Catalina Academy was originally the 'Brillembourg Lighthouse Hotel' commissioned by business magnate and philanthropist Jack Brillembourg, one of the driving members of the islands business community. Mr. Brillembourg, despite being involved in countless other business ventures, personally managed his hotel, and ran it in a way to maximize profit as well as undercut other hotels on the island. The tourist industry was, and continues to be one of the islands biggest generators of revenue, and Mr. Brillembourg knew this. Constructed in 1944 as Mr. Brillembourg's first hotel, by 1956 he had put more than half of the hotels, by '60 he had all but monopolized the island's hotel industry, and he continues to do so today.

But in regard to his first hotel, the Brillembourg Lighthouse, something changed over the years, and for some reason, that still hasn't been completely explained, he had the school converted into a boarding school in 1978. The accepted theory is that Catalina, his late wife and a Spanish-Brazilian educator, inspire him to have the school opened with her death, although, the mysterious circumstances surrounding their relationship and her death make this hard to confirm.

What is known, though, is that in having the school opened, and handing educational control over to David Ochoa, the half-brother of the late Catalina, has ultimately resulted in one of, if not the most successful schools in the entire Caribbean, and one of the most uniquely personalized schools in the whole world.


*pictured, Catalina Academy and it's pool on an uncharacteristically clear night

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*The exchange program is unique, in that, while you won't be separated from the other students of the Academy, you will all share the same classes and instructors, to help you build a repertoire with them and each other.

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Schedule:*
August: Beginning of school; local events
September: Ferry week; local events
October: School and local events
November: End of term tests; local events
December: No School; local events; Pirate and Puerto Libren cultural festival; Christmas
January: No School; local events; New Years; end of 'steam,' beginning of 'mist'
February: New term of school; local events; White Death day
March: School and local events
April: Finals; local events
May: End of classes; month of break; local events
June: No school; local events
July: Final days of exchange program; coincides with Sun Week; end of 'mist,' beginning of 'steam'
*subject to change

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Absences:
Absences are recognized for the following reasons:

1. Absences to participate in official campus activities (designated by the Vice President for Academic Affairs)
2. Absences for family or personal emergencies (designated by the Dean)
3. Absences for medical emergencies (discussed with instructor)
4. Absences for work or other of campus activities (discussed with instructor)

Puerto Libre is an archipelago located inside an atoll, the whole of which is known as Libre Isle. Puerto Libre is the largest island and is where the majority of the population and businesses reside. Home island, the third largest island in the Libre Isle, is rocky and mountainous, with only one permanent resident, being the person assigned to manage the Home Weather Station. The two, smaller islands to the south of Puerto Libre have no official names, scientists have determined that at one point, large amounts of people lived on the two islands, but some force either cause them all to leave, or, possibly, kill them all. Due to their similarity to Puerto Libre, they are known colloquially as 'mini Libre' or 'baby Libre.' The language of the previous inhabitants of the island is currently believed undecipherable.

The atoll, while colloquially known as 'Libre Atoll' is officially named 'Crescent Island', it is home to less than 5000 permanent residents, the majority of which are the Caribbean's most wealthy citizens. Businesses on Crescent Island are incredibly exclusive, with the only facilities being available to those who aren't extremely wealthy being the Libre Public Airport and the various ferrying and fishing services that exist on it's shore. Crescent Island is the only location in the Libre Isle not completely plagued by the notorious fog that the region is famous for, as such, satellite pictures have been taken of Crescent Island.


*pictured, parts of Crescent Island not obscured by fog from satellite

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Ancient History -

The ancient history of the archipelago atoll known today as Puerto Libre is not well known. As the culture of the New World came to the Caribbean, The united citizens of the island that was known to them, translated, as the 'Soul of the World', would separate, traveling down different paths; either adapting and improving on European culture like Crescent Island, fighting and enslavement as the citizens of Home Island, isolation and defense as the people of western Puerto Libre or using political manipulation to remain independent as eastern Puerto Librens did, and disconnecting and disappearing altogether, as the citizens of the southern Islands did.

Western Puerto Libre is almost certainly abundant with culture and information regarding ancient Puerto Libre, but to this day, the jungles of the island remain wild and unexplored. Rumored to be protected by spirits, the plausible explanation is that the direct descendents of the original western Puerto Libren natives still practice tribal rituals, and can be heard warning off those who veer too close to their claimed reservation.

Like Cuba and Puerto Rico, the Libre Isle was 'discovered' in 1493. while culturally and religiously more advanced than the Taino people of their sister island, Puerto Rico, the pre-Columbian Librens lacked in physical resources. Contact with the Spaniards caused a rift in Puerto Libre, and it is thought this is the two most successful factions to stem from this, eastern Puerto Libre and Crescent Island, were able to avoid colonization altogether.

While a few documents from this era exist, most are believed to be fictitious or embellished religious texts, often depicting stories of legends and urban myths. No document exists from this time period acknowledging the fog that plagues the region today.

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European Contact -

While other Caribbean islands were absorbed as European colonies, most of Puerto Libre managed to avoid this fate in several ways:

- It appears Crescent island managed to pool its resources, and temporarily become a kingdom it it's own right, quickly intermarrying with the most wealth and royal of European descent. Today most native citizens are probably more British, Dutch, French and Spanish than they are ethnic Libren, most are also probably directly descended from royalty.

- By entering into trade agreements with France, Portugal, England and Scotland, the united Eastern Puerto Libre avoided conflict in the most civil way possible, perhaps at the expense of the smaller islands in the isle.

- Western Puerto Libre hid, relying on religious fervor, guerrilla tactics and luck to fend off Europeans, as well as the people who were once their fellow islanders. They continue to do so today.

From this era is the first document discovered mentioning the fogs that characterize the island today..

