2 – The Digital World

• The Game of Life
• Minecraft: Between Worlds
• Languages
• Ticks and Time
• Defining Mobs
• A Comment on Mob Appearances
• Mob Behavior Cycles
• Mate Selection & Breeding Styles
• Defining Ambient Non-Mobs
• Ore in Modern Times
• A Comment on Gender
• A Comment on Sexuality

The Game of Life

The story I relayed previous is an oft-quoted tale of creation, and is widely taken as fact on at least some level, seeing as the dragons present in this story still exist to affirm or deny its claims. I’ve heard alternate versions, including some depicting the first player as creating all dragons (including the Ender Dragon) and implying he is the only player to be without a hybrid species. Additionally, I’ve heard tales that emphasize the caretakers Foresight, Knowledge, and Action. Some tales hold that dragons shaped Between, others that this world was created through a series of random ticks, and still others that Outsiders spawned this world and its dragons exactly as they are, and the Ender Dragon never laid their eggs at all. In fact, that first player I spoke of may not even exist.

I shared my preferred creation story, but nonetheless I did not personally witness such an event and cannot speak to its truths. Now, I must speak of more concepts- some of which may be quite difficult to understand or believe.

The universe we reside in is known as Minecraft. The prevailing opinion among the residents here is that this world was not naturally formed, but guided by unseen hands who shaped the landscape and planted stories like forests for us to wander. I have heard it described to me as a game created and maintained by beings like us who exist outside of this digital world. I have seen some promising evidence that this may be true, though I do not have the background to fully comprehend it.

One detail I wish to point out, as it is critically important to understanding the culture of this world, is the ability to respawn after death. That is, to return to life fully healed (suffering no hunger pains or exhaustion) to continue life again, all without regressing to the egg or spawnling states. My original world also had multiple lives. However, ours were limited to three (by default, with additional details not relevant here), and losing your final life would result in a perma-death: a final death without a subsequent respawn.

Perma-deaths do exist in this universe (through extinction of the hybrid species), but perma-deaths do not seem tied to life count. For now, proceed knowing that in this universe, respawns are essentially infinite. This does not always mean they are practical, as the Between dimension prevents setting spawn in a new location, so every member of a species has a predefined respawn point.

I find it crucial to relay that this universe called Minecraft (or at least the Between dimension that I’ve explored) does not exist in the form of a round planet drifting through the elements in outer space. Decorative stars paint the sky, but there are no such things here as galaxies and other planets. Needless to say, since I worked as a cartographer all my life before arriving here, this realization was a bigger shock to me than the existence of so many dragons. Wandering feels stale and I dearly miss my stars.

So, what is Minecraft?

Minecraft: Between Worlds

The Between dimension has its own mountains, valleys, forests, oceans, and topography. Nonetheless, I feel it prudent to describe it first as flat. As it does not exist upon a planet, this world is not round. Rather, Between is the perfect name for this dimension: this sliver of space that has grown between worlds, built on skulk and crust, floating in a river of seasonal energy above the Void. Digging through the organic material is possible. As many years have passed since its initial creation (The oft-quoted number is thousands at the time of writing), caves and tunnels do exist in this landscape, in addition to mountains.

• All dragons possess commands, which allow them to edit the landscape. I suspect that is why the terrain can appear much older (or younger) than it really is

Between’s landscape sprawls wide, and very few hybrids will see every cultural corner of it within their lives. In fact, I might argue that none will see it all. My research comes from my own experience along with reports I’ve read and individuals I’ve spoken to. It’s quite possible there are still gaps in our understanding, as we can only travel and learn so much.

It is possible to dig down far enough that you break through the thick layer of crust at the bottom and fall into the Void below. This is described as “falling between worlds” and a hybrid who falls will wake at their respawn point.

• Exception: Hybrids who fall when they’ve received an invite from another world will transition to a new world, or so I’ve been told. I suspect my arrival to this world was similar, or at least I took the place of the individual who came before me, who may have been invited out. I’m not certain I understand the concept of such invitations

Between is adjacent to servers, which I’ve heard described as millions of tiny information packets which trail beneath Between as though on sculk-covered tendrils or tentacles, with each microscopic packet containing an entire pocket world filled with land, sea, sky, and creatures. Inside these worlds, hybrids access the on-server dimensions: the Overworld with its stars and sunlight, the Nether with its lava pools, and The End with its great expanse of emptiness. Each of these dimensions has its own characteristics, which others before me have written in detail. It’s in these dimensions that players may build freely, as within Between, only players within a dragon’s aura may break and place blocks.

• I have heard some people call Between “the Sky dimension” in reference to the sensation of being lifted that one experiences when logging off a server (and the drop when logging on)

In Between, one’s respawn point is determined by the species of the hybrid and it cannot be altered through the use of beds or respawn anchors. This point of respawn is known as a species’ soul spawner, which is guarded by the dragon who lays the spawn eggs for their species. Dragons produce mob and hybrid offspring, all hatching from distinct eggs. All hybrids hatch from spawn eggs. However, mobs can either be hatched or spawned in the wild if certain conditions are met. Since two soul spawners have been lost (in recorded history), the associated mobs have ceased spawning in the wild, implying the soul spawner brings life to all its relevant mobs (not just the spawn eggs).

• See the “Defining Mobs” section below

To be technical, the term soul spawner describes only the block, which appears to be a cage containing a soul flame. Players do not necessarily respawn at the soul spawner’s location, but may respawn elsewhere within its aura. This allows a dragon (or their hybrid offspring) to decorate the lair as they see fit. Common words for these respawn points are spawn temples, facilities, dorms, or nests. Many soul spawners have chains attached to their tops, allowing the spawner to dangle from the ceiling (or from a dragon’s teeth).

• Avian dragons tend to have nests, burrowing dragons tend to have dens, and illager dragons tend to have academy dorms

Active soul spawner

A dragon is able to pick up their soul spawner and move it, returning it to its active state once it’s in position. It is currently unknown if soul spawners can move far from their original location; they may be required to stay within a certain area, such as biome boundaries or within a certain number of chunks. Only dragons can move a soul spawner. Causing excessive damage to a spawner will destroy it, which will prevent members of that species from respawning if killed. This is the first step towards extinction of a hybrid species (and to the presence of the associated mob in the Between dimension). I’ve heard multiple theories regarding what happens after extinction. Most notably:

These hybrids cease to exist; they have been wiped from the universe

• This seems unlikely given what I know about account creation. Is it possible on our end to destroy account functionality?

