Aziquatil

The **Aziquatil** (pronounced *ah-zee-kah-teal*) is a formidable species of Neopteron adapted to hunting Flying Wyverns. Once thought extinct, it has been rediscovered in the New World.

## Physiology

The Aziquatil is a cross between a beetle and praying mantis. Like a praying mantis, its forearms are multi-jointed and spiked to grasp prey. The monster's prominent feature, however, is that these forearms end in large scythe-like blades. The Aziquatil's mouth is flanked by a pair of large mandibles, which flare out in threat displays. The monster's powerful legs allow it to spring considerable distances, and will sometimes use its wings to generate extra lift. While capable of flight, the Aziquatil is primarily terrestrial. It can only fly short distances before tiring, using its wings mainly to aid its movement. The Aziquatil's carapace is predominately blue-grey in color. Stiff hairs sprout from the monster's joints. Tempered Aziquatil are steely blue in color.

## Abilities

The Aziquatil primarily fights with its two bladelike limbs, slashing and cutting at the enemy. It can use the Dragon Element to enhance its attacks, and will do so more often when enraged. It will use its wings to evade attacks or dive-bomb foes, using its bulk and hard shell to its advantage to stun or crush its enemy. The Aziquatil can lower its head and charge, using its eleytra as a shield and battering ram.

## Ecology

In-Game Information

Habitat Range
Aziquatil range wherever flying wyverns can be found. However, they are only found in the New World, as they were driven to extinction long ago by ancient humanity in the Old World.

Ecological Niche
Aziquatil's favorite prey is flying wyverns, curtailing the population. In this way, they fulfill a similar role to Guild Hunters in the natural ecosystem. In fact, it's believed that is the very reason that Aziquatil were driven to extinction in the Old World, as they were unable to compete with human hunters. These creatures continue to survive in the New World, where humans are less widespread.

Biological Adaptations
Aziquatil have long consumed Dragonfell Berries, which cause them to store up the mysterious Dragon Element, similar to Dracophage Bugs. The Aziquatil can channel the element through their blades, allowing them to overwhelm a wyvern's defenses.

Behavior
Aziquatil prefer to ambush their prey from above since flying wyverns rarely look up, using their powerful legs to scale high places to leap from. Once its prey is within range, the Aziquatil will leap into the air, using gravity and its momentum to slam into the wyvern in hopes of knocking it over. It will attempt to make the most of the monster's vulnerability, using its blades to cut deep wounds. Aziquatil are aggressive and agile fighters once engaged, and will pursue fleeing prey.

## Carves

* High Rank
* G-Rank

## Equipment

* Armor
* Weapons

* **Total Skills:** Dragon Resistance 3, Partbreaker 3, Blight Resistance 2, Divine Blessing 1, Airborne 1
* **Set Bonus — Aziquatil Wyrmslayer:** Grants Dragon Attack 3 when 2 pieces are equipped, grants Elderseal Boost when 4 pieces are equipped

## Quests

The Aziquatil has its own mini-storyline, which is started by talking to the Commander.

**Pre-Quest Dialogue**

* **Commander:** Listen, I have an assignment for you. There's a particularly nasty Azure Rathalos tearing up the Elder's Recess, menacing our research teams. I want you to take it down. But be careful: our field teams have been reporting strange tracks across the continent, something we haven't seen before. Be prepared for anything.

 **Client:** Elder's Recess Researcher
*Commander, our research in the Elder's Recess has been halted by an aggressive Azure Rathalos, one of those so-called "tempered" beasts. We're thinking something has it riled up, but we have no way of knowing for sure. Perhaps our star hunter could neatly deal with it? In other news, we've found some troubling tracks. None of us recognize them. We'll forward our findings to the Chief Ecologist as soon as possible.*

