Who I truly am

I think it's time I wrote about this. It's going to shock a lot of people, annoy a few, and disappoint some. And as usual, it's going to alienate family who want to believe I'm merely insane.

Let's introduce the primary characters in this play.

I am Anyüs (AHN-yoos), a unicorn. My soul-name means "Of Dream" or "Of Vision". In spirit I am known as a child of dreams who in maturity is a psychologist and a powerful soldier of my people. I am often sent forth as a herald for J'rai, the lithe and gracile unicorns -- horn on forehead -- of our homeworld Araştke (ah-RAHSHT-kah), "Little Ribbon" or "Little Wrap-Around". The solid and robust unicorns -- horn on snout -- are called Ju'rema (joo-REE-mah), and I am known by another name to them (one which will be relevant to a whole other life). I am the spirit or soul who is rightfully incarnate in this person, whose given name starts with "Z".

Verastes the Maker is a dra'khan known for his abilities with technology, making, and creation. He is extremely well-known in the spirit realms of this world and many others, and his is the soul whom I once described as being "older than this universe". He was to be my muse and guide to technology, business, and social niceties in the software and games industries.

There is a chthonic spirit whose name is the sound of bubbling mud and blowing wind in the trees of Earth. It has wanted to punish humankind for excessive growth and the destruction of wilderness for some time. That chthon took on the role of an urge, the lowest form of devil. Urges, as their name implies, provoke unwanted emotion or behavior. It certainly did, for the entire time it possessed my body.

So with these players described, let us set the scene:

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An internet connection

"A Connected Story: Gabbi & Brett" (Watch on YouTube)

(Gabby's dad Mark streams video as Wyld on Twitch.tv, and I watch him play Minecraft and other games all the time. This video is awesome, and a true story for thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people online.)

The four types of dragon

* Dinosaur (particularly carnivorous types) - from Earth. Uncommon but well-known. Egg-laying, (mostly) meat-eating, mostly aggressive, and mostly territorial. Known in many cases to have feathers, scales, and forelimb wings; has a "tail body" (hindquarters neural cluster) but no chakra for it. The least interested in Earthly wealth, the most in "shinies". One of the two primary "reptilian" aliens. Most well-known, includes "feathered dragons" and similar creatures, as well as "terror beasts". Being of Earth, they have little or no interest in hiding themselves in any way, and are often the most free in discussing their Otherkin nature when incarnate.

* Dra'khan - from the star which formed the stellar gas void called the Local Bubble, and distributed across the Milky Way galaxy. Carry fetuses to term, live birth. Omnivorous despite carnivorous dentation, social and communal, prone to wandering in early adulthood. Smooth skin, fur and hairy mane, bat-like wings on their backs; color-changing spots on face below their eyes, an internal eye in the skull (literal third eye), and tail body with chakra. The most interested in wisdom, the least in material possessions (though this may change due to recent developments elsewhere); the most like humans emotionally. The primary protectors of culture and wisdom on Earth. Most Dra'khan are shape-shifters who have had many other forms and incarnations (at least five).

* Sirian - from Akh-Nazhdur (the Lesser Magellanic Cloud), entered the Milky Way through the Gate at Sirius Alpha/Beta. Egg-laying, omnivorous, emotionally distant, highly capitalistic. Four eyes, leathery skin with scaly regions, reptilian visage, known to worship leather-winged angels and gods. The most interested in Earthly wealth, the least in emotional connection. One of the two primary "reptilian" aliens. The most well-known of draconic types, Sirians are possessive and hierarchical regarding power and wealth. Most Sirians wear masks to hide their true nature and prevent human spirits from assaulting them.

* Arcturan - from the star Arcturus. Carry eggs to term, live birth (shark-like). Highly communal but also socially divided, omnivorous, prone to oversharing, known for facial whiskers/barbels. Not strongly religious, but may develop affiliation or affection for a particular philosophy. The most interested in daily life, the least in claiming territory. The least well-known of draconic types, Arcturans are more interested in scientific advancement and cultural phenomena than in hoarding and personal power. Most Arcturans are uninterested in hiding, but will cover themselves to avoid unwanted notice.

* Note on wyvern - Wyverns *are* in fact dragons, but only if dinosaurs count. "Wyvern" is the name given to dragons with forelimb wings and no back-mounted wings. That means that most winged dinosaurs count as wyverns.

Creatures occasionally mistaken for dragon:

* Peryton - an antlered, often winged, great deer. Sirian in origin, the peryton is the "questing beast" by which these people prefer to prove their hunting prowess. Also the origin of the Arthurian Questing Beast in Britain and northern France -- in this case, a peryton in "nightmare" form due to severe spirit-body injury. Some perytons are depicted as bipedal with forelimb wings, but the original was/is quadrupedal.

* Chimaera - The original Chimaera (pronounced "ki-MEHR-ah") was a god of Phoenicia, a Mediterranean island nation conquered by the Greeks. His porfolio included dreams, shapeshifting, and life-path guidance. Like Medusa, the goddess of beauty whose oracles handled snakes (in many cultures thought to bear wisdom) and wore masks to frighten evil spirits, his cult was silenced and his likeness was turned into a monster instead of a beautiful human who could take on several forms.

* Hydra and basilisk - The hydra and the basilisk are actually giant serpents, in their original form. The Lernaean hydra originated from the Amphisbaena, the two-headed snake served by the oracle of Hermes, merely boosted to monstrous aspect. Hydras are often depicted as if they were dinosaurs with multiple heads due to the legend of Hercules; however, the hydra is the same creature as the basilisk, merely from different cultures! The Harry Potter stories and movies got this one right. Typically a basilisk (and thus a hydra if it's not merely a giant lizard or snake) is said to have poisonous breath and/or bite, a gaze that can turn the unwary to stone (or rather, petrify with fear!) if one's will is not strong enough, and fangs that can pierce the strongest bronze shields and armor. This legend originated, oddly enough, with Komodo dragons, the Earthly lizards with a septic bite strong enough to kill a large animal in a day.

* Manticore - The manticore (or mantegor, for Romans) is a Pvilan beast with the face of a man, the strength of a lion, the mane of a wolf, and a stinging tail (not originally a scorpion tail -- that was added after the myth met the desert). This beast was known across the Equatorial region of Earth, by many cultures. Gryphons honored its symbolism of strength unyielding, as the original Xabiphon culture gives honor to those who remain unconquered in war. The "tail" is actually a lash or whip with steel claws (traditionally forge steel) for extra damage; in the original Pvilan, the word for whip translates as "tail" or "cord" depending on which of three languages is used.