And all the spots are full! Welcome to our 15 guests, and thank you to everyone who signed up! This lodge will begin sometime soon after the break ends. 

@Darkling I just need your form, but once that's done I'll start the writing process!

See you soon,

the Hosts of Hiraeth 

Hiraeth (here-eye-th) - a homesickness for a home you can no longer return to, or that never was; a feeling of nostalgia or yearning for something that no longer exists

It’s a quiet day at the castle. Clouds streak across the cerulean sky, sunlight sparkling on the ocean that stretches off into the horizon. The rumble of the waterfall in the distance is a somewhat soothing sound. Rowan watches, peering out of the open window at the highest tower, feeling very small compared to it all. He hopes that the serene view is a good omen for the coming weeks and not a thin veil of false security and hope. He sighs and rests his head against the windowsill. 

The sound of flapping wings echoes out from behind Rowan, and he grins. 

“Hey, Indigo,” he says, turning to see his friend in xyr usual black clothing and ever-present smile. 

“Hi,” Indigo responds, joining Rowan at the window and studying his face carefully before asking, “What’s wrong, Ro?”

“Hm?” Rowan feigns confusion. “What do you mean?”

Xe rolls xyr eyes. “Come on, I know you only come up to the clock tower when you have a lot on your mind. So what’s up?”

He sighs again. “It’s nothing, really.” A pause. “I’m just nervous, you know? About the guests and everything. Aren’t you?”

“Of course I am!” Indigo says, crossing xyr arms. “We all are- Kat hasn’t even left her room today, you know!”

“She’s always like that,” Rowan points out. 

“True,” xe admits. “But I promise, you don’t have to worry. We made this choice together, and it’s for the best.”

“I know, I know,” he says. A couple of seagulls dart near the window, wheeling through the air, side by side. “It’s just- well, it’s only been the three of us, since…”

“Since Aero happened,” Indigo finishes. “Yeah. But opening ourselves up to new people will be good for us! I promise.” 

Rowan feels a smile tugging at the edges of his mouth. “Thanks, Indie.”

“No problem!” Xe says, climbing up onto the windowsill. “Now stop being sad!”

And with that, xe launches xemself out the window and the sound of flapping wings begins again. Rowan watches xem go with a new feeling emerging from his turbulent emotions. It feels a little bit like hope. 

Hi! Um, my friend Jynx wanted me to take her spot in this Ski Lodge? She won't be able to make it. 

Name: Blueberrii (also known as Strawberrii. Appearance changes due to what time of day it is. Night is Blueberrii and day is Strawberrii.)

CBer or AE?: CBer

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Basic Appearance: Short blue/rose colored hair, pale skin, teal/dark blue eyes, and rosy cheeks. Long eyelashes. Wears a beret that looks like a strawberry/blueberry and wears a teal t-shirt/blue t-shirt with pink/navy blue overalls over them. Long teal socks.

Basic Personality: Bright and happy. Sometimes grave and serious if needs to be.

Luggage: Strawberries and blueberries. Plant seeds so I can protect myself.

Greatest Strength?: Power to control plants and mindreading.

Greatest Weakness?: Overthinking.

Spirit Animal?: A fox.

Other: Again, appearance (mostly hair, clothes, eye color) changes based on what time of day. In the mornings: Strawberrii. In the evenings: Blueberrii.

Can't wait until I'm in the Lodge! :3 

Hi, I'm letting my friend, Strawberrii/Blueberrii join in my place.

Thanks for understanding,

Jynx 

Name: Darkling

CBer or AE?: CBer

Pronouns: They/Them/Whatever

Basic Appearance: Choppy dark hair, aquamarine eyes, freckles, tall, slender, dark pinstriped suit, sharp teeth, bright green high-tops.

Basic Personality: A bit insane, but aren't we all? Unpredictable, reckless, often experiencing violent changes in mood. Also sarcastic, and if I'm sincere it's about the oddest things. 

Luggage: A tacky notebook with a cat on it (the cat has a speech bubble which reads "i am not a cat"), a black dahlia, and a triangle. Not a pyramid, a triangle. It's perfectly two-dimensional which is physically impossible. Also, you know, extra clothes and a toothbrush and a wooden stake, etc.; the basic necessities.

Greatest Strength?: Inhumanly good hearing, quick on my feet. I lack a moral compass, is that a strength? Also I can read a bit of cyrillic, and make any word rhyme with orange. It is not impossible, although it is an orange. See? That rhymed.

Greatest Weakness?: Reckless and impulsive.

Spirit Animal?: A cat. A cosmic, caffeinated, slightly corrupt cat. 

They arrived one by one. There was no portal or sudden flash of light, they simply blinked into existence; appearing at once where there was empty space before. Artemis appeared first, followed closely by Strawberii and Poinsettia. The three of them stumbled on the ground on which they had just appeared, which seemed to be a grassy knoll of some sort wreathed in fog which obscured their view of the surroundings. As they looked around, startled, more CBers and AEs began to appear, until a total of fifteen of them stood on this isolated hill, somewhat excited and nervous.

Shining Star looked around and thought silently that this was not at all like the fun that had been promised to her in the letter.

