Allosaurus Ecology

by Fortuan

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Allosaurus Ecology

W olves!? Heh! I WISH it was wolves taking my livestock! No no no no... I can hear them! Now shut up and get out there and do what I'm paying you to! - Halfling Farmer addressing hired mercenaries on his livestock issues.

Introduction

Allosaurus or plural Allosaurs are large bipedal dinosaurs that are cunning and dangerous. They hunt in packs, much like wolves, and terrorize the livestock of any civilization that dares be near its hunting grounds. While not overly aggressive on their own, you can seldom bet that they are alone for long.

They are often mistaken for smaller Tyrannosaurs, but this is a woefully inaccurate assumption. Allosaurs are not just fast but also cunning tactical predators. It's also assumed that Allosaurs are far from intelligent when they are just like wolves, they will surprise you if you underestimate them.

Physiological Observations

How to Identify an Allosaurus

Allosaurs are large animals, sometimes reaching 12 feet tall. They have long bodies measuring upwards of 30 feet at times. Bipedal with strong, sturdy legs make them quick and agile hunters. Their heads are larger in proportion to many animals as their preferred method of attack is biting with their massive jaws. The arms while short are used and incredibly durable. They can be used to hold prey while eating or even help take down larger prey or hold on. The Allosaurus body is almost always perpendicular to the mostly vertical legs. The head and neck are attached to the torso lower than those of a T-rex. This placement indicates that snapping at the ground while running is a favorite tactic. It has been noted that they can snap their head downward at incredible speeds. Although they can be tall, they can't reach but a mere 2 more feet above themselves as a result of this body structure. Most of the body length, about half, is consisted of the large muscular tail. The tail is used for balance while running and also as a social indicator.

Feeding and Hunting

The teeth are the most common weapon of Allosaurs, which can measure up to 3 inches in length. Once an Allosaurs has you in its mouth, it will try and pin prey on the ground using either its arms or feet. It will then kill the prey either by eating it alive or if it is particularly dangerous, disemboweling, and tearing at the flesh until it relents. Sometimes if it feels there's still an opportunity for injury while pinning a victim, like stegosaurs' tails, they will disembowel the prey and back off at a safe distance and wait until it succumbs to the injuries.

The arms are only a few feet in length with 3 claws that they have no qualms using as weapons. It's been observed that they'll hold onto smaller prey and slam them onto the ground to daze them. Allosaurs are not kind killers and will employ all of their tools for the safest kill possible.

Great Jumpers

A surprising tactic for Allosaur is that they have incredible jumping capabilities that more than makeup for their vertical reach. Allosaurs will pounce prey as a surprise attack and prefer to do so from hiding. The pack will sometimes wait for the best opportunity to jump, sometimes hours. Younger ones can get impatient and simply charge ahead, but this behavior is usually reigned in quickly by adults.

Protection of Legs

Allosaurs are reliant on their speed and use their powerful legs and never attack with them. The risk of injury is too high. They will always reposition themselves so that they can keep an eye on all attacks. If flanked, they will attempt to escape and reposition themselves to keep their legs safe. If surrounded on all sides, they will try to jump over the safest option. It has also been observed that they will become very defensive if they're legs are in danger and cannot escape. They will let out higher pitch almost pleading "barks," indicating to the rest of the pack they are in trouble. It's also noted that Allosaurs are excellent swimmers and are all adept fishers in rivers.

Habitat and Range

Allosaurs seem to be found in any climate. While most abundant in warmer and temperate climates, some have been found in more polar regions. They are warm-blooded but with little protection from cold in warmer areas, but as the region is colder, a small "coat" of feathers can be found on them. In the polar regions, they almost seem like giant birds stalking the tundra. They prefer highly vegetated areas for cover and ambush sites. If a territory includes open spaces, they will sometimes patrol those areas but rarely find prey there as they are spotted too quickly.

Social Observations

Living in Packs

Allosaurs are usually in packs of 4 to 6 members. These are typically families of parents and children. They do not always stick together as they will roam the territory in search of prey separately. If danger or a threat is found, they will call for their pack with a deafening roar. If it is prey and they believe they can take it down on their own, they will set up an opportunity to pounce. Just before a pounce, they will make the call for the pack with a quick but loud bark and then leap. This usually is quick enough that even the most alert prey is pounced before they realize the noise or where it came from.

