Nil Crocodile
The gleaming waters of al-Nil may appear gentle and welcoming, meandering by and emanating nourishing sunlight which breathes life into otherwise desolate sands... but these glittering waters hide a vicious danger for the unwitting, home to the fierce Nil Crocodile! These are imposing ambush predators which inherit the ultimate radiant magic,
Rithaldis' Body. Naturally, these crocs are the apex predator of any biome they make their home, thriving in the solar waters of al-Nil for which they are named. Only Apapi outsize Nil Crocs in the water.
Nil crocodiles are infamous for drowning their prey, dragging them into the water with their powerful jaws and massive bodies. They are keenly lethal, killing more humans than any other crocodile in Emynea. Despite this or perhaps believing they can appease their aggression, the Masriyyin of Kemet associate these reptiles with the diety Sobek, creator of al-Nil and god of fertility and warfare. Yet not all crocs reside in Kemet. They can also be found throughout most of the Shamsi Desert and Birit Narim, hibernating beneath the sand until the rains of the wet season dampen the soil. Preying on the influx of herbivores which migrate into the desert for these rains, swarms of Nil Crocs awaken to enjoy the ephemeral wetlands of the season before sleeping again.
Nil crocodiles are infamous for drowning their prey, dragging them into the water with their powerful jaws and massive bodies. They are keenly lethal, killing more humans than any other crocodile in Emynea. Despite this or perhaps believing they can appease their aggression, the Masriyyin of Kemet associate these reptiles with the diety Sobek, creator of al-Nil and god of fertility and warfare. Yet not all crocs reside in Kemet. They can also be found throughout most of the Shamsi Desert and Birit Narim, hibernating beneath the sand until the rains of the wet season dampen the soil. Preying on the influx of herbivores which migrate into the desert for these rains, swarms of Nil Crocs awaken to enjoy the ephemeral wetlands of the season before sleeping again.
Apex Predator |
Scavenger |
Carnivore |
Nocturnal |
Kaithur
Rithaldis' Body
Thanks to Rithaldis' Body, al-Nil Crocs can convert entire body into any kind of radiant energy. This can take the form of sunlight, solar plasma and even ionizing radiation. They can maintain their natural shape or they can abandon this, reshaping themselves or merging with existing radiant energy in their environment, travel along it and reform elsewhere. They cannot be harmed by radiant energy either. Rithaldis' Body specifically allows them to merge with bright sunlight and travel along it, granting them the ability to move at the speed of light in sunny locations or places with strong radiation! This is considered the ultimate manifestation of radiant magic.
by \
Ithisda's Sense
By using Ithisda's Sense, these crocodiles are able to sense water in their environment or sense their environment using water, feeling anything interacting with water and sensing water in their environment despite barriers. They also cannot be harmed by water magic or naturally occuring water.
Anatomy
Original Ancestor | Lifespan |
|---|---|
Crocodylus niloticus
Nile Crocodile |
45-100 years |
Length | Weight |
10-20 ft
3-6 m |
500-2,200 lbs
225-1,000 kg |
Coloration |
|---|
Easily blending into the water, these crocs are dark green to bronze with faded black spots or stripes while their bellies are off-yellow. Those in fast flowing rivers lighter in color than those living in swamps or lakes. Young crocs are gray or brown with dark bands on their tail and body. In their magic form, al-Nil crocs go entirely stark white with azure blue peeking between their scales. |
Adaptions
Strength |
Fast |
Camouflage |
Calling these crocs formidable would be an understatement as these sizable reptiles boast powerful tails, long and muscular jaws and a thick scaly hide lined with bony, ossified scutes! These scutes are dense, keratinous plates and protrusions--a natural armor. Even their belly, sides and throat are armored with osteoderms, tiny bones in their skin. And this is far from the full list of their adaptions! For example, they have a nictitating membrane which protects their eyes while underwater and lachrymal glands which flushes out their eyes via tears. Their eyes, ears and nostrils are located on the top of their head which allows them to keep the rest of their body concealed underwater when ambushing prey, lingering just beneath the surface.
