Obviously, there are species out there that aren't that well known. Some because of their remote location, or rather mundane looks. Some, however, get cast aside from the public mind purely because their brethren shine so much brighter. Relatives that have flashier looks, cooler abilities or are just straight up bigger, causing the others to be lost in their shadow. For example, if I were to say the word "basilisk" what would be the first thing to come to mind? Would it be a big serpent with a deadly gaze? The Grand Basilisk? In most cases, yeah, people are going to think of that one, not the lowly swamp basilisk or cave basilisk. That isn't to say that those are any "worse," it is just that people focus on the bigger and badder members of their family. For this entry, I point to the griffins. I say "griffin" and you think of those proud and noble birds, of the greatest traits of lion and eagle fused into one magnificent beast. Those wings! Those claws! No wonder they are on so many banners, shields and crests! And then I say to you "keythong" and you say "what?"

To be fair, keythong don't get brought up a whole bunch because of their odd name. It is not a common one heard around the taverns or schools, so when someone actually says it, folks think their tongue just slipped. And if it doesn't have "griffin" in the name, then how can it be a griffin?! Well, in truth, it isn't exactly a true griffin, but a close relative to them. Their lack of big ol' wings kind of makes that a bit obvious, and another reason people don't think about them a whole bunch. Birds as a whole get a lot of love for their wonderful wings, and losing those means losing points for some people. I don't agree with those people in the slightest, but I can't ignore the fact that that is kind of a thing. Flying? Now that is wonderful and special! Walking? Everyone can do that! And indeed, the keythong is a walker and not a flyer. Their third set of limbs that were once wings have long since been lost. Like griffins, they do still look like the fusion of a cat and bird, but one without wings. A beaked head, fore legs with talons, feathers and down so fine it looks like hair. And a whole lot of spikes. If keythongs lost their wings, then they made up for it in spikes. Bony spurs running down their backs, erupting from their shoulders, lining their legs and even barbed feather shafts giving their tails a spiny look. They bristle with this weaponry, making a pretty iconic look! At least to me!

This species lives in grasslands and savannas, stalking through the fields in search of prey and making nests from gathered grasses. They live in groups, with typically six to ten individuals in them. Keythong are highly social with each other, working together to hunt, raise their young and even partake in social grooming. When resting, they have been seen cleaning each other's spines, taking care of areas the individual cannot reach. When on the prowl, they act much like wolves, coordinating their attacks and ambushes. Low clicks and quiet whistles are how they communicate with one another, arranging the perfect trap to corner prey. When the time is right, an individual will rush out to scare their target and flush them into the waiting talons of the others. Sharp beak and claws tear at prey, and they will even use their large bladed shoulder spines against larger animals. A frequent strategy is for them to slow their target and then dash under the prey's stomach to gut them. When prey is brought down, the group will finish them off by clawing open the throat.

The hunters shall dine upon their kill, eating as much as they can. When they are satisfied, they will usually have meat left on the carcass. Rather than protecting their kill or abandoning it for scavengers, they will tear off the big chunks and spear them on their spines. This is typically done with teamwork, with one standing still while the others load them up with pieces of meat. This is all carried back to the nests, for either later consumption or to feed their young (typically called "cubs). The newborns will be fed regurgitated meat, since they are not strong enough to tear through flesh. The slightly older ones will feed on the brought back meat, picking it off the adult's spines so that it is easier for them to tear off pieces. Once all is consumed, then the social grooming and preening begins. Best to clean off all that blood and viscera! 

While their sharp spines can be used to help hunt, many folk are surprised to learn that they are mainly for defense. Surely such a wicked looking creature doesn't have many enemies? Well, actually, they do. There are plenty of large predators out there, especially those that would happily take a vulnerable cub. A coat of spikes makes it hard to get a bite, and a spiny tail to the face can discourage a lot of venturous eaters. Interesting thing to note, though, is that the orientation of their spikes and the way they move to defend themselves suggests that their main fear comes from above. Those shoulder spines are perfectly oriented to impale anything dropping from the sky. Since they live in wide open grassy areas, they can be spotted from above, and there are large meat eaters that soar the skies. Pterorcus, dragons and even their own cousins! Indeed, griffins have been know to attack keythongs! What a betrayal! And to think people once thought keythongs were male griffins, and this was just violent courtship! But their spines and numbers work to ward off these attackers and keep their cubs safe. Even then, it isn't uncommon to find one on another beast's menu, especially if they are an individual with no group to call their own.         

