Fishy Business
Griffons love fish.
At least, that is what the common stereotype that other species from the world over would say about griffons. Something about how since griffons are part cat and part bird, both animals known to eating fish, then griffons must have a tendency for fish too! Of course such logic ignores how Griffons living mostly on land or near the mountains could have access to seafood, being far from the sea and all and how every griffon have their own food preferences, but such are the ways that stereotypes goes.
Normally, this is the part that an explanation is given on how this is simply not the case and that a lesson of not judging a book by its cover would be conveyed. Such is how the story would normally go but sometimes, exceptions to the norm can be found and that stereotype can actually be correct.
That is not to say that every griffon loves fish. Its just that more often than not, your typical griffon would have a taste for seafood and if they can, it would be a staple part of their everyday diet. Naturally, this means that there is a thriving seafood culture among the griffons, due to their natural love for fish and other seafoods and the money to be made due to such demand from griffons all over the kingdom. Griffon chefs that specialize in seafood are always trying to find new ways to cook such delicacies and there are griffon families that typically live in the coastal areas and cities that have a proud history of fishing the treacherous seas! It doesn't sound as impressive at first, until one takes into account that their lines goes way back deep into the time of Discord. One can imagine that trying to fish under such times under the literal chaotic sea would be crazy, but fish they did, that seafood wasn't going to catch itself after all...usually anyway. Family records would say that once in a blue moon (some even mean this literally) fish would literally start jumping right into their boats before they can even cast their nets. They would have been jumping for joy if it wasn't fro the fact that the fish would not stop jumping into the boat that their weight started to sink the ship. It suddenly become a race back home to secure the bounty and buckets that would have been used to take out water on board the ship was used to literally throw fish over board to avoid sinking the vessel.
The age of Discord was dangerous, ironic, and just plain
weird.
Anyway, with a love for seafood established among the griffons, they naturally went to great lengths to acquire it under the seas and oceans. For years, that has been the major sources of their seafood. For those further inland, it would be the lakes, rivers and ponds that would be the source of their fishy delights. Really, Any body of water big enough to support marine life under griffon territory would have some griffon fishing the area for that delicious seafood delicacies. That is how it has always been since time memorial. Imagine their surprise when there was a sudden development in Griffonia for workers to start working on the infrastructure to farm fish.
Farming Fish? It was quite a novel idea among the griffons, some might even say that its crazy talk. But it can't be too crazy because apparently, King Garrick Golden-Feather saw some merit into the idea and started working on doing just that. There was actually a sense of excitement among the seafood enthusiast. If this idea worked, then they would have a steady source of fish the draw from. Plus, there was the novelty of a "farm-raised" fish for them to eat. How would they fare against "wild" fish. The idea that there is suddenly the concept of a "farmed" fish and "Wild" fish tickle their fancy. Fish has always been fish, the idea that there can be farmed and wild fish never came up before. The fisher-gryphs within the fishing community has taken a wait and see approach in this sudden development.
And so, two years went by and after working out kinks and an incident involving a pond full of dead fish, "farmed" fish was officially on the market and "fish farmer" suddenly became an actual thing. Those fish farmers sold a lot of their products that day, if only because of the sheer novelty of a farmed fish. For the most part, the fish still taste like fish but seafood enthusiast and seafood chefs can spot the difference in taste if they know where to look. In asking the fish farmers, most think its because of the fish feed that was made for fish. Its this cheap and easy to make food that the biologists under the employ of the King's royal adviser in charge of the project made to ease to cost of farming the fish. They said it contained everything a fish needs to stay healthy. Both seafood enthusiast and chefs alike were excited with this development, what new recipes could they make with such fish and how would they fare with their wilder counterparts?
Everyone is their own griffon and each have their own preferred taste in seafood. It didn't take long for camps to form in regard to the farmed fishes and the wild fishes. There are those who are indifferent, citing how fish was fish and that the taste wasn't too different for them to matter. Then there are the moderates, who are fine eating either but have their own preferred type of fish over the other. Then there are to hardcore fans of either fish who swear that their fish type is better than the other is taste or some other quality and aim to prove it either through debates or the much more enjoyable impromptu cooking matches where they cook using only their preferred fish type and give samples to the masses and get them to vote on who's dish is more delicious and prove that their fish is better. Some have even started advertising that they used only farmed-raised fish or wild wish in their restaurants.
The cooking duels usually happen among the chefs and seafood enthusiast. Such events were becoming quite popular among the masses, especially in the fishing communities, since they get to enjoy some free food and a free show. Sometimes, chefs used such spectacles to advertise their food and their restaurants. There are actually some towns and cities near the coastal regions where it could potentially become a be a big annual thing where chefs both amateur and professional alike would choose a side and try to entice as much of the public to their side. Such events made every griffon happy, chefs get to to promote their wares and their restaurants, the public got an event they can enjoy, and the fisher-gryphs and fish farmers alike get to have a noticeable uptick in fish sales due to all the publicity.
Speaking of the fisher-gryphs, one would think that they would be unhappy with the arrival of the fish farmers in the market. Saying how they are losing revenue because of the farmed fish they are bringing. Quite the opposite actually. With the concept of "Farmed" fish being a thing, there is the idea circulating among the griffons that farm-raised fish may be the "fish of the masses" with how it could possible to provide fish all year round for everyone and that perhaps fish farms may start cropping up more inland to provide more fish for everyone. It is probably a bit more difficult than how the general public describe it but that is their perception on the matter. "Wild" fishes caught by the fisher-gryphs on the other hand, is already an established taste among the griffons. cuisines are made to match bring out their flavor already exist and unlike the farm-raised fish with the perceived stability of providing the same fish all year, the wild fish is subject to the whims of changing migration patterns, fluctuating populations, and the dangers of the sea braved by sailors. Plus, whatever else that manage to persist in the waters during Discord's reign. This gives it the perception of "rarity", and since they are all "natural" as some of the die-hard fans of wild fish group would say, that makes them all round better.
This got the fisher-gryphs the idea to go with the narrative and try to up their prices a bit since there wild fishes were oh so "rare" and "natural" all of a sudden. lo and behold, it worked and the fisher-gryphs were raking in more money than they ever had before! Its not like their prices suddenly got unbelievable that only the rich and noble classes can afford them but just enough to be noticeably pricier than the farm-raised alternative. This only pushes to narrative of farm-raised fish being the fish that everyone can afford while the wild fishes are for those who have a bit more money to burn or think that since its more expensive, its better than the alternative. Either way, both fish farmer and fisher-gryphs profit from the situation.
It was quite fascinating how the introduction of farm-raised fish could raise quite a ruckus in the fishing and seafood culture of the griffons. Overall, it could be said that the change was positive, There is a new revenue stream for the state to tax, a new job market for griffons, both fish farmers and fisher-gryphs profiting nicely on their ventures, a new way to past the time by arguing on the whether farm fish or wild fish is better, maybe even getting some new festivals or town/city events that the sprout from the competition between the two camps. Who knows what the future may hold for the fishing community.
@Questor Here is another omake for the upcoming battle. I initially had the idea of making an omake in the eyes of a bandit hired in the Aquillian army but after rereading some of the quest again, I can't help but want to make something a bit more lighthearted for a bit and can't help but though of expanding on the aquaculture learning turn that we had completed this year. Full disclosure, reading some Food War fanfics and videos very recently may have suddenly influenced some of this omake

. I was surprise how long this got too, over 1,600 worth of words lols.
If this get a bonus roll, please apply it to the upcoming battle where it is needed to most just like my last omake.