Perhaps one of their most iconic features is their long, powerful jaws which are lined by 64-68 sharply pointed and cone-shaped teeth--perfectly designed for gripping prey! Their skulls can measure up to 26 in (65 m) or larger but most impressively, their bite force reaches around 5,000 psi. Few caught in their jaws ever escape! When laying in wait, these crocs avoid their flashy magic form but once they have sunk their teeth into the flesh of their quarry, they readily convert their teeth into plasma. These white-hot daggers break through nearly any hide, searing flesh and inflicting radiation poisoning alongside burns. Even if these teeth are broken or lost, they will grow back throughout the crocodile's life.
Despite their short legs, al-Nil Crocodiles are shockingly mobile! Usually they crawl on their bellies but they can raise their body above the ground, galloping in a high walk. Far more impressive is their swim speed, reaching 19-22 mph (30-35 km/h)--three times faster than a human can swim! Always at home amid the radiant waters of the al-Nil River, their four chambered heart is designed for high oxygination and their blood contains lactic acid. This allows them to remain underwater for up to two hours! Most of the time, they dive for a few minutes at a time but can actively swim underwater for up to thirty minutes when needed. Yet their greatest feats of speed and mobility are tied to their solar magic, converting their entire body into sunlight or radiation, travelling as these forces do at the speed of light. Huge, stark white crocs appear at the blink of an eye, its frenzied attacks tearing apart prey before they have understood what's even happened! Those residing in the al-Nil River are especially unpredictable and fearsome, blending their bodies into the radiant energies in al-Nil, nearly invulnerable amid these waters. It is only the large consumption of magic energy their kaithur demands which limits these beasts of al-Nil!
Perhaps one of their most iconic features is their long, powerful jaws which are lined by 64-68 sharply pointed and cone-shaped teeth--perfectly designed for gripping prey! Their skulls can measure up to 26 in (65 m) or larger but most impressively, their bite force reaches around 5,000 psi. Few caught in their jaws ever escape! When laying in wait, these crocs avoid their flashy magic form but once they have sunk their teeth into the flesh of their quarry, they readily convert their teeth into plasma. These white-hot daggers break through nearly any hide, searing flesh and inflicting radiation poisoning alongside burns. Even if these teeth are broken or lost, they will grow back throughout the crocodile's life.
Habitat
Freshwater | Wetland | Desert |
These are freshwater crocodiles though they have been known to tolerate salty or brackish water. They live in lakes, rivers, estuaries, swamps, watering holes and marshlands within the Shamsi Desert, Birit Narim and Kemet, thriving especially within al-Nil River. In the desert, they live within permanant wadis, oases and caves or hibernate beneath dried riverbeds and floodplains until the wet season. On occassion they might be found in Parsa, Kna'an or even the Arabiyyan Desert or Gaarreen Ho'aa.
Diet
Carrion | Mammalivore | Herpetovore | Piscivore | Avivore | Anthrovore |
These are opportunistic apex predators, mostly hunting by ambush or feasting on carrion. Any animal approaching the water's edge or bold enough to swim are potential prey to these crocs. But unless food is scarce, they avoid other large predators especially on land. Nil crocs most often feed on fish, other reptiles and mammals. Waiting for hours if not days or even weeks for the best opportunity, they are nearly dormant between meals to conserve energy. Astonishingly fast, especially when using their solar magic, Nil crocs wait for prey to approach the water to drink or cross and lunge with a crushing bite and teeth designed to grip and hold. They can maintain their grip for extended durations, dragging prey underwater to drown them and performing death rolls to shred their prey apart! Nil crocs are unperturbed by even the most radioactive of water deep within al-Nil and can to merge with these energies in a pinch, imperceptable until lunging out of the water. Younger crocodiles are more likely to prey on fish, using bodies and tails to flush a school towards the riverbank, gobbling them up with sideways gulps.
