Preview of the PDF - e23 - Steve Jackson Games

And Other Prehistoric Creatures
By Stephen Dedman
Additional Material by Kirk Tate, from GURPS Ice Age
Edited by Steve Jackson, Lillian Butler and Susan Pinsonneault
Cover by Paul Koroshetz
Illustrated by Scott Cooper, Russell Hawley and Pat Ortega
Cartography by Marion Anderson and Bruce Popky
GURPS System Design by Steve Jackson
Scott Haring, Managing Editor
Sean Punch, GURPS Line Editor
Page Layout and Typography by Bruce Popky
Interior and Color Production by Bruce Popky, Derek Pearcy,
Byron Taylor and Brent Ferguson
Print Buying by Monica Stephens
Art Direction by Bruce Popky and Lillian Butler
Claudia Smith, Sales Manager
Special thanks to Dr. Thomas R. Holtz, Jr., and Marion Anderson for reviewing the manuscript, and to many other students of the
world that was, especially Brian Curtice, David Froelich, Dan LoRusso and George Olshevsky, for aid in their fields of expertise.
With their help, we were able to bring this book very close to the cutting edge of dinosaur science, circa mid-1996.
Any remaining errors are the responsibility of the editors.
Playtesters: Marion Anderson, Albert Griego, Lene Griego, Daniel Griego, Robert Griego, Chris Hood, Patrick Longe,
Linda Longe, Bobby J. Mestepey, Mike Murray, Glen Yarbrough, Tony Ridlon, Mike Fox, Virginia L. Nelson.
GURPS and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Pyramid and Illuminati Online and the names of all
products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are registered trademarks or trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license.
GURPS Dinosaurs is copyright 1996 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
ISBN 1-55634-293-4 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
STEVE JACKSON GAMES

FOREWORD . . . .4
INTRODUCTION . 5
About the Author 5
About GURPS 5
TIMELINE 6
Maps 7
1. PALEOZOIC . .13
Key to Animal
Descriptions 14
Life in the Oceans . 15
Ammonite 15
Jellyfish 15
Placoderms
(Armored Fish) 15
Sea Scorpion
(Eurypterid) 16
Sharks 16
Trilobite 16
Life on Land 17
Insects and Other
Arthropods 17
Amphibians 17
Reptiles and
Synapsids 18
Coelurosauravus 18
Dimetrodon 19
Edaphosaurus 19
Lycaenops 19
Moschops 19
Oph iacodon 19
Scutosaurus 19
Titanosuchus 19
2. TRIASSIC . . .20
Cold-Blooded Killers? . . .21
Predators 21
Aliwalia 21
Coelophysis 22
Crocodiles 22
Cynognathus 22
Eoraptor 23
Erythrosuchus 23
Herrerasaurus 23
Liliensternus 23
Staurikosaurus 23
Ticinosuchus 23
Herbivores 23
Desmatosuchus 23
Euskelosaurus 23
Heterodontosaurus 24
Kannemeyeria 24
Massospondylus 24
Plateosaurus 24
Riojasaurus 24
Pterosaurs 25
Eudimorphodon 25
The Triassic
Oceans 25
Cymbospondylus 25
Nothosaurus 25
Pistosaurus 25
Shonisaurus 25
3. JURASSIC . . .26
Dinosaur-Killers 27
Predators 29
Allosaurus 29
Ceratosaurus 29
Compsognathus 30
Dilophosaurus 30
Eustreptospondylus 30
Gasosaurus 30
Megalosaurus 30
Ornitholestes 31
Sarcosaurus 31
S inraptor 31
Syntarsus 31
Teleosaurus 31
Torvosaurus 31
Yangchuanosaurus 31
Herbivores 32
Sauropods 32
Amphicoelias 32
Apatosaurus
(Brontosaurus) 32
