Dinosaurs

2104
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Dinosaurs are reptiles, their name being derived from the Greek "terrible lizard;' that are descended from a variety of the species called thecodonts. The two orders of dinosaurs are saurischians ("lizard-hipped dinosaurs") and omithischians ("bird-hipped dinosaurs"). All carnivorous dinosaurs fall into the former order. All armored and horned dinosaurs fall into the latter order.

Because of the nature of time in planes where magic works, dinosaurs widely separate in time are discussed hereunder, for they can be found intermingled on some alternate world, strange plane, or isolated continent somewhere. Great detail will not be given to any one kind, but all major forms are depicted.

Dinosaurs are typically larger than any other naturally occurring creatures encountered by adventurers. While some species are drab or blend in with their surroundings, some are quite colorful-as are some of the smaller reptile species. Many dinosaurs look ferocious, with large heads full of sharply pointed teeth, but even those that look friendly at first glance can be dangerous because of their size or tremendous appetites.

Combat: Dinosaurs could not have survived for as long as they have if they were incapable of defending themselves and finding sufficient food-sometimes by particularly violent means. The larger carnosaurs favor attacks that hold prey with their claws, while they crush it with their powerful jaws. Smaller carnosaurs often hunt in packs, ambushing prey or relentlessly chasing it until it is captured. The jaws of these littler dinosaurs may be smaller than those of their larger cousins, but the teeth are every bit as sharp! Most herbivorous dinosaurs defend themselves with builtin armor plating or sheer size, but even these can cause considerable damage if they step on their enemies by rearing up on their hind legs or trampling. Some have long tails that can suddenly lash out at a foe.

It must be borne in mind that all of these reptiles are extremely stupid-some sauropods, despite their massive size, have brains the size of walnuts. No dinosaur is as intelligent as a horse or the family dog - a dinosaur's primary motivation is hunger. The predatory types are both ferocious and voracious. The herbivorous dinosaurs are likewise insatiable eaters, but they tend either to ignore anything that appears both inedible and nonthreatening, or to flee in panic from anything that appears dangerous.

Certain plant eaters, however, are aggressive in their defense, and these sorts are dangerous, notably the stegosaurs, ankylosaurs, and ceratopians.

The larger marine dinosaurs might overturn vessels to get at the "food" aboard, or they might snatch unsuspecting creatures from the decks of passing ships. Land carnivores pursue anything that looks or smells edible, ceasing pursuit only when the prey has obviously moved completely out of their grasp. Herbivorous dinosaur herds might stampede in virtually any direction, as long as it is away from one of the big meat-eaters. Any creature directly in the path of such a stampede will be carried along or killed-the latter if smaller, slower, and weaker.

Habitat/Society: Herbivorous dinosaurs are dependent on a plentiful supply of plants for food, and carnivorous dinosaurs are dependent on a plentiful supply of herbivorous dinosaurs for food, so for the most part both types of dinosaurs live in such regions. A jungle or swamp, of course, would be ideal, but there is no reason why a dinosaur could not happily dwell in a sylvan forest or grassy plain. Deserts, high mountains, and frozen wastes are out, but dinosaurs could be found virtually anywhere else.

Most dinosaurs are solitary in their habits, but many herbivores, especially the ornithopods and ceratopians, tend to travel in herds. Some of the smaller carnosaurs hunt in packs.

For the most part, dinosaur family life is Like that of other reptiles. Dinosaurs lay eggs, and then abandon them to hatch on their own. Once hatched, the baby dinosaur immediately sets out to find something to eat, an instinct that drives it for its entire life. An individual might range over thousands of miles, moving seasonally to find food, or it might settle down and spend its whole life in an area of only a few hundred square yards. Some of these dinosaurs are territorial, attacking outsiders on sight.

Ecology: Placing dinosaurs into a campaign requires no more planning - and no less - than that required for including any other type of monster. Scientists do not clearly understand why dinosaurs disappeared on some worlds, but if those events had not occurred, these giant reptiles would still be roaming about in search of food.

Dinosaur Family Tree: Faced with only an alphabetical listing, it can be difficult to determine the interrelationships between the various species described here. The following paragraphs place the creatures listed here into family groupings.

The dinosaurs proper include the ornithischians and saurischians, distinguished from each other by the underlying shape of their hip bones. Other relatives in the following pages include the pterosaurs, or flying reptiles.

A few fishes and turtles have also found their way into these pages, on account of their ferocity, size, and primitive state of development.


MC3 Volume III Forgotten Realms Appendix I (2104)