Despite their ability to chase prey, crocodiles almost always prefer to ambush, their success determined by whether or not they can grab their prey quickly enough. Despite their size, their stomachs are very small so they are not voracious eaters as they are often painted. Surprisingly social for such aggressive species, these crocs often cooperate when hunting. Some crocs will even use their muscular tails to sweep terrestrial prey off their feet! Other tactics include blocking fish by shaping their body into a semi-circle while others convert their scutes into plasma, boiling nearby water and killing prey (although this eats up considerable energy!) When feeding in groups, the largest crocodile eats first. Their diet isn't limited to live prey either, regularly scavenging for carrion or stealing the kills of lions and leopards. Occasionally they will share the carcass of a dead hippo with other crocodiles but are otherwise possessive of carcasses.
They are most active in the rainy season when thousands of herbivores will migrate into the desert--croc infested waters becoming the most dangerous leg of their journey. Between their gripping teeth and powerful bite, most prey are doomed once they are dragged into the water. Amid these chaotic migrations, Nil Crocs fall into chaotic frenzies, violently thrashing prey or even relying on the aid of other crocodiles to tear a body apart! When they feed, they need to tear off peices of their prey, swallowing chunks of flesh at atime. This is another useful utility of their plasma teeth, helpful for shredding the flesh of migrant prey succeptable to solar magic!
Despite their ability to chase prey, crocodiles almost always prefer to ambush, their success determined by whether or not they can grab their prey quickly enough. Despite their size, their stomachs are very small so they are not voracious eaters as they are often painted. Surprisingly social for such aggressive species, these crocs often cooperate when hunting. Some crocs will even use their muscular tails to sweep terrestrial prey off their feet! Other tactics include blocking fish by shaping their body into a semi-circle while others convert their scutes into plasma, boiling nearby water and killing prey (although this eats up considerable energy!) When feeding in groups, the largest crocodile eats first. Their diet isn't limited to live prey either, regularly scavenging for carrion or stealing the kills of lions and leopards. Occasionally they will share the carcass of a dead hippo with other crocodiles but are otherwise possessive of carcasses.
They are most active in the rainy season when thousands of herbivores will migrate into the desert--croc infested waters becoming the most dangerous leg of their journey. Between their gripping teeth and powerful bite, most prey are doomed once they are dragged into the water. Amid these chaotic migrations, Nil Crocs fall into chaotic frenzies, violently thrashing prey or even relying on the aid of other crocodiles to tear a body apart! When they feed, they need to tear off peices of their prey, swallowing chunks of flesh at atime. This is another useful utility of their plasma teeth, helpful for shredding the flesh of migrant prey succeptable to solar magic!
Life Cycle
Oviparous | Polygynous | Maternal |
These are an egg laying species and are infamously protective of their offspring. While parents don't feed their hatchlings, they will protect them and even carry hatchlings on their backs or in their mouths. Crocodiles are fully mature around 12-16 years old, males becoming mature once they reach 11 ft (3.2 m) in length or when they reach 342l bs (155 kg). Females lay 25 to 95 eggs depending on her size, only nesting and breeding every two to three years. Males attract females by making bellowing sounds, slapping their snouts against the water and blowing water out of their noses. When a pair of al-Nil crocs finds each other, they will warble and rub their lower jaws together before mating. A male will likely mate with several females within his claimed territory but their are instances of monogomous pairs too. Territorial clashes over mates are horribly violent, frequently a fight to the death! These bouts occur when males are the same size, smaller males automatically yielding to a larger rival.
