Army composition question

[carlec]

I would love to have griffins, but can't find how to get them. I found the island, and hoped I could get them to join me, but they wouldn't. I am guessing that I have to finish the quest of the griffin king, but that is still beyond me right now.

And I haven't seen Shamens yet. Are they with the elves?

Are skeleton archers really the best as everyone says? I was not going to go down the undead path with this army/game. This is my first, so I was hoping to add elves, but certainly haven't found them yet.