Mutators: Introduce dangerous birds into the habitat of the Prairie dogs.
You introduce a few predatory birds to the terrarium, including two hawks and two owls. They spend a day or so settling into the environment, and when they're hungry, start going for kills. Several are taken quickly, before the prairie dogs become more careful and stick to their holes, coming up for food and water. New holes are also dug near good fields, which are generally unoccupied except for times of emergency, when prairie dogs afield jump into said holes. At one point, one of the owls misjudges a swoop and makes a hard landing on the ground. The prairie dogs swarm over it, and eventually claw the owl to death.
15 Prairie dogs have died, and 10 new ones have been born. Most of the dead were killed or eaten by birds. Breeding behavior is normal, and a natural population growth of about 4 dogs a turn will occur.
Your 295 prairie dogs live in a semi-arid grassland, dominated by several different kinds of tall and short grass, as well as the occasional woody shrub and small tree. It is mostly dry, but an artificial spring is present and provides water and trace nutrients to the habitat. There is room for perhaps 500 prairie dogs altogether.
Currently, dog society is split into three roughly equal villages, composed of family units, which are mostly one male dog, a few female dogs, and some children, although some family units have more than one male dog or only one female dog. In addition, bachelor groups are present composed of the excess male dogs. Young males often, but not always, migrate to the other villages when they mature.
They have a fairly rudimentary technology, and use simple tools such as sticks and rocks to clear soil of unwanted plants and encourage growth of desired edibles. They have relatively recently discovered basic agriculture, and have taken to planting their desired grass species, and overturning earth.
The dogs have a complex language, consisting of sounds and gestures, and they have a definate social organization, with perhaps one or two families in charge of each village. Families live in underground burrows, and the villages are large groups of burrows that occasionally interconnect below ground. Tools are also used to help dig homes, although most digging is done with their hands.
Physically, the dogs are about 12 inches long, and weigh one kilogram. They have mostly flat teeth for eating plants, and have only rudimentary claws on their forelimbs, which are slightly longer than basic prairie dog forelimbs, with the paws modified to be more suitable for tool use and grasping.
Most prairie dogs do not fight, and fighting inside villages is strongly discouraged by others. Conflict does occur between villages, as newcomers make displays trying to be accepted and in order to establish position for mates. These battles are only occasionally physical, and when they are, the dogs rarely injure each other. They could use sticks or rocks to hurt each other, as well as their small claws.
The recent apperance of the birds has caused your dogs to establish an increased organization.. as one dog alone cannot watch for birds and work. It has also lead to a slight increase in the willingness to fight external threats, as the birds exist to eat them, and there can be no peace.
Stats:
Softness, 100%
Soft Attack, 0.25 (claws, grappling)
Hard Attack, 0.1 (rocks)
Toughness, 1.0 (difficulty to kill an individual dog)
Morale, 10.6% +0.6%(overall effectiveness in combat)
Organization, 5.3 +0.3 (capacity for teamwork and discipline.
Bloody Murder: Scatter shards of mutagenic green stone in the water supply.
The first and most visible effect of the mutagenic stone is cancer. Cancer and stillbirths and horrible bad-smelling twisted babies.
The dogs don't take it well. Those babies which aren't dead die painfully, and the mutants are set upon by the non-twisted dogs, and driven off or killed. Dog society is greatly strained by this, and they are all afraid of being the next one to fall prey to this mysterious malady.
some 24 prairie dogs have died, mostly to mutations. In addition, five dogs are suffering from crippling mutations but are still alive. Only 6 new dogs were born healthy. Breeding activity is supressed, and you expect a continuing fall in population from the mutagenic effects.
Your 277 prairie dogs live in a semi-arid grassland, dominated by several different kinds of tall and short grass, as well as the occasional woody shrub and small tree. It is mostly dry, but an artificial spring is present and provides water and trace nutrients to the habitat. There is room for perhaps 500 prairie dogs altogether.
Currently, dog society is badly strained, with the three villages barely holding together upon the threat of the mutagens. Many dogs seem to be seeking routes of escape, and family groups are looking for new homes. In addition, the five currently living sick mutant dogs are shunned and will soon die. They would have already died if food wasn't as easy as eating it off the ground.