Eggs are lain after one to two months, nesting during dry seasons to avoid flooding. She nests along sandy shores or riverbanks, digging a shallow hole a small distance from the bank under direct sunlight. After laying her eggs, she will pack sand or earth back over the nest. She devotedly guards her nest for the next three months, not departing even to eat as her eggs are heavily targetted by other predators. Mother crocs will only leave her nest to thermoregulate, needing to cool her body in the water or shade, which is when most eggs are eaten. She may even enter a trance like state while guarding her nest, not responding even if rocks are thrown at her, but she will react violently if approached. Even the father of the eggs may attack those approaching her nest, remaining nearby in the water. al-Nil crocs often nest gregariously, nests lying closely together. Sites with more than 17-24 nests within an area of 25x22 yd have been documented. However, it is unwise to approach these nesting sites as the females can be extremely unpredictable while guarding their eggs.
The eggs incubate for nearly 90 days and their sex is determined by temperature. If the nest is below 89 F or above 94 F, they will be females and males are only hatched between these temperatures. Hatchlings chirp just before hatching, signalling their mother to uncover the nest. She may even pick up and roll the eggs between her tongue and palate to help crack the shell for her brood. Hatchlings are about 11-12 in (280-300 mm) and weigh 2.5 oz (70 g), growing that same length every year for the first few years. Their mother will protect them for up to two years, carrying them in her mouth, in her gular fold (a throat pouch) or even on her back. Juvenile al-Nil Crocs are heavily preyed upon, very few making it to adulthood. Hatchlings are intensely shy and evasive, not often seen and usually nocturnal. They hunt on their own, finding insects on land or fish in the water. They rely on their Body manifestation to protect themselves by converting their scales and scutes into plasma. Unfortunately, hatchlings cannot maintain this form for very long having a small well of energy. By two years they are usually 4 ft (1.2 m) and will depart from their nest, avoiding older crocodiles and spending time with other juveniles their size. They don't join larger groups until they are at least 6'7" (2 m), subject to cannabalism from larger crocs!
Eggs are lain after one to two months, nesting during dry seasons to avoid flooding. She nests along sandy shores or riverbanks, digging a shallow hole a small distance from the bank under direct sunlight. After laying her eggs, she will pack sand or earth back over the nest. She devotedly guards her nest for the next three months, not departing even to eat as her eggs are heavily targetted by other predators. Mother crocs will only leave her nest to thermoregulate, needing to cool her body in the water or shade, which is when most eggs are eaten. She may even enter a trance like state while guarding her nest, not responding even if rocks are thrown at her, but she will react violently if approached. Even the father of the eggs may attack those approaching her nest, remaining nearby in the water. al-Nil crocs often nest gregariously, nests lying closely together. Sites with more than 17-24 nests within an area of 25x22 yd have been documented. However, it is unwise to approach these nesting sites as the females can be extremely unpredictable while guarding their eggs.
The eggs incubate for nearly 90 days and their sex is determined by temperature. If the nest is below 89 F or above 94 F, they will be females and males are only hatched between these temperatures. Hatchlings chirp just before hatching, signalling their mother to uncover the nest. She may even pick up and roll the eggs between her tongue and palate to help crack the shell for her brood. Hatchlings are about 11-12 in (280-300 mm) and weigh 2.5 oz (70 g), growing that same length every year for the first few years. Their mother will protect them for up to two years, carrying them in her mouth, in her gular fold (a throat pouch) or even on her back. Juvenile al-Nil Crocs are heavily preyed upon, very few making it to adulthood. Hatchlings are intensely shy and evasive, not often seen and usually nocturnal. They hunt on their own, finding insects on land or fish in the water. They rely on their Body manifestation to protect themselves by converting their scales and scutes into plasma. Unfortunately, hatchlings cannot maintain this form for very long having a small well of energy. By two years they are usually 4 ft (1.2 m) and will depart from their nest, avoiding older crocodiles and spending time with other juveniles their size. They don't join larger groups until they are at least 6'7" (2 m), subject to cannabalism from larger crocs!
