The city is famous for its weekly dinosaur races through the streets. Dinosaurs are painted in bright designs, and their riders try to steer them along a course that winds around the city's four hills. Spectators are seldom injured, but it's a dangerous sport for the dinosaurs and their riders.
A typical race day has three races: one for four-legged beasts, one for two-legged beasts, and one no-holds-barred "unchained" race. Many of the dinosaurs involved are juveniles, since fully grown versions can be too large and too difficult for riders to manage. The dinosaurs are stoutly muzzled and have their claws and horns blunted in all but the unchained race.
The four-legged race is dominated by young ankylosauruses and triceratopses, but dimetrodons have also done well when paired with Small riders. Most competitors in the two-legged race are hadrosauruses and deinonychuses (again with Small riders). The unchained race sees racers on anything, including young allosauruses and very young tyrannosauruses.
Betting
Characters can bet on the dinosaur races to help fund a jungle expedition or earn some extra cash. The racers, the available odds, and the chance to win are listed in the Betting on Dinosaur Races table. Bets can range from 1 cp to 500 gp. Once bets are placed, roll a die for each bet. Losing bets cost the full amount of the wager. Winning bets pay out according to the table. Bets can be for a dinosaur to win, place, show, or do something specific during the race (like attack another racer or throw its rider), so many bets can win in the course of a single race.
Losers are expected to pay up in a timely fashion. Those who don't are visited by a debt collector backed up by Chultan legbreakers (1d4+1 thugs or gladiators, depending on the level and reputation of the bettor). Port Nyanzaru bookies never forget a debt; even a year away on an expedition into the jungle isn't long enough to erase an unpaid gambling loss.
During the week there is typically one race for each category of beast, depending on location and availability.
Betting on Races
| Odds |
Roll |
Win on |
Payout = |
Racer Example |
| 7/1 |
d8 |
2-8 |
Wager / 7 |
Big Honker (crowd-pleasing young tyrannosaurus rex) |
| 5/1 |
d6 |
2-6 |
Wager / 5 |
Ubtao's Favorite (young triceratops on a streak) |
| 3/1 |
d4 |
2-4 |
Wager / 3 |
Banana Candy (well-trained hadrosaurus) |
| 2/1 |
d3 |
2-3 |
Wager / 2 |
Bonecruncher (young, ill-tempered allosaurus) |
| 1/1 |
Any |
Even |
Wager |
Grung Stomper (young ankylosaurus) |
| 1/2 |
d3 |
1 |
Wager × 2 |
Scarback (young tyrannosaurus rex on its last race) |
| 1/3 |
d4 |
1 |
Wager × 3 |
Nasty Boy (allosaurus with famous trainer) |
| 1/5 |
d6 |
1 |
Wager × 5 |
Jungle Princess (deinonychus with frightened jockey) |
| 1/7 |
d8 |
1 |
Wager × 7 |
Mountain Thunder (aging dimetrodon) |
Racing
Player characters might get involved in a dinosaur race, either through their own interest or because they're approached by a racing team. In this case, you'll need to play out the race. This can be quite a bit of fun, especially if you let players whose characters aren't directly involved take over at least some of the NPC racers. Encourage everyone to race hard, even if it's in the group's best interest for a particular dinosaur to win.
A race runs a length of 300 feet; this is abstract, as a race actually covers a lot more ground. Every round, each rider makes a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check; the DCs for different types of dinosaurs are listed in the Racing Dinosaurs table. With each successful Animal Handling check, the first number listed as the dinosaur's speed is added to its "running tally." If the check fails, that dinosaur's tally doesn't increase that turn. When a racer's tally equals or exceeds 300, that dinosaur crosses the finish line. A racer can try to move at the higher listed speed by lashing the animal furiously; in this case, the Animal Handling check is made with advantage, but the dinosaur must also make a successful DC 10 Constitution check at the end of this round or its speed is halved for the rest of the race.
No initiative is involved. Riders can make their Animal Handling checks in any order, or all at the same time. If two or more dinosaurs cross the finish line on the same round, the one with the highest tally wins. If the tallies are the same, the racers tied. In the event of a tie, brawls are likely to break out in trackside betting pools.