Hybrid souls dissipate and become energy within the universe

• I have no reason not to believe this, as energy is recycled in life. However, I have the same concerns as above

These hybrid souls are taken from their current forms and reborn in new hybrid bodies, perhaps with no memories of their former life

• This seems impossible to prove, not to mention it indicates a restart in progress. Given what I know of account creation, I would believe that passing an account to another individual could lead to the spontaneous death of a hybrid and the recycling of their soul into a new body, thus creating fresh life. However, I see no way to prove hybrids would also be reborn after their species is extinct

Extinct hybrids respawn in a secondary dimension or in another part of Between; they have lost access to this one, but retain ability to access portals and play

• Most likely, this secondary dimension would be Hels, which contains many temporary, upcoming, scrapped, and retired lines of game code. However, Between itself is also known to contain many upcoming and scrapped lines of code, so I fail to see the logic in why extinct players would shift from Between to Hels
• This theory does assuage my skepticism in regards to player death and account creation, presuming that players would still have access to portals in Hels (which is currently unproven, as hybrids are unable to travel to Hels, as far as I know)
• There is no physical evidence to back this theory up, as Helsians who bring information from Hels have said they’ve never seen our extinct species there. Those I’ve known to pass away (from failure to respawn or account deletion) seem to be indicated as offline or absent individuals and do not continue playing in their former servers

Languages

Many languages are present in Between, but I wish to speak of those I’m most familiar with: the six kin languages. All hybrids are fluent in one of these languages upon spawning, and these languages define the kin categories in which hybrids are divided. Most hybrids learn languages either from dragons or from attending Education courses. With practice and XP gains, a hybrid can master any of these languages.

All dragons speak Ender by nature, which is the language taught to them by the Ender Dragon. Enderkin hybrids are born understanding this language. It’s commonly spoken in Between, but can be very difficult for low-XP players to grasp. Many dragons teach their hybrid offspring to speak Ender.

Some dragons and hybrids speak additional languages, such as Illagescript or Illagealt (Spoken naturally by Tradebonded hybrids), Netheri’i (Natural for Netherkin hybrids), Uqua (Natural for aquatic hybrids), and Tweentext (Natural for Overkin and Tweenborn hybrids, excluding Tradebonded). These languages may become local dialects and accents. Other languages may leak in from outside influence (Ex: Simlish), but most species are raised speaking one of the five listed languages.

• Tweentext is the most commonly spoken language in Between, with Illagescript, Illagealt, and Ender close behind. Netheri’i and Uqua are not commonly used outside local communities. However, Uqua is valued in long-distance communication through the use of whistles and sign. Some species speak pidgin languages, especially by drawing on the whistles and clicks

Another language, known as Java, can be learned by code modifiers (i.e. modders) and programmers. These words appear to be a tangible thing in this world, or at least are perceived as such. In my homeland, it was considered the language of magic and utilized by witches and wizards.

• See Chapters 14-20 for my reports on Between’s kin categories
• I also listed species according to their kin categories in my table of contents

Ticks and Time

The non-linear passage of time is one of the most fascinating and complicated aspects of this reality. Time flows differently in Between than it does on-server, meaning a hybrid may leave the Between dimension for a server, remain there for weeks, and return to Between to discover that only a few hours have passed. A variety of calendars are used between groups and even between individuals. However, servers and Between are consistent in that they are defined as running on ticks.

There exist 1,000 ticks in an hour and 24,000 ticks in a day, as measured by a person who is evaluating their own surroundings. When a person stands in the Between dimension, all servers around them (which have someone present so the game loads the area) will advance 72,000 ticks on-server, while only 1,000 ticks pass in Between. In other words, loaded servers run 72 times faster than the Between dimension. However, for those on a server, time appears to pass at its familiar rate. Thus, a day of 24,000 ticks feels the same length on a server as it does in Between.

• 1,000 is often abbreviated with a k, leading to exchanges such as “What time is it?” / “13k ticks”

Clocks are divided in quarters with emphasis marks on sunrise (0 ticks), noon (6k), sunset (12k), and midnight (18k)

The sun rises at 0 ticks. Villager mobs begin their workday at 2k ticks (i.e. 2 hours after waking). Noon hits at 6k ticks. Villager mobs end their workday at 9k ticks. The sun begins to set at 12k ticks and sets fully at 13k ticks, around the time nighttime monsters begin spawning. Midnight hits at 18k ticks. The sun begins to rise at 23k ticks and completes its cycle at 24k ticks (i.e. 0 ticks).

The Between dimension does not permit hybrids to sleep, as this ability is exclusive to the Overworld. Hybrids with biology that adheres to the circadian must sleep for at least a few hours every 3 days (approximately every 72k ticks they experience regardless of whether they are in Between or on a server at that time, with some wiggle room).

• Sitting or lying on a bed is possible, and many hybrids seem to keep beds around for comfort, cuddling, or simply out of habit. However, intentionally setting spawn on a bed will cause it to explode

As Between forbids sleeping, this means a player must leave Between and step on a server where they can access the Overworld and rest. Ancient texts describe beds as “allowing an individual to speed through the night,” which has led to rumor that those who came before us were able to enchant beds to literally skip time forward. However, no evidence in modern times indicates this is true.

There are hybrids whose biology does not adhere to the circadian rhythm. These are classed as false sleepers; Enderkin and Netherkin are defined by their status as false sleepers. Additionally, hybrids whose soul crystals are not attached to a server core (i.e. hybrids who are disconnected) will not receive the mental pings that urge them to seek sleep. However, the code that makes up their bodies will still loosen from wear and tear (and thus make them susceptible to hunters and scavengers seeking a weakened meal).

• See also, Chapter 5 – “Hybrid Biology,” Chapter 7 – “The Soul,” and Chapter 14 – “Overview of Kin Categories”

Defining Mobs

A thousand species or more are documented since they do exist and roam this land. However, there is a clear distinction between the ones who have simply evolved to fill niches in this world and the ones that are properly intended to be here. I say “intended” to refer to the great hands that shaped the code of this world.