 **Notes:**
*{{{Notes}}}*

**Post-Quest Dialogue**

* **Chief Ecologist:** I've been searching through my books for a monster that matches the description your partner gave. Perhaps this monster isn't new at all. Let's see... large, resembles a beetle, blade-like appendages... could it be? No no no, they're extinct. But perhaps...?
* **Commander:** Have you found something?
* **Chief Ecologist:** Where is it? Ah, here! The Aziquatil! A formidable species of Neopteron whose favorite prey is flying wyverns. But the Aziquatil was driven extinct centuries ago by the Hunter's Guild! At least, as far as we knew. I never expected that they might have survived here in the New World this whole time, out of civilization's reach. Commander, this is an unprecedented research opportunity! The Aziquatil has been considered dead for centuries, the Guild still hardly knows anything about them! We could be the first to study a living relic, and right one of the Guild's greatest wrongs! We simply must capture it!
* **Commander:** This thing took on a Tempered Azure Rathalos like it was nothing. It'll be dangerous.
* **Chief Ecologist:** Yes, it will, and I don't want to risk our prized hunter anymore than necessary, but I cannot condone simply killing it. We don't yet understand its place in the ecosystem here. It could be critically endangered even here in the New World. We mustn't be brash.
* **Commander:** Either way, we'll need to find it. Hunter, your next objective is to track that Aziquatil down. Report back once you got a lead.

The Hunter must then find enough Aziquatil tracks throughout the continent to unlock the next quest.

 **Client:** Commander
 **Notes:**
*{{{Notes}}}*

In-Quest Dialogue
* **Jovial Scholar:** Oh, I can't wait to see the Aziquatil up close! To be the first to study an extinct species, it's a dream come true!
* **Handler:** I don't get it. The Chief Ecologist said that the Guild drove the Aziquatil extinct. But the Hunter's Guild doesn't wipe monsters out, it studies them. We only cull them when necessary.
* **Jovial Scholar:** The Aziquatil's extinction was unfortunate. When the Hunter's Guild was first starting out, there weren't as many protocols in place and we weren’t quite as learned. We didn't yet understand the Aziquatil's place in ecosystem.
* **Lively Scholar:** The records say that the Aziquatil only appeared every few years, which made it hard to keep track of their numbers. No one knows where they went during those times, but hunters kept hunting flying wyverns. Every time the Aziquatil emerged again, it got harder and harder for them to compete. Not to mention, we hunted them too, in order to protect the now smaller wyvern population. By the time scholars realized that the Aziquatil were dwindling, it was too late to save them from extinction.
* **Upbeat Scholar:** The Aziquatil's extinction was actually a catalyst for more thorough study of monsters and their places in the ecosystem. It was a unfortunate chapter in the Guild's history, but the Commission now has a chance to do things right!

Post-Quest Dialogue
* **Commander:** Good work taking down that Aziquatil. I don't want to diminish your accomplishment, but I'm getting reports of Aziquatil sightings across the continent now. The scholars are thrilled, naturally, but that means we got our work cut out for us. I've already alerted the field teams. Keep an eye out for those things when going out.

Upon completing the quest, Aziquatil will start appearing on Expeditions and Investigations. Once the Hunter fully researches the Aziquatil, the next quest will unlock.

Pre-Quest Dialogue
* **Chief Ecologist:** There you are! We've been hard at work studying the Aziquatil, in no small part thanks to you. We're learning so many things, filling pages left blank for centuries. It does my old heart some good. However, one thing continues to elude me. Where have the Aziquatil been hiding this whole time? The records say they disappeared for years at a time, and we've only been making major strides into the continent thanks to you, but surely *someone* must've spotted one in the some forty years the Commission's been here. But there's nothing. We're missing something. Capture an Aziquatil for me. Once we release it, maybe it will lead us to the source.

 **Client:** Chief Ecologist
 **Notes:**
*{{{Notes}}}*

Post-Quest Dialogue
* **Chief Ecologist:** Good show! The Aziquatil's in captivity and we're getting the scoutflies used to its scent as we speak. We normally don't track individual monsters so closely, but we need to know where they're coming from. It might take some time, but with luck it will eventually return to its nest, wherever that may be.

