Skandranon

Skandranon Rashkae was an eagle-type gryphon created by the Mage of Silence, Urtho, and who fought for him during the Mage Wars. Like other gryphons, Skandranon displayed the barred markings found in the raptorial birds that they were partially derived from. However, he had a preference for dying his feathers black, a practice that led to his nickname "The Black Gryphon." He was the mate of the gryfalcon Zhaneel and was the father of twin male gryphons and the adopted father of Kechara. He was also personal friends with the kesta'chern Amberdrake and his wife Winterhart and co-founded the city of White Gryphon with them.

During the Mage Wars, Skandranon served in the army of his creator, Urtho, and was his close friend. Skandranon was extremely skilled at fighting, and his success made him well-known to his enemies. He eventually became the leader and spokesperson for the gryphons in matters concerning all of their race. After successfully courting and winning the affections of Zhaneel, he strove to find a way to allow the gryphons to successfully mate so they wouldn't be bound to anyone to have offspring and the future of their race would be secure. At the end of the Mage Wars, he set off Urtho's doomsday weapon in a last-ditch effort to defeat Urtho's enemy. Ironically, the interaction of this blast and the self-destruction of Urtho's Tower directly caused the Mage Storms. He only just managed to Gate to safety with the rescued Kechara and Aubri before the Tower exploded. The resulting blast of magic bleached his feathers white.

Skandranon3 — Skandranon after his feathers were bleached

After he, Amberdrake, and others fled Urtho's Tower, they ended up on the far southwestern shore of Velgarth. It was here that Skandranon and Amberdrake founded the city of White Gryphon as well as the taskforce known as the Silver Gryphons to act as a police force.

Eventually, Skandranon "died peacefully, in extreme old age, surrounded by a vast flock of worshipful grandchildren and great-grandchildren."^[1]