FREQUENCY: Very rare
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Dungeon Level III])


NO. APPEARING: 1-6
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVE: 21"
HIT DICE: 2 to 4
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: [SB]
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
SIZE: S
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE:
    2HD: II | 28 + 2
    3HD: II | 50 + 3
    4HD: III | 85 + 4

The gryph is a bird with multiple legs - usually four, but specimens
with six or even eight have been seen. It approximates to the size of
an eagle and has a razor-sharp beak with powerful jaws. Its bite will
inflict 2-12 hit points of damage and it will normally attack at high
speed from high up in the shadows of an underground cavern. For
purposes of aerial combat, it is manoeuvrability class B.

If 3 or more of these birds are encountered, one will be female and
there is a 35% chance that she will be ready to lay her eggs. If such a
female gryph attacks it will attempt to grapple its victim with i t s legs,
and if a hit is scored,it will inject its small eggs into the bloodstream.
Note that in such an instance, the beak is not used in the attack and
the victim receives no damage - the eggs are injected through a thin
tube which projects from the bird's abdomen

If these eggs remain alive they will hatch in 1-3 days, killing the
victim immediately and releasing 1-4 baby gryphs. During this period
the victim will feel slight discomfort and swelling of the abdomen,
this increasing to an agonising intensity just prior to the hatching. In
fact there are far more than 1-4 eggs in the victim - it is simply that
number which survive the 1-3 day period.

Between the time the eggs are injected and the time of the hatching,
the casting of cure disease or dispel evil on the victim will kill the
eggs. Of course, a wish or similar spell will also have this effect, if used
properly.
 

    by Peter Brown