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Showing results for tags 'rideable'.
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From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Beelzebufo Species: Beelzebufo palucocus Time: Late Cretaceous Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Languorous Wild: Beelzebufo palucocus is the largest frog I've ever seen. Almost impossibly large, it can actually fit a full grown human adult on its back, though just barely. This is a dangerous prospect, though, as secretions from Beelzebufo's skin and saliva have a narcotic effect on most creatures. Not surprisingly, Beelzebufo is adept at killing insects. In fact, it kills most insects near-instantly, and quickly digests them. It even combines the narcotic chemicals in its mouth with the insects' chitin to create a sticky substance, allowing it to quickly grab prey from afar, and yielding a form of cementing paste. Domesticated: Tamed Beelzebufo make for strange mounts. Strange mounts for strange people. Many tribes don't believe there's any reason to ride them. But some like the ability to take large vertical hops up huge walls and cliffs. Regardless of how it is ridden, Beelzebufo is also employed for its ability to quickly cull insects, and convert them into always-useful cementing paste. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Diplodocus Species: Diplodocus Insulaprincep Time: Late Jurassic Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Naive Wild: Despite being one of the Island's larger creatures, Diplodocus Insulaprincep is among the Island's smaller sauropods. Instead of the size and intelligence, Diplodocus developed faster maximum speed and greater endurance. When fully matured, it generally only reaches about two-thirds the size of the rather enormous Brontosaurus. Diplodocus is another creature whose continued survival on the Island confuses me. It's a very thick-headed and trusting animal, often to its fatal detriment. It usually doesn't flee from predators until after they've attacked it repeatedly, preferring instead to make numerous fruitless attempts at friendship. For some strange reason, Diplodocus trusts humans so much that it doesn't seem to fight back against them... ever! Domesticated: Due to Diplodocus' smaller frame, it cannot support the type of 'platform' saddle that other large creatures can. To make up for this, many tribes instead use a three-seater passenger saddle that allows Diplodocus to carry two additional riders. These passengers often use ranged weapons to protect the creature, or to attack nearby enemies while on the move! -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Direbear Species: Arctodus Dirus Time: Mid Pleistocene / Early Holocene Diet: Omnivore Temperament: Territorial Wild: Found primarily among the Island’s mountain and tundra regions, Arctodus Dirus is an imposing creature. Like most of the creatures, that inhabit this island’s colder areas, it is a mammal, and this particular mammal is either at or near the top of that region’s food chain. Many on the island have started calling it Direbear, a name which appropriate both due to it’s enormity and it’s territorial nature. The Direbear ignores most non-hostile creatures while going about its daily routine of scavenging for meat and edible plantlife... That is, until intruders enter the territory it considers its own, at which point it viciously attacks. Most often, it is smartest to just run from an angry Direbear. Domesticated: Once tamed, the Direbear is a strong and reliable mount. it can carry vast quantities of goods, and can sprint for extremely long, nearly infinite periods. It is not the fastest creature from a hard stop, but after building up momentum, its sustained overland speed builds to among the best on the island. Of course, being able to feed a Direbear both meat and plantlife makes keeping one fairly convenient regardless of the environment. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Doedicurus Species: Doedicurus custosaxum Time: Plestiocene – Holocene Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Docile Wild: Doedicurus custosaxum is one of the island’s non-aggressive herbivores, generally found on mountains and grasslands. Large and well-armored, it has a supply of fat under its plates to keep it warm and fed in the cold. Doedicurus has adapted well to the dangers of the island, perhaps even better than the Ankylosaurus. Doedicurus has two very different reactions to predators. Against smaller foes, it generally uses its spiked tail to inflict as much damage as possible. Against larger predators, however, it pulls its tail underneath itself to form a solid armored ball that is nearly impossible for creatures to pierce. Domesticated: Doedicurus is a highly prized work animal on the island. Its spiked Tail is ideal for quickly shattering the large rocks, so Doedicurus is a very efficient quarry worker. And in case their quarry gets raided, Doedicurus-Riders have a very difficult-to-kill mount! -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Dunkleosteus Species: Dunkleosteus Loricaruptor Time: Late Devonian Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Aggressive Wild: Dunkleosteus Loricaruptor is a very strange creature. It is a fairly large fish, covered head to tail in armored plates, with incredibly powerful jaws. It tends to eat the islands' water-dwelling crustaceans, as it not fast enough to catch most of the smaller fish. Dunkleosteus is a surprisingly combat-oriented for a fish. Its well-armored body protects it from many creatures, while its bite is strong enough to easily crush through chitinous shells. Domesticated: Dunkleosteus is an incredibly useful fish for coastal communities. Its powerful jaws make short work of the stone and oil formations found throughout the oceanic depths. While harvesting, Dunkleosteus can handily defend its rider from all but the largest threats in the waters. And once past its prime, the Dunkleosteus can be harvested for a fair amount of Chitin. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Gallimimus Species: Gallimimus evolvelox Time: Late Cretaceous Period Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Skittish Wild: When someone asks me what the fastest creatures on the island are, Gallimimus is always a contender. Unlike the island's many armored animals, Gallimimus eschews strong defenses for the ability to outrun pretty much anything. A skittish herbivore, Gallimimus even looks nervous when eating in a peaceful clear meadow. Having no real way to harm predators, it simply runs away and uses its ability to stay safe. I've even seen wild Gallimimusoutrun speed-trained Utahraptors! Domesticated: There are two general camps on the use of tamed Gallimimus. One camp thinks that their inability to actually harm hostile creatures, and their inability to harvest most resources, makes them primarily a burden to the tribe. The other camp thinks that their extreme speed and ability to jump long distances is among the best for scouting and exploring... or just making a quick getaway! -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Giganotosaurus Species: Giganotosaurus Furiosa Time: Late Cretaceous Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Angry Wild: Giganotosaurus Furiosa is an enormous predator, larger even than the Tyrannosaurus or Spinosaurus. While greater in size than those storied predators, it can be somewhat less dangerous when encountered in the wild, due to its sluggish speed. Even still, getting cornered or run down by a Giganotosaurus means certain death for nearly creature! Fighting a Giganotosaurus directly is never a good idea, as its rage rapidly grows with every hit it takes. With this rage, it builds increasing reserves of energy to use, making its iron jawed bites progressively more deadly and enhancing stamina. Add to this the fact that its huge body enables it to take a tremendous amount of punishment, and you have a creature that is generally better avoided or outsmarted than attacked head-on. Domesticated: Taming Giganotosaurus is a dangerous prospect. Its rage reaction even when tamed, can sometimes cause it to briefly turn of its own tribe. Indeed it may even throw off its rider is it has been angered! And yet, The sheer size and immense power that the Giganotosaurus possesses means that some factions endeavor to tame it as a fear-inducing "Captal" beast of war even at great risk! -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Gigantopithecus Species: Gigantopithecus fibrarator Time: Pleistocene Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Territorial Wild: Gigantopithecus fibrarator is a strange creature. It is usually quite passive, but it has a very short temper when it comes to its personal space. Once another creature gets close, this gentle giant quickly becomes a rampaging beast. Best to give them a wide berth. Gigantopithecus seems most happy to lazily lay about, picking berries from plants. Many Gigantopithecus spend much of their day in one small area unless they are provoked. Domesticated: In addition to being at home picking berries a tamed Gigantopithecus can be taught to harvest the fibers found on many island plants as well. It appears to be entirely content to pick at plants all day, eat the berries, and hold the fibers for its tribe. Playful once tamed, Gigantopithecus seems to enjoy throwing its shoulder-mounted rider into the air. It probably feels this is a game, but clever brigands can use this "game" to vault over walls and small cliffs. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Ichthy Species: Ichthyosaurus curiosa Time: Late Triassic - Early Jurassic Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Curious Wild: Ichthyosaurus curiosa is a comparatively small carnivore found in the waters around the island. It is slightly larger than a human, but that’s still small compared to the leviathans roaming these waters. It seems to be very interested in any creature around its size, often approaching and following humans swimming through its waters. Despite its appearance, the Ichthyosaurus is neither a fish nor an ocean mammal. Like many creatures in the waters around the island, it is actually an aquatic reptile. Domesticated: I can’t think of a better mount for someone starting to explore the island’s seas and waterways. Ichthyosaurus is comparatively fast swimmer, and even in the wild will cozy right up to you and try to figure out what you’re doing. Taming these is actually pretty easy, as they seem to love humans and will be fed and tamed without the use of violence. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Mammoth Species: Mammuthus steincaput Time: Early Pliocene Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Docile Wild: Seeing the likes of Mammuthus steincaput alongside dinosaurs is still strange. This behemoth towers over most creatures on the island, and does not seem to fear anything but the Tyrannosaurus. Mammoths generally thrive in colder areas and have a herd mentality. I'm honestly not certain how the herds of Mammoths find enough plant life to graze on some of the islands mountains. They must spend much of their time traveling between the mountains' cold summit and more lush base. Or maybe the Mammoth herd are the main reason the summits are so barren. Domesticated: Mammuthus steincaput is a difficult beast to domesticate. Not because they are inherently stubborn, but because knocking one out to begin the taming process takes forever. Once tamed, however, Mammoths are one of the only creatures on the island that can uproot trees without shattering them. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Manta Species: Manta Mobula Time: Early Oligocene - Holocene Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Defensive Wild: Here is another example of a creature that seems to have evolved beyond its historical traits. Everything points to this being a saltwater ray, but Manta Mobula has developed the ability to swim into the island´s rivers and shallows, as well as through the open ocean. Perhaps there were originally two types of ray on the island before, but years of interbreeding combined their lineage. Normally docile, the Manta Mobula is a carnivore only in that it consumes Plankton. Its tail is incredibly sharp, and can pierce through thick hide and armor with ease. Fortunately, Manta Mobula is usually not aggressive, unless encouraged. Domesticated: While not the fastest swimmer around the island, Manta Mobula is the deadliest of small ocean mounts, and can be ridden bare-back. Tribes who value striking power over speed often keep large schools of Manta to ride. Its capability to briefly leap out of water provides it a showy tactic for avoiding combat as well. A quick jab through the heart onto an unsuspecting survivor can easily take them by surprise. Thusly, many tribes use it as an escort for their slower cargo-carrying swimmers. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Megaloceros Species: Megaloceros Latuscoronam Time: Pliocene Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Skittish Wild: Megaloceros Latuscoronam is a very skittish herbivore, found mostly in the forests and mountains of the island. Because of its large size, its fraught demeanor would be strange in any other place. But Megaloceros knows how fierce the predators of the island are, and knows that it is safer to flee from them than to risk its life in a fight. The horns of Megaloceros are very large, and make for an excellent source of Keratin. This, of course, makes it a valuable resource. Unfortunately, hunting Megaloceros is not easy because of their quick speed and ability to bound over most obstacles. Domesticated: Megaloceros is a jack-of-all-trades creature, and many who ride it value its versatility. It is decently powerful, and its resilience, speed, and ability to jump often come in handy. Finally, its charging horn attack tends to cause targets to "bleed", decreasing their health, stamina, and speed until healed! -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Megalodon Species: Carcharodon ultramegalodon Time: Miocene-Pliocene Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Aggressive Wild: Were it not restricted to the waters, Carcharodon ultramegalodon might be the most dangerous creature on the island. As powerful and dangerous as the Tyrannosaurus is on land, Megalodon is its equal in the water. In addition, it has a speed advantage over any non-aquatic creature. Megalodons need large quantities of food to sustain themselves, so they attack most creatures immediately on sight. Smaller fish are the sole exception I've seen; I believe this is because they cost more energy for Megalodons to catch than they would gain. Domesticated: If someone is able to tame this beast, that person would be the undisputed ruler of the oceans around the island and would have access to resources no one can safely find! -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Sabertooth Species: Smilodon brutalis Time: Early Pleistocene/Holocene Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Aggressive Wild: Smilodon brutalis is a solitary predator, generally found in cold, lightly wooded areas. The island's mountains are the perfect habitat, as the mammal's fur keeps it safe from the bitter temperature. While its huge fangs are excellent for delivering deathblows, the creature's claws can be just as deadly. Despite normally being a solitary creature, Smilodon brutalis are not opposed to hunting in small packs. In fact, they have to do this to take down larger prey such as Mammoths. Enough Sabertooths can take down a Carnotaurus, perhaps even a Tyrannosaurus. Either way, Smilodon brutalis should not be underestimated. Domesticated: While not as fast as Raptors, there's no denying the Sabertooth's increased resilience and power. In addition, well-trained Sabertooth can be taught to use their claws to flay corpses. This may sound morbid, but it is among the best ways to quickly gather large quantities of hide from the giant beasts of the island. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Megatherium Species: Megatherium Formipavor Time: Late Pleocene-Early Holocene Diet: Omnivore, but primarily Herbivore Temperament: Passive, but aggressive to insects Wild: Megatherium Formipavor is one of the larger mammals on the island. This is most shocking because it is essentially a giant sloth... if you crossbred it with an elephant and a bear! Because of its size and girth, the Megatherium is uncommonly resistant to being knocked unconscious. Despite primarily being an herbivore, a typical Megatherium is very intent on consuming the island's many insects. It is particularly adept at removing their insides without damaging the shell, maximizing extraction of chitin. The otherwise slow and peaceful Megatherium becomes faster and more aggressive in the presence of these creatures. Domesticated: Megatherium is an incredibly useful creature to tame, so long as you don't intend to fight other tribes. Its enormity, high resistance to torpor, and voracious attitude toward insects (and arachnids) makes it ideal for farming large quantities of chitin from the bugs of the island, or simply defending against them! -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Quetzal Species: Quetzalcoatlus conchapicem Time: Late Cretaceous Period Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Skittish Wild: Quetzalcoatlus is one of the largest avians on the island. It shares a similar silhouette with the Pteranodon, and nests near the absolute highest peaks. Upon closer inspection, though, Quetzalcoatlus is an enormous creature of tremendous power. I find it strange that such a large, imposing beast would be so skittish. Unlike other creatures of its size, it is more likely to flee than fight. I suppose the decision to flee from any trouble keeps the species alive on an island with so many dangerous predators. But then how does it eat enough to sustain its massive size? Domesticated: Tamed Quetzalcoatlus have a very specific role on the island. Too slow to be an efficient local transport, and too weak to be an effective warbird, the tribes I have encountered tend to employ it as a mass carrier.Quetzalcoatlus is primarily used by these masters of the skies to safely carry vast quantities of supplies, creatures and human cargo from one base to another without tiring. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Plesiosaur Species: Elasmosaurus remuspissa Time: Late Cretaceous Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Docile Wild: Elasmosaurus remuspissa has a strange role in the oceanic food chain. It almost exclusively hunts the smaller creatures in the waters, leaving most even moderately large creatures (such as humans) alone. The sheer size of theElasmosaurus means that the quantity of creatures it must eat to sustain itself is nothing short of enormous. Despite its imposing size, Elasmosaurus still has natural predators. Well, a natural predator: the Megalodon. Apart from that monstrous creature, I myself have only ever seen two creatures bring down an Elasmosaurus: a Spinosaurus that found its way into the deeps (not common), and humans. Though I will admit, I have yet to fully explore the staggering deep underwater caverns surrounding the island. Domesticated: Much like the Brontosaurus on land, Elasmosaurus is an excellent way to transport large quantities of goods over water. These powerful creatures are in fact so large that they can be used as mobile water bases. Ambitious tribes sometimes build bunkers right onto the backs of Elasmosaurus instead of building cargo ships. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Pteranodon Species: Pteranodon wyvernus Time: Late Cretaceous Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Skittish Wild: Pteranodon wyvernus is a large pterosaur, capable of flying for incredibly long periods. While others I've seen on the island still call it a Pterodactyl, this is inaccurate. The Pteranodon seems to be one of the least aberrant Reptile on the island. Pteranodon wyvernus mostly feeds itself by eating the small fish around the island, but they can also be found scavenging any number of dead animals. Because of this they are one of the most common Creatures on the island. Domesticated: I don't know how they did it, but I once saw a trio of Pteranodons with riders on them. This must be the fastest way to get around the island, but it can't provide any measure of safety or secrecy. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Scorpion Species: Pulmonoscorpius gigantus Time: Late Silurian Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Aggressive Wild: I'm not sure why, but the giant scorpions I've seen on the island are far more disturbing than most of the Dinosaurs. Rather than simply kill its prey, Pulmonoscorpius gigantus injects its victims with a tranquilizing poison, then eats its unconscious prey alive. This subspecies has a large pair of pincers that seem connected to the same toxin sacs as the tail. I've never seen another scorpion that has this adaptation, but I've never seen another scorpion that is larger than I am, either. Domesticated: Trying to tame a monster like Pulmonoscorpius gigantus sounds like a crazy idea, but I suppose the ability to knock out a foe could come in handy. It could certainly make incapacitating some of the island's other creatures much easier. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Raptor Species: Utahraptor prime Time: Early Creataceous Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Aggressive Wild: Utahraptor prime is an incredibly aggressive species of Utahraptor found on the island. It tends to travel in small hunting packs, attacking smaller prey with its sharp teeth or enlarged foreclaws. One of the faster creatures on the island, Utahraptor often uses hit-and-run tactics against larger opponents. The large curved talon on the second toe of this sub-species seems particularly suited for attacking while jumping. Utahraptor prime usually kill their prey with numerous slashing and leaping attacks in rapid sequence. Domesticated: Despite its normally aggressive nature, Utahraptor has become one of the main mounts for roaming bands of raiders, as well as scouts for the larger collectives. Those who ride Utahraptor claim they are difficult to tame, but fiercely loyal once they are. As a carnivore, once tamed they require a steady stream of meat to sustain. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Rex Species: Tyrannosaurus dominum Time: Late Cretaceous Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Aggressive Wild: Among the deadliest creatures on the island, Tyrannosaurus dominum is a killing machine. Active mostly when hunting for food or defending its nest, a reasonable plan is to avoid every Tyrannosaurus. I've seen no creature on the island that can contest Tyrannosaurus for sheer dominance. It is pure power - from its bite, to its stomp, to its tail, to its arms. Despite being a different species of Tyrannosaurus, everyone I've met still refers to them as a "Rex" or a "T-Rex." I've long since stopped trying to convince anyone especially the few who I've seen wearing Tyrannosaurus teeth as necklaces. Domesticated: Taming a Tyrannosaurus is without a doubt a primary goal for any aspiring warlord or warring Tribes. There is a reason Tyrannosaurus is considered the king of the dinosaurs (or with this genus, the 'lord'). A Tribe that actually manages to tame one has almost nothing to fear to challenge their power. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Spino Species: Spinosaurus aquareliga Time: Early-Late Cretaceous Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Territorial Wild: Among the carnivores on the Island that can match Tyrannosaurus in size, Spinosaurus aquareliga does not quite match its ferocity. Spinosaurus four legs and large sail make it fairly swift on land, and incredibly fast in water. The one comforting fact about Spinosaurus is that it seems more at home near water than away from it. While the creature is insatiable while near water, it tends to become more docile as it gets further away from it. On one occasion, I only escaped a Spinosaurus by getting far enough from its lake home to make it simply lose interest. Domesticated: Spinosaurus is an incredibly well-rounded apex carnivore. Faster than a Tyrannosaurus in water, able to travel on land unlike a Megalodon, and larger than a Carnotaurus, its all-terrain versatility may be unrivaled. For hunters who wish to have a well-rounded mount, Spinosaurus may be the ideal choice—If they can acquire one. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Stegosaurus Species: Stegosaurus regium Time: Late Jurassic Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Docile Wild: Stegosaurus regium has approximately 16 paired rows of plates along its back, flanked by another smaller pair of 6 plates. This is contrary to the alternating rows of Stegosaurus fossils found in museums. I've encountered Stegosaurus, in varying amounts almost everywhere on the island. Not surprisingly, Stegosaurus uses the spines on its tail to defend itself. While not aggressive, Stegosaurus will come to the aid of other nearby Stegosaurus. This implies it to be a herd animal. Domesticated: Commonly used as a safe way to transport large quantities of goods. The plates on the Stegosaurus regium double as a cover against the arrows of the attackers. Unfortunately, they also make it harder to load and unload some cargo. The Stegosaurus attacks by swinging its spiked tail at the opponent, which has a wide area of attack. Care must be taken not to anger any nearby dinosaurs by accidentally hitting them. The swinging attack, however, is excellent for collecting large amounts of berries. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Triceratops Species: Triceratops styrax Time: Late Cretaceous Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Short-Tempered Wild: Apparently a cross-breed of a Triceratops and Styracosaurus, Triceratops styrax has both the characteristic three-horned face of Triceratops and the prominent horned-ridge of Styracosarus. Normally a very docile grazing animal, Triceratops becomes extremely aggressive once angered. Triceratops will chase down would-be predators (and egg-stealers) with incredible prejudice. I've seen Triceratops have an especially hostile reaction to the Tyrannosaurus on the island, with herds attacking in groups. Domesticated: A common mount for those that ride dinosaurs, Triceratops doubles as both pack animal and combat war horse. Triceraptops' bony ridge works excellently as cover from frontal attacks, and the dinosaur's charge is incredibly dangerous. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Mosasaurus Species: Mosasaurus suspirita Time: Late Cretaceous Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Aggressive Wild: Until recently, I believed the Ultramegalodon to be the greatest of the ocean predators. Then I discovered Mosasaurus suspirita in the deeps. Not quite as fast, but much larger and stronger, the Mosasaurus rules the deep waters off the island. Growing up to 50 feet long, Mosasaurus is larger than almost every other aquatic creature I've encountered thus far. Contrary to common belief, Mosasaurus cannot breathe underwater. Rather, it can hold its breath an incredibly long period of time, similar to a whale. Mosasaurus is a deep-sea marine lizard, not a fish. It spends most of its time in the deeps, and only comes up to surface to breathe, or chase prey with an engulfing chomp. Domesticated: Despite its power, Mosasaurus is not ideal for all deep-water activities. Its slower swim speed makes the risk of drowning much higher when using Tylosaurus to reach oil deposits or silica pearls. Having one with you as an escort, on the other hand, is probably the best oceanic defense available!