Pre-Quest Dialogue
* **Commander:** We've finally tracked down the Aziquatil you bagged. Unfortunately, it's gone deep in the Ancient Forest... *real* deep. Listen closely. Twenty years ago, an expedition team went deep into the Forest, further than anyone else had gone before. Unexpectedly, they found an old mine. We think it was built by the Ancients. You can understand their excitement to study it—evidence of the Ancient Civilization here in the New World. So naturally they went inside. They were attacked by a monster, one we still don't know anything about. Everything happened so fast that they didn't get a good look at it. Most of the team made it out, but two hunters were lost in the chaos. I've wanted to recover their bodies ever since, but I didn't want to risk any more good men to that thing. The mine's tight confines make the place a death trap. So we quarantined the area, and no one's been back there in twenty years. Could it have been the Aziquatil this whole time? Whatever's lurking there, I wouldn't trust anyone else with this mission. You'd be doing the hunters of the Third Fleet a great service. Head to the mine as soon as you're ready.

 **Client:** Commander
*It's hard to believe I'm sending another hunter to that blasted mine, but if anyone can get it done, it's you. Your main objective is to follow the Aziquatil to whatever hole it crawled out of, but if that thing gets out of hand, don't hesitate to bring it down. For the hunters we lost.*

 **Notes:**
*{{{Notes}}}*

## Cutscenes

Introduction Cutscene
* Location: Elder's Recess

The Hunter enters Area 9 from the south, creeping around some crystals to spot the Azure Rathalos swooping in and finding some curiously dead yet uneaten Barnos. The Rathalos looks around, prompting the Hunter to duck behind the crystals. When they peek out again, the Rathalos is eating the Barnos. Focusing on the Rathalos, the Hunter doesn't notice the indistinct shape on top of the nearby cliff. The camera switches to overlook the cliff, over the shoulder of the Aziquatil. It coils up and leaps. The Hunter looks up in time to see the Aziquatil hurtling through the air, crashing into the Rathalos and knocking it over. The Aziquatil starts slashing into the vulnerable Rathalos, who forces the Aziquatil back with a fireball. The Rathalos quickly takes flight and flees. The Aziquatil briefly chases after it, but stops in its tracks, noticing the Hunter off to the side. It turns and unleashes a roar, starting the fight.

## Turf Wars

Aziquatil Vs. Barroth
* **Result:** Aziquatil Victor
* **Description:** The Barroth roars and charges the Aziquatil, who hunkers down and raises its elytra. The Barroth slams into it and recoils, allowing the Aziquatil to quickly to sink its blades into the Barroth and slam it to the ground.

Aziquatil Vs. Deviljho
* **Result:** Tie
* **Description:** The Aziquatil leaps toward the Deviljho, who catches it out of the air, biting down on one of its arms. The Aziquatil roars and slashes the Deviljho with its free arm, causing it to let go, before leaping back a safe distance. The Deviljho swells up in rage and unleashes a torrent of dragon breath, and the Aziquatil hunkers down and uses its elytra as a shield. It slowly marches toward the Deviljho, who is still breathing dragon, until eventually it shoulder charges the Deviljho, slamming into its chin and knocking it back.

Aziquatil Vs. Diablos
* **Result:** Aziquatil Victor
* **Description** The Diablos and Aziquatil circle each other, until finally the Diablos charges the Aziquatil, who leaps up at the last moment and bodyslams the Diablos. While it's prone, the Aziquatil slashes at its vulnerable underside until it digs away and resurfaces.

Aziquatil Vs. Rath Family
* **Result:** Aziquatil Victor
* **Description** The Aziquatil lunges at the Rath, who leaps back, taking flight and shooting a fireball. Evading the attack, the Aziquatil roars before leaping toward the Rath, colliding with it in mid-air. The two tumble to the ground, but the Aziquatil rights itself first, infuses its blade with dragon, and slashes at the prone Rath.

## Notes

* The monster's name is a portmanteau of azi (Avestan for "serpent" or "dragon"), and alqatil (Hebrew for "killer").