Not Stoneborn and not the old Disney show (watch it if you haven’t btw, good stuff) but the dudes who’ve been around since WC3 that the Scourge uses.
The old story was they were just native creatures to Northrend but do you think that in this post-massive-Shadowlands-retcon world they could be Stoneborn that came to the living world somehow? Like maybe the dreadlords brought some with them when they also brought Frostmourne and the Helm?
The wiki gives some speculation on the origin of the gargoyles.
- It is possible that the Scourge took control of the gargoyles the same way as with the obsidian destroyers.
- It has been speculated that gargoyles may be of titan origin given their ability to become stone-like.
- Hir’eek may have a connection to gargoyles since, during Backdoor Dealings, the Totem of Hir’eek turns the player into one. He may have created them in the same way other Wild Gods created races, such as Cenarius and the dryads.
- They may be a result of Ner’zhul, as the Lich King, seeing the stoneborn of Revendreth through the Helm of Domination and replicating the process.
- Alternatively they may be stoneborn themselves who escaped or were brought out of the Shadowlands somehow.
Honestly, I like the idea of their being titanic creations. It would make sense with Ulduar being in close proximity. However, a connection to the Stoneborn would be just as cool. Honestly, I’d like that connection more than the new Dreadlord connection.
It’s also been speculated that they could be a semi-naturally occurring species descended from elementals, hence their crystalline hides and ability to basically turn to stone when under threat.
In the same vein that certain wild creatures like thunder lizards, incendosaurs and wind serpents possessing inherent elemental powers as species may suggest a similar type of ancestry.
It’s also not entirely clear if they’re intellectually just beasts or something more. The fact that they serve the Scourge and the Ebon Blade despite not being properly undead (meaning they aren’t subject to necromantic methods of control) raises the possibility that they may willingly choose to serve in either army for their own reasons.
Teachnically only a very small number of Gargoyles aren’t classed as Undead. Most are susceptible to such spells as Turn Undead and Control Undead. The notable exceptions are the ones that work for the Ebon Blade who tend to be classed as Humanoid and a fel corrupted variant that counts as Demonic.
I don’t usually point to ‘pet abilities’ as evidence, but the only attacks that have ‘gargoyle’ in their name both do Undead damage.
It seems like Gargoyles really are (or at least, we’re) a living race native to Northrend as Warcraft 3 describes them as being brought from there by the Lich King. It further describes them as wirey fliers with Crystaline hides, which they condense when they land to make a stone-like carapace - but they don’t actually turn to stone. So they aren’t Titan made or Elemental in origin as far as I can tell.
The majority of Gargoyles you see in game are just Undead, current or former members of the Scourge. The few ‘living’ variants have aligned themselves with the enemies of the Scourge, such as (at the time) the Ebon Blade and the Legion.
It is an interesting question. With the influx of new lore, I haven’t considered that.
This seems likely.
Perhaps a … flock, flight, murder, gaggle… ? … of Stoneborn came with the Nathrezim during the War of the Ancients, and ended up in Northrend after the Sundering. Lying dormant, until a Master came by to wake them for what ever service may be required.
I used to love that show as a kid. Watched it tons of of times. I have been a big Shakespeare freak since I was a kid, as well, so the references to some of his plays made it all the more fun.
This is the origin I’m sticking with.
