Timber and the Griffons

In late summer, mysterious men will fly over the Hero's Rest and drop a rock with a note attached. This is done by the white man on an invisible griffon flying far overhead.  It says

"Your works we have seen and in approval we are. To secure the frontier and to provide a watchpoint for the lands about, we offer a treasure of great value for a fair price. If you would keep your sky as safe as the earth you have secured, meet us at the Lake Watsamata at the northern most waterfall at dawn 2 days hence. Have access to gold amounting to 700 pounds fair weight. There you will get you that which long you have desired. - Friends of the Pioneers"

The party has not investigate the Lake yet and this will be an opportunity to do this. They will find it is a beautiful place and will be met there by Billibong before they find the spot designated as the meeting place. Bilibong will have much to say about their new buildings and how to conduct the expansion of their territories. He suggests that their clearing and harvesting of trees around Katina be compensated for by other acts that will be beneficial to the lands around.

First, he regards the Crumbling Stairs as a stain of evil on the landscape. He promises to help remove the curse from that place if the party will agree to clear all monster from the area. This will allow them to use the stones of those buildings in their own way and return the place to the wild.
In exchange, he will help them plan their new buildings across the Laughingflow so they will best use the land.

The "Friends of the Pioneers" do not exist. The offer is the result of a request from Mordicity to his superiers in Waterdeep to provide some sort of protection against attacks from the sky. Rather than assigning a pair of Griffons from the Waterdeep corp to this remote area, they decided to provide the eggs to the Local 509 when they heard through their information network that they were looking to buy some on their last trip to the city. This means they get the air patrol, but don't have to pay the high cost of their upkeep! They don't want the Local 509 to know this so invented the ficticious organization as a front. Only Mordicity a few of the Lords and the Griffon riders who brought them the eggs are aware of this fact.

The Friends of the Pioneers
These are just 2 high level troopers assigned by Waterdeep to bring the eggs to Local 509. They are disguised so their origins can not be discovered. They have dressed in matching buckskins, coonskin caps, high leater boots and weapons. They will say nothing of the organization (there is nothing truefull they can say!). They only want to get this task over with and get back to their comfortable barracks. They will give ficticious names of "Paul Bunton" (6'8" tall, black skin, black hair and about 150lbs) and "Coonhunter Ross" (5' 8", 180lbs, dark tanned skin, scar on the right side of his neck, blond hair and a patch over one eye).  They have been instructed to trust 509 but not let them know they are trusted. As a result the deal will go down with no problems but with some indirection.

They know about the hiding spot under the waterfall and will be waiting there for the 509 to arrive. The Griffons are in the back of the cave out of sight of those entering the cave. They will keep watch for the party and if it looks like they are not being discovered they will do something subtle to lead them to the cave.

When the party arrives the "pioneers" will greet them with distance and quickly ask to see the gold. If asked where the eggs are they will smile and say "The eggs are close. Hidden and guarded." Once the gold is produced, they will proceed to verify the quality and quantity of it. Once satisfied one of them will go around the corner where the 3 griffons are hidden and bring out 2 packages that look like papoose carriers with straps that make them backpacks. He will lay them at the feet of the party and throw open the fur lined flaps tied with rawhide straps. Inside the opalesent eggs can be seen. Play up their beauty and mysterious properties!

They will then ask the party "are you satisifed you are receiving what has been paid for?" If the answer is yes both will smile and say "we are bound by oaths to ask these questions of you before the eggs are exchanged.
Will you swear an oath to care for them and raise them to the best of your ability?
Will you swear an oath to use them for the purpose of protecting you and the people of Katina from the evils you may find?
Will you promise to come to the aid of others if we ask and if the cause is just?"
If the party says yes they will adminester the following oath
"I swear to care for these noble animals in the best way possible to rasie them to adults and train them.
I swear to use them to protect the area known as Katina and to guide them in the paths of rightiousness.
I promise to come to the aid those who have provided them if the cause is just."
Once the oath has been taken they will smile again and say "the eggs are yours".
The short man will answer a few questions about the eggs, but will not tell them how to train them or what kinds of things they can do. The other man will load the gold as they talk. If asked detailed questions he will answer "you should seek out as much information as you can find regarding their care and training". Questions they will answer are:

They are 2 months from their time of hatching.
They should stay room temprature until they hatch.
They like birds for food in the first 3 months. They like horse meat best after that.
You must be careful to train them not to attack horses which are their natural prey and train the horses they will travel with to not spook in their presense.
They will only server a single person unless they are specifically trained to accept other riders, but this if very difficult for them to do.

