The Whittaker Saga: 1940s - Anna keeps her promise (updated 9/16)
I was vastly inspired when reading the decades challenge, and as a history teacher, I could not stop myself from giving it a try. Of course, true to my nature or refusing to do things by the book, the first thing I did was break the rules. How? By creating as my protagonist a single, working woman living on her own! Gasp! Why? Partly because a story popped into my head, but also, partly, to honor the many women who - by choice or necessity - actually worked, and worked hard for their living in the 1890s. We tend to forget them, but the working women were there - from the hard working farmers that we often downgrade by calling wives, as if they weren't an essential part of the economy of the farm, to the working class women working as domestic help or in the factories where they were only payed half of a man's wages. So with that, I introduce Abigail Spencer, a single, working, middle class woman in 1890s Willow Creek: As middle class there is only a few jobs available to Abigail, that of governess or that of teacher. Abigail is therefore a teacher, teaching at Willow Creek Elementary School. She lives right next door to the school, in a small shotgun house with a few chickens and a patch of land to help her make ends meet (teachers really were not payed a lot during this time either). Obviously, her biggest goal in life is to find a husband, get married and start a family so that she won't have to work. (In fact, a teacher, as well as many other working women, automatically lost their job if they got married during this time.) But to get married, she needs to find a husband. Meet Willow Creek's eligible bachelors: Matthew Godeau: Matthew is one of the richest men in Willow Creek. A bit too old to still be a bachelor he lives with his widowed mother in Ophelia house (yes, eventually this family changed their names and became the Goths. Ophelia house is named from Matthew's mother). Pro: Matthew is creative, just like Abigail, as well as a romantic and would be sure to bestow lots of attention on a wife. He lives in one of the biggest houses in town, and is a wealthy business man. Abigail would have a good life with him. Con: His mother. Ophelia is a woman set in her own ways and she is not about to let some silly girl interfere with how she runs her house! Ophelia is mean, materialistic and an overachiever. She is not likely to see some middle class teacher as good enough for her son. Add that she has raised her son to be not only creative and romantic, but also incredibly self absorbed and the household may prove hard to be comfortable with. Joseph Whittaker: Joseph is a novellist, living in the stately Whittaker house, which with time, will be turned into the well renowned Willow Creek Archive. He has no mother (a definite pro), but two very young children. A son and a daughter, from a previous marriage. Pro: Joseph is a bookworm, just like Abigail and is sure look favourably on her past as a teacher. They are also both family orientated which means they are a good match in personalities and would likely find a lot of common ground. The house is ripe with books, and Joseph's two motherless children desperately need a mother to tend to their needs. With two live in maids it's a comfortable life focused on the family and the books she so loves. Con: Joseph very much mourns his dead wife, and keeps her picture on the wall over the fireplace. Can he ever truly love again, or will Abigail forever live in the shadow of the woman he loved and lost? Loyd Brennan: Loyd is the owner of Brennan's Groceries and Dry Goods, the biggest (only) shop in town. He lives with his sister Mary and their dachshund above the store. Pro: Loyd is outgoing and friendly and easy to get along with. He's self assured, but unlike Matthew, not self absorbed. He works hard and provides a good home. As a working man he does not mind a working wife, so Abigail would do more than sit around being pretty. He loves dogs, and anyone who does cannot be bad - right? Con: Living in a store would mean working in the store. There is no way the wife of a store owner is not in that store working along side her husband. Without money for a maid, this involves not just working in the store but running the household as well. The apartment isn't really big enough for a large family and unless Mary gets married, it's bound to be crowded. Then there is the fact that she and Mary does not really get along well. Paul Heydale: Paul is a farmer, living with his entire family at Garden Essence, a farm with a cow, chickens and a whole lot of crops. They're a tight knit family who works hard for what they have. Pros: Paul, like Abigail is both creative and family orientated. He dreams