Stoneborn

The stoneborn, also known as gargoyles, are winged constructs who serve the venthyr of Revendreth as soldiers and guards. They are carved from stone and then awakened by being infused with anima. When deprived of anima or when their services are no longer required, they return to their natural stone form but can be reawakened at a later date. It is implied that they are fully conscious while in this state. In battle, these brutish gargoyles bludgeon their enemies with an array of martial weapon skills or use their unparalleled mobility to outflank them. Stoneborn serve their venthyr masters with a sense of infallible loyalty forged over a lifetime of fighting side by side. The venthyr carve stoneborn into different shapes because diversity in form allows for diversity in strategy; their different shapes give them different purpose.

Most stoneborn serve Sire Denathrius as members of the Stone Legion under the command of the Stone Legion Generals and are responsible for protecting Revendreth, keeping order in each of the Wards, and purging manifestations. The Darkwing have instead sided with Prince Renathal's rebellion under General Draven. The first stoneborn were created by the Stonewright. She sees each one as her child, and the stoneborn, in turn, view her as their mother. Prince Renathal remembers when the first stoneborn were made by the Stonewright.

With anima flowing again in Sinfall, the Stonewright has been able to infuse the Gravewing to awaken them once more, perfect for the assault on the Maw.

Stone fiends, gargon, and dredbats are made in the same way as stoneborn, but gargons and dredbats lack the stoneborn's intelligence. Stone fiends are sometimes considered stoneborn.

Known

 * Named Stone Legion


 * Named Darkwing


 * Generic

As mounts

 * Sinfall Gravewing
 * Obsidian Gravewing
 * Pale Gravewing
 * Masterwork Gravewing

Notes and trivia

 * Concept art refers to them as Revendreth gargoyles.
 * Castle Nathria has a giant gargoyle statue atop it.
 * Male stoneborn use Metamorphosis animations, while females use high arakkoa animations.
 * Early in development, the artists weren't sure if the stoneborn would wear armor at all or if they would just use a stone form for protection, as well as whether their arms and wings should be separate from each other. Both of the latter ideas made their way into the final design, with the bulkier males having wings and separate arms while the smaller females have wing-like attachments on their arms.
 * The Fourth Talon is currently unknown.
 * The stoneborn's design may be inspired by the 1990s cartoon series ', which—like the 1996 Disney film '—is based on older French folklore about the gargoyles present in many Gothic cathedrals coming to life. Male stoneborn heavily resemble Goliath, the main character of Gargoyles.
 * Some stoneborn write poetry.
 * Multiple stoneborn, such as General Draven and Chelra the Bladewall, use the phrase "Ray'tal" as a greeting, but its meaning is unknown.