Name: Brachydios
Class: Forefoot Fist Wyvern; Theropoda; Saurischia
Title: Crushing Wyvern
Strength: Slimeblight(3Gen), Blastblight(4Gen), Blastscourge(MHWI), Fireblight(MHXR)
Weakness: Water, Ice(MHWI)
Habitats: Snowy Mountains, Volcano, Deserted Island, Tundra, Volcano (3rd), Frozen Seaway, Volcanic Hollow, Everwood, Elder's Recess, Guiding Lands, Polar Sea, Fortress Ruins, Esther Lake, Ghost Rune Volcanoes, Firefly Mountain Stream, Ruins of Zalam
Appearance
A Brute Wyvern armored in a blue shell made of obsidian covered with an explosive green substance that is a slime mold-myxomycete. They have powerful legs, a clubbed tail, and, uncharacteristic of Brute Wyverns, large arms with protrutions called pounders or fists. Brachydios possess fingers that are tucked away. A large horn adorns its head. The slime mold is practically invisible on the monster except around its pounders and horn.
Habitat Range
Brachydios are seen inhabiting both hot and cold locations such as Volcano(3rd), Deserted Island, Tundra, Volcanic Hollow, Volcano, Frozen Seaway, Polar Sea, Snowy Mountains, and the Everwood. After the Legiana Migration and discovery of the Hoarfrost Reach, Brachydios was found in the Elder's Recess.
Abilities
Brachydios uses the slime mold as its greatest weapon, as it can slam its fists and horn into the ground or opponent leaving behind clumps of the slime mold. The slime mold, the moment it leaves the shell, begins undergoing a chemical reaction that causes the slime mold to detonate. When this slime mold runs out, the Brachydios can "prime" the slime mold with its saliva which causes the slime mold to rapidly reproduce. The slime mold is also sticky, so any opponent covered in it will inevitably explode. Brachydios is capable of more than that, as its legs are strong enough to leap at great distances, making it more agile than other Brute Wyverns, and using its tail like a mace. The shell of a Brachydios is incredibly resilient as it can withstand the explosive slime mold. When enraged, the slime mold will glow yellow and orange, revealing hidden slime mold across its body and exploding the instant it leaves the brachydios shell.
Behavior & Ecology
Brachydios is a very aggressive monster, attacking anything it deems dangerous and forcing large monsters out of locals that they claim as their territory, being invaders. Their aggression is so strong that even small monsters do not recieve mercy. The abilities possessed by Brachydios easily make it an apex predator, escpecially since it can pick fights with and win against monsters like Agnaktor, Rathalos, Brute Tigrex, Teostra, Seregios, Glavenus, and Deviljho. With its explosive weapon and aggression, only the toughest monsters can compete with it. Occasionally, brachydios will feed on ore. The shell of Brachydios can withstand explosive blasts and acts as a thermal flask, allowing the monster to traverse both extreme hot and cold climates. Brachydios holds a symbiotic relationship with a slime mold. It is unknown how or when this occured, but it is known that both species depend on each other in some way. The slime mold can only grow on the shell of Brachydios and can only spread its spores when detonated. The slime mold is given a place to live and spread its spores, while the Brachydios gains a powerful weapon. It is believed the Brachydios can control when the slime mold explodes by pheromones. If to much accumulate on its body, Brachydios will scrape it off, and if it runs low, it can use its saliva to stimulate growth. When a Brachydios is enraged, the slime mold will react, glowing yellow and orange, revealing hidden slime mold across its body and exploding the instant it leaves the brachydios shell. The slime mold on each Brachydios is different from each other, and larger members have been known to go on rampages due to their slime mold breeding rapidly. It was theorized that the slime mold can grow anywhere, but the shell of Brachydios acted as a catalyst to make the slime mold volatile, but it has yet to be proven. Brachydios discovered near Val Harbor were reported to have learned to use their horn to form a giant puddle of slime mold that can kill anything that is not able to withstand the blast. It is unknown how slime mold congregates on young Brachydios, but it could be likely from the spores spread by it. Young Brachydios will live near their parent's territory but will not recieve parental care. The young are known to pick up slime mold dropped by adults, but this is incredibly dangerous as their shells are not fully developed. This can lead to extreme injury or even the death of a young Brachydios. Despite the violent expolsions of the slime mold, some remain dormant on the surface it was left on, even after detonation. If something such as crustal movement or eruptions happen near these dormant remains, it will reignite the slime mold, revealing a version of it that is far more volatile than before, having accumulated power during dormancy. This special varient of the slime mold holds extreme sex appeal for Brachydios as well as a show of strength, and many are known to go on a pilgrimage to obtain this slime mold. A majority of which will travel to Ingle Isle where a hot spot for this slime mold exists. The slime mold, however, is so powerful, that many Brachydios end up dying to this slime mold. Only the biggest and strongest are capable of wielding this varient of slime mold, and become the varient known as Raging Brachydios.