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'For the Protection of Torai!'

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Two debuts in this pic! 
One: My newest (to MLP) addition to canon races, the Gryphons of Torai Province, Gryphon Kingdoms. (Yes, they evolved ears, unlike their canon Gryphon kin.) This fellow is a Siberian Tiger/Golden Eagle Warrior of Blizzard County
Two: Full plate wing armor, for better protection and/or weaponization of the wings.

The Torai Gryphons are something I'm revamping from an old race I had back in my teens, and adapting for the world of MLP. The Province is divided into six Counties, each of which is inhabited by Clans. Four of these Counties have three Clans (like major cities), one has two, and one has five. Each County specializes in one or a few professions, in that the County's native breed(s) is/are predisposed to (but not destined for) these professions. These Counties are: Blizzard, Aerie, Thunder, Monsoon, Lifeblood, and Steelfire.

*Blizzard County is home to the Tiger/Eagle, Tiger/Owl, Snow Leopard/Eagle, and Snow Leopard/Owl breeds. This county is predisposed to producing soldiers and military strategists, but overall is home to hard persevering individuals chiseled out of sterner stuff than their southern kin thanks to their cold mountainous home. Three Clans in this County: Frost, Avalanche (capital), and Glacier.
*Aerie County is home to the Lion/Eagle breed, but is largely considered the central hub of the Province, welcoming all breeds and out-of-Province traders. They're predisposed to raising diplomats, leaders, and Provincial ambassadors to other nations in the Kingdoms, Equestria, and beyond. Five Clans in this County: Sun, Moon, Star, Zephyr, and Sky (capital).
*Thunder County is the wildest of the six, as the rainforest jungle home of the Jaguar/Nightjars and Ocelot/Nightjars. They're the most wary of outsiders, and many follow the paths of assassins, spies, saboteurs, mercenaries, and undercover agents in general. Melanistic individuals are highly sought after for their natural nighttime expertise. Three Clans in this County: Typhoon, Jetstream (capital), and Riptide.
*Monsoon County, home of the Cheetah/Falcons and Sandcat/Kestrels, is a savannah/desert region whose climate is fairly unwelcoming to most of the rest of the Province. Its great distances between habitations have cultured a need for swift couriers, travel guides, and wilds experts (equivalent of rangers in fantasy settings). Indeed, there are no faster delivery services than those which employ Monsoon Torai. Three Clans in this County: Savannah, Oasis (capital), and Floodwater.
*Lifeblood County is known for its scientists, healers, and doctors. Caracal/Owls and Leopard/Owls make up the bulk of this County's population, and believe in helping as many as they can through their practices. Most of the Province sees them as a little too eager to aid others, or too zealous in pursuing their respective knowledges, with an exception to Steelfire, with whom they partner frequently. Three Clans in this County: Quicksilver (capital), Whitecross, and Goldflight.
*Steelfire County is the heart and soul of the Province's technological advances and metalworking guilds, rich in ores and minerals, and where the Puma/Shrikes make their homes and businesses. They believe in hard work and good fun, and many master engineers, jewelers, and crafts-gryphons have come from this County. Two Clans in this County: Anvil (capital) and Ironspark.

Concerning the wing armor, that was another something I came up with in my teens for the initial iteration of the Torai, since wings are such a huge target with debilitating repercussions if hit on flying creatures. The idea was to protect them from the back, as incoming projectiles from below are relatively easy to dodge compared to being in a rain of projectiles. And what do we see a lot of animated winged critters doing to protect their faces? They bring up that wing to shield their face. I thought, "Why sacrifice the wing when it can be protected, with minimal loss of flight ability?" Also, feathers make great surfaces for creating lift and reducing drag, but they're not much for protecting against anything more than fluids or other similarly 'soft' projectiles.
The goal of the concept is to be plausible, providing maximum protection while causing the least amount of flight capability loss. Finer aspects of flight would probably be lost, as in minute adjustments made by the flight feathers, but general mobility preserved. I'll go more into it if/when I ever get an actual concept sheet up. xD 


I was going to cell shade this, but my computer kicked itself in the arse sometime in the night and I didn't have my progress from yesterday evening saved. :shakefist: So phooey. xP

MLP Gryphons (c) Hasbro
Torai Gryphons, art, armor concept (c) ZenAquaria
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© 2014 - 2024 ZenAquaria
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KatDrummer's avatar
now THIS is what i call art



makes mine feel small..