Papers detailing 3 hypothetical scenarios and methods of reproduction of the alleged existence of the Black Elder Dragon, Fatalis. The 3 hypotheses are formed from a combination of cultural and anthropological myths and legends while supported using science to make the legends scientifically plausible. The 3 hypotheses use a fully rumour sourced method, a fully scientific method, and a combination of both.
(Fourth wall break: The following information is only semi-cannon and should not be considered as truly accurate. Timeline wise, this would be written in universe about 1 week after the guild’s successful slaying of Fatalis in Iceborne. Which is only canon in the sense that they defeated it without any details if it was a repel or a slaying.)
Preface
This is completely unprecedented, but… Curse whatever creator would ever allow them to exist. Forgive me for this extremely informal paper, but I must write this and inform as many as possible of this new discovery. The guild CANNOT allow this information be concealed and held from the general populace.
To preface this, it began over 2 weeks ago. They were very clever in how they initiated this, very discreet indeed. About 2 weeks ago, I noticed 2 Dundorman guards exit the stronghold. Guards going out should be no concern to the average civilian, but then the day after, another pair left, then another the day after. Call me obsessive, but I noticed the odd frequency of guards going out strange, and when I did, I realized none returned. That raised an eyebrow, so I hoped for another pair to also leave so that I could tail them. Lo and behold, another pair exited as well on the last day of the week. I never studied and trained to tail humans or hunters, it was distinctively different since the peripherals of humans are far less of most monsters. However, that doesn’t mean their instincts aren’t sharp like monsters.
No, those details are beside the point, back on track. I tailed them to a shore I didn’t recognize initially, but got very concerned when I did check up on the map. We were in the Schrade Region. The western side luckily, the farthest point from the actual central castle where the legend was said to happen. Even still, the choice to make a base camp in such a forbidden region was concerning. What was even more concerning were the ships on the water. It was practically a fleet, there were more ships than I could count at a glance, but I believe there were at least 50 before they got covered by the horizon. The base camp was equally impressive, it was practically a whole new town. The hunters and guild members there were also of high notoriety, including the likes of Fabius; the ace lancer from the Gore Magala Frezny Outbreak, the Hero of Moga, the hunter who stopped and repelled a Ceadeus with only the help of a Shakalaka helper, and Olivia, a middle aged woman whose skills at the hammer is unmatched.
There were many more I couldn’t recognize, I believe I saw Yukumoan and Kamuran hunters there too. The most notable person there however, was the man in the cape surrounded by the Dundorman guards. I knew instantly who that was, the general of the Hunter’s Guild, also known as the 2nd in command of the entire guild. Only outranked by His Immenseness, he wields the highest authority within the guild, but unlike the old giant wyverian, the general plays a much more active role on the field. I’ve never actually seen the man step foot on Dundorma, proof of how active he is out in the wilds. If such a large fleet, no, an army and high authority like him is needed I could only guess of 1 thing that requires this much man power and coordination. The location where they stood clued me in further, they must’ve spotted them, the legend that ended the great Schrade. I was in denial, it can’t be, this must’ve been some sort of mass hysteria or something.
As I continued to observe, the general said something along the lines of waiting for the 5th fleet’s arrival. THE 5th fleet, with the legendary Sapphire star themself and the many hunters that solved the Elder Crossing. They’re asking for even more power than they already have. It cleared my doubt, they’re not joking or delusional, this is serious. At last, I heard the general say their name. The name that brings fear in the hearts of many, or laughter at the absurdity of it being true. The name sung in children’s songs as a boogey man to make them behave. The name of both the tragedy and the creature to have made Schrade fall.
Fatalis
Legends and myths speak of it being a pitch black dragon who stands on their hind legs alone like a human. They speak of using the metal of their victim’s armor as their own armor, as a way to mock us and our tool use. They wield flames named the Kalpa Agni, hot enough to melt metal near instantaneously and scorch the earth if given the chance. And the worst of all, they say this legend is immortal. Judging from the fact they’re still around hundreds of years now, that might be the first true fact about the dragon. Though they could just have an extremely long life span. If so, then why don’t we see more of them? Why is this seemingly the sole Fatalis in the world?
