FAQ

Is there an age limit?

Yes. Shining Hearth is an 18+ event and server. This is not because things are all NSFW all the time, but to simplify administration by not having a separate "adult" user role to manage and avoid the liability and security problems inherent in collecting copies of government-issued IDs to grant access to it. However, due to changes in Discord internal policies announced in February 2026, Discord itself is now likely to require age verification from you to access our two age-restricted channels. We don't have any control over this. (We don't have any plans to move the event to a different platform such as Stoat or Matrix this year, as it would be very difficult to do that this close to the event dates, but are looking into alternatives for the future.)

How do you define "fae"? Do nature spirits, elementals, peris, nymphs, Menehune, yokai, etc. count?

We don't have a strict definition. If you consider yourself fae, it's close enough!

I'm not an Elf, Fae, Sidhe, or Tuatha De Danann. Can I come?

Yes. We don't ask what you are on the registration form and we will not deny anyone entry based on their 'kin-type. (We do have an anonymous, optional survey of those who attend, just for curiosity's sake.) We've had dragons, shapeshifters, phoenixes and other things in attendance, and so far there have always been at least some items on the schedule that could also appeal to a more general audience of otherkind. But our primary topic and theme focus is on the spectrum of elfae folk.

Are fictionkin and plurals allowed?

Yes. It doesn't matter to us if you're a fictional kind of elf or only one member of your system is fae. But see the above answer: elfae are our focus, so if that's not what (any of) you are, there may not be activities of interest to you.

I'm a psychological otherkin who is not into any spiritual or magical stuff. Can I come?

Yes, but we're trying for a certain magical vibe of the space, and both the programming and the crowd lean that way. Belief in past lives or whatever is not required, but if you don't have any magical/mystical mindset at all, this event is probably not your jam.

How do I register to attend?

If you attended in a previous year and are still a member of the server, watch the #announcements channel for information; instructions for how to check in for this year will be posted on March 26th. If you have never attended before, or decided to leave the server for any reason and would like to return, general registration is open through March 26th.

I'm interested in presenting or performing! How do I sign up for that?

Late presenter signups closed on February 13th. If you would like to do something informal like an art or game stream, performance, or watch party, our Rec Room channel is open at any time it's not being used for something official. If interested, talk to a Committee member about getting the Rec Room Streamer role.

Do you need any help running this gathering?

Yes! We especially need staff members from the UK/Europe and Australasia regions (or anywhere that aligns with those time zones), so that we can have workshops or other events during times that are late night and early morning in the Americas. Staff sign-ups are open through March 2nd, 2026, or while space is available.

Can I show my art / sell my wares / etc.?

Yes! We have a Creative Works channel where you can post any kind of visual, musical, written, or other artwork (and a separate channel for NSFW art) as well as a Mythic Market for links to personal shops, offers for goods or services for sale or trade, etc. No separate signup besides your general registration is required, and there is no vendor fee.

I never got my invite code for the Discord server.

Invite codes for presenters, staff, and general attendance are sent once a week while their sign-up periods are open. Therefore, you may not get a code immediately, but you should receive an email at the address you provided on the form within 7 days after you filled it out. The mail will be from staff (at) shininghearth (dot) net and with a subject line beginning Welcome to Shining Hearth! If it's been more than 7 days, check your spam folder, especially if you have a Yahoo, Hotmail, or Outlook address. If you still can't find it, or you have some other problem like no longer having access to that email account, contact us at staff (at) shininghearth (dot) net.

The invite code you sent me was expired when I tried to use it.

Presenter and Staff invite codes expire 7 days after the day they were sent. If you didn't get to it in time, reply to the invitation email to let us know, and we can send you another one.

 

Last updated: 2/08/2026