The earliest Hyaenids were small, civet-like omnivores, which lived in the forests of Eurasia during the middle to late Miocene. Ictitherium was a little larger and more widespread than most, with some adaptations for crushing bone, while Plioviverrops was smaller and found only in Europe.
As the family grew and diversified in the late Miocene, some developed powerful bone-crushing jaws, while another branch (possibly descended from Plioviverops) became long-legged pursuit predators, showing parallel evolution with canines. The most successful and widespread genus of these “dog-like hyenas” was Chasmaporthetes, the “running hyena”. It emerged on the grasslands of central Asia during the late Miocene, from there spreading across Eurasia and Africa, reaching North America by the late Pliocene, where it survived until the early Pleistocene, long after going extinct elsewhere (except for an isolated population in Italy). Ikelohyena was another dog-like genus from early Pliocene Africa.
Percrocuta came from a lineage which split from the Hyaenids early and is subject to debate about whether it should be included within them or classed in its own family along with its close relative Dinocrocuta, the “dire hyena”. Both were large predators, with bone-crushing jaws, and lived throughout Africa and Eurasia during the Miocene.
Another group with bone-cracking jaws includes the ancestors of living hyenas (excluding the Aardwolf, which is descended from dog-like Hyaenids). Belbus was an early example from late Miocene Africa and south-eastern Europe, showing only moderate adaptations for biting through bone. Adcrocuta, from Eurasia around the same time, was larger and had stronger jaws. Pliocrocuta was a little smaller than Adcrocuta, but had a more powerful bite, and lived in Eurasia from the middle Pliocene to the early Pleistocene. Its range was inherited by Pachycrocuta, the “giant short-faced hyena”, which was extremely well suited to breaking strong bones and survived until the late Pleistocene.
Crocuta (which includes the spotted hyena, C. crocuta), evolved (probably from an ancestor shared with Adcrocuta) in Africa during the middle Pliocene. They were probably the first hyenas to hunt in packs. The earliest species, C. dietrichi, was slightly smaller than C. crocuta, but the Pleistocene “cave hyenas” C. spelaea (from Europe) and C. ultima (Asia) were much larger.
Ictitherium
ST 6;
DX 13;
IQ 4;
HT 11.
HP 6;
Will 10;
Per 12;
FP 11;
Speed 6.00;
Dodge 10;
Move 9.
SM −2, 30 lbs.
Bite or Claw (13): 1d−4 cutting. Reach C.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 1; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; Night Vision 2; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Strikine ST 1 (Bite only); Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short-Ranged 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Climbing-15; Stealth-14; Survival (Woodlands)-12.
For Plioviverrops (10 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 4, SM to −3, and remove Striking ST. Damage with bite or claw drops to 1d−6.
Chasmaporthestes
ST 8;
DX 12;
IQ 4;
HT 12.
HP 8;
Will 11;
Per 12;
FP 12;
Speed 6.00;
Dodge 10;
Move 10.
SM −1, 60 lbs.
Bite (14): 1d−2 cutting. Reach C.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 2; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; Enhanced Move (Ground Speed 20); Parabolic Hearing 1; Reduced Consumption 2 (Cast-Iron Stomach); Quadruped; Striking ST 1 (Bite only); Ultrahearing; Wild Animal.
Skills: Running-13; Stealth-12; Survival (Plains)-12; Tracking-15.
Use the same profile for Ikelohyena.
Percrocuta
ST 11;
DX 11;
IQ 4;
HT 13.
HP 11;
Will 12;
Per 12;
FP 13;
Speed 6.00;
Dodge 9;
Move 6.
SM 0 (2 hexes), 150 lbs.
Bite (13): 1d cutting. Reach C, 1.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 2; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1 (Tough Skin); Long Neck 1*; Night Vision 3; Parabolic Hearing 1; Reduced Consumption 2 (Cast-Iron Stomach); Quadruped; Striking ST 2 (Bite only); Ultrahearing; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-13; Intimidation-13; Stealth-13; Survival (Plains)-12; Tracking-15.
* see GURPS Furries, p. 12.
This represents the larger species of Percrocuta. For smaller ones such as P. xixiaensis (80 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 9, and bite damage to 1d−1.
For Dinocrocuta (440 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 15, SM to +1 (2 hexes), DR to 2, Striking ST to 4, and bite damage to 2d.
For Belbus (90 lbs.) decrease ST and HP to 9, and bite damage to 1d−1. Survival specialty becomes (Woodlands).
For Adcrocuta (140 lbs.) or Pliocrocuta (120 lbs.) decrease ST and HP to 10, and increase Striking ST to 3. Bite damage becomes 1d.
For Pachycrocuta (240 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 12, and Striking ST to 5. Reduce Born Biter to 1. Bite damage becomes 1d+2.
Crocuta dietrichi
ST 9;
DX 12;
IQ 4;
HT 12.
HP 9;
Will 12;
Per 12;
FP 12;
Speed 6.00;
Dodge 10;
Move 8.
SM 0 (2 hexes), 150 lbs.
Bite (14): 1d cutting. Reach C, 1.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 2; Chummy; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1 (Tough Skin); Long Neck 1*; Night Vision 3; Parabolic Hearing 1; Reduced Consumption 2 (Cast-Iron Stomach); Reduced Consumption 1 (Water only); Quadruped; Striking ST 2 (Bite only); Ultrahearing; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Intimidation-12; Stealth-12; Survival (Plains)-12; Tactics-6; Tracking-15.
* see GURPS Furries, p. 12.
For C. spelaea or C. ultima (200 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 12, and Striking ST to 3. Add Temperature Tolerance 4 (Cold). Bite damage becomes 1d+1.