In any case, these questions and the myths will soon be answered in due time. I was probably the only civilian to know of such an event happening behind the general public’s knowledge. So, I alone could hope and pray for their success. And since you’re reading this, you can tell that they did. The guild did in fact confirm the existence of the Black Dragon, and slayed them. But it was far from an easy task, the casualties were uncountable. I cannot tell you in detail of how the hunt went, as no reports have come out about the hunt. What we do know is that the Sapphire star was the one to engage it first, and the one to end it. They truly will go down in legend as one of if not the greatest hunter of our generation.
So what was discovered from this hunt? What have we learned of this legend brought to reality? Well first, the description of their body was accurate. A dark scaled dragon who mostly stood and walked on their hind legs with an almost serpentine body. The fire was only slightly exaggerated as well, as their flame completely blanketed the castle they fought. And in mere seconds, the flames completely melted any metal that directly hit it. The tales of them using the metal of hunter’s armor as their own was half true. An unfortunate hunter was said to have been caught in their blazing chest that he melted onto the dragon’s chest, before being ripped apart by their maws. The legends were true, well, half truths. This creature was truly a living legend, and the fact that humanity could actually slay this beast may be the greatest accomplishment in the Guild’s history. The spoils of the carcass were obviously given to the 4 hunters who contributed the most during the hunt. The Sapphire star obviously, and their close ally, Aiden. The other 2 hunters were unnamed, one of them wielded a hammer and was said to be the man to slay the Alatreon in the new world. The other is only technically unnamed, as they go by the code name “Avis” and is an extremely skilled hunter. I can see them being a legend if they actually chose to make a name of themself. The rest was sent to the Wycademy for research of course, and this was when they made a discovery that shook our understanding of what is possible in nature. These findings from the Wycademy I got using… methods I cannot disclose.
The Discovery
The Wycademy naturally inspected and tested the Fatalis scale to start, to be expected it was durable, extremely durable. The scale could withstand any force and trauma the researchers could do with every tool they used. It seems these scales really do need the strength of a hunter to truly break. Testing its reactions to several chemical reactions yielded minimal results as well, no flame or acid could melt these dark scales. Neither did boiling, electrocuting, or freezing it even scratched it or weakened its structural integrity. There was one thing that caused a reaction, and that is with Dragon Element. The Wycademy and the guild has a very limited supply of such elements as the source and containment of it is difficult. What the element did to the scale was make it unstable and soft. The hard scale actually bent when Dragon Element was applied to it, as the researchers were able to make it break. This discovery was made late into the first day of their experiments, and they planned on inspecting other parts of the dragon.
The next day however, was when the terrifying discovery about what Fatalis is, and why the myth about their immortality exists. Before that however, when the hunters and researchers dissected the carcass, they found the dragon to lack 2 important functions that almost every living animal has; A digestive system, and reproductive organs. They literally lack a stomach, intestines, or any genitals. Traits quite literally that define life, to sustain it. And yet somehow, the Black dragon, almighty as they are seemingly, have no need for them. This would in fact support the immortality myth, if they cannot starve or die of old age, why bother reproducing at all. It still baffles us all how they can live without some sort of energy source, there must’ve been some alternative way they get them. In any case, the Fatalis clearly wasn't normal in any sense, and what they found the next morning shook them to their core. The flesh and bones they preserved in flasks and jars, seemed to have grown in mass. They were regenerating, the flesh, bones, organs independently regenerating more muscle tissue and bone cartilage without the main body or even brain. No other creature has regenerative capabilities at the same rate as this monster, it’s unprecedented. What’s more terrifying were the scales, the researchers found the scale they broke in two and kept inside a container, had fully reformed into 2 complete scales.
Regenerating scales is practically illogical, as scales are effectively keratin, hardened dead cells that should not be able to grow without some sort of source. The closest case to this would be Nergigante and their spikes, but even in their case, they require large amounts of bioenergy to regenerate on their own. And an even more absurd amount for the spikes to eventually turn into another of their kin. The Fatalis however, is able to regenerate in such a bioenergy deprived location, almost as if it’s breaking the laws of nature itself. The Wycademy had to act immediately, inform the guild of their findings in the papers I could find as well and dispose of any and all Fatalis remains they had. The next problem was the method of disposal. The flesh and organs were simple enough, they had no resistance to fire and such unlike the bones and scales. Which brings the question, how do they dispose of such durable remains that can withstand everything but the very scarce Dragon element? In such a scenario, the guild would probably dispatch hunters on quests to gather Dracophage bugs or Dragon breath essence from Deviljhos. That would take far too long though, so the guild gambled on another method.
