Jab's Dinosaur Builds!: Argentinosaurus! Mokele-Mbembe!

[Ken]

So, have you done the Abominable Snowman?

Not yeti.

[Jabroniville]

ORDER- CETACEA:
-Cetaceans, more commonly known as Whales, are the Kings of the Sea, containing almost all of the largest animals on the face of the Earth. They're so big that the modern versions are actually the largest organisms to EVER exist on the planet, dwarfing any Dinosaur or Fish species that has ever lived. This is in sharp contrast to nearly every other animal species, which has DROPPED in size over the millennia to account for new hunting methods (Short-Faced Bear >> Grizzly/Polar Bear, Saurosuchus >> Saltwater Crocodile, Moa >> Ostrich, Haast's Eagle >> Bald Eagle, etc.), the Whales are currently as big as they have ever been.

Curiously, while all Mammals are derived from creatures that once escaped the oceans and moved onto land, Cetacea are among the few that reversed the trend and went BACK, evolving from the same ancestors the Hippopotami had, losing their legs and converting into flippered creatures, mimicking fish. I've always found it very bizarre and fascinating that THREE separate groups of Animal- Reptilia, Mammalia AND the various Fish Classes, have all evolved nearly the exact same appearance over the years for living at sea- Sharks, Dolphins and Ichthyosaurs all look very much alike, and take the same ecological niches. Of course, the reptiles went the way of the Dinosaur.

I was never a "Whale Fan" as a kid, preferring the more bad-ass and hunter-looking Sharks, but the years have made me appreciate these animals a lot more. Not just for their majestic nature and sheer size- most of them actually LOOK very cool, and some are really quite bad-ass. Dolphins haven't held up, though- those things are jerks. And rapists (it's true!). Whales are, of course, separated into two distinct groups: Mysticeti (the Baleen Whales), which use rows of balen plates in their mouths to filter tiny crustaceans and fish out of the ocean water, and Odontoceti (the Toothed Whales), which are more active hunters, using their sharp teeth to capture fish and other undersea creatures in a predatory manner.

[Jabroniville]

ODONTOCETI FAMILY (Order- Cetacea):
-The Toothed Whales are the bad-ass fighters of the Whales, and are set up as quick, elite powerhouses that do damage fast, and eat up the remains. Included in this Family are two of the mightiest carnivores of all time- the Killer Whale and the Sperm Whale. Unlike Baleen Whales, which generally all look the same with tiny modifications, the Toothy Ones are a MUCH more diverse group, covering many different ecological niches. The Family consists of many groups: Dolphins, River Dolphins, Porpoises, White Whales, Sperm Whales & Beaked Whales, some of which are much more well-known than others. And notably, these are amongst the smartest of all the animals in the world- the Bottlenose Dolphin has intelligence rivalling that of the smartest Primates, and is generally amongst the Top Three smartest things on Earth. As such, I boost their Intelligence beyond normal animal limits, hitting -3 in most cases.

-Curiously, many of the Whales can breed with each other- Pilot Whale/Dolphin and Common/Bottlenose hybrids are known to science, and even rather common, even in the wild.

[Goldar]

So, have you done the Abominable Snowman?

Not yeti.

Sometimes they are also called Skunk Ape, Swamp Ape and the Smellyman.

[Ken]

Mysticeti (the Baleen Whales), which use rows of baleen plates in their mouths to filter tiny crustaceans and fish out of the ocean water, and Odontoceti (the Toothed Whales), which are more active hunters, using their sharp teeth to capture fish and other undersea creatures in a predatory manner.

You're telling me that a Blue Whale isn't predatory as it moves in for the krill?

[Ken]

-Curiously, many of the Whales can breed with each other- Pilot Whale/Dolphin and Common/Bottlenose hybrids are known to science, and even rather common, even in the wild.

Not a surprise, with al the rapey-ness.

[Jabroniville]

Tucuxi.

TINY CETACEANS
Role: Adorbz Tiny Dolphins
PL 3 (34)- Minion Rank 4, Sidekick Rank 10
Normal Version: PL 2
STRENGTH 1 STAMINA 1 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 2 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE -2

Skills:
Sea Acrobatics 3 (+5)
Athletics 3 (+7)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 2 (+4)
Expertise (Survival) 5 (+6)
Insight 4 (+5)
Perception 5 (+6)
Stealth 4 (+6)

Advantages:
Fast Grab

Powers:
"Echolocation & Vision" Senses 4 (Extended, Ultra & Accurate Hearing) [4]

"Sea Creature"
Swimming 4 (8 mph) [4]
Immunity 2 (Cold, Drowning) (Flaws: Limited to Half-Effect) [1]

Offense:
Unarmed +2 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +4 (DC 14), Parry +4 (DC 14), Toughness +1, Fortitude +3, Will +4

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- River Dolphins cannot speak to humans, nor use their flippers to easily manipulate objects.
Responsibility (Nearly Extinct)- The Amazon River Dolphin is considered vulnerable, but it's relatives in the Circle of Animal Death in Asia are critically-endangered, meaning there's almost none left.
Disabled (Scent)- Dolphins are thought to have either no sense of smell at all, or only tiny amounts of scent capability. Their blowholes are closed when underwater, and useless in open air.

