Margenava

Margenava are powerful Behemoths with unrivalled physical strength, and uses that strength to assert its dominance over the Forest of Blades, and depicted in stories as a bloodthirsty tyrant. Can only be encountered in High-Rank onward.

Physiology
Margenava is a gigantic, quadruped reptilian creature with a stocky body with light brown granular scales all over its body. Its head is wedge-shaped with large nostrils and small, yellow eyes, with a black carapace on its face, appearing almost like armour, with scutes running down from a small nasal horn to the back of its head. It also appears to have three small chin spikes and enlarged supraocular scales. The majority of its back appears to have osteoderms, which carry on to the tip of its tail, and even less have black scutes running from its neck to its abdomen. It also possesses a hump between its shoulders, the latter which appear to have the black carapace found on its face. Its body appears larger on the front half than it is on the back half, excluding tail. Said tail is also long and tapering, forming a sort of muscular whip. Its legs carry its body from under it, and have plantigrade, armoured feet. A carapace covers its feet, but has stubby yet curved claws. It also seems to have scutes on what remains of its fingers. The carapace reaches higher up the forelegs than they do on the hindlegs. Lastly, its hip area possesses the black carapace found elsewhere on its body.

Behaviour
Very territorial, prone to attacking anything that it sees as a potential rival. Otherwise, anything smaller than it, it will not bother with. They seemingly only fight when starving, or when food is scarce.

Placement in Food Chain
Margenava are the apex of the Forest of Blades, but are considered invasive elsewhere. Regardless whether or not it is invasive, it still holds a top spot.

Behaviour Towards Other Monsters
It will not react to the presence of small animals, hunters included, but have been known to turn aggressive in an instant if attacked or faced with a potential rival like Makiyaffa or Xhi Khamaria.

Tracks
Margenava will leave Shattered Boulders in its wake. In the Forest of Blades' lower parts, Shattered Spikes will also be present.

Specific Locale Interactions
Sometimes when fighting in certain areas, Margenava will slam its body into the side of a wall, which will make boulders fall from above, in hopes that they will crush its foes. These boulders can also damage Margenava, but it will not flinch. This also applies for falling boulders triggered by hunters or other monsters.

Special Behaviours
Margenava have been seen to use the environment to its advantage, namely by pushing loose boulders towards enemies. Unfortunately, it has also been seen agitating Basarios for this exact habit.

Cutscenes
WIP

Abilities
Margenava lacks any elemental abilities like most monsters of its calibre do, but it possesses superb physical strength, and is even able to power itself up, by swelling its facial, back and foreleg muscles, which helps making Margenava as dangerous and as fearsome as a monster on the same threat level. However, this in itself is a double-edged sword; it may make the parts affected by this more dangerous and even deadly, but this also makes these parts more susceptible to damage, both from physical attacks and elements. Repeatedly attacking these swollen muscles will make them contract, weakening it and giving it persistent pain.

Attacks

 * Headbutt - Margenava bows its head and shuffles forward, in an attempt to strike them with its nasal horn. Does small damage and knocks hunters over. Does borderline moderate damage when its Muscle State is active.
 * Head Swing - Margenava will lower its head and swing it violently at its chosen target. Does small damage, but does less than Headbutt, and may hit multiple targets at once and knocks them over. Does borderline moderate damage when its Muscle State is active.
 * Slam - Margenava will raise either foreleg and slam it back down with vicious force. Does small-to-moderate damage and knocks hunters away from it. Has a small chance to inflict Stun, and increases in damage and inflicts Defence Down in Muscle State. Margenava may also use this on targets attacking it from the side, but with its other foreleg. In G-Rank, this move gains a minor tremor effect.
 * Barge - Margenava will turn slightly and move forward, attempting to slam into targets with its shoulders. Does small-to-moderate damage and throws hunters away from it, and also has a small chance to inflict Stun. Does even more damage in Muscle State. Sometimes, in certain areas, Margenava will use this on a wall, which will cause boulders to fall from above.
 * Charge - Margenava will bow its head and pause for a couple of seconds, before sprinting forward, tearing the ground away in its wake. Does low-to-moderate damage and flings hunters. Does even more damage if in Muscle State.
 * Kick - Margenava will look over its shoulder and use one of its hindlegs to kick a target behind it. Does small damage and knocks hunters over.
 * Tail Whip - Margenava will turn slightly, all the while swinging its tail to the side to strike targets. Does small-to-moderate damage and knocks hunters away from it.
 * Boulder Roll - This move will only be used when there is a loose boulder or resting Basarios in the area. The former has Margenava raise its upper body and use both forelegs to roll the boulder towards its chosen target(s). Does moderate-to-high damage and has a moderate chance to inflict Stun. Does not apply if the 'boulder' is a Basarios.
 * Armour Breaker - Muscle State only. Margenava will raise its upper body into the air, and walk slightly towards its chosen target, before coming back down with fearsome strength. Does high damage, flings hunters away and inflicts Defence Down, with a moderate chance to inflict Stun. This attack also has a tremor effect.

