School of the Griffin

School of the Griffin, sometimes referred to as School of the Eagle or Gryphon School, is a school of witchers headquartered in Kovir and Poviss, in Kaer Seren located at the sea end of a mountain range.   

Overview

  Training     Students are offered two choices to complete their final trial. They either locate and retrieve a griffin's egg, or recite the entirety of Liber Tenebararum verbatim (Book of Shadows). However, none has ever chosen the latter.   Characteristics   Griffin School equipment is of medium weight and amplifies the intensity of the wearer's spells; as such, it is heavily implied that the school and its disciples may have specialized in the use of magic. Griffin witchers may also possess higher standards of social etiquette compared to other schools.  

History

  As the school of the bear, viper and cat were founded the Order of Witchers grew weaker. The witcher Erland of Larvik decided he would not let the original purpose and ideals of the Order fade away. Together with 13 of his closest friends they amicably left the remains of the Order. They then travelled east to Kaer Seren. It was a fortress previously used by Alzur and his associates in the early tests for creating witchers. As the fortress stood upon a confluence of air magic, the spirits of the failed experiments haunted the place. After having dealt with the spirits, the school of the Griffin began. The Griffins kept the original "knightly" values of the witcher order. As Erland had been inspired by the ideals of his old sword teacher. The witchers had called him Gryphon. In honour of him and his teachings the school was named the School of the Griffin. Together with their head sorcerrer they created a new discipline, one that focused on magic, preparedness and flexibility. They also taught their students proper etiquette. They also made sure that Griffin witchers knew they had a purpose and brothers that would support them. The older witchers stood as examples for the others. When a boy died during his training he was given a proper burial in a graveyard. At the height of their power the Griffin witchers enjoyed great respect, with the school's grandmaster even being summoned to the courts of rulers to give advice. Like the school of the Bear and Wolf, the Griffins maintained a strict neutrality, even refusing to help Kovir and Poviss fight against attacking Redania and Kaedwen. They reasoned that once a witcher breaks his neutrality he can never go back. Unlike the other schools they had nothing against killing dragons.   The school used to possess important magic books in its library including the Liber Tenebrarum beloved by a teacher there called Old Keldar. Throughout the ages, the other schools respected the Griffins for their study of magic and fighting style that emphasized multiple opponents.