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United States associated state -

The first significant US presence around Puerto Libre was in 1890, as the Spanish-American war was brewing. Puerto Libre always remained independent from the US, but as war waged on, the US found an ally in Puerto Libre and found having a base on the island beneficial. This led to the reunification of the isle, at this point in history officially known as Puerto Libre or the Libre Isle. By 1914, the two entered into a free association deal, that gave US citizens incentive to move to the isle, and bring their businesses, and things have remained stable for the island as it grew into the new era. Never particularly isolated, but certainly always strongly independent.

---

Warm, foggy days ahead! But you probably already knew that! Near perfect visibility on eastern Puerto Libre, decreasing visibility as you head west...

...*sigh* it's always the same.

Locations:**

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Crescent Island:*
- Libre Isle Public Airport
- Henry's Estates: The secretive cluster of mansions and businesses that take up most of the shore and north of Cresecent Island, there are things hidden here to those who aren't the top earners of the world.
-Various Ferry services lines along the western Crescent shore: Most Ferry's dock at some point along the Crescent shore, it's how travel between islands occurs, there are rivers on Puerto Libre to allow .
-

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Eastern Puerto Libre:*
- Catalina Academy: Your new home for the year, you'll be living, sleeping and possibly eating, as well as taking most of your classes here. Campus is large and includes it's own library, pool, several eating areas, feilds as well as open areas to relax and talk, and it's own lighthouse.
- Seaside Sand n' Surf Shack: Despite the lengthy, non-culinary name, there really isn't a better choice for fast food, traditional Libren cuisine and a nice selection of international choices. Owned and managed by Lorona Kuchisake, the Shack is a local hub and often serves as the center for local events and meetings.
- Little America: A relatively new and failing restaurant, it is the only competition to the Shack.
- La Mona Cafe: A small pastry and coffee place within walkable distance of campus, upscale, with wide selections of strong coffee and Libren pastries. The elderly Nueva couple continue to run it.
- Cinema 8: The definitive hangout for Catalina students and all high schoolers nearby, Cinema 8 is famous for affectionately showing shitty B horror movies, as well as old black and white movies on the cheap.
-Fortuna's: Although the island is filled with small stands, shops and clubs and tourist groups obsessed with the supernatural, Fortuna of Fortuna's is different. She isn't a carnie fortune teller, her predictions, no matter how cryptic do tend to have some truth to them.
- Puerto Libre Elementary school: Potential part time jobs to be gotten here, if teaching small island children is your prerogative. It's principle, Evelyn Biez, is considered a community leader.
- Liberty! war memorials and museum: A complex of memorials and buildings piecing together the history of the Puerto Libre, they are short bus ride away from the Academy, and they may be looking for part time workers.
- The Tourist traps: A series of touristy businesses on the shore and mid-Puerto Libre, they are affectionately referred to as "the Tourist Traps" by locals. They are owned by various citizens of Crescent island.
- Plantains and Rum: A bit of a bus ride away, this bar serves to minors, and there's usually some rumor going around here.
- Puerto Libre Public Library: An old building run by old people, but in some cases, old is good.
- Puerto Libre General Hospital: Notoriously empty, part time jobs may be available here.

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Western Puerto Libre:*
- Mining, fishing, and deforesting businesses: These are more mid island than anything, but they certainly approach the west. Outside of the tourist industry and hospitality industry, these are the biggest money makers on Puerto Libre, most people don't know what it is that they're doing some of the thing done here for. But the elite on Cresecent island have to have a reason for it... right?

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Home island:*
- Home Island Weather Station

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Southern Islands*
- ???

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*more to be added later/as discovered
**not definitive, feel free to suggest or ask about these

Name: (obligatory)
Age: (How many times have you been around the sun?)
Gender: (male, female, both, neither, something else? Biological sex and what your character identifies as, if applicable)

Appearance: (Picture? Description? Both??? Realistic pictures preferred)

Personality: (What your character thinks of themselves and what they think other people think of themselves)

Your History: (A little bit of background on your character, can be kept general and short)

Why are you here?: (The Catalina Academy exchange program isn't the most prestigious in the world, but it is incredibly obscure, especially given that the specifics of applications submitted are left completely to the student. So how did you get in? What did you send in with your application? An essay? You singing? A lock of hair? Why did you apply for the program? How did you hear about it? These can be bullet points)
Faith: (What does your character truly cherish and believe in? Can be left blank)
Fear(s): (What is it your character fears most in this world? Can be left blank)

Astrological sign: (not required)
MBTI: (If you want to assign your character one, put it here; not required)
Other: (Anything extra you'd like to share about your character can go here; obviously not required)

Prologue post: (I'm not going to require this, but I would like to include a prologue for the opening post, and I think it'd be neat to see a small glimpse of characters before the events of the RP starts. Just a paragraph or two of your character doing... whatever... before they end up on the island. The RP will start with all the characters on a ferry from Crescent to Puerto Libre, so really any point before then works. A week before? Sure. You on the plane? Sure. Some memory from when you were 5? Why not!?)

The Dean

Who IS the dean? No official documents give a name, and Mary handles all the work he should do, so where is he, what does he do? Does The Dean even exist?

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Mary Beaulieu



Mary is they typical overworked subordinate. Jittery and skiddish, she handles virtually the day to day affairs as well as all non-day to day affairs.

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Alex Olthuis



The enigmatic and completely gender neutral "voice of Puerto Libre," Alex provides social commentaries on island and world events, news updates, interviews with island citizens, and a variety of other radio based goods-- including music! Alex, despite funding, and personally hiring interns, has yet to be seen, and speculation on gender and appearance runs rampant among islanders. Either way, tune into 108.1 FM for updates, every hour on the hour!

- Puerto Libre Elementary school

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- Puerto Libre High school

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- Seaside Sand n' Surf Shack

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- Little America

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- La Mona Cafe

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- Cinema 8

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- Liberty! war memorials and museum

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- The Tourist traps

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- Plantains and Rum

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- Puerto Libre Public Library

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- Puerto Libre General Hospital

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Fortuna



What exactly DOES Fortuna do? Her predictions are only accurate if you can accurately decipher the thick wordplay and riddles that go into making them, and besides that she does, what, magic? Yet she still ends up on TV... Whatever it is she does, she's doing it right.

