Monsters Included: Velocidrome, Iodrome, Gendrome, and Cephadrome.
The local gang leaders from the Hunter's World, now with even more aggravating coordination with their lackeys.
Bulldrome and Giadrome are 2nd gen onwards, so they'll have a similar chapter when we get there.
I've managed to have my scoutflies pinpoint the scents of my next targets, though.. I definitely should've requested an airship or a caravan. Moving from place to place, habitat to habitat on foot is torture.
I feel bad for Jin having to carry me and Rina from one place to another- so I decided to work my way down from the nearest to the farthest- in which case, that was just moving to the nearby forest where the Velocidrome pack was. Then to the swamps, and then.. the desert region. Great.
The Rath investigation took me 3-5 months considering I had to verify if they lived the same way, even in differing habitats. Thank the gods, scoutflies could track different monsters of the same type so long as they had their scent. If we still used paintballs, I'm pretty sure it'd have taken me years to finish one entry.
By now, I've put on my Ghillie Mantle, started looking through my Surveyor Set, and begun to write down my notes on Mamono Dromes.
Because there's no point in making a Drome entry without talking about its goons, any entry with a minor subordinate will be included alongside its Leader.
Sometimes, the things I put in the "Family" section seem like His Immenseness' senile naming sense. I wonder why..?
Velocidrome
Also Included: Velociprey
Family: Lizard Velociprey
Type: Reptile Bird Wyvern
Habitat: Forests, Jungles
Disposition: Impatient, Mischievous, Territorial
Diet: Carnivorous: Local wildlife
The Velociprey and their leaders are common nuisances in the Hunter's World, especially around more verdant areas. They are obscenely aggressive, and with virtually no exceptions, all of them are arrogant enough as long as they're together. Although they have some characteristics of a typical Birdman, their scales instead of feathers would lead them to be classified as Lizards instead.
Like every other Drome, they will never be seen attacking without other pack members unless they were already alone beforehand.
The Veloci family usually have short blue hair, with the pack Drome having longer blue and red hair and one red elongated claw on each hand. If that weren't enough to tell anyone that they're the leader of the said pack, their greater height, as if they were already the mother of the pack, would be the other obvious sign they possess that indicates their leadership. The Drome also has its signature, mohawk-like red crest on the top of its head, though they're not as apparent as their hair.
The characteristic that makes a Veloci pack dangerous is how relentless they are. When truly desperate, Veloci packs can stalk and hunt down human men for days on end and won't stop unless they are either subjugated, killed, or the other members of their pack give up.
Usually, if not already started by its pack, the Drome will leap at a man, pinning him down with her sharp claws before using her voice to call upon her pack before they all feast on their newly captured prey's essence.
Velocidromes, if not fighting, use their claws to tear apart the clothes and armor of human men to excite the other members of her pack and herself. The other way she could do this is through screaming, as the screamer sac in their bodies adapted to the Foreign World's mana. Witnesses have described it to be similar to a Siren's voice, but it has a much greater effect on the Velociprey than their actual prey.
The time a Veloci pack has spent in the Foreign World is reflected through how smart its Drome is. If they focus more on being relentless hunters, then they haven't realized that their voice can disarm someone. If they do, it's usually safe to assume they have or will have a husband soon.
Veloci packs can have 2 Dromes for more efficiency, but if one Drome gets married, half of the pack will join her, while the other half will stay alongside the other. Considering most Drome pairs are sisters, they'd leave on amicable terms.
They are similar to Orcs in that the dynamic shifts whether or not their husband has defeated them and the pack. Dromes are rarely seen without their pack, and for them to be considered 'subjugated', the man needs to fight off the entire pack and the Drome herself. If the man is defeated, then they are gang-raped for as long as the Drome has a change of heart and finally decides to declare him her husband.
If the pack is defeated, then all of the pack under the Drome will be subservient to him, with the Drome fully surrendering to the prospect of being a housewife. However, she will still feel the stinging humiliation of her entire pack losing to a single man.
Iodrome
Also Included: Ioprey
Family: Lizard Ioprey
Type: Reptile Bird Wyvern
Habitat: Subtropic and Volcanic regions, such as Swamps, Marshlands, and Volcanoes
Disposition: Aggressive, Mischievous, Honest
Diet: Carnivorous: Local wildlife
The constant pains in the neck of those who live near swamps or volcanic regions. While not as aggressive as the Veloci species, they have proven they are still as dangerous, especially considering almost all monsters that possessed poisonous properties in the Hunter's World have developed some form of aphrodisiac or love potion, no thanks to the Demon Lord's influence.
The Io family have mainly red hair and tails with some dark purple spots on their scaly body, and their Drome matriarch has longer hair that fades from red to purple and looks the most mature. The drome can spit out a much more concentrated poison/aphrodisiac to immobilize and weaken their prey if their pack members haven't already done so. Furthermore, they still possess a crest on its head- although it isn't as easy to notice.