In the unchained event, dinosaurs can attack other dinosaurs if their tallies are within 50 of each other at the end of a round. Each dinosaur's pertinent combat statistics are listed on the Racing Dinosaurs table. If a dinosaur has half or fewer of its starting hit points, the rider makes Animal Handling checks with disadvantage.
For simplicity, riders can't attack or be attacked, but DMs with a cruel streak might be tempted to relax that rule. Just be aware that if rider attacks are allowed, the event is more likely to become a straight-up dinosaur fight than anything resembling a race. Raising a dinosaur to be a racer is difficult and expensive. Most owners aren't willing to lose one-especially a fast one-in a weekly bloodfest.
Dinosaurs
| Mount |
Speed |
Skill Check DC |
AC |
Hit Points |
Attack |
Damage |
Constitution |
| Allosaurus, young (2L) |
50/80 |
16* |
13 |
30 |
+6 |
8 (1d10+3) |
15 (+2) |
| Deinonychus (2M) |
40/60 |
12* |
13 |
26 |
+4 |
6 (1d8+2) |
14 (+2) |
| Dimetrodon (4M) |
30/50 |
8 |
12 |
19 |
+3 |
8 (2d6+1) |
15 (+2) |
| Hadrosaurus (2L) |
40/50 |
10 |
11 |
19 |
+3 |
6 (1d10+1) |
13 (+1) |
| Other |
40/60 |
12 |
12 |
24 |
+3 |
6 (1d8+2) |
16(+3) |
| Triceratops, young (4L) |
50/75 |
14 |
13 |
38 |
+5 |
6 (1d10+1) |
15(+2) |
| Tyrannosaurus, young (2L) |
50/100 |
18* |
13 |
46 |
+6 |
9 (1d12+3) |
17 (+3) |
* If an Animal Handling check made with advantage due to lashing fails by 5 or more, the animal goes berserk and is out of the race.
Two-Legged Beasts
| Mount |
Speed |
Skill Check DC |
AC |
Hit Points |
Attack |
Damage |
Constitution |
| Ape (M) |
30/50 |
10 |
12 |
19 |
+5 |
6 (1d6+3) |
14 (+2) |
| Axe Beak (L) |
50/70 |
12 |
11 |
19 |
+4 |
6 (1d8+2) |
12 (+1) |
| Fastieth (M) |
50/70 |
12 |
14 |
9 |
+6 |
8 (1d8+4) |
10 (+0) |
| Giant Ape, young (L) |
40/60 |
13* |
12 |
46 |
+5 |
8 (1d10+3) |
16 (+3) |
* If an Animal Handling check made with advantage due to lashing fails by 5 or more, the animal goes berserk and is out of the race.
Four-Legged Beasts
| Mount |
Speed |
Skill Check DC |
AC |
Hit Points |
Attack |
Damage |
Constitution |
| Aurochs (L) |
50/70 |
16* |
11 |
38 |
+7 |
14 (2d8+5) |
19 (+4) |
| Black Bear (M) |
40/60 |
12* |
11 |
19 |
+4 |
5 (1d6+2) |
14 (+2) |
| Boar (M) |
40/60 |
10* |
11 |
11 |
+3 |
4 (1d6+1) |
12 (+1) |
| Brown Bear (L) |
40/60 |
12* |
11 |
34 |
+6 |
8 (1d8+4) |
16 (+3) |
| Camel (L) |
50/75 |
10 |
9 |
15 |
+5 |
2 (1d4) |
14 (+2) |
| Dire Wolf (L) |
50/75 |
16* |
14 |
37 |
+5 |
10 (2d6+3) |
15 (+2) |
| Elephant, young (L) |
40/55 |
13 |
12 |
50 |
+6 |
6 (1d8+2) |
17 (+3) |
| Elk (L) |
50/70 |
12 |
10 |
13 |
+5 |
6 (1d6+3) |
12 (+1) |
| Giant Badger (M) |
30/50 |
10 |
10 |
13 |
+3 |
4 (1d6+1) |
15 (+2) |
| Giant Lizard (L) |
30/50 |
10 |
12 |
19 |
+4 |
6 (1d8+2) |
13 (+1) |
| Giant Weasel (M) |
40/60 |
10 |
13 |
9 |
