Hippogriffs
Basic Information
Anatomy
Hippogriffs have the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of giant eagles, with cruel, steel-coloured beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes. The talons on their front legs are long and deadly-looking.
It is stated that once one got over the initial shock of seeing something that's half horse, half bird, one starts to appreciate the hippogriff's gleaming coats, which changed smoothly from feathers to hair. Hippogriffs come in several different colours, including: stormy grey, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black.
Genetics and Reproduction
While some seem to be of the opinion that female hippogriffs give live birth, the majority of accounts of their ecology gave mention specifically about their eggs. Typically, hippogriffs breed in the spring and spend the summer months raising the youths. When breeding, Hippogriffs build nests on the ground, and lays only a single, fragile egg. The egg usually hatchs in twenty-four hours. When female hippogriffs prepar to lay eggs, they meticulously expand their nests of hay, twigs, feather-layered bottoms. They defend the nests as fiercely as they will the young.
Growth Rate & Stages
Infant Hippogriffs are capable of flight within a week, but it takes many months before they are strong enough to accompany their parents on long journeys. By summer, the young hippogriffs are ready to be trained and ridden into combat.
Ecology and Habitats
They live in temperate to tropical hills, in areas where it is particularly flat and barren, allowing them quick and easy access to the skies.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Hippogriffs are carnivorous. The diet of the Hippogriff consists mainly of insects, birds, and small mammals such as ferrets. They will sometimes paw at the ground for worms if no other food is readily available. They sometimes would hunt humanoids as often as any other meal.
Behaviour
Hippogriffs are reclusive in behavior, seldom traveling far from their nest. Hippogriffs are extremely territorial and will attack any intruders in their realm, defending their mate or young until death. They attack by diving and attacking with their claws and beak. Though regard as clumsy attackers, flocks of hippogriffs can attack in concert. They can kill large prey such as bison, and are even capable of carrying it away in their talons.
Additional Information
Social Structure
A typical herd included one to three males, an equal number of mares and foals.
Domestication
Hippogriffs are extremely dangerous until tamed, which should only be attempted by a trained witch or wizard.
When humans approach Hippogriffs, a proper etiquette must be maintained to avoid danger. Hippogriffs are intensely proud creatures, and an individual must show proper respect by bowing to them, and waiting for them to bow in return before approaching. Eye contact should be maintained at all times.
The Hippogriff should be allowed to make the first move, as that is polite. If offended, it might attack. Hippogriffs are tamable, but only by experts in their care. Although proud, Hippogriffs can also be fiercely loyal and protective of those who have earned their trust.
Domesticated winged mares sometimes are allowed to breed in the fall while raising their youths through the winter. The off-season breeding is done with the use of boilers that heat the hippogriff aeries well through the cold seasons.
Hippogriffs are highly prized as aerial steeds. Because they are not as intelligent as griffons, a friendly attitude from the hippogriff to the rider or tamer is not required, but they still require a specialized saddle and appropriate training. The easiest way to tame a hippogriff is to steal an egg and raise it from birth, but these are not easy to obtain, due to the ferocity of their defenders.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
A hippogriff egg can fetch 1,000 gold coins, 2000 gold coins by some accounts, and young hippogriff will sell for two to three times that price.
Hippogriffs are frequently preyed upon by both Dragons and Owlbears.
Origin/Ancestry
Light Forest
Lifespan
500 years
Average Weight
450 kg
Average Length
Average length: 2.7‒3 m
Average wingspan: 6.1 m
Geographic Distribution
Comments