Gorgon
Climate/Terrain:
| Temperate or tropical/Wilderness or subterranean
|
|
Frequency:
| Rare
|
Organization:
| Group
|
Activity Cycle:
| Day
|
Diet:
| Carnivore
|
Intelligence:
| Animal (1)
|
Treasure:
| (E)
|
Alignment:
| Neutral
|
No. Appearing:
| 1-4
|
Armor Class:
| 2
|
Movement:
| 12
|
Hit Dice:
| 8
|
THAC0:
| 13
|
No. of Attacks:
| 1
|
Damage/Attack:
| 2-12
|
Special Attacks:
| See below
|
Special Defenses:
| Nil
|
Magic Resistance:
| Nil
|
Size:
| L (8' tall)
|
Morale:
| Average (8-10)
|
XP Value:
| 1,400
|
Gorgons are fierce, bull-like beasts who make their lairs in dreary caverns or
the fastness of a wilderness. They are aggressive by nature and usually attack
any creature or person they encounter.
Monstrous black bulls, gorgons have hides of thick metal scales. Their breath
is a noxious vapor that billows forth in great puffs from their wide, bull
nostrils. Gorgons walk on two hooves, when necessary, but usually assume a
four-hoofed stance. Despite their great size, they can move through even heavy forests
with incredible speed, for they simply trample bushes and splinter smaller
trees. Gorgons speak no languages but let out a roar of anger whenever they
encounter other beings.
Combat: Four times per day gorgons can make a breath weapon attack (their preferred
means of attack). Their breath shoots forth in a truncated cone, five feet wide
at the base and 20 feet wide at its end, with a maximum range of 60 feet. Any
creature caught in this cone must roll a saving throw vs. petrification. Those
who fail are turned to stone immediately! The awareness of gorgons extends into
the Astral and Ethereal planes, as do the effects of their breath weapon.
If necessary (i.e., their breath weapon fails) gorgons will engage in melee,
charging forward to deliver a vicious head butt or horn gore. Gorgons fight with
unrestricted ferocity, slashing and trampling all who challenge them until
they themselves are slain.
Habitat/Society: It is believed that gorgons can actually devour the living statues they create
with their breath weapon. Whether their flat iron teeth break up and pulverize
the stone or their saliva returns the victim to flesh while they eat is a
matter for conjecture.
Their primary prey are deer and elk, but gorgons won't hesitate to add other
meats to their diet when hungry. Their sense of smell is acute and once they get
on the trail gorgons are 75% likely to track their victim successfully. Once
their victim is in sight, gorgons let out a scream of rage and then charge.
Unless somehow evaded, a gorgon will pursue tirelessly, for days if necessary,
until the prey either drops from exhaustion or is caught in the gorgon's deadly
breath.
Gorgons have no use for treasure, hence gold and gems are often left petrified
on the statue of the being that once wore them. Occasionally a gorgon in his
haste will devour something of value; the items will later be left in the
gorgon's droppings, somewhere near the entrance to its lair.
Gorgons are usually encountered in groups of three or four -- one male bull
with two or three females. Gorgon calves are raised by the females to the age of
two, then the young bulls are turned out to make their own way. Females remain
with the dominant bull.
About 25% of the time only a single gorgon is encountered. Lone gorgons are
always rogue males in search of females.
The forest around a gorgon lair is usually a crisscrossing network of trails
and paths they've made. Occasionally there are clearings where the grasses were
trampled down in a battle and perhaps the shattered remains of a statue can be
found.
Ecology: Gorgons have no natural enemies other than themselves. Bull gorgons are often
called upon to defend their positions against rogue gorgons. These battles are
not usually fatal, but even a gorgon can be felled by a well-aimed horn gore.
The only other creature known to hunt these fierce predators is man.
Gorgon blood, properly prepared, can seal an area against ethereal or astral
intrusion; their powdered scales are an ingredient in the ink used to create a
protection from petrification scroll.
In addition, the hide of a gorgon can be fashioned, with considerable work and
some magical enhancement, into a fine set of scale mail. This armor will
provide the wearer with a +2 bonus to all saving throws vs. petrification or
flesh-to-stone spells.