of becoming a painter rather than a farmer. By marrying him, Abigail would be wrapped up in a large family who would be there for her, something she'd never had before. His family is also very friendly, and Abigail teachers his younger sister and has already met and chatted with his mother and father and really likes the entire family. Con: Marrying a farmer would be a step down the social ladder, and the life of a farmer is hard! Is Abigail cut out for working out from early morning to late evening without ever more than making ends meet? And the house is crowded as is, with Paul's parents and two younger siblings (so far). Where would more children live? Is Abigail prepared for the hard life that accompanies this choice? Now I wanted to make a poll, but apparently you cannot do this in this section of the forums. So I'll leave you with a question instead - who do you believe Abigail will most likely fall in love with and why? Matthew Joseph Loyd Paul Finally, here is my Willow Creek in 1890: *** An important note about the future postings in this story: After trying and fighting the forum to get the posts up and running as they are supposed to work, I have now decided that it's simply too much work. Instead, I have started a blog that (hopefully soon) will contain all of the chapters from here and the old forum. I am currently at 1891 and moving forwards quite rapidly. Here the posts of each chapter will be replaced by a link to the chapters in the blog as I move forwards, though I will leave any comments as they are. The massive perk with this is that I do not need to worry about editing in all images manually, and the loading time will decrease enormously without them. The process of reading is also easier at the blog - and while the blog itself is in the wrong order, I have set up a list of all chapters in chronological order for new readers as well as a search function if you are looking for a specific chapter. Another perk is that I have some new options, like character pages where you can get a summary of each of the main character in the story (warnings for spoilers) and a separate page about the challenge, how time moves. I hope I will be able include a link to the family tree as well. It will take some time to get everything set up, and I do appreciate input in the process. I do promise that the story will go on, and hope you will keep reading it and commenting on it either here or on the new blog. Link to the blog.
Diary of a Country Girl
Hi everyone. 🙂 This is the continuation of a story I started back in March on the old Vanilla forum. If you were a regular follower of the 'What Happened In You Game Today' thread, you already know Aurora and her little family. Her save started out as just for fun. To explore things within the game that I never had before. I was just going to share a few screenshots with captions. The original idea for this save was to only be about Aurora and her sidekick, her Bernese, Piccolo. But I realized a couple of weeks ago that, yeah, it had become a story. And it deserved its own space here on the new forum. This post and the next couple will help those of you who aren't familiar, become familiar. And since the previous updates were scattered over like 75-100 pages of the old WHIYGT thread it's a nice reminder for everyone that had been following along. The title is also a hint at another change. I'm going to start writing each update like it was an entry in Aurora's diary. I may still write something here and there in a more traditional style with dialogue though. I'm also getting ready to start the reboot of my other story and by writing this one like a diary it's a lot easier to do both and still keep this interesting. So let me introduce you to everyone. Aurora Westbrook-Carter Aurora came back to her country roots. Her parents left Chestnut Ridge just as she entered her teens. She still came back to see her grandparents during the summers. She loved those visits and getting away from the city. After graduating high school she went to art school where she honed her painting and photography skills. But she never lost her love for the quiet country life in Chestnut Ridge. Now she's back where she feels most at home. Tre Carter Aurora's husband Tre came from an entirely different background. He grew up on the streets of Del Sol Valley just like his father. His mother came from Ciudad Enamorada. Yet Tre has always fascinated by the country life. He has an abiding love for horses too. Even if his first real life encounters weren't exactly smooth. Piccolo Aurora's loyal sidekick. Peanut (l), Nashville(back), and Spirit Peanut is Aurora's champion American Saddlebred. Nashville is Tre's horse and Spirit is the newest addition to the family. **Table Of Contents** Recap Part One Recap Part Two Recap Part Three Recap Finale Chapter One Chapter Two
