Arina

Come

• Scythia Griffin

  
  
  

  Origins

  The true origin of the Scythia Griffin is largely unknown. There are rumors that they are the descendants of Sphinxes, born in the deserts of Egypt, while others say that they existed long before their African cousins, going as far back as Mesopotamia and before that. The essence of their culture is very much a mystery, and it was not until recently that any history was maintained. What IS known, is that over time they have developed and changed, generating a myriad of sub-species, as well as many evolutionary traits which their predecessors could never have dreamed of.
  
  Since the Renaissance, Griffin’s have been hunted for the healing properties of their feathers, as well as the lethal poison in their claws, culling many prominent families from existence. Their numbers dwindled and they went into hiding, though the prominent families within the Griffin community are still viewed as royalty.

  
  
  

  Appearance

  Griffins have dominant genes by nature, and when mated with a human the offspring has approximately a 90% chance of adopting all of the physical traits of their Griffin parent. In general, the Griffin is made up of two creatures: A bird of prey and a large cat. Most often, they have the head, wings, and front legs of their avian form and the body, hind legs, and tail of their feline form - there are some variations, but rarely will they deviate. Though the combination of the two can largely vary, the families share synonymous attributes.
  
  A Griffin’s wingspan will always be twice that of its body length in order to provide enough stability for sustained flight. Unlike a bird’s bones, however, they are not hollow, and their feathers are not flimsy, but seem to have an almost bone-line structure to them, though they still have the “feather-like” feel to them (ie. they are not sharp and they cannot be used to “cut”.)
  
  Pantanal Griffin (Jaguar and Hawk)
  Size and weight vary considerably: weights are normally in the range of 56–96 kg (124–211 lb). Females are typically 10–20 percent smaller than males. The length, from the nose to the base of the tail, varies from 1.12 to 1.85 m (3.7 to 6.1 ft).
  
  Griffins have the ability to take up to four forms. The first is their human form, which naturally shows no sign of their “abnormality” - the only thing which “transfers” is the color of their eyes, which (if an abnormal color) is easy enough to conceal with colored contact lenses.
  
  The second is their Griffin form, which is the combination of their two remaining forms - their avian form and their feline form. Depending on the “mix” they are, each Griffin “family” will be able to take their own, specific species. For example, a Siberian Griffin will be able to take the form of a tiger and an owl, but no other feline or avian species.
  
  Males and females have variations depending on their species. More often than not, males are larger than females, and sometimes more colorful.
  
  The change is painless and fluid, making their ability to change between them relatively easy. Unlike were-creatures, their ability to change is not in any way affected by the phases of the moon, nor their moods. Young Griffins and those that are sick or injured may have some trouble performing a shift, but it will not inspire one.
  
  Within each form, a Griffin maintains full control over their mind and are able to understand everything that is going on around them. They will not become animalistic during a shift, regardless of the form they take, though they may develop stronger “animal instincts” the longer they remain in their forms.

  
  
  

  Strengths

  Longevity - While certainly not immortal, Griffins can live to be hundreds, even thousands of years old. They age at the same rate as a human until they are in their mid 20’s, early 30’s where their aging rate slows and becomes almost static. Due to this, their feathers, when used correctly, have healing and longevity properties in and of themselves, making them extremely valuable on the supernatural market.
  
  Feathers - The healing properties of their feathers, while they cannot bring people back from the dead nor heal at a hyper-accelerated rate like a phoenix’s tears, it can cure most incurable ailments. Cancer, for example, can be cured by an elixir made from the feathers (the ground shaft and quill, mixed in a water-based substance) of a Griffin, as well as most infectious diseases, viruses, and other such ailments. If the elixir is taken for an extended amount of time, it can even extend the life of a human, for as long as it is ingested. The amount ingested would be similar to the amount of alcohol one would need to drink in order to get drunk - the more a person drinks it, the more they would need to drink in order to feel effects. In that same way, the more or less a person weighs will determine amount needed as well. The health and age of the Griffin does not determine the potency (or lack thereof) of the feathers - which mean that they can be removed after death and still maintain the same curative properties.
  
  Healing - While certainly “accelerated”, a Griffin’s ability to heal is hardly superior to many other creatures. They will still scar from severe wounds and they do not have the ability to regenerate whole limbs. It is fairly easy to kill a Griffin, though the most efficient way is to sever the head.
  
  Strength - Certainly not the strongest of all the mythical creatures, but they can certainly hold their own in a fight. They are not known for their brute strength.
  
