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 "role" to manage and avoiding the liability and security problems inherent in collecting copies of government-issued IDs to grant access to it.

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, nor will we deny anyone entry based on their 'kin-type. We've had dragons, shapeshifters, phoenixes and other things in attendance. But be aware that we are trying to maintain a topic and theme focus on the spectrum of elfae folk, so while so far there have always been some items on the schedule that could also appeal to a more general audience of otherkind, things may not necessarily be geared to your interests.

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 tend to a magical/mystical mindset at all, this event might not be 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 20th. If you have never attended before, or decided to leave the server for any reason, registration for 2025 closed on March 20th. General registration opens on January 1 each year. We recommend signing up for the newsletter to get announcements for next year's gather!

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

Late presenter sign-ups closed on February 7. Presenter sign-ups for each year open in November.

Do you need any help running this gathering?

We're well supplied with moderators this year (usually we have 1-3 besides the committee). Signups for this year closed on February 28th.

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.

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: 3/16/2025