Carnotaurus (Kar·nuh·tor·uhs)

Threat Level: High

Often referred to as the “bulldog of dinosaurs”, these slow witted predators can almost exclusively be found in the arid regions of Jotunheim, where they are known to roam for miles in search of food, often tracking potential prey for days on end.

Description

Standing 6-8 feet tall, and stretching 26-27 feet long, the Carnotaurus possess clawed legs, with arms that have atrophied into little more than nubs. Its short, deep skull is crowned with two horns, which continiously grow over its lifetime. To compensate for its shrimpush arms, the Carnotaurus employs bone crushing strength with jaws filled with serrated teeth.

Covering its body are hard scales, ranging from redish brown to dessert yellow, with small spikes lining its body, often to deter other Carnotaurus' from ramming into eachother.

Behavior and Hunting

Roaming in groups of three or four, the Carnotaurus (or Carno) is an intriguing example of a Sub-Social dynamic. Meaning, that while they may group up with eachother, they lack any type of social structure or kinship with one another, and instead seem to just tolerate one another. This is best shown by the chaotic way they hunt, often using little to no tactics whatsoever, and instead charging blindly at the prey item, gnashing and brutalizing independently of one another, and often scrambling over one another. Even when it come time to eat, it is not uncommon to see two Carnos battling over scraps.
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While for most other creatures this is a recipe for failure, especially in the harsh rocky desert environment they call home, the Carno instead thrives, being one of the most common of predators within their respective habitat. This is in large part due to their superb sense of smell, and sheer tenacity once they’ve set their eyes on something. Very little can sway a Carnotaurus once they’ve set their mind to something, and have been known to follow prey items during a failed hunt for days on end, in a single minded pursuit. A story of a notable scholar, who had come to visit and study Jotunheim wildlife, claimed to have been stalked his entire visit by a duo of Carnotaurus he had Nick named “The Sid’s” (roughly translating into “Persistent Pests” in his native tongue). Even as he left Jotunheim, the scholar, and even the crew, witnessed The Sids keeping pace with the airship as it left, describing how both seemed to have matching broken horns.

Additional Information

While many have tried taming this simple minded brute, none but the people of Burninggem, within the Empty Quarter, have been successfull. A deeply guarded secret, they use the beasts in their hunts for Lyndworms, as the Carnosaurus’ are the only creatures that can track the Lyndworm as it travels underground.