Gryphon

A **gryphon** is an avian with what seems to be the head, wings, and talons of an eagle, and the body and tail of a lion.

## Characteristics

The earliest gryphons in Jerdiskar history evolved from flying reptiles.

Gryphons are predatory animals that consume meat, usually either by hunting, carrying prey to their nests, or throwing prey from a height to their deaths. After a male and a female mate, the female gathers large sticks to build a nest and incubates her clutch of two to four eggs.

Gryphons are solitary creatures. Most gryphons inhabit mountainous or isolated areas.

Metallic dust (such as gold) excites gryphons into a frenzied, addictive state, somewhat like catnip towards cats.

Unlike their spiritual counterparts, actual gryphons are not very intelligent.

## Appearance

Vozonid gryphons tend to be brown-furred, with white head feathers and yellow in the claws and beak.

Pelarin and Vilonian/Tornarin gryphons tend to be brown, black, having falcon-like spots, or white, and they also have cat-like ears.

A species of gryphon tamed and found in Yawanda has stripes and yellow-feathered heads.

The Sevraejan gryphon, found at the northeast of the region, is mostly pale and gold. Species of gryphons native to the lands between Tukshara and western Daizhou are brown and orange, with occasional stripes to hide in the forests.

## Geography

While gryphons are native to central-south Palkyras and Toralis, some species migrated eastward to Randros, central Rifandi, and as far as Darros and Esami. The easternmost gryphon species is native to northern Daizhou.

## Uses

Some civilisations tamed gryphons as flying steeds in ancient times, including the Vachelonians, the Gauvajuts, and the Randarosians and their successors.

Further south and east, the Yawandians, Sevraejans, Tuksharans, (occasionally) Rukanians, Tirrians, Gotureans, Tuksharans, and Daizhouvians also tamed the various species of gryphons in their realms.

In Vozonid realms, people fed gryphons meat sacrifices, and considered the simple act of feeding a gryphon as a holy act to worship their gods.

## In culture

### Rabydosverse

The gryphon is a sacred animal in some cultures in the world:

* Gauvajuts associate the gryphon with the west and their thunder god Tarhunz or Tes'hub, and was the national emblem of the Gauvajut Empire.
* As part of their claim of being the successors of the Gauvajut Empire, Sarmelon I ordered that the gryphon be henceforth used as the symbol of the Vozonid people, their civilisation, and their emperors. The gryphon is also the favoured animal of the dreaming moon god Zomjonōr, who sends gryphon-like spirits to protect sleepers from demons and monsters.
	+ Due to it becoming a frequent symbol of the Vozonid Empire or any Vozonid country, artists from those realms sometimes also use cartoonish gryphons in satirical works to mock their societies' problems and failures.
	+ In fact, during the late Sarmelonid era, the Konjor Supercorporation created an artificial species of gryphon, the *araukoz* ("crower", pl. *araukoppo*). The *araukoz* is a smaller blue gryphon that behaves like a chicken, and is a popular pet in some countries for its ridiculous behaviour and its crowing. Likewise, Sarmelonids regard the *araukoz* as a reflection of the decline and hubris of their civilisation.
	+ Traditionally, there are twenty-four breeds of gryphons throughout Vozolaz.
* In Gimbarish, all gryphons are seen as the creations of the falcon god Horuw, and possibly his divine warriors.
* In Vilon, the gryphon is worshipped as the mount of the war god Nhaŗovārna.
* In Pelarin, the gryphon is associated with the sun gods.
	+ Gryphons also appeared in the banners of ancient Palguenian kings, representing salvation and purification. Hence one of the early Denlotian banners depicting gryphons during their revolution against Terran rule.
* Yawandians claimed that the gryphon was a gift from their creator God to protect their people from mountainous beasts.
* In Sevraeja, the gryphon is associated with Stribog or Perun, as animals of the wind and storms.
* Rukanians associate gryphons with royalty, nobility vengeance, divine will, and might.
* Daizhouvians claim that gryphons were tigers that ascended to heaven after some kind of meditation or magic.
* Gryphons are also present in traditional Bujanski art, due to Vozonid influence, as symbols of divine justice and righteousness.
	+ As in the Sarmelonid Empire, statues of gryphons are sculpted outside the gates of temples. Even Rodnover, Wonao, Hindu, and some Buddhist temples also have gryphon statues outside their gates and doors.
	+ Gryphons are woven on the robes of Bujanski monarchs, representing the advice of the Gods helping the ruler of Bujan make the right choices.
	+ In Bujanski folklore, they are syncretised as among the angelic servants of Perun and Mokosh. They represent conscience, whether divine or innate, within a good person that advices the person to do what is good.
* Irajon, itself a more direct descendant of Sarmelonids, is a modern-day example of how gryphons were worshipped by their spacefaring ancestors.
	+ The usual traditions include statues of gryphons, priests dressed as gryphons in ceremonies, and depictions of them as angels of the Vozonid gods.

