The White Gryphon

Infobox Book |
name = The White Gryphon


image_caption =
author = Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon
country = United States
language = English
series = Mage Wars
genre = Fantasy novel
publisher = DAW
release_date = 1997
media_type = Print (Hardcover & Paperback)
pages = 399 pp
isbn = ISBN 0886776821
followed_by = The Silver Gryphon

"The White Gryphon" is the second novel in the Mage Wars trilogy. The book takes place 10 years after the end of The Black Gryphon. The story is the continuation of Skandranon and the others from Urtho's lands.

Plot summary

The story takes place ten years after the end of The Black Gryphon. The k'Leshya tribe of the Kaled'a'in nation, along with the gryphons, some hertasi, tervardi, and kyree, have fled from the gates that they escaped before the Cataclysm from the end of the mage wars. They have traveled very far and have reached the ocean, and now have established a city called, White Gryphon. The city is named based on its shape, a large gryphon preparing for flight over the ocean, and the white gryphon, Skandranon.

The city has established a council to control all aspects of the city life. The council members consist of Skandranon, Amberdrake, Cinnabar, Judeth, and Snowstar. The Cataclysm has led to mage storms that causes magic to be unstable, meaning that many that had the mage ability have lost their powers, or are seriously weakened. Amberdrake as one of the council members brings up a man that is practicing as a kestra'chern illegally. Judeth orders for the arrest of this man, Hadenalith, through her position as the leader of the newly established Silver Gryphons.

Hadenalith is arrested while he is molding a woman to be his slave. The city does not have a jail, and his crimes are not severe enough for instant death, so the Silver Gryphons decide to exile him to the forests on one side of the city, presuming that the animals will take care of him. Hadenalith is very upset about the interruption to his deeds and swears revenge on Amberdrake, and White Gryphon.

Later, there are ships spotted by a gryphon, and Skandranon is contacted using the city's mind connection, Kechara. Kechara has been recruited by Judeth and is being used to communicate with the Silvers in White Gryphon. Some of the council members, Skandranon, Amberdrake, Judeth, and Tamsin, arrive on the dock and await the people to exit the ships. Amberdrake has identified the crewmen as members of the Haighlei, pronounced "highly", Nation, a nation of all black people. Three of the Haighlei crewmen exit the ship and claim that the land that White Gryphon is part of their country. Judeth makes a stand claiming that the gryphons flew from one part of the land to another and never saw any markers that showed that the land belonged to any other place. At this time, the crewmen finally notice Skandranon and decide that they need to contact their home city.

After the discussion with their leaders, the crewmen decide to stay in the city of White Gryphon and then take Skandranon, Zhaneel, and their children (Tadrith and Keeneth), along with Amberdrake, Winterhart, and their daughter (Windsong) back to their nation.