Behavior
Gregarious | Agonistic | Territorial | Dominance |
Despite their considerable aggression, al-Nil Crocodiles are actually a social species! They share basking spots, nests and even hunt together. This is possible thanks to their strict hierarchy determined by size. Larger and older males are at the top and have first access to food, mating and basking spots. They are unlikely to disrespect this order because consequences are horribly violent and fatal, smaller crocs even subject to being cannibalized. al-Nil crocs are highly inert as well, most of their time spent basking or even hibernating. A common sight along the banks of al-Nil are rows of crocodiles basking with the jaws ajar to keep them cool. However, one shouldn't mistake them as harmless in this state. They are highly aware of their surroundings, especially to the presence of other animals or anything moving in the water.
When they feel threatened, especially on dry land, al-Nil Crocs convert their entire body into radiant energy with their teeth, scales and scutes comprised of intense solar plasma. They are extremely dangerous and mobile in this state, moving at the speed of light and inflicting horrific damage! However, like most crocodiles they need a moist environment. In dry places like the Shamsi Desert, they dig and rest deep below the sand, aestivating (hibernating). Their tunnels stretch from 4-6 ft (1-2 m) but they are capable of making burrows of up to 12 ft (4 m) deep, the deeper the sand the more moisture is present.
When they feel threatened, especially on dry land, al-Nil Crocs convert their entire body into radiant energy with their teeth, scales and scutes comprised of intense solar plasma. They are extremely dangerous and mobile in this state, moving at the speed of light and inflicting horrific damage! However, like most crocodiles they need a moist environment. In dry places like the Shamsi Desert, they dig and rest deep below the sand, aestivating (hibernating). Their tunnels stretch from 4-6 ft (1-2 m) but they are capable of making burrows of up to 12 ft (4 m) deep, the deeper the sand the more moisture is present.
Mythology
A wide array of symbolism is tied to these creatures including fertility, power, strength, pharaonic sovreignty, military prowess, divine protection, violence, unpredictability, virility and ferocity. Feared and respected by all peoples of the Shamsi Desert, Birit Narim and Kemet, they are seen as a sacred animal of al-Nil. They are most associated to the deity Sobek, a member of the Netjer Pesedjet, suitably possessing the head of a crocodile. Sobek is believed to be a creator god, emerging from dark waters and bringing order to the world as well as creating al-Nil River. This is an aggressive deity with a vicious reputation suitable for a crocodile but he is also seen as a powerful symbol of fertility and protection if not healing. As a mother crocodile carries and protects their young, so too do they believe Sobek protects the Masriyyin people.
Sobek is believed to ward off evil and defend the innocent. Mummified crocodiles and eggs are often offered up in his temples. There is one particular oases in Kemet which worships and reveres Sobek. They keep live crocodiles in their temples which are beleived to be living incarnations of Sobek. These crocodiles have their own feeding grounds, bodyguards and even attendants! They do so to appease their unpredictable god though the Kingdom of Accia is uncertain of which Aspect, Aethid or Erlithmanil this deity is associated with. These creatures have a clear connection to Rithaldis but Sobek is also tied to Riptalis and Ithisda. It is at least clear that Lithmor admired these crocs too, respecting their strength enough to grant them her ultimate radiant blessing!
Sobek is believed to ward off evil and defend the innocent. Mummified crocodiles and eggs are often offered up in his temples. There is one particular oases in Kemet which worships and reveres Sobek. They keep live crocodiles in their temples which are beleived to be living incarnations of Sobek. These crocodiles have their own feeding grounds, bodyguards and even attendants! They do so to appease their unpredictable god though the Kingdom of Accia is uncertain of which Aspect, Aethid or Erlithmanil this deity is associated with. These creatures have a clear connection to Rithaldis but Sobek is also tied to Riptalis and Ithisda. It is at least clear that Lithmor admired these crocs too, respecting their strength enough to grant them her ultimate radiant blessing!
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