Type Magical beast | Image Wizards.com image | |
Stats Open Game License stats Mythological origins Khalkotauroi / Catoblepas | ||
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the gorgon is a magical beast that resembles a bull, covered in dusky metallic scales.
Contents
- Dungeons Dragons 1974 1976
- Advanced Dungeons Dragons 1st edition 1977 1988
- Dungeons Dragons 1977 1999
- Advanced Dungeons Dragons 2nd edition 1989 1999
- Dungeons Dragons 30 edition 2000 2002
- Dungeons Dragons 35 edition 2003 2007
- Dungeons Dragons 4th edition 2008
- Description
- Additional reading
- References
Even though they are named for the three humanoid Gorgons of Greek mythology, they much more closely resemble the Khalkotauroi of the same, and to some degree the Catoblepas of Ethiopia legend.
Dungeons & Dragons (1974-1976)
The gorgon was one of the first monsters introduced in the earliest edition of the game, in the Dungeons & Dragons "white box" set (1974), where they were described as bull-like monsters with a breath capable of turning creatures to stone. They were also detailed in the Eldritch Wizardry supplement.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
The gorgon appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977), where it is described as a bull-like creature covered in thick metal scales, that breathes a cloud of noxious vapors which turn any creature to stone.
The gorgon is further detailed in Dragon #97 (May 1985), in "The Ecology of the Gorgon," by Ed Greenwood.
Dungeons & Dragons (1977-1999)
This edition of the D&D game included its own version of the gorgon, in the Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set (1981 & 1983), and the Companion Rules (1984). The gorgon was also later featured in the Dungeons & Dragons Game set (1991), the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), and the Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game set (1994).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
The gorgon appears first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989), and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).
The Parthoris gorgon appears in Dragon #256 (February 1999).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)
The gorgon appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)
The gorgon appears in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003).
The guardian gorgon appears in Dungeonscape (2007).
Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)
The gorgon appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008), including the iron gorgon and the storm gorgon.
Description
A gorgon can breathe out a cone of vapor that turns creatures to stone. They are very aggressive creatures that attack intruders on sight, attempting to trample, gore, or petrify them. There is no way to calm these furious creatures, and they are impossible to domesticate.
A gorgon is not very intelligent, and therefore always neutral in alignment. They usually live in temperate plains, in small packs of 3-4, or larger herds.
In the Eberron campaign setting, the gorgon is the heraldic beast of the dragonmarked House Cannith.