Crokas

Crokas
Official art of Crokas, by Hannah Friederichs.
Type	Player Character
Actor	Alexander Ward
Character Information
Creature type	Humanoid
Race	Dragonborn (White)
Class	Monk
Age	Around 15 (in the Divergence)
Languages	Common, Draconic
Places	Rybad-Kol (formerly) Wildemount
Family	Fiedra Marrow (foster mother and lifelong friend)
Connections	The Roaches (gang) Cobalt Soul (early member)
Profession	Bodyguard
Stats
Level	1
HP	10
AC	14
DC
Str	21
Dex	12
Con	14
Int	12
Wis	18
Cha	10
Reference(s)
Appearances
First seen	"Give and Take" (E4x01)
Last seen	"By Heart Alone" (E4x04)
Stream	Exandria Unlimited: Divergence (4 episodes)

“

I needed a mom.

”

– 

Crokas, to Fiedra

[!h]

Crokas is a white dragonborn monk played by Alexander Ward in Exandria Unlimited: Divergence.

Description

Appearance

Just before his release from the prison fortress of Rybad-Kol, Crokas had only recently reached adulthood. He was six-and-a-half feet tall, 300 pounds, and muscular. His rough, jagged white scales were covered in scars (both old and new) and marked by a dark vitiligo of dark scales that extended to his throat and neck where he had a small growth. He wore tattered clothing. He had a tail, and moved like a monitor lizard when on all fours.

After he attuned to Stormgirdle, strength seemed to pour out from him.

Personality

Crokas has a simple, discreet demeanor, and a certain innocence that could be based on his isolated youth. Although he seems easily confused, he has a good heart and is protective of those who are his allies.

Biography

Background

Fan art of Fiedra with a very young Crokas, by Bones.

Crokas hatched around a decade and a half before the Divergence, and was raised since birth by Fiedra Marrow, a then-teenager halfling girl who had won the egg in a card game. They lived in a city, but when the dragonborn was ten or eleven, they were both captured and brought to Rybad-Kol, where Crokas ended up acting as a bodyguard to Fiedra. They worked in the kitchen and formed their own gang, the Roaches.

"Give and Take" (E4x01)

Not long after Crokas reached adulthood, he and other dragonborn in the prison were gathered and put in carts, since there were orders that the healthy dragonborn were to be sent to the Scaled Tyrant so that she could devour the metallic ones and use the chromatic ones as soldiers. Given his size and apparent ferocity he was muzzled and had extra restraints. Before they left, the nurse Rei'nia Saph appeared and told the authorities that there might be a plague of some sort affecting the dragonborn prisoners, making them unfit to be sent to the Tyrant; when Crokas was identified as the alleged patient zero and Captain Rustgut pointed out that he might not be contagious thanks to his muzzle, the young dragonborn made his best effort to snort through his teeth to prove him wrong. High Priestess Sata'al agreed to quarantine some of them within the Wandering Walls, although she rejected Nia's request to personally treat Erro and Crokas; as the latter was leaving he hit his head and was annoyed, but his mood improved when the half-elven nurse told him that Fiedra was coming. The chosen dragonborn entered the Walls, and although one of them, Celeste, told her children to be careful with Crokas, Erro used their new privacy to clarify to the other prisoners that no one was actually sick, so there was no contagion going on. Another dragonborn, Coswald, complimented Crokas telling him that his name sounded like a flower, and he, confused, replied he hadn't named himself. After a while Garen and Fiedra came to rescue them, causing Crokas to try to use brute force to open a new hole. Joined by Nia, they all moved through the Wandering Walls back to the locked door, with Crokas using his strength to try to open it (admitting that he couldn't use a breath weapon like Erro), while outside a cataclysmic battle of the gods shook the entire prison.

When they finally got free they found everything destroyed, although with signs that most of the victims were followers of the Betrayer Gods. Fiedra and Crokas tried to find the rest of the Roaches, and although they failed, they didn't find their corpses either. While they were among the ruins, Erro advised Crokas to keep an eye on Marlath (a follower of the Scaled Tyrant that had been captured nonetheless) because he seemed nervous; the younger dragonborn, in turn, told Fiedra the same thing. They eventually decided to move with their group of survivors to a point on Erro's map, staying hidden under the trees.

Fan art of Crokas carrying the children, by Lyadrielle.