• A mob is a semi-sapient being that lives like a wild or feral creature (in the case of animals) or as a separate species of humanoid (in the case of illagers) whose natural behavior is restricted to certain programmed defaults, though this behavior can be influenced. Some mobs are considered hostile while others can be tamed (or at least become trusting towards a hybrid)

Left – Creeper egg – Laid only by the Creeper Dragon (Ava)

Middle – Standard creeper mob, either hatched from an egg or bred from two full-grown creepers (who cannot be manually coaxed to breed)

Right – Soul creeper mob, spawned by world spawning conditions (e.g. nightfall)

• Exclusive to Between
• Its diet of wood, leaves, and sand is visible as it forms gunpowder in its stomach (Artist’s interpretation; actual creeper anatomy may vary)
• Soul mobs have double the attack power of their standard relatives

In the on-server dimensions (the Overworld, Nether, and The End), mobs will spawn when certain environmental conditions are met, such as low light level. Between lacks a minimum light level spawning requirement, though mobs still require a full block to spawn on. Hybrid settlements are often covered in half-slabs, carpets, or even buttons to prevent hostile mobs from spawning within the premises. Settlements of unsparked mob villagers, illagers, and piglins do not show the same mob-proofing habits and do not seem to mimic the behavior if they observe it. However, sparked mobs can be taught mob-proofing and will take initiative to mob-proof the settlement even when it expands.

• See the section on AI sparks in Chapter 9 – “Carroting, Co-Spawning, and Flares”

Research indicates that mobs do not feel pain, as such code lines were never added to their code. They may react with surprise, grunts, squeals, fear, or anger when handled roughly. However, they will continue engaging in behaviors that cause damage (such as standing on magma or falling off block stacks) as though they aren’t aware of injury. A mob that is whacked around may limp, and may even permanently adjust their gait, but I’ve observed they do not show the same interest in licking or soothing wounds compared to their counterparts in my world. Like hybrids, mobs heal by eating food, which they directly turn into light particles.

• Hubs that follow HALO guidelines (See Chapter 13 – “Between’s Culture”) aim to ease mob distress, regardless of whether or not they feel pain

Despite the hazy blue glow of Between’s soul mobs, a hybrid that bites one will find the soul within is white. A mob’s white soul can collide with a hybrid’s blue soul without phasing through them, meaning mobs can be ridden and picked up. Mob souls deliver fewer nutrients than hybrid souls, but are often fed to young anivores (species that fill their hunger meter by eating souls). A diet of mob souls prepares an anivore to hunt hybrid souls, which are thicker and more difficult to consume, but provide higher saturation and nutrition.

A Note on Anivore Feeding – A consumed soul is kicked out of Between, with player data sent to the server core of the individual’s hub (if applicable). In other words, a hunt sends a player’s consciousness to their AFK server, where they can rest until their player data is processed by the server core and their body is recreated anew, with exhaustion and hunger wiped away and injuries repaired (barring some scars, soul wounds, and glitches). A proper hunt should not result in a hybrid’s death nor send them to their soul spawner.

• See “The Role of Anivores” section in Chapter 6 – “Server Hubs”

A Comment on Mob Appearances

The mobs in this world are strange to me. When I pick them up and study them, they appear (for lack of a better word) more rounded-off and polished than those of my homeland, which can vary greatly in appearance. To use my creeper example again, I always considered them creatures of camouflage whose leafy pelts would mirror the foliage of the landscape. Those in the north where I lived would have dark pelts like the spruce needles, or else pale white like the snow or assorted grays and browns to blend with rocks. I’ve also seen desert populations with sandy coloration. However, Between’s creepers are standardized; this is most likely due to the biology of the Creeper Dragon, who is but one individual. A lack of sexual reproduction would certainly restrict genetic diversity.

• I’ve heard rumor that creeper hybrids can spawn with black, white, and even blue pelts in this world. However, this appears to be determined via RNG. Color variants are discussed in Chapters 15-20

I might describe the mobs I’ve seen here as “crisp,” with less variation in their evolutionary history and natural adaptations than those I’m familiar with. However, minor variation still exists within their coloration. I’ve seen Between’s creepers range in color from pale green to dark, but I’ve yet to see them come in yellow or blue myself, or in any of the markings I’m familiar with (such as piebald).

• I’m referring specifically to pelt colors; not to the blue-white glow effect that overlays mobs in this dimension

I feel it necessary to emphasize the genderless nature of this world’s mobs. In my world, creepers were divided into sows (a smaller variety who produced eggs and milk for their offspring) and boars (a more aggressive variety who bore tusks and produced much higher amounts of gunpowder). The creepers that exist in this world called Minecraft seem to be a third variety unique to this world: all produce excessive amounts of gunpowder, but they produce neither eggs nor milk, and none have tusks. They lack the biology for sexual reproduction that I might use to divide them into sows and boars. More research is needed for full understanding.

• Furthermore, my world possessed both wild creepers (who were bulky, bristly, and maned with longer tails and ears that stood straight) and domestic creepers (who had stubby tails, short bristles, and the floppy ears only domestication brings)

In this world, creepers are viewed as hostile, feral creatures (despite lacking the feral markers I’m familiar with). They are not affectionate nor commonly domesticated. Instead, they are hunted and trapped without affection or attachment. They are farmed only for gunpowder, not meat, as they dissolve into light when killed (leaving gunpowder in their wake). It does not seem possible to remove their hides or harvest them for meat.

Chickens also surprise me, as they all have the physiology of a hen, yet lay fertile eggs without a rooster present. Chickens can also co-spawn despite no distinction between “females” and “males.” When you examine a chicken, it becomes clear that it too is genderless, lacking the biology for sexual reproduction.

• All this said, it puzzles me to know there exists one variation of chicken hybrid (called a “fancy chicken” by the locals) which I might call a rooster. Its comb and coloration is not a sex-linked line of code

Thirdly, I will highlight the difference between cows in this world and my home. Where I grew up, cattle consisted of ever-female cows and ever-male ravagers, who were bred to produce a calf. This is certainly not the case here; cows are genderless and are capable of co-spawning with each other.

There appears to be a cultural default of referring to most mobs as “it” unless emotional attachment is formed. Those who have formed attachment may sometimes switch from “it” to gendered pronouns like “he” or “she.” It always catches me off guard to hear cows and hens, which I default to viewing as female, referred to as “he” by someone who has developed a fondness for them and personified them in a masculine way.

Mob Behavior Cycles

Many mobs can be coaxed to breed manually, though this is easiest with livestock. Livestock will eat food from a hybrid’s hand and, thus satisfied and feeling their healthiest, they may pursue a mate. Most mobs cannot be manually bred. However, ensuring plentiful food and territory is likely to result in mate-seeking and (potentially) breeding.

