Tidal.Pine's Woods

These are purposefully non-specific, make them more specific as needed.

What led you toward identifying as other than human? Is it a voluntary or involuntary expression for you? Explain why?

What about you, your personality, and mannerisms naturally feel nonhuman compared to others? Do other people notice the difference?

What do you identify as and how did you come to that conclusion? Describe your kintype(s) in detail.

How does your identity play into your everyday life? Do you make an effort to include it in your daily life?

How do you affirm your nonhumanity mentally, how do you do it physically?

Do you still feel a connection with humanity? If so, when do you most feel it? Is it a positive or negative experience?

Where would be the most ideal environment to live in where you could express your non-humanity? If you have a hearthome, describe it in detail.

What do you think society would look like if nonhumanity was a widely accepted expression of self?

If you've identified as something other than human for a long time, how has your expression of that identity changed over time?

If you've only recently begun identifying as nonhuman, how do you predict your expression of your identity will change over the years?

Do you believe individuals belonging to certain demographics (poc, neurodiverse, younger generations, etc) are more likely to identify with nonhumanity over others? Why or why not?

Does your nonhumanity influence how you interact with others? If so, how, and do you make an attempt to manage it?

Do you view yourself equal to, above, or below humans in any regard? Why?

What is the oddest thing that brings you euphoria related to your identity?

What is your most favorite item or activity that brings you euphoria?

If you had the ability to change into your kintype (or alternate nonhuman form), would you do so permanently, or would you want the ability to shift between your human and nonhuman form? Explain your choice?

If you had the choice to live entirely separate from humanity, would you take it? Where would you want to go? Is there anything you would miss about humanity?

What do you believe the origin of your nonhumanity is? Do you believe it's different for everyone?

Are you a social or solitary species? How does this affect you in your day to day life?

Do you have nonhuman friends? What are they like, how did you meet, and how does interacting with other nonhumans affect you?

If you don't have other nonhuman friends, do you want them? Why or why not? Would you want to make friends with those of a specific type?

Do you have dreams, visions, memories, etc. Of yourself in your nonhuman form? Explain them in detail?

Where is your favorite place or safe space to express your identity openly?

Novelty...

When we are young and just stumbling upon the terms that describe us, there are all these pent-up feelings that start bursting at the seams, screaming "yes, that's me!", "hi, I'm here!" so loudly we barely hear anything else around us. These feelings we never had the words for before suddenly have a name and we can finally focus our attention on trying to explain them rather than just bottling them up. Where once we felt isolated, we find other people in the world who feel the same, we find our community. The intensity in this liberation is astounding. Every single shift we had ever pushed down within ourselves comes rushing to the surface in an attempt to make sense of it all and we feel this immense weight lifted when we talk about them because for once we have a place that accepts that they are real and okay to have.

But many of us older alterhumans know far too well that the novelty of our experiences and identities does unfortunately wear off when we reach a certain point in our adulthood. While this point is not linear or at any exact age, something that happens to a lot of us is that we catch up with all of those backlogged experiences, we realize that these things are simply just.. normal.. for us, more so uneventful in the grand scheme of things, that there isn't much to talk about anymore. Time and time again, we see older alterhumans become less active in online spaces throughout the years. Our two sentence posts spaced only hours apart become a full article with days, weeks, even months between them. Whether because we have begun to hide our nonhuman selves away in the depths of our adulthood, or we simply hold ourselves to a higher standard than before, those five second shifts don't seem as impactful or interesting enough to mention much at this point.

The biggest reason newly-awakened alterhumans post so much online is because they're excited. They've finally found the words for who they are and people who feel the same way, why wouldn't they spend so much time writing and talking about it? But after a while the excitement of it wears off, or they have a big life stressor to deal with, and their alterhumanity settles comfortably into the background of their life– not gone, just not worth talking about much because it's normal and expected (until, as you said, they have an idea for an essay or an article!).

