Gryphon

Class: Animal, Chimera

This is gryphon’s meadow, strangers. Puny humans are not welcome here! Turn back and find another path!

On almost silent wings five strange creatures approach, looking somewhat like lions, but at the same time like giant birds of prey as well. They set down in a distant meadow and seem to be waiting for you there.

You stop and wait.

You go on.

Nothing happens. You wait almost one quarter of an hour, but the beasts remain as if waiting for you.

You keep waiting as well.

Another fifteen minutes pass without anything happening.

When you approach, the largest creature moves toward you with a majestic air. You hear a booming voice:
“This is gryphon’s meadow, strangers. Puny humans are not welcome here! Turn back and find another path!”

You do as the gryphon says.

You try to negotiate.

You have no choice but to detour around the meadow. How many hours are you prepared to invest?

You take a fairly large detour around the gryphon’s territory. After [N] hours you are back on your original road.

You don’t hear the beating of the gryphon wings until they are already landing right in front of you.
“I told you already, strangers, this is gryphon’s meadow and puny humans are not welcome here. Begone!”

You avoid the gryphon’s territory by a wide margin. Four hours later you once again reach the path you were on originally.

The gryphon slowly beats its mighty wings just once. A sign of impatience, maybe?

“We could leave a security!”

“We are travelling on the hetman’s orders!”

“We are searching for the sword of Hyggelik!”

The gryphon’s roar is probably a sign of ridicule, but to you it sounds more like a threat.
“Puny human problems! That is of no concern to us. Go and find another road!!”

Suddenly, the gryphon flaps its wings and throws [NAME] to the ground. You hear an almost bone shattering roar. The other gryphons surround your party and one look into the gryphon’s maw is enough to scare you away.

The gryphon points with 0ne wing at [NAME].
“Right! That one shall stay here.”

You look at each other aghast.

“But you shall have a chance to recover your security. I shall charge you with a simple riddle…”

“Unbroken it moves all things, but take away half and it becomes their end.”

“As I thought: your security is mine to keep, but do try again, you will not find the answer.”

“You poor creatures tax my patience. Do you really have to waste every thought out loud instead of concentrating on the essence of things? All right, I shall offer you one last chance, but if you fail, your security is mine for good!”

“Forget it, our exchange is made. You have the right to pass and I shall keep the security.”
Beating its giant wings just twice, the gryphon rises up and snatches [NAME]. Despite frantic efforts, [NAME] has no chance to escape the monster’s clutches. The gryphons rise higher and higher. They carry [NAME] away. You all watch in despair, stunned at the thought that you’re not likely to see [NAME] ever again!

“The right of way for the security, the security for the wheel!”
The gryphon jumps into the air, followed by its four companions.
“Should you meet the unicorn, be patient but alert. Don’t ever trust it!”
With these words, the gryphons rise up and fly away.

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