[Fan Dossier] - Archelon

[Denliner]

Previous Fan Dossiers:
- Edaphosaurus (Edaphosaurus agricola)
- Yutyrannus (Yutyrannus sishen)
- Yi Qi (Yi qiangdao)
- Chalicotherium (Chalicotherium robustus)
- Gorgonops (Gorgonops terrorem)
- Leedsicthys (Leedsicthys navigium)
- Livyatan (Livyatan peqoudus)
- Gigantoraptor (Gigantoraptor tawusen)
- Dakotaraptor (Dakotaraptor phantasma)
- Protoceratops (Protoceratops lanatae)
- Thylacoleo (Thylacoleo carnifex)
- Basilosaurus (Basilosaurus hydrarchos)

Introducing the Archelon! The friendly giant sea turtle of the oceans!

Common Name: Archelon
Species Name: Archelon amicus (Friendly Ruler Turtle)
Time: Late Cretaceous
Diet: Carnivore
Temperament: Friendly

Tameable: Yes
Rideable: Yes
Utilities: Starter Aquatic Mount, Cnidaria Hunter

Wild:

Archelon is a common creature amongst the coastal waters of the island. Content with eating soft bodied jellyfish and small fish, they are some of the most friendly and docile creatures in the seas, despite it being a carnivore. However, they are still a threat to inexperienced survivors who try to disturb them, often heavily injuring them with their powerful beaks.

Domesticated:

With its lack of aggression and natural friendly disposition towards survivors, they make excellent starting mounts for maiden voyages, alongside the Ichthyosaurus curiosa. Both creatures are still different, as Archelon is much slower but has more bulk than the Ichthy. However, most tribes use both of these creatures in similar tasks, despite these differences.

Archelon's greatest use is when it finds Cnidaria, one of its favorite foods. It has evolved to become resistant towards its sedative and will often consume them outright, extracting more of the substance than using normal means. These poisons can be then extracted from their bodies and be used in many applications, including advanced tranquilizers. However, it is not completely immune from their sedative and could possibly fall unconscious and drown if they eat too much, which is why survivors often do this in bursts, so that it makes sure it completely recovers before undertaking the same risky process.

Additional Information:

Unlike other turtles like Carbonemys, Archelon has not evolved a thick shell, instead utilizing a much softer, leathery carapace. This makes it lighter and as a result, it is faster and more maneuverable against the many threats that it faces. These characteristics makes it very similar to the modern Leatherback sea turtle, only much much larger.

Author's Notes:

A short dossier before another one comes out :D

This time it's Archelon, a giant turtle and one of the most majestic creatures on the Island. Like the Ichthy, it is a very friendly creature and are very easy to tame, making it an alternative to the dolphin-like reptile.

However, unlike Ichthy which can be trained for quick runs in the ocean and can attract Megalodons for tons of meat, Archelon is often used for Cnidaria hunting, as they can extract more of the toxic sedative as they consume them.

Still, if survivors are not careful, Archelon could fall unconscious and drown if they eat so much Cnidaria that they pass out. This makes it a risky process, but a very rewarding one as well.

[GDK_beetlethug]

Would be cool

[Leonhardt]

Couple things:

Would love for them to be able to flop onto land and slide around slowly.

Also, it could possibly have the smallest platform saddle, like just barely larger than a single Foundation

[Denliner]

Originally posted by MLeonhardt:

Couple things:

Would love for them to be able to flop onto land and slide around slowly.

Also, it could possibly have the smallest platform saddle, like just barely larger than a single Foundation

The last part makes Archelon much more favorable than the Ichthy, which is not what I really wanted to do, since both essentially are the same in their roles as a starting aquatic mount.

Perhaps a much bigger Ichthyosaur like Shonisaurus could suffice or perhaps another marine reptile species (Plesiosaurs, Mosasaurs, etc.) for a starter platform saddle role.