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[seaboards]

WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

This posting is listed in big bold swirly letters on all Manta Boards:

AHOY! HELP WANTED. THINK YOU’VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES TO BE THE FACE OF ESCORDVI’S VERY FIRST ADVENT CALENDAR? POST YOUR GLAMOROUS PICTURES TODAY. POST THEM NOW!

A group of collaborators is looking to put together Escordvi’s very first annual advent calendar. For its inaugural year, they want to compile a collection of pictures of beautiful riftfarers to represent each month. These pictures can range anywhere from beauty shots, to thirsty body shots, to tasteful fashion poses. Anything goes!

Have your character post their own (or their friends, enemies, boyfriends, girlfriends, dogs) photos to this network post. NPCS can also be used to post photos. Then feel free to comment around on the photos with which month or season you think would suit them best. Or just comment about how much you like the photos. Who’s hot? Who’s not? Or about how horrified you are that someone posted yours! Any and all feedback is needed so they can create the best calendar ever!

At the end of the month, an advent calendar for 2025 will be created! If there are enough submissions, there will be multiple calendars so don't be shy or think you'll be left out! For ease of use, the calendar has been broken down into the four seasons so that multiple themed shots can be posted. Get posting!

PLEASE USE THE FORMATTING CODE PROVIDED IN EACH TOPLEVEL! Putting the character's name in the subject line is optional but helpful for quick reference. Any who don't follow instructions will have their comment screened so it can be edited. This is mostly to ensure images are not too large and stretching pages. Please try to crop images to best fit the code, especially long ones. The code will automatically resize images to a max width of 300px, so an image with a 3:4 or 3:5 ratio would be ideal.

QUICK LINKS: SPRING 🌻 SUMMER ☀️ AUTUMN 🍂 WINTER ❄️

Comments

[garudas]

[She would look so much more intimidating, she thinks, if she did not just climb out of bed still in her pajamas, rumpled as ever.]

Do not—what is the meaning of this!?

[She waves her phone around clumsily in her hand, without ever once showing him the screen.]

[ramuhs]

[Still smiling like the old fox that he is.]

What?

[Just looks at her phone.]

Something wrong with it?

[Feigning innocence NOW when he really just gave it away when he first greeted her.]

[garudas]

[NARROWING HER EYES.]

Oh, you know perfectly well what is wrong with it!

[A glance at her phone, then him, then at her phone, and she turns it over clumsily in her hands to shove the screen in his face.



Right as it turns off.]

This.

[ramuhs]

[Oh he knows full well and yet he continues to play dumb. Which may be the worst idea for anyone else, but who is he but one who can make a lot of bad choices and still live to tell the tale—

Anyway, just going to lightly tap it so that it's now showing her lock screen.]

You just need to tap it to turn it on.

[Smile.]

[garudas]

[He is so very lucky for that.

There's a flicker of confusion as she stares at her phone, a tiny "oh" as she realizes, and she quickly swipes to unlock her phone so that she can show him properly this time!!!]

Did you think I would not see your little post?

[ramuhs]

[He just chuckles as he leans back in his chair, leg crossed with his ankle resting over his knee.]

Oh I hoped you would, actually.

[garudas]

[She hates it when he acts so nonchalant about things!!! Be more afraid of her.]

And why is that!? You've a death wish, I see.

[ramuhs]

[He can be very afraid of her. This just happens to be not one of those times~]

I admit I might be walking quite close to the edge.

[A light smirk as he acknowledges his precarious position.]

But I thought the risk well worth taking.

[garudas]

[He should always be!!]

What exactly is this risk meant to accomplish? Other than my face being plastered on the network!

[She looks at her phone, then points to the screen.]

And where did you even get this photo!?

[ramuhs]

[Nope, which is why he just continues to smile at as his beautiful ruffled spring dove~~~~ 💜💜💜💜💜]

To show everyone your softer, gentle side that they would otherwise be unaware. And I have plenty more of them.

[That smile just widens like a cat.]

[garudas]

[Stop calling her that—]

If I had wanted everyone to see a "softer, gentler side", do you not think they would have already seen it?

[Which means that no, she did not want it!!!

And now she's fallen into pouting.]

