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Gryphlins, as used here, are an original Skyhaven
creation, based on the griffin but with the hindquarters of a longhaired
cat.
Origins
Gryphlins began as a wholly artificial species, created by genetic
alchemists in eastern Zakotansett roughly three centuries ago by crossing traits from longhaired cats
with those of songbirds and pygmy griffins (a rare subsentient species of griffin native
to Zakotansett.) The result was an immediately popular housepet for
the aristrocratic classes, renowned for its deep purr, soft coat, and beautiful
singing voice. Naturally, this prompted far less scrupulous genetic
alchemists to devise "knock-offs" that led to "frequent unpleasant
mutations," "unstable temperaments," and other undesirable
traits. Within a hundred years of their creation, the gryphlin appeared to be
doomed, a victim of its own popularity, so
riddled with defects that scarcely one egg in fifty even survived to
adulthood. Dedicated enthusiasts pulled together the last relatively
mutation-free lines, and, through decades of work and thorough studies of
the notes left by the originators, they managed to work out the problems
and reinvent the species. Today, the gryphlin is a physically and emotionally sound pet, not much
bigger than a large cat.
Habitat
Gryphlins, being a domestic animal, can live just about anywhere people
live, though they are prone to overheating in hot climates. They
thrive in almost any home, but do poorly if turned out to fend for
themselves. A gryphlin needs a "roosting spot," a small
hollow or deep bed in which to sleep (preferrably raised off the ground,
to avoid drafts and allow the gryphlin to oversee local activity.) They
also need a litter area, scratching posts, and beakstones or cuttlebones
to keep their beaks trim. Gryphlins inherited the griffin/avian love of
bathing, and should be provided with a clean, shallow basin of water,
preferrably with a fountain or mister, in which to wash on occasion. Beyond
those basic needs, and of course proper food and clean drinking water,
gryphlins are fairly adaptable, taking to cramped city apartments and
great estates with equal ease.
Feeding
Gryphlins require a well-balanced diet of cooked meats, seeds, and vegetables, and
adore sugared treats. They can become finicky if allowed, not to
mention overweight, so be sure to consult a qualified gryphlin
veterinarian when deciding on a diet. Most gryphlins will chase small animals, but
lack true predatory instincts and can rarely feed themselves; any kills
made in such chases are almost invariably accidental.
Life Cycle
Gryphlin queens lay clutches of two to seven spherical, pearlescent eggs,
which they brood over for three weeks before the chicks
hatch. Initially naked and helpless, the chicks are fed regurgitated food by
their mother until they are about three months old, by which time they
have learned how to eat on their own. Immature gryphlins are grayish
black to off-white;
they only develop their bold adult coloring when they mature at two
years. Reputable breeders sell chicks with fixing charms
already in place; this charm, which appears as a small sigil on the back
of a chick's neck, can only be removed by the breeder, and prevents
unwanted litters. Without a charm, queens become quite unmanageable
during their bimonthly cycles, shrieking like a pygmy griffin and
attracting every uncharmed gryphlin tom for three square miles. The
toms compete with raucous songs and bluster, much like birds; like cats,
the queens are hardly selective or loyal. Gryphlins live for nearly
80 years when properly cared for, but have a life expectancy of under
a year when dumped or neglected, being terrible hunters and very easy
prey.
Temperament
Gryphlins are affectionate creatures, loving nothing more than being
fawned over by their owners, but they retain the griffin tendency to bite
and scratch when overstimulated. It takes a lot more to overstimulate a gryphlin
than a true griffin, but too much hugging and cuddling and absolutely no
time for napping or grooming leaves them frazzled. They tend to
latch onto one individual as "theirs," usually the master or
mistress of the house. They can be fairly observant creatures, fully
capable of manipulating their owners to their own ends. Fanciers
claim that gryphlins do better in pairs, and they do seem to enjoy the
company of their own kind, but they will adapt to most other household
pets and children so long as they don't feel neglected.
Magical Traits
Gryphlins have no magical gifts, for all that they were created by genetic
alchemists. They are, however, sensitive to magical workings, and
will often investigate even the smallest attempt at a charm or
spell. They also seem to know when things are going wrong, hissing
and bristling or running away in a panic. If this happens,
it is advised to stop whatever one was attempting (if possible - in the
cases of summonings or other rituals, stopping midway is worse than
botching it) and leave the area until you can return with someone more
versed in magic to help dispell whatever trouble had arisen. Some
magic schools and universities keep gryphlins on campus to keep an extra eye on
practicing students (who are encouraged to borrow one when attempting
their own magic), and such places tend to attract stray or abandoned
gryphlins.
Other Notes
Gryphlin wings are useless for flight, but are used for dominance displays
and by the queens to help warm their eggs and chicks. Their wings
also help them balance, and enable them to glide, if clumsily, should they
fall. A few varieties are bred to be better gliders, but breeders
are discouraged from pursuing a true-flighted version, as their bodies
just aren't adapted for the stresses of powered flight. The bright feathers are favorites of rich girls and young
women, being softer and silkier than bird feathers.
Highly observant, gryphlins can be taught by the patient owner, so long as
they have plenty of treats. Gryphlins are excellent
mimicks, and though they rarely learn to "speak" they can and do
readily pick up bird calls and music. They can even mimic multiple sounds
simultaneously. A popular feature of shows is the vocal category; a
gryphlin with a muddled or hoarse voice is considered "faulty,"
and not allowed to breed by the Tiriallean Gryphlin Fanciers' Society, the governing body of gryphlin breeding and showing.
(This is not simply an arbitrary decision; "faulty" voices are
indicators of trouble in the lines, and historically weak-voiced gryphlins
frequently developed life-threatening respiratory and vocal cord
malformations within a generation. It also can indicate hearing
problems, which tend to be genetic in gryphlins.) Some traveling
shows feature gryphlins trained to recite popular tunes or classical
symphonies on cue. The most musical gryphlins on record were the
world-famous golden stripetailed siblings Bugle and Belle, traveling with
the famous Banner & Diamond Circus, who could accurately repeat 58
full-length songs in harmony. After Belle died of natural causes,
Bugle refused to make another sound, and quickly followed his beloved
sister to the grave.
Though most of the worst defects have been bred out of the lines, only a
dedicated professional should take up gryphlin breeding. Not only do
the lines need very fine monitoring to prevent mutations, but, being an
alchemical creation, they are heavily influenced by celestial
"spheres" and other intangible energies. Astrological forecasts are vital when matching pairs
and timing breedings/hatchings. Breeders must either be fully
qualified astrologers or have a professional on retainer if they wish to
have any successful clutches whatsoever.
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