Nation
This upload is not really a story. Rather its a scene that was stuck in my head while I was worldbuilding. So no plot, no resolution, just something my brain couldn't let go of at the moment. Things like this might make additional appearances. I do enjoy world building and doing this helped me flesh out a few species/characters.
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Nation-
Vael busied himself with the pile of paperwork strewn across his desk. He was behind schedule, but then so was everyone. The fortress was the busiest he had seen in years. With dignitaries and leaders from various factions gathered for an economic summit. The first of its kind. At least of this size. The new laws and policies that were being discussed could affect the flow of economic trade for half the continent. All of that required documentation and lots of it. Vael paused in his writing to rub the bridge of his nose. He was pretty average for a human. A fraction under six feet with a lean build. Tan skin and short dark hair. A white shirt and black pants. Crimson vest marked with his well earned rank and standing. There came a frantic knocking on his door which was then immediately pushed open.
"Sir!" It was Norm. A security officer he knew well. He stood well over six feet and had muscles within muscles. The bull of a man who also was a damn fine shot. Beyond that everything was questionable.
Vael sighed deeply, "Whoever or whatever it is I'm busy. I've got two dozen scribes working on-"
Norm shoved the door closed behind him and then blurted. "War gryphon."
"I'm sorry. What?" He knew what one was. The creatures had a wicked reputation. He had even had the pleasure of seeing one once. From a distance of course.
"War gryphon!" Norm put his hands on his knees as he struggled to catch his breath. Seemed he had run here. "One just landed on the upper pads and entered the fortress. We think it's Ash."
Vael's blood ran cold. "Ash. You mean Sivatir? Oh thats-" Vael's mind spun. "That's incredibly bad! Why didn't you call me?"
"Your slates off sir."
Vael snapped up his slate from the desk and found that, yes, he had turned it off somehow. "Cursed things. I can't figure out how they work!"
"Sir? What do we do? Should we try to stop him?"
That snapped Vael back to the problem at hand. Voice raised into a shout. "Are you insane? Do you know what could happen if you do that? No! Come. Now!"
Vael rushed from his office with Norm right behind him. "You're sure it's Ash? Where is he now? Has anyone tried to speak to him?" He went straight towards the meeting chambers where discussions were in progress. Everyone important was there. Including a lot of guards he hoped they wouldn't need.
Norm was already looking at his slate and checked in with someone over the com net. "He's reached the main stairwell and is coming down. Sir, everyone wants orders."
"Get the stairwell cleared. Get everyone out of his way. How the fuck did Ash get into the city without anyone noticing. There's an entire fleet out there on patrol for fucks sake."
"No one knows. Nothing showed up on pings. Not even a visual sighting."
"Just wonderful. Our best equipment cant detect him and no one noticed a giant gryphon flying through the sky. Ash can just stroll into our city any time he wants? Fuck! How did we not know this before?" Vael considered the timing of this visit. With so much going on it couldn't be a coincidence. He had to be here because of the meeting, but why?
"He's always been detected before." Norm looked up from his slate. "Maybe he just didn't need to before? Be invisible to detection I mean."
"Maybe? Hells!" Ash had never harmed them before but there had never been a guarantee of peace either. Showing up like this, unannounced, avoiding detection, it felt hostile. "Your right Norm, we may have to stop him. Get any available military teams here now. Any active mercs as well."
"All of them?"
"Yes."
It was a short trip to the meeting chambers. Its big armored doors had been closed when the meeting started for both security and privacy reasons. The grand hall outside was sized so larger sentient beasts like drakes and gryphons could have access to the meeting chambers. Normally a busy spot it was now only manned by heavily armed guards. Who looked as nervous as they should be.
A rhythmic thumping echoed down the hall. Footsteps.
"Dead gods help us, he's already here." Vael stood in front of the meeting hall's doors with Norm at his side.
A massive shape moved into view down at the end of the grand hall. It could only be Ash. The War Gryphons head brushed the ceiling. His lean, predatory frame made a normal gryphon look small. His feathers a deep gray with a smattering of both lighter and darker tones. His fur, perfectly groomed, was a stark off white with a sprinkling of gray spots on his flanks. Ash's feet, all of which were feline in shape, ended in black toes. Razor sharp beak darkened to black at the tip. Elegant golden markings touched his face and lined the outside of every crown feather. Ash moved with a casual, confident grace down the hall towards them. He ignored the guards who stood bravely up against the walls as he passed. His gaze fixed on the doors to the meeting chamber.
Vael had only a moment to prepare himself as the War Gryphon approached. "M- My apologies Lord Sivatir. I'm afraid this is a private meeting between diplomats and national leaders. I could-"
Vael's voice failed him when Ash stopped. The War Gryphon looked down at him with utter indifference. "Groundling." The word was spoken as an insult. Vael felt the weight of that gaze, of that voice. He struggled to stay standing as a weakness passed through him.
The War Gryphon leaned in close enough to be touched. "I am a nation."
A tiny ripple of light trickled over Ash's gold markings as a power was unleashed. The armored doors to the meeting chambers unlocked and began to slide open. Vael could not move, could not speak. He stood crushed under Ash's gaze. Until Norm took hold of Vael by his shoulders, babbled a completely incomprehensible apology to the War Gryphon, then dragged Vael out of the way.
When Vael recovered he was sat in a chair. The War Gryphon was gone and the doors to the meeting room once more closed. "What happened?"
Norm, who sat beside Vael, placed a hand on his shoulder. "You were out for a moment. Everythings fine right now. It looks like Ash wanted to attend the meeting? They aren't telling me much. They are just saying to leave things alone for now."
"That's just fucking great." Vael took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It dawned on him he had a new problem. "Norm? Could you get me a spare set of pants from my office? I believe I pissed myself."
Lore time-
"War Gryphons
Masters of the Sky
Defenders of our land
The bane of Dragon Lords
Our shield eternal"
-From a recovered pre End War propaganda poster.
Created before the End War, War Gryphons were an answer to dealing with elder dragons. Regular gryphons would volunteer for alteration into a War Gryphon. With only the most skilled or accomplished being able to apply. While not much is known about the process it is understood to be incredibly intensive and pushed the limits of magical understanding at the time (Think magical genetic engineering).
A war gryphon is significantly larger than its former self. Their colors will alter to some degree but still retain the majority of their old looks. New markings will rise to the surface in gold, copper and other vibrant metallic colors. These will come in a variety of patterns but will never dominate the other colors.
War gryphons are living weapons with incredible magical and physical power. While each individual may have slightly varying abilities there are some common powers that all share.
1- They can breathe bolts of lightning.
2- Each feather or strand of fur is the equivalent to the piece of mithril armor.
3- They regenerate damage rapidly and can even regrow lost limbs.
4- They possess masterful agility in the air and on the ground. Able to reach speeds just below the sound barrier.
5- No War Gryphon can produce a child. Sterility is a side effect of the transformation process that creates them.
Surviving pre end war records indicate that there were sets of custom armor designed for War Gryphons. Which could carry weapons as well as amplify their flying abilities. There is a single verifiable report of a War Gryphon wearing such in battle. During that battle they were recorded reaching speeds well over two times the speed of sound. As well as single handedly destroying an outpost, four gunship class airships and fifteen fighters. With casualties totaling over five hundred people. The War Gryphon recorded in this battle remains unknown.