Graff

by LethalAuroraMage

“It’s sad to think that this is what became of the noble and proud Griffins of Dromoria. We are now left with this mutation that lacks the flight, intelligence, and nobility of its ancestor. Still, many find them rather cute…” – Kaeka Orlen, Biologist

The graff is a sub-species of the griffins brought to Ærilia from Drömoria before its fall to darkness. Unfortunately, the griffins did not fare well in Ærilia, and many of them died out quickly. Of the few that survived, only those who were bred with other creatures managed to make it through more than two generations.
Most graff no longer have wings (though some may have small, vestigial wings that are removed when they are very young). Their bones have become more dense, and their limbs longer, while still maintaining huge lungs to give them great stamina like the griffins of old. This has made them more useful as beasts of burden than the flying cavalry they were once so well known for.
Despite their loud and distracted temperament, the graff are strong species that have maintained a strong sense of loyalty through the generations. They tend to work best on their own with a human companion. Humans have grown fond of them over the years because the species shows a wide range of personalities, and despite having a low mental intelligence the beasts display a high emotional intelligence. They seem to understand happiness, sadness, and even humor. Despite many efforts, however, the graff have never made for good war-beasts, as they are too easily distracted or spooked in the heat of battle.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The graff is the size of an average Earth draft horse with four legs and a long neck, though that’s where the similarities end. Due to their noble heritage this species has a mix of feathers from the top of their head down to their front legs, and over their shoulders, with the size of the feathers ranging from small soft downy feathers along their head and joints, to long stiff feathers along their chest. From their shoulders back they are covered in short, coarse fur. Their belly and hind legs are reminiscent of a large feline, with lean muscles and small paws.
Their front legs are long, thing, and flexible at the joints. These front feet are stout talons with long, stout claws. Their back legs are much heavier and more muscled by comparison and end in small, stubby paws with short, blunt claws. This leaves the graff with good agility and more mobility than commonly used horses.
Their tails are large, often heavy things that flop from side to side. These can be feather or fur, and are effective weapons to use against enemies at their back, or unsuspecting handlers.
A graff’s neck is thin (about 15cm) and covered by layers of thick feathers that make it look much larger than it is. The head is triangular with a shallow brow and often a large, curved beak. From the base of the beak to the top of its head is a large brightly colored crest that can extend out, and is often used for intimidation or mating displays. Their eyes are large and side-set, giving them a wide field and a constant look of confusion.
While all graff have these common features there can be genetic differences or just quirks that come out through breeding. Some have feathers going down their spine to their tails, while others have longer, thicker fur. Further, there are a wide variety of beak shapes, feather colors, and crest designs that make graffs a truly unique species.

Biological Traits

Male graff often have longer tails and brighter plumage, as well as large feathered crests on the top of their head. These crests can raise up during courtship and produce a rattling sound. Females have heavier tails and no crest.
There are dozens of sub-species of Graff that have been bred over the centuries for different purposes. Among the most common is the Draff, a working breed often found used by farmers and merchants for their stronger build. The Draff is approximately 25% larger than the average graff, with shorter necks, thinner layers of feathers, and a considerably higher muscle mass. Additionally, this sub-species almost completely lacks the hollow bones found in most other graff species, making it less prone to broken bones.
The Yeela Graff, named after the species initial breeder, Yeela Rae Alluin, is one commonly found among the wealthy as a show breed. This breed’s notable features include longer fur and tails, and males are sought to have large crests. They often have brightly colored feathers. This breed has the shortest life span at only 25 years, and often die of heart failure. They have delicate bones and are very prone to fractures and breakage.
The Huntsman Graff are known for their speed and agility, coupled with the species’ naturally high stamina. They have shorter, thinner feathers and longer legs, making them great mounts for hunt hunters. This breed is fiercely loyal, and the most intelligent of its species, however suffers when it comes to breeding. It is not uncommon for females to die during birthing, and to lose the offspring as well. This gets far more likely with each birth. This makes the breed more rare and expensive.

Genetics and Reproduction

Graff are live-birth mammals with a gestation time of four and a half to five months. They rarely ever have more than one offspring at a time (any more than that is almost guaranteed to be fatal to the mother and children).

Growth Rate & Stages

Due to it being a live birth, graff have no claws, feathers, or beak when in-utero. In the days after birth, these alien looking infants are blind and deaf. It takes two months after birth for their beaks to form, during which time the beak is growing young graffs are known to be temperamental and loud. This is known as their ‘cutting phase’ and has no bearing on their overall personality. Furthermore, these newborn graffs have very delicate bones and should be handled with the utmost care.
By three months, young graffs stand at about the height of their mother’s chest. They are often full of energy, extremely curious, and will peck and chew at anything. This is often called the ‘bruising phase’ due to the amount of bruises handlers will get when trying to socialize their young wards. Worse is that a young graff’s curiosity will often rub off on the mother and cause them to start pecking and biting more as well.
At eight months, young graffs are ready to be adopted out. At this stage in their life they’re most likely to make strong bonds with a caretaker. Those who adopt graffs at this stage and take good care of them earn themselves a lifelong loyal companion.
At one and a half years, graff are generally sexually mature and ready for breeding.
Graff reach full size and maturity at two and a half years.