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- First United Church of Bokonism
Father Robert

Jack Brillembourg


*Brillembourg (right) pictured during one of his rare public appearances.

A reclusive and enigmatic business leader of Puerto Libre, he is known for his brutal business practices and shady tactics. Although he has a stake in Henry's Estates, he lives in an isolated castle on southern Crescent. He keeps matters regarding his business very private, but he seems to be involved in a little bit of everything, including less-than-legal activities, with his primary source of revenue being the hotel industry of the island. Although it might be easy to paint him as an objectivist industrialist, his involvement in the creation of Catalina Academy and his donations to the school's of the island do seem to suggest he has some concern for the population of the island.

Weather Station Volunteer

It's rumored that members of the Puerto Libre scientific community annually draw straws to decide who gets this position. It's not a glamorous post, but the unique and otherworldly weather of the area demands constant attention.

Name: Emma Fields
Age: 18
Gender: Female

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Appearance: Emma is a youthful girl with soft white skin. She has long straight blonde hair that reaches down to the small of her back. She has a small frame, and stands at a rather average height of 5'3. Emma has a heart-shaped face adorned with deep blue eyes. She is graceful, but appears to be rather delicate despite the fact she is actually fairly athletic.
Personality: It may be hard from some to pinpoint exactly how Emma Fields found admission into a prestigious institution like Catalina Academy. Doubtlessly rumors swirl that her family had purchased her way in, or that the dean owed her family a favor, or any number of unsavory reasons. Emma certainly doesn't seem to be the type to be found in Catalina Academy, but that's not to say she's dumb. In reality Emma Fields is merely incredibly lazy, often preferring to nap in class then pay attention, and rarely doing her work. Despite this Emma is deceptively smart- probably more so then most students at Catalina Academy, possessing one of the most impressive essays submitted to Catalina in her application.

Emma, however, hardly cares about any rumors about her, tending towards the carefree side. Besides her characteristic laziness Emma is actually quite the friendly individual, and when not found napping is a charming young women. If it wasn't for the fact that she didn't really care, she would probably be popular and near the top of her class rank GPA-wise. Instead, she prefers to keep to her small group of friends, and simply enjoy life.

Your History: Emma was born into a position of affluence, the only child of a pair of successful industrial magnates. It was agreed by both of her parents that their child was a supreme disappointment, but they were unable to conceive again. Early in their daughter's life her parents thought they were blessed with an incredibly intelligent child, but it was not until she began school that they found out Emma was struck by a case of chronic apathy. Emma saw little point in school, and quickly found herself with failing grades. After being expelled from her first school she found herself bouncing around several affluent academies, finding little success in any of them.

The first time Emma actually felt motivated to do something with school was when she heard about Catalina Academy. The idea of getting away from her parents intrigued her. Additionally, she remembered something she heard in passing on the news: Disappearances on Puerto Libre with mysterious circumstances. The promise of mystery also intrigued her. Emma applied independently, and when she was accepted, her parents were so impressed she actually took initiative on her schoolwork that they didn't question the transfer.

Catalina Academy made a mistake accepting Emma Fields.

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Why are you here?: Emma Fields applied to Catalina Academy hoping to escape the educational dogma of her parents. In addition to this, she found herself very interested in the mysterious disappearances taking place in Puerto Libre. In her application Emma naturally skirted around her academic history, instead opting to write an incredibly impressive essay that earned her quick acceptance.
Faith: Emma was originally raised to believe in God, but found herself questioning these beliefs. Today she instead finds herself holding to no God.
Fear(s): Doing excess amounts of work.
Astrological Sign: Leo

-NAME-
Lawrence Nesbitt

-AGE-
18

-GENDER-
Male

-PERSONALITY-
Many call him narcissistic. He prefers to think of it as acknowledging his superiority. As such, you might assume that people wouldn't like him, but that isn't quite the case. He has his fair share of charisma, and is good enough at making an impression to make up for his rather shallow thoughts. However, this is simply a facade, a mask to hide behind. In reality, he is rather detached. His arrogant mask serves it's purpose, gaining respect for him, as well as disguising his rather... Different view of life. He is consistently unpredictable, his mind never set on one thought or action. This behavior, paired with a propensity for violence, and a disregard for consequences, makes him a rather unique individual. Though he often acts quickly and impulsively when around others, he is very calculated when in his own mind, and has a habit of analyzing everything to the smallest detail.

-HISTORY
The life of Lawrence Nesbitt had been, up to this point, uninteresting. That is, not taking into account the first seven years of his life. It was at this age that his life was defined. One ordinary day, Lawrence was dealt a losing hand, and was walking with his father by the wrong alleyway at the wrong time. Whether knowingly or subconsciously, Lawrence blocked this morose experience out of his mind. The most he can willingly recall is running out from the darkness into the arms of a police officer, and a newspaper headline reading: "Police Save Child From Serial Killer: The California Cannibal Still at Large."
With a mother who had died shortly after his birth, Lawrence was left alone, so sent to an orphanage. This miracle child was adopted rather quickly, into a home of pity and compensation. But Lawrence's experience had hardened him, even as a child, and pity was hardly what he needed. Not knowing how to handle a child in such a situation, his parents tried to ignore his experience, and make him forget. Rather than receiving some sort of closure, the child was made to throw his trauma in the closet, and hope the skeleton never showed itself.

It seemed to work, at least to the parents. Lawrence becoming so arrogant had to be a good sign, that he was coming to terms with his experience, right? It was this Laissez-Faire parenting approach that led to Lawrence building himself such a facade. But his family was not something to gripe about, other than the previous points. They gave him the tools to succeed in life, and pushed him to his limits. It was through this that he realized that the narcissism wasn't entirely fake, nor was it undeserved. Throughout his life he had been attracted to the careers of Law.