Fan art of Crokas and the Stormlord, by Odd.

The journey was exhausting, and given his strength, eventually Crokas started moving on all fours carrying Celwyn and Celdria (the son and daughter of Celeste, who was very thankful) on his back, although after some time he too started feeling tired. At one point, mere minutes after one of them, Starmian Fiddleflask, died of dehydration, it started raining; Crokas and Fiedra noticed the old halfling's body and he took it with him as he walked to watch the storm that had just unleashed, seeing in the distance that it was being summoned by a gargantuan figure walking through the land. When the entity noticed them, he made eye contact with Crokas, and with a thunderous voice asked if he was scared (he was), and if he was going to flee (the dragonborn asked if that would help, making the god laugh). The Stormlord asked him if he was tired because of carrying his own weight or the weight of others; when Crokas pointed at Celwyn and Celdria, the god showed his approval, declaring that was the purpose of strength. He told them that the gods were about to leave forever and that those mortals were witnessing the last miracles; he told them to be strong and help others, since gods wouldn't be able to do it for them anymore. He left a gift for Crokas: Stormgirdle, which Crokas picked up while admitting he had had no idea that the entity talking to him was a god.

"Seven of Them" (E4x02)

Fan art of Crokas carrying Fiedra, by iwilltryalittlearter.

Crokas put on his new belt, and Fiedra complimented it, especially when it became obvious that it made him stronger; however, as the group continued moving, the halfling kept getting weaker, and Erro started carrying her on his back for a while. Eventually Crokas decided to give one of Celeste's children back to her so that he could carry Fiedra himself, covering her with his own body to protect her from the rain; he also offered Erro to lead the group, since he was bleeding because of the harsh road, but the old man insisted it wasn't necessary. When they had only one day left to arrive to their destination, Erro focused his powers on creating a decent shelter for Fiedra with Mold Earth, and when Crokas asked him about magic, he told him he would teach him about it if they survived. Eventually they arrived to Torm's Hill. They started looking for help, since Fiedra was still very weak, and when she joked about not dying fighting against bandits, her bodyguard pointed out that at least in that situation he could do more to protect her. Celeste talked to Crokas and thanked him for helping her children so much, declaring he was family to them now. As Nia focused on taking care of Fiedra in the infirmary, Erro congratulated the younger dragonborn for all his help on their way there, and with his permission, leaned on him, since he was tired. After a night of rest, Crokas returned to Fiedra, and when she, completely recovered, saw him, she told him how very proud she was of him, declaring that one day he would have his own bodyguards that would make him proud. When they found out that Otto and Taveen were in town too they were very happy to see them, and Crokas told them to keep an eye on Marlath, just like Erro had told him days before (the bronze dragonborn, in fact, approached them attempting to conspire with Fiedra shortly after).

Later seven soldiers of the Strife Emperor arrived to Torm's Hill, killing people and demanding the others to return to subjugation; however, after Erro used his fiery breath, encouraging people to fight, and a battle ensued. Crokas, who had been holding Fiedra up so she could see, let her go, and he started attacking with his claws as he produced foam from his mouth, trying to catch the enemies' attention; then, he activated the Stormgirdle for the first time, becoming a Storm Avatar and shooting lightining from his mouth against the captain of the soldiers. One of the latter knocked him unconscious, but the young dragonborn, after hearing the voice of the Stormlord, asking him if he was going to stay there, woke up thanks to a sudden flash of lightning. He immediately grabbed an enemy's helmet with his teeth and killed him by piercing his chest; then he broke his victim's cranium while making eye contact with the last guard standing, and hit them with his tail so hard that he broke their spine.

Fan art of Crokas, Celeste, and the children, by Odd.

Crokas threw the corpse away, and although the battle was over, he looked around frantically, emitting a threatening and reptilian sound until he noticed he was scaring the townsfolk; Celwyn and Celdria approached, and the latter told him he didn't have to be scared, even though that was ok, as she and his brother helped him breathe. Celeste came shortly after, hugging him and whispering to him in Draconic, with Celwyn translating and explaining that he had saved them.