Barapasaurus 33
Barosaurus 33
Brachiosaurus 33
Camarasaurus 33
Cetiosaurus 33
Dicraeosaurus 33
Diplodocus 34
Mamenchisaurus 34
Rhoetosaurus 34
Seismosaurus 34
Shunosaurus 34
Supersaurus 35
Volkheimeria 35
Vulcanodon 35
Stegosaurs 35
Stegosaurus 35
Dacentrurus 35
Huayangosaurus 36
Kentrosaurus 36
Lexovisaurus 36
Tuojiangosaurus 36
Other Herbivores 36
Anchisaurus 36
Camptosaurus 36
Dryosaurus 36
Heterodontosaurus 36
Massospondylus 36
Othnielia 37
Lesothosaurus 37
Tianchisaurus 37
Pterosaurs and
Birds 37
Archaeopteryx 37
Dimorphodon 37
Pterodactylus 37
Rhamphorhynchus 38
Sordes 38
The Jurassic
Oceans 38
Cryptocleidus 38
Eurhinosaurus 38
Ichthyosaurus 39
Liopleurodon 39
Muraenosaurus 39
Ophthalmosaurus 39
Plesiosaurus 39
Temnodontosaurus 39
4. CRETACEOUS 40
"Those which have feathers,
and bite" 41
The Great Extinction 41
Predators 42
Abelisaurus 42
Acrocanthosaurus 42
Albertosaurus 42
Allosaurus 43
Baryonyx 43
Borogovia 43
Bruhathkayosaurus 43
Carnotaurus 43
Daspletosaurus 43
Deinocheirus 44
Deinonychus 44
Dromaeosaurus 44
Dromiceiomimus 44
Dryptosaurus 44
Estesia 45
Gallimimus 45
Giant Crocodile
(Phobosuchus) 45
Giganotosaurus 45
Indosuchus 45
Madtsoia 45
Ornithomimus 45
Oviraptor 46
Saurornithoides 46
Saurornitholestes 46
Spinosaurus 46
Struthiomimus 46
Therizinosaurus 46
Timimus 47
Troodon 47
Tyrannosaurus 47
Utahraptor 47
Velociraptor 47
Herbivores 48
Ceratopsians 48
Anchiceratops 48
Arrhinoceratops 49
Centrosaurus 49
Chasmosaurus 49
Monoclonius 49
Montanoceratops 49
Pentaceratops 49
Protoceratops 50
Styracosaurus 50
Torosaurus 50
Triceratops 51
Nodosaurs and Ankylosaurs 5I
Ankylosaurus 51
Edmontonia 51
Euoplocephalus 51
Hylaeosaurus 52
Minmi 52
Nodosaurus 52
Pinacosaurus 52
Saichania 52
Sauropelta 53
Tarchia 53
Hadrosaurs 53
Typical Hadrosaur 53
Anatotitan 53
Corythosaurus 53
Edmontosaurus 53
Gryposaurus 53
Hadrosaurus 54
Lambeosaurus 54
Maiasaura 54
Parasaurolophus 54
Saurolophus 54
Shantungosaurus 54
Iguanontids 55
Iguanodon 55
Muttaburrasaurus 55
Ouranosaurus 55
Pachycephalosaurs 55
Goyocephale 55
Homalocephale 56
Pachycephalosaurus 56
Prenocephale 56
Stegoceras 56
Stygimoloch 56
Sauropods 56
Alamosaurus 56
Amargasaurus 57
Argentinosaurus 57
Hypselosaurus 57
Saltasaurus 57
Titanosaurus 57

Hypsilophodonts 58
Hypsilophodon 58
Leaellynasaura 58
Orodromeus 58
Other Herbivores 58
Camptosaurus 58
Wuerhosaurus 58
Tenontosaurus 58
Pterosaurs and
Birds 59
Cearadactylus 59
Criorhynchus 59
Dsungaripterus 59
Pteranodon 59
Pterodaustro 59
Quetzalcoatlus 60
The Cretaceous
Oceans 60
Archelon 60
Elasmosaurus 60
Ichthyosaurus 60
Kronosaurus 60
Mosasaurs 61
Platecarpus 61
Tylosaurus 61
Dinosaur Intelligence 61
Dinosaurs as PCs 61
5. RISE OF THE
MAMMALS . .62
Paleontologists as PCs .63
Carnivores 63
Amphicyon (Bear-Dog) .63
Andrewsarchus 63
Basilosaurus 64
Bears 64
Borhyeana 64
Creodonts 64
Eusmilus 64
Hyena 64
Kangaroo, Carnivorous . 65
Megalania 65
Megalodon 65
Megantereon 65
Pristichampus 65
Purrusaurus 66
Quinkana 66
Terror Cat 66
Thylacosmilus 66
Vampire Cat 66
Herbivores 66
Ambelodon 66
Anancus 67
Antelope
67
Arsinotherium 67
