly under the Masquerade. The Gargoyles who remain slaves of the Tremere are Camarilla as well, but by default. Most have little or no sense of identity, no memories of existence before being transformed into Gargoyles and no free will. A Tremere-bound Gagoyle who begins to demonstrate more than a rudimentary sense of self had best hide it until such time as she can escape, else she's looking at re-indoctrination or destruction. The first revolt of the Gargoyles taught the Tremere all the lessons they needed about securing loyalty of their servants, and the Warlocks have no desire to risk a repeat performance. Descendants of those so-called Slaves who escape from Tremere domination in centuries past and more recent escapees, the free Gargoyles cluster in isolated communities either in mountain retreats or industrial cities that offer nothing to the Tremere. More adventurous souls flock to the Camarilla cities to offer themselves as bodyguards, muscle and other sorts of labor for hire. It is a show of prestige for a prince to have Gargoyle bodyguards at her Elysium, and a show of strength to be able to afford Gargoyle assassins to deal with enemies. Quote: The master does not recognize me now, but I recognize him, yes. Soon I will make him remember me, yes? Nickname: Formerly Slaves, now a hodge-podge including Freemen, Runaways and Rockheads, depending on who's using the nickname. Calling a free Gargoyle a Slave is a wonderful way to have a large, stone-encrusted fist punched through your abdomen repeatedly. Appearance: Like the nosferatu, Gargoyles are hideously ugly. While the exact features of that ugliness are dependant on the original combination of blood that created the Gargoyle's ultimate ancestor, there are certain traits all members of the bloodline share. Warts and other protrustions, batlike wings (that grow as the Gargoyle's mastery of the Visceratika Discipline grows) and a stony countenance are all endemic to Gargoyles, as if a generally "demonic" appearance. Gargoyles move slowly and deliberately except in crisis situations, but there is no truth to the rumor that they leave small piles of dust behind them when they walk. Haven: Gargoyles employed by the Tremere sleep in closets, basements or wherever else their masters deign to let them rest. Free Gargoyles often request lodging as part of a contract, meaning that the e4nd results can be somewhat haphazard. Those Gargoyles who find their own resting places usually end up in deserted warehouses or factories -- the taller the better -- or in subterranean cave or sewer systems hewn from solid rock. Bell towers used to be favorites, but the sterotypical nature of the abode made Gargoyles nesting there easy pickings for Tremere ghouls. Background: The process of creation is particularly intense gor Gargoyles, especially for thos taken directly by the Tremere. The surge of competing strains of vitae, combined with the magical energy inherent to the transformation even after all of these centruies, serves to wipe away the pre-existing memories and loyalties of a new Gargoyle, leaving a tabula rasa on which the Tremere can work. The Process is a trifle gentler for Gargoyles Embraced by other Gargoyles, who somtimes retain at least vague senses of their former lives, but even so most of the past just dissolves under the occult onslaught. (Note: Free Gargoyles actually Embrace mortals; the Tremere prefer to take Kindred of the three "root" clans and transform them into Gargoyles.) As for what drives a Gargoyle to Embrace a mortal, most times it's a case of simple obsession. There's neither reason nor rhyme to the matter, and even the most eloquent members of the bloodline shrug and put it down to "gut feeling." Weaknesses: As noted earlier, Gargoyles have a slight problem with appearance. In addition, the nature of the bloodline's origin manifests itself in the fact that Gargoyles are considered to be down in willpower when resisting all Dominate or other mind-controlling effects. Disciplines: Fortitude, Potence, Visceratika, Flight |
