City of Monster Hunters. When I return to Moga Village, I must thank the chief. He recognized my malady and recommended the perfect cure. I get ahead of myself, though.
I had never been to Loc Lac before. It is not the largest city I've visited but when people say it is like nowhere else, they speak truly. Loc Lac is the home of the Monster Hunter Guild and a hub of hunting activity. Very few people actually live here; the bulk of its population are travelling hunters here on guild or personal business, or hunters looking to form parties to take down dangerous prey. I explored the city a bit, rented a small room on Lodge Street, and found my way to a guild-run tavern that acts as the center for recruiting. No sooner did I sit down than a fellow who introduced himself as Brannon pulled up an ale next to me and regaled me with stories of live capturing monsters for culinary use.
Apparently, he was contracted by a felyne chef to bring in fresh ingredients, with the Qurupeco being today's target.
He tells me this colorful wyvern tastes like chicken. I have to wonder though, if it tastes like chicken, why not just use chicken? Well, I have no talent for cooking so I figure the chef knows his business better than I.
Two other hunters, a woman named Londa and a fellow calling himself Monkey, were already joined up with Brannon. He asked if I'd throw in with them to complete a party of four; I'm glad I said yes.
The airship ride to the desert hunting grounds was exhilarating. We set out at night under the glory of a full moon and a thousand stars. When we reached our destination, the airship had barely touched down upon the dry soil before we leapt out and set to scouring the area for sign of our target. It didn't take long.
As soon as the monster was sighted, our party swarmed it. The battle was every bit as thrilling as it was chaotic. I alone was armed with a short weapon, and had to keep my head down for fear of being bashed by axes and great swords as much as the Qurupeco's beak and wings. The beast, notorious for its mimicry skills, called in a jaggi pack to harry us as well. I spent as much time fighting off the Great Jaggi as I did attacking the Qurupeco. In the end, despite our lack of coordination, the Qurupeco went down fast. As soon as it showed signs of faltering, Brannon laid a trap which it obligingly stumbled into right away. He tossed a few tranquilizer bombs at its head, and it was out. The jaggi were sent packing, and we celebrated our victory. The night was still young though, so a new hunt was proposed.
We returned to the city long enough to see the Qurupeco secured, then piled back into the airship for a new destination—one as different from the arid desert as you can get without being completely under water. There, in that flooded forest, we sought a monster called a Royal Ludroth. I was already familiar with the smaller ludroth that frequented the shores of Moga Island, but a Royal was to them as a Great Jaggi was to normal jaggi. Or so I imagined. The reality was far more impressive.
We split up. I stalked among the shadows at the treeline, keeping an eye on the shore lest the beast take me unaware. Then, I heard the call that our quarry was found, and raced to join the others. The Royal Ludroth was a massive beast with a strange spongy mane encircling its neck. It was also far faster on land than I gave it credit for at first, leading me to dive for cover more than once as it hurled its bulk across the forest clearing.
At one point, it rolled over on top of Monkey and Londa, and I feared the worst. Their heavy armor saved them, but it was a near thing. The fighting moved briefly out of my sight as I paused to resharpen my blade and as I ran to catch up a different sounding roar filled the air. I rounded a corner and came face to face with a winged dragon. I couldn't identify it in the gloom, but I suspect it was a Rathian or Rathalos.
Apparently, it had been minding its own business when the Royal Ludroth, hunting party in tow, piled into it. It was, to say the least, furious. I ended up playing fireball tag with it. The dragon struck at everything nearby, including the Royal Ludroth—which was hit with a fireball and knocked into the water where it swam away. Everyone quickly rushed in after it. Madness, perhaps, in hindsight, to follow an aquatic killer into its element; but at the time that seemed far safer than staying on shore.
At this point, I believe we finally cornered it in a large pool at the mouth of a cavern. It had already lost the end of its tail and its mane was a ruin. Still, it remained swift and agile underwater, dancing around us as we struggling simply to line up strikes. Worse yet, lesser ludroth were also in the water. I swam for shore, barely making it to dry land before the battle followed me out. Saliva dripped from the Royal's mouth, it was visibly tiring, even as it rolled again and again, trying to crush the lot of us. Brannon set his trap and caught it as it charged. With the Royal out of the fight, we cleared out the lesser ludroth. Two titans felled in one night!
