You might have also seen us around as RuffledGryphon (that's our main blog). It’s nice to meet you! Welcome to our nonhuman blog. We plan to use this space to squawk about our personal experiences with plurality and non-humanity.
We are actually a whole cluster of dragons masquerading as a person. We also identify as nonhuman, othervague and three of us have a collective hydra linktype. Unless you want to talk to a specific member, we prefer to be called by our collective name/pronouns.
In our free time, we love to doodle, play click-and-point adventure games, cook and go for walks. Don’t be afraid to reach out to us–we don’t bite!
Other Tumblrs We Run + Website:
@alterhuman-art - A showcase of alterhuman and nonhuman made artwork.
@howlcon - Virtual alterhuman convention with a camping theme.
Personal Website - Read more about us and browse our more polished work here.
Fictionfolk Webring - This is a webring for individuals whose identities have a fictional component. Some examples include (but are not limited to): fictionkin, people with fictional-hearttypes, fictives, soulbonders and much more.
Alterhuman Zines - We're working to archive the wonderful creativity of the alterhuman and nonhuman communities - particularly zines! We do this by hosting a library of all of the zines we've managed to get our claws on.
We are also staff at the Alterhuman Archive and Nonhuman Notions.
Common Tags:
Kinformation: Resource posts
Community Talk: Writings from other community members
Our Art: Stuff we drew
Nova Squawks: Posts with our input
3 Heads One Brain Cell: Comic series we're working on
I do not care for the past, only if they tell me your story
You could have been different, but that doesn’t matter. The one I know is the you right here, hurt and pain and all. It might have been different, but I appreciate the you now.
The goal of this survey is to gather information of on incidences of species-based misgendering within the Alterhuman community.
Please do
Introducing a survey on Species-Based Misgendering, hosted by Duranos of The River System.
Species-Based Misgendering: the assumption of one's gender and/or pronouns based on the expectations of one's species, stemming from biases, when the expected gender does not match the individual's gender.
Gendered Expectation: the expectation set for a species' gender, whether this bias comes from a cultural or folkoric background, establishment in a media, a linguistic framework, etc.
The survey is open both to the identities underneath the alterhuman umbrella, as well as nonhuman/human+ folks within plural conglomerates.
While this survey is primarily looking for responses from those who have been misgendered based on their species, those who have not experienced species-based misgendering are welcome to complete the survey as well. Interpretation of what counts as species-based misgendering is open to interpretation by each individual, and there are long-form fillable responses throughout the survey to accommodate this.
The survey is set to close on July 31st, 2026.
I welcome folks to share the link to the survey wherever you are active in the alterhuman community.
Happy pride month to all my queer therian, otherkin and alterhuman children! A reminder that this world is brighter with you in it. Keep being your amazing selves! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️❤️
But to summarize: The new website is up! Artist, panelist, and staff applications are open right now and can be found here. Those forms auto-close on June 30th at 11:59pm (US East). This year's mascot vote is also open, and can be found on the same page. The mascot vote only lasts a week, so get your votes in!
The email newsletter is also being retired in favor of RSS, with more details available on the news page.
A Minecraft server for Alterhumans (with Java/Bedrock crossplay)!
The Nylium Network SMP is a chill survival multiplayer Minecraft server geared toward alterhumans (including, but not limited to: nonhumans, fiction- and fact-folk, plurals, and folks who are alternatively human).
Season 2 is launching Saturday, April 30th.
Features
works with both Java and Bedrock clients
includes Switchy, a PluralKit-like server mod
"recording statuses" that let other players know your preferences about being recorded
world map (will go live when the server launches) at map.nylium.network
Join our Fluxer community to be ready when the SMP launches!
Fluxer is a free and open source instant messaging and VoIP platform built for friends, groups, and communities.
Okay, sneak peak of the zine piece I want to do. The colors are just placeholders right now.
