Griffon's Den

Griffon’s Den is the Grasslands’ capital city where the Lord Protector of the Grasslands lives. Griffon’s Den is often referred to as “the Safest Place in the World.”

Since the Grasslands do not share the same isolationist ideas as the rest of Mystos, nor do they enforce the criminalization of the Arts, there is a heavy flow of tourism, which the city prides itself on. In addition, most of the city is heavily related to lions which are praised throughout the Grasslands.

Geography
The city is placed where the Iron Vale and the Valley of Smoke meet. A majority of the city sits on the flat land of the Red Savanna. Only the westernmost part of the city is placed on Lion’s Hill. Above the city and carved into the mountain is Lion’s Den Castle, where the Lord Protector lives. Although the city is entirely landlocked, there are stone roads that travel to and from Griffon’s Den very easily compared to Mystos.

Griffon’s Den’s climate is much like the rest of the Grasslands. The majority of the year is filled with hot, dry days. The Rain Moons is a period of heavy rain in the Grasslands that happens in the late summer. In Griffon’s Den, snowfall usually appears at the end of the year. However, in the last few years, there has been no snowfall.

Neighborhoods
There are seventeen neighborhoods in Griffon’s Den. Every neighborhood acts as a small community and has a representative that leads the neighborhood. Each neighborhood representative meets with the Lord Protector annually to pass laws, pay taxes, and report on their growth. Although the neighborhoods are friendly, they compete in having the most popular neighborhood voted by tourists.

The three most popular neighborhoods are Bushy Tail Hills, Fang Gardens, and Claw Row. Bushy Tail Hills has artificial hills where the residents live and are known for having the largest shopping center in the city. Fang Gardens is filled with magnificent gardens, and there is an annual competition on who has the best lawn in the residential area. Finally, Claw Row is known for its cat overpopulation and its sharp and pointed infrastructure.

Demographics
For many centuries, the Grasslands had a sparse population. In 342 SM, Lord Protector Joshmir Gardener passed a law called Gifting Immigration, where every family of three or more received an acre of land. Joshmir also promised peace during an extremely violent era in Mystos. This created the racial diversity seen everywhere in the Grasslands. Although the population is racially diverse, Grasslandi’s are stereotyped as people with a darker complexion because of the complexion of many lords and ladies.

Griffon’s Den has a racially diverse population. Two-fifths of the people are typical Grasslandi’s. One-fifth of the population can trace their ancestry back to the Black Ice Tribe, the Mountain Realm, and the Kingdom of Valley Pines. One-fifth of the population can trace their ancestry back to the Riverlands or the Summerlands. Finally, the last fifth of the population is from Nempur, Ihphy’s Archipelago, and Eeccess.

Economy
Griffon’s Den is the second-largest business and commerce city in Mystos behind Lismure. Banking, retailing, and transportation are the top three industries in Griffon’s Den. Mane Banking, the number one bank in the Grasslands, has its headquarters in Griffon’s Den. Bushy Tail Hills Shopping Centre is the largest retail shopping center in Mystos. Griffon’s Den innovated the Pedalships as a mode for cooperative transportation from one place to the next. There are twenty-nine Pedalship stops throughout Griffon’s Den.

Tourism
Tourism is a vital industry in Griffon’s Den. The income from tourism is given back to the people to better the city and is celebrated as Giving Day. Major tourist destinations in Griffon’s Den include Bushy Tail Hills Shopping Centre, Feline Chapel, Sandstone Aqueduct, and Roaring Twin Lions Statue. The Arcan Museum of Art is the only museum in the world that holds Arcan art. Lion’s Den Castle is also a significant tourist destination but only allows a few visitors per year.

The Magistrates
Griffon’s Den was created as an Arcan outpost before entering the Valley of Smoke. In 100 EAE, Magistrate Kalb Massi bought Griffon’s Den and began to make the growing area a tourist town. Magistrate Kalb outlawed the mistreatment of humans in Griffon’s Den. However, humans could only visit Griffon’s Den. They could not live there. Outside the city gates, a small human town arose and peacefully traded with Griffon’s Den. This kind of treatment of humans was taboo amongst the Arcs, but as more humans began to live near and trade with Griffon’s Den, the richer the city became. Magistrate Kalb was quoted as saying: “Money is money.”

In 350 EAE, Magistrate Kalb died, leaving no heir. The High Families in Griffon’s Den voted and installed Hakim Abbas as Magistrate. Magistrate Hakim immediately banned humans, much to the distress of the High Families. In 352 EAE, Magistrate Hakim suspiciously died. Anubar Fanon was voted as the new Magistrate, and he reversed Magistrate Hakim’s ban on humans.

In 590 EAE, Magistrate Anubar died, and his son Kaneem became the next Magistrate. Unfortunately, Magistrate Kaneem was corrupt and put the city into enormous debt. This debt caused the Highest Arcs to control Griffon’s Den in 718 EAE and cut all trading with the humans. In 720 EAE, the High Families of Griffon’s Den rebelled against the Highest Arcs. The Highest Arcs crushed the High Families, and in 722 EAE, the Highest Arc made Lyes Quiver, a human, King of Griffon’s Den.

The Human Kings of the Lower Arcs
In 724 EAE, with permission by the Highest Arcs, King Lyes Quiver allowed humans to live in Griffon’s Den. This was the first time humans who were not Arcan slaves lived in a city. King Lyes brought Griffon’s Den back to its former greatness.

In 763 EAE, King Lyes died and his daughter, Amirah Quiver, became Queen of Griffon’s Den. Seeing an opportunity, the Arcs of Griffon’s Den rose up against Queen Amirah. Amirah decided not to call the Highest Arcs for help and defended the city with a human army. In her army, she had an elite team of humans who had the Arts, which was extremely rare in Mystos. This elite team was called Themis’ Gardeners. Impressed, the Highest Arcs allowed Queen Amirah to expand the land that she controlled. However, Queen Amirah kept Griffon’s Den as the capital city of her growing kingdom.

In 1148 EAE, King Salah Quiver expelled Themis’ Gardeners, who had served as the King’s protectors for hundreds of years. The Gardeners came together and decided to become “one family,” creating House Gardener. In 120 SM, Sahasha Gardener led her army to Griffon’s Den, defeated King Mansur Quiver, and installed herself as Queen.

After the Secession of Man
Griffon’s Den stayed the capital city after the Secession of Man. The city also continued to serve as an important trading center in the Grasslands and throughout Mystos. Yet, throughout this era of the Secession of Man, Griffon’s Den has stayed peaceful.

From 480-496 SM, the Khanatian Flu affected the Grasslands, killing millions of people. Griffon’s Den lost sixty-five percent of the city's population during this period.

A Death at Dawn
Nervous about the safety of her children, Gloriana Wayward decides to send her son Josef to Griffon’s Den. However, Borin Wayward becomes angry when he finds out about Gloriana’s plan and cancels the plan, calling his sister, Sable, a witch in the process.

Raynese tells Hadrian Osmont and Colvic Rames that she is from Griffon’s Den and works for Lord Merrick Gardener. However, when Raynese disappears, Hadrian lies to Colvic and says that she received a letter and had to go back to Griffon’s Den.

A Death at Dawn
Merrick Gardener, Lord Protector of the Grasslands

Sable Wayward

Lysane Withers