Total: Abilities: 2 / Skills: 26--13 / Advantages: 1 / Powers: 9 / Defenses: 9 (34)

-The smallest Dolphins & Porpoises in the world are typically smaller than normal sized adult humans, and even the heaviest only reach average human body weight.

Tiny Dolphins:
TUCUXI: An extremely slender river dolphin. It is found in the rivers of the Amazon basin, but resembles the oceanic dolphins aside from its tiny size- it's only 5 feet long and 77-99 lbs.
GUIANA DOLPHIN: Similar to the Tucuxi.



COMMERSON'S DOLPHIN: South American dolphins off the southern coasts- dark heads with white bodies in very striking patterns. Highly active and very common, they may be the smallest cetaceans in the world- one adult female was found to weigh only 51 lbs. Most are 77-130 lbs.



CHILEAN DOLPHIN: Short, squat, black & white dolphins with blunted snouts, making them look like Porpoises. One of the world's least-studied cetaceans. About 130 lbs.
HEAVYSIDE'S DOLPHIN: Small dolphins off the coast of South Africa. 165 lbs.
HECTOR'S DOLPHIN: New Zealand dolphins with characteristic rounded dorsal fins. 88-130 lbs.



VAQUITA: With the extinction of the Baiji, this is the world's most endangered cetacean- living in and around the Gulf of California, it dropped to less than 600 animals in the 1990s, and has fallen to perhaps less than ten animals today! 4'7" long, 119 lbs.



FINLESS PORPOISE: Based off of genetic evidence, may be the original progenitor of the rest of the Porpoise family. They live all along the Asian coastline as far north as Mongolia, and mostly stay in shallow waters. It's named for its lack of true dorsal fin- it just has a low ridge along its back. Fairly well-studied, and one of the most survivable porpoises in captivity (most die very quickly after capture). Can get to 7', 160 lbs, but most are a fair bit smaller.
NARROW-RIDGED FINLESS PORPOISE: A newly-accepted species- a spinoff of the above creature. The regular & Yangtze Finless Porpoise are subspecies and both very rare, with the latter being Critically-Endangered (Because China). 5-7', 100-160 lbs, as the above.

[Ken]

FINLESS PORPOISE: The only porpoise to lack a true dorsal fin- they just have a low, narrow ridge. Somewhat rare. Live along the southern coasts of Asia. About 7 feet long and 65-160 lbs.
NARROW-RIDGED FINLESS PORPOISE: Newly-recognized, and one of the world's rarest cetaceans, sharing territory with the above Finless Porpoise. About 7 feet long and 65-160 lbs.

1) I wonder how different that narrow ridge really is.
2) Looks like the one on our left is really happy to see someone.

[Goldar]

FINLESS PORPOISE: The only porpoise to lack a true dorsal fin- they just have a low, narrow ridge. Somewhat rare. Live along the southern coasts of Asia. About 7 feet long and 65-160 lbs.
NARROW-RIDGED FINLESS PORPOISE: Newly-recognized, and one of the world's rarest cetaceans, sharing territory with the above Finless Porpoise. About 7 feet long and 65-160 lbs.

1) I wonder how different that narrow ridge really is.
2) Looks like the one on our left is really happy to see someone.

From the expression on his face, yeah, he is doing it on purpose for attention.

[Ken]

From the expression on his face, yeah, he is doing it on purpose for attention.

You mean "doing it on porpoise"

[Jabroniville]

From the expression on his face, yeah, he is doing it on purpose for attention.

You mean "doing it on porpoise"

Goddamnit! One more terrible dolphin pun and I’m writing you a cetacean!

Wait. Shit.