-WHY AM I HERE?-
Lawrence had, for most of his life, stayed in contact with the police officer who he had been met with upon being rescued. It was this officer, who told him of the Academy, after hearing about it from a fellow police officer.

He submitted an application in the form of a portfolio of his works- Having spent years in an internship with a respectable law firm, he built up a quite nice repertoire, becoming a key part in the arrests of many dangerous men.

Certainly Lawrence would've preferred something more prestigious, like Harvard, but something drew him to Catalina. Perhaps the disappearances, appealing to his childhood.

-FAITH-
Ever since he was seven, he disregarded any faith in a god. He believed himself to have been forsaken by the world, and had no reason to think there could be a 'benevolent god'. Going through life, he realized that he was the only constant in his life that he could truly believe in.

-FEARS-
Lawrence doesn't exactly spook easily. This being said, his one true fear is failure, that he will disillusion his rather perfect self image.

-ASTRONOMICAL SIGN-
TerminallyCapricious (hue)
Capricorn

Name: Dana Zachary Allbright.
Age: 18
Gender: Cis Male

Appearance

Personality: Dana is a sensitive young man, who by this point in his life tends not to think terribly highly of himself. Very recently, he is actively trying to be more positive about himself and more confident and assertive in every day life. It is a struggle, and he worries that people see him as a doormat to be stepped on whenever they see fit.
He has an addictive personality, and a tendency to get sucked up in things, some would say as a way to escape his more important problem.

Your History: A young man from Maryland, grew up with a single mother and got into trouble in high school. He moved out in Junior year, and went to live with his meth addict girlfriend, Jess, who was an emancipated minor and lived alone on disability pay. Though he would have professed to love Jess, Dana was never happy with her, and their time together was an endless spiral of getting clean and relapsing. He was very close to dropping out of school himself, and when he was discussing the possibility with a counselor, he was given a pamphlet for the Catalina Academy. He got accepted, and left his girlfriend, promising himself that he wouldn't let anyone push him around anymore.

Why are you here?: Dana heard about the school through a councilor at his old school, who knew some of his troubles and was trying to help him get away. As a part of the application, Dana researched the island and the school itself, and wrote a short poem about it.

Faith: No particular faith, though he would tell you that he thinks some things happen for a reason. To him, finding Catalina Academy was a gift from some higher power.
Fear:

Astrological sign: Pisces

Name: Maximilian Elias Cotto

Age: 18

Gender: Male

Appearance: Max is a young man of slight build and olive complexion, with thick dark curling hair and alert brown eyes. He lacks any distinguishing marks- no scars, tattoos, deformities, anything like that. He prefers to wear dark clothing, and always wears a small Hand of Miriam necklace.

Personality: Max is cynical, pessimistic, and occasionally bitter, often treating even the people he likes with disrespect and sarcasm. He is not naturally likable. However, this stems from his own insecurities- his own loneliness and anxiety about his life causes him to lash out in a self-perpetuating cycle. Privately, though he would never admit it, Max is a desperately soul-searching young man. Outwardly, he's just a snarky, sarcastic misanthrope.

History: An only child, Max was born and raised in sunny Sacramento, California. His mother Rachel lost a short and brutal battle with ovarian cancer when he was only four, leaving Max to grow up under the care of his father Reuben. The elder Cotto, a history professor at Sacramento State, threw himself into his work and peculiar hobbies, frequently dropping everything to leave town on sudden "business trips". Max was raised mostly by babysitters and various members of his extended family. His mother's death and father's periodic absences had a profound effect on him, pushing him into cynicism and distrust of authority from an early age. While he did exceptionally well in school, he made few friends.

Gradually, as Max grew older, he came to realize exactly what Reuben Cotto's "business trips" truly were: amateur paranormal investigations undertaken by a semi-secret group calling themselves the California Dreamers. While the older Cotto had long been a member of this organization, he had grown obsessed with the supernatural since the death of his wife, perhaps hoping to find some closure or comfort in the thought of a larger world, a world where death was but a state of being and the soul lived on.

Max considered himself more realistic. His father's bizarre form of hope and idealism clashed with his son's skepticism and doubt. The gulf between father and son widened, particularly when Reuben tried to include his son in the activities of the California Dreamers. Max didn't believe in the supernatural. He didn't even believe in people. It became a point of contention, with the two barely speaking to one another and resentment growing on both sides. Finally, the older Cotto suggested to his son that he spend a year studying abroad after high school, using his contacts in the educational world to help Max gain admission to the Catalina Academy. Max agreed, thinking some time out of the country might help clear his head, and now finds himself off in the misty Caribbean.

Why are you here?: Max first learned of the Catalina Academy through his father Reuben, a professor in the California State system who has contacts all throughout the educational world. Reuben encouraged Max to apply, ostensibly for college prep, and Max agreed, hoping a change of scenery and meeting new people might improve his mood. The application process was a bit odd, but Max contented himself by firing off an essay- he had always had a talent for writing.

Faith: Max is virtually faithless, something of a nihilist.

Fear: Max's darkest fear is one that visits us all, late on sleepless nights, in our deepest depressions, except in his case it is always whispering in the back of his mind. Max is truly concerned that there is no meaning to life or the world, that our existence is solely an accident and all of us have spiraled out of control, that nothing truly matters and continued existence is utterly futile. Max despairs, and occasionally in his worst moments, begins to suspect that his fears are uncomfortably true.

Astrological sign: Capricorn

Other: Max speaks Spanish (thanks to growing up in California) and Hebrew (thanks to growing up with his father) at near fluent levels.

Name: Jennifer "Jenny" Sanders

Age: 17

Gender: Cis female

Appearance

Personality: The first thing most people would use to describe Jenny is 'energetic' - she rarely seems to be tired, even minutes before falling asleep. No task that exceeds her physical capacities is impossible to her, and she does not seemed daunted by any amount of work before her. Unless, of course, the work is impossible to her in which case she won't even bother. In a sense, it can thus be argued she's rather cowardly in that she won't try things she believes she can't do, instead of seeing if it truly is impossible. It can also thus be argued she has common sense, as what good is it to waste energy on something that can't be done, just for the sake of trying it? Both views have been held by people she knows.