Cantrell: The Early Years
And So We Moved, a Cantrell: The Early Years Save “Lulu,” Joseph said. Seeing her frown at his chosen nickname for her, he began again, gently taking her by the shoulders. “Louise, I know you’re in your second trimester, but not that far into it. Besides, the journey normally only takes about two months’ time. This is a tremendous opportunity for us,” Joseph continued. “Here I get peanuts for doing the same job I’m being recruited for. I’ve already been promised over 200,000 Simoleons up front, if I take the job. The only catch, it’s on Vulcan. I served some of my time as a Marine on the red planet. It’s really a lovely place. Good people, if not a tad stiff in some manner, but you’ll adapt to it. I promise. I personally know Ambassador Sarek. Oh, and his wife, Amanda, is human. She’s also a teacher.” “But we’re to live in a compound? They keep all of the human residents in a compound? I don’t like the sound of it. Joseph, I don’t.” “It’s not what you think. The Vulcans rely on Logic and have trained themselves to avoid emotional statements as much as possible. Neighborhood implies emotion by the very nature of the word. It’s a very nice neighborhood, I’ve been there. We’ll likely not see too many Vulcans there. So, you’ll have the opportunity to make some friends. Human friends.” Louise lowered her head for a moment and let out a long, audible sigh. She really didn’t want to go. Gazing up again at him again, she said, “I’ve got one very active baby with another baby on the way. Being cooped up in a small spacecraft spells nightmare for me.” Joseph’s light blue eyes were aglow at the prospects of finally getting ahead in his chosen career. Another look at Joseph and Louise relented. She did love him so. Against her better judgement, she found herself saying, “Oh, all right. We’ll give it a try. But, if things don’t work out, please tell me you have an exit strategy.” “Exit strategy? Oh, sure. Yes Ma’am.” His smile was tentative, since he had already signed a two-year contract, renewable if he performed well at the job at hand. *~~*~~*~~*~~* The trip was long and arduous. The craft, already old, had several breakdowns along the way. Having to be towed, via Tractor Beam, to a Space station equipped to make repairs took way more time than expected, its location drawing them several parsecs off course. Again, due to the availability of out-dated parts. The advanced simoleons were meant to cover their housing. Sadly, the almost ancient Skiff took most of it just to get there. They could not afford the costs of repair, let alone the expenditure of time. Repairs took weeks. Waylaid as they were, virtual prisoners in their own ship, the repairs notoriously slow, suddenly Louise found herself in labor. “Oh, Joseph, this isn’t gas at all. This is the real deal. This baby is coming now. And I mean, right now.” “But we’re still parsecs away from Vulcan. The mechanics have assured me we’ll be on our way again very soon. Can’t you wait for another hour?” “Yes, Mr. Genius, I’ll just tell the baby to put things on hold,” she said, the humor curiously lacking from her pretty face. Then narrowing her eyes as if in contact with the baby inside of her, she shook her head. “No . . . no, somehow, he’s just not listening. He says he’s done baking and wishes to come out, now.” Joseph gazed at his young wife, “I’m in trouble, huh.” *~~*~~*~~*~~* True to their word, the mechanics finished up their work and bid the Cantrell family a Bon Voyage. The ship was still slow, which left Joseph in a near panic. Soon their toddler, Aaron was walking. Louise having to chase after him, who seemed to have a very bad case of the wanderlust. Or, perhaps he was just Inquisitive. At any rate, Louise was certain the mite was intent on exploring every nook and cranny of this sad vessel. She longed for the moment she could beam down and check out the only house they could afford with the leftover funds. *~~*~~*~~*~~* Five months after their second child arrived, their craft all but drifted into Vulcan’s atmosphere, where again, a Tractor Beam was used to pull them into the active space port where they offloaded. A crew was there to secure their luggage and little Aaron’s stuffed bear, that lay neglected on the deck. When his parents were able to interpret his anxious squawks, it was soon recovered. “Heaven forbid, Bear should get left behind,” Louise said, presenting it to the tot. By the iron grip the child had on the brown, stuffed replica of the Terran mammal, peace reigned once again. Their second child, another boy they named Erik, was no longer a newborn when they finally reached Vulcan space. Emerging from the craft in the