When not roaming the territory, they will feed and sleep or simply play in the central nesting area the remainder of the day. They do not need to eat every day and can survive up to 2 weeks without food but will hunt every day. Nesting sites are typically indicated by the bones of victims strewn about a secluded area. Those who are knowledgeable and unlucky enough to find a nest can determine from scraping by the teeth on the bones that it's an Allosaurus nest.

Communication

Allosaurs seem to communicate through barks and tail indicators. A tail that is curled up is interacting in a peaceful manner or excited. When young are at play, the tails are curled up as they chase and nip at each other. When aggressive, their tails are straight and stiff to be ready for any sudden movements by aggressors or if they decide to strike. Tails curled down seem to indicate unsureness. This is usually seen when Allosaurs spot creatures they wouldn't consider prey or are particularly stressed.

The barks are usually excited greetings of family members or almost cheering for taking down prey. The short barks mentioned before are high pitched but controlled. A more prolonged and unaggressive roar has been observed when a member leaves the family, usually for a mate. The most unsettling noise aside from the deafening roars of intimidation is the pleading barks they tend to do when in a dangerous situation. These roars are, by far, the most urgent noise that Allosaurs make. Once observed, by a survivor of a hunting band, that once they had cornered an Allosaur and gave that bark, all the other Allosaur immediately disengaged from other fights and focused on a single area for the other to escape. The trapped Allosaur pleaded and rapidly snapped its head up and down at members of the group. All of the Allosaurs attacked the poor hunter and ripped him to shreds. They then left as a group and struck from the shadows at a later point.

Other packs

Calls seemed to be always heeded by every member of the family. Even extremely younger and smaller Allosaurs rush to a call, no matter the call. This would seem counter-intuitive for a border dispute with another pack, but showing the amount of young seems to play into the intimidation. Borders are seldom fought over only intimidating roars and advancement to drive intruders away. If it does come to blows, it's typically done by the 2 leading males. If the loser male survives, the pack then moves to another area. If the loser is killed, which can happen, the rest of the family assimilates into the winner's pack. Usually rare, but this can make a pack of close to 10 to 12 members at times.

Nest

The nest is defended very aggressively but not to the point of injury. Typically Allosaurs will try and intimidate intruders, preferring to not fight alone. If they are together, intruders are likely to be killed and eaten.

Life Cycle

Allosaurs live for 40 years or so and usually raise between 4 and 8 children in their lifetime. They lay 4 eggs at a time though typically only 2 survive the first 6 months after hatching if all 4 do so. It's most common for 2 young to be with the family. Once young reach 2 years, they are fully grown and able to hunt for themselves. Allosaurs will not lay another batch of eggs until the current young have left. Finding a mate seems to occur around the 5 to 7-year mark of an Allosaurus life. At this time, females emit a pheromone that unmated males are attracted to. If a female is intrigued by a suitor, she will excitedly bob her head up and down at the male's direction. The male then mimics this action, and both give out a long, loud higher pitched roar. This seems to indicate that they're off to start a new family. The families then respond in kind and seem to go about business as usual. Males leave on their own accord around the same time to go searching for a mate. They tend for safety to stick to smaller prey as they wander outside of the family's territory. They seem to linger at the border for a few days but then eventually give out their departing roar and leave to find a mate.

Death of a Mate

If the lead female or male is killed, the other parent will raise the children. It seems that they have a range of emotions, although not far developed, as they guard a mate's carcass against scavengers and hang around it for days not eating. It seems to understand its mate is dead as it never tries to awake them as it might do in each morning. Once a few days have passed, it then seems to move on and resume life as it would have. They never look for another mate or accept a new one, and once the last children leave, they simply keep to themselves.

Lone Allosaurs

Lone Allosaurs don't make social calls and instead just pounce prey or threats and fight ferociously. If overmatched or unable to win, they will flee and return later instead. They will keep eyes on threats and try and attack while they are otherwise distracted, usually asleep.

Intra-Species Observations

Dangerous Carnivores

Allosaurs are a clever bunch and are always dangerous to almost any creature in the right situation. To an Allosaurus, each animal is put on the same spectrum of interaction. They either consider you prey, a threat, inconsequential, or dangerous.

Prey

Usually, anything living and smaller than an Allosaurs or larger animals that they have experience in taking down. Allosaurs are adapted to bringing down more massive sauropod dinosaurs but only in groups. Humanoids that do not carry weapons fit in this category. It seems they've had enough run-ins that they are cautious of weapons. Prey are treated with respect for injury at all times. They will not press an attack if prey can injure them, they will harm prey and wait for the next opportunity. They are known to stalk a kill in progress for several days if needed. Allosaurs prefer quick kills, and if a fight with food goes too long, it will come back later. Unlike Tyrannosaurs, they do not eat carrion; they always kill their prey and thus are hard to be baited.