Breeding – Mobs come together and produce one or more offspring. This may be prefaced by a courtship ritual involving flaunting one’s strength, gifting food, or grooming. Courtship roles cannot be divided into male and female; either mob will partake in flaunting, gifting, or nursing and these roles can change between breedings

• Hand Breeding – Coaxing a mob to breed when you desire it, within your own timeframe. Appears common among livestock and similar animals I would call useful for the purpose of playing a game, such as horses (which are common mounts). A short cooldown time prevents excessive breeding of two animals (unless one is committed to the long haul). Also called manual breeding
• Idle Breeding – Occurs when a mob breeds with little to no coaxing from a hybrid. Also called ambient breeding or wild breeding

Hand breeding requires little beyond a supply of food for the mobs to eat. Idle breeding is named for idle behaviors mobs may engage in within the backdrop of the world (i.e. when not aggressive towards a player). Mobs will engage in other ambient behaviors before idle breeding, and if they are unable to complete a step, they will run through their behavior cycle again from the start. Below, I’ve written an example behavior cycle for a mob that is usually solitary, but seeks a mate on occasion (as opposed to a pack-oriented mob):

– Reaction to Player – Not an idle behavior, but takes priority over all idle actions; hostile mobs attack players while non-hostiles may approach to seek food or trade resources.

– Territory Claims – Mobs will claim a set amount of blocks where they can wander, obtain food, and drink (preferably within the biome they spawned in, though neighboring biomes may be an option). They will attempt to return to these blocks if nudged away. Hostile mobs will despawn unless the chunks remain loaded (i.e. a hybrid remains nearby) or the mob is nametagged, so most territory claims are brief.

– Scuffling – If a mob crosses paths with another mob of its species (or else within its niche), they may scuffle before one mob departs. Mobs will avoid scuffling if there is satisfactory territory available. A mob that loses a scuffle will widen its search to a larger area. If suitable territories are rare, mob scuffles may become more violent and lead to death. Occasionally, a hybrid may find a displaced mob- that is, a mob that is notably outside its usual spawning territory. This is more common with nametagged hostile mobs, as unnamed ones that leave the rendered-in area will despawn.

– Health Restoration – Mobs will seek food and drink within their territory. If resources are inadequate, the mob will leave to make a new claim (which may lead to scuffles).

– Self-Satisfaction – Mobs engage in miscellaneous self-care behaviors. They evaluate their shelters, dig holes, climb trees, jump on block piles, sniff flowers, seek shade or stand in water during heat waves, seek warmth when it’s cold, gather bedding, groom, play, hunt, eat, drink, and sleep. A mob that is well-fed and well-groomed will evaluate if its territory has the space and resources to support a partner and future offspring. It may be necessary to expand the territory, which can lead to scuffling (followed by a repeat of health restoration and self-satisfying behaviors).

– Partner-Seeking – Only grown mobs will seek a mate, meaning mobs that have surpassed a certain number of ticks without despawning. For example, creepers must survive 672,000 ticks (1 month in the Overworld or approximately 9 hours in Between) before their behavior cycle includes partner-seeking behavior. Mobs can continue growing past this point, up to a state called fully grown. A full-grown creeper may have more bristles, a surefooted gait, and a stronger crackle of electricity on their back. A fully grown mob is more likely to challenge rivals to increase its own territory and is less likely to have its territory challenged. Mobs seem to prefer full-grown individuals as leaders and mates, presumably due to their life experience.

Archivist’s Note – [Minor Series Spoilers]
– In the Pixels Imperfect series, SnifferMyFeet is a notable character for being both a newbie (born a few weeks before Dog’s Life begins) and an adult (as he’s the equivalent of a 29-year-old by the Gregorian calendar). He’s very young compared to his peers (many of whom are 2,000 years old). Nonetheless, he’s an adult because he fits the required criteria: he’s been weaned off dragon milk and he’s mentally over 20. Is he old enough to get married or adopt a baby? Yes, it’s within his right to do those things. Would I recommend it? No.

The terms “grown” and “full-grown” are usually for mobs while hybrids prefer low-XP and high-XP. These phrasings make it easier to determine if it’s appropriate for SnifferMyFeet to marry or raise kids. Sniff is low-XP, meaning he’s low on worldly experience; he spawned in knowing how to read and fight, but he doesn’t know what a restaurant is, why it’s rude to steal things, or why he shouldn’t barge into someone’s bedroom in the middle of the night. Once he’s a high-XP individual, he’ll be much better prepared for society and its intricacies of marriage and childrearing. That’s what being grown and full-grown is like for mobs: the older and experienced individual who knows the good foraging spots is probably a better mate than the reckless young adult who keeps picking fights.

– Martyn | InTheLittleWood was low-XP when he joined BdoubleO100’s phantom hybrid flock in “Chalaza” (upcoming ‘fic); notably, despite having the mentality of an adult, he still had his baby fangs and couldn’t tear a soul from skin by himself. Instead, he could only eat the soft, skinless souls that Bdubs brought him. Once Martyn became high-XP, he took to challenging Bdubs for the flock captain title. Why? Because New Star Station is underground, only 33 square chunks, and there are too many phantom hybrids in that space. As a high-XP individual of an overpopulated flock, Martyn’s instinct is to either challenge the captain or leave… and he’s stuck underground, unable to leave.

Martyn can’t meet his self-satisfaction criteria, so he’s often moving, pacing, digging, or nipping at things (especially if he can do so in ways that ruffle Bdubs’ feathers). He does really well if you set him to a task like braiding hair, filing paperwork, or washing clothes, but when he doesn’t have mental stimulation, he’ll roll on the floor or eat his own shirt because he’s anxious and bored.

If a mob has met its self-satisfaction criteria, it will seek a same-species companion that has also met its self-satisfaction criteria. Mate-seeking behavior can vary between species- For example, some mobs may display in groups while others bring food directly to a potential partner. Scuffles are common between unsatisfied individuals, but satisfied individuals are much more likely to join as pack members or mates. If individuals are neighboring, they may combine their territories (or drive out undesired individuals between their territories and claim that space for themselves).

– Partner Satisfaction – Mobs must have their satisfaction criteria met before breeding. If one isn’t satisfied (for example, hungry or ungroomed), the other will assist, such as through hunting or allopreening

– Potential For Offspring – If a territory cannot support offspring (for example, due to lack of food or because the server’s local mob cap was reached), mobs may exist as a mated pair for some time. They will run through their behavior cycle, fending off rivals and pursuing self-satisfaction until the time comes for offspring.

Traditionally, prey animals breed during the wet season (when leaves and berries are plentiful) while predators breed during the dry season (when the lack of greenery makes it easier to hunt groups of prey near water). Some mobs will only seek a mate a mate under a certain moon phase. Mobs commonly seek partners under the first quarter, waxing gibbous, or full moon and mate either under the full moon, waning gibbous, or third quarter. However, this can vary between species.

