Zal-Cryptid

"Otherfolk" is the collective name I coined for the sentient humanoid races that dwell in the Otherworld, a parallel dimension adjacent to our own. There are varying creation myths on how the otherfolk came to be, and all of them are based on some common truths.

In my webcomic Tales of the Otherfolk, I’m simply doing what the Human race has been doing since time immemorial. Taking myths and attempting to fill in the blanks and answer unanswered questions. It is my own interpretation of how every myth and legend can exist all while staying true to the history of the real world. My explanation on the otherfolk’s origins is that they were once hominids from our dimension who, for one reason or another (often seeking refuge or escapism from reality), found themselves in the Otherworld and evolved into otherfolk after generations of being mutated by the extradimensional properties of their new home. Just like how the dinosaurs and horses who wound up in the Otherworld ended up evolving into dragons and unicorns; hominids such as homo floresiensis became the ancestors to the first fairies.

These hominids would become nature spirits and elementals. They would develop abilities that would seemingly violate that laws of physics in our dimension but were completely possible in the Otherworld. I like to use the adjective ‘eldritch’ when describing this world and its people. Although the definition of that word has technically stayed the same, the imagery that come to mind certainly hasn’t. The word originated from Old English meaning ‘elf kingdom’ or ‘other realm’. Eldritch means something uncanny, supernatural, and eerie; something sinister, weird, and not of this world. Historically it was meant to describe the likes of ghosts and fairies, but in modern times it has become synonymous with Lovecraftian and cosmic horror. I like to incorporate both these imageries together the best I can in my comic. I love the idea that this whimsical world akin to something you might see in a children’s book of fairy tales is nothing more than glamour – a veil altering our perception of a terrifying reality underneath.

But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what’s behind their glamour. Their glamour isn’t a disguise, it's more like a cosmetic. It's how they want to be seen and not so they can appear more approachable to humans. I suppose I’m going for an allegory here. It’s open to different interpretations so that it can be applied to different people in different situations, but for me, it’s an allegory for my gender experience.