Step One:  

Withdraw from civilized life. This could look like leasing a rotting cottage deep within the woods or taking an internship with a pack of wolves. Whatever path you choose, make sure to completely abandon all human relationships, including those of all the people you know and love.  

Step Two: 

Choose a spot to haunt. Deep, dense forests are a great option, as are foggy moors and cliffs overlooking a drop that ensures certain death. It is best to steer clear of the cave systems beneath the Appalachian Mountains as this area is already quite crowded with other cryptids, demons, and eldritch gods. Wherever you choose to settle down, be sure to mark the area as yours. Skulls, satanic symbols, and tormented dolls can make any haunt feel like a home.  

Step Three: 

Become feral. Rip apart a squirrel and eat it raw, forget human language (after reading this article, of course), and growl back at the wild animals—you are now their equal. 

Step Four: 

Begin screaming and do not stop. After a few centuries, your body will begin to adapt to this new lifestyle. When your throat elongates and your mouth no longer closes, you’ll know it is okay to take a short break. Each cryptid has its own unique call, so experiment with different types of wails, shrieks, and howls until you find what feels right for you and your new form.  

Step Five: 

Dispose of your soul. Some creatures decide to exchange theirs for arcane power, while others store theirs in jewels, mirrors, or other mystic artifacts. If none of these options appeal to you, destroying your soul through excessive violence is a perfectly fine alternative.  

Step Six: 

†̶̫̭̞̰̖̓̂͛̏̄h̸̡͖̭͚͇̎̓̔̄̑ê̴̥̞̠̳̩̋̔͊̀́¥̷͖̰̼̠̪̓̇̆͋̾ ̵͎̫͔͎̲̾͛̇̇͗å̵̙̜̪̝̪͂̈́̋͊̆ṛ̷̨͙̪̎̍͋̑̈́͜ê̸͎͓͕̳̖̄̇̽̅͘ ̵̼̘̙̺̿̀̔͛͊͜¢̷̨̺̘͇̙̎͗̆̓̎ð̵̰͉̳͙̲̀̍̏̍̔m̷̢͙̦̫̿̎̌͊̌͜ï̵̡̛͈͓̹͍͐̍̃̐ñ̴͔̤̻͕́̀̓̋͝ͅģ̷̫͕̭͎̇̿̈̓̚†̶̫̭̞̰̖̓̂͛̏̄h̸̡͖̭͚͇̎̓̔̄̑ê̴̥̞̠̳̩̋̔͊̀́¥̷͖̰̼̠̪̓̇̆͋̾ ̵͎̫͔͎̲̾͛̇̇͗†̶̫̭̞̰̖̓̂͛̏̄h̵̝̣̹̼͓͂̂̄̾͘ê̴̝̯͚̖͔̇̎͂̾̽l̸̡͕̗͈͋͂̋̍͝ͅþ̶̛̲̪͚̰͖̽̎͋͠h̸̡͖̭͚͇̎̓̔̄̑ê̴̥̞̠̳̩̋̔͊̀́¥̷͖̰̼̠̪̓̇̆͋̾ ̵͎̫͔͎̲̾͛̇̇͗å̵̙̜̪̝̪͂̈́̋͊̆ṛ̷̨͙̪̎̍͋̑̈́͜ê̸͎͓͕̳̖̄̇̽̅͘ ̵̼̘̙̺̿̀̔͛͊͜ ¢̷̨̺̘͇̙̎͗̆̓̎ð̵̰͉̳͙̲̀̍̏̍̔m̷̢͙̦̫̿̎̌͊̌͜ï̵̡̛͈͓̹͍͐̍̃̐ñ̴͔̤̻͕́̀̓̋͝ͅģ̷̫͕̭͎̇̿̈̓̚å̵̙̜̪̝̪͂̈́̋͊̆ṛ̷̨͙̪̎̍͋̑̈́͜ê̸͎͓͕̳̖̄̇̽̅͘ †̶̫̭̞̰̖̓̂͛̏̄h̸̡͖̭͚͇̎̓̔̄̑ê̴̥̞̠̳̩̋̔͊̀́¥̷͖̰̼̠̪̓̇̆͋̾ h̵̝̣̹̼͓͂̂̄̾͘ê̴̝̯͚̖͔̇̎͂̾̽l̸̡͕̗͈͋͂̋̍͝ͅþ̶̵̛̲̪͚̰͖͎̫͔͎̲̽̎͋̾͛̇̇͗͠å̵̙̜̪̝̪͂̈́̋͊̆ṛ̷̨͙̪̎̍͋̑̈́͜ê̸͎͓͕̳̖̄̇̽̅͘ ̵̼̘̙̺̿̀̔͛͊͜¢̷̨̺̘͇̙̎͗̆̓̎ð̵̰͉̳͙̲̀̍̏̍̔m̷̢͙̦̫̿̎̌͊̌͜ï̵̡̛͈͓̹͍͐̍̃̐ñ̴͔̤̻͕́̀̓̋͝ͅģ̷̵̫͕̭͎̼̘̙̺̇̿̈̓̿̀̔͛͊̚͜