• Since mob breeding is instant, mobs do not account for gestation time; in my home world, breeding seasons vary as mobs time their offspring to arrive when food is plentiful

– Courtship – Behavior differs with biology, but sharing food and grooming (the two most important satisfaction behaviors) are common signs of courtship. Mobs are not divided into gendered categories, but more commonly into competitors (courtship initiators) and recipients (selectors). The initiator may bring food to its mate or take the lead in grooming (e.g. by pinning the partner down with a paw on the back; a humanoid mob may initiate by washing the recipient in the bath, making beds, cleaning workstations, washing clothes, or cuddling). Selectors evaluate potential mates for traits that aid their survival and the survival of their offspring (or if not their survival, then at least their self-satisfaction levels, such as access to food or opportunities for play).

The initiator is always the first mob of the pair (during that breeding attempt) to produce love hearts, which glow above the head like a crown of pink and red lanterns, but crackle and dissipate like a stream of bubbles. This is followed by nuzzling the mate and pushing for forehead contact.

– Breeding – In this stage, whether breeding occurs is determined by the recipient (selector), who can either reject the advances (by pulling away, nipping the offender, or leaving the vicinity) or accept them (by nuzzling back, cuddling, or grooming the initiator). Accepting these advances allows the recipient to form love hearts of their own. When both parties have formed their love hearts and engaged in forehead-to-forehead contact, breeding occurs and a baby is spawned at the feet of one mob. This parent is the nurse, whose behavior cycle immediately switches from the default behavior cycle to the nursing cycle.

The mob who isn’t the nurse is called the sire, and switches to the sire cycle for its species. This cycle may involve hunting, gathering food, patrolling territory, playing with offspring, or even seeking a new mate (thus leaving the nurse to care for the offspring alone). The nurse and sire labels are specific to each breeding (and when referencing the family tree in the future, as needed). These roles can flip during future breedings even if the mobs remain the same; it is incorrect to refer to a mob as a nurse or sire as though that is their permanent role

– Caring For Offspring – The nursing cycle includes behaviors such as nest-building, grooming the baby, hiding the baby (under leaves, grass, dirt, rocks, snow, or blankets), and feeding the baby, while non-essential behaviors such as digging holes and sniffing flowers are eliminated. Feeding may involve hunting, mouth-to-mouth allofeeding, or suckling. The nurse is still called such even if they aren’t a mammal: a mob that suckles its babies with milk from the belly.

Mobs who meet for brief courtship (as in, those who crossed paths but did not combine territories) are not likely to raise offspring as partners. Instead, the nurse will take the baby to its own territory (or travel with it) and care for it alone. Either in the pair can become the nurse, regardless of whether they initiated or received the courtship gesture. When the baby weans, the individual is no longer titled nurse (as this title is restricted to “parent with a baby too young to feed itself”); however, it is appropriate to identify which parent was the nurse (or sire) when discussing lineage

This biology of either parent playing the role of nurse or sire appears to be very natural in this world, and when I’ve shared tales of breeding cows with ravagers in my youth (or implied the future suckling parent could be determined at birth), I’ve been met with clear surprise.

– Return to Idle Cycle – When the baby weans or otherwise comes of age (e.g. hunting its own prey or fledging), the nurse is no longer on the nursing cycle (nor the sire on the sire cycle). Parents return to the idle behavior cycle, but with a friendly attitude towards the offspring (instead of seeing it as a rival). A mob will run through each step of the idle cycle before partner-seeking or courtship occurs again.

In some species, offspring will leave to find their own territory while others stay with one or both parents. Many family groups stay together unless resources become scarce, at which point a full-grown individual is likely to nudge the lesser grown individual(s) from the territory. The lesser grown mobs may leave peacefully or else challenge the full grown individual(s) for the space.

Idle breeding conditions may vary between mobs, but most mobs experience the above behavior cycle to some degree.

Mate-Selection & Breeding Styles

Semelparous – One single mating event within the mob’s lifetime; generally under the opportunistic umbrella. In other words, these mobs complete their idle behavior cycle, breed, and future behavior cycles exclude mate-seeking and breeding behavior. Bees, squids, and salmon are semelparous; their idle behavior cycle urges them to breed only once- In my home world, they passed away shortly after. In some cases, this term may describe mobs who lost interest in their mates after breeding- not due to their code, but due to a mob cap preventing further breeding. This mate-selection style is very common among hostile mobs, as the possibility of despawning creates a narrow window for breeding. Insects and aquatic species often fall into this category as well.

• These mobs tend to be very aggressive, competitive, and selective before mating

Opportunistic – Opportunistic mobs seek to reproduce whenever conditions are favorable. Initiators often breed with multiple mates, but don’t commit to them (or if they do commit, they tend to dedicate attention only to one or two partners and their offspring rather than their entire history of recent partners). Selectors may still be choosy with their partners, but are likely to select before their window of opportunity closes. Many opportunistic mobs (and hybrids) court several times a year- sometimes more than once per month. Monogamy is uncommon in this style, but not unheard of.

• Some individuals challenge rivals, hoping to chase them out and claim their mate(s), provided such mates are not monogamous (and do not pursue)

Seasonal – Species that act monogamous towards their mate during their breeding season. They do not breed out of season, but may still express physical affection (such as grooming and cuddling). Some species may be monogamous for multiple seasons while others will choose new mates the following season. Seasonal breeding is advantageous for some as it ensures a mate spends resources, time, and energy on their mate and offspring, limiting opportunity to breed with rivals. However, this breeding style can be disadvantageous if many in a herd, flock, or pack are lost (e.g. by illness, starvation, attacks, or natural disaster) during the wrong time of year to recover the population.

Long-Term Monogamy – In this style, species select a monogamous partner for the foreseeable future, meaning multiple seasons without a planned end. Some hybrids seek long-term monogamy and may even refer to it as lifelong monogamy. Many mobs are prone to long-term monogamy (wolves, vultures, and foxes, for example), which can provide significant benefits for offspring (compared to their health and safety when a nurse is left to raise them alone).

• Pair-bonding and monogamy are separate terms. In other words, some who pair bond may have multiple partners, and a mated individual may still seek bonds outside the mated pairing
• Wolves and ravens frequently pair-bond to each other as they hunt together, but do not perceive each other as mates. Also, endermites (who clean many species with their teeth) often favor a host and take to riding on their back, prioritizing the host’s cleanliness above that of other creatures

Polygynandry– In this style, both initiators and selectors seek multiple partners during the breeding season. This often goes hand in hand with siring and nursing many offspring, though some partners may be social more than physical (especially among hybrids). This style can rapidly increase the local population, though it may be limited by mob caps.

