Azulgard/Azulgard Ecology

## Ecology

### Ecological Adaptations

Azulgard is herbivorous, subsisting on herbs, grasses, nuts, and fruit found within cavernous ecosystems, but will eat meat if times are tough, with its preferred prey being small animals like bugs, rodents, and birds. Its pale blue and grey colouration serves as camouflage within dim, cavernous environments, protecting it from predators, and should that fail, its long legs provide it with strong jumps that allow it to escape. Its long ears provide it with a keen sense of hearing that allows it to detect predators from far away, and its teeth are designed to bore through stubborn plants and rocks. Its main line of defense against predators is a clay-like substance that it secretes from its body, either spitting it at them in order to slow them down, or applying it to its arms, which forms rocky battle gloves once it dries off, leveling the playing field a bit more. It sustains this ability by eating rocks and ore, but due to it not being able to properly digest all the materials found within them, it is often bloated, and is prone to belching as a result. This isn't entirely a bad thing, though, as it helps keeps predators with a strong sense of smell away. The species is attracted to shiny objects, seeing them as a sign of social status, and they will hoard as much as they can to prove themselves superior to their rivals and attract mates. They are very protective of the treasure they gather as a result, and will react violently if anyone goes near their treasure, whether they intended to or not, with this behaviour being the main reason why hunters are requested to hunt them. Females will produce two to five offspring per birth, and both parents will work together to raise the young until they mature. It sits low on the food chain, being preyed on by larger monsters, such as Great Girros, Nerscylla, Rathian, Khezu, Lavasioth, Agnaktor, Odogaron, Kushala Daora, Teostra, and Vaal Hazak, and competes with various other monsters, such as Gendrome, Iodrome, Gypceros, Tetsucabra, Kecha Wacha, Congalala, and Basarios, for food and territory.

### Behavior

Azulgard hoards shiny objects, viewing them as a sign of social status and wanting to be as affluent as can be, and reacts poorly when other organisms go near its prized stash, utilizing punches, kicks, clay-like spit, and putrid breath against them. That said, it does know when to fold them, and will flee if outmatched. It is often seen wandering around cavernous and volcanic ecosystems, for it knows that they contain the valuables it desires, as well as the minerals needed to form its signature clay-like secretions.

### Habitat

Azulgard is exclusively found in cavernous environments.

## Turf Wars

* vs. Great Girros - Wins.
* vs. Congalala/Emerald Congalala - Wins (normal)/Wins, but takes some damage in the process (Emerald).
* vs. Gypceros/Purple Gypceros - Wins (normal)/Draw (Purple).
* vs. Tetsucabra/Berserk Tetsucabra - Draw (normal)/Loses, but deals some damage in the process (Berserk).
* vs. Dodogama - Loses, but deals some damage in the process.
* vs. Radobaan - Loses, but deals some damage in the process.
* vs. Fiendish Vertyroni - Loses, but deals damage in the process.
* vs. Basarios - Loses.
* vs. Gravios/Black Gravios - Loses.