Shattered Kingdoms

Griffons

"Griffons are a noble race whose roots are deeply imbedded in the arcane.
The first griffons are thought to be the mistaken product of a powerful
wizard's magic. As one might describe a centaur as having a man-like head and
torso on horse's legs, so griffons resemble eagles in the front-quarters, with
leonine bodies behind - though the average griffon is easily larger than any
lion, and a typical horse stands only as tall as a griffon's shoulders. Yet
despite their fierce appearance, griffons are intelligent and good at heart.

Their feline traits include a thick pelt - most commonly sandy brown, though
many variations in color do exist. Generally this coat extends just past the
shoulderblades, where the griffon's wings protrude. As for those wings
themselves - they are a majestic sight, with a span easily greater than the
griffon's body length. The head is rather like an eagle's, save for the horse-
like ears that stand on many griffons' heads in place of ear-tufts.

The fact that these creatures possess beaks and no lips makes it rather difficult
to read their odd expressions. Obviously their unique build makes it impossible to
wear most armors, and their talons make armed combat exceedingly awkward, lest it
be with weapons specifically designed for griffon use."

--Excerpt from Encyclopedia Pyrathia, Volume 4

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Griffons have almost no weaknesses as they possess great strength, a sturdy
build and a keen mind. They learn to fight with their powerful claws from
birth and infravision allows them to spot prey even at night. Their fur hide
makes them resistant to minor wounds and they shake off both cold and acid
with ease. The nature of their creation provides them with almost innate
immunity to poison and disease, strong resistance to charm effects and an
unflagging endurance, which they can use to carry a rider while in flight.

See also: griffon-culture

Griffon Culture

Griffons, being avian creatures, tend to prefer life in the open to life in
cities, as they find close spaces rather confining. The abuse they have
often received from other races has only strengthened this preference. For
centuries, griffons have turned their formidable talents to life in the
wilderness, banding together into small clans with widely varying customs.

Yet griffons have become more common in many cities, especially in Zhenshi,
where they have been welcomed into the army. But some other places have
been far from welcoming: The Empire of the Bright Star officially considers
them beasts. It enslaved them for centuries before finally expelling them
altogether. In the Northern Wastes and parts of Uxmal, griffon meat is
considered a delicacy.

By nature, griffons are relatively unselfish, having strong desires to help
others. However, exactly who they help and how varies greatly. While griffons
are inherently good creatures, they need not be principled, and they certainly
are not faultless. Griffons have a strong taboo against attacking others of
their race, although their sports can get quite rough.

Griffon cubs mature quickly, becoming full-grown only 3 years after hatching.
Younger griffons can thus be painfully naive, despite their innate
intelligence - slightly greater than a human's, on the average.

Most griffons actively deny the popular "Legend of the Cauldron," and many
disavow their race's purported magical origins altogether. While most Clans
have alternate origin stories of their own, these tales have not won over the
bulk of Pyrathia's people. Some still consider griffons an aberration of nature.
But if persecution has taught the race caution, it has not changed griffons'
fierce adherence to doing good.

See also: griffon-clans

Griffon Clans

There are so many griffon clans that even griffons can't keep track of them all.
Every intermarriage or political conflict has potential to start a new one. With
all their different customs, it is hard to treat them globally. But there are
commonalities among mainland griffons that are usually observed.

Griffon clans are often descriptive in name, such as the Skyfire and Iron Claw
clans. They do not often form larger political groups. However, they normally
cooperate well with other griffons, despite some friendly rivalry. Griffons are
normally reticent about the exact locations of their nests, for safety's sake.

Wild griffons often show cultural influence from sylvan races. Magic is
skillfully used to make up for their lack of tools. They are civilized in their
fashion, but humans may find some customs disturbing, especially their messy,
bloody meals. Griffons least accustomed to speaking with humans may distort
plosive consonants such as "b" and "p", which are difficult without lips.

Some wild clans have rejected the influence of other races altogether. Often
descended from former slaves, these shamanistic clans are the most fierce and
physical. But their general distrust of men and their institutions doesn't
keep them from helping their favorites.

More civilized griffons (in human terms) often live around other races, even while
their nests are well-secured elsewhere. Having dealt with prejudice for
generations, they typically choose what is counted noble, wise, and courageous
in the society they live with. This includes their choice of profession.

It should be noted that the griffons living far east of the mainland are a
special case. The ruins of an elaborate city suggest a high level of political
structure. Those knowledgeable of the place have confirmed a complex clan system.
However, the deep attachment of these griffons to their island, and the intense
war they fight with the city's occupants, have made scholarship difficult.

Way more concise, Forsooth, thank you. Final results you'll be seeing in-game will probably be closer to that - and I'll try and find a way to implement some of the omitted "fluff" [heh] in a book later on.

I'd like to wrap this up by week's end at the latest, so any last-minute comments, let's hear 'em now.

Smiling socials on a griffon are absolutely [RULES VIOLATION REMOVED], and if you're doing it as anything but an accidental, habitual social entry, you need to eat a curse. A BEAK IS A SOLID OBJECT, IT DOES NOT BEND TO SMILE.

Everytime a griffon's player uses a smile social, a new born baby is murdered. Think of the children; don't use smile socials on griffon characters.

As a little bit of positive to go with the negative, griffons have their own method of smiling, which often just involves opening their beak to a greater or lesser extent, so you can build your own social alias to replace the one provided in the game.

I would, ultimately, be a big fan of a different set of socials provided at character creation for griffons, because I'm really damn sick of seeing griffons smile.