¢̷̵̨̺̘͇̙̼̘̙̺̿̀̔͛͊͜¢̷̨̺̘͇̙̎͗̆̓̎ð̵̰͉̳͙̲̀̍̏̍̔m̷̢͙̦̫̿̎̌͊̌͜ï̵̡̛͈͓̹͍͐̍̃̐ñ̴͔̤̻͕́̀̓̋͝ͅģ̷̫͕̭͎̇̿̈̓̚†̶̫̭̞̰̖̓̂͛̏̄h̸̡͖̭͚͇̎̓̔̄̑ê̴̥̞̠̳̩̋̔͊̀́¥̷͖̰̼̠̪̓̇̆͋̾ ̵͎̫͔͎̲̾͛̇̇͗å̵̙̜̪̝̪͂̈́̋͊̆ṛ̷̨͙̪̎̍͋̑̈́͜ê̸͎͓͕̳̖̄̇̽̅͘ ̵̼̘̙¢̷̨̺̘͇̙̎͗̆̓̎ð̵̰͉̳͙̲̀̍̏̍̔m̷̢͙̦̫̿̎̌͊̌͜ï̵̡̛͈͓̹͍͐̍̃̐ñ̴͔̤̻͕́̀̓̋͝ͅģ̷̫͕̭͎̇̿̈̓̚†̶̫̭̞̰̖̓̂͛̏̄h̸̡͖̭͚͇̎̓̔̄̑ê̴̥̞̠̳̩̋̔͊̀́¥̷͖̰̼̠̪̓̇̆͋̾ ̵͎̫͔͎̲̾͛̇̇͗ å̵̙̜̪̝̪͂̈́̋͊̆ṛ̷̨͙̪̎̍͋̑̈́͜ê̸͎͓͕̳̖̄̇̽̅͘ ̵̼̘̙̺̿̀̔͛͊͜¢̷̨̺̘͇̙̎͗̆̓̎ð̵̰͉̳͙̲̀̍̏̍̔m̷̢͙̦̫̿̎̌͊̌͜ï̵̡̛͈͓̹͍͐̍̃̐ñ̴͔̤̻͕́̀̓̋͝ͅģ̷̫͕̭͎̇̿̈̓̚h̵̝̣̹̼͓͂̂̄̾͘ê̴̝̯͚̖͔̇̎͂̾̽l̸̡͕̗͈͋͂̋̍͝ͅþ̶̛̲̪͚̰͖̽̎͋͠ h̵̝̣̹̼͓͂̂̄̾͘ê̴̝̯͚̖͔̇̎͂̾̽l̸̡͕̗͈͋͂̋̍͝ͅþ̶̛̲̪͚̰͖̽̎͋͠ h̵̝̣̹̼͓͂̂̄̾͘ê̴̝̯͚̖͔̇̎͂̾̽l̸̡͕̗͈͋͂̋̍͝ͅþ̶̛̲̪͚̰͖̽̎͋͠ h̵̝̣̹̼͓͂̂̄̾͘ê̴̝̯͚̖͔̇̎͂̾̽l̸̡͕̗͈͋͂̋̍͝ͅþ̶̛̲̪͚̰͖̽̎͋͠h̵̝̣̹̼͓͂̂̄̾͘ê̴̝̯͚̖͔̇̎͂̾̽l̸̡͕̗͈͋͂̋̍͝ͅþ̶̛̲̪͚̰͖̽̎͋͠h̵̝̣̹̼͓͂̂̄̾͘ê̴̝̯͚̖͔̇̎͂̾̽l̸̡͕̗͈͋͂̋̍͝ͅþ̶̛̲̪͚̰͖̽̎͋͠h̵̝̣̹̼͓͂̂̄̾͘ê̴̝̯͚̖͔̇̎͂̾̽l̸̡͕̗͈͋͂̋̍͝ͅh̵̝̣̹̼͓͂̂̄̾͘ê̴̝̯͚̖͔̇̎͂̾̽l̸̡͕̗͈͋͂̋̍͝ͅþ̶̛̲̪͚̰͖̽̎͋͠

h̵̝̣̹̼͓͂̂̄̾͘ê̴̝̯͚̖͔̇̎͂̾̽l̸̡͕̗͈͋͂̋̍͝ͅþ̶̛̲̪͚̰͖̽̎͋͠h̵̝̣̹̼͓͂̂̄̾͘ê̴̝̯͚̖͔̇̎͂̾̽l̸̡͕̗͈͋͂̋̍͝ͅþ̶̛̲̪͚̰͖̽̎͋͠h̵̝̣̹̼͓͂̂̄̾͘ê̴̝̯͚̖͔̇̎͂̾̽l̸̡͕̗͈͋͂̋̍͝ͅþ̶̛̲̪͚̰͖̽̎͋͠ h̵̝̣̹̼͓͂̂̄̾͘ê̴̝̯͚̖͔̇̎͂̾̽l̸̡͕̗͈͋͂̋̍͝ͅþ̶̛̲̪͚̰͖̽̎͋͠þ̶̛̲̪͚̰͖̽̎͋͠

Congratulations! 

You are now a cryptid. Go forth and terrorize the locals in any way you please. Some popular options include stealing babies, dismembering those who happen upon your territory, and cursing entire bloodlines. Whatever horrors you can dream, you can achieve! The realm of nightmares truly is your oyster.