  Speed - This will change depending on the origin of the Griffin, as some species are more prone to speed than others. For example, a Griffin with the feline form of a Cheetah will be exponentially faster than one with the feline form of a Tiger.
  
  Flight - While predominantly used as a means to get around, the Griffin’s ability to fly is one of its most successful means of escape.
  
  Poison talons - While this poison will not affect other Griffins, it is poisonous to nearly all other creatures and the claws themselves are stronger than most metals. As their only real line of defense or protection (seeing as they don’t have teeth), the talons of a Griffin have evolved to be able to pierce just about anything - including a dragon’s hide. It makes them highly valuable. The effects of the poison will change depending on the creature inflicted. To most creatures (human or otherwise), the poison acts as a fast acting paralytic agent, meant to debilitate an opponent immediately - it targets the nervous system and not the bloodstream, so creatures with no pulse (vampires, zombies, etc) can still be paralyzed, though the paralysis is likely to be isolated to the locations infected with the poison and not likely to spread throughout the entire body. This was meant predominantly as a means for hunting, but works just as well. If the poison is ingested it can be fatal as it causes a sickness that is slow-acting and creates a sepsis throughout the GI tract - it is only curable by an elixir made by the same Griffin’s feathers, or purest blood (ie. the blood of a unicorn or virgin.) The amount needed to create such a sickness will change depending on the size and species of the creature ingesting it (ie. it would take barely any to create a lethal sickness in a human, but a fair amount to cause any damage to a dragon or a larger species.) The more that is ingested, the more deadly the poison becomes and the more of the elixir is needed to counteract the poison. The talons are only apparent (and only poisonous) when they are in their Griffin form.

  
  
  

  Weaknesses

  Beaks - Due to the species of bird that most Griffin’s are made up of, their beak is essentially an obsolete tool for them. Their talons and feet are strong enough to crush bone (see link), where the beak is only really able to secure a hold. Though they may be able to cause some superficial damage to humans or other “fleshy” creatures, creatures with tougher hides (ie. dragons, vampires, etc.) would probably damage a beak if one attempted to use it on them. If nothing else, it could be used as a bludgeoning tool, but it would have no more efficiency at it than any other “boney” structure of the body.
  
  Pure metals/Pure things - Purity is every bit a Griffin’s weakness. Pure metals, “pure” people (virgins, those of kind hearts). Like most other mystical creatures, they oftentimes have the overwhelming impulse to hoard these things (regardless of whether or not they’re sentient) and protect them. Though pure metals (and things) also have the ability to burn and injure a Griffin - the longer a Griffin is in contact with a metal, the more severe the burn becomes. For example, if one were to take a hot metal and place it to their skin, it would burn and burn and burn until it either cooled or there was nothing left. Pure objects will do the same thing to a Griffin. A brief touch will only leave the sensation of burning, where a prolonged touch will cause damage, and that damage will increase the longer the touch is established. It would even have the ability to burn completely through muscle and bone, should a metal be applied for a long enough period of time. Silver is the most effective way to injure a Griffin, though there have been cases where even the touch of a virgin is enough to make a Griffin feel “woozy”, but not actually harm them - the duration of the touch is unlikely to change the effects.
  
  Hoarding - The extreme impulse to hoard pure things is inescapable, though oftentimes these objects will go so far as to burn a Griffin. While being in the presence of these “pure things” is not at all damaging, touching them is.
  
  Intelligence - Some sub-species of Griffin (predominantly the Barbary Griffin) are related to the Sphinxes and are therefore obsessed with the ability to trick people. They tend to speak in riddles, and if someone is able to best them in intelligence, they are forced into subservience for a short time, normally only for a few minutes.
  
  Feathers/Claws - Due to their rarity and the supernatural powers that they possess, they are oftentimes hunted for them.

• Connections

  Friends

  Ohm (played by Ohm)

  Kenneth (played by Dog)

  MacArthur (played anonymously)

  Mickens (played anonymously)

  Chaz (played anonymously)

  Ajax (played anonymously)

  Iridesa (played anonymously)

  Styx (played anonymously)

  Jare (played anonymously)

  Acquaintance

  Aelfdene (played by Jynx)

  Cheyenne (played by Merenrave)

  Fang (played anonymously)

  Vintaged (played by Lyss)

  Arsenic (played anonymously)

  Torchic (played by Caroline)

  Cormac (played by Corvin)

  Kindred (played by Merenrave)

  Huxley (played anonymously)

  The Invisible Man (played anonymously)

  MacCready (played anonymously)

  Argo Maloy (played anonymously)

  Ashe Tatsuyoshi (played anonymously)