Once the gold is loaded he will say "We must leave now as we have a long way to go before our rest. Stand to the sides of the cave." they will go to the back of the caveout of sight and climb into the saddle. The then do a parade ground style pivot around the corner to face the party 3 abreast. They cause the  griffons to screech. In the confines of the cave the sound is is as loud as the voice of the gods!  They will slowly and majestically walk the griffons forward in their best parade step all  with the pack griffon between them.
The black man is riding one that is 7' long, has tan breast feathers, a cream colored head with gold wing feathers and blond fur.
The white man is riding a griffon slightly larger with chocolate brown wings, a breast streaked with coffee-and-cream horizontal bands and medium brown fur.
The pack griffon is 9' long (HUGE!) with gold wing feathers, an almost black breast with crimson streaks and palimino colored fur.
They all have their battle gear on. This includes a battle saddle, a 1' wide collar of thin leather covered with 2' long spikes, bracers on the rear lion legs with a single 6" long dagger pointing forward and down. The middle griffon has a shield that runs between the front legs and covers much of the breast.

They will stop them 1/2 way down the cave and rear them up with the lion paws clawing at the air and they will screech again  The riders will then lean forward so their stomachs are against the neck and as one the 3 will sprint forward and jump through the waterfall causing a huge splash. Well after they are clear of the water they spread their wings and take off into the sky.

GRIFFON

Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 7d10+21 (59 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 80 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 17 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+15
Attack: Bite +11 melee (2d6+4)
Full Attack: Bite +11 melee (2d6+4) and 2 claws +8 melee (1d4+2)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Pounce, rake 1d6+2
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 8
Skills: Jump +8, Listen +6, Spot +10
Feats: Iron Will, Multiattack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Temperate hills
Organization: Solitary, pair, or pride (6–10)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 8–10 HD (Large); 11–21 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: +3 (cohort)
Griffons are powerful, majestic creatures with the characteristics of both lions and eagles. From nose to tail, an adult griffon can measure as much as 8 feet. Neither males nor females are endowed with a mane. A pair of broad, golden wings emerge from the creature’s back and span 25 feet or more. A griffon weighs about 500 pounds. A griffon cannot speak, but understands Common.
COMBAT
Griffons prefer to pounce on their prey, either diving to the attack or leaping from above.
Pounce (Ex): If a griffon dives upon or charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.
Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +8 melee, damage 1d6+2.
Skills: Griffons have a +4 racial bonus on Jump and Spot checks.

TRAINING A GRIFFON
Although intelligent, a griffon requires training before it can bear a rider in combat. To be trained, a griffon must have a friendly attitude toward the trainer (this can be achieved through a successful Diplomacy check). Training a friendly griffon requires six weeks of work and a DC 25 Handle Animal check. Riding a griffon requires an exotic saddle. A griffon can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds on a Ride check.
Griffon eggs are worth 3,500 gp apiece on the open market, while young are worth 7,000 gp each. Professional trainers charge 1,500 gp to rear or train a griffon.
Carrying Capacity: A light load for a griffon is up to 300 pounds; a medium load, 301–600 pounds; and a heavy load, 601–900 pounds.
Teach an Animal a Trick: You can teach an animal a specific trick with one week of work and a successful Handle Animal check against the indicated DC. An animal with an Intelligence score of 1 can learn a maximum of three tricks, while an animal with an Intelligence score of 2 can learn a maximum of six tricks. The griffons have a int of 5, so they can learn a maximum of 15 tricks. These are commonly
Combat riding, Air Fighting, Guarding, Hunting, Stoop attack at ground targets, parade manouvers (counts as 3 tricks), sounding (screech), ground fighting, come to me, eat the horses and don't eat the horses!
HANDLE ANIMAL (CHA; TRAINED ONLY)

Check: The DC depends on what you are trying to do.

Task Handle Animal DC
Handle an animal 10
“Push” an animal 25
Teach an animal a trick 15 or 201
Train an animal for a general purpose 15 or 201
Rear a wild animal 15 + HD of animal
1 See the specific trick or purpose below.
General Purpose DC General Purpose DC
Combat riding 20 Hunting 20
Fighting 20 Performance 15
Guarding 20 Riding 15
Heavy labor 15    

Handle an Animal: This task involves commanding an animal to perform a task or trick that it knows. If the animal is wounded or has taken any nonlethal damage or ability score damage, the DC increases by 2. If your check succeeds, the animal performs the task or trick on its next action.

“Push” an Animal: To push an animal means to get it to perform a task or trick that it doesn’t know but is physically capable of performing. This category also covers making an animal perform a forced march or forcing it to hustle for more than 1 hour between sleep cycles. If the animal is wounded or has taken any nonlethal damage or ability score damage, the DC increases by 2. If your check succeeds, the animal performs the task or trick on its next action.

Teach an Animal a Trick: You can teach an animal a specific trick with one week of work and a successful Handle Animal check against the indicated DC. An animal with an Intelligence score of 1 can learn a maximum of three tricks, while an animal with an Intelligence score of 2 can learn a maximum of six tricks. Possible tricks (and their associated DCs) include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following.

Attack (DC 20): The animal attacks apparent enemies. You may point to a particular creature that you wish the animal to attack, and it will comply if able. Normally, an animal will attack only humanoids, monstrous humanoids, giants, or other animals. Teaching an animal to attack all creatures (including such unnatural creatures as undead and aberrations) counts as two tricks.

Come (DC 15): The animal comes to you, even if it normally would not do so.

Defend (DC 20): The animal defends you (or is ready to defend you if no threat is present), even without any command being given. Alternatively, you can command the animal to defend a specific other character.

Down (DC 15): The animal breaks off from combat or otherwise backs down. An animal that doesn’t know this trick continues to fight until it must flee (due to injury, a fear effect, or the like) or its opponent is defeated.

Fetch (DC 15): The animal goes and gets something. If you do not point out a specific item, the animal fetches some random object.

Guard (DC 20): The animal stays in place and prevents others from approaching.

Heel (DC 15): The animal follows you closely, even to places where it normally wouldn’t go.

Perform (DC 15): The animal performs a variety of simple tricks, such as sitting up, rolling over, roaring or barking, and so on.

Seek (DC 15): The animal moves into an area and looks around for anything that is obviously alive or animate.

Stay (DC 15): The animal stays in place, waiting for you to return. It does not challenge other creatures that come by,

though it still defends itself if it needs to.

Track (DC 20): The animal tracks the scent presented to it. (This requires the animal to have the scent ability)

Work (DC 15): The animal pulls or pushes a medium or heavy load.

Train an Animal for a Purpose: Rather than teaching an animal individual tricks, you can simply train it for a general purpose. Essentially, an animal’s purpose represents a preselected set of known tricks that fit into a common scheme, such as guarding or heavy labor. The animal must meet all the normal prerequisites for all tricks included in the training package. If the package includes more than three tricks, the animal must have an Intelligence score of 2.

An animal can be trained for only one general purpose, though if the creature is capable of learning additional tricks (above and beyond those included in its general purpose), it may do so. Training an animal for a purpose requires fewer checks than teaching individual tricks does, but no less time.

Combat Riding (DC 20): An animal trained to bear a rider into combat knows the tricks attack, come, defend, down, guard, and heel. Training an animal for combat riding takes six weeks. You may also “upgrade” an animal trained for riding to one trained for combat riding by spending three weeks and making a successful DC 20 Handle Animal check. The new general purpose and tricks completely replace the animal’s previous purpose and any tricks it once knew. Warhorses and riding dogs are already trained to bear riders into combat, and they don’t require any additional training for this purpose.

Fighting (DC 20): An animal trained to engage in combat knows the tricks attack, down, and stay. Training an animal for fighting takes three weeks.

Guarding (DC 20): An animal trained to guard knows the tricks attack, defend, down, and guard. Training an animal for guarding takes four weeks.

Heavy Labor (DC 15): An animal trained for heavy labor knows the tricks come and work. Training an animal for heavy labor takes two weeks.

Hunting (DC 20): An animal trained for hunting knows the tricks attack, down, fetch, heel, seek, and track. Training an animal for hunting takes six weeks.

Performance (DC 15): An animal trained for performance knows the tricks come, fetch, heel, perform, and stay. Training an animal for performance takes five weeks.

Riding (DC 15): An animal trained to bear a rider knows the tricks come, heel, and stay. Training an animal for riding takes three weeks.

Rear a Wild Animal: To rear an animal means to raise a wild creature from infancy so that it becomes domesticated. A handler can rear as many as three creatures of the same kind at once. A successfully domesticated animal can be taught tricks at the same time it’s being raised, or it can be taught as a domesticated animal later.

Action: Varies. Handling an animal is a move action, while pushing an animal is a full-round action. (A druid or ranger can handle her animal companion as a free action or push it as a move action.) For tasks with specific time frames noted above, you must spend half this time (at the rate of 3 hours per day per animal being handled) working toward completion of the task before you attempt the Handle Animal check. If the check fails, your attempt to teach, rear, or train the animal fails and you need not complete the teaching, rearing, or training time. If the check succeeds, you must invest the remainder of the time to complete the teaching, rearing, or training. If the time is interrupted or the task is not followed through to completion, the attempt to teach, rear, or train the animal automatically fails.

Try Again: Yes, except for rearing an animal.

Special: You can use this skill on a creature with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2 that is not an animal, but the DC of any such check increases by 5. Such creatures have the same limit on tricks known as animals do.

A druid or ranger gains a +4 circumstance bonus on Handle Animal checks involving her animal companion. In addition, a druid’s or ranger’s animal companion knows one or more bonus tricks, which don’t count against the normal limit on tricks known and don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks to teach.

If you have the Animal Affinity feat, you get a +2 bonus on Handle Animal checks.

Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in Handle Animal, you get a +2 bonus on Ride checks and wild empathy checks.

Untrained: If you have no ranks in Handle Animal, you can use a Charisma check to handle and push domestic animals, but you can’t teach, rear, or train animals. A druid or ranger with no ranks in Handle Animal can use a Charisma check to handle and push her animal companion, but she can’t teach, rear, or train other nondomestic animals.



The Ecology of the Griffon from DRAGON® issue #161 
by Christopher Kederich ©1990 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
One of the best known of all fantastic creatures, the griffon is seen both as a feared monster and a much-desired flying mount. The griffon is accurately described by sages as a ferocious avian carnivore, and it is probably the most successful large flying predator, being more common and voracious than any sort of dragon. It is the true king of the air.
The origins of the griffon are unclear. Some scholars have speculated that it was the result of magical experimentation by an ancient civilization. Yet the legends of griffons seem to be older than the earliest records, older than this theory would explain. Like the centaurs, griffons are probably the result of natural magical forces granting an adaptable creature the traits of different mundane animals.
In the griffon, these forces produced a powerful being indeed.
In appearance, griffons resemble great lionlike cats with the taloned forelimbs, wings, and heads of great eagles, but with prominent tufted ears. Their body fur colors range from golden bronze to dark brown, the colors darkening with age. Males have touches of red on their breast feathers; females have duller coloration than males.
The size of an adult griffon is on the order of the largest of lions and tigers, being of similar proportions though with an especially heavy chest and with the shoulders to accommodate wings and flight muscles.
While standing on all fours, the overall length from beak to rump measures 7-8’. An adult male may weigh up to 1,100 lbs. depending on its size and condition, females averaging one-third less.
Artists and heralds have incorrectly pictured griffons as having thin, sticklike forelimbs. In fact, a griffon’s forelegs are as heavy as a lion’s and are capable of striking like clubs with sufficient force to break a victim’s neck. The raptor’s talons, which are up to 6" long, can not only slash but can clench in a bone-crushing grip. Like lions, griffons can bowl over large animals with one sweep of a foreleg.
With pinions fully stretched, the griffon’s wingspan is often eight or nine yards across, a magnificent and awe-inspiring sight. Though without tail feathers and looking entirely lionlike, the griffon’s tail helps it steer and stay balanced in flight. The moderately pointed wings are well suited for soaring and for diving onto prey. A griffon’s feathers are gold in color, often with patterns of black washing across them.
The eyes of the griffon have been said to resemble living flames, usually being ruby red, burning yellow, or icy blue. Griffons have the same keen vision that giant eagles have, being able to see a horse from two miles away in the air. It is said that if a griffon could read, it could see normal print clearly from 100’. It lacks infravision but can see clearly in the dark as its eyes gather the faintest of light. Its sense of smell is only average for a predatory animal, still much better than that of humans but inferior to that of dogs. It might be possible for a griffon to track quarry by scent alone, and one would certainly be able to detect most enemies approaching from upwind, but not as readily as could many of its prey. A griffon’s sense of hearing, on the other hand, is very sharp. It can hear hoofbeats on packed earth from at least a mile altitude, and a trainer’s call will reach it from the same distance.
Eagles can roll completely over in midair and griffons can do likewise, but not without some difficulty. Due to their great size, it would take longer to correct an error or regain height, making aerobatics dangerous. Midair loops and somersaults may be possible under good conditions but probably not with a rider. Nevertheless, the griffon is a nimble and powerful flyer, though less so than the pegasus, which is both faster and more agile in flight. The griffon is built to catch moderately quick prey and carry it back to a highly placed nest.
Griffons can fly in almost any weather, having an elemental feel for the sky and its conditions. They can sense changes in the weather and can detect downdrafts and thermals. Griffon riders need at least as much training to learn how griffons fly as their griffons need to learn how to carry their riders. Griffons can be intractable at times and simply may not want to fly, much less convey a rider, though usually not without good reason; they are quite sure of themselves in the air.
Very few carnivores are as superbly capable of hunting as is the griffon. With its combination of speed and agility, as well as its natural armament, the griffon is a tenacious predator. Although a griffon can strike large prey out of the air, it favors hunting ground-dwelling animals, especially herd animals and most especially horses, which it craves. The variety of potential prey is very large, as griffons are opportunistic hunters; they feed on almost anything from the size of a rabbit to a buffalo—including, at times, humans. Unlike lions, griffons are not scavengers and will usually ignore food that isn’t fresh. A griffon can locate prey in near total darkness, but it normally hunts during the day as it is easier to fly on sunheated thermals and many herd animals are up and about during this time. Open plains, savannahs, and rolling grasslands are its preferred hunting grounds.
If it is injured, a griffon can function as a land predator as well as an aerial one, though it will be slow and is then most likely to become a man-eater. When acting as a land hunter, it will behave much as a big cat, though it shows some flexibility in adjusting its hunting techniques. It may stalk and pounce like a leopard, or stalk and charge like a tiger; if there are two or more griffons, a group charge, as per the lion, might be used. If the griffon’s wings are at least partially functioning, it is then able to drop onto its prey from a tree or cliff.
Although griffons can and do hunt a large variety of prey, equine flesh is their obsession. Griffons wing their ways at once toward any horses they see, selecting the group that offers the best feeding with the least danger. Young griffons pay no heed to warriors who may be riding or leading horses, attacking with no regard for swords or arrows.
An older griffon, however, devotes a few moments to consider such an attack in advance. An unprotected wild horse is an immediate target, but a column of cavalry may be given up as too much trouble unless the griffon is extremely hungry, stupid, arrogant, or has never fought warriors before.
Griffons are not often clever, but experienced ones have tried a few tricks. Adventurers tell tales of griffons that bide their time until after dark when a large mounted party is bedded down, then approach on the ground from upwind to spook the horses into bolting from the camp.
The griffons then follow the horses for a safe distance before making the kill to minimize the hazards from the party. If horses are tied down, a quick kill from the air and an immediate escape will ensure something worth eating after the party is gone. The less-intelligent lion is well known for similar tactics.
The griffon’s range is extremely wide, from the tropics to the subarctic, and from coastal areas to high mountains. Because of the wide variety of prey it can hunt, and its ability to fly long distances for food or water, the griffon is the dominant predator in most areas unsuitable for other large hunters.
A griffon’s preferred nesting place is in the most remote and inaccessible part of its territory. High places commanding a wide view of the surrounding countryside are typical, including cliffs, mountaintops, mountainous caves, and large ruins. Even some great trees can support the weight of a griffon’s nest. These nests are normally far apart, but if prey is plentiful griffons can be gregarious and live among a small cluster of nests within earshot of each other.
As with eagles, griffons are monogamous and mate for life. They are devoted parents and will defend mate and young unto death. The young are fed first from any family kill. It is the male that hunts while the female guards the nest, again much as with eagles. Typically, two agate-colored eggs are laid at a time, hatching in four weeks. The hatchlings are ravenous and eat at least their weight in food a day for the first three months of life. At four months, the fledglings are the sizes of large dogs and can climb and move about on the ground. The parents now begin to teach their young hunting methods without using wings. At six months, the young begin flight training and aerial hunting, which lasts at least six more months. The nest is moved if necessary until the young can fend for themselves. Leaving the parents after two years, the young travel great distances before establishing their own home ranges.
On occasion, two or more griffons (usually males, typically brothers) team up and hunt together. This may last for a short time, a lifetime, or until one finds a mate. Less cautious than mated pairs, these bachelor groups are more likely to be seen than others and are the basis on which most people form their impressions of griffons. Intensely loyal to each other, these griffons will back each other up in almost any situation.
Griffons rarely fight among themselves in the way many other predators do. The males are very protective of females, even if they are not mates. It is this instinctive sense of loyalty and discipline that makes a griffon a much more dependable battle mount than a horse or most other flying steeds. Griffons are naturally combative and fear almost nothing, yet neither will they fight for no apparent reason.
Suspicious and bold, griffons may investigate anything that interests them despite possible danger. Attracted to shiny objects to decorate their nests, some griffons collect assorted treasures solely for their looks and will fight strenuously to protect what is theirs, but may trade precious items for something that looks more interesting.
The treasure types to be found in a griffon’s nest are those that have survived examination and rough handling. Potions are likely to be broken because the griffons like to toss colorful things about and try to catch them in their beaks, or drop them to hear how they sound upon hitting the rocks. Furs, clothes, and leather goods are apt to be employed in tugging matches or claw sharpening. Scrolls similarly suffer unless well protected. Only durable metal objects will last.