Beyond that, it's generally agreed upon that's she's talkative, usually one to approach than to be approached, and seems to enjoy physical activities over academic and artistic ones. She has a weakness for small animals, though large dogs visibly unnerve her. In classes, she tends to record lectures when possible and simply listen to them later while jogging. She doesn't typically plan out things and, in a tight situation, goes with her gut over any analysis.

Your History: Jenny grew up in Sparks, Nevada, as an only child surrounded by many older relatives in the area. She did fairly well in school and took gymnastic classes in her free time, as few things in general attracted her attention. She made friends easily, to be sure, though once they went their separate ways, she also had a hard time keeping in contact with them. So it goes. It was just a thing that slipped her mind. Her mother was concerned about the lack of interest and had her talk to a counselor a few times, though they reported no issues. Overall, her life was fairly quiet - some classmates needed to learn to keep their hands to themselves, some adults needed to keep their words to themselves, but Jenny never felt particularly threatened. The most exciting thing, as far as she was concerned, were the family reunions when her father's family flew in from the eastern coast and when she and her parents went to visit her mother's family in Tecate.

During her first month of high school, she noticed one of her classmates, Randolph, struggling excessively during classes - he seemed to never have an answer ready and was frequently kept after class by the teachers. The whole scenario just seemed so strange that she ended up talking to him during lunch to discover he had been homeschooled and, well, despite his looks, he hadn't finished the material needed to even be in high school. Jenny promised to help him, and the two ended up hitting it off pretty well. His name was Randolph, and the more she learned about him, the stranger he seemed. Regardless, the two were good friends for almost three years and she managed to even get him coasting by in school with low Cs. Then, he stopped attending. Jenny visited his house, only to find his mother packing for a move and refusing to talk about him. Life moved on for everyone else, and it seemed everyone forgot about the odd boy.

She ended up developing another interest, now in unexplained events, and it was through this contact in the first place that she learned of Catalina Academy and its exchange program.

Why are you here?: Jenny learned about the program via Randolph's mother, who had been contemplating sending him there. Once he was gone, his mother moved away, though Jenny became curious afterwards. What about the school had attracted the woman's attention in the first place? She had heard a few things, namely that it was a bit of a tourist trap so she sought to do her own research. In the end, she was left with more questions than answers, and it seemed the best way to resolve it would be to attend the school herself. This meant uprooting herself from her friends and family, so it was certainly no easy decision; it took almost a year to decide. In the end, she chose to go - the school itself had some very high markings, the stories told probably merited consideration if she had the time if only to see how the natives were doing these tricks, and wasn't it possible Randolph had been sent there after all?

When she discovered the application required that something else be enclosed, she decided to film one of her solo tumbling routines and send the tape in with her application. It must have been as good as she hoped, as she did get in.

Faith: Roman Catholic; religion aside, it can be supposed that the one thing she truly believes in is that things always change, be it for the better or for the worse. She'll pray for the better, of course. She also feels she can rely on her family, provided she remembers to actually talk to them.

Fear(s): Large dogs, sudden loud noises, and bodies of water where she cannot see the bottom. On a more existential level, she fears being forgotten and having left a mark on no one - no one lives forever, after all, and the closest one can achieve to such a fate on Earth is to do something amazing.

Astrological sign: Leo

MBTI: ESFP

Other: She speaks some Spanish - not enough for heavy discussions, though, as her mother seemed to discourage her learning it from her family. At this point, Jenny suspects that her mother's side might be involved in activities of questionable legality and her mother doesn't want her to know. Even if true, she still trusts them.

Name: Dana Zachary Allbright.
Age: 18
Gender: Cis Male

Appearance

Personality: Dana is a sensitive young man, who by this point in his life tends not to think terribly highly of himself. Very recently, he is actively trying to be more positive about himself and more confident and assertive in every day life. It is a struggle, and he worries that people see him as a doormat to be stepped on whenever they see fit.
He has an addictive personality, and a tendency to get sucked up in things, some would say as a way to escape his more important problem.

Your History: A young man from Maryland, grew up with a single mother and got into trouble in high school. He moved out in Junior year, and went to live with his meth addict girlfriend, Jess, who was an emancipated minor and lived alone on disability pay. Though he would have professed to love Jess, Dana was never happy with her, and their time together was an endless spiral of getting clean and relapsing. He was very close to dropping out of school himself, and when he was discussing the possibility with a counselor, he was given a pamphlet for the Catalina Academy. He got accepted, and left his girlfriend, promising himself that he wouldn't let anyone push him around anymore.

Why are you here?: Dana heard about the school through a councilor at his old school, who knew some of his troubles and was trying to help him get away. As a part of the application, Dana researched the island and the school itself, and wrote a short poem about it.

Faith: No particular faith, though he would tell you that he thinks some things happen for a reason. To him, finding Catalina Academy was a gift from some higher power.
Fear:

Astrological sign: Pisces

"We need to talk, Jess," Dana started as soon as he had walked in the door. Jess was a mixed race girl, a little younger than he was. She was sitting on her small apartment's one and only couch, raising a glass pipe and a lighter to her lips. She glanced up at him as he walked in.
"So talk," she said before putting the pipe back to her lips. Dana strode across the room to her and wrapped his hand around the pipe. She lifted the lighter and clicked it anyway. Dana withdrew his hand with a wince, and Jess raised an eyebrow as if to say "that's what you get."
Dana held his burned hand as he watched her light the pipe. "I got accepted to that school."
Jess finally put the pipe down. "I thought you were joking about that shit..."
"I wasn't, I'm not," he said shortly, "I'm going, it's over."
"What the fuck?" She shouted, standing up as he turned back toward the door. "You think you're too good for me now or something?"
Dana stood with his hand on the door for a moment, and then turned, exploding. "Yes! I am so much more than the smoking, and the drinking! And the bullshit! I tried to get you to quit, but you always find a way to bring me down to your level! I'm sick of it."
He turned back to the door, and she hurled the pipe against the wall, where it shattered. "If you leave, I'll overdose. I'll kill myself!"
Dana held a shaking hand on he door knob for a moment longer, and said over his shoulder, "I'm sick of the emotional abuse too. I'm not responsible for your actions." And he walked out.

