Ok, I’m having a bit of fun developing an Etherian Cryptobiology documentary, and have several ideas about it.
Part of the introduction is defining cryptids (referred exclusively as “cryptonatural creatures” because rule of funny) when you have literal fire breathing monsters as documented naturally occurring fauna. This includes specifying that any mage-summon creature is documentable, and thus not cryptonatural.
(It does leave room for unique specimens that are permanently changed due to magic - Swift Wind would be cryptonatural except he’s too well known to be folklore. Many other First Ones tech results would also be cryptonatural, as they are not explainable by current Etherian understanding.)
Anyway, I have a question for fans that have actually watched the series. What do you think the average Etherian’s perspective of cryptids be?
Like, obviously, isolated areas would have folk lore to explain anything they haven’t been able to confirm (I have a section of chupacabra in the introduction). But what would the more urban, travelled people think?
“Haha, these bumpkins don’t know what a sea monster is!” or “Wow, did you hear about the mysterious hairy creatures that live in Plumeria? No, not those, these ones are mysterious!”
(Obviously, like our world, both opinions occur; I’m wondering which would be most prevalent and where.)