Skydarian Gryphon

Gryphons are the dominant sentient and intelligent race on Skydaria, as well its original race. They were formed out of the survivors of the Avarian civilization as a means of containing and managing the elemental energy (Sylva) that was misused. Sylva originated from another dimension and was discovered by the Avarians to power their physics-defying technologies but led to the destruction of their race. The survivors were infused with the Sylva, which couldn't safely remain in the environment, and they were made quadrupedal with enhanced natural abilities in order to limit their usage of technology. The goal was to keep Sylva and technology separate as that combination led to the destruction of the previous civilization. The quadruped form was obtained by fusing the avians with specific mammal species (felines), this combination was chosen to symbolize the gryphons' dominance over the birds and mammals of Skydaria. Gryphons are the sister species of the birdkin, a race of flightless anthro avians. The gryphon species was originally comprised of the Elemani gryphons: six separate tribes, each able to process Sylva from one of the six elemental types of Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Ice, and Electric. The elements were separated in order to lessen the power that each individual gryphon tribe had. These types were divided among all of the original gryphons that were formed out of the Avarian civilization; they then settled in different regions of Skydaria and had descendants, creating the tribes. Later, a small number of descendants of these tribes lost the ability to process Sylva and became known as Nuldarian gryphons. Gryphon children are referred to as gryphlings and members of a particular tribe can be referred to either by their element (such as Fire gryphon) or by their tribe (Moltesian gryphon). Females are called gryphonels.  

Vital Statistics

Lifespan

100 years (one Skydarian year is approximately the length of one Earth year)   

Height

6'-10' standing

Wingspan

20-30'   

Weight

200-400lbs   

Sexual Maturity

10-20 years   

Gestation

2 months   

Incubation

6-8 months   

Clutch size

1-2   

Interval between clutches

2-4 years   

Total number of offspring

2-4 over 10-15 years   

Diet

Primarily carnivorous, consuming herbivorous mammals and fish; occasional fruits, vegetables, and nuts   

Temporal activity

Diurnal, year round   

Key physical abilities

Flight, natural weapons (beak, talons, paws, wings, tail), usage of Sylva, elemental resistances, general physical resistance  

Average speed

10mph (ground), 30mph (air)   

Maximum sustained load

500lbs   

Intelligence

High, complex language both oral and written, vast natural knowledge   

Society

Tribal, hunter-gatherer with clanal organization. Usage of natural abilities paramount though some technology is used.   

Races/types

Moltesian (Fire), Hydreisian (Water), Geosilan (Earth), Aerivan (Wind), Icerinian (Ice), Volgiran (Electric), Nuldarian (none)

Distribution

Eastern Skydaria and Skyhead   

Population

~100,000

Biology

General Morphology

Gryphons in Skydaria have the standard gryphon appearance (bird head with tufted ears, sharp beak, four legs and two wings, scaled forepaws with three fingers and opposable thumb plus talons, feathered bird wings, feathers on upper body and forelimbs and fur on lower body and hindlimbs, mammalian hindpaws with four toes each with a retractable claw, and furred tail). The mammal part is always felid while the avian part is more varied but usually raptorial (eagles, hawks, falcons). The shape of major body parts (head, arms, torso, legs) is consistent across all gryphons. A gryphon's movement is quadrupedal but they have the ability to sit up/stand on their hindlimbs and manipulate objects with their forepaws. The internal biology is a mixture of avian and mammalian; the skeletal and respiratory systems are avian in nature while the digestive and urinary systems are mammalian (with separate orifices for each). The reproductive system is mostly based on placental mammals: males have external genitalia with a structure unique to gryphons and the females produce milk for their young. However, the females lay eggs after a brief internal gestation period for the remainder of development. This trait allows for the female gryphons to continue to fly without being burdened by young.

Traits and Abilities

Facial Characteristics

Common eye colors are yellow, green, and blue with beak shape commonly reflecting birds of prey. Feather crests are found occasionally and can cover anywhere from between the top of the head between the ears to the back of the head just above the neck. Human-like expressions are possible with patches of feathers above the eyes to a more flexible beak and ears. Gryphons can recognize individuals based on facial structure, just like humans.  