[ramuhs]

[He just watches her amused before he cants his head and holds out his arms.]

All right, come here.

[garudas]

[...

.....

Damn him and his tempting arms and lap. After a moment of consideration in which there was not much to consider at all, she makes a sound in the back of her throat and flops into his lap, clutching her phone in her hand. Her nose wrinkles at the photo.]

You are insufferable.

[ramuhs]

[He just laughs once she's there, his arms immediately going around her as he swivels them around a little in his chair (he loves this thing—)]

And yet you still endure it.

[Terrible.]

[garudas]

[Him and his dumb face and dumb laugh and dumb chair.]

And you are lucky that I do. Any other man would have been dead before they could even post it.

[Is that a threat? Maybe a little.]

Do you truly want my photo plastered on a calendar?

[ramuhs]

[All those dumb things that she loves, anyway.

He continues to swing them around from the side to side, still amused at her.]

Then I can tear off the page and hang it on the wall.

[garudas]

No.

[She says it firmly, with no room for argument, though she has a feeling that it will do nothing to stop him.

So, she will ask with some curiosity masked by haughtiness.]

Why spring then?

[ramuhs]

Why not?

[He grins as he leans back in the chair, stopping their movement for a moment.]

You may seem cold on the outside, but it's all just a blustering front, and you were never much a fan of the cold. Autumn could be close, with those brisk winds, yet the orange and red hues don't quite match your image, either. Summer...well I think we don't need to delve much on that.

[A wry chuckle before he gives her a more serious answer.]

Spring is the season of changes, of rebirth and growth. It is when that which has been slumbering and hiding from the darkness and cold of winter can finally come out and bask in the warmth of the sun. For birds to spread their wings and fly in clear blue skies and nestle in the trees and flowers that have begun to bloom.

When the cold, harsh winds become gentle and warm, yet still able to turn into a storm without warning.

[A softer smile as he looks at her.]

You may not think it, but I think that suits you more.

[garudas]

[She is expecting a simple answer. A cheeky one that would only serve to irk her, or a non-answer at all. She expects that he will find a way around it if only to make her huff and puff at him and paint a target on her back for him to tease her further, but when he stops the swaying of their chair, it's as if that single thing changes the whole atmosphere in the room, and something heavy, buzzing with anticipation, sets in her chest.

He is right. She despises the heat of summer just as much as she hates the cold winters, but that is not what makes her heart stall and stutter.

The sincerity in his eyes as he goes on to liken her to spring, feels almost overwhelming. Not many people tend to wax poetic to her, knowing she does not have the patience to listen, and there are even fewer who would wax poetic about her. No one has ever said something so earnest about her before and convince her to actually believe it.

No one except him.

Not even she has seen herself in that light before.

There is a long silence that stretches after, her eyes on his face, flitting about like she's trying to find the crack. Looking for the place where he shows his true thoughts—a smile that breaks this sincere façade before he laughs and teases her, but it never comes. All she sees is a man who means every word of what he says.

Several more heartbeats pass before she finally lets out a soft exhale...

...

... and leans in to kiss him because he has left her speechless. It is soft and sweet, as tender as the fingers that caress his cheek.



Before her hand slaps at his shoulder.]

You do not truly believe all of that, do you?

[ramuhs]

[He can see her waiting, doubting him, but it's all true and all sincere. So it's only then when she hits him that a laugh escapes from his lips.]

Of course I do, and more.

[garudas]

More!?

[She frowns at him, though there is some playfulness lining the slight crinkle of her eyes.]

You know that you do not have to try to woo me anymore, yes?

[ramuhs]

And become complacent? I think not.

[A playful grin in return.]

But I do mean every word, whether you believe them or not. And I think many others will agree.

[garudas]

You would condemn other people for viewing that picture of me and daring to vote?

[She tut-tuts at him.]

I keep my blade close for a reason.

[ramuhs]

And here I thought you would enjoy preening your feathers to such a public showing of your popularity and adoring fans.

[No, no he did not think that at all, he knows her better than that.]

[garudas]

[There is the sliiightest roll of her eyes because no, she knows he knows her better than that—]

And here I thought that you would not want to share my pretty feathers with anyone.