Unlike other Dromes from other families, the Io family looks more amphibian than reptile, and it's noted that their skin is strikingly similar to a Salamander's own skin, as well as a frog-like throat sac to spit out their poison, either for lethal purposes or for seduction purposes.
Regardless, they still differ from their Veloci and Gen cousins in that they're surprisingly the least feral of the Ciraptor Rascals most common back in the Hunter's World. It may be due to living in a swamp and volcano, but they have the least attack frequency out of any Mamono.
..That is, the second least reported attack frequency out of any Mamono here thus far.
Io packs have already used poison while they gang up on their prey, so it's not uncommon to see an Io pack that has already developed faster than their Ciraptor cousins and how they've gotten used to the Foreign World's laws because they've already seen the effects of their new poison, their new desires, and chosen prey.
There is an aggressive approach or a stealthy approach. The aggressive approach has them start off like any other Ciraptor pack, chasing and hunting down the human man that caught their fancy. They will constantly batter him with poison and the such, and if he fails to find an antidote or a way to cure himself, then the Iodrome will pin them down, call upon the other members of their pack, and start feasting on him.
A stealthier approach entirely depends on Swamp Iodrome. If the fog is thick and the Iodrome is crafty enough, then she sends her pack to spit poison onto the man before she attempts to seduce him outright. The way she tries to sway the man with her words is noted to seem manipulative at worst. Furthermore, if the man ever foolishly decides to bite the bait and get close, then she'll suddenly shoot up and kiss him- thus knocking him out via the poison so that she and her pack are free to claim their prize.
It is not too far off to assume that the men unlucky enough to have been caught alone by an Io pack in a swamp have never returned, both from the pleasure and the copious amount of aphrodisiac in their system. Fortunately, Io packs are essentially subjugated and peaceful when they claim a victim or if a man defeats them and claims the Drome as a wife. Husbands of Iodromes have reported that they all have a talent for cooking. It is noted that most of their food is poisoned for their husband, however.
The fate of an Io pack's victims is to be used as obedient cows for the pack's pleasure, and unless all the poison in their bodies is removed, it is highly likely for them to have no means of escape from their captors whatsoever.
Once again, they are similar to orcs in that if the Drome and its pack are defeated, they'll be obedient and submissive to the one that beat them, and vice versa.
Gendrome
Also Included: Genprey
Family: Lizard Genprey
Type: Reptile Bird Wyvern
Habitat: Desert region, Swamps, certain Forests, and cave systems
Disposition: Aggressive, Mischievous, Impatient
Diet: Carnivorous: Local wildlife
While most commonly found in the Desert region compared to the possible habitats listed above, the Gen family shares the same traits as the ones listed above- aggressive and persistent nuisances for anyone traveling through a desert. Although they lack the more commanding voice of the Velocidrome, and the poison of the Iodrome, they instead have a paralyzing venom that immobilizes their prey, whether that be man or animal.
The Gen family possesses greenish-yellow hair, either tan or white skin, and the Pack's Drome has longer yellow hair and its signature crest on the top of its head. With claws sharp enough to give an Apceros' armor trouble, they are as dangerous as their original counterparts. Additionally, they all possess snake-like fangs to administer their paralysis with the pack matriarch having the largest fangs of the bunch. Lastly, the Drome can also paralyze using her claws, albeit getting paralyzed by this is more unlikely than getting paralyzed by her fangs.
Due to their habitat, they have proven to be as relentless, or even more unyielding than Veloci packs due to the desert. The Gen pack would attack by trying to bite onto the man, trying to inject their paralysis into his body so he could be taken someplace else and consequently raped. With virtually no exceptions, they will always attempt to paralyze their prey or enemies before doing anything else.
When they see a man wander into their territory, they will first stalk him to see if he's any trouble. Regardless if he is, they will inform their leader and instigate a confrontation with him, bringing a few members of their pack and having the rest wait and watch as they claim the man for themselves.
The Gen family's paralysis may not last for more than a few seconds at best, but it doesn't matter to them. If they see that their prey is paralyzed, they will immediately go in for the kill and extract whatever precious essence the man currently has. If he fails to recover and resist their pheromones, then his life is essentially over.
Due to their paralysis, it's easy to assume they see the entire pack with hungry eyes surrounding him and going for the kill. Gendrome husbands have said that they were scared at first, but again, like all Mamono, they certainly warmed up quickly if they express that they enjoy the company.
Ironically enough, it should be said that Gen packs all feel peckish, hungry, or outright starving. Depending on how down their luck they are, a man simply offering to give them food is enough for them to devote themselves to him. The Gendrome, of course, does offer to help so she can take care of their pack better.
..Of course, the "submission through defeat" rule still applies to them.
Perhaps it is due to her experience surviving in rougher conditions, but Gendrome wives make for excellent mothers.
I think I deserve a break from having to tackle three of these idiots in a row.