hangar, a small delegation of Vulcans and Humans greeted them. Joseph had kept them apprised of his travel woes, which phased them not at all. He was given the day off to get his family situated in their new home. The couple only saw it virtually and had contracted a builder to make an archway between the two smaller bedrooms the boys would share. Among a few other alterations. Getting a chance to tour it, though soon brought Louise almost to tears. Beaming down to see the house in person shattered her expectations. If she found being cramped in a small spacecraft for nearly eight months was a nightmare, these quarters were equally small if not smaller. Two bedrooms, as per their changes, one bath, but the entire place was just small, the rooms cramped, not at all like the pictures online. Being rather adept at photography she should have realized the angle used was in an almost deceptive way. The kitchen was a bit of a joke. Strictly speaking a one-butt kitchen--- if it was even large enough for one. They had a small island added, for more working surfaces. No laundry room, whatsoever. She had the movers place the stackable washer and dryer in the corner of the main bedroom. There simply wasn’t anywhere else it could go. Joseph quickly settled into his new job, taking over the recently vacated 5th grade class at Province Elementary School, serving the Human Compound. So on top of having to adjust to the stronger pull of gravity on this planet, the thin atmosphere, which made breathing a bit harder for them, the hotter than blazes temperature, even in winter, which dropped to nearly unbearably cold temperatures once the sun went down; she also now had a new challenge before her. Louise found herself confronted headlong with Sibling Rivalry. Being an only child herself, this was foreign to her. Yet, Aaron was clearly jealous. He had a nasty case of it, she noted. So far he contented himself to pull at little Erik’s feet whenever Louise sat down to breast feed him. Louise had to be on her guard to make certain her toddler didn’t further act out his feelings *~~*~~*~~*~~* Having learned of such beasts as the Sehlet, often domesticated to her confusion, the bear-like animal had six-inch fangs. Or worse, the known predator called Le-matya, which bore poisonous claws. She worried Aaron would wander off someday and they would forever lose him in this almost hostile and alien world. She still just didn’t understand what it was Joseph found so enchanting about this place. Despite it all, Louise found a job in the Painters Career. She was something of a prodigy, herself, when it came to translating images to canvas. She painted to relax. The more she created, the better she felt, as if driven to express herself in this manner. The fact that her work was drawing notice was nice and it did help to keep her at the easel. When she wasn’t running after Aaron, that is. He was most certainly a handful, that boy, with his rather reckless desire for adventure. She was already making her mark on the Art world, having achieved the status of Proper Celebrity. She refused to let it go to her head, and instead decided the Paparazzi who hung around outside of their little dwelling, would be her first friends in this alien place. Busy taking care of her two children, in between dealing with Morning Sickness again, she soon realized they had been a bit on the capricious side when they ‘initiated’ their new home, shortly after moving in. What were they thinking? Faced with a third child under the age of four, she worried that the Daycare wasn’t being run as well as they promised. Often, Erik came home hangry with a wet diaper and exhausted. But, could they afford a nanny? This prompted her to produce more paintings which she sold to an Art Collector, which returned many more Simoleons that just selling it straight out. All for now. Thanks for reading! :)The Merfolk of the Sulani Seas
Overtime, I'll add to this post to expand the Table of Contents and make it easier to access the chapters. Table of Contents Use the links in the Table of Contents to read the chapters in order. The links are working and will take you straight to a chapter. This should save people the trouble of scrolling through the thread. Eventually, I plan on trying to put the "Meet the MerSims" Section in a spoiler, but given the trouble I've had using Spoilers, I'm putting that update on hold. The Little Merman Arc Chapter 1: The Shadow of the Sea Witches Chapter 2: Swimming to Zalia Grottos Chapter 3: Life's Full of Tough Choices Merfolk of the Sulani Seas Lore Overtime, this post will be updated as new merfolk appear in my story. My merfolk won't die from old age, and I'll be following many of my old rules for merfolk. I expect that it could be easier