Ecology and Habitats

Graff are generally comfortable in most environments save for cold ones. However, their ideal setting are temperate fields with plenty of open space for them to run in.
The graff is entirely domesticated, making it unsuited for living in the wild. It retains very little of its ancestor’s instincts, making it difficult to survive on its own without the help of a more intelligent species. They do, however, make good vermin-catchers, happily cleaning out nests of rats, mice, or moles that make the mistake of getting too close. A graff’s claws make it good at digging out burrows, and its large beak allows it to quickly and easily stun smaller prey. The problem with this is the graff’s tendency to eat these vermin while they’re still alive, which has been known to cause death when tiny critters with claws start squirming on the inside.
Graffs have a tendency to chew on anything they can get their beak around. It’s easy to spot the home of a graff based on how chewed up any wood in the area is. It is strongly advised to keep these creatures away from crops, fragile items, and small children.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Graffs are an omnivorous species. They are as likely to eat meat as they are insects, grain, or plants. Really a graff will eat anything put in front of it, including things that are definitely not food. Luckily, this species has a very strong internal system, making it resilient to most things it can swallow. Most handlers feed their graffs a mixture of millet, seed, and leftover food scraps. These creatures are particularly fond of gourds and rinds, making it easy to see that food doesn’t go to waste. The average Graff will eat 4-5 lbs (1.8-2 kg) of food per-day, not including anything else it puts in its beak.
Graffs make for terrible hunters. They have no stealth capabilities, and grow distracted too easily to chase down prey for long periods of time despite their great stamina. While good at catching small vermin, this likely wouldn’t sustain a graff out in the wild, though they could probably subsist off of scavenging and foraging. This is hard to say, however, as the graff’s species is so ingrained with humans that they will naturally seek out human companionship when left on their own for too long.

Biological Cycle

In a general yearly cycle, female Graff will go into heat around mid-winter making them ready to give birth in early spring. During this time, graff have grown very thick layers of feathers around their chest and neck to keep them warm, which can give them a disproportionate appearance of size from the front half of their body to the back half.
During late spring these feathers will molt, though it’s not a gentle or subtle thing. Once a graff starts to lose feathers, it will pull out the rest of its feathers with claws and beak until it is left bald. It is not uncommon for handlers to pluck their graffs to prevent them from causing any damage to themselves, as well as selling the feathers for stuffing and quills. These bald graffs are very amusing to look at though.

Additional Information

Social Structure

The graff have never done well in groups of more than two, often mating pairs. This species works best with humans, and plays its role as a beast of burden well.

Domestication

The graff are the ancestral offspring of the noble Drömorian griffins, brought to the realm of Ærilia before Sva’lias descent into madness. Gifted with several dozen of these beautiful and noble creatures, the Ærilians quickly discovered that in their realm, the griffin was no longer able to naturally fly (this due to the difference in gravity between the two realms). The Ærilians set to work trying to fix this, using a mixture of witchcraft and breeding to slowly change the species. Over time, though, it became increasingly apparent that the griffins just weren’t going to fly. While most attempts eventually died out, one breed persevered. Its wings slowly degenerated, and its intelligence is believed to have been crippled by so much magic used on its ancestors, until only the flightless graff remained.
While many Ærilians had all but given up on this breed, when the Collapse occurred the graff survived. Over time they have become the primary mounts used in the land of Æ’ur, and their confused looks and loyal natures have made them a staple in the Kingdom.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Graffs are commonly used as mounts in Æ’ur, though other parts of Erastur don’t use them with anywhere near the same frequency. They’re used as mounts, pack animals, and general companions by many, despite their loud and sometimes painful natures.
Additionally, their feathers are often collected during their molting period and used for stuffing or quills.
Graff meat is uncommon and only used in desperate situations, as the meat is tough and stringy. By no means does it ‘taste like chicken.’

Facial characteristics

Some of the most characteristic aspects about the graff are its wide eyes with tiny pupils and overly large beaks. This is what gives the species its well-known ‘confused’ appearance that many either love or hate.

Average Intelligence

Medium-Low

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Graffs have overall average sensory capabilities with one standout that makes them unique companions.
Their eyesight is excellent allowing them to pick up on small things quite easily. This lets them spot trouble from a distance or, more often than not, find something shiny in the tall grass. Many an adventurer has found a small fortune because their graff found a lost piece of jewelry.

Scientific Name

Konbabimus Avus

Origin/Ancestry

Griffin, Tanon, Basik

Lifespan

25-40 years

Average Height

5-6.5' (152-198cm) at the shoulders

Average Weight

500-1600 lbs (227-752kg) depending on the breed

Average Length

6-7.5' (182-228cm)

Average Physique

Gangly

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

The back half of its body is feline in appearance, often with natural colors. Some graff will have spots or stripes, though these are often faded and hard to see. Common colors for the feline portion of the body are: brown, tan, gray, black, white, and rarely orange.
The feathered bird half of their body if often much brighter colored. Their feathers can be plain or display marking like stripes or spots. Their breast, body, and crests can all be different colors, and it’s not uncommon for graff colors to be called ‘obnoxious.’ The colors for their feathers have a much wider range, and have been found all manner of hues including pink, teal, purple, and orange.