• Infidelity – Occurs when a nurse deceives their mate into believing they sired one or more of the offspring. The nurse takes advantage of their physically present mate providing resources for the offspring. Uncommon among mobs and hybrids in terms of reproduction (due to lack of a gestation period), but becoming emotionally invested in another partner can cause social or emotional harm to one’s original partner
• Cuckoldry – Occurs when an individual is deceived into investing time and resources into unrelated offspring (not knowing they are unrelated). This can be disadvantageous as the individual could have spent such time and resources courting a new mate and providing for a related offspring. Mate guarding often prevents infidelity and cuckoldry

Serial Breeding – Reproducing more than once during the breeding season, but waiting until the previous offspring is weaned. This can be advantageous to ensure the single offspring receives all the resources and attention it needs; this style is common among species that are low on necessary resources and cannot provide for a litter. Those who are seasonally monogamous will breed with the same mate while other mobs may be prone to polygynandry.

Litter Breeding – When an individual reproduces multiple times before their first baby of the breeding season is weaned, leading to many young offspring in short succession, who all feed and wean together. Many species breed for litters, including felines, canines, foxes, rabbits, pigs, and creepers. This can be advantageous when food is present for a season, but may fade (as in species that hunt migrating herds or eat berries that will die in winter). This style is more common among monogamous and mate-guarding pairs. A nursing individual is very likely to remain the nurse for the entire litter, but it isn’t unheard of for both parents to nurse, each caring for half the litter.

Lekking – Tends towards seasonal or multi-seasonal monogamy. Initiators gather in a same-species group to display, hoping a mate will approach and select them. Lekking makes it easy to find self-satisfied individuals ready to court and breed, as those who aren’t self-satisfied won’t join the lek; mobs can easily compare potential mates and aren’t limited to those in neighboring territories. Dominant individuals (e.g. fully grown mobs) congregate in the center with less dominant individuals spaced around them. Leks are either classic (displaying members are within close visual and auditory range of each other) or exploded (displaying members are outside of visual range, but within auditory range). Leks are common among avians, deer, and tropical fish

• Lekking correlates with faithful partners returning to find their mate from previous breedings. That is, displaying individuals may settle in familiar places, but if they move, their partners from previous breedings will follow them rather than visiting the site they left behind
• Displays can be as simple as fluttering wings, singing, and prancing or as intense as sparring matches. Some hybrids may hold competitions in hunting, PVP, or parkour- emphasizing traits that their parallel mobs value in the wild (especially since mob instincts surface more beneath the full moon)
• In my old world, leks led some species to select for traits that were impressive in displays, but supposedly didn’t aid survival (ornaments). This was quite common among hybrids as species-specific survival techniques are less necessary than a good sword. Some view such ornaments as indicators of good health, believing only healthy individuals can afford the energy to develop such ornaments. It seems that in this world, babies spawn with a default amount of code and minor variation. I haven’t seen signs of trait elimination even across many generations

Mate Guarding – Tends towards seasonal, multi-seasonal, or long-term monogamy. Mates stay near each other (before breeding, afterwards, or sometimes both); either an initiator or a selector can engage in this behavior. The guarding period may occur while waiting for the proper season or moon phase to come around. Mate guarding prevents rival initiators from poaching the selector away (to produce their offspring instead) and prevents the initiator mate from seeking new selectors elsewhere.

• This monogamy can ensure breeding is successful, that both mates are confident in their child’s parentage, and that the nurse is safe and healthy while engaging in nursing cycle behaviors. Mate guarding often goes hand in hand with dual parenting, wherein both parents share the duty of raising the young, though this isn’t guaranteed. This style is common among foxes, reptiles, monkeys, and avians
• However, mate guarding can reduce time for other activities, such as hunting or guarding territory; rivals may steal food from the area or attempt to chase a childrearing pair away
• Mobs prone to mate guarding tend to be highly invested in the survival of their mate and offspring. During the breeding and childrearing season, they can be especially aggressive towards hybrids (and other creatures, such as domestic dogs or horses). I recommend familiarizing yourself with local wildlife and keeping pets (and yourself) distant from mate-guarding mobs

Group Rearing – This style is common among pack-oriented mobs who raise the young as part of a large group, and it may involve monogamous or non-monogamous pairs. Notably, pack-bonded individuals evaluate not just their own health and self-satisfaction before seeking a mate, but all others. This can lead to many babies birthed in the pack together, either by one sire or multiple sires. Because multiple members of the pack participate in childrearing, it may be difficult for outsiders to identify the individuals who co-spawned a baby; the offspring will likely be able to identify its nurse, though not necessarily its sire. Villagers, pillagers, slimes, and blaze tend towards this style

• While blaze and breeze are similar in many ways, blaze are known for very large groups of unrelated individuals (many of which nurse and sire) whereas breeze are known for smaller family groups, usually consisting of a breeding pair and their offspring (with offspring from previous breedings helping to raise the younger)

Duplication – Allays do not have a mate-seeking or breeding instinct in their behavior cycle. Rather, they squabble with rival allays, expand their territory by forcing rivals out of neighboring areas, and create duplicates to occupy those new spaces. The duplicates are friendly towards each other and do not scuffle among each other as they do with rivals. An allay that’s laid claim to a territory will cling to it even if it’s under threat.

• An allay infestation can quickly grow out of hand, so if they nest in or near your base, it’s recommended you catch, socialize, and relocate them as soon as possible. Socialized allays are unbothered by their neighbors and will not overpopulate, though they must be socialized on ground that’s unfamiliar to them (i.e. neutral) instead of their own, which they will stubbornly defend

Defining Ambient Non-Mobs

Only species that hatch from the eggs of the 100 dragons can be born as proper mobs or hybrids. For example, earthworms do exist in this world and crawl in the dirt, and moths do flit about late at night. However, these tiny insects arrived through their own merit. Because there is no Worm Dragon or Moth Dragon, there is no such thing as a natural-born worm hybrid or moth hybrid. These are also not classified as mobs, but as ambient non-mobs. If they are killed, these non-mobs vaporize in sparks of light without leaving any drops behind. They are not coded to reward hybrids with their deaths.

