A word from the author

The world we live in is a wondrous place, for within this world are lands of extremes. From erupting volcanoes to frigid caves, from dense, humid forests to lifeless scorching sands, though some seem like the very cradle of life while others appear to be harsh zones that promise nothing but death, each contain unique creatures and support equally unique ecosystems. What many, nay, most of us view as primal beasts, cruel harbingers of destruction, all have their place in the world, and with their death leaves a void that no amount of effort on our part can fill. Even a savage Deviljho, the demon dubbed as the Eater of Worlds, has its part to play in ever-shifting but never breaking web of life.

But while this is a place where serpents of epic proportions lurk in the murky depths, where beasts capable of consuming mountains rampage, where drakes with shining scales scour the land for prey...

It is also a place where brave citizens, hunters and researchers alike, make it their duty to protect the rest of the (relatively peaceful) denizens. Of course, some hunters are merely after the money, while others wish to bask in the glory that comes with the killing of 'murderous beasts', but there are also some who truly want to gain a better understanding of the world, and even those who seek to live alongside monsters, working and living together.

This is a world which has baffled scientists for centuries, a world whose documentation is the life's goal of the more scholarly ones among us.

That was my goal. That is my goal. To pass on to the next generation of people the message that we can't act like this forever. We need to understand these monsters, turn them from being 'monsters' to simply 'creatures'. We can't continue like this, blindly killing the very beasts which bind the fabric of life together. And after years, no, decades of research, this is what I have: a trove of information bound within two tattered leather covers. From anecdotes to thesis papers, from legends to detailed reports, all gathered from keen-eyed people - humans, wyverians, troverians, felynes and more.

And I will share it with you, this great gathering of knowledge. I will share with you the understanding that we wish to control everything. What we cannot control, we fear. And what we fear...

... We destroy. So even if mastery over these creatures is impossible, let there at least be an understanding of their role. Let us drink the water they drink and breathe the air they breathe, until the day when the last creature dies with a spear in its chest, and we look up with the realization that a world without 'monsters' is a dark and terrible one indeed.

Foreword

As mentioned, the Encyclopedia is a conglomeration of a lifetime's - perhaps even multiple lifetime's - worth of knowledge, and as a result of its numerous contributors, the style of writing varies from chapter to chapter. For those of you who are solely interested in gathering more information in order to further your career (no, don't tell me, I have no need to know whether you're just another mercenary or a Guild-approved sharpshooter), there are compiled reports of the various monsters and situations you may face. These reports contain detailed information, much of which the flimsy Guild-issued guide books neglect to include. For those who are after the views of the world's people, there are also recounts of hunts and penned down versions of fire-side tales and legends.

Due to the varying degree of danger these creatures pose to people, I have allocated them a ranking according to a tiered classification system:

E is for most herbivores and placid beasts. D is for the majority of small monsters, such as Velociprey. Relatively easy to defeat large monsters fall into C, which includes monsters that beginner hunters should often be attempting to kill, like the dromes or Greats. B is the classification in which most large monsters fall under, like Gigginox and Duramboros. A, along with the tier above it, S, is reserved for the strongest and most threatening large monsters, like Brachydios, Deviljho, and Nargacuga. Class A monsters should be avoided at all times, with requests to hunt or drive them away undertaken by only the most experienced hunters, while Class S ones should never be approached, with even remote observation possibly being life-threatening.

But what about the myths ones, you ask? The ones whose names are synonymous with 'destruction' and 'chaos'? These god-like beings, like Teostra, Alatreon, and Ceadeus to name a few, are beyond A, beyond the tiered system. The key here is 'god-like'. They possess powers that we, and probably other monsters, view as mythical in nature, and so powerful and rare are these beings that I accord them the label 'Legend'. Though that single word does their vast prowess no justice (and may in fact result in eye rolls from readers), let it serve as a cue to all who read about them that they are not to be trifled with.

Now, enough about the book. It is time to delve into the world of monsters!

Chapter list:

1) Report: Brachydios

A/N: Alright! I've been toying with this idea for awhile now, but it took a series of exams (no joke) to bore me enough to actually write this. Essentially, it'll be a place for me to mess around with writing styles, while I mess around even more with the Monster Hunter universe. Did I mention that ffn is sorely lacking in fics for MH? No? Well now I have. Anyway, the next chapter will come out hot on the heels of this pathetic excuse for an intro.

It'll be great to receive advice on this fic, in order to improve my writing. If any of you have any particular monster, item, hell even an idea for a situation that you want written out, put it into a review or PM and I'll see if I can do something about it. As with some of my other fics, I'm accepting OCs. However, in this case there's no telling when they'll pop up, or their role of they do.

Oh yes. I'll only be writing about monsters I know about. Seeing as how I only have MH3U and 4U, that severely limits my options.