Name: Maximilian Elias Cotto

Age: 18

Gender: Male

Appearance: Max is a young man of slight build and olive complexion, with thick dark curling hair and alert brown eyes. He lacks any distinguishing marks- no scars, tattoos, deformities, anything like that. He prefers to wear dark clothing, and always wears a small Hand of Miriam necklace.

Personality: Max is cynical, pessimistic, and occasionally bitter, often treating even the people he likes with disrespect and sarcasm. He is not naturally likable. However, this stems from his own insecurities- his own loneliness and anxiety about his life causes him to lash out in a self-perpetuating cycle. Privately, though he would never admit it, Max is a desperately soul-searching young man. Outwardly, he's just a snarky, sarcastic misanthrope.

History: An only child, Max was born and raised in sunny Sacramento, California. His mother Rachel lost a short and brutal battle with ovarian cancer when he was only four, leaving Max to grow up under the care of his father Reuben. The elder Cotto, a history professor at Sacramento State, threw himself into his work and peculiar hobbies, frequently dropping everything to leave town on sudden "business trips". Max was raised mostly by babysitters and various members of his extended family. His mother's death and father's periodic absences had a profound effect on him, pushing him into cynicism and distrust of authority from an early age. While he did exceptionally well in school, he made few friends.

Gradually, as Max grew older, he came to realize exactly what Reuben Cotto's "business trips" truly were: amateur paranormal investigations undertaken by a semi-secret group calling themselves the California Dreamers. While the older Cotto had long been a member of this organization, he had grown obsessed with the supernatural since the death of his wife, perhaps hoping to find some closure or comfort in the thought of a larger world, a world where death was but a state of being and the soul lived on.

Max considered himself more realistic. His father's bizarre form of hope and idealism clashed with his son's skepticism and doubt. The gulf between father and son widened, particularly when Reuben tried to include his son in the activities of the California Dreamers. Max didn't believe in the supernatural. He didn't even believe in people. It became a point of contention, with the two barely speaking to one another and resentment growing on both sides. Finally, the older Cotto suggested to his son that he spend a year studying abroad after high school, using his contacts in the educational world to help Max gain admission to the Catalina Academy. Max agreed, thinking some time out of the country might help clear his head, and now finds himself off in the misty Caribbean.

Why are you here?: Max first learned of the Catalina Academy through his father Reuben, a professor in the California State system who has contacts all throughout the educational world. Reuben encouraged Max to apply, ostensibly for college prep, and Max agreed, hoping a change of scenery and meeting new people might improve his mood. The application process was a bit odd, but Max contented himself by firing off an essay- he had always had a talent for writing.

Faith: Max is virtually faithless, something of a nihilist.

Fear: Max's darkest fear is one that visits us all, late on sleepless nights, in our deepest depressions, except in his case it is always whispering in the back of his mind. Max is truly concerned that there is no meaning to life or the world, that our existence is solely an accident and all of us have spiraled out of control, that nothing truly matters and continued existence is utterly futile. Max despairs, and occasionally in his worst moments, begins to suspect that his fears are uncomfortably true.

Astrological sign: Capricorn

Other: Max speaks Spanish (thanks to growing up in California) and Hebrew (thanks to growing up with his father) at near fluent levels.

The old valise was perhaps a little too full, Max conceded as he strained to close it, the springs of his bed creaking as he pushed down on the lid. Still, he was obstinately determined to make this one suitcase work. He didn't want to bring any more luggage than he had to.

There was a gentle tap at his door, and Max's father poked his head inside. He was a gentle, soft-spoken man with warm eyes and a graying walrus mustache, and yet Max didn't particularly want to see or speak to him. "All packed?" the older man asked quietly.

"Yeah, Dad," Max grunted as he wrestled down the lid a final time and struggled with the straps on the suitcase.

"You sure I can't give you a ride to the airport?"

"Armando's dropping me off. He should be here soon."

"Tell him to be careful driving up there. The I-5 can be a real pain in the keister this time of day." The older man hovered uncertainly in the doorway, unsure of how to say what he wanted to say next.

Max looked at his father curiously as he struggled with the old leather suitcase. "Is there something else?"

The man shrugged. "Look, son, I just wanted to say I'm proud of you and I love you. And- and I think if your mom was here she'd be proud too." He shuffled awkwardly, reaching into his pocket for something. "I've been planning to give this to you for a long time, I was just never sure when. It's hard to know the right time, when you have kids you'll understand that. I thought maybe your thirteenth birthday, but I didn't think you'd be old enough to understand. Then I thought last Hanukkah, but. . ." his voice trailed off.

"You missed last Hanukkah," Max said coldly. "You were down in El Centro with your Dreamer buddies. Looking for- what was it? El Chupacabra? Or was it the ghost lights again?"

"Well, to be fair, Hanukkah isn't even one of the High Holidays," the old man tried to joke. He could see his attempt at humor was not appreciated, and cleared his throat. "Anyways, I've carried this a long time for you, because rightfully you should have it. Do you remember this?" He extended his hand. Within his palm was a smaller palm, made of ornate and carefully polished silver. A Hand of Miriam.

Max looked closely, hardly believing his eyes. "Wasn't that Mom's? She wore it around her neck, right?"

The older man nodded. "She wanted me to give it to you when the time was right. Take it, wear it around your neck, many Sephardim do. They say it protects you from demons and the evil eye."

