Race Profile


Name: Gryphondyles

Physical Description:

Gryphondyles are a humanoid creature with an feathered eagle like head, feathered wings attached to the back of a human torso and lower body with legs that gradually turn into razor like talons for feet. Gryphondyles almost all have black beady eyes and sharp strong yellow beaks, but there are of course exceptions. The coloring of wings is most commonly attributed to family and is inherited from a gryphondyles parents. There is no standard coloration.

Your average Gryphondyle stands at about 6 feet high and has a fantastic wingspan ranging from 10 to 15 feet in width depending on the individual height and weight of each Gryphondyle.

In general gryphondyles are not heavy or overweight, for this would lead to the inability to fly, however there are a few elderly gryphondyles who have gained weight in their old age. But for the most part Gryphondyles are in excellent health and are well muscled.

Natural Abilities:

As many of the creatures in Aersralm, Gryphondyles have the ability to fly. A Gryphondyle flies mainly by sailing through the air and gliding. Flight is achieved easiest by jumping or launching oneself off of higher ground, from this point height is gained by utilizing thermals and pockets of warm air that rise upwards.

Strengths:

Gryphondyles are a physically strong race, in addition they are very swift and fast. Their lifestyle is barbaric, and as a result the average Gryphondyle is an expert warrior. Gryphondyles can withstand very harsh weather and climates and in fact prefer the cold to the heat.

Weaknesses:

They are not the brightest of species, a common joke (common in communities without gryphondyles that is) is that gryhpondyles are all 'bird brains' - amusingly enough it is actually a true statement. Of course this is not to say that all gryphondyles are unintelligent, but merely that the race does not focus it's attentions on education. Gryhondyles inherently have no magical abilities, they can be learned, but at the expense of valuable physical training.

Habitat:

Gryphondyles can be found anywhere in Aersralm. However, most prefer cooler climates and higher altitudes, such as mountain ranges. The Gryphondyle race has claim over a large portion of the Odin Mountains which they share with the Dragons. The Odin mountains are perfectly suited for Gryphondyles for almost all the reasons that make them unsuitable for Human, Evlen and even Arion habitation.

Lifespan:

Their life span is an average of 300 years but can live up to be 500. They are hatched from a large egg, approximately 1 foot in its longest measurement. A gryphondyle reaches adulthood at approximately 30 years of age.

Languages:

The natural gryphondyle language sounds, to an outsider, like a bunch of squawks and screeches. It is a fairly complex language that very very few people from other races can understand, let alone speak. In addition, there is a a written language that accompanies the spoken language. However, only upper class or members of the gyrphondyle clergy can read or write.

Religion:

All gryphondyles worship "Karuru the Dragon Eater", who they believe was both a god and gryphondyle. He is sometimes referred to as the 'First Eagle', which is merely a statement that he was the first person to rise up and take leadership over the race. If Karuru existed, it was many lifetimes ago. The story of Karuru the Dragon Eater is as follows:


"... And the skies of Aersralm were divided into three levels:

There was the of the Aether - the level of the stars. The highest of the three levels. So far up that there was no air to breath and no warmth keep a body from freezing. So far up that the lands of Aersralm shrunk and warped into a ball, and to look down upon them was to akin to looking up towards the great moon that rises at night. So far up that no creature could fly in this level.

There was the level of the Haze - the level above the clouds. High enough in the sky that one could look up and see the Aether and see boundaries of the world of Aersralm. High enough that one could soar above the clouds, above all other creatures in Aersralm. High enough that one could swoop down have dominance over all that lived in the level below.

There was the level of the Commons - the level below the clouds. Only high enough to separate those who could fly, from those who could not. Only high enough to ensure dominance to those who could fly, over those who could not. Only high enough to make equals of all those creature that shared this level.

In the beginning the dragons ruthlessly ruled the Level of the Haze, proving their dominance over all other species by flying safely above all other beasts, killing all those that dared to fly into the Haze. And by taking the lives of any that lived n the Level of the Commons, whether it be for sustenance of for pleasure.

Then there was one hatched from an egg. An egg no different from any other egg in any other nesting ground. That hatchling grew like all other hatchlings into a Warrior like all other Warriors with one exception. This Warrior dared to question dominance by the Dragons. This great Warrior was called Karuru.

Then great Warrior then chose to fly from the level of the Commons up into the level of the Haze. With a javelin in fist his pierced the soft underbelly of an unsuspecting dragon. At the end of his victory Karuru feasted on the flesh of his prey, and the more he ate, the stronger he grew. When his meal was finished, he was near ten times his original size and twenty times as strong.

Then the great Warrior chose to fly from the level of the Commons up into the level of the Haze a second time. With his bare hands and sharp taloned feet Karuru flew straight towards the largest dragon in the sky. His sharp talons pierced through even the hardest of the dragon's scales. That night Karuru feasted on his prey. Again, as he ate he became stronger and stronger. When his meal was completed, Karuru was no long a mere Warrior. Karuru was a God among his people.

Then the God Karuru chose to fly from the level of the Commons up into the level of the Haze a third time. As he soared through the clouds he would open wide his beak and swallow the dragons whole. With each meal his body would swell and double, triple, quadruple it's size. When just a few dragons remained in the sky Karuru was so large that when he spread his wings he would block out the sun. And when he would beat his wings, storms and funnel clouds would form.

Then the God Karuru proclaimed to his people 'Fly with pride my fledglings, fly in the Haze with the Dragons!. Fly above and rule over the creatures that fly only in the Commons!' Then the God Karuru chose to fly from the level of the Commons, up through the level of the Haze and up into the level of the Aether, where no other creature could fly. And there Karuru lives, with the stars and the sun in the level of the Aether.

... "

Of course, the validity of such a story is quite controversial among modern day scholars.


Societal Structure:

Gryphondyles live in a very structured society. To begin with there are only two classes within the gryphondyle society. The first, and notably the smaller, is the workers. The working class are primarily the weaker and older members of the race. The other class are the Warriors.

The Warrior class is the main government of the race and work somewhat like a modern human military. The titled positions inside the Warrior class are as follows:

Eagle: The supreme leader of the race.
Vulture: The eldest Warrior (often sits on the High Council of Aersralm).
Hawk: A military advisor

After these title positions, there are many common positions/rankings which are less important and are not involved in military decisions. In addition, each of the titled ranks (Eagle, Vulture and Hawk) are given a group of elite warriors which act as guards. They are know as the Eagle's Guards, the Vulture's Guards and the Hawk's Guards. To be a member of one of these groups is a highly coveted position within the Warrior class.

Griffondyle race profile written by DMoA administrator Graaal.