Sandile Line
Morphs (Oak Catalog #)
- Sandile (#551)
- Krokorok (#552)
- Krookodile (#553)
Physical Description
Sandile is a small, Ground-Dark crocodilian Pokémon. It is quadrupedal, .7 meters tall, and weighs 15.2 kilograms. Sandile’s body is covered in brown and black stripes, and it has a red and black striped underbelly. It has large eyes, which are covered by a masklike protrusion that protects its eyeballs from sand. It has a long snout with a single black stripe, which is tipped by a knoblike nose. Sandile has small, conical teeth, which are hidden inside its mouth. It has a stubby tail, and stubby legs.
Krokorok is now bipedal. It is a meter tall, and weighs 33.4 kilograms. Its front legs have evolved into a pair of arms, which end in grasping claws. Its eyes have become slightly smaller, and the mask has become more pronounced. Its back teeth and its front teeth now protrude from its mouth, and its nose has become proportionally smaller. Its tail has lengthened to give it balance while running, and a line of black ridges runs down its back. Its back legs have lengthened, and its feet have become adapted for running.
Krookodile barely resembles its first stage. Its brown and black body is now a deep crimson striped with black, and it has a white underbelly. It is one and a half meters tall, and weighs 96.3 kilograms. It has widened out, and its legs and tail have thickened greatly to compensate. Its arms are longer, and the claws are as well, allowing Krookodile to grasp its prey. Krookodile’s head is proportionally much larger, and its mask is much more elaborate, ending in two protruding ridges. Krookodile’s back teeth extend from its mouth, giving it the appearance of a constant wicked smile. Its nose is longer, and the large knob at the end has almost vanished, being replaced by ridged nostrils. The ridge of spikes on its back remains, although it no longer extends to its tail.
On very rare occasions, Sandile are born with olive-green stripes instead of brown, and with a blue underbelly. These Sandile evolve into Krokorok with deep brown skin, sand-colored stripes, and a gray underbelly. The resulting Krookodile are light brown, with sandy stripes and a light gray underbelly. These mutations are highly prized by collectors.
Notable Biology
The first important aspect of the Sandile line is its mask. All three members of the Sandile line protect their eyes from sand and dust with a black, mask-like ridge. In addition, they share a third eyelid, which they use to sweep off any stray particles. This mask has given Sandile and its evolutions a bad reputation. (See In Human Society)
The second is the front teeth, which are hooked. When a Sandile bites something, its teeth hook its flesh, enabling the Sandile to hold on to stronger prey.
Both Krokorok and Krookodile share a membrane over their eyes, which allow them to sense heat. This is useful for hunting prey at night. (See Diet)
Krookodile’s eyes can flip through a variety of lenses (thin membranes that cover the eyes) allowing it to see incredibly far into the distance. In addition, its jaws close with the force of a bear trap, and are able to crush a small automobile.
All three members of the Sandile Line enjoy fighting, and will gain confidence after defeating foes. In addition, many people confronting Sandile have made note of their loud roars and hisses, which can terrify a foe into inaction.
Habitat
All three members of the line live in the Resort Desert. Sandile lives in the main desert, where it tunnels under the ground to escape the heat. Krokorok live in the Relic Castle, and are usually found either relaxing several floors down or hunting.
Krookodile are almost never found in the wild. The few sightings have all taken place in either the deepest level of the Relic Castle, or near Nimbasa City, where they frequently hunt.
Diet
All members of the Sandile Line are carnivorous, although they will, on occasion, eat berries. Interestingly, the hunting methods of the three members of the line are almost completely different.
Sandile hunt in packs, almost always for Darumaka. They do this by taking advantage of a technique that Trainers have dubbed “Sand Tomb.” A group of three to five Sandile will form a small network of tunnels (and a corresponding field of small sandhills), and hide in them. When a Darumaka (Or on very rare occasions, a Maractus) passes by, the Sandile pack will burst out of their tunnels. Gravity will cause sand to slide into the tunnels, and anything on the sand at the time (such as Sandile’s prey) will be dragged with it. After prey has been captured, the Sandile pack will bite it to death, rolling over in the sand to rip off pieces.
Krokorok still use the ambush approach, but as they are now bipedal, they no longer tunnel. Instead, they will hide in a large sand dune, waiting for prey to pass near (again, usually Darumaka). When it does, Krokorok will burst out, chase its prey down, and kill it with a powerful bite. As Krokorok are faster than most Pokémon living in the Resort Desert, this generally works.