Once back at the tavern, I was sorry to say farewell to my fellow hunters, but I hope to journey out with them again. It had been an exhilarating and uplifting experience. I know I'm still not prepared to face the Lagiacrus alone, but after battling the Qurupeco and the the Royal Ludroth, and running rabbit around an enraged dragon, I'm no longer afraid to try. My training will continue, and I will be ready.
I had never been to Loc Lac before. It is not the largest city I've visited but when people say it is like nowhere else, they speak truly. Loc Lac is the home of the Monster Hunter Guild and a hub of hunting activity. Very few people actually live here; the bulk of its population are travelling hunters here on guild or personal business, or hunters looking to form parties to take down dangerous prey. I explored the city a bit, rented a small room on Lodge Street, and found my way to a guild-run tavern that acts as the center for recruiting. No sooner did I sit down than a fellow who introduced himself as Brannon pulled up an ale next to me and regaled me with stories of live capturing monsters for culinary use.
Apparently, he was contracted by a felyne chef to bring in fresh ingredients, with the Qurupeco being today's target.
He tells me this colorful wyvern tastes like chicken. I have to wonder though, if it tastes like chicken, why not just use chicken? Well, I have no talent for cooking so I figure the chef knows his business better than I.
Two other hunters, a woman named Londa and a fellow calling himself Monkey, were already joined up with Brannon. He asked if I'd throw in with them to complete a party of four; I'm glad I said yes.
The airship ride to the desert hunting grounds was exhilarating. We set out at night under the glory of a full moon and a thousand stars. When we reached our destination, the airship had barely touched down upon the dry soil before we leapt out and set to scouring the area for sign of our target. It didn't take long.
As soon as the monster was sighted, our party swarmed it. The battle was every bit as thrilling as it was chaotic. I alone was armed with a short weapon, and had to keep my head down for fear of being bashed by axes and great swords as much as the Qurupeco's beak and wings. The beast, notorious for its mimicry skills, called in a jaggi pack to harry us as well. I spent as much time fighting off the Great Jaggi as I did attacking the Qurupeco. In the end, despite our lack of coordination, the Qurupeco went down fast. As soon as it showed signs of faltering, Brannon laid a trap which it obligingly stumbled into right away. He tossed a few tranquilizer bombs at its head, and it was out. The jaggi were sent packing, and we celebrated our victory. The night was still young though, so a new hunt was proposed.
We returned to the city long enough to see the Qurupeco secured, then piled back into the airship for a new destination—one as different from the arid desert as you can get without being completely under water. There, in that flooded forest, we sought a monster called a Royal Ludroth. I was already familiar with the smaller ludroth that frequented the shores of Moga Island, but a Royal was to them as a Great Jaggi was to normal jaggi. Or so I imagined. The reality was far more impressive.
We split up. I stalked among the shadows at the treeline, keeping an eye on the shore lest the beast take me unaware. Then, I heard the call that our quarry was found, and raced to join the others. The Royal Ludroth was a massive beast with a strange spongy mane encircling its neck. It was also far faster on land than I gave it credit for at first, leading me to dive for cover more than once as it hurled its bulk across the forest clearing.
At one point, it rolled over on top of Monkey and Londa, and I feared the worst. Their heavy armor saved them, but it was a near thing. The fighting moved briefly out of my sight as I paused to resharpen my blade and as I ran to catch up a different sounding roar filled the air. I rounded a corner and came face to face with a winged dragon. I couldn't identify it in the gloom, but I suspect it was a Rathian or Rathalos.
At this point, I believe we finally cornered it in a large pool at the mouth of a cavern. It had already lost the end of its tail and its mane was a ruin. Still, it remained swift and agile underwater, dancing around us as we struggling simply to line up strikes. Worse yet, lesser ludroth were also in the water. I swam for shore, barely making it to dry land before the battle followed me out. Saliva dripped from the Royal's mouth, it was visibly tiring, even as it rolled again and again, trying to crush the lot of us. Brannon set his trap and caught it as it charged. With the Royal out of the fight, we cleared out the lesser ludroth. Two titans felled in one night!
Once back at the tavern, I was sorry to say farewell to my fellow hunters, but I hope to journey out with them again. It had been an exhilarating and uplifting experience. I know I'm still not prepared to face the Lagiacrus alone, but after battling the Qurupeco and the the Royal Ludroth, and running rabbit around an enraged dragon, I'm no longer afraid to try. My training will continue, and I will be ready.