I'm finally getting around to uploading some of my more recent commissions... and goodness, I fell in love the moment  Solar-Paragon showed me the sketch for this gryphon! He just makes my heart melt, from design to character and seeing him in the feathers is quite a delight.

Artwork is © Solar-Paragon (Original can be found on DeviantArt here.)
Character is © me, Emberell.

Skavren is one of my favorite characters, and one of the main characters in a story I intend to pen (someday, when time permits). His careful intellect and open-minded nature led him to being a key player in bringing peace to a generations-long conflict between the city of gryphons and those who lived in the caves of the great mountains surrounding their aerie. His vital role as not just the face of peace but an envoy, then ambassador, secured his eventual rise to Wingleader of the aerie as a whole, and the guardian leader of one of the greatest cities of gryphons in his known world. He's not immortal, just a brilliant individual. Despite his somewhat cool, stoic outer appearance, he has a warm heart beneath his feathers, and a distinct empathy. With his clan controlling the skies of the titanic mountainsides, he does however have little dealings with the grounded folk. The languages of the human and anthro cities of the lower world are a mystery as much to him as to his clan, though through their alliance with the mousefolk, he was able to secure a trade relationship with the floating city in the sky, which several times a year comes within flying distance of the great gryphon Aerie.

TL;DR: A proud, majestic gryphon leader. Canonically cannot speak common, though understands Mouse and Dragon native tongues, besides a clear fluency in avian and gryphic languages. He is gentle at heart. No cruel leader or thoughtless predator, but at heart he is a dominant and strong soul. It's something he's always had trouble suppressing, though with friends or those in his good graces that plays more as a gentle patronly figure than a commanding 'master.' He has a weakness for flattery, ceremony, and pomp. Making a note to remember his title, bow before him, or otherwise compliment his strength, carefully-kept plumage, or skill will generally earn a kinder (if sharp eagle) eye.

For people who know me well, you may spot a mild discrepancy - the original character, Skawren was my first character who I dove into RPing with. He was a titan eagle. This reference commission was intended to show him (better than I could draw him, at least!), but when the artist interpreted him as a gryphon... I simply couldn't resist the change. I think I made the right choice here though.

EDIT: Uh oh, I think I broke it ' v '; I can't seem to put a thumbnail on it. Oh dear...