Gryph
Wolves and jackals are not the only pack hunters to stalk Ispar's temperate climes. The gryph is a large flightless bird of ancient lineage. Unlike the upright posture of ostriches, fasawan, and similar large fowl, the gryph leans forward in an aggressive stance with the weight of its head and forequarters counterbalanced by a long, stiff tail. The head itself resembles that of a hawk or eagle, and in place of true wings it has short, feathered arms tipped with deadly talons. Standing as high as four feet at the hip, gryphs are swift and deadly predators, capable of sophisticated pack hunting tactics.
The Roulean Empire tamed gryphs as hunting beasts centuries ago, and the practice of raising and training hunting gryphs has been adopted in many lands once counted as its vassals. Wild gryphs are shades of gray and brown, with rough barred patterns to help them hide in brush and undergrowth, but domestic breeds come in a wide array of colors and patterns ranging from snowy white to pitch black to rich, coppery red.