Ornamentation

Each tribe has its own changes to the base body plan usually in the form of ornamentation (horns, fins, whiskers), variations in proportions/shape of body parts, coloration, fur and feather placement, (includes beak, tail, legs, and wings), and presence of natural armor. Whiskers, horns, and cheek tufts are the most common ornaments in gryphons regardless of tribe. Horns are made from feathers elongated and formed into a cylindrical shape while cheek tufts are made from soft downy feathers. Along with the tribes, the division of clans provides further minor variations in these traits among individuals. Tribe can be easily determined by physical appearance but most clans cannot be determined this way. Ornamentation along with coloration, patterning, fur/feather length and placement, beak shape, and other minor variations are genetically determined. Not all ornamentation is present in all members of a tribe.

Examples of ornamentation and modifications by type

• Fire (Moltez): Mane of feathers around face, feather plumes on all legs extending backward (like flames), feather plume on head extending backward, tufted tail that can be ignited, flame resistant plumage and coat

• Water (Hydreis): Streamlined, ridges on back and tail, webbed fingers and toes, thick tail that ends in a fin, frills on cheeks, fin on head, gill like structures on sides of neck, waterproof fur and feathers, underwater vision and eye modification

• Earth (Geosil): Tough underskin, thicker arms and legs, feathers can become scales, shovel-like talons and beak for digging, hard and spaded tail tip

• Wind (Aeriva): Smooth and streamlined, tailfeathers at base of tail, long whisker like appendages on cheeks, long and narrow ears, longer wings

• Ice (Icerin): Crystal structures on tail, long and thick feather patch under the neck, longer fur and feathers, crystal formation on forehead extending upward, wider paws with additional grip, chisel-like beak, enhanced weather vision

• Electric (Volgir): Jagged tail and wings, jagged horns, long and narrow-pointed beak, longer legs, longer talons
• None (Nuldar): None (display more traditional gryphon traits with higher genetic variation)

Coloration

Fur and plumage coloration depends on tribal ancestry and reflects the element type of the gryphon though other parts (eyes, forepaws, talons and pawpads, ears, etc.) are passed down through normal genetics. Reds and oranges are associated with Moltesians while deep blues and bluish greens are associated with Hydreisans. Aerivans and Icerinians tend to incorporate white, silver, light blue, and purple colorings while Geosilans possess browns, dark greens, and dark grays. Volgirans have yellows, tan, and black. Noldarians incorporate any of these as they are derived from the above six tribes. Distribution of colors is varied with the head, feathers, beak, forearms, chest, and hindquarters most likely to have separate colors. There are no more than two distinct colors within the fur/plumage with the exception of markings. Markings on the avian half tend to match whatever bird species the gryphon appears to be based on while the mammal half can be spotted or striped as well as a solid color.  

Size

The size of adults range from 6'-10' standing (top of head to ground), varying by tribe. Small gryphons are 6' or less, medium gryphons are 6-8', and large gryphons are 8-10'. Males are generally 1' taller than females. The wingspan ranges from 20' to 30' and the wings fold up against the gryphon's sides when not in use. The weight of adults range from 200 to 400 lbs, but the body structure along with the usage of Sylva compensate to allow the gryphons to fly. Average size differs by tribe, with Moltesian gryphons being the largest and Aerivan gryphons the smallest. The general body plan for gryphons is lean but strong. They put on no more weight than what is necessary and possess a high metabolism in order to support flight.  

The average proportions across all tribes are as follows based on a standing posture with neck at an angle between 45 and 90 degrees from the shoulders:

• Shoulder to length ratio=0.70
• Height to length ratio=0.90
• Shoulder to height ratio=0.78
• Wingspan to length ratio=3

Physical Ability

Physical strength and abilities vary by tribe, but most gryphons can carry up to 500 lbs in flight and have numerous natural weapons such as talons, beak, speed, and aerial attacks. A gryphon's average ground speed is 10 mph with an average flight speed of 30 mph, both of which can be maintained for several hours at a time. Different tribes have differing max speeds as well as maneuverability, but all gryphons can travel much faster than these speeds for a limited period.  

