Dungeons and...Dinosaurs?

[Hood]

Who doesn´t love dinosaurs. Who doesn´t love the greatness of them, the legend, the mystery of their extinction, the vibrant colors and the power they possessed. I love the idea of a world inhabited by creatures larger than houses and more varied than birds and most importantly, said creatures were real.

In some Dungeons & Dragons modules (pre-made adventures) and within the monster manual are dinosaurs. So along with dragons, you have Tyrannosaurs Rex and Triceratops running around some regions. There were times where we’d rather have a dragon to deal with a T-Rex.

Now, There’s an argument about dinosaurs have no place being in a fantasy world. So would it be okay to place our favorite prehistoric beast among our beloved Monster Chicks? I mean, there are some guys who have made custom profiles about dinosaur like Monster Girls, but adding prehistoric fauna to the Monster Girl’s world (or Fantasy in General) What do you think about this?

Let’s analyze this in more detail, discussing both points of view and bear with me for a while, O.K.?

Dino go home!
It’s a monster world out there, they’re naturally big and mean. There’s no creativity behind tossing dinosaurs at heroes and nobody really knows what they looked like or acted like. There’s a lot of unknowns about dinosaurs, which makes them a touchy subject. One wrong piece of information and you’ll get reamed because people love dinosaurs. You risk a lot of rage by using them.

The biggest argument that can be used against dinosaurs is that dragons exist. Dragons are alpha predators and they’re infamously territorial. They would eat a lot too and prey on big beasts when they go for meat. Anyway, the two ultra reptiles would get into fights when they got near and that fight would typically go to the dragons. You might be able to get away with the marine reptiles like Plesiosaurs or Ichthyosaurs, but the land ones would certainly be an issue of space on dragon territory.

Fuck Yeah Dinosaurs!
This is a simply argument, but it causes more anger for some reason. In a world of fantasy there are horses, dogs, cats, and all other animals that you find in the real world. There are the same plants and minerals too. Heck, there are humans in these worlds. So, it isn’t hard to consider the idea that there are a few dinosaurs around. They might be rare and in specific areas away from the dragons, but they could very well exist. The chance of them not going extinct is rather high since this isn’t Earth. They might lose a lot of territory to the magical creatures, but they can have a niche in the world. At the very least, the smaller dinosaurs could exist and not throw off a food chain.

Also, Dinosaurs have existed in each edition of the Monster Manual and have played a significant role in D&D since nearly the very beginning. In 1981, dinosaurs were a major antagonist in the module “The Isle of Dread” (which was exceptionally widely distributed as it was included with the Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set). Also in “The Bane of Llywelyn”, an early first edition D&D's module featured amazons on Pterosaur-like dinosaurs.
Uses of Dinosaurs in fantasy A.K.A. “Nothing says fun like a Stegosaurus battling a Chimera and a pack of Utahraptors ambushing a group of knights or fighting against (place here your favorite werefolk) for territory or prey!”. 1. As mounts
Many dinosaurs would make very good steeds. Some species of raptors, for instance, are large enough to carry a human as well as being fast. Selective breeding and domestication could take care of their more dangerous weapons and weed out predator traits, or you could come up with an entirely new species that keeps the general form but eats vegetation.

Then there are pterosaurs for air travel and Plesiosaurs for sea voyages (Mermaids need dinopets too! And yes, I know that Plesiosaurs are not dinos).

Also, Yuki-Onnas might need some sort of mount for long distance travels. It would be awesome (I think) to see a snow woman mounting or herding Mammoths or use Cave Lions or Saber Tooth cats as mounts. I cannot think for a better mean of transport for her and her (unconscious and almost frozen to death) would be hubby.

2. As Military Weapons/War Mounts
I mean, just imagine a Minotaur girl riding a fully armored Triceratops, or Druella and her girls using an Amphicoelias as some sort of mobile fortress a la Dino Riders.

3. As Hunting Game/Food Source/Raw Material
In the Eberron campaign, Seismosaur bacon is considered a delicacy. In Q'barra, dinosaurs are hunted by the lizardfolk. And remember Monster Hunter? Like in real life, people could take benefit from their bones and other body parts for a variety of uses (Mammoth's tusks or the complete Mammoth to be fair, were the raw material for almost everything in the ice age). Let’s imagine Lizard (wo)men carrying daggers made from T-Rex teeth. Also an omelet from a single dinosaur egg could feed an entire family.

4. As architectural/Design inspirations
Did somebody said “Triceratops head-shaped shield”? How about Spinosaur statues capable of coming to life guarding the tomb of the Pharaoh?

5. As Accidents
In order to get rid of each other, one or both factions brings/summon prehistoric beasts to their homeworld, but said beasts cannot be controlled.

6. As Ancestors of the Dragons
In Lineage 2, there was Primeval Isle, a unique ecosystem where huge animals from days long gone have survived, and although I cannot remember correctly, I believe it was mentioned that Dragons evolved from those Dinosaurs (Would love to confirm this, though)

7. As Intelligent/semi-intelligent beings
Yes, I love Dinotopia, but fancy, talking Dinosaurs? No thanks, I was thinking something more like “Aliens vs Dinosaurs” where the Terrible Lizards have reached some sort of tribal society level.

So, what do people think of dinosaurs appearing in non-prehistoric-based fiction? Can they be in fantasy?

[Drazzimyr]

Yes. Simply yes to all of this. (My life philosophy is that if it involves sharks or dinosaurs, I'm almost always interested).

[Flare]

Yes, so long as it's thematically appropriate.

[Feathers]

Always loved Jurassic Park (1) myself. Proved to me the idea can work well if executed right, and in JP's case, the hour long intro was boring as heck but very much needed.

[Fanfic Fetishist]

If you can work it into the theme well enough, I say go for it. Hell, even my setting has dinosaurs in it. (Sorta.)

[Hood]

I´m glad you got interested guys, but like I asked Feathers, what do you think would make a good excuse to have Dinosaurs in the monstergirl´s world?
I would like to hear a few ideas and then I tell you mine?

[Hood]

If you can work it into the theme well enough, I say go for it. Hell, even my setting has dinosaurs in it. (Sorta.)

If you can work it into the theme well enough, I say go for it. Hell, even my setting has dinosaurs in it. (Sorta.)

Yes. Simply yes to all of this. (My life philosophy is that if it involves sharks or dinosaurs, I'm almost always interested).

Well, I´m glad to see the idea has been well received.

One of my ideas to include Dinosaurs is, after Lilth took the throne and did her magic, she somehow altered time and reality (Yes children, The Demon Lord is the master mind behind Primeval, although it was not intentional )

My other idea is that some deity bring them to their world for some reason:

Spoiler: show

In the land of Zipangu, Empress Tamamo no Mae was invited by by one of her Ryu priestess in order to meet her western relatives. But as proud as Dragons are, She keeps bragging about how there was nothing in the universe that could defeat her kind. Annoyed by the Dragon's rudeness, empress Tamamo made a bet with the western Lizard

"Wath if there were creatures capable not only to best you, but also, capable of breaking you!" The Inari empress giglged. The Dragon simply laughed and said "Allow me to meet said creatures then" A mischievous smile formed on the face of the fox Empress.

My idea is that MGE Tamamo, is the historical Tamamo, and she knows about Earth and can travel between planets as she desire. I mean, in all stories Tamamo is like an Ubber Goddess. I bet she could probably be more powerful than the Demon Lord. In the end, she showed the dragons (and some other people) that she is always right

[Hood]

And lets remember, there are Mammoths in Skyrim! Well, now I mention it, I believe mammoths are one of the most common prehistoric animals used in fantasy fiction along with saber toothed cats; and, like stated in the beginning, if this world, which is not Earth, has horses, dogs, cats, and all other animals that you find in the real world, even the same plants and minerals too. There are humans in these worlds. So, it isn’t hard to consider the idea that there are a few dinosaurs around. I mean why not, since it is not earth, there is no reason for them to become extinct.

[Hood]

Okay, since I have no idea if I can change the tittle of this thread, I have come with another idea, but first I need to know if you guys are familiarized with White Wolf's "World of Darkness" specially the Werewolf the Apocalypse" series. I just love shape shifters and White Wolf's has a lot of them, not only werewolves. Now what do you think of a crossover with "The World of Darkness" for those of you who like a little more obscure stories?. I'll show a little example and some terminology
Terminology

Spoiler: show

Grand Simba - Werecavelion -species: Pantera Leo atrox/Panthera leo spelaea. (There are only very few alive, less than ten or even less than that)
Gurahl - Werebear
Fomori - Monsters the Changing Breeds fight (remember that antagonist thread of a while ago? good examples of fomori, also Observer's Anteal had a lot of good examples too!
Changing Breeds/Fera - Terms for shape shifters.
PacK & Sentai - Groups of Shapeshifters. Packs are compromised by a single species. Sentais are compromised by different shapechangers joining together.
Although some may use the term Pack no matter if they're in a sentai.
Gaia/Gaea - Mother Earth, the deity most of the Changing Breeds worship.
Wyrm - The main antagonist of the Changing Breeds

A little example:

Spoiler: show

Rage Across Lescatie "She's not human!" Growled Cries for Justice.

"She might look like a Fomori but she doesn't reek of the Wyrm." A Bunch of Honey Oats agreed silently.

The Grand Simba and the Gurahl watched as this strange woman they had been following for the last two days, with the suspicion of being a fomori, battled against a group of armored men and women. This woman possessed glowing, red and slit eyes, a huge pair of bat wings and a tail sprouting from her back and butt respectively, and two horns crowning her head.

The battle was going badly for her though. She had allowed herself to get hurt when she tried to protect a little girl, presumably hers, and a group of people which were nearby.

“An honorable act” Thought Cries for Justice, he have always hated to let an honorable warrior die, and with Cries for Justice, thought was action.

A primal roar filled the air and seconds later, the male members from the group of knights were literally turned into bloodied, minced meat, killed by a far superior foe. And then he looked at the strange woman. And surprisingly, she looked back at him and said

"Thank you, you saved my daughter and my neighbors… And I-I thought this world was only… populated with humans and monsters. I..." She wavered and then collapsed, finally succumbing to blood loss. A quick check revealed that she'll survive, it was only shock that laid her low.

Cries for Justice looked at A Bunch of Honey Oats. "I think we better speak with the pack about this. Gaia has sent us to a new world and we must understand it."