Though the popularity or knowledge of the keythong is not nearly as widespread as griffins, on a local level they do have some fans. Coat of arms and crests carry their visage, and their spiny appearance gives off an intimidating impression. Their feathers are loved for clothing and decoration, while their spines are valued for sharp hardy tools, like sewing needles, fish hooks and awls. Keythong eggs are considered a delicacy, though good luck getting your hands on one of those! Trying to raid what you think is an unsupervised nest will result in you getting a beak to the spine when the hidden watcher takes you down. Though folks can certainly gain a lot from a dead keythong, some folk have found a partnership with live ones!

The thing is, keythongs are incredibly smart and have a good memory, meaning they are excellent learners and can remember faces. Some folk have bonded with exiled individuals or have raised cubs from infancy. What forms is an incredible partnership, making them excellent hunting companions, trackers or just plain old pets. Writers especially love giving keythong companions to their lonely characters, as the symbolism of their spines and nature is perfect (though a bit on the nose sometimes). With their memory and smarts, they can learn a ton of commands and can even solve puzzles or figure out scenarios on their own. If you show them how to tackle a situation enough times, they can do it by themselves without prompting. They are very loyally and friendly, though you really need to watch those spines when they get close. Some folks trim these spines, but many argue that the spikes are the whole point (har har)! While I did make the keythong out to be incredible pets and companions, I should put out a warning. First off, keythong live for a looong time, way longer than your average cat and dog, especially when taken out of the dangers of the wild. So if you want a keythong, do know that they can live around forty to fifty years! And then add to that the fact that they are very social and very protective of who they bond with. 

Once you get close to one and develop a deep bond, they will never forget it and also never forgive you if it is broken. Getting one is a major commitment, because once you get familiar with one another, they will not take kindly to new pets or partners, and will go crazy if you try to hand them off to another owner. Those who are separated from their beloved owners tend to become incredibly agitated and violent, often killing the new master and tracking down the old one. And if they finally return home and find you with a new pet or spouse, then you are next on the hit list. Do recall that these very same smarts and memory can be used against you. Packs of keythong near towns can become menaces once they figure out where the food is kept and the patterns of day to day life. They are good at picking off livestock, and also the occasional person who takes a specific route each day alone. And when retaliation or hunting of their kind occurs, they get a grudge and don't let go. Those who have successfully taken eggs or killed a keythong best watch themselves when they are in the wilds alone...

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

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"Keythong"

Wow, feels like it has been a while since a Chlora entry. Lets fix that! Also, I am sure making the keythong and griffins mammals would have made more sense than birds, but.....oh well.

Sleepy griffon sketch, because draw what you know, or something.

I saw someone tag one of my wingless griffons as a "demigryphon" and that's a pretty good name. Another time someone referred to them as keythongs, which I guess they often are!

-2418

“The Keythong Pokemon”

Kantoian Persian/Staraptor/Alolan Sandslash/Flareon/Pyroar

Ground/Steel

In Telluria, “keythong” (sometimes “gryphon”) is a catch-all term for any quadruped altered bird. They come in many different shapes, sizes, colours, and lifestyles, and often compete with mammals for niches. A few are domesticated, but most are wild animals. They are especially common in southern Kenor.

This one is probably descended from a domestic pheasant or similar bird.

there should be more books w gryphons in them

"Risk nothing, and you gain nothing." // from @landaullan

"Risk everything and you lose everything." Elodie countered, not unkindly. One day she would be a queen, and yet she was hiring this powerful courier secretly and outside the protocolar bounds of court, having paid him a not insignificant sum just for showing up. It was obvious that she was risking something.

"All risk in life deserves being calculated. And I'm saying this as you too, would be risking something. I'm looking for someone to go into the Old Forest for me. You'd be risking yourself."

The Old Forest and Nova's First Royal Palace (The old castle in the centre of said forest, now abandoned) had been haunted and crawling with monsters for years, violent and dark and with very few survivors. Many have tried to take from the castle, and few have returned. Bloodthirsty Griffins, soulhounds and Keythongs stalk all that come close.

"I need someone to retrieve three items from the Old Palace. I have found their exact location. You could put all of them in your pocket, and keep one, if it keeps you back."