to cheer for a specific character since they won't disappear anytime soon. Meet the MerSims Overtime, this post will be updated as new merfolk appear in my story. My merfolk won't die from old age, and I'll be following many of my old rules for merfolk. I expect that it could be easier to cheer for a specific character since they won't disappear anytime soon. The Zalrian Pod Kemps Zalrian Calum and Reef's older brother. He doesn't approve of his younger brother's interest in humans, but he learned to accept Arihi after she became a mermaid. Kemps is loyal and devoted to protecting his family. After the twins joined the pod, he's become a little more protective and overbearing. This has led to a more strained relationship between Kemps and his nephew, Alex. Out of the three brothers, Kemps is the most responsible. He’s had to look after his younger brothers for a long time. After Calum and Reef started their families, Kemps became the Patriarch of the Zalrian Pod. His number one priority is ensuring the safety of his pod. Kemps was the original Blue Tail Guardian of the Sea. When Alex became a merboy, Kemps passed the power onto him. Reef Kailani Reef is Calum's older brother and Kemps's younger brother. Reef was adopted by Kemps when Kemps was a merboy and Calum was a merling. All three brothers were orphaned at a young age. Despite Human Pollution playing a significant role in the brothers becoming orphans, Reef doesn't pick a side when his brothers argue and debate about humans. Reef neither hates nor likes humans. Out of the three brothers, Reef is the mediator. He’s gotten a lot of experience settling disputes between his brothers. Reef is the Patriarchal Heir of the Zalrian Pod. Should anything happen to Kemps, he's next in line to lead the Zalrian Pod. While most mermen don’t wear any accessories, Reef has a shark tooth necklace. The Shark Tooth came from a close encounter with a shark before Kemps adopted him into the Zalrian Pod. Reef has a close relationship with a lot of sea life, except for sharks. Most merfolk don't play with something that can be so dangerous. Sarah Kailani Calum Zalrian Calum has an unusual curiosity concerning the human world. He’s proud to be a merman as much as he’s fascinated by humans. He's found a balance between his interest in the human world and his life as a merman. While some merfolk might seek out a sea witch to pursue their own interests beyond the sea, he's content with his family under the sea. Calum would never seek more than what he has, but he will always have some interest in things from the human world. Kemps chose to give Calum's eldest son the Power of the Blue Tail Guardian because he didn't want the power to complicate things more between them. Calum's life partner, Arihi, left her life on land and choose to live in the sea as a mermaid. Calum and Arihi sang the song that brought the twins and their eldest son into the world. Calum is naturally family oriented. Out of the three brothers, Calum is the most compassionate and understanding one. Arihi Zalrian Ages ago, Arihi gave up her life as an elemental to be with Calum in the sea. Her sisters and brothers in the spirit realm did not make her transformation permanent. If Arihi wanted to return to the spirit realm, she has the option to do so. Arihi is a Halfling. She is half-mermaid and half-elemental. Most Halflings age like humans do, but her elemental origins allowed her to retain her eternal youth and immortality. Arihi has the ability to take a human form and doesn't need to make a deal with a Sea Witch to walk among humans. Kemps forbids members of his pod from interacting with the human world. Consequently, Arihi hasn't walked among humans for a very long time. Arihi practices light sea sorcery. Her spells require the same payment as dark sea sorcery spells, but they lack the potency to be permanent. When time runs out, her contracts lose their power and the magic tied to it gets undone. Arihi grants a signer's wish for a limited time, and for the most part, this is enough to help whoever seeks her out. Alex Zalrian Calum and Arihi's oldest son. Even though his mother is a Halfling, Alex is a Reef Merman. Kemps gave Alex the powers of the Blue Tail Guardian when he came of age. While Alex loves his ocean home, he wishes to see more beyond the sea. This causes most of the conflict between him and Kemps. He shares his father's curiosity about the human world and often gets too close to humans, breaking his Uncle's Rules. Unlike his father, he isn't content with his life in the sea. As a Reef Merman, he lacks the ability to live anywhere else. Alex is still learning about what it means to be a Guardian of the Seas. No Reef Merfolk can take human form without help, and the help of a Sea