• Ambient non-mobs are sometimes called particles
• Many players use non-mobs as inspiration for visual tweaks to their bodies. For example, many avians tweak their wing patterns to mimic the shapes and colors of non-mob birds

That said, ambient non-mobs do offer functionality. Birds and squirrels spread seeds. Some (like hummingbirds) pollinate flowers and other plants. Mice pick up items and hoard them in their nests, which can prevent valuables from despawning. Earthworms aerate the soil. Some ambient non-mobs can be consumed for flavor, but will not restore hunger. Many can be fed to mobs, especially livestock, which allows their health to flourish. Baiting hooks with worms will attract fish, which can generally be consumed.

It’s worth noting that my description of creatures vaporizing in sparks of light is not made in exaggeration. In my old world, the meat of a creeper is harvested for food (i.e. pork), and the strong-scented hide that was not nutritious to eat could be left near a flock of animals to fool predators into believing a threat had taken up residence. Additionally, a well-washed hide could become a thin blanket, light jacket, the padding for a chair, or even curtains. I myself made many canteens from the strong yet lightweight hide.

Ore in Modern Times

In Chapter 11 – “Between’s Landscape,” I describe the biomes in their natural state, based on descriptions I’ve read from old records (before many biomes were ransacked, their unique blocks replaced by stone and sculk). Hundreds of millions of hybrids wandering Between across its existence have mined many of the ores. Dragons regularly patch these holes with generic world edit passes over their territories. This seals the mining paths, leaving little to no indication the ores have already been found and removed, so many hybrids mine to remove blocks and discover few if any ores. In modern times, natural ore veins are infrequent finds; many people choose to keep such discoveries as quiet as possible so they can draw from the resources and sell their finds without being robbed in the process.

• See the “Dragon Farms” section of Chapter 3 – “An Overview of Dragons”

Gems and crystals can be used in crafting recipes- for example, amethyst crystals are used to craft spyglasses. However, their usefulness does not stop at crafting recipes and decorating, as some species use them to enhance their magic or craft unique totems. Some (such as allays, illusioners, and soul wizards) even eat gemstones. These and other species may use gems in courtship and breeding rituals. Gems and crystals can be used as jewelry; they are often exchanged as courtship tokens. Also, they may be traded as valuables (i.e. as currency).

• See the Valuables section in Chapter 13 – “Between’s Culture”

Many gems can be turned into special totems, armor, or weapons. For example, ruby is a very tough gemstone nearly as durable as diamond, but easier to find. Many gemstones cannot be crafted into armor or weapons instantaneously at the crafting table, meaning they must be crafted over time. Some gems and crystals have special properties that can make them valued weapons even if they lack durability. For example, an amethyst weapon would be valuable to someone who wishes to shoo off hoards of vex- in Between, amethyst does significant damage to vex (mobs and hybrids both).

Although Between’s natural ores have largely been depleted, there exists a peculiar non-mob that has cushioned this loss, and which many of us owe our lives and comfort to. One of the notable non-mobs found in Epic Peaks biomes (especially those near Volcanic Coasts) is the orevark – a passive, bulky mob something like a sniffer, armadillo, and rabbit. It’s gray with a lighter underbelly, dark feet, large claws for digging, a spotted throat pouch, and spotted back. Its back sticks up in a hump. This species comes in many varieties, each of which seems to sprout ores, gems, or crystals from its back. I assume it consumes the components that go into forming ores, such as soil, organic material from bugs, and seawater, and its body forms ore by superheating and compressing those materials.

Presumably, this creature exists to compensate for Between’s inability to refresh its own ore veins automatically; I know many who hold that it was coded into the game of Minecraft for such a purpose, though I myself hold to the thought that there really are caretaker spirits like Foresight, Knowledge, and Action looking out for us (or else Survival, Creativity, and Adventure, as some call other entities they believe in). I admit I’m somewhat baffled by the orevark’s existence, as it’s like nothing I knew in my old world. However, considering the many pocket dimensions out there, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised if it wandered in through one of the Tattered Lands or was brought to Between by foreign wandering traders.

Artist’s interpretation of an emerald orevark

Today, nearly all orevarks live in captivity as livestock, as the ores they produce can be harvested with shears. Like all non-mobs, it leaves no drops if killed, so must be fed and cared for to produce ores. A pair breeds one time during the wet season, but cannot be coaxed to breed manually. When two orevarks breed, they produce a single offspring which mirrors the ore type of one parent; baby orevarks must grow to adults before they can produce ores. Their rarity in the wild, the low breeding rates, the inability to select which type of orevark is produced when a pair is bred, and how valuable they are means most orevarks are raised and bred by a few powerful groups; they are not widespread.

• Old records claim they were raised as livestock by villagers in Epic Peaks and Emerald Savanna villages
• I believe most orevarks today live with pillager or piglin tribes
• Rarely, they may be discovered in untouched pillager outposts, illager megacities, mage towers, piglin camps, citadels, and Emerald Savanna or Epic Peaks villages (generated with their relevant mobs in unloaded chunks)

Since many natural veins have been picked clean across the years, orevarks are a renewable source of ores, though they may not be practical in large groups, so mining for ores the old-fashioned way is still common practice for many individuals. In pillager and piglin cultures, orevarks may be given to a newly married couple of high rank. Traditionally, capturing your own orevark (either from the wild or a rival group) is a rite of passage required to recognize a new queen, though some tribes have retired this tradition due to their rarity. Losing your orevark to an attack by raiders or predators can negatively impact your social standing.

On rare occasion, a new lineage of orevarks will spawn in an Epic Peaks biome; they are most common in regions that border Volcanic Coasts. I believe they spawn underground and live in burrows, but are driven to surface when magma rises and the heat becomes too much for them. Their nocturnal nature means they leave the burrow to forage some nights after hostile mobs have spawned, making them difficult to locate and capture.

In terms of value, I believe most illagers would prefer owning an emerald orevark, as it produces the main currency within their culture. Gold orevarks are valued among piglins for the same reason. The jade orevark is the most prized in spellcaster communities (Witches, illusioners, geomancers, wind callers, mages, evokers, and soul wizards). Diamond orevarks and ruby orevarks produce gems that create strong armor and can be used as currency in most of Between. Iron orevarks produce a very versatile material, favored by many.

