This is just an idea I had. Basically, it's a collection of monster observations written by a hunter. Enjoy.
Warning: Lots of headcanons.
Introduction[]
Hello. I am a hunter working for the Dondruma Town Guild. For the past 25 years, since I was around 15, I have been observing the ecology and behavior of the monster types I have hunted. My research has revealed some surprising facts, and I have also debunked many myths and misconceptions about monsters.
Akantor and Ukanlos: Polar opposites in more than one way[]
Akantor and Ukanlos are known to live in vastly different habitats to each other, the former living in volcanic habitats, and the latter inhabiting the Snowy Mountains. But in the past few years, I have also encountered many other differences between them.
One example is their aggression. Akantor is a notoriously aggressive wyvern, attacking almost anything that comes into its territory. On the contrary, Ukanlos seems rather docile, at least compared to other monsters, prefering to walk or burrow away rather than fight other large monsters. It appears that it only attacks hunters because they are normally hunted in the Snow Mountains Peak, meaning that they are cornered.
Another example is their diet. Akantor is a strict predator, preying on other large monsters such as Gravios. Ukanlos, meanwhile, is mostly a scavenger, eating small animals and carrion. They will also gain nutrients from minerals and bacteria in ice and clay.
Yet another example is their lifespan. By counting growth rings in Akantor and Ukanlos vertebrae, it seems that the latter lives a lot longer than the former, presumably due to its easier life. The oldest Akantor specimens only seem to be 100–150 years old, while the oldest Ukanlos specimens seem to be 200–400 years old.
Reclassifying Elder Dragons[]
The classification of Elder Dragons is a messy one. Any monster that cannot be put into any other groups is an Elder Dragon, according to the Guild. But after hunting down many species of these monsters, I have to conclude that this is simply not true from a scientific viewpoint.
Fatalis and Dire Miralis appear to belong not only in their own family, but in their own order. And instead of three Fatalis species, my anatomical analysis seems to conclude that there are only two, with Fatalis and Crimson Fatalis being the same species. Overall, this order has four species, with Kushala Daora being in another family within this order. I call this order the exterminatoriformes, due to their destructive potential.
Meanwhile, Alatreon, Chameleos and Goa/Shagaru Magara also belong to their own order, which I call the dracoelemtoriformes, due to their strange elements and afflictions. This order contains only one family, which contains two genuses with three species, with Alatreon and Shagaru Magara belonging in Aterdraco, and Chameleos belonging in Invisiblidraco.
Teostra/Lunastra (Leodrakon ignus) belong to a unique order and a unique family. This order shall be called the leodraconiformes, due to their lion-like features.
Raviente and Dara Amadyura are Snake Wyverns. Jhen Mohran, Shanthien and Daren Mohran are Leviathans. Surprisingly, Ceadeus seems to be a distant relative of Akantor and Ukanlos. Kirin is a Pelagus. Yama Tsukami and Amatsumagatsuchi remain unclassified. Lao Shan Lung appears to be a new group, known as Behemoths.