Although modern people might prefer to presume otherwise, humans were not the original masters of the planet. Long before the first pyramid, before the invention of the wheel, and before the first human word was spoken, the Mesozoic Era (248 to 65 million years ago) was known as the age of reptiles. Earth was quite different when dinosaurs dominated the planer. Its climate was warmer, and mild seasons promoted the growth of lush foliage. There was no polar ice, the sea level was higher, and the continents were still joined to form Pangaea, the supercontinent.
The Mesozoic era followed the great Permian extinction, which ended after the world’s ecosystem became depleted and Earth saw its largest mass extinction. Fortunately for modern people, many new life forms appeared in the vacuum left by those who were ill-suited to survive.
The age of reptiles is divided into three periods. Dinosaurs and mammals first appeared during the Triassic period (248 to 2D6 million years ago). A global extinction heralded the end of this period, bur it paled in comparison to the Permian. Marine reptiles hunted the ocean depths.
Dinosaurs mastered the planet during the Jurassic period (2D6 to 144 million years ago). Huge sauropods, flowering plants, and primitive birds made their first appearance during this age. Pterosaurs rook to the skies and soared over the prehistoric world. Tectonic pressure tore Pangaea apart, and the Laurasia and Gondwana land masses emerged from the seismic struggle. The early portion of this period is referred to as the Lias (206 to 180 million years ago), the middle is the Dogger (180 to 154 million years ago), and the remainder is known as the Malm (154 to 144 million years ago).
The planet’s reptile-like masters reached their peak during the Cretaceous period (144 to 65 million years ago) and became extinct by its conclusion. The remnants of Pangaea fractured further to form the present-day continents, oceans receded and polar ice began to form as they grew colder. Forty percent of the known dinosaurs lived in the last 15 million years of this period. The beginning of the Cretaceous is known as the Nerocoian (144 to 127 million years ago), the mi0Dle is the Gallic (127 to 89 million years ago), and the latter part is called the Senonian (89 to 65 million years ago).
Allosauruses had vertebrae that were different from other dinosaurs. These beasts had powerful $-shaped necks and lived in the Malm {late Jurassic) period. They were carnivores chat could grow up to 11 meters in length, and they stood five meters tall on powerful hind legs. The skull of an adult was nearly a meter in length. Bony ridges sat above the eyes and on the tip of its head. Mature specimens weighed in at two metric cons, depending on the species. This creature had a bulky body, a massive rail, and heavy bones. Its front arms were short and ended in three-fingered hands that sported sharp claws.
Ankylosaurids traveled ·on all fours and dined on low-lying planes during the Cretaceous period. The majority of their back was fused together to form heavy armored plates. These creatures wore a tough, reptilian hide and used a flexible, club-like tail made of large, bony clumps of tissue to drive off persistent predators There were more than 2D species of ankylosaurids, which ranged from 5. 5 to 1D meters in length. The skull of these creatures was broad and thick. They were slow-witted, ponderous beasts who relied on their armor for survival. An Apatosaurus was a gigantic creature that grazed during the Malm period. This particular dinosaur species had a small head, long neck, and pillar-like legs. Their nostrils are on the top of their heads.
The herbivore’s massive body capered. Full-grown adult specimens could reach 27 meters in length, stood nearly five meters tall at the hips, and weighed 24 metric tons. This creature was a member of the diplodocid family and swallowed stones to help it grind up tough plant matter. The Apatosaurus is absent from many older books of dinosaur lore because it was mistakenly labeled as a brontosaurus.
A coelacanth is a bizarre fish that, unlike its primordial neighbors, managed to survive the Cretaceous extinction. Their large eyes detect light at great depths, but the creatures are virtually colorblind. Unlike ocher most fish, their fins are mounted on maneuverable stalks instead of being attached to their body. Full-grown specimens can weigh 6D kilograms and reach 1.5 meters in length. Its scales arc rough to the touch and protect the coelacanth from predators.
The deinonychus was a swift carnivore that lived during the Gallic portion of the Cretaceous period. It was a Light-weight predator that used its large eyes to spot potential prey. Their long, deft feet each wielded a devastating, swiveling toe claw. These weapons were attached to specially developed toe joints that allowed them to be raised upward while running and Hexed forward when on the attack. The deinonychus’s tail was a balancing tool that kept it stable when it kicked. Unlike other dinosaurs, these creatures had a cunning intellect.
An iguanodon was a large herbivore that lived during the Nerocoian (!are Cretaceous) period. It reached nearly I D meters in length when full grown. It used a turtlelike, horny beak to harvest vegetation and was one of the first known dinosaurs with the ability to chew their food from side to side. This was unusual for reptiles because they generally lack the proper muscles to accomplish this task. lguanodons had massive hind legs and lighter front ones. They usually traveled on all fours but could rear up and run on their back leg~ to escape predators. The front limbs of iguanodons were useful for both gathering food and defense, as the thumbs had viscous spikes.
The pteranodon was a large-crested member of the pterosaur (wing lizard) family. It was a fish eater that lived during the Cretaceous period. These creatures shared a common ancestor with both dinosaurs and birds. Ar first glance, one might chink they were top-heavy, aerodynamic nightmares. Appearances however can be quite deceiving because the pteranodon had hollow bones whose walls were bur a millimeter thick. Some parts of their skeletons were perforated and connected to the respiratory system. This allowed their blood to cool during long £lights. Adults weighed l l to 12 kilograms when full grown, had wingspans of up to seven meters in length, and were nearly two meters long.
The stegosaurus wore triangular, bony plates along their spines that were nearly 76 centimeters wide in full-grown specimens. These protective plates were well nourished by blood vessels which were embe0Ded in them and may have helped regulate the dinosaur’s temperature. The herbivore leviathans walked the earth during the Malm period and had minute brains. A mature stegosaurus could grow to 1D meters in length, stand nine feet tall, and weigh a metric ton. They defended themselves with the huge spikes ac the end of their flexible rails that could reach 1.3 meters in length. The quantity of tail spikes varied depending on the species of stegosaurus. Stegosaurus stenops defended itself with four spikes, while Stegosaurus ungulates wielded eight.
A triceratops was a huge herbivore (almost three meters tall and eight meters long) that walked the earth on all fours. Its name means “Three-horned face.” This moniker came from the horns that adorned the beast’s head: A short horn rested above its parrot-like beak, and two longer horns, which in full-grown animals could get to over a meter in length, sat above their eyes. The creature’s defense system was completed by a bony plate (known as a frill) that projected backwards from its meter long skull. Triceratops could reach nine meters in length when full grown and grazed during the Senonian (lace Cretaceous) period.
Tyrannosaurs dominated their world during the mid-Senonian portion of the Cretaceous period. Full-grown specimens could weigh up to six metric tons and stood 12 meters tall. These prehistoric terrors walked the earth on two long hind legs that ended in birdlike feet. Each roe sported a wicked, flesh-ripping claw. The jaws of this scavenger-carnivore reached to 1.2 meters in length in mature specimens and Tyrannosaurs ripped into their victims with 5D t~ 6D conical, bone-snapping teeth. These implements of destruction could grow as large as 18 centimeters. The beast’s skin had a light, pebble texture that was bumpy like an alligator’s.
People have come in contact with the ancient inhabitants of Earth in all manner of bizarre ways. Heroes could wash ashore on a isle where Mesozoic lords still reign supreme and view people as a food source. Scientists could use their generic knowledge to resurrect extinct predators. Reality might stun even the most stalwart souls when a creature who was presumed to have left the face of the earth long ago su0Denly reappears. Such was the case with the rime-lose coelacanths, which preceded the dinosaurs and were thought robe extinct. However, the rumors of its demise appeared to be greatly exaggerated when a living specimen was caught in 1938!
Typical Allosaurus
Reflexes 4D: brawling 6D, dodge 5D
Coordination 2D
Physique 18D: lifting 18D+1, running 18D+1
Knowledge 1D
Perception 3D: search 5D, survival 3D+ 2, tracking 5D
Presence 2D: intimidation 6D
Strength Damage: 9D
Move:24
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 64
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +3D; +5 to combat difficulty); thick hide (Armor Value +2); large size (scale value 12)
Typical Ankylosaurid
Reflexes 2D+2: brawling 4D
Coordination 1D
Physique 10D
Knowledge 1D
Perception 2D: survival 3D
Presence2D: intimidation 4D, willpower 4D+1
Strength Damage: 5D
Move: 22
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 4D
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: tail (damage +2D); thick hide (Armor Value +1D+1); spiky body (damage of 6 to anything that tries to grab it); large size (scale value 10)
Typical Apatosaurus
Reflexes 3D: brawling 5D
Coordination 1D
Physique 25D
Knowledge 1D
Perception 1D: hide: self-only 2D, search 2D, survival 3D
Presence 3D: intimidation 4D
Strength Damage: 13D
Move: 2D
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 85
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: stomp (damage +1D); tail (damage +10); thick hide (Armor Value +1); water hiding (submerge body while keeping nostrils above the water; +1D to hide attempts); large size (scale value 24)
Typical Coelacanth
Reflexes 2D: brawling 2D+ 1
Coordination 1D
Physique 5D: swimming 5D+1
Knowledge 1D
Perception 3D : search 3D , survival 4D
Presence 1D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 14 (swimming)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 25
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +10; +5 to combat difficulty); tough, overlapping scales (Armor Value +1; protects against pressure and temperatures extremes)
Typical Deinonychus
Reflexes 4D: brawling 7D, dodge 8D
Coordination 2D
Physique 8D: lifting 8D+1 , running 10D
Knowledge 2D
Perception 4D: search 5D, survival 4D, tracking 5D
Presence 3D: intimidation 3D+1, willpower 3D+2
Strength Damage: 4D
Move: 2D
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 34
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +1; +5 to combat difficulty); claws (damage +2); highly developed sense of hearing (+2 to related skills); quick reactions (-2 to any surprise combat modifier, + 1D to Perception when determining initiative); thick hide (Armor Value +1); large size (scale value 1)
Typical Iguanodon
Reflexes 4D+2: brawling 7D
Coordination 1D
Physique 8D: lifting 8D+1, running 8D+1, stamina 10D
Knowledge 1D
Perception 3D: search 3D, survival 4D
Presence 2D: intimidation 1D
Strength Damage: 4D
Move: 14
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 34
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: thumb claws (damage +1); thick hide (Armor Value+2); large size (scale value 12)
Typical Pteranodon
Reflexes 3D: flying 5D
Coordination 1D+2
Physique 2D: lifting 3D+2, stamina 4D
Knowledge 2D
Perception 2D: search 6D, survival 2D+2, tracking 4D
Presence 2D
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 4 (ground)/25 (flight)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 16
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: highly developed sense of sight ( +3 to related skill totals); watchful ( +1 to investigation, search, and tracking totals); wings (can fly or glide for several hundred kilometers or as long as there are thermals to keep them aloft)
Typical Stegosaurus
Reflexes 2D+2: brawling 6D
Coordination 2D
Physique 12D: lifting 14D
Knowledge 1D
Perception 3D: search 2D, survival 4D
Presence 2D: intimidation 2D
Strength Damage: 7D
Move: 12
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 46
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: tail spikes (damage +2D ); thick hide (Armor Value +2); large size (scale value 13)
Typical Triceratops
Reflexes 4D+ 1: brawling 8D
Coordination 1D
Physique 15D: lifting 15D+1
Knowledge 1D+2
Perception 2D: survival 3D
Presence 4D: intimidation 4D
Strength Damage: 8D
Move: 12
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 5 5
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: bite (damage+ 1O;+5 to combat difficulty); horns (+2 damage); thick hide (Armor Value +2); bony frill (damage resistance +3D against frontal attacks); large size (scale value 1D)
Typical Tyrannosaurus
Reflexes 8D: brawling 10D, dodge 3D
Coordination 2D
Physique 20D
Knowledge 1D
Perception 3D: search 4D, survival 4D, tracking 3D+1
Presence 7D: intimidation 8D
Strength Damage: 10D
Move: 18
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 7D
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +4D; + 5 to combat difficulty); highly developed sense of hearing (+2 to related skill totals); highly developed sense of sight ( + 1 to related skill totals); highly developed sense of smell ( +3 to related skill totals); thick hide (Armor Value +2); large size (scale value 12)