Max took the talisman, looped the chain around his neck. "Thanks, Dad, I don't know what to say. Something to remember Mom by." His gratitude was genuine. He remembered the trinket vaguely from his childhood, so long ago, but had never really thought to wonder what had happened to it in the years since. "I don't know about the evil eye bit, but I do appreciate this."

The old man shrugged. "The evil eye might be real. I don't know just yet. Just do me one favor, son. Let me know about anything. . . weird on that island, alright? You know how your old dad likes his spooky stories."

Max arched an eyebrow at this. "Dad, is this one of your schemes to prove to me the supernatural exists?" he said, only half-joking.

His father shrugged lightly. "A man's got to believe in something bigger than himself, son." A car horn sounded outside their house. "That must be Armando. You'd better get going, Maximilian. I'd hate for you to miss your flight."

Name: Jennifer "Jenny" Sanders
Age: 17
Gender: Cis female

Appearance: For now using stock image, sorry

Personality: The first thing most people would use to describe Jenny is 'energetic' - she rarely seems to be tired, even minutes before falling asleep. No task that exceeds her physical capacities is impossible to her, and she does not seemed daunted by any amount of work before her. Unless, of course, the work is impossible to her in which case she won't even bother. In a sense, it can thus be argued she's rather cowardly in that she won't try things she believes she can't do, instead of seeing if it truly is impossible. It can also thus be argued she has common sense, as what good is it to waste energy on something that can't be done, just for the sake of trying it? Both views have been held by people she knows.
Beyond that, it's generally agreed upon that's she's talkative, usually one to approach than to be approached, and seems to enjoy physical activities over academic and artistic ones. She has a weakness for small animals, though large dogs visibly unnerve her. In classes, she tends to record lectures when possible and simply listen to them later while jogging. She doesn't typically plan out things and, in a tight situation, goes with her gut over any analysis.

Your History: Jenny grew up in Sparks, Nevada, as an only child surrounded by many older relatives in the area. She did fairly well in school and took gymnastic classes in her free time, as few things in general attracted her attention. She made friends easily, to be sure, though once they went their separate ways, she also had a hard time keeping in contact with them. So it goes. It was just a thing that slipped her mind. Her mother was concerned about the lack of interest and had her talk to a counselor a few times, though they reported no issues. Overall, her life was fairly quiet - some classmates needed to learn to keep their hands to themselves, some adults needed to keep their words to themselves, but Jenny never felt particularly threatened. The most exciting thing, as far as she was concerned, were the family reunions when her father's family flew in from the eastern coast and when she and her parents went to visit her mother's family in Tecate.
During her first month of high school, she noticed one of her classmates, Randolph, struggling excessively during classes - he seemed to never have an answer ready and was frequently kept after class by the teachers. The whole scenario just seemed so strange that she ended up talking to him during lunch to discover he had been homeschooled and, well, despite his looks, he hadn't finished the material needed to even be in high school. Jenny promised to help him, and the two ended up hitting it off pretty well. His name was Randolph, and the more she learned about him, the stranger he seemed. Regardless, the two were good friends for almost three years and she managed to even get him coasting by in school with low Cs. Then, he stopped attending. Jenny visited his house, only to find his mother packing for a move and refusing to talk about him. Life moved on for everyone else, and it seemed everyone forgot about the odd boy.
She ended up developing another interest, now in unexplained events, and it was through this contact in the first place that she learned of Catalina Academy and its exchange program.

Why are you here?: Jenny learned about the program via Randolph's mother, who had been contemplating sending him there. Once he was gone, his mother moved away, though Jenny became curious afterwards. What about the school had attracted the woman's attention in the first place? She had heard a few things, namely that it was a bit of a tourist trap so she sought to do her own research. In the end, she was left with more questions than answers, and it seemed the best way to resolve it would be to attend the school herself. This meant uprooting herself from her friends and family, so it was certainly no easy decision; it took almost a year to decide. In the end, she chose to go - the school itself had some very high markings, the stories told probably merited consideration if she had the time if only to see how the natives were doing these tricks, and wasn't it possible Randolph had been sent there after all?
When she discovered the application required that something else be enclosed, she decided to film one of her solo tumbling routines and send the tape in with her application. It must have been as good as she hoped, as she did get in.
Faith: Roman Catholic; religion aside, it can be supposed that the one thing she truly believes in is that things always change, be it for the better or for the worse. She'll pray for the better, of course. She also feels she can rely on her family, provided she remembers to actually talk to them.
Fear(s): Large dogs, sudden loud noises, and bodies of water where she cannot see the bottom. On a more existential level, she fears being forgotten and having left a mark on no one - no one lives forever, after all, and the closest one can achieve to such a fate on Earth is to do something amazing.

Astrological sign: Leo
MBTI: ESFP
Other: She speaks some Spanish - not enough for heavy discussions, though, as her mother seemed to discourage her learning it from her family. At this point, Jenny suspects that her mother's side might be involved in activities of questionable legality and her mother doesn't want her to know. Even if true, she still trusts them.

Prologue post: There was a knock on her door. "Come in." What did Jenny have to hide? As far as she was concerned, nothing. The door slowly swung open, and her mother walked in. There was nothing she could complain about, really - Jenny's room was basically as tidy as ever. Her shelf of audio books were maybe collecting a bit of dust, but she had important things to focus on. Research-y things. Her mother had always pushed her to pursue more interests, and she'd gotten her wish. That said, Jenny wasn't surprised to hear her mother sigh, and she tried to ignore it. Most of the topics she was checking now, sadly, were in text-based format, and it was read or suffer though a computer voice. Reading required a little more of her focus.

"Jennifer, why are you wasting your time on this, of all things?" Well, that was unnecessary. Jennifer closed her laptop, lest her mother see exactly what she was reading, and turned to see her mother looking at the newest addition to her room: a cork board, with printed articles and trimmed selections pinned to its surface. All, of course, about the island of Puerto Libre. "For a boy who moved? You could do better."