Rage State
Signified by Margenava stomping letting out a high-level roar. Physical blows are much more dangerous, and it will be able to go into Muscle State.

Tired State
Margenava's physical strength is cut drastically, and moves with a tremor effect lack said effect. If Margenava is in Muscle State while this happens, it will revert to normal.

Mounts
Margenava can be mounted on its head, forelegs, back and tail.

Useful Information
Furious Flexing!

Margenava can only enter what is called 'Muscle State' while it is enraged, and is signified by the muscles in its face, back and forelegs swelling and giving off a warm red glow. Though these parts must be avoided, attacking them may also trip Margenava, leaving itself open for you to unleash your own furious flurry of attacks.

Taxonomy

 * Order: Leviathan
 * Suborder: Behemoth
 * Infraorder: Muscle Wyvern
 * Family: Nava

Habitat Range
Margenava are most common in the Forest of Blades, but are still quite a rare sight. Margenava have also been reported being in the Heaven's Mount and Ruined Pinnacle, as well as the New World's Coral Highlands, but are considered invasive and not supposed to be there. Only a small number of Margenava thrive in outside areas, however.

Ecological Niche
Strong enough to reach apex status, taking the top spot in the Forest of Blades. There, it only needs to compete with other top predators like Niradamaz, Seltas Queen and Tigrex, while it stomps down weaker competition like Rathian, Waeopial, Vesicarus and other middling predators. They are known to mistake Basarios for loose rocks, and although Margenava has enough power to kill it, Basarios are able to easily put Margenava to sleep.

Biological Adaptation
Margenava's tremendous size and strength allows it to walk through small stalagmites unscathed, and also thanks in part to its heavy carapace on its legs. The carapace elsewhere on its body also allows it to move or even crush boulders without injuring itself. It has brittle, coned teeth, not suitable for biting, so it hunts by fighting or crushing weaker prey. It's also noted for its ability to strengthen itself by swelling its muscles, and does so by using hypertrophy. When it feels the need to, blood will rush to its head, back and forelegs, expanding them and giving off a slight red tint and finally giving the beast a rush of adrenaline. Its eyes will also turn red because of this. This takes a lot of energy, so Margenava is prone to fainting or even dying of exhaustion, so it will use it sparingly.

Behaviour
Margenava are very protective of their claimed territory, but will leave smaller animals alone unless it needs to hunt. However, other large monsters just as strong as it, it will not tolerate being in its presence, and so will attempt to drive them out or even kill them if it gets the chance. The rest of their lifestyle is unknown, as they are hard to track and the Forest of Blades is often hard to navigate, so Margenava can disappear in an instant if one loses sight of it.

Breaks

 * Its head can be broken twice.
 * Its forelegs can be broken individually.
 * Its belly can be broken.
 * Its tail can be severed.

Damage/Status Effectiveness
WIP

With Basarios
Though in many occasions a Margenava will ignore Basarios, it can be aggravated by Margenava's attempts to roll boulders onto enemies, and so fights between them will break out.

Turf War
Margenava will approach Basarios, the latter unmoving and standing firm. Margenava will then shoulderbarge Basarios, to which it struggles against. Margenava pushes harder, eventually toppling Basarios, and then raising its forelegs up to slam down on Basarios, in repeated succession. However, Basarios releases a gaseous cloud, which catches Margenava as it comes back down again. Basarios takes heavy damage each strike, but Margenava may suffer poisoning or falling asleep, allowing for Basarios to make a quick getaway and leaving Margenava vulnerable. The battle ends in a tie.

Turf War
WIP

Interactions with Unique Statuses
Margenava can be Frenzied, Hyper and Tempered.

Frenzy
Although it can't inflict the Frenzy with each strike, Margenava creates Frenzy pools from breaking rocks during attacks instead.

Hyper
Margenava's head, forelegs and tail can be boosted.

Tempered
Margenava is a LV2 Tempered monster.

Trivia

 * Margenava is GoldenDragonIlo's first Behemoth.
 * Margenava's original name was "Meganurova", but was changed as it did not sound like a Monster Hunter name.