The Gryphon's Tome
A Spattering of Gryphon Information

Symbols of Wisdom and Strength, welcome to the Gryphon's Tome, a volume of interesting Gryphon information...

(This is just one gryphie's opinion, your mileage may vary!) }:>

Hissing Griffin

Table of Contents

What is a Gryphon?

A Gryphon is a Chimerae; that is, a blending of more than one animal. Gryphons are raptorine in the foreparts and leonine in the hind with little exception. The typical Gryphon has an eagle head, forelegs and wings, with a lion hind quarters, hind legs and tail.

"Gryphon" can be spelled a wide variety of ways; gryffen, girphinne, greffon, grefyne, grephoun, griffen, griffin, griffion, griffon, griffoun(e), griffown,griffun, griffyn, grifon, grifyn, griphin, griphon, gryffin, gryffon, gryfon, gryfoun(e), gryphen, gryphin, and gryphon. All these spellings can be consideredcorrect. Gryphon or griffin are preferred, which are the two most common and accepted spellings at this current time.

In Latin, the word for gryphon is "gryps".

Variations on the Gryphon Design

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Gryphon Physiology

Gryphons are a combination of raptor and leoline physiology. They hatch from eggs and can both fly and run. They make both raptor and leoline noises and use a combination of both gestures to express feelings. Gryphon comunication is often subtle, and very different from human expression, as they have only limited facial expression. Therefore, I have compiled this list to help you. Please ask permission, as with the rest of the Gryphon's Guild pages, before reprinting on the internet or otherwise, any information found within.

A List of Gryphon Expression

Gestures

  • Blinking ~~ Annoyance
  • Opening Beak Slightly ~~ Smile/amusement
  • Clacking Beak ~~ Confusion, nervousness
  • Ears Pinned Back ~~ Strong annoyance, anger
  • Lashing Tail ~~ Strong anger
  • Tightening Feathers Against Body ~~ Fear, confusion, apprehension
  • Fluffing of Feathers ~~ Happiness, contentment
  • Fluffed Fur ~~ Fear
  • Bow* ~~ Respect, respectful greeting
  • Panting** ~~ Trying to cool down... either hot or very nervous
  • Dialating Pupils ~~ Excitement
  • Preening ~~ Cleaning -- only preen when feeling safe and content
  • Mantling*** ~~ Protecting a kill, instinctual
  • Tucking Head Under Wing ~~ Gryphons sleep thus

Sounds Uttered by Gryphons

Eagle Cry
~~ An eagle sound, this call can mean many things.
The "scree" (which sounds like its name... very high-pitched, almost a whistle, like the stereotypical eagle noise on TV) is usually a call to other Gryphons, or a hunting sound. The differences between the two are too subtle to describe but to a Gryphon itself. It is sharp, piercing, and a poetic sound.
The "call", which is lower pitched but still sharp, is usually uttered in fear.
The "screech" is the lowest pitched and rather hoarse, but still recognizable as an eagle sound. It is one of anger.
Lion Growl
~~ Anger and irritation are denoted by this low pitched rumble. This is a warning or a threat to knock it off or pay the price.
Roar
~~ Long distance communication, this is an obviously lion sound, uttered either drawn out (stating "this is my territory") or in barks of sound (meaning "come to me").
Snarl
~~ This lion sound is one of intense anger, usually uttered during a fight. It is a very "mountain lion" or "puma" type noise, not typical of African lions.
Scream
~~ An entirely Gryphon sound, the scream is a combination of the screech and snarl and is uttered only during extreme anger and often a fight. It starts out the high pitch of a eagle screech and lowers and rumbles in the snarl of a catamount.
Purr
~~ Unlike lions, Gryphons can truly purr. It is a low, calm rumble deep in the Gryphons chest. It denotes happiness and contentment.
Chuckle
~~ Something must be mentioned of the Gryphon's laugh. It is a very dry chuckle, wrought with irony and very wry. Gryphons do not guffaw, they do not giggle, they do not just "laugh" -- it can only be described as a chuckle, and it is often low in volume.

* A Gryphon bow involves lowering the forpart of the body, often with one foretalon tucked up, eyes closed, ears relaxed, and wings spread. Amount of wing spread indicates "rank" -- a subordinant Gryphon spreads wings wide, while a dominant Gryphon spreads wings slightly. When in doubt, showing respect for a friend or elder, or between equals, wings are spread to full extant.

** Like raptors and many mammals, Gryphons pant with the mouth wide, so that cooling air can run over the tongue.

*** Mantling is something raptors do, to protect a meal from other predators; it involves shielding prey with the wings while eating.

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Physiology, continued...

Gryphon diets are fairly varied. Mostly, they eat meat; deer, small animals like rabbits, cattle, sheep, antelope, buffalo, caribou, and goats. Some Gryphons eat fish, some consume vegetable matter, or even insects. Very rarely do Gryphons eat humans -- most, out of moral reasons, refuse to consume sentient beings (though many will not hesitate to kill someone who has wronged them or another close to them, and some are very territorial). The favorite food of a Gryphon, above all else, is horse meat.

Some Gryphons have carried this over to consume Unicorns, though as Unicorns are sentient, this is frowned upon by some Gryphons. Gryphons do not like to eat the meat of a predator, especially feline, and many refuse to eat anything avian, as they consider themselves distant kin to both non-sentient groups, or at least that they are responsible for them.

Gryphons can be very large -- commonly up to six feet long. They have enormous wing-spans. Most Gryphons have wide wings, built for soaring on thermal drafts, though some have thin tapered wings for diving.

Gryphons forparts are very eagle like; strong heads with tapered, sharp, curved beaks, round, raptorine eyes facing fore, deep chests containing a strong keel bone to support the wing muscle, broad wings, and sharply clawed talons. The claws are curved and long. The feathers of a Gryphon commonly end high on the leg, exposing the shanks of the forelegs -- however, some Gryphons, like booted eagles and some other raptors, have feathers down the legs to the ankles.

How does one distinguish a Gryphon's head from an eagles? Pictures are commonly seen depicting just the head of a Gryphon, and it is understood they are a Gryphon and not a raptor. This is because Gryphons have ears. Birds have no external ears. On the head of a common Gryphon, they look much like a eagle, except for the fact they have two elegant, long, pointed ears. The ears are feathered, and capable of a large range of expression. The expressions by a Gryphon's ears are much like that of a house cat.

A Gryphons hind end is almost exactly like an African lion's only larger. They have muscular hind legs, a long tail ending in a tuft, and strong flanks. The feathers end neatly at the end of the chest (where the ribs would end on a lion -- in this case, at the end of the keel), and it is then covered in a fine, soft coat.

Female Gryphons, like female raptors, are larger than the males. Other than that, there are no distinguishing outward characteristics, as the genetalia of a Gryphon (unlike of a lion) is internal, like a birds.

Gryphons can come in almost any color. Common feather colors are metallic (bronze, gold, or silver), black, white, variations of browns and other natural colors. Many are colored like various raptor species, with the same patterning, extending onto the leoline half. Often, however, the feathers are a single color and the lion half is another distinct color (often tawny), or they are self (one solid color). Others have various patterns (tiger striping all over, or checkered, or calico). Eye color is just as varied. Some are even colored as brightly as parrots, sporting the bright red of scarlet macaws, or the green of an Amazon, or the purple of an exlectus female. See Variations of the Gryphon.

Gryphons can be either diurnal, nocturnal or crepuscular, depending on where they are from. Most common Gryphons are diurnal or crepuscular.

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Related Beings

Gryphons are in a class all their own as a species. However, there are a few creatures more closely related than others.

First, is the Hippogriff. The Hippogriff is a half-gryphon, and is the hybrid between a Gryphon and a horse. Although they like to eat horses, they occasionally do other things with them as well (though never a bonded gryphon -- see Social and Life Cycle). The Hippogriff is raptorine in the forparts and equine in the hind (everything lion is replaced with the horse equivalent, basically). They are prized as mounts for several reasons. First, they are very intelligent -- even sentient. Second, they are strong and unbelievably fast. Third, they can fly.

Other related species are the various Chimerae. The Gryphon itself is a kind of Chimerae. However, there are other kinds. The most common Chimera has a lion body, legs and head; from it's back sprouts a goats head and forefeet; it's tail is the head and body of a snake... it has three heads. Another common kind of Chimera has a feline body, feathered or bat wings, and a scorpion's tail. Other Chimera can be made up of any mixing of animals. These two are the most closely related to the Gryphon.

Another closely related species is the winged lion. [See picture below.] The winged lion is an African or Asian lion with eagle-like wings. It's sometimes called a "flyon" or "flion", and is common in symbolism.

Other creatures remotely related to the Gryphon are the Roc (a giant raptor) and the Phoenix (a bird which rises from its own ashes) and Sphinx (part lion).

Some species in the same circle as the Gryphon are the Draconic, Unicorns, Pegasi, and Centaur.

Winged Lion

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Social and Life Cycle

Gryphons tend heavily towards the raptor side in personality and family arrangement. This is because thier brain is in the raptor half. They do not take all personality traits from raptor or leoline, though... some are uniquely Gryphon.

Gryphons are fierce but solitary, at least with other species. They prefer isolated areas, and live alone, but for other Gryphons. Their trust is hard to earn, but once one has it, they are extremely loyal. Gryphons are not fearless, but they are very courageous. Perhaps most important of all, they are not foolish. They are very wise beings.

Gryphons mate for life. Once they have chosen a mate, they are forever faithful, and if the first mate dies, they will not take another.

Courtship for a Gryphon is very elaborate. First, one approaches the other. Unlike most species, even humans, there is no set rules for whether the female approaches the male or the male the female. After a long period of aquaintence, courtship begins in earnest. It involves a very elaborate Mating Flight, which involves complicated twists, turns and arial acrobatics. The Flight is always taken at night, and is a very private affair.

After courtship is concluded, a huge eyrie is built. The eyrie, or Gryphon's nest, is up to thirty feet wide, and seven feet high, almost solidly made of intertwined sticks, logs, branches, and foliage. It is lined completely with pure gold.

In the eyrie, the she-Gryphon lays her eggs. The clutch is commonly one or two eggs, very rarely more. Gryphons only lay one or two clutches a lifetime. The eggs are a variety of colors, though metallic colors (like silver, bronze, or gold) are common; other common colors include blue, brown, pearl, and black. The eggs is very large, about the size of a large cantelope. They are completely round.

The female incubates the egg during the daylight hours, while the male brings her food, and the male incubates during the night hours.

Incubation can be a very long period of time, up to many years. Typically, it may last about twelve months.

The baby Gryphon is commonly called either Gryphlettes, chicks, or kittens. Commonly, the just hatched are called kittens. Gryphon kittens are quite helpless at birth, covered only in down, unable to fly or even walk. Their eyes aren't opened, and neither are their ears. They are fed regurgitated food by the she- and he-Gryphons.

Once their eyes are opened, they pull themselves around the nest, peeping for food, mother, father, comfort, and warmth.

After they have grown a substantial amount of real feathers, they are no longer called kittens (or chicks, or Gryphlettes) but are refered to as fledglings. Fledgling Gryphons are all a single color, usually a dull slate grey or gold (to match the nest). They moult into their adult colors during their teenage years.

Gryphon young may always stay with the family group or may go off on their own, depending on the area they are from. Gryphons stay with their mates their whole lives, and they may also live in a large group of Gryphons, like a pride of lions. It is made up of many Gryphon pairs and pairs with kittens and fledglings, and is often ruled over by one leading Gryphon. Their is also a "guard" made up of the strongest of all the Gryphons which patrol and protect the group. Other gryphons live entirely alone or only with their mates.

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The Gryphon in Heraldry

Gryphons are often depicted in heraldry, such as a coat of arms or signs by gates. Commonly, it is a demi-gryphon depicted... a demi-gryphon is the head of the gryphon only. It is distinguished from a raptor's head by the ears. The Gryphon above is a typical examble of a heraldic Gryphon; they are pictured as angular and thinner, almost cheetah like.

The Gryphon in heraldry stands for many things. Commonly it stands for both Wisdom and Strength and the union of both. Gryphons also are a symbol against greed, as in mythology, they commonly guard gold or other treasures from greedy humans. Gryphons also represent the wealth of the sun -- the light that turns the east into gold at sunrise.

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What the Gryphon means to the Guild

In the minds of many Gryphon's Guild members, the Gryphon should also symbolize Chivalry, for through the Gryphon it is not dead; Loyalty, for the Gryphon is forever loyal to its mate and friends; Intelligence, for the Gryphon is learned and has a biting wit; Beauty, for no animal surpasses it; Grace, for it is lithe and agile; and Power, for it is a powerful being by nature. It could symbolize many other things as well, for it is a many faceted jewel in the treasure of life.

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More Information

If you didn't understand a couple words in this essay, you may find them in The Gryphon's Glossary

A great place to find more Gryphon information is Gryphon's Guild member pages or the Gryphon links at The Gryphon's Guild Gryphon Links Page.

For more information and ideas about Gryphons, look them up at the library, email Guild Admin with specific questions or consult the many books listed in the Great Gryph Booklist.

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