Anyway, I mentioned that what I wanted to make leaned a bit into hearthome-y feelings, right? I don't remember if I brought it up in Lion, but my 'hearted feels concerning TLK!lions is very much multifaceted. Like
I feel at home in and enjoy(ed) being in lion form, hence TLK!lions are a hearttype
I spent a fair bit of time around Si/mba's pride and felt like a sorta honorary member of it, so I consider them a hearttype
All that took place in the Pri/de Lands, making that area feel particularly nostalgic and home-y to me, hence hearthome
For simplicity's sake I usually just wrap that all up into being TLK!lion-hearted, because they are all essentially facets of the same experience, and trying to neatly divide each thing into their own (sub)label gets tricky sometimes.
Another sneak peek because I hyperfocused too hard today and now my eyes hurt. but. it is 99% done. and I'm really happy with how it's turned out and my heart is full of joy.
There's not nearly enough talk about hearttypes, so we wanted to to get conversations rolling by making a collaborative zine about it!
Otherhearted describes a person who has a strong fundamental connection to a species or character which impacts their core sense of self. This is most commonly described in terms of identifying with a being as opposed to identifying as one, although this is not always the case. - Otherkin Wiki
This zine will be a collection of artwork, writing and more all about being otherhearted. Whatever that means to you - both fiction and nonfiction pieces would be accepted. If you got something you wanna express about hearttypes, we'd love to hear it!
Full submission guidelines below the cut.
What Can I Submit?
Both fiction and nonfiction pieces are accepted. As long as what you have in mind fits the theme, it’ll probably be a-ok.
Off the top of our head, we’re thinking of:
Essays of your personal experiences
Short stories
Poetry
Mock advice columns
Alternative covers
Fictional advertisements
Comics
Recipes
We welcome you to think outside the box and share whatever inspires you about being otherhearted!
How to Participate
Send us an email at nova-dergs(@)proton.me with:
A name you would like the piece attributed to
Title of your submission
Any content warnings that you feel are necessary for the piece
Any social media handle or personal website you'd like linked in the contributor section
A logo or icon for the contributor section
**If you would like to stay anonymous let us know
Members of systems are welcome to submit individually or collectively. Please let us know your preference when it comes to attribution.
Once the deadline has passed, these submissions will be put into the zine and it will be posted on itch.io as a free PDF.
Submissions are due by November 15, 2026.
Submission Guidelines
Each individual may submit up to 3 works to be featured in From Within Our Hearts. Comics and multi-image works count as one piece. Individuals within a system may each submit up to 3 works. All work must be your own! Anyone caught plagiarizing or submitting AI-generated work will be barred from entering any future zines from us.
Written submissions and multi-part art entries should not exceed 10 pages. Please keep in mind the zine’s pages will be 8.5 x 11 and entries will be scaled accordingly to fit that size. We request all art submissions to be sent in either .jpg or .png file formats.
For stories that use multiple different fonts, we will do our best to preserve the general "feel" of your piece but cannot guarantee we will be able to use the exact fonts or sizes due to restrictions in what fonts we have access to, readability and overarching zine style.
Submissions Must Fit the Thematic Criteria of:
Being otherhearted / hearttype appreciation
That’s it! Go wild.
No portfolio or prior zine experience is needed to be included.
FAQ
Q: Where will the zine be hosted? What will it cost?
A: The zine will be hosted digitally on our itch.io and will be free to download.
Q: Is there a cap on total submissions to be included?
A: There is none, as long as the file doesn’t start getting too big for our computer we’ll do our best! If there are an unprecedented amount of submissions, we may have to delay the release. In the event that happens, we would communicate that through updates on our tumblr.
Q: Can I update my submission after it’s been submitted?
A: Yes you may, as long as it’s done before the submission deadline.
Q: Can I rescind my submission?
A: Yes you may, as long as it’s done before the submission deadline. This is because once we begin work on the zine, having to remove content mid-way through would throw off the formatting of everything else after. Please take this into account before submitting.
Q: Will this zine allow +18 entries?
A: No, nothing 18+ will be accepted.
Q: Can I submit already completed/published works?
A: Absolutely! It’s ok to submit past work that has been posted to your social media or website. Our only stipulation is that it cannot have been previously featured in another zine. This helps us keep each of our zines unique and distinct from others.
Q: What is your timeline for the project?
