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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 ❄️

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Don't give him ideas.

[He isn't going to put it past Kaveh to do something as ridiculous as this.]

I suspect he already had the idea in mind regardless of me having said so.

[Unfortunately for Alhaitham, he cannot doubt the possibility of Sherlock's words here.]

Don't encourage him, then.

[Or else the man will really follow through on it.]

Would the idea lose its novelty if someone else did so before him?

[ Would this spare Alhaitham in the future because it has been done? ]

It'd do the exact opposite.

[It'd only fire Kaveh up more because it has already been done. And give him more ammunition to persuade Alhaitham with (even though the truth is that Alhaitham will probably put up a token protest at best).]

Ah. There goes that idea.

Did you think he was only doing it for the novelty?

[Because yeah, maybe it plays into like .5% of why.

But mostly the reason is just because his senior is ridiculous and likes to do ridiculous things just because he can. ~~It's maybe a little charming sometimes.~~]

No, I was thinking that if someone earnestly made one, he wouldn't want to take away from their attempt and risk harming their feelings.

[ Kaveh could do it best, but if the feelings of the other maker was involved, maybe he'd refrain.

Or maybe not because Alhaitham is his. ]

He'd be far more likely to question them, honestly.

[Which, to be fair, Alhaitham would do the exact same thing if somebody did the same about Kaveh too.]

[ Ah damn. Why not? Sherlock sends Alhaitham a private message. ]

Truthfully, I had wondered the merits of gifting him twelve drawings of you or Mehrak and leaving the calendar portion as something which could be reused. A singular object without any intention of reproduction.

[There's a brief moment of surprise on Alhaitham's end at this change, and then another at the inquiry, but it only takes a second for him to get over it.]

He would not mind that, especially knowing that it comes from you.

[Mostly because Sherlock is ~~their adopted son~~ one of the rare ones who the both of them are perfectly fine with.]

You and Miss Mehrak are the two who mean the most to Mr. Kaveh in his day-to-day life. Even if the original idea of a calendar with you as a subject was done mostly in jest, it could make for a suitable gift in reality.

[Alhaitham needs a moment to digest the idea of his husband's toolbox being addressed as 'Miss'.

...it's probably not worth correcting that.]

If that's what you wish to do, then go ahead. [...] But may I know what occasion warrants the need for you to give a present?

[Sherlock doesn't seem as the kind of person to give a present for no reason at all. But when he tries to figure it out he can't think of anything; it's not close to either of their birthdays (which Sherlock doesn't know the exact dates of anyway, so ultimately a moot point) but also its not close to their wedding anniversary which Alhaitham wouldn't want people to give a gift for anyway, so. What other reasons could there be?]

[ Is Mehrak not their daughter? Is Sherlock once more assigning people daughters when it's not already established? How is this a developing pattern? ]

The holidays approach, and knowing many of the people I associate, they will be gifting something to me regardless of if they expect something in return.

I've never had to prepare gifts for so many people before.

[ How did he end up with friends, plural?! ]

[Well Mehrak is not their daughter in the sense that Kaveh is the one between them that's anthropomorphizing the toolbox. Alahitham does no such thing himself.]

I've read about this from the books here. I suppose your world celebrates this season as well, then?

[Teyvat doesn't have any one specific 'holiday season', let alone Christmas, so this is all quite foreign to him. He didn't quite experience it last time ether since this was around the time when he first arrived, so he was more occupied with getting used to the place in general.]

[ Nope. Sherlock is apparently assigning people daughters on accident now. He doesn't make the rules. ]

We do. Toward the end of the calendar year, there is a holiday called Christmas where gifts are exchanged among family, friends, and acquaintances. Homes and streets are decorated with ornaments, pine, holly, and mistletoe. People feast and spend time with each other.

There is religious meaning to the holiday, but I tend not to concern myself with those traditions.

[ Christmas in the Holmes Household was a minor affair that was hardly worth noting given it only consisted of Mycroft and him (and Jon). Usually, Mycroft was busy with government business, leaving Sherlock (and Jon) alone.

Christmas with John and Mrs. Hudson was far more lively, and Sherlock had to quickly learn what was expected of him. (It was nice.) ]

[A bit of time passes as Alhaitham thinks of any potential festivities in Teyvat that could match what Sherlock describes. The Sabzeruz Festival is certainly out, seeing as that is about the celebration of Lesser Lord Kusanali. Windblume is more about romance, so that doesn't line up, and Weinlesefest is the end of a harvest. Ludi Harpastum... Fontinalia... Moonchase...]

I suppose the closest approximation Teyvat has to such a festivity might be Liyue's Lantern Rite. I've not celebrated it myself, but what they do bears enough similarities to what you've just described, though its origins do not stem from religion.

[In a sense Alhaitham supposes that the Sabzeruz Festival is sort of religious, seeing as its about Lesser Lord Kusanali's birthday, but she is far less nebulous than say the Anemo God himself.]

I cannot depend on whether or not someone personally celebrates the same holiday as this world. People are swept up in the festivities regardless. I would rather be prepared than caught unaware.

[ Sherlock finds himself wanting to please his friends and not give them more reason to question his worth. ]

[Sherlock you better not let Alhaitham know your inner thoughts there because those sure are not great things that he wants to see.

...though that being said, Sherlock's particular choice of words there do give him an inkling of the aforementioned thoughts. After all, why does Sherlock say that he feels a need to be 'prepared'?]

If you're doing this merely because of some form of expectation from others, then I am going to have to reject your offer.

[ His self confidence is a mask that has long since cracked into pieces. His self worth has always been tied to his mind and what he can do for people. They are not great thoughts to have. ]

That is your right to do so. I won't involve someone in holiday they do not celebrate.

[ Sherlock doesn't realize that he can just gift people things instead of waiting for someone to do so first. There doesn't have to be any kind of exchange. HE'S NOT USED TO HAVING FRIENDS. ]

[...normally Alhaitham would just leave things at that, but—well. He knows that Sherlock has a hard time with things, and he understands that the detective's initial offer was only with good intentions for the most part. He just wants Sherlock to be doing this because he wants to, and not because of some kind of expectation that doesn't even exist.]

You are right—this holiday of yours does not exist for Kaveh or I. Thus, it stands to reason that any expectations attached to it likewise does not exist.

So in accordance to same line of reasoning, any form of gift giving should not come as a consequence, but rather a choice.

[Please pick up what he is putting down, Sherlock. Alhaitham is literally hand holding you at this point.]

[ He does have a hard time with things. With a lot of things.

There is a delay between Alhaitham's message and Sherlock's as Sherlock thinks things through. ]

I believe you have given me an idea as to how I can solve my predicament.

[ If he doesn't leave his name on the gift, then people won't immediately know it was him who left the gift and thus won't feel obligated to give a gift in return. It works regardless of who celebrates or does not.

Although, it won't be hard to figure out who left the gift. He should have tried to be sneakier or not give such personalized gifts in some cases. ]

[Sherlock. Sherlock no. Sherlock this is not what he wanted you to do—

But as Alhaitham is not gifted with the ability of omnipotent foresight, he is just going to take this as a hopeful step in the right direction... at least until the time comes when he gets his totally unnamed present and be proven so very wrong, but it'll be too late by then.]

For your sake, I hope its a sensible one.

[Alhaitham does not know what is going to hit him.]

It will be. Thank you for the idea.

[ Sherlock has no idea what he's about to unleash. ]

You're welcome.

[Sherlock truly has no idea whatsoever.

Celestia protect us all.]

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