The Crocodile Tribe is one of the 9 Third-wave tribes, the second to be founded after the Rising of Cavora in the year 400 of the Second Period. To the major populace of the vast plain (also known as Chima), the clan remains under the stereotype of being primitive compared to the lions or eagles. While it is indeed true that the people have, for many centuries, lived basic lives as hunters in the swampland city in which they dwell, the crocodiles had, as of several decades predating the fifth Civil War, begun to undertake an industrial revolution, and (upon largely drawing inspiration from the wolf and gorilla tribes) built an array of Chi-based war machines primarily used for defense from outsiders.
The tribe is currently led by King Cragger the Second.
The Crocodiles[]
The crocodile tribe is inhabited by the Crocodile Chimians, a reptilian race that was the second race to be formed from the chi-water. This species of Chimian has kept most of its crocodilian traits, such as a long snout, rough scales, sharp teeth, and, of course, long tails for navigating the waters in which the species dwells. The crocodiles are known to not walk too well, which is why they spend much of their time in liquid. Chima's crocodiles typically hatch,[clarify] taking on one of five main colors: a light-or-dark shade of an olive green, deep brown, deep blue, or rarely tan.
A Chimian crocodile's head is flat in the snout-region and roughly triangular, like a real-world, non-advanced crocodile's. However, unlike a real-world crocodile, the head is slightly thinner. Additionally, the back of the head is marked with two short red crests, which run down to the mid-neck region. Chimian crocodiles have, of course, dozens of short fangs; they largely use these when consuming fish, which makes up almost half of the diet of a typical crocodile in Chima. Most crocodiles have two major sets of scales; the first is the one that largely makes up most of their outer bodies, while another set of lightly colored scales runs from underneath the snout, to the neck, and then down the chest to the region between the legs, as well as underneath the tail.
Most Chimian crocodiles' bodies are thin and muscular, and their forms are not the product of lifestyle or actions, but rather are simply born powerful from adaptation to the swampland, where one may need to swim from anything at any time. While these crocodiles do possess a few mammalian traits, they are indeed reptiles. Their torso-regions and arms are featureless, apart from the interesting small spike-like scales that extend from the shoulders. However, the crocodiles are most bizarre in their abdomen-and-leg-regions. First of all, unlike most other Chimain tribes, crocodiles are some of the few remaining animals that still have tails, with a crocodile's tail extending from just above the crocodile's posterior. Typically, a crocodile in Chima has a tail-length of around 4 feet, which, although heavy and difficult to walk with, is a very powerful tool for swimming, which is important to both crocodilian survival and culture. A crocodile's legs are powerful and long, being used for swimming of course. Also, although Chimian crocodiles do not have either webbed hands or feet, their rough scales also protect them from the acidic slime produced by the native plant-life of the Chimian swamp.
The crocodiles of Chima have adapted well to their swampland habitat; they hold their breath for a very long time (around an hour in fact), and have massive lungs for doing such. They can see underwater as well, having the ability to waterproof their eyes, which can easily see underneath the surface of murky fluids and are a yellow-color. Their skeletal system is lightweight yet durable, and their bones take on a very slightly tan hue. The crocodiles of Chima have extremely acidic stomachs.
Despite their seemingly primitive culture, the crocodile race is of average intelligence. They are often stereotyped as having an extremely rudimentary understanding of the world and communicating in grunts and other noises. In fact, the reason for their basic choices in craftsmanship, attire, and architecture is due to their honor for their history and earlier ways of life, which they do not wish to leave behind.
Territory[]
The crocodiles of Chima first marked their territory using flower petals and swamp rocks attached to tree sap poured onto the ground in a straight line, which stretched across all their land. When the tribes were first founded in 408 S.P, the lions granted them territory in the southern swamps. The crocodiles owned the entire biome for seven decades until a skirmish with the Raven tribe led to a 4-year war between the two tribes, in which the crocodiles lost a fraction of their land. In the mid-to-late second period, many other tribes would take pieces from the crocodilian land upon hearing of the Raven's feat. This ultimately led to the Crocodile tribe eventually only ruling over 40% of the southern swamp. It was at this time that the tribe decided they needed to either re-conquer their old land or expand further south, towards the outlands.
The crocodiles decided to fight against the wolves for control over the western regions of the swamp in 498, starting several years of combat resulting in the crocodiles ultimately reclaiming 80% of the swampland by 524. This has largely remained unchanged ever since, apart from the occasional battle between tribes before the century of peace.
Within the crocodile's swamp lie a total of 6 villages and cities. The main capital of the tribe territory was largely built underground, underneath the Jade Lake, the deepest lake in the area. From the surface, the structure appears to be shaped like the head of a massive crocodile, with guard towers and other structures placed atop it. The throne room is just within the "head". To the left and right of the throne-room are passages connected by stairs that lead nearly a mile underground. Living chambers, marketplaces, dungeons, and armories are all connected by the various passages. Rumors going around the southern regions of Chima say that the crocodilian underground goes down for nearly two miles, with a massive gold hoard stashed at the very bottom, or—as some say—a wide pitch-black chamber supposedly inhabited by undead crocodile prisoners. Neither myth has been confirmed by the crocodilian people.
Another common myth is that a small alligator tribe lives among the crocs, although this too has an unknown answer.
Government[]
The Crocodile tribe is, unlike most tribes, a Polyarchy, although with a king and queen and a lower prince and princess, who are their heirs. The King and Queen (currently being King Cragger the second, and Queen Crooler the second) are, however, not the high rulers over the crocodiles, with that title going to the Six High Ones, a group of three-or-more crocodiles who make and debate all major political decisions in their tribe. The Six High Ones were established very recently, some 15 years after the fire-and-ice war, after protests for a less...immature leader, as the first king Cragger was indeed known to be somewhat foolish at times. The King and Queen do, however, have a political role, as they can contribute to the Six High Ones' political debates and give their own feedback, although they cannot make any executive decisions.
The common people of the crocodiles have little input on political activity, with it falling to the Six High Ones to make laws based upon what they believe is best for the Crocodile Tribe as a majority. This, of course, has led to multiple protests and even occasional civil wars. Yet, despite the frequent tensions between the people and their rulers, the Crocodilian government has hardly changed in centuries.