"It's not about Randolph, Mom." That didn't seem to lift her mother's mood any and, well, admittedly that wasn't entirely true. Yeah, other factors played into this, the reason she was using up a fair amount of ink and paper, but it couldn't be denied that she would have never bothered looking into it if he was still around. "Their school is internationally known for its excellence, and it's not like it'd be more expensive than anywhere else I'd look." Though if she let her mother read into the articles she was currently reading, those reports of excellence would likely be questioned. "Besides, I'm just looking into it. I never said I was going."

"Es un gran esfuerzo por sólo 'interés'." Jennifer was fairly certain her mother had said those words. She understood them. Instead of responding to them, though, she watched her mother take down the board and leave the room with it. If she was lucky, her mother was borrowing it to read the articles closely and perhaps understand that this wasn't one of her typical rash decisions. If not, well, Jenny had moved onto a new topic.

She opened her laptop back up and resumed her reading about the odd fog the western part of Puerto Libre seemed well known for.

I'm not actually sorry.

Name: Henry Philips
Age: 17
Gender: Cis Male

Appearance: WIP

Personality: WIP

Your History: WIP

Why are you here?: WIP
Faith: WIP
Fear(s): WIP

Astrological sign: WIP
MBTI: WIP
Other: WIP

-NAME-
Lawrence Nesbitt

-AGE-
18

-GENDER-
Male

-PERSONALITY-
Many call him narcissistic. He prefers to think of it as acknowledging his superiority. As such, you might assume that people wouldn't like him, but that isn't quite the case. He has his fair share of charisma, and is good enough at making an impression to make up for his rather shallow thoughts. However, this is simply a facade, a mask to hide behind. In reality, he is rather detached. His arrogant mask serves it's purpose, gaining respect for him, as well as disguising his rather... Different view of life. He is consistently unpredictable, his mind never set on one thought or action. This behavior, paired with a propensity for violence, and a disregard for consequences, makes him a rather unique individual. Though he often acts quickly and impulsively when around others, he is very calculated when in his own mind, and has a habit of analyzing everything to the smallest detail.

-HISTORY
The life of Lawrence Nesbitt had been, up to this point, uninteresting. That is, not taking into account the first seven years of his life. It was at this age that his life was defined. One ordinary day, Lawrence was dealt a losing hand, and was walking with his father by the wrong alleyway at the wrong time. Whether knowingly or subconsciously, Lawrence blocked this morose experience out of his mind. The most he can willingly recall is running out from the darkness into the arms of a police officer, and a newspaper headline reading: "Police Save Child From Serial Killer: The California Cannibal Still at Large."
With a mother who had died shortly after his birth, Lawrence was left alone, so sent to an orphanage. This miracle child was adopted rather quickly, into a home of pity and compensation. But Lawrence's experience had hardened him, even as a child, and pity was hardly what he needed. Not knowing how to handle a child in such a situation, his parents tried to ignore his experience, and make him forget. Rather than receiving some sort of closure, the child was made to throw his trauma in the closet, and hope the skeleton never showed itself.
It seemed to work, at least to the parents. Lawrence becoming so arrogant had to be a good sign, that he was coming to terms with his experience, right? It was this Laissez-Faire parenting approach that led to Lawrence building himself such a facade. But his family was not something to gripe about, other than the previous points. They gave him the tools to succeed in life, and pushed him to his limits. It was through this that he realized that the narcissism wasn't entirely fake, nor was it undeserved. Throughout his life he had been attracted to the careers of Law.

-WHY AM I HERE?-
Lawrence had, for most of his life, stayed in contact with the police officer who he had been met with upon being rescued. It was this officer, who told him of the Academy, after hearing about it from a fellow police officer.
He submitted an application in the form of a portfolio of his works- Having spent years in an internship with a respectable law firm, he built up a quite nice repertoire, becoming a key part in the arrests of many dangerous men.
Certainly Lawrence would've preferred something more prestigious, like Harvard, but something drew him to Catalina. Perhaps the disappearances, appealing to his childhood.

-FAITH-
Ever since he was seven, he disregarded any faith in a god. He believed himself to have been forsaken by the world, and had no reason to think there could be a 'benevolent god'. Going through life, he realized that he was the only constant in his life that he could truly believe in.

-FEARS-
Lawrence doesn't exactly spook easily. This being said, his one true fear is failure, that he will disillusion his rather perfect self image.

-ASTRONOMICAL SIGN-
TerminallyCapricious
Capricorn

WIP. Gotcha

Name: Glen Miller
Age: 19
Gender: Male

Appearance: 175cm with a sprinter's build, pale blond hair and sapphire blue eyes. He has an ugly criss-cross of scars on the right side of his face, extending from cheekbone to chin where he was mauled by a crocodile. He generally wears

Personality: Glen is a cheery fellow. He always, without fail, greet someone with a smile. Always happy to help, but plans each of his actions meticulously and as a consequence has trouble actually starting things.

Your History: Glen is from rural Australia, which isn't in the middle of nowhere, but he can see it from there. In fact if you took a left from the end of his driveway the nearest town would be called Nowheresville. He is from a farming family, well he calls it farming, but it's really an apple orchard, and is the eldest child. His contact with the wider world came from a mixture of the internet and the postman who delivered the household food that consisted of not-apples. This gave Glen a greater appreciation for a postman and decided that that would be a good profession to get into.

Why are you here?: Unfortunately his parents have been adamant that he get a tertiary education. So Glen sent out his applications with a whole bunch of junk mail in the envelope, as well as some flyers for his family apple orchard. Six months later and to Glen's great confusion he was accepted into the Catalina Academy. His parents proud as any parent could be, packed him up, gave a teary farewell and he was on his way.

Faith: Glen believes in chaos theory, specifically the butterfly effect, the idea that any little action can cause an incredible chain reaction that could rock the world.
Fear(s): Crocodiles. They messed him up.

Astrological sign: Libra

Other: Glen has the uncanny knack to end up exactly where and when he is needed.

WIP I'll do this when I'm able, bit flat out irl right now