Cephadrome
Also Included: Cephalos
Family: Sahuagin Cephalos
Type: Aquatic Piscine Wyvern
Habitat: Desert regions
Disposition: Aggressive, Bold, Cowardly
Diet: Carnivorous: Local wildlife
A mermaid Mamono, hailing from the Hunter's World. Instead of swimming in the water like most mermaids, the Cepha pack swims in fine sand. Their disposition is almost a 1:1 copy of the typical Mershark, plus their appearances and the Cepha family's previous titles do not help, for they are called "Land Sharqs."
They share the same pack mentality as the other pack leaders, although because the Cepha family can mostly act independently without their Drome, their coordination is greater than the rest. They can even claim a man for themselves if the group is persistent enough.
Due to their senses, they can accurately determine the location of a man lost in the vast sands. While slower than their distant Mershark cousins, the fact that they're not at all impeded by sandstorms makes them a force to be looked out for. However, while their aggression is inferior compared to the -Preys, their genuine disregard for whether or not they bump into someone makes them as much of a nuisance.
The Cepha family possesses white skin, fins, a fishtail, and a small hat resembling their 'ancient' forms' heads that are actually attached to them. Their Drome usually has darker skin and darker appendages and is as tall as the typical High Orc, and their scales are significantly tougher to signify their leadership. All of them, barring no exceptions, possess brown hair.
There are incredibly rare cases of a much more powerful Cepha family with a Drome with whiter skin, coral-like fins, and an exceptionally more aggressive demeanor. Still, the lack of data prevents me from continuing this brief mention.
If a Cephadrome is routed or intimidated, the pack will assume evasive maneuvers and run away the first chance they get. They still do have powerful hearing, so any loud sound will make them flinch and back off.
This doesn't mean that they are pushovers. Perhaps one could get away with this in the Hunter's World, but in the Foreign World, they will seldom back down from chasing down their prey if they are convinced that he's the one for them. It should also be noted that their fins secrete a paralyzing agent delivered through their bites.
This means that Gen packs and Cepha packs can be seen warring over their turf and possible husbands due to their overlapping habitats.
Their bodies have also adapted to the Foreign World's mana due to having a "rougher" and "coarser" variant of the typical Mershark's features, all without the hat. Cephadrome Husbands comment that their sessions with her and the pack are considerably pleasurable due to how many Cephalos are assisting them both through their scales.
Cephalos packs have been instructed to bring both rations and potions to their sessions due to how quickly their husband gets drained. Despite having worse scales and a threat of paralysis every time their husband thrusts into the Drome, the willingness of the other Cephalos to join in and rub against him essentially nullifies their disadvantage.
Husbands who have been constantly dried out by their Cepha family make for insanely great desert explorers. Perhaps it is due to the mana, or the natural adaptation over their experiences, it is unknown.
Extra Notes: Is it unfortunate or fortunate?
All Dromes, and extending this into the Greats, all have one thing in common: They gang-rape a man into submission, whether through their voice, paralysis, or venom. And perhaps even inducing them to sleep.
Interestingly enough, they don't have the same relentless coordination as Mamono Rathian and Rathalos, perhaps due to them being simple-minded in the first place. However, they did get better at ganging up on people and attacking them all at once, so it's debatably more annoying than their counterparts.
All -preys and the Cephalos look like smaller versions of their commanding Drome, although this has the side-effect of them looking like the Drome's daughters and her little sisters at best. It doesn't help that they are always shorter than their Drome.
Again, Hunters have described one common experience with them: "I got jumped. A lot."
Marrying or defeating a Drome also has their pack bow down to them, and they have a choice whether to claim them in their harem or just adopt them as their daughters- considering even the Dromes see them as such. Either way, the Dromes will still command their pack to help her have intercourse with her husband.
While the choice to adopt the rest of the pack as their daughters is there, they'll all be disappointed to know that the person who defeated them wants a single relationship, with the Dromes even trying to change their minds and scolding them. But, if the man persists, they'll have no choice but to accept their decision.
Each Drome has a different talent for everything, but it's usually just that. Most of them simply begin running their businesses on their own, or just continue patrolling around the place they live at in their daily lives.
Walking from place to place just to observe almost the same behavior with minor differences is a pain in the ass. Surprisingly enough, because Cephadromes aren't.. bird wyverns, they were what I enjoyed the most out of this.
Rina even expressed how she wanted to be done with the entire thing, but we could still sustain ourselves with our supplies.
Hopefully, the next two bird wyverns aren't a massive pain in the ass. They aren't Dromes, so I can hope for a bit more.
I'll have to return to the forests though. The scoutflies already picked up their scent..
..Maybe I'll go ahead and put a few notes on Konchu if they end up being monsterized as well.
Thank you all for reading. This is probably my least interesting chapter for obvious reasons.
Again, I'll do my best to read criticisms and suggestions in future entries. Remember that as of right now this fic was still in Gen 1 so future generations will have to wait a lot.