Gryphon

Gryphons were a large species of winged, predatory creatures which were found on the two continents of Mundus. They became extinct as a result of wanton hunting.

Description

Gryphons were monstrous creatures which resembled great felines, but with the heads, wings and frontal limbs resembling those of various birds of prey. Taxidermied specimens have survived to this day in the collections of some abksuti noblemen, and the following average measurements have been deduced:

Height (at the withers): 5 feet.

Length (tip of the beak to the base of the tail): 12 feet.

Wingspan: 50 feet.

Ecology

Gryphons were found in the grasslands, hills and mountains of both Mundus Major and Mundus Minor. Due to their great size, they shied away from woodlands, where their wings would risk being damaged. Though winged creatures, gryphons were too heavy for proper flight, and would instead find high places to glide down from. With a running start on flat ground, a gryphon could at most glide for some hundreds of feet.
Gryphons primarily nested in remote hills and craggy mountains. Sometimes gryphons would make their nests in the sparsely wooded grasslands, mostly due to pressure from other, stronger gryphons forcing them to move their nests to less favourable locations.
Gryphons were carnivorous creatures, and were capable of lifting whole sheep into the skies with them. Sometimes they would attack and maul larger creatures too, but preferred to attack prey which was small enough to immediately devour or carry back to the nest.

Behavior

Gryphons were solitary, opportunistic hunters, but would rarely attack kith unless provoked by venturing too close to their nest. However, in times where prey was difficult to find, they were known to sometimes attack villages and carry away livestock or kith.
They were solitary creatures, and were said to only mingle with their own kind to reproduce and nest. It is said that gryphons were mated for life.

Relationship with kith

Gryphons were feared by the kith of the plains, who soon learned to hide their settlements and livestock in the forests in fear of these strong, flying predators. Hunting down a gryphon became to be known as a feat of great (and often foolish) courage, but this had no significant effect on their population due to their tendency to live in remote locations.
This all changed when the setzá came to lord over the plains. Their population grew exponentially between the 8th and 9th centuries as they learned to ride and breed the aggressive razorbeak birds. These terrestrial, birds allowed the diminutive setzá before-unseen control over the grasslands, and they grew opulent from plunder and tribute.
With their great numbers and newfound mobility, the setzá hunted down all gryphons they found on Mundus Major. Preying on the great beasts became a massively popular game for them, and the gryphon population quickly dwindled as they were unable to hunt in the plains and their nests were raided. The last gryphon nest on the continent was reportedly seen in the summer of 1180, the eggs within destroyed. The last straggling individuals were hunted down the same winter.
On Mundus Minor, a separate gryphon population was extant until the middle of the 13th century. They succumbed as a result of gruakhai expansion, who hunted the beasts for safety and sustenance on their southward march during the War of the Axe and Shackle. Here, the last gryphons were sighted in 1258.