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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]

[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.

[ramuhs]

I admit it was a bit of a difficult decision, but my love and desire to show your sweeter sides triumphed.

[garudas]

How lucky for me...

[And a second, more obvious roll of her eyes before she's setting her phone on his desk.]

You have gone and made me a little hitlist.

[And now she takes his phone.]

With you at the top.

[ramuhs]

My, how frightening.

[He says, not frightened at all as his arms just adjust more firmly around her.]

And what do you plan to do?

[garudas]

To you? Or everyone else?

[Can he hear her sharpening her sword in her mind—]

[ramuhs]

Both?

[He does and yet he is fearless as ever.]

[garudas]

[She sets his phone down heavily on his desk with a firm thud.]

Well, I might forgive you on some conditions. The others will have to grovel if they want my forgiveness, or I carve this memory out of them.

[Joking.



Maybe.]

[ramuhs]

[There's just the slightest arch of the brow...as he swivels his chair around so that she's locked in-between himself and the desk.]

And what are those conditions?

[garudas]

[She's a little surprised by the sudden swivel of his chair, the motion making her reach for him again before she's wedged between him and the desk, trapped. Not that she seems to mind, if the shimmer and blazing heat in her eyes is anything to go by.]

That you wax poetic at me about spring winds and storms again. Only for me.

[None of the silly little things that he would have said over text to all these other people.]

[ramuhs]

As if I would be able to do so to others.

[He leans in a little closer, his eyes deepening with that fondness he has for her.]

You're the only one I want to hear it.





[Though she better realize she's setting herself up with that.]

[garudas]

[Maybe she wants to be the only one to hear it.]

What say you leave this little post of yours for a while?

[ramuhs]

[As if on cue, his phone will buzz and vibrate along his desk due to the number of messages he is receiving from the photo, and he'll glance at it over her shoulder.]

My sudden silence might be suspicious.

[He says, he but doesn't actually make a move to it, instead his eyes meeting hers with that playful mischief.]

[garudas]

[She doesn't even look at the phone as it goes off, but she does watch him carefully, as if testing him to see what he might do.]

I very much doubt anyone will be questioning anything. And if they do, let them come to their own conclusions.

[Maybe they'll think he's dead—]

You may tell them that you were properly punished for your crime when you return.

[ramuhs]

[They'll either think him dead or have other reasons to not come knocking around if they're smart.]

Is it really a punishment? I have a feeling it will be more of a reward.

[Smirk.]

[garudas]

We will see if you are saying that when I am finished.

[His phone goes off again and this time, she glances at it, a brow arched, before her hand takes a fistful of his shirt and pulls, shifting so that they can both get to their feet.]

Now, where were we before? You were saying things about my wind—