A tall, young woman steps towards the large, old oak table. It is littered with scribbles of paper containing memories and reminders of past years, and she smiles as she glances over them. At one end of the table there is an old ink pot, with a quill pen laid just by the side of it. Stacks of cream paper are on hand, so people can create more memories that will be saved to be remembered as years pass by.

Carefully dips pen into ink, and writes:

I am Lady Elanor, of the fair realm known as Holy Worlds, and I was present today at the annual gathering of Holy Worlds fourth birthday, on the 20th of September 2013. This community has blessed me so much, in my writing, in my daily life and in my walk with God. God has blessed me with such wonderful friends, and I am very happy that I can celebrate this special birthday with you all. I am excited to see what God has planned for our future this coming year, and look forward to serving with you guys as we step forward into the future, embracing new beginnings.

*Carefully places the quill pen back in it's place, ready for the next person who comes along to make their presence on this birthday known to the world*

A slender young lady in a flowing light green dress glides into the room. She stops just inside the doorway and takes a quick, careful look around. Her lips curve upward when she spies the stack of cream paper and the quill. She glides over to the table and picks up the quill.

I, Lady Katharina, was here this 20th day of the fair month of September in the year of our Lord 2013. May God bless this fair realm for many more years to come.

A logline for all occasions!

After the logline guru is promoted to the rank of Marcher Lord, he decides he'd better actually show up for the Holy Worlds birthday party this year.

I, Jordan Smith, was here on the fourth birthday of the most illustrious Holy Worlds. May its members continue forward in the craft of creating great stories.

A young man strides purposefully to the table, hair a disheveled mess and black circles renting the space underneath his eyes. He snaps his fingers, and a quill with a green feather appears in his hand. No offense meant towards your quill, Lady Elanor. I'm sure it's delightful, but I like to use my personal quill-of-office for special occasions.

I, Suiauthon Mimetes MLS, SuiLawreMark, Marketh, Twinnie, Lepre, Nomad, etc. etc. etc., semi-retired mod and resident Leprechaun King, was present for all of four seconds on the fourth birthday of his beloved forum. May God bless it and its members as they seek Him and His Kingdom.

Finishing with a slow flourish, he glances around at the celebrations and smiles softly. Later, the other party-attenders will not quite remember how nor when he appeared and left.

A young lady wearing a purple gown enters the room. She is smiling widely. "Happy birthday, Holy Worlds!" she whispers as she takes a cream colored card and writes in soft cursive:

I, Elly of Zoriah, moderator was here today, September 20th, of the year 2013, to wish Holy Worlds a splendid fourth birthday. I have been part of this forum for three years next month (you will hear about that more, I presume) and it has blessed me more than words can say.

She pauses to read some of the other cards, quietly reflecting on the members from all the years and all genres of the forums that mean so much and are so loved.

Then she turns and walks over to the celebration room.

A dark, silver studded form falls silently from the rafters. He moves with equal silence along the floor, and through the lamplight as though invisible, though in sharp contrast with it. He draws a supple glove from a lean, ruddy hand, and writes with his finger, leaving thin lines burnt in the paper.

I, Patrick Lauser Tsahraf Chahsid Mimetes, was present on Holy Worlds the ninth month on the twentieth day of the month, in the year of our Lord two thousand and thirteen. May God be with and bless the people and the work of this forum!

A large bear appears in the lamplight, attempts to climb on the unfortunate dark form, sits down heavily on him, and leans towering over the table. Espying the various writing accouterments he bellows with great interest, and begins to raise his massive paws and beat the table thunderously. The table cracks, the lamplight flickers, and the old and venerable ink pot is squished like an unfortunate but juicy beetle. Finding ink on his paw, he experiments on the paper for some time. Then he departs the lamplight barking quietly to himself, having left a large mark.

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A lean and ruddy hand slips up over the edge of the table into the now steady light, and writes:

Brendan Bear was also here.

The dark, silver studded form returns to his feet several paces away, salutes with his two swords, and bounds again into the rafters.

A young man with a flowing cape and notebook in hand, walks into the room and looks around. Finished observing, he walks over to table and picks up the quill pen.

I, Sir Iarrthoir Criost, was here the 20 of September 2013, the fourth birthday of this realm. May it live on until the end!

This young man puts the quill back then, appearing thoughtful, he reads the others cards, then slowly walks away.

A young man walks in a subtle as possible, then picks up the quill.

I, Blayne B. Trent, was here on the twentieth day of September in the year two-o-thirteen.

The young man silently walks back out.

Quickly, and not very quietly, a young lady patters into the room. She spies the quill pen and hurriedly writes:

I, Ophelia MirZA, was briefly present for Holy World's forth birthday. *Looks over the writing and then scrawls another line* Gosh I love you people!

*Skips away*

A tall young man with untidy black hair, still glistening wet, hastens distractedly into the room, glancing at his watch and muttering something about the traffic in the ether. He steps up to the table and writes:

Ego, Jonathan (rex-joannes) Lovelace, Chronographus in Terrae Cycli Candentis, historiae Vaynahimis, Regni Apricitatis, Imperii Candentis Rudisque, et terrae rerumque conexarum, hic in communionem virtualis qui se vocat Mundi Sacri hoc die aniversarii quartii conditii XII a.d. Kalendae October anno Domini MMXIII.

(I, Jonathan (kingjon) Lovelace, Chronicler in Earth of the Shine Cycle, history of Vaynaheim, the Sunshine Kingdom, the Shine and Wild Empire, and associated countries and events, was here in the virtual community calling itself Holy Worlds on the day of the fourth anniversary of its founding, September 20 of the Year of our Lord 2013.)

