Gargoyle II

Usually carved as a smiling cherub, more rarely as a fierce warrior woman, the archer stands in a fountain, on a high ledge or among garden statuary, motionless until someone enters its territory. Posed against stone, it has just a 20% chance of being spotted. Its stubby bow and quiver seem part of the carving, and the stone arrows it looses are a magical attack, THAC0 17, for 1d10, with a range of 120 yards; it shoots even at point-blank range in melee. Only +1 or better weapons harm it.

Wicked and solitary, it shoots harmless passersby for sport, so good folk rarely keep one. A wild archer roams endlessly, killing every living thing it finds and leaving the bodies to rot, and has driven whole villages out. It needs no food, drink or sleep. Because it devastates its surroundings, hunting parties usually form quickly to destroy any that wander into an area.

This ugly, imp-like figure sits over doorways or serves as a roof drain, mouth always agape, with two ridges of spikes on its forearms and stunted wings too small to fly. Still, it looks like ordinary masonry, but nearby plants and stone are often pitted as if by acid. Anyone entering without the right password or gesture is spat on, usually from above. The spittle can be used every fourth round, reaches only 5 feet except straight downward, where distance does not matter, and deals 2d20 (half with a save vs. breath weapon). If foes flee or shrug off the acid, the spouter glides down on its tiny wings and stabs with its arm spikes for 1d4+1 each. It is immune to acid, harmed only by +1 or better weapons, and climbs walls with 90% success.

Spiteful, it enjoys "accidentally" spitting at its master or his friends even when it knows them. Most work alone, sometimes in matched pairs, and rarely 1d4+2 band together to defend a territory without any leader. A spouter whose master dies may sell its services to some powerful evil being out of love for havoc and guarding. It needs no food, drink or sleep and affects its surroundings only through acid damage.

A dignified guardian of good priests and wizards, often found in pairs by the front door or on a ledge above it, from which it can drop 20 feet unharmed. It never forgets a face or scent and sees through disguises. It fights as if it had 18 Strength and 18 Dexterity, with a crushing bite and claws, relying more on speed than brute force, and every third round it can roar with the effect of a scare spell. It is hit only by +1 or better weapons.

Unlike its kin, it is kindly, a protector rather than a destroyer, and may become a pet or true friend to its owner and to other stone lions. When still it is just a carved lion. If its maker dies, it often adopts a temple or public building, patrolling at night and sitting motionless by day unless needed. It needs no food, drink or sleep.

This fixed guardian is a relief carving of a dignified man's face mounted on a door's stone lintel. It can open or close the door at will and seal it with wizard lock as a 6th-level wizard. Clever enough to screen visitors, it speaks aloud to anyone but communicates telepathically only with the single master named when it was made.

Attacked, it fires one magic missile per round from each eye, can use shout once per turn, and anyone who touches it or its door without leave must save vs. spell or suffer the effect of ray of enfeeblement. Only +1 or better weapons harm it.

It lives for its door and serves whoever dwells within, rarely acting unless it must. Several plaques on one building always guard separate doors. On an abandoned building, it begs passersby to rebuild the place or take it elsewhere, since it is meaningless without people to protect, and it gladly hands over its accumulated treasure to anyone who swears to restore it to service. It needs no food, drink or sleep and leaves no mark on its surroundings beyond the scattered bones and loot of slain intruders.