This isn't unique to alterhumans, either, the same thing happens with queer people! When I was in high school and college everyone I knew was loud and proud about their gender and sexuality, but now that I'm in my 30's and all my friends are years or decades into knowing who they are stuff like being trans is just. Mundane. It's just part of existing, and sure it affects how we move through the world but none of us are going online to talk about what it feels like to be trans because we've done all of that already and we're comfortable with who we are. We have more important stuff going on, like hobbies and relationships and jobs, but we're still trans the whole time.

I feel like a lot of alterhumans would find kink to be a great expression of their 'types, if people stopped being weird about sexuality and kink. Kink/BDSM is always an 18+ activity due to the nature of power dynamics, but sex is not required.

Want to be treated like an animal? Literally any animal, mythical creature, or otherwise? Petplay has your back. Petplay encompases anything that would be "animal roleplay." Want to be treated like a horse? Ponyplay (one of the oldest forms of petplay with a long history). Or want to be a prized show dog? Puppyplay. A beautiful bird treated as a treasure and pampered with the finest treats, or a falconry hawk? A zoo animal being taught tricks for an animal-show? Want to be a dragon who is doted on and given offerings so you don't burn down the nearby village? Yup, all petplay. You can make your petplay dynamic be anything you want.

Objectkin? There is a whole kink specifically about being treated as an object. And the Dom in the dynamic will just treat you like a literal object. You can be a table, or a rug, or a lamp, or anything. You can be your beautiful object-self and have others see you that way as well.

Are you a wolf? Big cat? Werecreature? Paleotherian? Anything with a prey drive or a desire to chase? Primal play can fill that niche. Pursuit, takedown, capture. Stalk and hunt your prey, show off your skills as an apex predator. - Alternatively, the preds need prey to chase. If you're a rabbit, a deer, coyote being chased by a LGD, show how good you are at avoiding getting caught. Show how you fight back and escape.

Fictionfolk? Archetrope? Most-any-kintype? Roleplay might be for you. This doesn't even need to involve kink dynamics, you can just roleplay or LARP for fun. Dress up and behave like a knight or prince. Embody your fictomere, maybe do cosplay. Dress up like a faery and hold a feast for your friends/court. Roleplay has endless possibilities, both sfw and sexy.

(for @skylargoesbark alterhuman new years posts!)

i know a lot of folks tend to think of otherhearted as “just having a connection”, or like the lesser version of kin, and it will never not get on my nerves when i see someone (trying to correct someone else) say “therian/kin isn’t a connection!! if you just have a connection, that’s just otherhearted!!” or something similar.

it’s the word ‘just’ that always gets me. it’s just a connection. it’s not kin; it’s just otherhearted.

it feels reductive. it feels like dumbing down what it truly means to be otherhearted.

personally my hearttypes aren’t just anything. they’re a whole slew of complexities and emotions that are integral to who i am as a being. they make me who i am, and i wouldn’t be the same without them.

and i know people tend to think it’s not a big deal, and even if i were to say “imagine if someone said ‘it’s just a kintype’ about one of your kintypes”, many of you probably wouldn’t care. but my issue is that to otherhearted creatures, specifically, it happens over and over and over again. and if i ever point it out, suggest a correction, i sometimes get dogpiled on as if im the bad guy; op didnt mean it that way, dogbite, don’t be so sensitive. you’re overreacting.

but i suppose that’s the problem, isn’t it? that they didn’t mean to. that reducing our identity in such a way is so common, so familiar that people don’t even think about it when they do it. that in their subconscious, otherheart will only ever be “just a connection”, and nothing more. even if they don’t mean it that way. it still stings a little even if it wasn’t intentional.

I like lists, so I made one. These are just recommendations, not how-to's or a declaration of what can be done. I tried to cover a broad range of beings but there is only so much a shapeshifter knows. Let me know if I missed anything.

If you ever need more info, I recommend peeping in on the cosplay communities. They know what's up.