Reproduction and Genetics

General

Mate selection usually occurs during the fledgling (adolescent) period but some gryphons wait until their later years to become mated. Mates are taken from differing clans to ensure genetic diversity. Male gryphons choose their mates based on mutual affection and the successful performance of their mating ritual, which is done to show the female that he is capable of providing for her and their young, and to demonstrate his aptitude for various skills and traits that are valued in society (such as honesty, dependability, courage, strength, hunting, protection). Mating rituals can include flight dances, food procurement, and acts of devotion. Mates are only given at a specific time each year. Once mated, the couple finds a new home for themselves within the male's home clan. Both parents take time building their nest and other furnishings that are needed for the raising of young. The couple regularly has sexual relations but reproductive rate is controlled by the Sylva, with one egg being laid by the female in 2-4 year intervals and reproduction ceasing when local population reaches a certain size. After fertilization, the female lays an egg about 2 months later, which takes a further 6-8 months of development until hatching (usually between late fall through spring). Sylva flows from the mother to the egg during nesting time which aids in nourishment. Gryphon families have 2-4 gryphlings over the course of their lifespans, usually over a period of 10-15 years. Additional offspring may be had if there is a need. A mateship is usually lifelong and monogamous; if one partner dies, the other does not seek another mate though there are exceptions. Gryphons prefer to mate within their own tribes. If there is a pairing of two different tribes, only one of those elemental types will be present in the offspring. It is random which of the two types the offspring will have, but all traits relating to that type will be inherited. In rare cases, the offspring can inherit the elemental type of both parents along with a mixture of related traits (such as coloration and ornamentation). Other traits related to genetics use the traditional Mendelian principles. All gryphons can interbreed with each other; they are not different species even though there are distinct features that are shared within specific tribes.  

Nuldarian Exceptions

Nuldarian gryphons can breed with Elemani gryphons as well as their own kind but producing offspring that can process Sylva is extremely rare. In order to develop the potential of their offspring being able to process Sylva, one of the parents must be an Elemani gryphon and the other must have an Elemani gryphon parent. This pattern must be repeated with each successive generation in the bloodline. Nuldarian gryphons are also able to produce more offspring than Elemani gryphons due to the lack of natural birth control provided by the processing of Sylva, though only up to one half of the local birdkin birth rate due to having a higher resources requirement. Genetic variation is also higher in offspring due to having ancestries of multiple Elemani tribes.

Mental Attributes

Intelligence

Gryphons are highly intelligent with their own written and spoken language as well as culture. Though these creatures are sentient and intelligent they chose not to use technology in their new land, instead relying on their natural and elemental abilities to sustain their own lives and that of the environment. They also monitor the activities of the anthro races (beastkin/anthro mammals and birdkin) to ensure that they are sustainable. Gryphons have successfully maintained their way of life and their population since the beginning of Skydaria.  

Senses and Elemental Abilities

Gryphons have exceptional eyesight based on the capabilities of Earth eagles. Hearing is also enhanced though the sense of smell is only slightly better than a human's. For Elemani gryphons, their primary capabilities come from their ability to process Sylva which allows for different abilities based on type. In general, the abilities of each element comes from the nature of the element itself. Common outlets for elemental abilities in gryphons include breath, talons, wing flaps, bite, horns and ornamentation, and tail. Elemani gryphons are the only species that have the ability to process Sylva naturally, though both Elemani and Nuldarian gryphons have a standard amount of Sylva present in their bodies which is used for flight and other bodily functions. The integration of this Sylva with the gryphon's biology is so strong that the individual would die if the energy was forcibly removed. Most abilities are derived from the gryphon's specific element but some have special abilities that very few others have. This occurs with unusual genetics (such as being born to gryphons of different tribes or special families) but is exceedingly rare. Notable abilities include manipulation of storms and the weather, psychic abilities (such as telekinesis, telepathy, and hypnosis), healing and regeneration, manipulation of time and space, ability to sense things from very far away (farsight), manipulation of perception (illusions and invisibility), and alteration of physical forms (transformation and size-change). Each element type is strong and weak against other elements and each element grants specific abilities. Many of these abilities are similar in effect but the elemental attribute makes them stronger and weaker against various attacks.  