They tested further, and learned that the scales and bones do in fact burn, but at an extremely high temperature. These temperatures would need to be hotter than the flames that the Fatalis themself spew of course, and the only source of heat that could rival or even surpass the Kalpa Agni, would be that in a volcano. That is where the reports I “Gathered” from the Wycademy ends, so the rest are my speculations of what actions the guild took. I believe they did dispatch hunters on an escort quest to bring the remains that could not be disposed of, to a volcano. The most likely location would be the closest but most discreet volcano would be on Ingle isle. Of all the volcanoes in the old world, that island is easily the most isolated I could think of, no idiot could possibly stumble upon them there. I assume neither I nor the Guild has confirmation of the complete annihilation of their remains in the volcano once they have tossed them in. Yet something deep inside me, some dark thought that crossed my mind somehow, what if it didn’t work? What if the scales and bones somehow… adapted to the volcano’s heat and somehow, Fatalis was reborn within the magma? They could reappear more heat resistant, and maybe Crimson red from hate and anger for what we did to them… No, I’m thinking of a fantasy. Even in the slightest chance it does regenerate, there’s no way it could return as something else. Though if they do return, give the guild strength, to slay them once again.
Extra Addendum
Curse those fools! Forgive me crassness, but not even 1 day since what I believe was the disposal of Fatalis’ remains, the guild was in a frenzy. Evident in the fact that Guild Knights, yes multiple, were busying themselves in the grand hub. You could tell they were professionals, as everyone else was scrambling in panic, the 4 Guild Knights remained calmed and composed. But the fact that more than a single Guild Knight is present at all should be cause for concern for anyone familiar with them. The Guild Knights are a special sect of the guild tasked with keeping the authority of the guild in check and oversee all hunter activity. The spot is very coveted, only 12 Guild Knights can exist at one time, and the fact that a third of them are being tasked for something signals some major catastrophe.
This however is different from the discovery of Fatalis. The Knights deal with mostly rogue hunters, terrorists to villages and cities, or poachers. They are effectively, Hunters for the Hunters, and someONE must have really caught the attention of the guild. They concealed the information well, but I was able to sneak a peek on the quest log the Knights got. A rogue hunter in the new world has gone missing for 3 days ever since the slaying of Fatalis. His last sighting was at Seliana within their home. And reports say that he was wearing a unique helm that he specially requested from the blacksmith made from Fatalis Material. That man… was the hammer user that slayed Alatreon and contributed majorly on the Fatalis hunt. Of course, he just had to make a piece of armor. I don’t know if the other 3 also made armor or not, but considering the report is only for this single man, most likely not… unless, that’s why there are 4 Guild Knights, and the one I saw was simply who had him as the target.
The worst case scenario has just happened, 4 rogue hunters gone missing wearing armor made of the black dragon itself. At first I thought they were just after their armor for the potential of fully reviving the dragon again. So then why didn’t they just give their armor up when the command was sent? In fact, why did they disappear almost immediately when they put the armor on? My assumption may be more in fantasy and myth than science, but they could be possessed. Somehow, maybe the Black Dragon’s will or anger or something lingered within the armor they forged, and are now controlling either one or all 4 of the most powerful hunters in the world. In addition to the fact that even the scales could regenerate, it paints a terrifying picture for the wearers. The possibility of them eventually being consumed by the armor and transforming back to a Fatalis isn’t completely out of the question…
Now assuming all of them are still in the new world. The potential disaster that could be brought from 4 Fatalis could bring in a place so rich in bioenergy… it might actually be the end of the world. We don’t know how much time we have before they transform or consume the hunter hosts. The trip to the new world alone will take more than a week. How far could they have gone in that time? And how much have they changed due to their armors’ effects? I can only wish them speed luck on their quest, time is of the essence. I will write again if or when they are captured once again.
An impromptu report of the guild's recent findings of a legend that's actually true, by an ex-guild member who stole this extremely exclusive information.
Characters and information mentioned here are only semi-canon. I try my best to work within the canon, but expand upon it.
This is the last entry for Gen 1 for now, and will be the last one for a while. This series will be going on hiatus for a while until I get motivation and/or inspiration.
