For years adventurers have walked by the hideous gargoyles in Azdun's
graveyard without paying them a moment's heed. Little did anyone guess
the evil hidden within one of the gargoyles. All this changed on the
fourth of Chronos, 391 after the fall of the Seleucarian Empire.

Those dark in soul felt a beckoning towards Azdun, the whisper of "Free
me" echoing in their ears. Adventurers answered the mysterious call by
exploring the crypts of Azdun, several walking past the gargoyle without
even noticing its previously unknown spark of life.

It was Jorian Darrion who first noticed the life within the gargoyle and
began to question it, soon joined by others. Many tried to slay the
gargoyle, which would only growl in response to their attacks,
simultaneously imprisoned in and protected by its stone prison.

The gargoyle began to speak in a low, gravelly voice. He claimed that he
had once been an atavian, but had been wrongly accused of murder and
cursed by an old shaman to be bound in stone. Much of what the gargoyle
said was mingled in lies, which he expertly spun to convince the crowd of
his sincerity. The true history of the gargoyle is perhaps only known by
the old shaman.

Promising servitude and great wealth to any who would help, the gargoyle
plead for atavian corpses to break the curse that imprisoned him. A few,
dazzled by his promises, immediately set off to gather the corpses.
Meanwhile, the atavian shaman from Genji rushed to the gargoyle, having
sensed his growing power. Before he could speak, he was brutally murdered
by the gathered crowd, much to the dismay of several atavian adventurers
shocked by the gargoyle's desire for their kin's corpses.

The corpse gathering continued with Deladan Talobar-Aristata, Dethea
al'Drogen, Katia Lokelinde Le'Murzen, Raeynna Trefenwyd, Riashain
a'Bertal, and Simoln providing the bulk of the bodies for the gargoyle.
After having spilt the blood of several dozen atavians in a grim ritual,
the gargoyle began to demand his heart, saying he could sense it buried
nearby. Ayana Lichlord unearthed the blackened heart buried in Azdun's
underground forest and gave it to the gargoyle, who called for more
atavian blood.

The determined shaman returned to the crypts of Azdun, having prayed to
Sarapis for renewed life. This time he stood at the entrance to the
crypt and yelled for help, warning of the gargoyle's evil. Only a
handful would listen to the shaman, all others having fallen under the
gargoyle's sway. Foremost amongst those who heeded him were Imyrr
Rousseau, Delphinus Windancer, Xel Windsong, Misty Corten, and Greyda
Corten. The shaman instructed these few to gather ingredients for him to
mix a salve that he could use to destroy the gargoyle.

Unfortunately, the atavian was slain a second time shortly after he was
given the first of the ingredients. Even if the shaman had lived it
would have been too little, too late, as the gargoyle's imprisonment was
nearly at an end.

Indeed, shortly after the shaman's death Deladan gave the gargoyle the
final winged corpse he needed. The gargoyle's stony skin began to crack
and finally, the outter layer of stone fell to the ground. After a
triumphant shout, the gargoyle's true form and nature were shown. The
beast cut down previous allies and foes alike, slaughtering all in his
path as he ravaged his way through Azdun.

The monstrous creature emerged from the dungeons and into the Dakhota
Hills above, seeking more warm bodies to slake his blood thirst. Parties
formed to slay the gargoyle but in the end, the dragon Garth
singlehandedly put an end to its savagery. By then, the death toll for
adventurers had rung thirty-four times.

As the gargoyle crumbled into a pile of rubble, its darkened heart fell
to the ground intact. The heart was snatched up by an adventurer, but
for what purpose? Where is the heart now, and does the gargoyle's evil
live on through the heart? Time perhaps will tell.

Penned by my hand on the 20th of Daedalan, in the year 392 AF.