Elodie didn't want to talk at length about being a Lumen, neither of the magic power it gave you or the bond with a crystal to an outsider if she wasn't sure they would keep the offer, so she kept it cryptic. If he asked for the dangers of the Old Forest, she would answer, if he had conditions, she would hear them. And what else would keep a person back other than a magical object?

Banded Crocotta

Once assumed to be a subspecies of keythong, modern genetic tests show that the Crocotta is its own lineage, more closely related to chimera than anything on the griffin line.

This pushes the mystogenesis of the chimera grouping back at least two ages, putting it well before the Precursors, and proving that chimera were well established long before the Writh Empire and their supposed flesh-weaving by Vizol-Kul.

Crocotta are scavengers, but are gentle, clever creatures and are not remotely the dangerous beasts of reputation.

Prompt: an incredibly rare animal, national geographic, nature photography

here we go y'all

Text reads: AVIALKE ah-VEE-ahl-KEH A midsized Griffoniforme native to the Mediterranean Basin. The Avialke is a flightless omnivorous species most closely related to the Keythong, with both of them having branched from the True Griffons more recently than other Griffoniforms. :End Text

The Avialke is from a small Speculative Biology project I've been toying with. This one's pretty little, I'm just inserting some speculative species of griffons and closely related species in Europe and the northern coast of Africa in ways I think make sense.

Alright y'all, please don't expect completed works like this one from me all the time- I have a tendency to leave things halfway when a new thought hits me. I do usually go back to the original idea, but it can take A Good Long While.

We have Humans, Dwarves, Gnomes, Elves, Dragons, Changelings, Youkai, and Slimes. Werewolves, Fey, Vampires, and Grimm exist. Fey includes Kelpie, Unicorns, and Auroran Horses.

Griffin symbol

At the point when the world gets too enormous and frightening, it tends to be difficult to come by a spot that feels like home. The griffin is hanging around for you if this sounds all-too-recognizable! This soul creature shows us how to safeguard what's our own from the people who might attempt with their jealousy or avarice to remove our satisfaction. They are likewise there while we're searching for some place protected in which to withdraw into ourselves. Their strong imagery holds extraordinary importance as a creature as well as one of family security and insurance against adversaries all over - turning into your legend en route by dealing with yourself first prior to thinking often about others around you. Confiding in profoundly inside oneself with the goal that one might have more certainty outside themselves particularly through troublesome times where they could some way or another vibe alone.

Griffin symbol The griffin is an old and legendary creature that gets its name from the Greek word "gryps," and that implies bended. The animal has connections to both the earth component and the air components, with its head being undifferentiated from a flying predator blended in with a lion's body parts.

The griffin is an animal with both male and female qualities, however craftsmen normally portray the monster as only manly. The most well-known portrayal of this legendary creature is that it has wings on its back which are in some cases canvassed in feathers or made into bird's feet for better ground travel over land. Be that as it may, incidentally, the craftsman chooses to address it with no set elements by any means (it acquires them the epithet keythong). Certain individuals trust there's no authoritative response somehow in light of the fact that scholars have various thoughts regarding what sort of

meaning a missing wing could convey - some express ladylike while others contend the alternate way round. Old Greeks accepted that the Griffin was a half breed of three creatures - lion, camels, and birds. Numerous heraldry images remember this fanciful animal for their pictures today since it is associated with numerous things: shapeshifting, old insight with conundrums that represent secret, and monster, which incorporates supernatural characteristics too.

The Griffin is an animal of extraordinary strength, and guarding significant fortunes from thieves is frequently said. The lion addresses power while the falcon represents respectability and authority and together they consolidate into one strong monster - Lord Griffon.

The Griffin is the epitome of duality. Its long ears resemble a lion's, yet they can likewise be viewed as pony like or in any event, looking like a human, contingent upon how you decide to see them. This fascinating creature has been referenced in writing since old times, and it's constantly depicted with differing highlights that frequently reflect individuals' opinion on themselves at some random time.

The narratives of the griffin are various and range from their capacities to concede wishes or mend individuals. One thing griffins really do partake in like manner is that they just mate forever. When a griffin kicks the bucket, its accomplice doesn't search out another; all things being equal, it lives on alone til' the very end accepts them too. For Christians, this implied numerous things - devotion, faithfulness, and marriage - yet in addition resistance against remarrying once bereaved in light of the fact that the accolade owed to God was paid with a whole heart before he removed our friends and family too early once more.

