Griffs – Griffin/Griffon/Gryphon:
The Griff species are winged eagle/owl-headed lions that are large-sized. It always has the body and the tail of a lion. The head and wings of a Griff are similar to that of an eagle/owl/bird. The species may have bird-like claws/talons or paws. It always possesses bird-like wings and two elongated ears that seem catlike.
There are 3 sub-species of Griffs within natural existence. These include Griffins, Griffons, and Gryphons. The most common of these 3 is the griffin with its eagle-head and mix of claws/talons and paws. The last common are Gryphons of owl-headedness but are plentiful enough to not be considered extinct.
Griffins are eagle-headed with bird-like claws/talons as feet.
Griffons are bird-headed with lion-like paws as all 4 feet
Gryphons are owl-headed with bird-like claws/talons.
Intelligence: High-level cognition, intuitive intelligence, survival instinct, an acute sense of smell, an excellent memory, possess innate wisdom and use telepathy as language.
Length: Adult males, 9 feet – 11 feet.
Adult females, 8.2 feet – 9.1 feet.
Height: 3.9 feet – 4.3 feet tall to the shoulder
Weight: Adult male 600 lbs – 711 lbs
Adult female 350 lbs – 514 lbs
Eyes & Eye Color:
All Griffins/Griffons/Gryphons have four types of colour receptors in the eye. These give the ability to perceive the visible range, ultraviolet light, polarized light or magnetic fields. The colour ranges from amber to golden – various shades of amber/gold.
Ears: 2 elongated ears that seem catlike and usually have small pen feathers attached.
Mane: Males have a mane. It is typically on the shoulders and under the belly to the elbows. The mane hair can be 3.1 inches to 8.7 inches long. The mane often is brownish and tinged with yellow, rust and black hairs.
Females have extra-long hairs around the neck and throat but no mane.
Skull: 1.4 – 1.6 feet. Males Griffins have broader heads. Plumage ( feathers ) on the head/skull depends on gender. Females tend to be brighter in colour, in shine and texture. The feathers of a female are tinier and denser in feather strands. Males are darker, longer feathered and thicker in amounts.
Griffins are eagle-headed.
Griffons are bird-headed.
Gryphons are owl-headed.
Body: The fur varies in colour from light buff to silvery grey to dark brown. The colours of the underparts are generally lighter. A newborn has dark spots, which fade as the cub reaches adulthood. Females tend to have thicker fur, softer and it grows darker in colour when pregnancy occurs. The fur of an adult male is semi-shaggy. Every Griffin/Griffon/Gryphon has a hairy tuft at the end of its tail, much like an Earth lion’s tail.
Tail: The tail ends in a dark, hairy tuft that conceals an approximately 0.20 inch-long, hard “spine” or “spur”. This is formed from the final, fused sections of the tail bone. The functions of the spur are unknown. The tuft is absent at birth with developing around 6 months and wholly identifiable by the age of seven months.
Wings/Wingspan: 2 Wings that are always feathered to the colour of the fur. These have a bone-like talon at the bending joints. Well-muscled, flexible, fully feathered and a vast membrane of a strong, supple flesh. When Griffins/Griffons/Gryphons fly, it flaps its wings rapidly and then uses that momentum to glide smoothly and gracefully through the air.
22.5 feet – 27.1 feet 90 ( Full span )(Including shoulder width)
10.1 feet – 12.2 feet ( Each wing )
2.3 feet – 2.7 feet ( Shoulder width )
Limbs: ( 6 limbs in total, including wings and legs. ) ( On all 3 subspecies )
Limbs on a Griffin:
2 Hind-legs ( expand into paws & are fur-covered )
2 Fore-legs ( expand into claws having claw-like talons )
2 Wings
Limbs on a Griffon:
2 Hind-legs ( expand into paws & are fur-covered )
2 Fore-legs ( expand into paws having claw-like talons & are fur-covered )
2 Wings
Limbs on a Gryphon:
2 Hind-legs ( expand into paws & are fur-covered )
2 Fore-legs ( expand into claws having claw-like talons )
2 Wings
Running Speed: 50 miles/hour
Personality: It depends on the individual entity.
Offspring: 1-6 cubs are born, with 3-4 being most common. Gestation is approximately 110 days in mammalian type birthing.
Lifespan: 30-42 years
Data:
Griffins/Griffons/Gryphons mate for life. Only have one mate and will remain alone after the partner dies.
They live in a clan-based system of family bloodlines/DNA-based. They are protective of family and naturally guard others of their species. This knowledge of bloodlines and clans occurs mostly via scent marking/scent knowledge. Their sense of smell is acutely high quality with detecting scent over significant distance. It also stimulated memory. The species with all subspecies abide within a matriarchal system of clans, governance and mate choice.
They do fly at high volatile speeds and have flexible maneuverability while in flight. Their land speed – running speed is 50 miles/hour.
Griffins/Griffons/Gryphons were omnivorous creatures. Favourite foods include wild-large mammals, large fruits and a variety of flowers. They tend to hunt only for a current food supply, never hunt for pleasure and the hunt is thoroughly planned.
It attacks using short bursts and needs to be close to its prey before starting the attack. They take advantage of factors that reduce visibility. Many kills take place near some form of cover or at night. They attempt to catch prey with a fast rush and final leap. They also drop the creature/prey to its death to kill it.
They are difficult to capture, elusive to find and tend to not be around humanoids if they can avoid humanoids. When in the wild, Griffins/Griffons/Gryphons make nest-homes in high rocky places like cliffs, open caverns set in hills and mountain regions. Domesticated Griffins/Griffons/Gryphons can live in doorless airy stone/rock structures with a nest within. Either way, they are not overly social with humanoids. When they are domesticated they tend to be loyal to the family that tames them.
Domesticated Griffins/Griffons/Gryphons must be raised from birth to be around humanoids and for them to not be predatory of humanoids. A tamed Griffins/Griffons/Gryphons can be loyal and fierce, intuitive mounts/companions.
Domesticated Griffins/Griffons/Gryphons often guard sacred sites and temples. They are considered holy creatures. Often domesticated Griffins/Griffons/Gryphons do protective service at sacred sites, for spiritual entities or divine immortal entities They, as a species are endowed with an intuitive sense of justice, balance and protectiveness.
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