To that legibly-printed paragraph, the young man adds a nearly indecipherable scrawl that must be his name, then a blob of wax which he marks with a silver seal. He then steps back from the table, blinking a tear from one eye when he sees the notable absences from the room. And in a flash of light, additional text is automatically appended to the page.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, a young lady enters the room, wearing a green dress that shimmers from shade to shade of different greens. She stands quietly beside the door for several minutes, shadowed eyes taking in the surroundings. A gold Claddagh ring glints on her finger. Finally, pushing locks of thick and wild ginger-colored hair out of her face, she timidly steps forward and takes up the quill pen. In a simple, child-like scrawl, she writes,

I, Renna the Blue Mimetes, known by many names such as Alianna Stormrider, Miss Adrienne Charlton, and now Lady Annwyl Skyheart, was present during the fourth birthday of Holy Worlds, on the 20th of September, 2013. The members here have blessed me and changed me for the better, and I pray I will know them all for many years to come. May God bless these forums and the members of it.

The small young lady carefully sets the quill pen down, and steps away from the oak table. She turns, absentmindedly reaching up to make sure the cross-shaped pendant still hangs around her neck. She looks around the room, gazing at all of the familiar and dear faces. A slight smile plays across her lips as she blinks back tears borne of memories of those absent... but also tears of immense love for those present. Then, inclining her head with a short almost-bow, she walks quietly out of the room.

The yellow-gowned woman enters, her short dark-blonde hair woven through as much as possible with ribbons. She has strapped a sword to her waist since her last appearance, and her hand rests easily on it as she approaches the table and picks up the quill. A single tear bathes the paper as she writes.

I, Zoe M. Scrivener*, Marcher Lord, defender, and loyal subject, do here proclaim my presence at this the fourth birthday of our forum. May our realm grow and flourish and may it glorify the One who gives us breath. Semper et in perpetuum.

*known to this forum for years as Raven of the Wood

The woman looks up, a subdued fire in her eyes that mingles with the quiet peace on her face. You blink and she is gone.

Oh, that would be today, wouldn't it?

A distracted young man wanders in, looks surprised, then hurries up and picks up a pen.

I, Sir Arien, Guy of the Rounded Table, was here.

He then looks at his watch, winces, and hurries out.

A young woman wrapped in a dark gray cloak that resembles feathers slips in. She walks silently over to the table and quickly writes.

I, Leandra Falconwing, was here on the day of Holy World's fourth birthday.

She puts the pen down and leaves as silently as she arrived.

Seer's here. Although for the day I'm known as Makaidos.

A young woman enters the room watchfully, absentmindedly twirling a piece of her tangled brown hair tightly around one of her fingers. Her hazel eyes are tired, and her bearing that of one wearied, but she wears a soft smile. Purposefully taking the quill pen, she tilts her head sideways in thought, then begins to write.

I, Kiev Shawn Known to many as Shawn, Elizabeth, The Glitter Princess, the bloodthirsty hound, that penguin leader nutcase, et cetera, et cetera, was present here, however briefly, on the fourth birthday of Holy Worlds. I have watched from before the first birthday, and know many of you by name. May God ever be glorified through every story woven here.

Laying down the pen, she looks around the room and smiles at those entering and exiting the room in an effort to hide the tears brimming in her eyes. She then melts quietly into the crowd and seemingly disappears.

*signs his name for the fourth HW birthday, using a gryphon-feather pen*

There is a woosh, and a girl jumps down from the rafters and lands in a crouch, her black cloak settling on the floor around her. She stands and picks up the quill and takes her own inkpot out of a hidden pocket in her dress. In letters that shimmer with blue, purple, and green, she makes her mark as her eyes shine with unshed tears.

I, Azlyn, member of Holy Worlds for two years, having seen the pain and trial we have gone through, and also the great love of its members, was present on the fourth birthday of this beloved forum.

Transforms back into Azzy-Dragon and leaps upwards, once again turning human and watching from the rafters.

*signs* I, Black Hawk, was here. Today. Right here.

*quietly slips in and signs her name, Lady Nicole*

A newcomer makes his way to the table. He is covered with dust from the road, and though unsure as to the outcome, he signs with a bold yet awkward hand:

I, Michael Born, do record myself present at this, the fourth anniversary of the founding of Holy Worlds. May this the first be one of many I shall attend, and may God bless this gathering of like-minded believers.

*Placing the pen back once again into the ink bottle, he strides quickly and surely out of the room.*

A girl appears, wearily shaking travel dust from her clothes and boots. She sighs quietly, exhaustion evident on the slump of her shoulders, but her face brightens at the sight of the notebook still open and the pen still resting on the inkstand. She writes quickly:

Idril/Alyssa made it.

A man dressed in green and well worn leather enters slowly resting his hand casually on the pommel of his ancestral sword as he gazes at the crowd of people and spots the table. Picking up the quill he writes...


I Laothain was here upon this the 21st of September 2013. May this fair realm grow and blossom in the light of the Lord for many years.

A young lady dressed in charcoal grey slips silently out of the shadows. Treading lightly to the table, she takes up the quill and writes.

I, Abiah Idhrenniel, was here briefly to celebrate the fourth birthday of Holy Worlds on September 21, 2013.

She sets the quill down hesitantly, then picks it up again and hurriedly adds another sentence to the paper.

I am very grateful for everything you all have taught me and for all of your encouragement during the rainy days of life.

She sets the pen on the table once more and glances into the rafters before returning to the shadowed corner she emerged from.

Bush was late for the birthday party. But she snuck in here with her palm painted white, and left a handprint on the wall.

A slight girl, hair windblown, steps in at the door. Quietly makes her way to where the quill and its ink rests, and signs her name in a small and ordinary script.

~Caeli Sands

As usual, she was late in her coming.