A Cryptid is a type of Nocnitsa.
Overview[]
Throughout human history, stories pervade of odd animals lurking just beyond the reach of scientific discovery. Though most evidence is anecdotal, the belief in lake monsters, antlered rabbits, and goat-sucking lizard-dogs is enough to keep tourism turning at a brisk pace anywhere a local legend has been dreamed up.
Cryptid chimera thrive in these places, often crossing into the mundane world from the Dreaming to feast on the hopes, dreams, and fears of mortal vacationers. In many cases, cryptid chimera share habitats and territories with their real-world counterparts, though mortals encountering them would not be able to tell the difference.
Nessie and her relatives populate the lakes, rivers, and coastal waters of many places, while jackalopes and wolpertingers dart over grasslands and forests. Not all cryptid chimera are so friendly, however. El chupacabra drains the blood from livestock in the Americas, deadly reptiles like giant snakes and displaced dinosaurs skulk in tropical rainforests, and toxic death worms burrow deep in the Gobi.
Many cryptids live far from regular human contact, but word of mouth is a viral thing, passing stories far and wide. Even Dreamers who will never leave their comfortable urban lives can envision raptors stalking through the Amazon or bipedal primates hiding in the forest.