Behavioral Traits

Though gryphons are sentient and intelligent, they share many behavioral traits with birds and mammals given their biological similarity. Displays of aggression, submission, play, and respect are similar to their avian and mammalian ancestors. Their vocalizations are primarily avian but with both bird-of-prey and songbird traits. As gryphons are complex sentient organisms, they have a wide variety of behaviors and values that are not universal across all individuals. In general, certain traits are more common given the lifestyles of gryphons as well as their natural roles. Gryphons are strongly protective of the things that are connected to them such as family, clan, possessions, or territory, and they will fiercely defend them at the cost of less valued interests. They are exceedingly careful toward the environment and the natural world, which falls under the interests they are protective of. Social bonds are very tight-knit given the small population sizes of the clans and gryphons do not spend time apart from others except when it is necessary (such as when hunting). Physical contact is extremely important in developing and maintaining social bonds and gryphons regularly groom and play with each other.

Ecology

Distribution, Adaptations, and Natural Roles

Gryphons are organized into the following seven tribes based on element:

• Moltez (Fire), Moltesian

• Hydreis (Water), Hydreisian

• Geosil (Earth), Geosilan

• Aeriva (Wind), Aerivan

• Icerin (Ice), Icerinian

• Volgir (Electric), Volgiran
• Nuldar (None), Nuldarian

Tribes generally have their own contiguous territory though in some instances they have fragments as well as overlap due to geography (high mountains, coastlines, isolated forests). All gryphons can survive in moderate climates (what you would find in temperate regions of the Earth), though the different tribes are specialized for living in more extreme environments. Moltesian gryphons are unharmed from temperatures reaching that of molten lava and are adapted for long periods without water in places such as deserts. Hydresian gryphons have underwater adaptations such as specialized vision, movement, and the ability to breathe underwater (with a depth limit of about half a mile) and are found along coasts. Icerinian gryphons are immune to temperatures down to what is found in Antarctica and use their ability to freeze water to herd and slow down prey in the tundra. Aerivan gryphons have the strongest flight abilities of all gryphons and use high mountains and hills for hunting. Geosilan gryphons can command plants and the earth to physically alter a given habitat and to regrow vegetation that has been destroyed in forests. Volgiran gryphons are the fastest creatures on Skydaria and can stun animals with electricity in open plains. Nuldarian gryphons prefer higher ground with open areas.

Because gryphons possess Sylva, they were called to manage the natural environment, both physical and biological. There is a lot of Sylva in the environment that is unusable because of the form that it is in. Elemani gryphons are the only creatures that can convert this energy into usable forms. In essence, Elemani gryphons take what is broken/impure in the environment and fixes/purifies it through their bodies. Along with elemental management, all gryphons actively survey and manage the various wildlife populations so that they balance with each other. They hold great respect for the roles of each plant and animal species in the ecosystem. Additionally, their elemental abilities are used to stabilize the climate when it becomes unbalanced, and to repair damage done by various creatures and events to the environment. Elemental abilities are also used in everyday life, such as hunting, self-care, chores, defense, and social activities though rules are in place to protect gryphons, other organisms, and the environment from their misuse. Without gryphons, no life on Skydaria could exist.

Diet and Feeding Behavior

Gryphons are primarily carnivorous, feeding on herbivorous mammals such as rodents, rabbits, and deer. Fish is also a regular part of their diet; some tribes/clans feed on it almost exclusively. Fruits and vegetables are eaten occasionally but not cultivated. Occasionally they accept food gifts from the anthro races, some of which they greatly enjoy. Hunting is usually done solo, though multiple gryphons team up for tougher kills. Standard animal forms of hunting are practiced (ground and aerial for most, though some can hunt aquatically) and are taught by the parents or other members of the clan. Adults with young hunt for their offspring first, then share whatever is left over with other members of the clan. Hunting territory is shared throughout the clan, though individual families have priority over different areas of the territory. Gryphons hunt from the fledgling through adult phases with the elderly and hatchling gryphons relying on others. Food is usually gathered when it is available and stored using natural and elemental methods in family dens or a common storehouse to be divided accordingly. Food, like other resources, is distributed based on status within the clan though individuals with genuine need can take precedence. Every initiated member of the clan is expected to provide a certain amount of food through hunting per month. Those that do not provide their fair share receive smaller allotments. The clan leadership determines what areas may be hunted in, the type of species, and the number of individuals per species that can be hunted in a given period of time, in order to maintain ecological balance. Certain abilities are also regulated in order to avoid damaging the habitats. Hunting is prohibited in another clan's territory and beastkin have first priority in lands not occupied by gryphons. Hunting at sea is limited to 10 miles from the shoreline.  

Temporal and Seasonal Cycles

Biologically, gryphons are primarily diurnal and are awake approximately 2/3 of the day. Specific times of activity vary by tribe, clan, and season with some individuals being active at night depending on the situation. It is common for clans to have rules for nocturnal activity. Seasons of Skydaria are determined by day length and natural fluctuations of Sylva but individual regions may not necessarily display noticeable differences between them. Winter is usually the period of rest and clan maintenance as hunting returns are poor due to the hibernation and migration of the animals. Spring is when new gryphlings hatch and hunting starts up again. Summer is when young gryphons seek out mates and gryphlings train in hunting and in flight. Fall is when major clan assemblies take place as well as initiation, and most of the adults participate in hunting to gather food for the upcoming winter. Gryphlings have most of their education in this season and in winter. Like other birds and mammals, gryphons have longer fur and feather coverings in the winter while shedding it in the summer. Preening and grooming are done frequently to keep their fur and plumage in good shape.  

Life History

The average lifespan of a gryphon is about 100 years with several major stages:

Hatchling From 0-5 years of age, these are newly hatched gryphons with the soft downy feathers of a baby chick. Their wings are very small, staring out at less than 6 inches in length. They are unable to fly and are completely dependent on the parents for food and care. They stay in the parents' nest during this period and require constant care (one parent is always with the young while the other hunts or does other obligations; the parents alternate regularly but in long enough intervals for bonding to develop). Hatchlings are unable to eat solid pieces of meat and are generally fed regurgitated feed from the parents, along with milk from the mother. Hatchlings are generally less than a foot in height, but grow to 2' upon becoming a nestling at which point they are able to leave the nest and practice flying.  

Nestling From 5-10 years of age, this is the period of slowest growth during development. Nestlings are allowed out of the nest and have their first interactions with gryphons outside of their home. This is when the nestling is taught physical survival lessons such as flying and hunting, and cultural/academic education depending on the clan. The wings of a nestling significantly develop during this period with the flight feathers taking shape early, quickly reaching the adult proportion but based on the nestling's current size. Their diet consists of small mammals and fish, with the occasional plant and fruit. The nestling period ends with the individual's first successful flight, at which point they become a fledgling. The gryphling is now between 3 and 4' in height.

Fledgling: Around 10 to about 20 years of age, fledglings are adolescent gryphons that have just learned to fly. These gryphlings are able to hunt for themselves and they learn how to hunt larger game such as deer and swine. Growth rate is fast over a short period; a fledgling can gain 2' of height in a single year. Advanced studies are pursued depending on the clan, focusing on the wider realm of Skydaria. Social interactions become more complex, with individuals spending more time among smaller groups and becoming close to a select few individuals. Fledglings also spend time in neighboring clans, forming relationships with the gryphlings there as well as local beastkin societies. The fledgling period is where gryphlings prove their worth to the clan. Fledglings perfect their flying and hunting skills which are put to the test in a typical rite of passage at the end of their fledgling years. Many clans have an initiation test which ensures that only gryphons who are willing and capable of providing for the clan are allowed full membership. Fledglings get three chances to pass; if they do not they are not allowed to stay within the clan (though they can prove their worthiness later at the discretion of the clan's leader). After becoming initiated, the gryphons can begin seeking their mates. Fledglings become young adults once fully grown.   

Young Adult: From 20-40 years of age, this is the period where young, newly initiated gryphons begin their service to the clan, and also plan for having a family of their own. Parenting takes up the bulk of a young adult's time as well as their clan obligations and hunting duties.   

Adult: From 40-70 years of age, this is the period where gryphons see their offspring through initiation, mating, and leaving of the nest. Adults become leaders in their clan, either in various organizations or in clan leadership itself. They spend the majority of their time overseeing the younger members of the clan in their various activities such as hunting, education, and culture. They are the group most likely to do business with neighboring clans and societies as they no longer have offspring to care for.   

Elder: Post age 70, this is the period where gryphons experiences a decline in physical ability and activity. They serve primarily in an advisory capacity given their accumulated knowledge. They spend a lot of time with gryphlings whose parents are away on various activities and assist with their education. They do not leave the clan and usually do not hunt anymore. They remain in the clan until their death, which is commemorated with a special memorial service and ritual, where the dead are symbolically returned to their environment.  

Gryphon Society

Clan System

The base unit of organization among the gryphons is the clan, consisting of a shared territory surrounding a central common area where individual family dens are placed (though these dens can be spread out throughout the clan's territory with those belonging to members of higher status nearest the common area), along with any other facilities needed by the clan such as meeting grounds, healing centers, or schools. Settlements are carved out of the natural physical geology of the location. Individual dens have sleeping areas with nest-like beds and a common living/eating area, with communal toileting locations. Bathing is done in a local body of water, kept clean through the use of Sylva though high-status families may have their own private facilities. The clan may also be subdivided into villages having smaller versions of the clan's facilities. Clans are usually led by a hereditary Chieftain who is assisted by Elders chosen by the clan members. Different members have different roles such as hunters, guards, healers, teachers, liaisons, etc. Gryphlings are taught to how to speak and write, the history of their clan, the basics of elemental usage, how to perform various clan activities, geography and environmental management, about beastkin and birdkin, and about other gryphons. Clans typically cover about 500 sq miles (about 22x22mi) including the living/common areas and hunting grounds. Based on an average of 50 families per clan, each family gets 10 sq miles of territory (3.2x3.2mi), most of which is wilderness and shared with other animals and sometimes beastkin. Clans are spread out so there is unoccupied territory between them; this territory is given to the beastkin and is approximately ½ of the gryphons' allotment. Though tribes are element-dependent, clans are not. Some regions have overlapping tribes which leads to clan alliances between different elements. Clans are always of one tribe whenever possible, though it is up to each individual clan to determine if gryphons of a different element may be admitted.  

Naming

Gryphon names typically consist of a given (personal) name followed by the clan affiliation or title for those who are distinguished. A second name is used for interactions outside of the clan and is generally a description or occupation of that individual; it can also be used to commemorate an ancestor or former homeland. Many names are based on environmental features or notable abilities of the family, though some are named after ancestors or ancestral clans.  

Technology

Most gryphons live in a traditional hunting society with little to no technology. Much of their needs are met by their natural and elemental abilities, though they do take some products of civilizations from the beastkin and birdkin as payment for protection or assistance, as well as lending the use of their elemental abilities to them for the crafting of these. Arts, writing, armor, textiles, and accessories are some of these products which include books, writing implements, musical instruments, decorations, jewelry, fabrics, furniture, and clothing accessories. Use of fire is universal as well as the storage of food products and water. Trade between differing tribes is common in order to share the benefits of each element type with the other clans.  

Clothing and Attire

Gryphons do not wear clothing for the most part, although they do decorate their bodies with small articles of clothing as well as jewelry and body paint. Those with status typically wear special accessories denoting their rank and privilege. There are standards regarding who can wear certain accessories, at what times and places they are permitted or required, and how they are worn. Depending on the activity, gryphons may wear protective attire. Gryphons prefer natural beauty over artificial "enhancements" so they do not use artificial perfumes, excessive make-up, or extravagant jewelry and accessories. They do take great care in their physical appearance with extra attention to their fur/plumage, beaks, ears, wings, talons, paws, tails, and ornamentation. As quadrupeds, gryphons are not concerned with their own nudity but they disapprove of it in anthros while in their presence.

Etiquette and Norms

Gryphons share many common etiquette traits with civilized humans, such as in how they address others or how they interact. Each tribe varies somewhat in the specifics.  