Brontothere 67
Camels 67
Chal icotherium 68
Chapalmalania 68
Cuvieronius 68
Deinotherium 68
Dinohyus 68
Diprotodon 68
Doedicurus (Glyptodont) 68
Elasmotherium 69
Gigantopithecus 69
Ground Sloths 69
Hipparion 69
Horse 70
Indricotherium 70
Mastodon 70
Moropus 70
Platybelodon 70
Synthetoceras 70
Toxodon 70
U i ntatheri um 70
Birds 71
Argentavis 71
Diatryma 71
Dromornis 7 I
Moa (Dinornis) 71
Phorusrhacus 71
Teratornis 71
6. PLIOCENE AND
PLEISTOCENE 72
Carnivores 74
Bears 74
Cave Lion 74
Cheetah 74
Hyena 74
Jackal 75
Leopard 75
Lion 75
Megantereon 75
Rhamphosuchus 76
Sabertooth (Smilodon) 76
Scimitar Cat
(Homotherium) 76
Teratornis 76
Terror Cat 76
Thylacoleo 76
Wolves 76
Wolverine, Pleistocene . . .77
Herbivores 77
Anancus 77
Antelope 77
Aurochs 78
Baboons 78
Caribou and Reindeer . . . 78
Cuvieronius 79
Deinotherium 79
Diprotodon 79
Dwarf Elephant 79
Eland 79
Elephant 79
Hipparion 80
Hippidion 80
Hippopotamus 80
Horse (Equus) 80
Ibex 81
Irish Elk (Megaloceros) 81
Mammoth 81
Mastodon (Mammut) . 81
Megatherium 82
Metridiochoerus 82
Pelorovis 82
Rhinoceri 82
Sivatherium 82
Toxodon 82
7. THE FIRST
HUMANS . . .83
Timeline of Human
Evolution 84
The Genus Homo 85
Homo habilis 85
Homo ergaster and
Homo erectus 85
Homo heidelbergensis . . 85
Neandertal Man 86
Cro-Magnon Man 86
Economy 86
Religion 86
Technology 87
Languages 87
Psionics and Magic 87
Character Creation 88
Homo habilis 88
H. habilis Height and
Weight Table 88
Height and Weight
Modifications 88
Australopithecine
Characters 89
Homo ergaster and
Homo erectus 91
Diet and the Place of
Women 91
Technology, Language and
Social Development . . .93
Homo heidelbergensis . . .94
Ise Eve Theory 94
Tool-Making Techniques .95
Neandertal Man 97
The Cave Bear Cult 97
What Happened
to Neandertal? 98
H. sapiens sapiens in
the Tropics 99
Domestication of
Animals
Cro-Magnon Man
The Age of Art
The Venus Cult
101
102
103
105
8. ICE AGE
CHARACTERS 106
Character Types 107
Advantages,
Disadvantages
and Skills 108
Advantages 108
Disadvantages 109
Skills 110
Shamanism 111
Social Status and
Wealth 112
Jobs and Income 113
Job Table 113
Equipment 113
Weapon Table 113
Armor 114
9. PREHISTORIC
CAMPAIGNS 115
Time Travel 116
Lost Realms 116
The Lost-Realm Plot . . 116
After the Holocaust: The
Next Ice Age 117
The Ice Age Campaign 118
Dinosaur Discoveries,
by Decade 118
Technology and Culture 119
Campaign in Space:
The Dragon Realm . . .119
Magic and Shamanism . .120
Campaign Themes 120
Men of Stone 120
Paleozoic Adventures . . 121
Mesozoic Adventures . . 122
The Fractured History
Setting 123
Alien Visitors 123
Caveman Slapstick 123
Recent and
Future Adventures . . .123
Creatures 124
Technology 124
Slapstick Adventures . . .124
GLOSSARY . . . 125
BIBLIOGRAPHY 126
INDEX 127

I am a paleontologist. So I was a bit surprised when I was asked to write an
introduction to a roleplaying game, even one on dinosaurs. "What's that?" I
asked, as I opened the envelope containing the manuscript. I was quickly
absorbed in a fascinating trip based on paleontological fact, with some interesting
side trips into pure speculation.
