More Griffin AU musings, this one is about griffins, griffin products, and what they were used for historically. Contains nsfw content below the readmore.
All over the world, different cultures found the various mythical creatures as they seemingly popped out of nowhere, and discovered their various uses.
From their wishcraft origins, griffins were steeped in Craft energy, and since they could (mostly) not use Craft of their own, all of the normal Craft energy that they would build up over their lives would be expelled in specific ways.
Some but not all of the griffins also learned to use a version of Wish Craft, either from their own prior knowledge, or watching humans and copying their purposeful rituals, to a variety of effects, as well.
Griffin feathers, the most common griffin byproduct, are powerful Craft enhancers, and wearing them can help to enhance one's natural Crafting ability.
In-tact feathers are always best for this, but damaged feathers, very old feathers, or excess if one has such a thing, can be ground down to a rough powder that can be added to a variety of materials.
Griffin bones, however, serve as a much stronger variant of Craft enhancer, and they can be used to form things directly. Baubles of griffin bone, knife hilts and other things were made to take advantage of the naturally Craft enhancing material, though they were very light and hollow.
The fragile bones could also be ground into a powder, not unlike the feathers, and for a time 'griffin steel' was made by adding the bone powder to iron to 'strengthen' it in the forging. Aside from making steel via their tasty, tasty carbon, it imbued the metal with a less effective Craft Enhancement. Very popular with Scissors types!
Claws and beaks were often gathered and believed to enhance Scissors-type Craft, and griffin tails were often used as good luck ornaments, though they didn't have any particular abilities.
Griffins only shed about as much fur as a normal domestic cat, but their fur could be felted into a material that was very receptive to Craft enhancements.
Griffin eggs are often unviable, and they tend to lay large clutches, so while they don't have particularly strong Craft in them, they are quite hearty and filling for those willing to eat them.
It's the fluids that were of the most interest, and people who were hunting or keeping griffins were eager to use all of them.
Griffin blood is a striking color, and was most often used to mix a special long-lasting ink. Prized by Paper Craft users, it made a noticeable difference in finesse of the Crafter. Only very, very old books have it now, but it resists aging, and is a lovely rusty hue.
Blood was also used to strengthen potions, though it was a vile concoction and a predecessor to the modern (and far more effective) potions of today.
While difficult to gather, griffin tears provided a resistance to Craft, but they were so rare as to be almost useless. It did spark endless stories across multiple cultures that if you could tell a griffin about a Crafted curse, and make it cry, it could break your curse for you.
And of course, human ingenuity could not leave the other fluids undiscovered as well.
Griffin males 'musk', or semen, has a real and affective aphrodisiac affect. An adaptation that came about from their wishes, its original intent was to allow a griffin to make a mate more receptive to advances, but eventually became a normal part of griffin territory-marking and claiming.
Griffin musk is extremely expensive and became a standby of the nobility. Often mixed into perfumes, it is a much-desired commodity that, though rarer in the modern day, still can be found, if you have enough coin for it.
When mixed, musk from multiple griffins can increase the potency of it, though extended contact with musk or musk from multiple sources can lead to unrestrained behavior and illness. A 'pseudo-heat' can be forced in humans with multiple strong sources of musk, which makes the person in question extremely sexually receptive, constantly aroused, unsatisfied, and with extremely lowered inhibitions. These are always followed with bouts of illness.
Griffin musk perfume, for this reason, is usually sold diluted. Obtaining undiluted griffin musk is almost unheard of in modern times.
(It is a myth that griffin musk only works on women; it works on anyone that is able to smell it and they respond differently as individuals. Someone with a low or nonexistant libido may instead suffer physical discomfort, as their body is not very compatible with the musk.)
Female griffins, on the other hand produce a very strong fluid during their season that is the counterpoint for the musk. It has similar aphrodisiac affects, but rather than make the one affected unsatisfied with their pleasure, it makes one delirious.
It is also known to increase the virility of someone thus affected by it. Typically excreted by a female griffin to assure that a mating will be successful, it affects more than just griffins.
Griffin slick therefore has a reputation of being a fertility enhancer as well as a hedonistic pleasure. The euphoric high experienced while under its affects makes it the most expensive and elusive materials available.