Sir Garrett decided to capture a griffin, because it would bring great honor to the Order of the Silver Griffin capturing a beast their god considered sacred. It would also make travel to the dread swamp faster and certainly safer. The trick would be capturing the animal without causing it harm.
Griffins were intelligent animals whose talons and swift flight on eagle wings made them apex predators few people with any sense had any contact with. Training for the animals was a long and difficult process that often took years, and was usually hopeless if it wasn't raised from a young age by experienced trainers. Thankfully, Sir Garrett could call upon his connection with the heavens to bond him with an adult animal and make it his sacred mount.
Thunder had been his sacred mount since he had taken his vows, so it wouldn't be easy to leave a friend and companion behind who had served him faithfully for years. It felt a bit like a betrayal but Sir Garrett told himself it would allow the horse a retirement to a life of ease and stud service. Sir Garrett smiled at the last thought and wondered if he would be able to retire from being a paladin. It was likely there would always be a mission beckoning him to do good in the world, and Sir Garrett said a small prayer Princess Fina and any children he had would have years of his company before the forces of darkness ended his fight.
Mount Titan was a known roust for griffins, so it was here Sir Garrett had headed in his quest. As the noble warrior reached the base of the mountain he sent Thunder home while saying a small prayer for his safety for griffins had a taste for horse flesh. There seemed to be two trails up the mountain. The first was larger and likely been built by worshippers of the titans who been locked away by the gods long ago, and the second was a smaller perilous trail which was likely used by locals to collect bird eggs. Finally, Sir Garrett had brought mountain climbing equipment which he could use to scale the mountain directly. It didn't take long for the paladin to decide what path to use.