The group rested for the rest of the day, recovering from the fight, and Crokas, after confirming that Fiedra was ok, left to go clean himself in the Larksbrook river, nearby. When he was returning he went to the new cemetery, where Nia was mourning the lost of Luz, a childhood friend killed in combat. He approached and told her he was sorry for her loss; when she mentioned they were sort of similar, being away from their families, he admitted he never knew his, and that Fiedra had raised him. The half-elf declared that Fiedra clearly cared about the dragonborn, and that she missed her sister Liana, who was the one that cared for her; she showed him the portrait of her she had in her locket, and said she wanted to find her that same night. Erro arrived at the same time Taveen called Crokas, so he left, telling the older dragonborn to make sure she didn't leave. The Roaches spent some time drinking with Garen and celebrating, but after dusk they left to attend to a meeting with Marlath, who wanted to create a new order in town in which he and the Roaches could profit. While he was distracted talking to Fiedra, Crokas moved behind him, stealthily, and when the halfling gave the signal, Taveen and Otto grabbed Marlath as the other dragonborn stepped on his tail and opened his mouth; Fiedra took his documents, and after reminding him how he had sold his own people (including Crokas) and had been planning to take advantage of refugees, she declared that he talked too much, and cut his tongue. Crokas then closed his maw and walked away, telling him he had to keep an eye on that wound. The Roaches spent a quiet night together, with Otto keeping watch.

"Mirror and Key" (E4x03)

Before he and his group left Torm's Hill Crokas said goodbye to Celwyn and Celdria (who were told that the white dragonborn had to stay with Fiedra to take care of her), and although it was awkward at first, he hugged them when Fiedra told him to. Their mother, Celeste, gave him an old amulet of the Knowing Mistress, and ask him to carry the knowledge that her and her children loved him. He and his friends traveled until they reached Snowgrave Pass, where they found an obsidian tower with only one soldier: Gubbling, a former follower of the Strife Emperor, to whom they convinced (after Crokas intimidated him and Erro told him that his god had fallen) to abandon his position as the last defender of the tower, sending him to redeem himself in Torm's Hill; Crokas told him to find the Roaches there. They spent the night inside the tower and took some gear (Crokas chose a dagger and a crossbow).

Fan art of Crokas swimming, by Lyadrielle.

Next morning they arrived to Erro's former home, next to a lake, and he told his friends about his former partner, Donaea (killed there) and about his own past as an Issylran refugee, and how he had given up, crying a bit. He was comforted by the others, and when the older dragonborn felt better, he told his friends to try the water of the lake; in response, Crokas jumped inside and started swimming after a few moments of hesitation (scaring Fiedra in the process). They kept traveling until they found a promontory in which Fiedra revealed a secret sanctum filled with trinkets, documents, and magic items. Crokas found a chest, the "Agrupnin Vault", inside of which an orb floated until it became part of the amulet Celeste gave him. While they were there Nia finally found her sister, learning that she had been a mortal incarnation of the Moonweaver all along, and that the cleric, through their loving bond, had to be an example for other mortals, showing them that their divine magic and connection with the deities would remain even if the gods left Exandria; thus, the group decided to travel to the coast, with Vasselheim being their next destination. When Nia explained the situation about the Moonweaver Crokas asked her if that was her sister, and the cleric confirmed it; when he told her that didn't make sense, she replied that it didn't have to. Crokas started thinking about it, and his thoughts started changing, as his improved amulet influenced his mind, making him smarter (realizing only in that moment that his belt was a magic item too); Fiedra examined the orb and confirmed that it was the source of the dragonborn's increasing intellect (which made his head hurt a little). As they were leaving Garen declared that the new intelligence made Crokas somewhat disturbing, but he changed his mind almost immediately, being amused when the monk started commenting outloud how weird Kephekedriel (one of the prisoners of Rybad-Kol) had always being. He took some gold from the sanctum too, just as Fiedra had done.

