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Average height
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6'-8'
182-243 cm |
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Average weight
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350 lbs
158 kg |
Spawning Myth
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When an injustice goes unseen
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Notable Individuals
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A stony species that spawns as a byproduct of architecture.
Physiology
Petrids are gargoyle-like creatures. Some have wings, and most have a pair of segmented tentacles atop their heads, as well as ornate filigree protrusions or other sculpturesque details. Most have various crack-like scars that run across their rugged, stone-colored hide. Everything on a petrid, including their eyes, tongue, and teeth, has the appearance of stone. In flesh form, their skin feels warm and leathery to the touch regardless of this appearance - or wet and smooth, depending on what part you're touching.
Petrids possess the ability to self-petrify at will. The stony material is heavy and nearly indestructible, and the creatures can maintain this armored stasis from seconds to months at a time. If an individual is vandalized during stasis, this damage will appear as healed wounds once they return to flesh.
Upon initially becoming conscious, petrids require surgery to sever various parts of themselves from the building from which they were formed. Depending on the skill of the mage, there may be no clear or ideal way to separate the creature's anatomy from the surrounding building, so it's not uncommon to see petrids that appear as partial amputees - missing parts of their tail or feet, often lacking digits, or even having excess bits of architecture. Any missing full limbs may be seen using illusive prosthetics.
Petrids will sometimes spawn with cuffs, rings, and lanterns - if physically attached, the item may be surgically removed and given to the individual. Most petrids keep the items they spawn with and consider them meaningful.
Some petrids grow patches of green or purple moss in the pattern of manes or facial hair.
Petrid anatomy is, for the most part, mammalian, but influenced by architecture. Female petrids tend to have a single pair of breasts and a vagina, while males have a sheath and external testicles. Females have live births of one to two.
Petrids are unique in that they are usually formed as a byproduct of architecture, often as an adult. As a result of this some petrids have seemingly unusual or strange roles in the city that fit them especially well - for example, a petrid formed amidst aquatic architectural sculptures might partially have the body of a boat, making them an excellent candidate to be a gondola and gondolier both.
Stereotypes
Stereotypes surrounding petrids tend to portray brooding, sullen, and stubborn personalities - although they are also seen as protectors. "Gargoyle" is considered a pejorative by some individuals, but others embrace the term.
Many petrids feel psychologically bound to the building from which they were severed, experiencing phantom sensations and feeling as though a part of their body and consciousness was left behind. Often all petrids from the same building will have very similar personalities and motives, though these become more distinct with separation and time. Sometimes their primary interest is to guard or otherwise occupy their parent building, and if such a position is available it’s generally offered to the building’s petrids upon spawning.
Petrids that appeared originally as fountains are said to be prone to drinking problems; sconces or torch-holders may be pyromaniacs. Those that flank entryways may be overly protective or paranoid.
A lazy petrid is said to be "mossy", and to relax is to "moss out"; moss tends to grow on any that remain in stone form for too long.
