Griffon

<onlyinclude>{{CreatureTransformer
|style       = {{{style|}}}
|name        = [[Griffon]]
|image       = Griffons.jpg
|px          = 270px
|affiliation = Griffons <br> [[Grey Wardens]]
|appearances = [[Dragon Age: Last Flight]]
}}</onlyinclude>

'''Griffons''', sometimes known as "aerials,"<ref>Based on the [[Griffon's Helm]] description.</ref> were giant flying creatures with the bodies of lions and the heads, wings, and talons of eagles. They became extinct during the [http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Exalted_Age Exalted Age].

== Background ==
{{Quote|They were never servants, never slaves. A griffon was a partner and equal, or else it was a foe.<ref>''[[Dragon Age: Last Flight]]'', p. 31.</ref>}}
The griffons were native to the Wandering Hills and the northern reaches of the [[Hunterhorn Mountains]],<ref name="rpg">''[[Dragon Age (tabletop RPG)]]'', Core Rulebook, p. 257</ref>  although other sources claim the griffons were native to [[Seheron]] instead.<ref>{{Cite wot|86}}</ref> They were fierce predators, but certain groups among the [[Anderfels|Orth]] managed to forge alliances with the creatures. Some of these folk later joined the [[Grey Wardens]] and taught their new brothers how to ride griffons in battle. The griffon trainers had a bond with their griffons and both knew what they wanted from their relationship. For the griffon that meant grooming.<ref>{{Cite wot|154}}</ref>

Griffons chose their riders rather than being chosen by a Warden and they refused to carry riders they did not want.<ref>''[[Dragon Age: Last Flight]]'', p. 31.</ref> 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.<ref>''[[Dragon Age: Last Flight]]'', p. 49.</ref>

The Wardens experimented with relocating griffons' eyries, but no chicks ever survived.<ref name="rpg7">''[[Dragon Age (tabletop RPG)]]'', Player's Guide, set 2, p. 7</ref> The [[Blights]] devastated the eyries and the griffons slowly died off, finally becoming extinct during the Storm Age. Rumors occasionally surface of them surviving in some remote area, but have always come to naught.

The Warden in charge of the care of the griffons was known as the roostmaster.<ref>''[[Dragon Age: Last Flight]]'', p. 49.</ref>

{{SpoilerLF|
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]]. The ritual was originally created as an attempt to render a Griffon immune to the [[Darkspawn]] taint as the Wardens were. However in the Griffons, the taint was processed too quickly and any Griffon put through the ritual would die not long after. After being put through the ritual however, the Griffons were capable of greater strength and speed. Their endurance greatly increased also 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. In their more desperate moments during the [[Fourth Blight]], the 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 where the Archdemon Andoral was finally struck dead by [[Garahel]]. Unfortunately the modified taint became contagious and communicated to unjoined Griffons eventually 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 retrieved a clutch of thirteen griffon eggs, fathered by Garahel's griffon, Crookytail and managed to purify them of the taint. Feeling that the Wardens had failed the Griffons, she chose to place them in a form of arcane suspended animation until the tainted griffons died out and the Wardens had a chance to appreciate the depth of their loss. In 9:42 [[Dragon Age (time period)|Dragon]] a Grey Warden-Recruit named [[Valya]] finally located the clutch of eggs and retrieved thirteen healthy Griffon hatch-lings. <ref> [[Dragon Age: Last Flight]] </ref>
}}

== Physiology ==
An adult griffon could grow to be more than twelve feet from beak to tail, with a wingspan even larger.<ref>''[[Dragon Age: Last Flight]]'', p. 31.</ref> 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.

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.<ref>''[[Dragon Age: Last Flight]]'', p. 31.</ref>

Grey Wardens typically selected smaller and lighter Wardens to ride griffons, allowing the griffons to serve longer as steeds under harsh conditions.<ref>''[[Dragon Age: Last Flight]]'', p. 31.</ref> Even so, a healthy griffon could easily fight while carrying two armored riders.

The griffons' fur and plumage varied from charcoal black to brilliant white, with most bearing grey hues. Many Grey Wardens believe that it was this coloration that inspired their order's name. The Griffon Rampant remains the symbol of the Grey Wardens to this day, and griffon iconography appears on many Grey Warden artifacts.<ref name="rpg7"/> The High Constable, the second-in-command to the [[First Warden]], was the aerial commander during the time of the griffons.<ref>Based on the [[High Constable's Mace]] description.</ref>

== Known griffons ==
* '''Blacktalon''', griffon of Huble
* '''Crookytail''', griffon of [[Garahel]]
* '''Hunter''', griffon of Lisme
* '''Revas''', griffon of [[Isseya]]
* '''Shrike''', griffon of Danaro
* '''Smoke''', griffon of [[Vael family|Amadis]]
* '''Traveler''', griffon of Felisse
* '''Wren''', griffon of Edelys

== 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 the griffons of old used to breed.<ref>Per conversation with Mistress [[Woolsey]] in ''[[Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening]]''.</ref> Aeries appear to be referred to as weyrs in ''[[Dragon Age: Inquisition]]''.<ref>[http://www.dragonage.com/#!/en_US/news/the-fortress-of-adamant/ The Fortress of Adamant]. Dragon Age.</ref> 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".

{{SpoilerLF|style=short|*The survival of the Thirteen Griffons into the Dragon Age was partially inspired by the [[wikipedia:Norwegian Lundehund|Norwegian Lundehund]] 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.<ref>{{BWF|author=Liane Merciel|date=September 16, 2014|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529034518/http://forum.bioware.com/topic/497430-dragon-age-last-flight/page-6#entry17336956|title=Dragon Age: Last Flight}} </ref>
}}

== Gallery ==
<gallery widths=199 captionalign="center">
Grey warden griffon.jpg| A Grey Warden mounted on a griffon
</gallery>

== See also ==
{{:Griffon's Beak|style=iconmini}}{{clrl}}
{{:Griffon's Crest|style=iconmini}}{{clrl}}
{{:Griffon's Helm|style=iconmini}}{{clrl}}
{{:Griffon-Feather Belt|style=iconmini}}{{clrl}}

== References ==
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{{Grey Wardens}}
[[Category:Creatures]]
[[Category:Grey Warden lore]]