As they kept traveling Erro started to slowly teach Crokas some Draconic. Days after a positive encounter with treants (who gave them some magic nuts before leaving) the adventurers ended up in the middle of a battle between the armies of Asmodeus and Corellon. During the fight Crokas behaved fiercely, especially after Fiedra was knocked unconscious: he impaled an imp with an enemy's spear, threatened the one wielding it, and tore off a devil's tongue to prevent it from warning others. When the battle was over they were approached by unicorns (which made Crokas a bit nervous, since he didn't like horses), and they provided some advice and healing before leaving. Eventually the group arrived to a village near a road, where they got a guide (Tristan, a part-merfolk young man) to the area of the coast in which they might find a boat. When they finally arrived there was nothing there, but next morning (thanks to the intervention of Fiedra's new key) an Issylran vessel arrived, and a very old friend of Erro's family, Grenalin, announced that they were looking for survivors. He agreed to take them to Issylra, and when Garen told his friends that he wasn't sure if he had enough strength for such a journey, Erro assured him that he did, and that he would personally help the dwarf get to Uthtor after their current mission. With that, the five members of the group left Gwessar together, although the old dwarf admitted that part of his reluctance was because he did not like the sea, and he held on to Crokas as they climbed aboard.

"By Heart Alone" (E4x04)

After days of journey the group arrived in the Dawn City, and both Crokas and Garen were impressed by its size. The dragonborn felt somewhat uneasy, noticing Fiedra was as well. When she noticed Lord Callister and his son in the crowd she warned Crokas they would need to deal with him. When Nia spoke with the clergy of the Moonweaver, Crokas intervened along with Garen to persuade High Priestess Eldanwyn to listen to her; when Nia explained the situation regarding Sehanine and the Divine Gate, Crokas showed Eldanwyn the memories recorded inside his orb as proof. When they visited the Runekeep to help an ailing Far-Seer Volsting, as Crokas walked inside the building dedicated to the Knowing Mentor, his footprints glowed. During the subsequent conversation, Crokas pointed out that the gods leaving Exandria wasn't abandoning it, and when he noticed that Eldanwyn was feeling frail, he helped her get up and encouraged her to pay attention to Nia's new form of divine magic. He also showed his orb to the Far-Seer to explain the situation to him, and when the half-orc told him to keep the item, Crokas clarified he was planning to, that it wasn't a gift for the old man. He repeated this with Casimir and Marsa (Nia's parents) so that the explanation about Liana's identity wouldn't take too long, and confirmed to Casimir that he wasn't a god, for which the human thanked him.

While Nia caught up with her parents, Crokas and Fiedra looked for the Callisters, and the dragonborn asked her why she treated him as a bodyguard, even though she had raised him since birth; she tried to explain how much she appreciated him, how she had acquired his egg calling it the best prize ever, but he replied that she should analyze her own words and how they made him feel. After a few seconds Fiedra asked him to kneel to speak face to face, and apologized, telling him how much she loved him and was trying to give him a good future and an easy life. She added that she had never shared her feelings or taught him how to do so because she wasn't as smart as she pretended to be, and joked about Crokas needing smarter friends around him; in response, he told her that he needed a mom, not a boss, and walked away. After a while, however, he felt bad for leaving her behind, and tried to find her; eventually he noticed the scent of her blood and entered the room through the window, finding an unconscious Fiedra with Lord Callister and his son. Furious, Crokas wounded the warlock, but was Charmed and convinced to take care of his friend while the two humans left with the Infiltrator's Key. The dragonborn, taking Fiedra with him, tried unsuccessfully to locate the Callisters, so he used his belt to move as fast as possible back to the rest of their group where Nia healed Fiedra. Crokas was upset with Fiedra, since she had almost died. The Moonweaver (through a Commune) confirmed that Lord Callister wouldn't leave Vasselheim for the time being, and that while they tried to locate him they should also try to find the avatars of the Platinum Dragon and the All-Hammer. Although Crokas was angry and impatient, he reluctantly agreed after Garen comforted him. When she got the chance, Fiedra apologized to the dragonborn, calling him her son and praising his talent and great heart and stating that even if he didn't forgive her, she didn't want him to suffer. They hugged, and Crokas confirmed to his boss that everything was okay and that they would find her stolen key.

The group investigated for almost two weeks, and since Crokas was very noticeable he spent most of the time moving over rooftops trying to find Lord Callister. Eventually, he was located in an empty chapel of the Moonweaver. As the party arrived there, Crokas moved very stealthily, feeling confident about his monstrous skills for that mission. As soon as he saw Lord Callister, he menacingly told him he couldn't forget the taste of his blood, and as a Storm Avatar attacked with lightning. Although Fiedra paralyzed Callister with Hold Person, he kept talking to his devil minions, so Crokas silenced him with a lethal blast of electricity inside his mouth, telling him never to touch his mother again, and told the son, Timothy, not to leave. Although Lord Callister had fallen, the devils kept fighting as the Lord of the Hells himself, through a planar rift, commanded them. Crokas continued electrocuting enemies, but when Erro was killed by the Asmodeus' Fire Bolt, they all decided to flee. Crokas took the Erro's body, threw a scornful comment at Asmodeus in Draconic, and left after slamming an imp.

