Holy wall of .txt! This is *extremely* partial but might as well get this going. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the starting point is
>! ...starthere.txt (shocking, I know)

So, let's try to solve the clues:
>! 0) A surficial excuse for discrimination (4) -> **race**?  
>! 1) When I .... about politics you always seem to .... (4/4)  
>! 2) Italy relative to Switzerland (2) -> **se** (southeast)?  
>! 2) Way to get loved for quite some time, time, time (4) -> **stay** (according to Taylor Swift)  
>! 3) A letter, best fitting Poseidon (3) -> **psi**, which looks like a trident  
>! 3) Vatican relative to Italy (2) -> **in**?  
>!  
>! The crossword seems to be the one in the centre of the image (the 4x4 with numbers 0-3).

Continuing where pirate and Omega Krypton left off...
>! [![enter image description here][1]][1]

For **gryphon**:
>! Take the outside letters plus T -> SKYPAWNT (up = SKY, legs = PAWS, sunny = TAN)  
>!  
>! Which fits in the bottom left crossword:  
>! [![enter image description here][2]][2]

**oceanman.txt**: You decide to TRAVEL on board of a ship, called after some HOLY person. Suddenly, you get into the storm, and the ship gets wrecked!!! Having drunk lots of SEAWATER, you get onto the seashore alive. 

>! Take the inside letters plus T -> STAALSIT (holy = ST, seawater = SALT, travel = SAIL)  
>!  
>! Which fits in the middle left:  
>! [![enter image description here][3]][3]
 
You're barely alive. Leave only one from each set of same letters you have (-3).  
>! This leaves ALSIT.

  [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/2yHC6.png
  [2]: https://i.sstatic.net/O7xEz.png
  [3]: https://i.sstatic.net/oPQAi.png