GURPS Dinosaurs is an integration of scientific detail, derived from the
professional and popular writings of paleontologists, with the imaginative speculations
of its author, Stephen Dedman. While GURPS Dinosaurs won't get
you through your Paleo 101 final, it will allow you to travel through time into
environments inhabited by long-extinct species fierce and gentle, huge and
small.
As a dinosaur paleontologist and evolutionary biologist, my job is to gather
the evidence which allows us to better visualize extinct organisms, their ecologies,
and how they lived their lives. And one thing I've learned is how organisms
adapt to their environments, how the struggle for survival can only be described
as a merciless act of aggression which yields a progression of successes.
It is, of course, evolution which allows organisms to adapt to these particular
environments. Leaving the environment in which you evolved and traveling
to another can only be described as a dangerous venture. Entering an environment
other than the one in which you originally evolved makes you a competitive
alien, regardless of intent. You have invaded the ecological space of another
organism which, by definition, is better adapted to this environment.
Interestingly, the farther back in time you go, the less chance there is of surviving,
because the farther back you venture, the less adapted you are to the
environment. (Of course, this scenario also works in reverse. If you decide to
bring presently-extinct organisms forward in time, you must keep in mind their
survival odds are very low. This is especially true if the organism was driven into
extinction by another, more competitive species.)
There are other problems with time travel as well, some of which would
require tremendous preparation. For example, consider placing the time travel
device in your back yard and attempting a trip back 100 million years. What
altitude was the surface of the ground? It could have been under a mile or so of
rock, a thousand feet in the air, or under water. Was your back yard even part of
a continent 100 million years ago? Continents move! Before striking out to visit
the Jurassic Period, I would strongly suggest learning as much as possible about
geology and paleogeography.
Regardless of whether you choose an actual creature from the past or create
a new one using the data presented by Mr. Dedman, you have surely entered an
extraordinary realm, a realm where the chronological horizons exceed a billion
years, and the only geographic limitation is the entire planet. Learn about the
history of the ancient worlds and you will be, like myself, on a fantastic voyage
in time.
John R. Horner
Bozeman, MT
Dec. 12, 1995

Though their name has become associated with everything unwieldy and
obsolete, from bankrupt superpowers to last year's computers, the tale of
the dinosaurs is one of the greatest success stories ever. Mammals
evolved alongside the earliest dinosaurs and, for more than 165 million years,
survived by being too small for the "terrible lizards" to bother chasing.* Long
before the dagger-tooths and dire wolves, there were five-ton carnosaurs and
man-sized raptors. Before the mammoths and woolly rhinos, there were
sauropods as long as blue whales, elephant-sized hornfaces, armored ankylosaurs,
and huge herds of hadrosaurs. Not until the dinosaurs had been gone for
63 million years did hominids start banging rocks together.
