Abbey Griffin

Griffins are a rare and spectacular sight on some other planes, wild beasts that might attack wounded prey, but which otherwise are extraordinary examples of the natural diversity created by magic. But on Innistrad, these creatures serve a far different purpose, having been tamed generations ago by the humans of Innistrad to aid them in their never-ending fight against the forces of darkness and evil.   A Gift of Moonlight The griffins of Innistrad come in a diverse variety of forms, but wild griffins are almost unheard of, and most serve as protectors, mounts, and watchdogs. Through generations of selective breeding, the griffins of Innistrad have been blessed with incredible intelligence compared to their wild cousins found on other planes. These griffins are taught to understand some phrases in Common when they are young to make them receptive to orders, but occasionally adult griffins learn more as they grow older, eventually coming to understand nearly anything you might want to say to them. Some people claim the first griffins to be tamed were a gift from the heron goddess that lives in Innistrad’s moon, created from beams of moonlight to help keep the darkness of night at bay.   Guardians of Sacred Sites Griffins breed rather quickly for creatures their size, and while many are lost in battle or to the encroaching hordes of evil, they are populous enough to each be bred for particular circumstances. Among the most common of griffin breeds is the abbey griffin, named for its near-ubiquitous presence in the skies and rafters of Innistrad’s most hallowed sanctums. These griffins are specially trained to stop nefaious intruders from encroaching on holy ground, and when an abbey, church, or cathedral is directly threatened, a flock of these griffins are sure to quickly descend to the battleground.   Lightning Fast and Loyal In it’s training, an abbey griffin is prepared for almost any situation it could potentially face. Swarms of undead, armies of vampires, and even skittering clans of demons represent threats an abbey griffin might come across. Prepared for threats such as these, almost nothing else can phase an abbey griffin at the ready, and nothing but a direct order could convince them to retreat from battle. Taught to work closely with the cathars that also defend holy sites, an abbey griffin looks more like white lightning on battlefield, dashing between threats to keep them off-balance, while offering nearby allies the chance to recover when put off-balance. In this way, an abbey griffin represents the best defense any church is likely to have- it’s no surprise they’re kept in such large quantities by the Church of Avacyn.