+5 |
5 (1d4+3) |
10 (+0) |
| Goat (M) |
40/50 |
8 |
10 |
4 |
+3 |
3 (1d4+1) |
11 (+0) |
| Hyena (M) |
50/70 |
12* |
11 |
5 |
+2 |
3 (1d6) |
12 (+1) |
| Lion (L) |
50/70 |
14* |
12 |
26 |
+5 |
7 (1d8+3) |
13 (+1) |
| Mastiff (M) |
40/60 |
10 |
12 |
5 |
+3 |
4 (1d6+1) |
12 (+1) |
| Panther (M) |
50/70 |
12* |
12 |
13 |
+4 |
5 (1d6+2) |
10 (+2) |
| Pony (M) |
40/70 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
— |
— |
13 (+1) |
| Rhinoceros (L) |
40/60 |
15* |
11 |
45 |
+7 |
14 (2d8+5) |
15 (+2) |
| Riding Horse (L) |
60/90 |
10 |
10 |
13 |
— |
— |
12 (+1) |
| Saber-Toothed Tiger (L) |
40/60 |
14* |
12 |
52 |
+6 |
10 (1d10+5) |
15 (+2) |
| Tiger (L) |
40/60 |
14* |
12 |
37 |
+5 |
8 (1d10+3) |
14 (+2) |
| Wolf (M) |
40/60 |
12* |
13 |
11 |
+4 |
7 (2d4+2) |
12 (+1) |
* If an Animal Handling check made with advantage due to lashing fails by 5 or more, the animal goes berserk and is out of the race.
Flying Beasts
| Mount |
Speed |
Skill Check DC |
AC |
Hit Points |
Attack |
Damage |
Constitution |
| Giant Bat (L) |
60/90 |
13 |
13 |
22 |
+4 |
5 (1d6+2) |
11 (+0) |
| Giant Eagle (L) |
80/110 |
16 |
13 |
26 |
+5 |
10 (2d6+3) |
13 (+1) |
| Giant Fly (L) |
60/90 |
11 |
11 |
19 |
— |
— |
13 (+1) |
| Giant Owl (L) |
60/90 |
13 |
12 |
19 |
+3 |
8 (2d6+1) |
12 (+1) |
| Giant Vulture (L) |
60/90 |
13 |
10 |
22 |
+4 |
9 (2d6+2) |
15 (+2) |
| Giant Wasp (M) |
50/80 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
+4 |
5 (1d6+2) |
10 (+0) |
| Griffon (L) |
80/110 |
18* |
12 |
59 |
+6 |
11 (2d6+4) |
16 (+3) |
| Hippogriff (L) |
60/90 |
13* |
11 |
19 |
+5 |
10 (2d6+3) |
13 (+1) |
| Pteranodon (M) |
60/90 |
13 |
13 |
13 |
+3 |
6 (2d4+1) |
10 (+0) |
| Skyjek Roc (L) |
90/120 |
18* |
15 |
37 |
+7 |
10 (2d4+5) |
14 (+2) |
| Winged Lion (L) |
60/90 |
16* |
13 |
114 |
+7 |
16 (2d10+5) |
18 (+4) |
| Wyvern (L) |
80/110 |
18* |
13 |
110 |
+7 |
3 (2d8+4) |
16 (+3) |
* If an Animal Handling check made with advantage due to lashing fails by 5 or more, the animal goes berserk and is out of the race.
Registration and Prizes
Registering for a race costs 10 gp. Limit 1 race per week.
- If a race team or beast owner is looking to hire a rider, then the rider is typically paid 5 gp × the beast's Skill Check DC up front, plus a performance incentive of 10% of any prize money won.
- If a rider is looking to rent a beast, then the owner is typically paid 5 gp × the beast's Skill Check DC up front. Unchained races cost double to rent. The rider keeps any prize money they win.
- An owner can ride their own beast, keeping any prize money themselves, but accepts the risk of loss in unchained races.
Riders who finish in the top 3 earn prize money. Unchained races earn double the listed prizes.
- 1st place: 200 gp
- 2nd place: 150 gp
- 3rd place: 100 gp
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