Before anyone could speak, a streak of black and dark blue broke through the fog and startled the crowd of CBers and AEs. Reuby Moonnight quickly realized it was a bird, maybe a crow or a raven. And then it began to change, and there was a collective gasp as the bird transformed into a human and landed firmly on the ground. This person had black hair with dark blue highlights and black clothing that contrasted with pale skin littered with freckles. A small, glowing dark blue stone was tied around their neck with a pale string. 

“Hello, guests!” the person-that-had-just-been-a-bird announced, beaming, arms thrown wide as if meaning to embrace them all. “My name is Indigo, xe/xyr pronouns, please! I am one of your hosts on this vacation, and I wanted to be the first one to welcome you!”

The group seemed to sit in a state of shocked silence for a second until Darkvine piped up, saying, “Thank you. But, um, where are we, exactly?”

Indigo clasped xyr hands. “I’m glad you asked. You, my friends, have just arrived-” xe waved xyr hands and the fog that was encasing the group dispersed in a second “-at the Hiraeth Cliff Castle!”

For a few seconds the group was once again stunned into silence, for the full view around them was now revealed and awash in sunlight: to their left were rolling green hills dotted with wildflowers that were interrupted by a large lake, waters smooth and sapphire, outlined by small white sand beaches. On their right was a sea of trees, rustling in the slight breeze. But what they really noticed immediately was right ahead of them, silhouetted against the bright blue sky. 

It was the castle, built of gray stone with ornately carved details, multiple towers reaching straight up. One tower in particular was higher and thicker than the others, a huge clock face with shining gold details built into it. Paths and gardens decorated the land surrounding the castle, including an intricate hedge maze and a vibrant rose garden. The land cut off suddenly behind the castle, forming a jagged cliff that edged right up to the back of the huge structure. Although the ocean was out of sight, the sound of waves against the cliff face was a rhythmic sound in the background.

To Aether, it looked like a background on a computer screen or a scene on a postcard. Judging by the awed looks on everyone’s faces, they were having similar thoughts.

They were snapped out of it by Indigo clapping once. Xe said, “I can’t wait! We’re going to have such a fun time.”

Eeee! It's so good so far! :3

Rose noticed something moving from the castle to where they were all standing, a gray blur streaking across the green stretch of land between them. “What is that?” he asked, pointing. 

Indigo turned to look. “Oh!” xe exclaimed. “Kat’s coming over to say hi!”

“That’s a person?” Luna Silvermoon asked. “It looks like a lion or something.”

“A panther, actually,” xe corrects. “But she’ll shift into a person when she gets here.”

“Like how you turned from a crow to a human?” Wildsong questioned. “How do you do that?”

“Magic,” Indigo says, wiggling xyr fingers in a dramatic way. 

“Oh,” Wildsong said, feeling no less confused. 

The panther- or Kat, as Indigo had referred to her- finally reached the group. She was indeed a dark gray panther, large and intimidating with amber eyes. She surveyed the group for a second with a piercing stare before shifting into her human form: Sleek black hair cut at the shoulders, Asian, plain gray t-shirt and ripped jeans. Darkling noticed she also had a glowing stone around her neck, although this one was the same amber as her eyes before she shifted into a human.

“Kat, she/her,” she said, forgoing any form of greeting.

“Kat, as in short for Kathrine? Or Katerina?” Jaybells asked, trying to be polite. 

Kat crossed her arms. “Short for Katana.”

“Oh, cool!” Sterling exclaimed. “Like the Japanese sword?”

Kat nodded once.

“She doesn’t speak much,” Indigo chirped. “But it’s fine, ‘cause I talk enough for the both of us.”

“What about Rowan?” Opal asked. “The one who wrote us the letter.”

“Oh, she’s back at the castle right now,” xe said. “Don’t worry, we’ll see her when the tour starts.” Xe looked down at xyr wrist as if checking the time, although there was no watch. “Which is right about… now! Come on, follow me, let’s begin!”

And so with Indigo leading the group with Kat close behind, they began to make their way toward the castle, stopping periodically for Indigo to point to different things and give quick explanations. 

“See the lake?” xe asked. “It has beaches and wildlife and we have boats for you to use.” Pointing in the opposite direction, xe continued by saying, “And over there we have the forest. Super fun, but it’s easy to get lost in there, so make sure you have a guide or are in a large group of people and stick to the main paths, okay?”

The group approached the lands around the castle, populated with gardens and fountains and that maze that they had seen from afar.

“All of this is available to you guys, no need to ask or anything. We do ask you to go with one or more people if you’re planning to go inside the maze, and if you’re going alone, make sure to tell someone. We don’t want you getting stuck in there!”

Finally, they approached the entrance to the castle, and the two huge oak double doors swung open on their own, revealing a person with dark skin, a tye-dye t-shirt and jean shorts, hair in many braids, and a small, reddish orange stone on a necklace.

“Hello, there!” the person said. “I’m Rowan, she/her right now although I use he/him sometimes. Such a pleasure to meet you! Now, who would like to see the castle?” 

She steps back and makes a sweeping gesture with one arm, and the group files into the foyer, taking in the view.