Skin

Body Paint & makeup (For adding scales, shimmer, stripes, spots, etc.)

Skin safe adhesive (For sticking jewels, scales, feathers, whiskers etc. to the body)

Special effects makeup (No explanations needed, put enough time into learning and you can become anything)

Body glitter (Mica body glitter is eco-friendly and beautiful)

Fake eyes (Glue them to your face, glue them to your mask, glue them to your friends. There is much fun to be had with fake eyes)

Henna

Jagua (Similar to henna but a blue-black color. It may cause skin allergies, perform a patch test!)

Head/Face/Eyes

Contacts (Always get your eyes measured at the optometrist to know you size before ordering and always order from a reputable source, no aliexpress or Temu. Don’t play with your eyesight!) 

Masks (Consider adding head-harnesses, muzzles, halters, whiskers, etc.)

Hoods (With or without ears, feathers or no, can be attached to a mask, can attach to a mantle, can extend into a cape)

Cobra hood (Can probably be made with a head band and some cardboard and foam to achieve the flared look)

Ears

Horns & Antlers

Antennae

Whiskers

Pinchers (Depending on their size they could be attached to a half/full mask or glued directly onto the skin)

Muzzles

Manes (For animals like the maned wolf and the aardwolf, you can have it extend down to the shoulders or all the way to the tail)

Wigs

Featureless Face Mask (I'm not familiar with artificial kin types so just bear with me here. Something as simple as a stock metal or plastic face mask to obscure human features. Maybe add manufacturing info, maker's mark, or a barcode? Can you tell I'm not a robot kin? Also these are good for any kintype who get euphoria from obscuring human features)

Hair clip tentacles

Teeth

Fangs (If possible, try to get custom fangs made of dental acrylic so as not to cause gum or tooth damage. However, most temporary plastic fangs are just fine for wearing here and there. If you wish to DIY it, you can find plenty of tutorials using thermoplastic teeth beads. They can be worn fairly often and it's pretty accessible. For a more hardcore DIY experience, you can watch tutorials on how to make dental acrylic fangs yourself)

Grillz (Not everyones' taste, but I myself own a pair of silver fangs and am planning on getting a black set. These must be custom fitted, no excuses)

Tooth Paint (Alcohol-based tooth paint is easily accessible and safe to use)

Ears

Feathered ear cuffs (US peeps please abide by the Migratory Birds Act if you seek out real feathers and avoid wearing eagle feathers as that is a indigenous American practice)

Ear cuffs with gills or fins (can be made out of paper, organza fabric, etc.)

Pointed Ears (Either pre-bought or homemade for those who are crafty)

Neck/Shoulders

Collars (Can be made out of chain links bought at home depot, a good leather belt, woven paracord, etc. Get your own tags made at Petco or Petsmart!)

Neck Ruff (Can be made with fur or feathers and attached to a mantle. Also works very well for the puffy collar that moths have)

Mantle (Typically made of fur but can be made out of feathers or a material that mimics scales. I've even seen one made of sheer material with a butterfly wing pattern and shape)

Shoulder pads (Can have spikes or layers of leather for out armored friends)

Bodywear

Capes/Pelts (The best material to use for the environment & animal welfare include: recycled/used fur, wool, alpaca hair, cashmere, ethically sourced angora fur, cotton or other plant-based fibers. Silk is also a great option if you don't mind how it's produced. Feathered capes can also be made)

Tails (Yarn tails, super motion, etc. Feathered tails that are fanned out as if in flight can also be fashioned. I imagine a fully fanned out peacock tail would look absolutely stunning. Ostrich feathers can be used for larger projects and dyed different colors)

Wings (Either attached to your back via harness or to the arms. I've seen bat versions, moth, avian, insect, etc)

Extra limbs (Can be made using foam similar to tails and worn on the body with a harness or belt. Depending on the construction, you can attach a string between the extra limb and physical one to make it move alongside your movements)

Carapace (Cardboard or another suitably stiff material can be cut to shape, painted, and worn. Extra props if you add insect wings underneath and make the carapace able to open)

Keel bone bodice (Might require a bit of ingenuity, but a chest plate or bodice with a peaked centerline to mimic a bird’s keel bone)

Compression vest or thick leather vest (To mimic a exoskeleton or armored skin. If you want to go the extra mile, consider making hardened leather)

Dorsal Fin (Attached with a belt or harness) Be careful if you want to use it in the water, choose a buoyant or neutrally buoyant core and a water-proof fabric. Do not wear fins not meant for the water in the water, it could make it very difficult for you to swim!)

