Every now and again, a Monster Hunter game will have “that kind of monster”. You know the kind…
Deviljho…
Bazelgeuse…
The super crazy ones that like to invade hunts. Well, here’s my take on one of “those monsters”.
This is Kuragamein, the Siege Beetle. It is a neopteron, because Monster Hunter NEEDS MORE BUGS! Its name comes from the word “Crag” (rugged cliff), the German word “gemein” (vile, wicked, or nasty) and the Japanese word “Kuwagata” (stag beetle). I took visual design inspiration trilobite beetles, wasps, bombardier beetles, and fireflies. Do you like her? Is she intimidating enough to be considered one of “those monsters?” Please let me know what you think!
Anyways, here’s more info:
Name: Kuragamein
Nickname: “Siege Beetle”
Classification: Neopteron
Location(s): Ancient Forest, Wildspire Waste, Coral Highlands, Rotten Vale, Elder’s Recess, Hoarfrost Reach
Element(s): Fire
Ailment(s): Fireblight
Weaknesses: Thunder, Blast
Resistances: Fire
Immunities: N/A
More Info:
What you are looking at right now is a Kuragamein queen. They are giant, comparable in size to a Diablos or Bazelgeuse. As rare as they are catastrophic, Kuragamein hives are notorious for laying waste across the ecosystems through which they travel. They are not necessarily nomadic by nature, however. Recently, seismic activities seem to have led several colonies out of their underground burrows, resulting in some nests being sighted on the surface worlds. This is a huge issue, as they often lay waste to the surrounding ecosystems.
The Kuragamein queen is known as the “Siege Beetle” because of the way that she fights and commands her subjects. When locked in combat with prey or other foes, the queen will give pheromone-powered commands to her surrounding males. The male Kuragamein, or Kuragamite (pictured in the bottom-right), are much smaller; just a bit smaller than a common Vespoid. Their job is to die for the queen. Literally. Males and females both share a common ability. Using chemical compounds stored in their abdomens, they can set off a fiery chain reaction and spew hot flames from their backsides. While the queen simply uses this ability as a fiery weapon, the male uses it to rocket himself into enemies, causing him to explode and die on contact. All surrounding males will be ordered to do this. If she runs out of her “ammunition”, the queen will simply lay more eggs and attach them to her belly. Very shortly, they will hatch and immediately fire themselves at foes. Fight this hellish insect, and she will wage war on you…