Later life

Erro's body was brought back to Gwessar to bury him next to his wife Donaea, and Crokas and Fiedra (along with Timothy) returned to Torm's Hill to reunite with the Roach Gang. Crokas approved the idea of Timothy being adopted by Fiedra and the group, and saw it as a second opportunity for the halfling to be a mother; however, he needed to be alone for a time, and after promising to return to his family eventually, he left town. Remembering Erro's lessons, Crokas journeyed for a long time as he tried to learn more about himself. Eventually he arrived in Wildemount and joined a monastery there, and his orb contributed to what eventually became the Cobalt Soul.

Relationships

Fiedra Marrow and the Roaches

Crokas is very protective of Fiedra, who raised him since he hatched, and considered the rest of her group in the Slop his friends.

When he became more articulate after acquiring the Orb of Avalir, he confronted Fiedra about their relationship, saying she had treated him as her bodyguard when he needed her to be his mom. Eventually they were able to verbalize the love they felt for each other, and after the Divergence Crokas decided to travel for a while to discover himself as an individual, although promising to return to Fiedra one day.

Coswald

The green dragonborn thief Coswald wasn't intimidated by Crokas, and was comfortable talking to him, telling him stories and complimenting him. When they got out of prison, he was the one who noticed that Crokas was still wearing his muzzle, and helped him take it off.

Celeste and her children

After Crokas carried both Celwyn and Celdria for most of the journey to Torm's Hill, Celeste was extremely grateful and told him that he was like family to them because of it.

Character information

Official art of Crokas (cropped from a larger image), by Hannah Friederichs.

Notable items

• Stormgirdle
• A corroded silver-colored amulet with a pair of hands outstretched as if cradling something, part of a holy symbol of the Knowing Mentor given to him by Celeste
  • The Orb of Avalir, fitted into the amulet described above, between the two hands
• A dagger and crossbow, from the weapons store at the black watchtower

Abilities

Dragonborn abilities

• Darkvision
• Chromatic Ancestry: White Dragon
  • Draconic Resistance: Cold

Crokas does not have a fully functioning breath weapon like many other dragonborn, producing a bit of a liquified sleet instead of an icy blast; he points to a strange crease in the scales on his neck when asked about it.

Feats

• Dragon Hide
  • Hardened scales (AC of 13 + Dexterity modifier)
  • Retractable claws (1d4 + Strength modifier for unarmed strikes)

Monk abilities

• Martial Arts
• Unarmored Defense

Appearances and mentions

• Exandria Unlimited: Divergence
  • "Give and Take" (E4x01) (first appearance)
  • "Seven of Them" (E4x02)
  • "Mirror and Key" (E4x03)
  • "By Heart Alone" (E4x04)

Quotations

• Celeste: (to Crokas) You are family to us. You saved my children.
• Crokas: (helping Eldanwyn get up and pointing at Nia's divine magic) Strength starts now. Learn to learn again.
• (to Lord Callister, as he killed him) "Never touch my mother again."
• (to Asmodeus, in Draconic) "Change is coming, and you are not that change."

Trivia

• His name seems to derive from crocus, a type of flower and the source of saffron. It could also be a play on words with crocodile, since Alexander Ward has described some of his behavior and sounds in battle as crocodile-like.
• Matthew Mercer has compared Crokas with a scaly version of Totoro (or "Crokoro", if you will).
• The fact that he can't use his breath weapon correctly, combined with his unusual build and the fact that he moves like a monitor lizard when he is on all fours, might suggest he has some lizardfolk ancestry.
• Having been raised by Fiedra, he never learned Draconic, and only started learning because of Erro.
• Since Crokas was born before the Draconian caste system was established (and it isn't even known if he had contact with the predecessors of that culture), he wouldn't be considered a draconblood despite having a tail.
• He doesn't like horses and horse-like creatures.
• Although he seemed to be an ally of the Roaches, their tattoo wasn't mentioned in his description.

References

Art: