Griffons, sometimes known as "aerials,"[1] were giant flying creatures with the bodies of lions and the heads, wings, and talons of eagles. They were strongly associated with the Grey Wardens, who used to ride them into battle. They became extinct during the Exalted Age.
Background[]
“They were never servants, never slaves. A griffon was a partner and equal, or else it was a foe.[2]”
Origins[]
It's said that griffons originated from the island of Seheron.[3]
Other sources claim that the griffons were native to the Wandering Hills and the northern reaches of the Hunterhorn Mountains.[4][5]
Grey Warden involvement[]
At some point, the Grey Wardens tamed griffons and started using them to fight darkspawn. The griffon trainers established a bond with the animals,[6] known as "turlum". Griffons chose their riders themselves rather than being chosen by a Warden, and they refused to carry riders they did not want.[2] As a result, the training of griffon riders was difficult and griffons were viewed with caution and respect. The bond between rider and griffon was strong and when a griffon's rider died the griffon often mourned.[7]
The Warden in charge of the care of the griffons was known as the Roostmaster.[7] The High Constable, the second-in-command to the First Warden, was the aerial commander during the time of the griffons.[8]
According to some sources, some groups of Ander and Orth people managed to form a kinship with the griffons, despite their predatory nature. Some of these folk later joined the Grey Wardens and taught them how to ride griffons in battle.[4][5]
Extinction[]
During the Fourth Blight, the griffons sustained massive casualties while fighting darkspawn, still they were key for the Grey Warden victory. During the battle of Ayesleigh, the last battle of the Blight, it was the legendary Warden Garahel and his griffon Crookytail who slew the Archdemon Andoral, putting an end to the Blight.[9]
The griffons eventually went extinct, their numbers decimated during the Blight.[10]
The true cause of the griffons' dying out was a modified version of the Joining ritual created by the Grey Warden mage Isseya through blood magic, under orders of the First Warden of the time. The ritual was originally created as an attempt to render a griffon immune to the darkspawn taint as the Grey Wardens were. After being put through the ritual, the griffons were capable of greater strength and speed. Their endurance greatly increased, rendering them capable of fighting on even after sustaining major wounds. It also greatly increased their aggression. Tainted griffons would attack darkspawn on sight unless controlled using blood magic. However, because the taint was processed too quickly in their bodies, any griffon put through the ritual died not long after.
In their more desperate moments during the Fourth Blight, the Grey Wardens subjected dying or aging Griffons to the ritual to make them useful during one last endeavour. The tainted griffons were particularly useful during the battle of Ayesleigh. Unfortunately, the modified taint became contagious and eventually infected unjoined griffons, causing the whole species to become uncontrollably aggressive, even towards their handlers. The First Warden was eventually forced to give the order that any griffon showing signs of such aggression was to be killed.
Unbeknownst to the rest of the Order, Isseya fruitlessly sought a cure at the Circle of Magi in both the Free Marches and the Tevinter Imperium to no avail. In a final attempt to save the species from extinction, Isseya retrieved a clutch of thirteen griffon eggs, sired by Garahel's griffon Crookytail and Amadis Vael's griffon Smoke, and managed to purify them of the taint with blood magic. Feeling that the Grey Wardens of her generation had failed the griffons and were not fit to be their stewards, she chose to place them in a form of arcane suspended animation and hid them in a dragon's den in the Anderfels, that would later be called the Red Bride's Grave, until the tainted griffons died out and the Grey Wardens had a chance to appreciate the depth of their loss.
However, she left clues at Weisshaupt that only an elven mage would be able to notice, in the hopes that they would be able to find the eggs and help the species to reborn.
It's said that the Blight damaged the griffon eyries, which caused griffons to gradually die off, and the species became fully extinct around two centuries prior to the Dragon Age. Sometimes, rumors arise that the griffons had survived in a remote region. Even though the creatures haven't been used by the Grey Wardens in centuries, the Griffon Rampant is still an important element of the order's heraldry, and Grey Warden items often bear griffon symbols.[5][4]
Involvement[]
Dragon Age: Last Flight[]
Dragon Age: The Veilguard[]
In 9:52 Dragon, the Gloom Howler killed the Grey Wardens in charge of taking care of and train the griffons, and managed to kidnap twelve of the thirteen griffons. The Grey Warden in charge of the security of the griffons, Davrin, alongside the remaining free griffon, Assan, joined the Veilguard in the hopes that Rook would help them to recover the missing griffons.
During the search for the missing griffons, Davrin and Rook met Valya, who disclosed the truth about the griffons' extinction to them and to the new leader of the Grey Wardens, Evka Ivo. It was also revealed that the Gloom Howler was actually a ghouled Isseya, who had become insane and intended for the griffons to be tainted with the preserved blood of the Archdemon Zazikel, trying to forcefully joining them in an attempt to protect them from the blight.
Eventually, Davrin and Rook managed to deal with Isseya and successfully rescued the twelve griffons.
Physiology[]
An adult griffon could grow to be more than twelve feet from beak to tail, with a wingspan even larger. Male griffons could weigh more than one thousand pounds and females slightly less. With beaks powerful enough to break bone and claws capable of shredding armor, griffons were valued and ferocious companions to the Grey Wardens.[2]
Griffons were expressive in their emotions. The eyes of griffons were bright gold and they would close them halfway when pleased. They also purred when content.[2]
Grey Wardens typically selected smaller and lighter Wardens to ride griffons, allowing the griffons to serve longer as steeds under harsh conditions.[2] Even so, a healthy griffon could easily fight while carrying two armored riders.
The griffons' fur and plumage varied from black to white; most fell into the grey color range. Many Grey Wardens believe that it was this coloration that inspired their order's name.[5][4]
The Wardens attempted to relocate the griffons' eyries away from the Wandering Hills and the Hunterhorn Mountains, but the experiments were completely unsuccessful as no chicks survived.[5][4]
Known griffons[]
Revas and Isseya
- Assan
- Beaktooth - sibling of Assan
- Blacktalon – griffon of Huble
- Crookytail – griffon of Garahel
- Crookytail - eldest griffon of the new generation[11]
- Heidas - sibling of Assan
- Hunter – griffon of Lisme
- Revas – griffon of Isseya
- Shrike – griffon of Danaro
- Skriax – griffon of Dendi
- Smoke – griffon of Amadis
- Stormwing - sibling of Assan
- Rumptail - sibling of Assan
- Traveler – griffon of Felisse
- Wren – griffon of Edelys
Codex entries[]
Trivia[]
- Some of the armor that was used by the Grey Warden griffon riders can be found in the Grey Warden Vault in Denerim.
- Weisshaupt Fortress contains aeries where the griffons of old used to breed.[12] Aeries appear to be referred to as weyrs in Dragon Age: Inquisition.[13][14] Coincidentally, there is a location in Antiva known as The Weyrs.
- Corff the Bartender is apparently working on a novel involving something called "Speed Griffons".
- The survival of the Thirteen Griffons into the Dragon Age was partially inspired by the Norwegian Lundehund breed, which at one point was reduced to only six dogs in the world, five of whom were from the same mother. Through careful breeding decisions, the breed was saved and now has a population in the thousands.[15]
See also[]
Gallery[]
References[]
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Liane Merciel (September 16, 2014).
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