The compsognathus is a small bipedal dinosaur that moves in swift, darting motions. Its bite injects a venom that causes numbness and weakness, a trait that the animal uses to bring down larger prey, although it prefers to scavenge food or snatch up insects and other smaller creatures for its meals. The compsognathus is curious to a fault; most encounters that result in combat with these diminutive dinosaurs result not from the creatures' hunger but from frightened defensive reactions when the dinosaurs' inquisitive natures compel them to enter into situations that inadvertently put them at odds with surprised adventurers.