#gargate

I decided to write a few more headcanons for the Stoneheart AU. Specifically for the Gargoyle Species as a whole on the Boiling Isles, since there are quite a few differences between them and the counterparts on Earth.

-------Gargoyles of the Boiling Isles:

-The physical appearance of Boiling Isles Gargoyles has a much broader variety of physical features including traits normally unseen on their Earth brethren. These traits include less prominent brows, colored eyes, actual eyebrows, multiple eyes and other such traits.

-Sadly, in spite of the wide variety of Gargoyles with unusual traits, there are none with web-wings. As those genes appear to have died out long ago.

-What could have attributed to the wide variety of traits in the Gargoyles of the Boiling Isles is the occasional interbreeding with Demons.

-Demons have genetics that easily mesh with others species and are capable of interbreeding with both Gargoyles and Witches. Offspring of these unions would be capable of having children of their own.

-However Gargoyles and Witches cannot directly interbreed with each other without the aid of certain magical spells.

-These aforementioned spells can change the species of one of the parents to allow for the conception of a child. However they do not allow for a permanent species change. On average they will last for 24hrs, some can last for three days... The most potent will last for one week. But there has never been recorded spell allowing for a permanent species change.

-But the child would not be a hybrid, rather would just be either one species or another, although they may display some minor traits of their other parents true nature.

-Witch/Demon hybrids CAN interbreed with Gargoyles but the likelihood of conception is extremely low... With maybe four or five instances ever having been recorded.

-In regards to changing species... The closest reference to a permanent change in an individuals species is an old fable called 'The Skin-Takers' and in that story the permanent change was considered a curse...

-Anyway since I seem to be a bit off topic...

-The fertility of Gargoyles in the Demon Realm is also considerably higher than Earth Gargoyles.

-On Earth a Gargoyle can only breed once every twenty years and often only producing a single egg, or rarely two. On the Boiling Isles the fertility is much higher, with instances of children being produced only a few years apart. Such as Eda and Lilith only being two years apart from their hatch-day.

-Sadly the ten year incubation the eggs require has not naturally decreased. However placing sun talismans on the eggs has been shown to cut the time needed in half.

-Another big difference between the Gargoyles of Earth and the Gargoyles of the Boiling Isles is the adherence to the 'Gargoyle Way'

-While this old traditional way of living still exists, and there are several particularly well known clans that follow it, the overall perception of the practice has a significant divide among the Gargoyle population. With 50 percent having a negative view of it and 50 percent with a positive view.

-Gargoyles that follow this path in life still communally raise their young and tend to follow the 'Tradition' of only having children once every twenty years... Although that practice varies depending on the clan.

-Gargoyles like Rhiannon Frostflame tend to hold bitter views about the Gargoyle Way, as growing up she would often be ignored by virtually all of her Rookery Parents with the exception of a single older female Gargoyle named Fiadh, who was the only adult who cared about her.

-In her own words: 'If you fit in you're fine, if you don't your ignored by all of this messed up family...'

-There is no rule that a Gargoyle has to stay with the clan they are born in. So a Gargoyle born in such a clan is free to leave when they come of age. This is particularly the case of Gargoyles with feathered wings, as even in modern times they are still considered bad luck by other Gargoyles.

-Another physical difference between Earth and Demon Realm Gargoyles is their heights and overall physical strength.

-They tend to be taller than Gargoyles from Earth, standing on between 6'7 to 8'3 on average.

-However, in spite of the impressive heights they are not as physically strong.

-They are considered to be physically stronger than most creatures in the Demon Realm, however in fights with Earth Gargoyles they would lose 90 percent of the time if no magic was used.

-The exceptions to this are Gargoyles like Rhiannon, who have a great deal of talent and experience fighting physically. And Belos, who has a very high tolerance for pain.

-Although both Earth and Demon Realm Gargoyles do share another similarity in that they will typically only choose one mate per lifetime.

-The only exceptions to this seen so far are Belos, who was forced to choose a mate against his will, who has since passed away... and Alador and Odalia Blight. Who have just grown to despise each other and only stay together for appearence sake.

-To which they are both involved in affairs... Odalia with several of her companies demon employees... and Alador with Darius.