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Pterodactyl Guards

Monster name: 'Dactyl Guard
First date used: 1994, 1995, or 1996

Three guard each Pterodactyl. They are armed with Pencil Swords and shields. They "respawn by touching the 'Dactyl" (rather than returning to Monster Central), and its venom is harmless to them (sort of like those small fish that hang out in the tentacles of anemones) (except that 'Dactyl venom is, of course, harmless to all monsters). What this actually means is that all Dactyl Guards killed during a conflict with a group of hunters respawn at the end of the conflict.

Evolution and History

The 'Dactyl Guards originally worked with the Game Warden, to prevent hunters without hunting licenses from attacking the Pterodactyl. They eventually replaced him entirely.

Each of the Pterodactyls (there have been between one and three - generally two in past years, three currently) is guarded by three guards. They are armed with "Pencil Swords" (because "The pencil is mightier than the sword"), which were originally #2 HB newspaper swords, but have thoroughly made the transition to foam (Pencil Swords are yellow foam, normal-length, sharpened, with a black point).

They often sing songs of annoyance to the hunters.

There has been some debate over whether 'Dactyl Guards are orcs, hobgoblins, grunts, or a race all to themselves. The Orcs and Hobgoblins have a rivalry, and have at times been distinguished by distinctive weapons; at other times they were distinguished merely by different cultures and costumes, and the extreme racial prejudice for each group against the other. Before 2003 (is this the right date?), when there were only two Pterodactyls, it made a certain amount of sense to have each dactyl guarded by a separate race. As of 2004, they were decided to be neither Orcs nor Hobgoblins, since there didn't exist a third such race for the third Dactyl, and the guards' weaponry is distinctive to begin with. This is occasionally referred to as the "third race nourished on 'dactyl blood" theory.

Joel's description, ca. 1998:
A group of orcs that has taken a crash course in poetry. Their swords have been 
painted to look like pencils, and they carry a shield, making them harder to kill 
than regular orcs. Three Dactyl Guards are protecting each Pterodactyl.

Chaos' description from the Panic Book, written fall 1999:
dactyl guards (6): these are orcs (or is it hobgoblins?) with pencil swords and shields 
with relevant verse written on them. they guard the pterodactyls (three per dactyl). near the end of 
the evening, it is sometimes advisable to disband the dactyl guards so the hunters have a better chance, 
at which point they all become ordinary orcs (or hobgoblins).

2002 description:
Armed with their dactylic shields and pencils (for the Pen is mightier than the Sword), 
these brave orcs and hobgoblins protect the 'Dactyls from ravening hunters. These fearless 
eco-terrorists, devoted to preserving the area's monstrous wildlife, store their life-forces 
in their masters. When they die, they are resurrected by the mere presence of their Dactyl.}}}

2003 description:
Dactyl guards are armed with swords and shields and can be found near 
the Dactyls.  The presence of the Pterodactyl is enough to regenerate 
the guards.

Illustrious Guards of the Past

• 2003
  • Michael Noda: Adam, Alex, Andrew Brown
  • JC: Ben, Harold, Jerome
  • Benjamin Bagley: Mike, John, Susan
• 2004
  • David A. Benitez, Ben Thuronyi, Winslow Johnson
  • Michael Cohen, Mary Wootters, Marie Cosgrove-Davies
  • Mendez, Kit, Leah Handel
• 2005
  • Marie Cosgrove-Davies, Sam Schneider, Eliza Waldman
  • Matt Fowles, Seton, ??
  •  ??, ??, ??
• 2006

	Characters in the Pterodactyl Hunt	(view·discuss)
Admins	Hunt Wizards | Squires
Current	Pterodactyl | Jabberwock | Vampire and Shadow | Black Knight | Oracle | Race Kings | Orcs and Hobgoblins | Werewolf | Dactyl Guards | Cat | Fishmonger | Hydra | Kobolds | Turtles | Sphinx | Spondees | Phoenix | Imp | Troll (treasure)
Planned	Grue | Kraken | Assassin | Dragon | Harpies
Retired	Cardboard Tube Samurai | Achilles | Wraith | Siren | Medusa | Bug-Blatter | Unicorn | Grunts | Troll (riddle) | Necromant | Thief