Body Harness

Tentacles (Can be attached to a belt much like a tail)

Hands/Arms

Arm Fins (Can be made cardboard, EVA foam, or another suitably stiff material. Covered with material and attach via straps to the forearm. Be careful if you wish to swim with them, choose water-proof neutrally-buoyant or positively-buoyant material. I don't recommend swimming with larger fins like those meant to simulate pectoral fins and cover the whole arm as they can hamper your movement. Swim safe!)

Hand Fins (Versions can be bought online meant for swimming. You could also make a fabric version meant for daily wear)

Mermaid/Aquatic sleeves (Can be made of sheer fabric like organza, extra fabric can be added in between the fingers to make webbing and along the sides to make fins)

Reptilian sleeves (Made of fabric with a scale pattern or with scales attached)

Press on nails shaped like talons or claws

Nail Gloves (Fabric gloves with nails attached to them)

Paw gloves

Hoof gloves (Attach hooves made of foam or another suitable material to a sleeve, add supportive/shaping material around the wrist area. Don't do quads in these as the ones I've described are not suitable. Quad friendly hoof shoes would require way sturdier hooves, tread on the bottom, wrist support, and a way to prevent your hand from slipping in the glove, etc.)

Gauntlets & arm guards (For our exoskeleton and armored friends. Also can be fashioned to mimic polo wraps worn by equines)

Three fingered gloves (They pair the pinkie & ring finger into one section, the index and middle into another, and leave the thumb free)

Tentacle sleeves

Feet/Legs

Digi-grade stilts (Can be paws, hooves, avian, etc)

Shoes (Flat shoes can be customized with attached paws, hooves, toes, etc.)

Cloven shoes (Similar to the jika tabi style of shoe, you may need socks made especially for wearing cloven shoes)

Tights with sewn on, painted on, or glued on scales

Shin & thigh guards (Exoskeleton & armored friends)

Shin fins

Feet fins

Press on nails as claws or talons (These may need to be made yourself as they don't appear to make a whole lot of claw-style press-ons for toes. Something to do with wearing shoes or something human like that)

Aquatic Tails (Can be made in various style like merfolk, aqautic mammal, or eel. There are water-safe versions made of silicone or specific materials. A non water-safe version can be made at home with typical fabric & sewing, or even knitting and crocheting. Do not wear any tail in the water unless is is explicitly made for that purpose, other material may weight you down and make you unable to swim)

“Unaligned”

On one hand, I'm a wild animal, but I was raised in domesticity and have grown fond of plenty aspects of it. I can't say that I relish the idea of not having a home and a warm bed, or of not having warm food and a loving family and group of friends.

On the other hand, I was raised among humans, but that doesn't make me one of them, nor does it mean that I don't have any animalistic urges or a prey drive. It definitely doesn't mean I'll let you get away with hurting me or someone I care about, either.

I feel like a feral animal that has grown accustomed to "domestic" life, but will never fully lose their old traits and habits, I suppose. I don't bite when merely approached, but I do when I'm provoked. Those close to me have no need to fear me, but those who haven't earned my trust need to watch themselves around me. I'm pleasant enough to be around most of the time, but there are times when I scare even the people closest to me.

I love long body, short limbs, sharp claws, horizontal pupils, quick attacks, feeling crazy, being sneaky, screeching, growling, curling in cozy places!!!

I love it so damn much!