After millenia of their bones inspiring myths of dragons and other monsters,
dinosaurs were rediscovered in the mid-19th century (the word "dinosaur" is
some 153 years old as I write), and quickly bullied their way into popular culture.
Now, despite being extinct, their commercial dominion is enormous. We
should look so good after 65 million years.
This book is a bestiary and chronology of the "interesting and extinct," from
the trilobites of the Paleozoic to the early tool-users of the Pleistocene. It is primarily
intended as an aid for the GURPS Time Travel GM who wishes to send
PCs to any era in prehistoric Earth, but it is also a source of monsters and lost
worlds for any genre – Supers, Space, Atomic Horror, Fantasy, Cliffhangers,
even Cyberpunk and Old West. Chapter 9 gives campaign and adventure suggestions
for all of these worlds and more, including stone age campaigns – realistic,
fractured history, and slapstick. Chapters 9 and 10 give character creation
and roleplaying information for early hominids and humans,
with a brief guide to shamanic magic. Also included are a
bibliography and filmography, for serious dinophiles.
I would like to thank the Dinosaur Society for their
help with this project and their sponsorship of dinosaur
research and education. Thanks also to the paleontologists,
museum staff, writers, and film-makers (some of
them, anyway) for fueling a life-long fascination with the
"terrible lizards" and other prehistoric creatures.
– Stephen Dedman
About the Author
Stephen Dedman has been an education officer and used dinosaur salesman
for the Western Australian Museum, the manager of a science fiction bookshop,
an editorial assistant for Australian Physicist, and an experimental subject. His
other writing credits include GURPS Space Atlas 4, GURPS Martial Arts
Adventures, a dinosaur bestiary for Car Wars, and two Villains and Vigilantes
adventures. His short stories have appeared in Fantasy & Science Fiction,
Asimov's Science Fiction, Science Fiction Age, and several anthologies. He lives
in Perth with his wife, two saber-clawed cats, and a large collection of plastic
dinosaurs.
*Although "terrible lizard" is the common translation of "dinosaur," it should be noted that
when Richard Owen coined the word in his 1842 text, British Fossil Reptiles, he gave the derivation
as "fearfully great lizards."
Amour GURPS
Steve Jackson Games is committed to
full support of the GURPS system. Our
address is SJ Games, Box 18957, Austin,
TX 78760. Please include a selfaddressed,
stamped envelope (SASE) any
time you write us! Resources now available
include:
Pyramid. Our bimonthly magazine
includes new rules and articles for
GURPS, as well as information on our
other lines: Car Wars, Toon, INWO, Ogre
Miniatures and more . . . and, of course,
the new Dino Hunt! It also covers top
releases from other companies
—Traveller, Call of Cthulhu, Shadowrun,
and many more.
New supplements and adventures.
We're always working on new material,
and we'll be happy to let you know what's
available. A current catalog is available
for an SASE.
Errata. Everyone makes mistakes,
including us — but we do our best to fix
our errors. Up-to-date errata sheets for all
GURPS releases, including this book, are
always available from SJ Games; be sure
to include an SASE with your request.
Q&A. We do our best to answer any
game question accompanied by an SASE.
Gamer input. We value your comments.
We will consider them, not only
for new products, but also when we
update this book on later printings!
Online. For those who have home
computers, Illuminati Online supports SJ
Games with discussion areas for many
games, including GURPS. Here's where
we do a lot of our playtesting! It's up 24
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Give us a call! And visit us on the World
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Page References
Rules and statistics in this book are
specifically for the GURPS Basic Set,
Third Edition, Revised. Any page reference
that begins with a B refers to the
GURPS Basic Set — e.g., p. B102 means
p. 102 of the GURPS Basic Set, Third
Edition, Revised. A reference that begins
with CI indicates GURPS Compendium I:
Character Creation. A reference that
begins with TT indicates GURPS Time
Travel.
INTRODUCTION 5