Krookodile are apex predators, and even less subtle. While they still hunt Darumaka, they will also hunt Darmanitan. In addition, they have been known to hunt in the area around Nimbasa City, mostly for Emolga or Tranquill, and sometimes even Liepard. Their approach to hunting is simple. They will stalk their prey quietly until within striking range, then burst out of nowhere, stun their prey with an incredibly loud roar, and crush its spine in a single bite. Any attempt to steal meat from a Krookodile kill will be met with the same bite.
Hazards
The Sandile line is a dangerous one. While it is generally true that even a Krookodile will not attack unless provoked, there are far too many ways to anger one. Sandile are largely peaceful, although their bite is surprisingly powerful, and any attempt to get between a Sandile and its meal will result in a first-hand account of said bite. In addition, when in the desert, make sure to avoid any large clump of small hills, as if you fall into a Sandile trap, they will have no qualms about eating you.
Krokorok are rather more dangerous. A Krokorok bite is excruciatingly painful, and (due to bacteria buildup in the Krokorok’s jaws) will usually lead to severe infection. Krokorok’s claws are quite sharp, and will cause deep cuts if used. Fortunately, Krokorok are rarely found outside the Relic Castle except when hunting, at which point they have already found a target, and will most likely ignore you (Again, it cannot be emphasized enough how deeply unwise it is to come between a member of the Sandile line and its meal).
Krookodile is a completely different story. While they are mercifully rare in the wild, Krookodile are both incredibly powerful and incredibly easy to anger. Their biting power, which has only increased, will most likely shatter bone, and is completely capable of taking off an arm or leg. As such, if you see a Krookodile, barring the presence of a very high-level Pokémon of a Water, Grass, Bug, or Fighting type, the proper route is to leave as quickly as possible.
Should you find a clutch of Sandile eggs or baby Sandile, the proper response is to evacuate the area quickly, as the mother is likely not far away, and will immediately react should you come too close to her brood.
[[Trainer’s Notes: Should you wish to own a member of the Sandile Line, capture them as a Sandile, while they still have a pack instinct. If captured as a Krokorok or Krookodile, they will most likely never accept you as a master, let alone a friend. In addition, when traveling in the desert, do not release your Pokémon, as they may be attacked.]]
Courting and Childrearing
Only Krokorok and Krookodile mate in the wild, although Sandile will breed in captivity. In the wild, Krokorok will only breed with other Krokorok, and Krookodile only with other Krookodile.
Once a year, Krokorok and Krookodile will seek out a mate. Females will create nests inside the Relic Castle, and males will fight each other for the right to mate with a chosen female. After mating, the male will go on its way, while the female will lay her eggs, usually five to ten in a clutch. She will guard these eggs incredibly fiercely, and anything, Pokémon or human, which comes close to a female Krokorok/Krookodile’s eggs will die.
Sandile eggs will gestate for 50 to 110 days, the heat of the sun providing incubation, and the mother providing protection.Sandile young will be closely guarded for the first few months of their lives, until they are old enough to survive on their own.
Social Structure
Sandile live apart from both Krokorok and Krookodile, as both its evolutions will generally eat it on sight.
Krokorok are usually found in small groups of two to three, although they hunt on their own. However, when intruders are found in the Relic Castle, larger groups of Krokorok will form to drive them out.
Krookodile are rare on their own, and nobody has ever seen more than one at once in the wild. As such, most scientists believe that they are solitary Pokémon.
In Human Society
The signature masks of the Sandile line, coupled with their aggressive natures, have given Sandile and its evolutions a bad reputation in human society. This history has lead to a popular phrase, "never smile at a krookodile." In media, Sandile (Although Krokorok are more common, due to their bipedal gait) are portrayed as criminals, with Krookodile in higher rolls such as mob bosses. An anthropomorphic Krookodile serves as one of the antagonists in a long-running comic series centered around a vigilante employing equipment inspired by the Zubat line. One antagonist in a highly popular pirate series is named and compared to a Krookodile. Krokoroks and Sandiles led by an evil Krookodile feature as villains in a series of games centered around a family of Infernapes and Monfernos. An animated film and its associated spinoffs
involve a Krookodile as well, though this specific instance is more neutral as the Krookodile is more intent on devouring the villain than the protagonists.
However, not all depictions are negative. Certain desert cultures venerated members of the Sandile line, especially Krookodile, as symbols of deities of protection, fertility and military power, and in bygone times raised captive Sandile, Krokorok and Krookodile as incarnations of their gods. The opportunity to view the Sandile line in their native habitat can be a source of tourist income for the regions where they are found. A show where a popular celebrity and conservationist wrangled Krookodile and Feraligatr could be argued to be a positive depiction, as a central message of its programming was the ecological importance of both evolutionary lines.
Written by MeMyselfAndI2.
