Griffon
Griffons are the guardians of the mountains and have an ancient and noble lineage of which they take great pride. With powerful wings that can send them soaring across mountain tops and possessing the strength and ferociousness of a lion, the griffons are a proud people who seek to reclaim their lost heritage.
Griffons are loyal to their comrades and friends, and will go to great lengths for their families. The chance to add to their family's illustrious history burns in the heart of each griffon, for better and for worse. Each individual can recite the accolades and titles earned by their ancestors from memory, though not all great achievements come from combat. Griffons still remember the deeds of Gratilda Featherweight, who founded the Great Library of Griffonstone, as well as the numerous heroic deeds of the Mountain Patrol which safeguards the mountain passes and saves those stranded in avalanches and blizzards.
Griffons take their station and appearance quite seriously, and show deference and respect to thos that treat themselves the same way. If a Griffon's status is taken seriously by outsiders, then they can be friendly and engaging as opposed to when they feel slighted. When griffons are not posturing and engaging in schemes and duties on behalf of their families they enjoy nothing more than good food, spirited competition where they can prove their skills, and the joy of being with their families.
Example Griffons
Gilda the Griffon: Gilda is an accomplished flyer and baker, though her attitude someties causes her to get into arguments with her friends. Since Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie came to the aid of her people, she has devoted herself to spreading the magic of friendship among the griffons!
Gallus: A young griffon who answered Twilight Sparkle's call for friendship, Gallus dreams of nothing else but proving himself to be a hero. Though he can sometimes be prone to teasing his friends and Gallus' ego sometimes causes him to act out for attention, he has proven himself to be a loyal friend and protector of Ponyville.
Blackbeak: The Commander of the Griffon Defense Forces believes in nothing else but to defend his homeland and to keep his people safe. Though he can be considered stubborn and hardheaded, his devotion to protecting Griffonstone has made him renowned thoughout the mountains as a champion.
Gustave Le Grand: A famed chef known throughout Equestria for his eclairs, Gustave views baking as an art and believes he has reached the pinnacle of its culinary expression.
Griffons and Roles
Griffons can pick any Role just like a pony. They tend to most commonly follow Honesty and Loyalty. Griffon culture may focus on wealth, but it also focuses on the 'noblesse oblige' of helping those less fortunate. The griffons who leave home tend to follow adventure and find they cannot turn down a good mystery or the chance to show off how courageous they are. It is very rare for a griffon to follow the Spirit of Magic as griffons produce very few magicians, although they respect those with magical talent. The rarest Role of all for griffons is Laughter, and a fair few of the more serious ones don't even agree it's an Element of Harmony!
Roleplaying Griffons
Griffons can be a little obsessed with treasure, and love to showcase rare icons and treasures in their homes. Griffons are still relearning the ways of Friendship and Sharing and it can be hard for them to break old habits, but as the fortunes of Griffonstone start to improve, many griffons have decided that they need to change as well. Griffons have been hard at work rebuilding Griffonstone and now travelers can find ponies, Diamond Dogs, young dragons, and more daring to climb the mountain to trade with the griffons once again.
For a traditional griffon, it is important to remember that at all times you hail from a noble bloodlinef that once arred with dragons and held dominion over the mountains. Each griffon does their best at their saddest moments to remember all of their great accomplishments and how special they make them feel. Perhaps their family was the first to explore all the mountains in the region, or maybe theyr were responsible for inventing the flavorful Griffon Scones that were once a prized delicacy people traveled from miles away to sample. Some griffons embellish their family histories, but for most they focus on what is the most well-known. After all, what good is being noble if you constantly have to explain who you are?
Griffons can also be sensitive, expecially when in new places where they might feel they don't fit in. Griffons are used to being well known in their own society and feel out of place when an outsider does not know of their noble heritage. Those who are kind to griffons in these situations will be quick to earn their friendship, and a griffon always endeavors to pay their friends back in some way (though this is sometimes to clear out any debts they might owe). Their gentleness also causes them to take pity on those they consider weak and helpless, and the brave knights of the Defense Forces never shy away from a chance to prove their gallantry and bravery.
Such is the pride in their own culture that many griffons take names that begin with G, while others have started to take on names similar to the new lands they have made their homes in. Names such a Gilda, Glenda, Gregor, and Gustav are common but so are names like Amelia, Andre, Theodore, and Zuzanna.
Griffons have a hard time getting along with others. For griffons, they feel outsiders are beneath their notice most of the time and should simply tell the griffons what they want, negotiate on a price, and then leave after the transaction is done. Their past conflicts with their neighbors have also not done much to improve thier arrogant view in some people's eyes.
Griffon Origin
Bonuses
Essence Score Increase: Increase Speed, or the Essence tied to an Influence by 1.
Starting Health: You begin play with 3 Health.
Movement: See Soar Like an Eagle below.
Perks
Heart of a Lion: Griffons are brave and courageous, and always willing to give their all in the face of adversity. They receive ↑1 to all Culture and Persuasion Skill Tests.
Soar Like an Eagle: Griffons believe they were born to be masters of the skies. A griffon player's starting movement is 30ft ground and 30ft aerial.
Noble Heritage: Griffons can earn Cutie Marks, but they do not start with one. Instead, they come from a Noble Heritage, possessign a talent passed down through their family. It works just like a Cutie Mark in that it allows them to pick a Skill, Specialization, or abstract area they are expecially talented with (see Making Your Mark) but is instead tied to their family heritage. The character gains ↑1 on any action that area might apply to.
New Perks for Griffons
The Griffon Origin also adds a number of new General Perks to the list. They are all best suited to griffons, but only one is restricted to Griffons.
Screech
Prerequisites: Griffon Origin
Some griffons learn to turn their mighty screeching battle cry into a weapon. It is such a piercing sound it does 1 blunt damage to those targeted by it. Only a single target can be affected as they must focus the sound on a particular enemy. The attack uses the Targeting Skill.
The following have been added to the General Perks list with a notation that they are best for griffons. The Game Master has the final say on whether it is appropriate for other types of character to pick them.
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