A: Our submission deadline is November 15, 2026. Our goal is to have the zine live by the end of the year. If something unforeseen happens and we are unable to make that deadline, we will post an update about it on our tumblr.
Q: I have another question!
A: Feel free to reach out to us at our email nova-dergs(@)proton.me with any other questions you have about the zine.
Hello! I’ve recently been wondering if the therian community would be a suitable home for my lifelong vague “it-would-be-cool-to-be-an-animal” feelings and (more recently) animalistic self-image and phantom ears/claws/etc as I go about my daily life. However, I’m 99% sure my feelings are a coping mechanism/escapism for gender dysphoria, since they were most strong as a teenager (before I realized I was trans) and only came back recently because I’m going through a frustrating time with being unable to progress in my transition. It’s weird to think about bc on one hand, I do definitely think you could make a case that I’m a therian on the level of experiences, but in terms of explanation/identity, it feels more like I’m a human who got some wires crossed than an animal in a human body, you know? Maybe I’m closer to otherlinkers or even furry lifestylers? I’m really not so sure. I guess the labels don’t matter so much as I’m wondering if this is something anyone else has experienced and what the kin community makes of it lol.
Personally, I think that's well within the bounds of therianthropy, if you feel that the term fits. The line between "I want to be [x]" and "I am [x]" is paper-thin, when it exists at all, and while "run-on effect of gender dysphoria" is an unusual explanation for therianthropy, there's no reason that it should exclude you from the definition in my opinion - especially considering how common it is for gender and species to interact in the nonhuman communities.
Basically - if therian is a useful label for you, then I see nothing here that should exclude you from it as far as I'm concerned. @ folks in the notes, what are y'all's thoughts?
historically, therianthropy was defined by the way one's human experience interacted with their "animal side". it's always been a wacky sliding scale of 1% animal/99% human to 100% animal/happens to have a human-shaped body now.
if "therian" is a term comfortable to you, use it! orthohumans tend not to wonder if they're animals, or be concerned about how much animal they feel like, because they dont feel animal at all, and that's a pretty good measure to me of when someone ""fits"" therian.
A bundle by 3 Dragons and a Dog, $8.00 for A Wolf in Man's Clothing, Hidden Dragon, Anxious Townsfolk, TERRITORIAL
Happy birthday to... me! May is my birthday month, so I've created a sale for the top three most popular (paid) items I have on itch.io:
A Wolf in Man's Clothing, a solo journaling TTRPG. You have been flung into a new, terrifying world and an unfamiliar body. Hungry, cold, and alone, you must try to find your way back to the time, place, and self you once knew. Inspired by alterhuman experiences, especially those of fictionkin and otherkin.
Hidden Dragon, Anxious Townsfolk, a a GM-less TTRPG where you, a dragon, try to sneak into a human festival for some good ol' fashioned partying. Don't get caught!
TERRITORIAL, a horror minizine about a man delving into the depths of the unknown, and finding the answers to secrets that should never have been revealed. Set in the underwater caves of Vortex Springs, Florida, this story twists and turns in the caverns beneath, echoing one unified thought: is there something in this cave worth dying for?
All items are 20% off, or you can buy them together as a bundle for just $8! Consider supporting a silly little guy and helping him celebrate his birthday month!
[ID: A digital illustration of a tiny red dragon clutching an envelope with its mouth and hands. The envelope has a red wax seal, that is dripping down slightly on one side near its snout.
A curl of smoke is coming out of its snout, and the letter is somewhat ripped and battered where it is clutched, but largely intact.
The dragon is looking at the viewer curiously and posed in flight vertically. End ID]
There's not nearly enough talk about hearttypes, so we wanted to to get conversations rolling by making a collaborative zine about it!
Otherhearted describes a person who has a strong fundamental connection to a species or character which impacts their core sense of self. This is most commonly described in terms of identifying with a being as opposed to identifying as one, although this is not always the case. - Otherkin Wiki
This zine would be a collection of artwork, writing and more all about being otherhearted. Whatever that means to you - both fiction and nonfiction pieces would be accepted.