In America in the Collectionverse, "Orlando's gryphon" is a popular exclamation. It is also the symbol of two popular franchises, Griffulgar and OrlandoTube.

## In other languages

* Classical Gauvajut: *krelitas* (pl. *krelites*)
* Sarmelonid Vozonid: *jauparoz* (*jauparoso* for the spirits, *jauparoppo* for the animals)
	+ Literally means "one who carries"
* Arantarese: *jaupôroz* (*jaupôrosson*)
* Azgovian: *jauboroz* (*jauborozzo*)
* Josolchir: *jauporo* (*jauporoso*)
* Vilonian: *gaļoš*
* Tornarin: *gelloth* (pl. *gelloîm*)
* Pelarin: *jāxejos*, *jāxei* (the latter is also the plural)
* Late Palguenian: *skedne*
* Sevraejan: "dog-chicken", "dog-bird", *kuoguro*
* Eosome: *rægjāru* ("tiger-eagle")
* Bujanski: *jaupor*, *jaupôroz*, *jauparoz*

### Names of the twenty-four gryphon breeds

Gauvajut name; Sarmelonid name

* Ahnaris; Raudaloi
* Auwehas; Aloi
	+ Brown to gold fur and feathers.
	+ The symbol of the Gauvajut Empire of the Sixteenth Age, it can be seen in its flag holding an axe and a sword.
* Irmuzas; Æþjowan
* Kannawaz; Gaþjàndar, Gaþjor
	+ The most well-known and common gryphon breed, it has a brown body and a white head.
	+ The symbol of the Gauvajut and Vozonid empires.
	+ Some Emperors and demigods used this kind of gryphon as their personal steed.
* Krahdaniz; Midžæþo
* Paisaras; Bjarajo
	+ Brown fur and feathers.
	+ This breed is used by elite Gauvajut knights.
* Ūrašin; Iræ̀imez
	+ Golden or white fur and feathers.
* Zerašin, Wahra
	+ A breed of gryphon that lives along the northwestern mountains.
* Raunuwan; Surna
* Sarnamai
* Šeramai
	+ Golden fur. Very noisy and playful.
* Ar'hamauz
	+ Dark grey fur and feathers, black wings
* Taruhkan
* Tipanza
* Wedares; Lhuirawoi
	+ An intelligent breed.
* Aimewes; Warik'olai
	+ An intelligent breed.
* Kridaruwaz; Drimbal
* Iššema; Žosǽssan
* Turmawaz
* Jarurin; Miwit'a
	+ The smallest breed, as large as a housecat or a rooster.
* Ijameraz
* Jatrakau
* Nurames; Dusjosan
* Darimaz; D̦ōroi

## Gallery

### Vozonid flags

Sarmelonid EmpireSarmelonid military flag, also personal flag of the emperorArailaso Alliance, which emerged from the ruins and colonies of the Vozonid Empire.Jauparturnid DynastyThandizo DynastyArazonid DynastyZaqovian EmpireNew VozolazWannaenid EmpireArantarJosolShaunetorMirukuz
## Trivia

* The root of the Vozonid word *jauparoz* means "one that carries".
* The addition of gryphons into the Rabydosverse and the Vozonid gryphons' physical appearance were inspired by a certain video of a fursuiter as Gilda dancing with Syrian children at a video from Vancoufur, held on March 2016. The resulting idea originally involved gryphon angels protecting children from demons, which later developed into a wider mythology.
	+ In addition, the *araukoz* gryphon was inspired by Gallus, another character from the animated series *Friendship is Magic*, especially from jokes about his name's relation with roosters.