They have a fairly rudimentary technology, and use simple tools such as sticks and rocks to clear soil of unwanted plants and encourage growth of desired edibles. They have relatively recently discovered basic agriculture, and have taken to planting their desired grass species, and overturning earth.
The dogs have a complex language, consisting of sounds and gestures, and they have a definate social organization, with perhaps one or two families in charge of each village. Families live in underground burrows, and the villages are large groups of burrows that occasionally interconnect below ground. Tools are also used to help dig homes, although most digging is done with their hands.
Physically, the dogs are about 12 inches long, and weigh one kilogram. They have mostly flat teeth for eating plants, and have only rudimentary claws on their forelimbs, which are slightly longer than basic prairie dog forelimbs, with the paws modified to be more suitable for tool use and grasping.
Most prairie dogs do not fight, and fighting inside villages is strongly discouraged by others. Conflict does occur between villages, as newcomers make displays trying to be accepted and in order to establish position for mates. These battles are only occasionally physical, and when they are, the dogs rarely injure each other. They could use sticks or rocks to hurt each other, as well as their small claws.
The introduction of the mutagen has caused significant infighting, as well as some dogs to become secluded and secretive. This reduces their capacity to act as a unified group. However, it has increased the willingness of the survivors for engaging in combat or warfare.
Stats:
Softness, 100%
Soft Attack, 0.25 (claws, grappling)
Hard Attack, 0.1 (rocks)
Toughness, 1.0 (difficulty to kill an individual dog)
Morale, 10.2% (+0.2) (overall effectiveness in combat)
Organization, 4.8 (-0.2) (capacity for teamwork and discipline. Effect of casulties upon effectiveness.)
Lightning Clan: Introduce Fighting Rings
It takes some training to convince the dogs to begin using the ring for their ritual challenges, but you eventually succeed. After doing so, some odd behaviors begin happening. The dogs quickly eschew the central ring, and dig new ones near each village, for in-village disputes and the migration of unattached males. They do this so that the newcomers have a place to give challenges at the villages they are arriving at.
4 prairie dogs die of old age, and 11 new ones are born. Breeding activity is normal, and you expect a population increase of about four dogs a turn.
Your 307 prairie dogs live in a semi-arid grassland, dominated by several different kinds of tall and short grass, as well as the occasional woody shrub and small tree. It is mostly dry, but an artificial spring is present and provides water and trace nutrients to the habitat. There is room for perhaps 500 prairie dogs altogether.
Currently, dog society is split into three roughly equal villages, composed of family units, which are mostly one male dog, a few female dogs, and some children, although some family units have more than one male dog or only one female dog. In addition, bachelor groups are present composed of the excess male dogs. Young males often, but not always, migrate to the other villages when they mature.
They have a fairly rudimentary technology, and use simple tools such as sticks and rocks to clear soil of unwanted plants and encourage growth of desired edibles. They have relatively recently discovered basic agriculture, and have taken to planting their desired grass species, and overturning earth.
The dogs have a complex language, consisting of sounds and gestures, and they have a definate social organization, with perhaps one or two families in charge of each village. Families live in underground burrows, and the villages are large groups of burrows that occasionally interconnect below ground. Tools are also used to help dig homes, although most digging is done with their hands.
Physically, the dogs are about 12 inches long, and weigh one kilogram. They have mostly flat teeth for eating plants, and have only rudimentary claws on their forelimbs, which are slightly longer than basic prairie dog forelimbs, with the paws modified to be more suitable for tool use and grasping.
Most prairie dogs do not fight, and fighting inside villages is strongly discouraged by others. Conflict does occur between villages, in the fighting rings as newcomers make displays trying to be accepted and in order to establish position for mates. These battles are only occasionally physical, and when they are, the dogs rarely injure each other. They could use sticks or rocks to hurt each other, as well as their small claws.
The display fights prove relatively popular, and the new area for them seems to encourage the dogs naturally showing off. Challenges happen largely as they always have, but the combats are slightly more frequent than before, and more dogs observe the challenges.
Stats:
Softness, 100%
Soft Attack, 0.25 (claws, grappling)
Hard Attack, 0.1 (rocks)
Toughness, 1.0 (difficulty to kill an individual dog)
Morale, 10.9 (+0.9)% (overall effectiveness in combat)
Organization, 5.0 (capacity for teamwork and discipline. Effect of casulties upon effectiveness.)
More updates to come, probably in the morning.