Cultural Practices

Gryphons have numerous cultural practices and objects that are a mixture of traditional and modern ideas but are focused on what the gryphons are able to do naturally, as well as what they pick up from the anthro races. Most gryphons do not make the objects they use and have the anthro races repair them.  

Examples of gryphon cultural practices

• Family life

• Clanal government

• Environmental stewardship

• Organized hunting practices

• Food storage

• Specialized occupations/division of labor

• Physical grooming (all parts of their body)

• Wearing of accessories
• Use of scents in creating mood and for stimulation

• Medicine (natural remedies and treatments)

• Education

• Natural science

• Music, arts, and literature

• Writing

• Systems of measurement including time

• Bartering system/Trade

• Religion

• Holidays, ceremonies, and traditions

• Crafting and placing of decorations

Examples of objects used by gryphons

• Harnesses and bags

• Carts

• Jars, bottles, and other containers

• Books, scrolls, writing implements, and parchment

• Maps

• Utensils (usually not for eating)

• Furniture (cushions, bedding, tables)

• Musical instruments (drums, flutes, strings, bells)

• Time-tellers

Spiritual Beliefs

As gryphons were created by the Sylverans, they worship them as divine deities along with the Sylva they are said to inhabit. The natural environment is held to be sacred and must be preserved at all costs. Gryphons believe in an afterlife which they call Avaria, though they do not know it was the name of their previous homeland. A gryphon's soul is closely tied to Sylva and a select few remain in Skydaria after death as Sylvites which manage the Sylva of Skydaria. Upon death, the body and Sylva are said to return to the environment while the soul moves on to Avaria. Because of this belief, a gryphon funeral usually involves releasing the body of the deceased into the essence of the element that they were born from. Gryphons believe in one father, Gryphos, along with a single ancestor for each tribe. Each tribe worships their tribal ancestor as well as Gryphos.  

Traditions

Gryphons celebrate holidays and major life events, similarly to humans. Many gryphon holidays are similar to Earth holidays. Examples of gryphon holidays are the first day of each season, the first day of the year (which is the spring equinox), the founding of Skydaria, clan initiation, a day to honor their tribe and element, a day to honor their work in their clans, a day to honor their hunting and the beasts that they kill, a day to honor those that have passed and moved to Avaria, a day to celebrate family, and a day of honoring the creation of gryphons and their ordained role. Major life events include first flight, first hunt, mateship, parenthood, and ordination (for specific occupations such as Chieftain). Major festivals can last for five days or more and each clan halts non-essential work and assembles together.  

Understanding of the Natural World

Gryphons have knowledge of the major scientific disciplines: biology, chemistry, geology, and physics, with a special knowledge of how Sylva interacts with the natural world. They understand the actual mechanisms and structure of various phenomena and entities without needing to use supernatural or otherwise inaccurate explanations.  

Interspecies Relationships

Attitudes Toward Other Species

Like any other intelligent race, gryphons can be good or evil, selfless or selfish and anything in between, regardless of tribe or clan. For example, some gryphons care deeply for the creatures in their territory and actively protect them, some do this for a price, while others rule ruthlessly over their domain. There are gryphons that act out of love toward the beastkin and birdkin (helping their development, protecting them, treating them as their own children and part of themselves, wanting them to succeed) and gryphons that act out of selfish ambition (treat beastkin and birdkin as servants, see them as obstacles to their way of life, fear they will destroy their world). In general, the gryphons have more respect and care toward the beastkin over the birdkin given the beastkin's lack of technological development and their reverence toward the gryphons.  

Perception by Other Species

Beastkin view gryphons as their protectors and providers given that the beastkin depend on gryphons for their land and food resources. As beastkin do not possess technology themselves and are similar to indigenous peoples of Earth, they consider the gryphons to have great power and view them almost like gods.   Birdkin see gryphons at best as rivals and even inferior to them. Because they were able to develop their civilization much more rapidly than the other sentients, the birdkin have a sense of superiority and believe they are the natural successors to gryphon civilization. They are highly envious of the gryphons' ability to fly and desire their elemental powers for themselves, seeing them as no more than savages that are against advancement.