Being both possessive and curious, even a trained griffon will not take kindly to being completely left out of the division of the adventure’s spoils. On the other hand, a nestless griffon is likely to quickly tire of its valuable "toys" and will soon discard or hide them.
Griffons can be trained to be companions and mounts with striking loyalty, though not without unique problems. Horses are tamed and trained with ease by comparison; domesticated horses find the company of other horses or herbivores often makes them feel secure. Griffons are more solitary and dislike crowds. They do poorly in captivity, needing open spaces to exercise. Most would eventually refuse to eat if caged, making it difficult to hold them against their will.
Gaining a griffon is difficult at best. Griffon eggs and fledglings command a high price--3,500 and 8,000 gold pieces each respectively on the open market. Raising the young is often more trouble than most adventurers expect. Fledglings must be captured before their first feathers grow in at three months of age in order to bond with an owner.
If taken later, the griffon will not readily accept its new "family" and has a 10% per month chance of deserting (if mistreated, 20% per month; confinement is considered mistreatment).
Training the young must include hunting in order to make the fullest use of the griffon’s abilities and to maintain a balanced mind. Here, the outdoor skills of the trainer become the common ground between rider and griffon. Although flying is instinctive, the fledgling must be coaxed into flight. During the training, a trainer may teach the griffon special skills to be used on an adventure, such as dropping bombs or grabbing ground-based objects from the air.
Unlike the griffon, any adventurer will find learning how to fly competently very difficult. The time required is usually about 11-16 weeks. Use of [speak with animals] spells or the like will lessen the time by another 2-5 weeks. Those with less than normal agility and dexterity cannot fly with any competency, but they may be tied on and carried about as baggage. Characters with imperfect endurance will not be able to fly without becoming helplessly ill from motion sickness.
Griffons bob up and down a great deal in their flight, unlike pegasi, making riding one rather like being a jockey in a steeplechase. A large part of riding one lies not merely in being strapped down but in hanging on, resisting the wind and moving with the animal to make it easier on both parties.
On occasion, adventurers may earn the gratitude of a griffon by releasing it from a trap or saving it from some illness or injury. If made to feel a part of the "family," the griffons are more likely stay with a group indefinitely. Since only adult griffons are likely to be encountered in this way, there will be no need for flight or hunting training. The griffon will be most likely to bond to an adventurer to whom loyalty is an important virtue.
One cannot subject a griffon to the indignities commonly placed upon horses, like corralling, hobbles, and branding. A bit and bridle would, at best, interfere with their own defenses and would probably be intolerable. Vocal commands and body movements are sufficient for nearly all situations and a hackamore helps for special ones. The best battle-trained horses are trained to obey complex vocal commands; griffons are both more intelligent and naturally battle-ready creatures, and they can obey even more complex orders.
A horse saddle will not fit on a griffon. Any saddle made for a griffon must take into account its wings and should not hamper flight.
Sidesaddles are out of the question. If made out of horse leather, a saddle may even be eaten. The saddle may be positioned in front of or behind the wings; it may be less tiring to the griffon for the weight to be behind the wings but will restrict the rider’s vision and ability to fight. Barding is rarely used, as it always lowers flight speed and maneuverability. Simple and light head, neck, and chest armor should create no problems as long as it weighs much less than a rider.
A rider should be able to do anything that can generally be done in a high wind while bobbing up and down, and strapped between the flapping wings of a large predator that will probably object if the rider sits up and creates drag. If properly buckled in, the rider will have at least one free hand much of the time and be able to fight or grasp objects.
Flight clothing should take into consideration wind chill, weather, weight load, etc.
As mounts, griffons should not be counted on to travel overland even though they can handle rough terrain easily. If you are going to ride—fly. Griffons may be more argumentative and uncooperative than horses, but they don’t spook at rabbits, birds, or shadows. On the other hand, horses are not often known to hungrily chase rabbits, deer, or other horses, and they don’t eat riders who’ve been abusive to them.
Griffons are fearless if aggressive and loyal if moody. Griffon males usually make better mounts, being not only larger and stronger than females but also calmer and more patient.
Unfortunately, there are other problems involved in owning a griffon mount. For example, if after long contact with griffons, a rider may walk upwind of someone’s horse; what will the horse do upon smelling its worst enemy? After an adventure, heroes may want to relax in town for a while—and so might their loyal griffons, whether or not the townspeople agree. Naturally, the disappearance of any horses will be blamed on the griffons. And if a character is eating steak, his griffon will not easily tolerate left-over iron rations.