How it would work is we'd have a few month submission window and anyone could email us pieces they'd like added to the zine. No formal applications or try-outs. If you got something you wanna express about hearttypes, we'd love to hear it!
If you'd be interested in either reading or submitting to this potential zine please comment, reblog, like, or tell us in the tags!
If we get enough interest, we'll create a second post with more detailed instructions on how to submit pieces and deadlines.
There's not nearly enough talk about hearttypes, so we wanted to to get conversations rolling by making a collaborative zine about it!
Otherhearted describes a person who has a strong fundamental connection to a species or character which impacts their core sense of self. This is most commonly described in terms of identifying with a being as opposed to identifying as one, although this is not always the case. - Otherkin Wiki
This zine will be a collection of artwork, writing and more all about being otherhearted. Whatever that means to you - both fiction and nonfiction pieces would be accepted. If you got something you wanna express about hearttypes, we'd love to hear it!
Full submission guidelines below the cut.
What Can I Submit?
Both fiction and nonfiction pieces are accepted. As long as what you have in mind fits the theme, it’ll probably be a-ok.
Off the top of our head, we’re thinking of:
Essays of your personal experiences
Short stories
Poetry
Mock advice columns
Alternative covers
Fictional advertisements
Comics
Recipes
We welcome you to think outside the box and share whatever inspires you about being otherhearted!
How to Participate
Send us an email at nova-dergs(@)proton.me with:
A name you would like the piece attributed to
Title of your submission
Any content warnings that you feel are necessary for the piece
Any social media handle or personal website you'd like linked in the contributor section
A logo or icon for the contributor section
**If you would like to stay anonymous let us know
Members of systems are welcome to submit individually or collectively. Please let us know your preference when it comes to attribution.
Once the deadline has passed, these submissions will be put into the zine and it will be posted on itch.io as a free PDF.
Submissions are due by November 15, 2026.
Submission Guidelines
Each individual may submit up to 3 works to be featured in From Within Our Hearts. Comics and multi-image works count as one piece. Individuals within a system may each submit up to 3 works. All work must be your own! Anyone caught plagiarizing or submitting AI-generated work will be barred from entering any future zines from us.
Written submissions and multi-part art entries should not exceed 10 pages. Please keep in mind the zine’s pages will be 8.5 x 11 and entries will be scaled accordingly to fit that size. We request all art submissions to be sent in either .jpg or .png file formats.
For stories that use multiple different fonts, we will do our best to preserve the general "feel" of your piece but cannot guarantee we will be able to use the exact fonts or sizes due to restrictions in what fonts we have access to, readability and overarching zine style.
Submissions Must Fit the Thematic Criteria of:
Being otherhearted / hearttype appreciation
That’s it! Go wild.
No portfolio or prior zine experience is needed to be included.
FAQ
Q: Where will the zine be hosted? What will it cost?
A: The zine will be hosted digitally on our itch.io and will be free to download.
Q: Is there a cap on total submissions to be included?
A: There is none, as long as the file doesn’t start getting too big for our computer we’ll do our best! If there are an unprecedented amount of submissions, we may have to delay the release. In the event that happens, we would communicate that through updates on our tumblr.
Q: Can I update my submission after it’s been submitted?
A: Yes you may, as long as it’s done before the submission deadline.
Q: Can I rescind my submission?
A: Yes you may, as long as it’s done before the submission deadline. This is because once we begin work on the zine, having to remove content mid-way through would throw off the formatting of everything else after. Please take this into account before submitting.
Q: Will this zine allow +18 entries?
A: No, nothing 18+ will be accepted.
Q: Can I submit already completed/published works?
A: Absolutely! It’s ok to submit past work that has been posted to your social media or website. Our only stipulation is that it cannot have been previously featured in another zine. This helps us keep each of our zines unique and distinct from others.
Q: What is your timeline for the project?
A: Our submission deadline is November 15, 2026. Our goal is to have the zine live by the end of the year. If something unforeseen happens and we are unable to make that deadline, we will post an update about it on our tumblr.
Q: I have another question!
A: Feel free to reach out to us at our email nova-dergs(@)proton.me with any other questions you have about the zine.