[Jabroniville]

AMAZON RIVER DOLPHIN (Inia geoffrensis)
Role: World's Ugliest Dolphin, Rare River Predator
PL 4 (46)- Minion Rank 4, Sidekick Rank 10
Normal Version: PL 2
STRENGTH 4 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 2 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE -2

Skills:
Sea Acrobatics 3 (+5)
Athletics 3 (+7)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 2 (+4)
Expertise (Survival) 5 (+6)
Insight 4 (+5)
Perception 5 (+6)
Stealth 4 (+6)

Advantages:
Fast Grab

Powers:
"Echolocation & Vision" Senses 4 (Extended, Ultra & Accurate Hearing) [4]

"Sea Creature"
Swimming 4 (8 mph) [4]
Immunity 2 (Cold, Drowning) (Flaws: Limited to Half-Effect) [1]

Offense:
Unarmed +2 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +4 (DC 14), Parry +4 (DC 14), Toughness +4, Fortitude +6, Will +4

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- River Dolphins cannot speak to humans, nor use their flippers to easily manipulate objects.
Disabled (Scent)- Dolphins are thought to have either no sense of smell at all, or only tiny amounts of scent capability. Their blowholes are closed when underwater, and useless in open air.
Disabled (Eyesight)- River Dolphins have very poor eyesight, having evolved in much dirtier, less open waterways.

Total: Abilities: 14 / Skills: 26--13 / Advantages: 1 / Powers: 9 / Defenses: 9 (46)

Era: Modern
Range: South America's Amazon River System
Stereotypes: None (too unknown).
Colouring: Pinky-white
Size: Up to 8.5 feet long (220-350 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Small groups (usually 2, sometimes 20)
Diet: Crustaceans, fish
Tactics: Flee from combat, bite fish with elongated beak.

-A fairly slow-moving (comparatively) Dolphin, these things are truly bizarre. Nearly-blind, chubby, tiny-eyed freak-Dolphins, the River Dolphin group is extremely rare in most parts of it's range. This Amazon River Dolphin is Vulnerable, and is by far the most populous- The Ganges & Yangtze River Dolphins are both nearly extinct. Unlike other Dolphins, they don't have fused necks, so they can actually turn their head from side to side. They are somewhat iconic for their pink coloring- they are born grey, but lose this as they grow older thanks to abrasion of the skin. They are the only River Dolphins found in captivity- they are remarkably hard to train, and most die very shortly after their arrival. The Bolivian & Araguaian River Dolphins are closely related, and may even by subspecies.

-These are also among the weakest Dolphins, and easily among the smallest, so they're the lowest-PL overall. Each one is only PL 3 on offense, PL 4 on defense, and as mainly fish-killers, it's no surprise. Being nearly blind, they're lower on Senses than most Dolphins, but maintain the Extended/Accurate/Ultra-Hearing that all Dolphins possess- this Sonar is built using the DCA book's set-up for a Dolphin (Ultra-Hearing with Accurate), with a boost to showcase their extended Range.

[Jabroniville]

The probably extinct Baiji.

RIVER DOLPHINS
Role: World's Ugliest Dolphin, Rare River Predator
PL 3 (38)- Minion Rank 3, Sidekick Rank 8
Normal Version: PL 2
STRENGTH 2 STAMINA 2 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 2 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE -2

Skills:
Sea Acrobatics 3 (+5)
Athletics 3 (+7)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 2 (+4)
Expertise (Survival) 5 (+6)
Insight 4 (+5)
Perception 5 (+6)
Stealth 4 (+6)

Advantages:
Fast Grab

Powers:
"Echolocation & Vision" Senses 4 (Extended, Ultra & Accurate Hearing) [4]

"Sea Creature"
Swimming 4 (8 mph) [4]
Immunity 2 (Cold, Drowning) (Flaws: Limited to Half-Effect) [1]

Offense:
Unarmed +2 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +4 (DC 14), Parry +4 (DC 14), Toughness +2, Fortitude +4, Will +4

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- River Dolphins cannot speak to humans, nor use their flippers to easily manipulate objects.
Responsibility (Nearly Extinct)- The Amazon River Dolphin is considered vulnerable, but it's relatives in the Circle of Animal Death in Asia are critically-endangered, meaning there's almost none left.
Disabled (Scent)- Dolphins are thought to have either no sense of smell at all, or only tiny amounts of scent capability. Their blowholes are closed when underwater, and useless in open air.
Disabled (Eyesight)- River Dolphins have very poor eyesight, having evolved in much dirtier, less open waterways.

Total: Abilities: 6 / Skills: 26--13 / Advantages: 1 / Powers: 9 / Defenses: 9 (38)

Era: Modern
Range: Asian River Systems
Stereotypes: None (too unknown).
Colouring: Pinky-white
Size: Up to 8.5 feet long (100-200 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Small groups (usually 2, sometimes 20)
Diet: Crustaceans, fish
Tactics: Flee from combat, bite fish with elongated beak.

-Much lesser known than the Amazon River Dolphin are its Asian counterparts, found throughout many of South Asia's biggest rivers. These are much smaller than the Amazon variety, and most are incredibly rare, living in Asia's most polluted waterways.

River Dolphins:
SOUTH ASIAN RIVER DOLPHIN: Also known as the Indus or Ganges River Dolphin, they live in both major rivers. Fewer than 5,000 are believed to exist between them. They are very small, weighing no more than a man.

BAIJI: The Yangtze River Dolphin has a much sadder story- the animal is currently believed to either be Extinct, or in an unsustainable number or remaining animals. The heavy industrialization and damming of the Yangtze spelled the doom of this animal, which was apparently quite beloved by the people (called "The goddess of perfection" by fishermen)- it was unable to travel and was often caught up in machinery. Searches in the '90s only turned up 13 animals, and only rare sightings were made until 2018. This is the first documented global extinction of a "megafauna" vertebrate in over 50 years- the Japanese Sea Lion & Caribbean Monk Seal died out in the 1950s. Most living Baiji were quite small- older specimens could reach Amazon River Dolphin sizes- 300-500 lbs.



LA PLATA DOLPHIN: Unlike the other two, these live in South America, and occupy coastal waters. They have the longest beak in proportion to body size of any cetacean. They only weigh about 110 lbs. at maximum.

[Jabroniville]

PORPOISES:
-I was always interested by Porpoises- they're less impressive than Dolphins, so most people overlook them, but they're kind of neat. All chubby and round and stuff. They're differentiated physically by their very short dorsal fins and rounded heads, lacking the super-long beaks of Dolphins. Porpoises are very closely related to Dolphins, Beaked Whales and Orcas, but are typically much smaller. They are easily identified by their blunt snouts (as opposed to a pronounced beak like most Dolphins) and small size, resembling tiny versions of Orca-like cetaceans. However, they are most closely related to the Narwhal & Beluga. Porpoises have flattened, spade-shaped teeth, and are fairly numerous compared to many cetaceans, living in varied habitats such as polar waters, open ocean & coastal waters. Unlike dolphins, they typically do not form large social groups.

-There are seven living species of Porpoise, in three different sizes- 100 lbs., 160 lbs. & 200+ lbs. (only the Dall's Porpoise is in the largest), so they all fit similar statlines.

[Jabroniville]

Harbour Porpoise.

MEDIUM-SIZED PORPOISES
Role: Small Cetaceans
PL 4 (57)- Minion Rank 4, Sidekick Rank 12
Normal Version: PL 2-3
STRENGTH 2 STAMINA 2 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 4 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -3 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE -2

Skills:
Sea Acrobatics 4 (+8)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 2 (+6)
Expertise (Survival) 5 (+7)
Insight 3 (+5)
Perception 8 (+10)

Advantages:
Defensive Attack, Fast Grab, Great Endurance, Improved Defense, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Teamwork

Powers:
"Echolocation & Vision" Senses 6 (Extended, Ultra & Accurate Hearing, Extended & Low-Light Vision) [6]

"Sea Creature"
Swimming 6 (30 mph) [6]
Immunity 4 (Cold, Drowning, Suffocation, Pressure) (Flaws: Limited to Half-Effect) [2]

Offense:
Unarmed +6 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +6 (DC 16), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness +2, Fortitude +4, Will +4

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Dolphins cannot speak to humans, nor use their flippers to easily manipulate objects.
Disabled (Scent)- Dolphins are thought to have either no sense of smell at all, or only tiny amounts of scent capability. Their blowholes are closed when underwater, and useless in open air.

Total: Abilities: 18 / Skills: 22--11 / Advantages: 6 / Powers: 14 / Defenses: 8 (57)

Era: Modern
Range: Nearly All Coastlines
Stereotypes: Friendly, fun-loving goof-offs.
Colouring: Black, white & yellow
Size: Up to 6.5 feet long (120-190 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Small pods (2-6)
Diet: Crustaceans, squid, fish
Tactics: Flee from combat, bite fish with mouth or ram at top speed.

-Mid-Sized Porpoises are from 110-170 lbs., thereabouts.

Porpoises:
HARBOUR PORPOISE: The most common and well-studied Porpoise, named for its proximity to harbors. A coastal animal, it exists along Europe, Africa, both American coasts, and East Asia. These grey porpoises are preyed upon by Great White Sharks & Orcas, and sometimes killed by Bottlenose Dolphins due to competition over scarce resources around the U.K. They're 4-6 feet long and 130-170 lbs.



SPECTACLED PORPOISE: Very striking porpoises black on top and white on the bottom. They are very poory studied, owing to living in remote regions of the southern oceans of the world. Most of what we know is from stranded individuals, and only a few observations of animals made at sea. 180-240 lbs.

BURMEISTER'S PORPOISE: Encircles most of South America's coastline. Mostly black, with a dorsal fin much further back than any other cetacean. 110-165 lbs.