Just how strong griffons are is a matter of measurement. Griffons can fly carrying loads as great as their own body weight, though not for long periods. With their taloned forelimbs, griffons can grasp objects and hold them, probably damaging anything fragile. If so trained, they have a 40% chance to bend bars or lift gates. With the same basic strength as a lion, a griffon will be far stronger than any normal humanoid. On the ground, a griffon should be able to do the same sort of feats that a huge lion or tiger can manage.
A griffon’s appetite is remarkable. Even if not flying, a griffon will eat more than a similarly sized lion, typically on the order of at least 25-30 lbs. of fresh meat a day. If flying, it will eat half again to twice as much when possible, depending on whether or not a load is being carried. When hungry, a griffon becomes very irritable and aggressive. Although a person to whom the griffon is loyal is in no danger of being eaten, anything else is considered fair game.
Without proper food, the griffon will be a poor flier and very uncooperative. When food is available, griffons sometimes consume tremendous amounts and may be too gorged to fly well, but won’t require another feeding for some time. Riders would have to make sure that their griffons don’t overindulge themselves between adventures and become lethargic.
Being choosy, griffons will not serve as mounts or companions for humanoids prone to mistreat animals. These are such beings as the griffon would consider dirty, disgusting, and incapable of returning trust, such as orcs, gnolls, and kobolds. A griffon will also not hunt others of its own kind.
A griffon has very few natural enemies, and none count it as regular prey. Only humanoid species present a significant threat. Some creatures will nevertheless always be enemies with griffons. Hippogriffs and pegasi are no match in a fight and will normally be chased if rarely caught. Manticores are slower if more difficult prey. Harpies will always be attacked at the first opportunity. The hypnotic song of the harpy does not affect the griffon as it does a human, but if such a song is heard it will enrage the griffon and bring it winging in to attack.
Perytons are another natural adversary; although invulnerable to most nonmagical attacks, they are subject to predation by the innately powerful griffons. Thus griffons help clear the skies of certain hazards that threaten humanity.
Having as few natural allies as they have enemies, griffons are compatible with giant eagles, for example, and are generally on good terms with them. Those races and classes more attuned to nature, such as elves and druids, are best apt to understand and be compatible with griffons. Centaurs, on the other hand, and other quasi-equine species (even if they don’t taste like horses) will be in perpetual strife with griffons.
Sacred to Apollo, griffons are said to draw this god’s chariot home from his winter retreat. Several other deities have held griffons sacred and may have had something to do with their creation, but whatever their origins, the griffon is such a successful predator that it needs no guiding force to sustain it. There are even reports of sentient griffons which may represent a separate species largely indistinguishable from the familiar one and which may wish to remain unrecognized.
Griffons have a language that sounds like a collection of squawks and growls to other creatures. It is composed mostly of words relating to flying, hunting, weather, and the visual appearance of things. It is not suited to abstract concepts.
Like tigers, griffons can swim, but if their feathers are wet they must dry off before flying. By nature compulsively neat and tidy, enjoying baths and frequently preening for hours, griffons are not likely to take to filthy would-be riders or accommodations.
The life span of a griffon is very long, some serving several generations of a family. Actual lifespan is dependent on many factors but may extend as long as several centuries. One hundred and fifty years is considered average in the wild.
A griffon is a magnificent creature to be treasured by all humanity.
Dangerous it is, but marvelous, too. As long as it wings through the skies, we can look up at it and know the meaning of courage.
In combat, griffons prefer to use their beak and talon attacks first. If diving onto a victim from a greater height (at least 60’) or a victim that is flying more slowly (MV fly 24 or less), the griffon will double its claw damage and gain a +2 to hit, but not be able to employ its beak in the same round. If a griffon can strike an enemy on the ground with both of its foreclaws, it can employ its rear claws for an additional 1-4 hp damage, but at a -2 to hit because they are not accustomed to doing so unless so trained. A griffon can use the rake even in midair, but it loses altitude rapidly and disengages as soon as possible. Its last means of defense may include a wing buffet, but this does only 1-2 hp damage per wing because the wings are feathered and soft. If a flying griffon snatches someone from the ground (requiring one to-hit roll), it causes 1-6 hp damage from roughness even if it does not mean any harm. Training the griffon in this snatch attack can lessen the damage to 1-4 hp.
For more information on flying, see "Flying the Friendly(?) Skies," in DRAGON® Magazine #124.