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Garr

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Description

Meet Garr the griffon!

Doesn't really look like a traditional griffon, does he? Well, that is what I was going for, actually. Why? Uhm... Am I the only one that thinks that the concept of a griffon is kinda lazy? All it really is is a lion with and eagle's head and wings (and sometimes front or back talons). Granted, when they were conceived it might have sounded like a cool idea, but in modern times? They can still be visually impressive in the hands of the right artist, but most of the time I am more intrigued to find out if the thing is supposed to be a mammal or a bird. With something like a dragon you simply say "Oh, it's a flying lizard.", but with a griffon... Yeah, in what reality does a feline/bird hybrid sound plausible? Maybe it's a duckbilled platypus sorta thing, I don't know. And I know, I know, "It's fantasy!". Just because it's fantasy doesn't mean it can't be smart about these things. If the people 4000 thousand years ago new about things like evolution, they might have been more creative than just throwing bird wings on everything that looked cool. But nevertheless, griffons are a vital part of many folklores and have a very rich mythology. It really is just their design that rubs me the wrong way. With Garr, I tried to do something different, but still remained true to the original formula. The end result is a bit more gargoyle-esc then I intended, but whatever.

NAME: Garr

SPECIES: Griffon

GENDER: Male

AGE: ??? (seems to be about 15-16 by human standards)

HEIGHT: 8'2" (on all fours)

WEIGHT: About 700 lbs

PERSONALITY: Garr is a very shy "little" thing. Lacking in the self-esteem department, Garr is afraid of virtually anything. It's a rather odd sight when a 8 feet tall griffon, armed with sharp claws, powerful wings and skin that is harder than rock, is afraid of something as unthreatening as a cat. But despite his shyness, Garr is still capable of socialization. It just takes him a while to grow comfortable with a certain individual. Good-hearted and loyal, Garr will do whatever it takes to help someone in need (as long as it doesn't involve anything too scary). For a griffon, he's very intelligent and seems to be more consciously aware of his surroundings, although he can be rather naive at times. He will freely take any kind of verbal or physical punishment without even once getting mad, but if you mess with his friends, expect to find yourself being bitch-slaped to the nearest wall.

SKILLS:

- He can absorb minerals (a griffin's main diet) with his "beak". The strangely shaped mouth is powerful enough to tear thru even the hardest of surfaces, like rock or metal. That goes for his claws as well.
- His rock-hard skin serves as an excellent shield. It can not only withhold powerful blows (seriously, if somebody tried to stab him, the knife would bend), but it also seems to have some natural resistance to magic.
- Can sense the components of the soil around him.
- Flight. (no duh)
- Can see in the dark.
- Naturally skilled climber.

FLAWS:

- The jewel-like crest on his forehead is the Achilles heel of his otherwise great defenses and a strong enough hit to it can even kill him.
- Lack of self-esteem.
- Terrifies easily.
- While he knows how to fly, landing is a different story.
- Has trouble maneuvering in tight spaces.

BACKGROUND: Being born a timid griffon is just as inconvenient as it sounds, for griffons are extremely territorial creatures and follow the "only raise the strong" approach of parenting. Ever since his birth, Garr had trouble fitting in. In fact, whenever they would get a chance, his sibling would try to off him. It was only because of his mother, who seemed to love him the most, that he even stayed alive. For that very reason he stayed under his mother's protection for far longer than any of his peers. However, this arrangement could not last forever and he was one day banished by the leader of the flock, forced to spend the rest of his days as a loner. Now, your normal griffon in this situation would find a remote area somewhere in the mountains to call his own, but Garr could not bare to remain somewhere so near the place that caused him so much grief. He instead ventured south, in the search for his new home. Now, what nobody ever mentioned to Garr was that his very skin is considered more valuable than gold, so he had to get used to people trying to hunt him down on a daily basis. He eventually settled in the Pustina desert, where he joined a group of "missfit" vigilantes, who fight against a corrupt system (and strike cool poses). He's treated as the little brother of the group, so everyone goes out of their way to protect him. Garr doesn't mind it, but believes that he could, or at least should contribute more than just "stay here and keep watch". He appears to be content with his current life (although he could go without people trying to shoot him every time he makes a step).

EXTRA INFO:

- Griffons communicate by producing crow-like calls of various frequencies. When they are angry, they tend to sound more like growls.
- The skin of a griffon, due to their natural resistance of magic, is used to make anti-magic armor.
- The crest on a griffon's head is used not only to attract partners, but also allows them to sense the amount of minerals in their surrounding area.
- Griffons are considered to be an almost extinct species where Garr comes from.


P. S. I'm incredibly sick at the time of writing this, so my apologies if the info isn't properly put together. Hopefully, it isn't too noticeable.
Image size
2592x1936px 6.02 MB
Make
Apple
Model
iPhone 4
Shutter Speed
1/15 second
Aperture
F/2.8
Focal Length
4 mm
ISO Speed
320
Date Taken
May 16, 2013, 3:49:45 PM
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Comments9
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Necrophear's avatar
Apart from the affront to griffin-kind, this looks very Seussacal. Fun.