Diplopack
The diplopack is a species of dinosaur found in the Kingdom of Han on Earth Primal where it has been domesticated and is used as a beast of burden.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The diplopack is a member of a group of morphologically related species known as the Diplodocidae, which includes several enormous examples of heavy four footed herbivores with long necks, bulky bodies and long tails. It has two distinct centres of neural activity, a forebrain in the skull behind the eyes and a smaller, less sophisticated aftbrain at the base of the tail which is reponsible for co-ordinating muscular activity in the tail and the rear legs, making the creature more responsive than it could otherwise be with limbs so far away from the centre of consciousness.
Biological Traits
Males are characterised by the presence of a ridge of bony plates down the neck and the spine (as seen in the cover image) which females lack.
Dietary Needs and Habits
In addition to the melapin used to pacify them, diplopacks require a lot of vegetation on a daily basis. Where possible, drovers take them outside the Han Wall to avoid depleating the reserves in the woodland feeding grounds, although this risks attracting predators. A lack of easily accessed food for the diplopacks within the kingdom is the main reason why the numbers of domesticated animals has to remain stricly limited and why a license is required to own one.
Additional Information
Domestication
A psychoactive fungus called melapin has a calming effect on diplopacks and they crave it. The fungus is cultivated in the Han kingdom, in the mountain caves of the Xerithan range. These caves are inaccessable to the diplopacks and human handlers have developed a training system, allowing them to negotiate and tame the giant beasts, in return for melapin.
Diplopack (Female) by DMFW with Midjourney
Lifespan
80 years
Average Height
9 meters
Average Weight
1200 kg
Average Length
18 meters
Geographic Distribution
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