Inconsequential

Animals too small or too dangerous and unaggressive are ignored. They have no qualms showing themselves and ignoring such creatures. They will, if hungry and other food sources are unavailable, go after this group. Ankylosaurs are typically in this category as they are too dangerous to safely deal with. If threatened by an inconsequential, they will respond in kind, but avoid fighting unless they are starving. It is noted that if something becomes a potential target that was previously too dangerous, they will not attack until the whole group is present.

Threats

This is a hazardous category for any being to an Allosaurus. Humanoids with weapons are typically in this category. Allosaurs are more cautious with this group but far from less deadly. Instead of pouncing from the brush, they will study a threat until found, or they decide to reveal themselves. Observations indicate that parties seeing an Allosaur watching from the shadows is an incredibly frightening omen. They wait with patience for when to strike, making a horrifying experience for all. This is also how other Allosaur packs or larger predators are treated. The typical tactic that they either reveal themselves or when found they let out the intimidating roar. If the "threat" doesn't leave, it watches from a safe distance, roaring again if any progress is made towards the creature. This is a stalling tactic meant to intimidate and confuse. The straight tail will flick from side to side eventually when it recognizes the family has arrived. They then surround the threat, and if unseen pounce, otherwise they go in for a coordinated attack. As with prey, if the fight goes on for more than a few minutes, they retreat. They will then stalk the threats striking at times when they deem threats vulnerable. It would seem to some that attacking during this initial phase before the family shows up is optimum, but it is probably the worst decision. The Allosaur will retreat and refuse to engage, and if chased, letting out the distress cry while running. The worst part is that they only run as fast as their intruders letting the family catch up. This has caused the death of some large solitary predators.

Danger

This category is reserved for creatures that have bested Allosaurs in battle or truly intimidating creatures. Typically hydra and dragon fit in this category to an Allosaur. Dragons easily unsettled Allosaur as they seem susceptible to their fear aura. Hydra seemed too dangerous to even attempt with so many heads. Sometimes if a party ends up killing a member of the family, the pack will treat the party as such. They keep an eye on the danger from a far distance but do not engage. They will simply run if pursued. If cornered, they'll fight but distress barking the whole time. This has ended some creature's lives, but not often, as the entire pack will fight to save 1.

Variant Species

Tropical Allosaurs

These Allosaurs are brightly colored with no feathers at all. The lush vegetation of the tropics is cover enough, and the bright reds and yellows they appear could be mistaken for fruits in between the leaves.

Temperate Allosaurs

These Allosaurs are typically greens with brown feathers living in a temperate climate. With season changes, they grow thin feather coats of brown feathers or lose the coats altogether. It seems that this is a camouflage technique to blend in with the changing forests.

Polar Allosaurs

These Allosaurs have thick white feather coats year-round. They have trouble hiding when not snowing, so they tend to be more aggressive to catch prey. It is also noted that these Allosaurs typically are found sleeping most of the time huddled together and are only active during the warmest parts of the days. They also prefer cave dwellings for nests but sometimes in deep forest thickets.

Coastal Allosaurs

These are genuinely fascinating beings. They are far more docile than other variations and skin with brilliant teal and blue tops and white bottoms. This seems to be similar to sharks to confuse fish for camouflage. These Allosaurs regard most other creatures as inconsequentials and treat fish and sharks as prey. They wade into the ocean shallows staying very still. Then with incredible speed when fish become complacent and swim nearby, snap there head down, grabbing prey and sometimes with their arms. They make their nests on the beaches and protect them but not too aggressively. They'll warn creatures getting near the nest but otherwise ignore humanoids and other animals. All Allosaur can fish, but only coastal ones do it exclusively.

DM's Toolbox

Allosaurs, despite being CR 2 in 5e, could pose a challenge to any level of the group. Their reliance on the pack makes them cunning like wolves, and they can admit defeat. Here are some possible scenarios

  • As the quote farmers losing live stalk to an Allosaur pack, eradicate the dangerous predators before they start to find more reason to jump out of the wood.

  • A journey through Allosaurus territory that could change based on how the encounter goes

  • A lone Allosaur merely trying to avoid a kill-crazy party

  • A frustrating fight for a high-level party where they keep getting surprised and attacked but without the ability to retaliate effectively.

Fortuan's Ecologies

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