• The rarest orevark is the peridot orevark. At the time of writing, the use of peridot in crafting is still unknown. However, I know many people – especially wandering traders – who would love to get their hands on such a creature for the bragging rights, not to mention the ability to sell peridot jewelry (very popular for its rarity).
• When orevarks breed, it seems the peridot orevark has lowest priority. I assume two peridot orevarks would produce another, but I’m not certain they’ve been bred successfully

Magmamarine orevarks are also valued, though I suspect many people think the rainbow ore is prettier to look at than it is practical (since magmamarine can upgrade high-level armor, but does little good if your armor is simple). They’re quite rare, however, and the ore can be difficult to obtain without already wearing magmamarine to deep-dive. There is no netherite orevark as far as I know, implying ancient debris does not spawn naturally.

• There is no Orevark Dragon and no orevark hybrids; it’s an ambient non-mob

While I don’t own an orevark myself, I’ve been fortunate enough to dine with an evoker queen who let me pet hers. I would describe it as having very short fur and a velvety texture. Its pads were quite rough and tipped with heavy digging claws.

A Comment on Gender

Before delving into hybrids in Chapter 4, I wish to make some clarifying comments about this digital world. On some level, all hybrids are genderless like the mobs, or at least can be said to lack a sex. I myself no longer possess the same anatomy I did in my original world, nor do any of my companions who were dropped in this universe via Totem. Sexual reproduction is not possible between hybrids. Instead, the population of hybrids is maintained by the dragons (who produce spawn eggs without a partner) rather than the hybrids themselves. There are further details which will be clarified in future chapters.

An unknown person, such as a newly hatched spawnling, is frequently referred to as “it” or “they” until it wears a skin, which correlates with gaining the ability to express themselves (i.e. gain enough XP to take themselves off mute). Some individuals use these pronouns when grown, but the cultural default of referring to mobs as “it” does not seem to be as prevalent for hybrids. In other words, there does seem to be some sense of gender used amongst themselves (or at the very least, a decision to favor certain pronouns), which is more frequent in hybrids than it is when discussing mobs.

While I do not wish to discuss details, I was raised throughout my childhood with a name I disliked until my apprenticeship, whereupon I chose one that better suited me. Thankfully, I would not describe myself as having faced prejudice because of this, but the technology of my culture was very much lacking in safe or painless procedures that would alter the body, and I suspect the process of respawning would have reverted such changes anyway.

Living in Between, I find there is a certain benefit in a world of essentially “genderless” bodies. I greatly appreciate that I can choose whichever name and pronouns I wish and no one finds this strange. I would not describe myself as perfectly content with this as all times, as I certainly have moments I feel disconnected from my current body, but whether that is from gender or if that’s an effect of adjusting to this form of light in place of my old flesh, I can’t be certain.

A Comment on Sexuality

I recognize the term “sexuality” is ironic in a sexless world, and you won’t hear this term used among the locals. Perhaps “sensuality” would work in its stead.

Sexuality is a curious topic here. I would not go as far as to say it is unimportant (and I would not call it nonexistent). However, I might argue it’s perceived as far less important to one’s personal identity than one’s connection with their species, address (i.e. username), and physical appearance (i.e. skin design).

Simply put, the cultural defaults when discussing partnership assume most parties will not place priority on the gender of a partner (and I do mean relationships in the broadest sense, including the nonromantic with romantic). Friendships appear comfortable regardless of gender identity. I have noticed a distinct difference in the way women are treated more like equals to men in this world as opposed to the formal, male-structured social dynamics of my culture. Flirting does occur, but I feel that a society which has never had a need to reproduce amongst themselves has a much more relaxed environment, not placing pressure on one particular gender over another to uphold any particular standard (i.e. of either pursuing or accepting courtship).

• This is not to say that gender preference is nonexistent. I have met many who choose to describe themselves as favoring one gender over another, particularly where topics such as courtship and co-spawning become relevant. Others, however, seem surprised, puzzled, or even offended when questioned if they have a gender preference; I have even been called sexist (and then shunned) for suggesting they might experience one

In my studies, I have also noticed the locals adopt a behavior similar to residents in my world, though they do not seem to discuss it or value it to the degree my fellows back home did. To clarify, I mean the topic of soul temperature. One’s natural soul temperature is a critical aspect of my home culture, and the widely toted belief is that an individual should seek out their appropriate match to achieve maximum pleasure. This is because there, we are all born with our souls entangled with a person we called our soulmate. Thus:

• A cool soul seeks a warm soul
• A chilly soul seeks a hot soul
• A warm soul seeks a cool soul
• A hot soul seeks a chilly soul

I will describe these with the local terms “corresponding match” and “correspondent,” though the terms “natural” and “appropriate” were often used in my home. I now find such phrasing biased and incorrect.

The correspondent list is widely agreed upon in my homeland, with soulmates prized as critically important (frequently, though not always, ending up as a relationship with romantic and/or sexual undertones). While seeking a partner who does not match the expected bonding schema does occur (for example, a soul from the warm half of the scale finding high pleasure in both a cool and a chilly soul, or even from a warm or hot soul), these relationships are considered queer and unusual. I naturally assumed the same of this world, particularly when I learned that they likewise have a bond that could also be described as connecting them to soulmates (Survivor-spectator pairs, described in Chapter 4 – “Hybrid Biology”).

In this world, I have witnessed what seems to be an instinct to pursue a temperature correspondent, particularly for courtship. This does not seem well-known in their culture, but it’s an interesting observation nonetheless.

• Touching foreheads is an expression of intimacy in Between’s culture. A pair of hybrids with correspondent souls will experience a “share” of the other’s energy mixing with their own. This may be brief, but if continued, it can cause both individuals to enter the tepid state– a state where temperatures blend and both individuals are at a shared mild temperature.
• Only correspondent pairs seem to experience this state in full capacity, as in beyond a few seconds (which presumably is why my own culture favored this as the “naturally correct relationship”)

I would also describe the social landscape as very open in all relationships, which is a far cry from the soulmate-normative culture I grew up with (which by its nature defaulted towards prioritizing one’s soulmate above all other partners). To my foreign eyes, the relationships I witness here appear fluid, ever-changing, and often ill-defined. Nonetheless, I have since learned to respect the nature of roleplay (or, taking upon oneself a temporary social role in experiment or play) in Between’s culture, which seems to influence shifting relationship dynamics in ways I’m yet to grasp.

Courtship appears to be brief, often on short-notice, and widely acknowledged as temporary. I suppose all those descriptions mean the same thing, but I know no other way to define it. I would not describe the residents of this world as lacking emotional attachment, but I do wonder if to some degree, the mob side of their hybrid biology influences the touch-and-go nature of their relationships, at least across the wider culture as a whole.

Thus concludes my prelude of life in the digital world, and I will now transition to describing dragons and hybrids with their relevant biology and behaviors.