Meridian Gryphon

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(Art by Haley Glenn)

Solar Gryphons

First among gryphons, the solar sphere contains dangerously ambitious experiments. From the meridian gryphon to the dawn gryphon, solar gryphons represent an enormous gamble by the gods, but certainly a necessary one. They are tasked with tracking down divine artifacts and transferring the divine energies to a mortal host. These energies are often dormant, traveling to the Astral Sea or Shadowfell when the mortal dies, and being reclaimed by the gods. But then, more than one invoker was visited by a solar gryphon as a child.

From one version to the next, the gods were initially curious about the abilities of their newest creations, testing the balance of divine and primal powers to their limits. Because of the powerful wards against them in the world, they were also compelled to experiment with investiture in free willed creations, a pattern that would, later, become the norm for investing power in mortal clerics and paladins.

Of course, at first solar gryphons were merely called gryphons. Only after the addition of lunar gryphons did they gain the “solar” moniker, though it was remarkably appropriate, considering how late it came to them. Solar gryphon have a strong attraction to the sun, and mark its passage in the sky with fascination. Most solar gryphons describe the sun as a conduit to the astral sea and the gods, but some have a much different interpretation. The greatest solar gryphons have a natural connection to the sun, with which they read shadows the sun casts. This ability to read shadows allows the gryphon to have an understanding of the surrounding area, as if reading a map of the immediate ten miles.

Not far removed from their astral and primal creations, these gryphons tend toward both haughtiness and a bestial fury. Unsurprisingly, it is a simple thing to anger a solar gryphon, and fatally dangerous to do so. Those who hear the terrifying screech-growl of a descending solar gryphon do best by preparing to obey or battle, for further options are rare.

Meridian Gryphon

The first gryphon created, before it was called the meridian gryphon, was the work of every god. A summit of divinities came together to secure their place in the mortal realm from which they were banished. Perhaps in desperation, perhaps because they felt the need to create further, the meridian gryphon was influenced and balanced by two powerful primal spirits and innumerable gods.

The majestic creature that resulted was the quintessential gryphon – half lion, half eagle. It was also powerful beyond what the gods could have ever imagined, and loyal beyond what the gods could have ever wanted.

Lore

Religion 25: Meridian gryphons were the first gryphons created, with a strict mission to hunt objects containing divine energy, destroy them, and transfer the power into living hosts. Set loose in the world, these gryphons were stunningly, and dangerously, effective. The thousands of gryphons that descended on the mortal realm transferred divine energies with a startling speed that had soon alerted not only the arimaspi but the primal spirits as well, and began to allow them to track the gods’ primal-divine hybrids.

Terrified by the debacle, the gods recalled the meridian gryphons to the astral sea and slew them all on the spot, calling Ortenz’ plan a failure. However, the collection of so many divinities at the meridian’s creation had effects that no god could have anticipated. A year after the mass destruction of the gryphons, the meridian gryphons began to be reincarnated in the world as fully grown disciples, regardless of their previous rank.

Since that time, the gods have closely monitored the meridian gryphons. Meridians are strongly tied to the Call, without the ability to ignore it for long periods of time. This causes them to hunt with a fury beyond most gryphons, making them a difficulty for the gods. Meridian gryphons are, generally, allowed to hunt for a month before being summoned to the astral sea and executed. When a meridian gryphon does not return, the gods send adventurers or angels after the creatures to dispatch them – a difficult task, even against disciple gryphons.

Meridian gryphons are driven by duty more than a lust for power, and it is not uncommon to find a meridian that has ascended to the rank of exarch a few hundred times throughout its many lives. They are amiable, but rushed in relations with mortals, attempting to obtain divine items swiftly, even if bloodshed is necessary, though they would prefer not to waste time fighting.

Meridians have a fierce loyalty to the gods, but it often manifests in strange ways. The Talons of the Divine Gate believe that the gods are endangering themselves with mortal relations and intend to bar the astral sea from the world forever and keep the gods locked in their dominions for safety. Determined not to be killed by the gods, these meridians are often the quarry of angels and paladins. Though Lemuel the Black has remained alive and an exarch for the past hundred years, longer than any meridian before him.

The Order of the Sundial, on the other hand, is obsessed with death and reincarnation. When they reawaken, they hold the Tournament of the Sundial, where one meridian is killed for its plumage. A ritual is cast with these feathers that allows one gryphon to absorb the power of the rest of the order. Then the gryphons battle until only one remains and claims the resulting divine energy. This gryphon then hunts until killed by a creature or creatures more powerful than it.

Most meridians, however, are only driven by the Call. Their hunts are frenzied – rarely sleeping in their hurry to transfer energy in service of the gods. Both civilization and the natural world are often trampled in this mad rush to be, once again, favored by the gods.

Encounters

When a meridian gryphon first reawakens, it is in a tremendous hurry to gain power quickly so that it can work faster. In these first couple weeks, meridians will work with any creature that shares its goal, bargaining other riches found for assistance in reclaiming artifacts or powerful holy symbols. They have been known to work with mortals of all kinds, angels, devils, and dragons, though, during these early weeks, they usually avoid other gryphons. They rarely choose to work with natural beasts or fey, since they distrust them.

As their month progresses, however, meridian gryphons become more self-reliant and, often, mistrusting. While they still work with several varieties of creatures, authority becomes important, and meridians usually insist on calling the shots. They are also more willing to work with other gryphons, whether more or less powerful. Those gryphons that do not intend to return to the astral sea to die, usually shed all connections by the end of their appointed month, working strictly alone, or with other meridian gryphons.

Meridian Gryphons In Combat

Once combat becomes a probability, meridian gryphons prefer to engage quickly, rather than dancing around the issue. Sun filters from beneath its feathers as it hurries in to attack, charging with wings spread wide to knock its foes to the ground. It is brutal in battle, inflicting death with a casualness that only an immortal could properly feel.

Once the gryphon is bloodied, it appears to begin combusting under radiant energy as solar flares jump from cut to cut. Its powerful divine nature also tends to keep it alive longer, as death won’t stick easily.