Creature Derecho (griffon) [Ready]

[PedestrianWolf]

Roleplay Type: World of Equestria Mane RP

Name: Derecho

Sex: Male

Age: Adult

Species: Griffon

Eye colour: Ice blue

Coat: Dark burnished gold, fading to a cream white underbelly

Mane/Tail: Charcoal grey feathers with black tips

Physique: Derecho is a lean mean flying machine. His slender frame is deceptively strong, and his wings are the streamlined wings of a falcon, not the broad wings of an eagle.

Residence: Cloudsdale

Occupation: Flight Instructor

Cutie Mark: None, but he does have black rosettes splashed across each flank

History: He was hatched to loving parents who live in the learning district of Stalliongrad, Chenya. His father is a librarian, and his mother worked in a department store over in the merchant district while he was still a fledgeling. Derecho has an older brother, Lyosha, who is a skilled painter and has a studio in the artisan district of Stalliongrad.

Growing up in a middle class family, he didn't always get the fancy toys or expensive trips that some of his schoolmates had, but he never lacked for the necessities of life. He excelled in school, and often spent his afternoons in the library where his father worked, beak buried in a book.

His true passion, though, was flight. His body was built for speed, and he tested it every chance he got. He often participated in races with the other griffon fledgelings and pegasi colts in school. They competed in speed and dexterity, creating ever more complex obstacle courses for themselves. While he did not have the stamina of his broader winged fellows, he more than made up for it with agility and sheer speed.

Character Summary: Based on his skills in creating and competing in obstacle courses, Derecho decided to become a flight instructor. He enrolled in as many flight courses and camps as he could afford, to study the techniques of other teachers. As soon as he got his certification, he took up permanent residence in Cloudsdale, and started teaching the pegasi foals there the tricks of flight mastery. He has a reputation for being tough, but fair, and many parents feel confident in sending their offspring to learn from him. He's not the sort to belittle or berate his students, preferring to build their confidence with positive reinforcement. However, if any of his students are slacking off, he will challenge them to bring up their performance.

Derecho is a friendly sort of guy. He is always more than happy to lend a helping claw when he can. He is not a pushover, though, and won't accept any less than 100% from anyone works with. He has earned the respect of many of his students and their parents this way.

In his off hours, Derecho still likes to curl up with a good book. He's even written a few himself. Mainly flight training manuals, but he has written a few Daring Do fan-fics, as well. He doesn't share those with anyone, though, out of embarrassment and fear of damaging his reputation. He also writes letters often, keeping up correspondence with several of his former students who have gone on to join the REA. He loves to hear about their exploits and adventures in the military outposts. He visits his family in Stalliongrad as often as he can, and sometimes poses for paintings in his brother Lyosha's studio. He has one hanging on his living room wall, of himself in full armor and a classic military pose. That, and the letters from his former students, is as close to military life as he has ever gotten, and he is fine with that.

​

Since he was raised in a city founded by ponies, and currently lives in a pegasus city, sometimes Derecho is asked if he misses his own kind. To be honest, he's never really thought about it that way. Growing up, most of his friends and classmates were ponies. The majority of his students are also ponies, although many griffon parents prefer to send their fledgelings to a griffon for flight instruction. To him, ponies are just people, not much different from himself. Sure, they eat funny food sometimes, and don't appreciate the finer things like swallowing a fish whole while it squirms down your gullet. But pony-folk are just folk to him.

Some ponies can find him a bit intimidating, and he will take advantage of that with new students. Eventually though, they learn that he is not a fearsome predator, and they get along just fine.

[PedestrianWolf]

Griffons are different from ponies. Is there anything else this application might need before I mark it ready?

[Mojo]

Well, since you asked, I must say this is a great app already! All the required fields are filled and though it is brief in some areas, I think there's enough here to pass.

The only thing I see that's a bit off is the Cutie Mark. Griffons don't have them, so if you'll take all reference to them out of the app, then your app looks ready to me!

[PedestrianWolf]

Thanks Mojo! I've edited the cutie mark, what other parts need a little beefing up?

[Mojo]

I like what I'm reading here, but I am curious about one thing. How would this character interact with ponies? What are his opinions on ponies? Does he see them as equals, rivals or inferior to griffons? Might be a minor thing, but I think it'd improve this app even more if you added some of this to it.

[Jane]

I like what I'm reading here, but I am curious about one thing. How would this character interact with ponies? What are his opinions on ponies? Does he see them as equals, rivals or inferior to griffons? Might be a minor thing, but I think it'd improve this app even more if you added some of this to it.

(notstaffjustcommenting)

I agree! This could be a fun area to explore, especially as Derecho is a griffon who is living among ponies. Maybe you could even explore how he feels about living among them in Cloudsdale?

[PedestrianWolf]

Thanks, Mojo and Jane! That's not a bad idea. I will edit to reflect his opinion of living with ponies (spoiler; he likes it).

Okay, I think this one is ready for review!

[Armony]