The Griffin has many purposes. Besides the fact that it mend can individuals, yet its plumes and hooks additionally offer recuperating properties. During the Archaic Time, in European courts, there were vessels molded like griffin's paw used to consume eggs that had a place with ostriches who were accepted to be inside similar family as griffins. It was additionally accepted that those consuming them would summon their capacity to mend others. The legend of the griffon traces all the way back to antiquated times. The griffins were said to begin from Focal Asia, where there were numerous gold stores. They would make their homes underground close to these destinations for security reasons as well concerning making the most common way of finding their prey simpler, and that implies when individuals are mining or diving into earth looking for anything - including metal mineral - conceivable with karma you'll wind up some fortune; once in a while even a griffin! In Greek fantasy, Pliny the Senior expounded on them, proposing that rich fortunes like gold coins could be tracked down inside its home. One fundamental coin in Abdera city-state highlighted this fanciful animal since it represented material abundance and thriving.

The shirdi is one more name for the griffin, which in Persian legend signifies "lion-hawk." The animal has connections to old Egypt and was highlighted on superficial ranges with pictures of a sphinx.

Herald Extraordinary Sample Text

When I was Polaris Principal Herald, I recognized our long-serving submissions herald as a Herald Extraordinary. By some strange happenstance, Northshield had never made a HE in the entire time we had been a kingdom. I suspect our first PH had some Opinions™ about the rank and declined to include it in our traditions. That being the case, I was in the unique position to write a ceremony for the role. I also wrote a text. When I created our second HE, I used the same text. It is therefore now ancient tradition to use this text and shall it be forevermore.

To ___________, from __________ Polaris Principal Herald, greeting and recommendations.

It is known that it is the ancient and honourable charge of a principal herald to, from time to time, acknowledge excellence in heraldry as it is shown over a period through service, knowledge, stubbornness, compassion, and skill. It is my right and will to honor you, ___________, [lately known as ___any current or recent heraldic positions], for you have truly kept such things as be comprised in these articles following:

First, whensoever charged, you have done the tasks set before you as honorably and truly as your will and reason can serve you, greatly to the advantage of the realm and college, and always keeping them secret, or not, to each its measure, for many years.

You have shown your true desire to be every day more cunning than the day before, so as you may be better furnished to teach others, and execute with more wisdom and eloquence the messages and charges entrusted to you, by virtue of the office to which you are installed forthwith.

You have shown your diligence to have knowledge of all nobles and gentles within your marche, those with names and those who should bere coats of arms or who do presently bear these armes, and such armes that they bear with service and grace to others, and to ensure their prompt registry and diligent use wherever such name or armes shall be necessary according with law and custom.

You have shown that you teach all heralds and ease them in such doubts as they move and learn the mysteries and secrets of heraldry, and you have observed and kept to your cunning and power all such oaths as you have made to honor the noblesse and integrity of living, and always more ready to grant grace than to blame, and register all acts of honour in manner and form as they be done, and to say by the Crown, your estate, and your ownself, the truth.

For these reasons and other secret reasons, I, __________ Polaris, by the power of the ancient estate of principal herald, do name and mark you as a herald extraordinary, to be invested with this office and the rights, dignities, and duties therein, to receive the right to a title of your choosing with the consent and will of the College of Arms, and to be raised in rank so all may know the great esteem in which you are held.

By my hand, word, and seal,

___________ Polaris

Text based off the Othes of Heraudes from the Blacke Booke of the Admirality, c. 1360, England

Ceremony and text originally written for Mira Fastova, our Keythong Herald of many years.

The ceremony script can be found here:

Grykey Mini Mon Month Day 20/31

Axex Pokemon: Top Left

Hieracosphinx Pokemon: Top Middle

Minoan Griffin Pokemon: Top Right

Opinicus Pokemon: Bottom Left

Classical Griffin Pokemon: Bottom Middle

Keythong Pokemon: Bottom Right

Return of the Heraldic Pets!

Sometimes the more carnivorous pets like to bring home ‘presents’ for their respective Queen’s 

Seeing how big some of these guys are, this can be much more brutal than your garden variety decapitated mice and rats (I live with a cat who likes to hunt)

Vex Reference

A cleaned up reference picture for a very near and dear friend

For @lonesome-eagle/Nyx

Part 2 of the Chimeran mini-zine, with a griffin and two similar creatures [Commissions] [Patreon] [RedBubble]