Witch often comes with a heavy price few would pay. But, a chance encounter led to a decision that would change Alex's life forever. Alex made a deal with Damion that cost him his voice. While the merboy gained the ability to see worlds beyond the ocean, he no longer has the ability to speak, laugh, sing, or make a sound of any kind. Damion is known for never going back on a deal, and Alex is learning to accept his new life as a mute. Dylan and Zephyr Zalrian The twins that have always been a part of everything from the beginning. I turned back the clock to give them their mermadic childhood I always wanted to give them. Dylan and Zephyr inherited their mother's spiritual connection to Sulani, but they aren't island elementals. Dylan has an affinity for water magic. Zephyr has an affinity for air magic. Dylan and Zephyr are identical twins with no visible difference in their appearance. Despite their identical appearance, they are different individuals. Dylan is a creative prodigy with a talent for capturing the essence of emotions in his artwork. He's gifted with any instrument and can tell epic stories that will trick you into believing they are true. Dylan is aloft with creativity and inspiration. Zephyr is a gifted genius. Only his twin can beat him in a game of chess, and he always notices whatever Dylan misses. He's an inventor and an innovative thinker that can bring out the full potential of many things. Zephyr is grounded in logic and reason. Dylan and Zephyr are inseparable and will rarely be far from each other. Together, Dylan and Zephyr overcome each other's weaknesses with their own individual strengths. The Twins are best friends and extremely close. Kemps recognized their close bond and didn't want to disrupt their relationship with the Blue Tail Guardian's Power. Instead, he chose Alex as his successor. Kylen Kailani and Lir Maelstren Kylen and Lir are Alex, Dylan, and Zeph's cousins. Kylen is Reef and Sarah Kailani's son they sang into being. Kylen had a twin brother named Rylan. Rylan passed away after an unfortunate encounter with sharks. While Sea Witch's can resurrect the dead as merfolk, a mer that dies can't be brought back from death. Not long after Rylan passed away, Lir was adopted by the Kailani when they found him alone in the sea. Lir was a merling in the Maelstren Pod before he was adopted by the Zalrian Pod. A conflict with the Human world left many merlings, merboys, and mergirls orphaned. The orphaned merchildren lost their lives to the dangers of the sea without their parents. When the remaining merfolk fled to the open ocean and deep-water reefs, the new dangers resulted in more orphans and broken pods. In many ways, the Zalrian Pod adopting Lir saved his life. For a merling, Lir is particularly shy and gets most of his confidence when Kylen is with him. The two brothers are jokesters and are notorious for their pranks in the Zalrian Pod. Lir could never replace Kylen's twin brother, but Kylen loves having his brother around. He often tries to encourage Lir to be more confident and supports him the best he can. The Zalrian Pod Social Structure The Zalrian Pod's Patriarchal Line of Succession In the Zalrian Pod, the Patriarch Heirs are always mermen, and the line of succession is determined by age. This is kinda like a legacy, but the heirs do not become the Patriarch until after something happens to the current patriarch. A pod's Patriarch or Matriarch does not need a specific tail. While Reef, Kylen, and Lir are technically adopted into the pod and not related by blood to Kemps, they are able to become the patriarch of the Zalrian Pod. Current Patriarch:Kemps Zalrian First Heir:Reef Kailani Second Heir:Calum Zalrian Third Heir:Alex Zalrian Fourth Joint Heirs:Dylan and Zephyr Zalrian Fifth Heir:Kylen Kailani Sixth Heir: Lir Maelstren The Blue Tail Guardian of the Sea Line of Succession The Line of Succession for becoming a Guardian of the Sea is different from the Line of Succession for becoming a Pod Patriarch or Matriarch. The Six Guardians of the Sea possess voices that resonate with the primordial song that brought the first merfolk into existence. A Guardian of the Seas is always a merman. If a Merman meets the following conditions, an existing Guardian can pass their powers onto them. Must be a Merman or Merboy Must have the same tail color as the Current Guardian Must be a Reef Merman/Merboy Share the same Bloodline Potential Blue Tail Guardians Kemps is more traditional, and his choice was largely influenced by that. Alex was the oldest in the next generation, but he's not the only eligible candidate to inherit the power. The Blue Tail Guardian Bloodline is the only one with multiple potential candidates. Kemps Zalrian (Former Blue Tail Guardian) Calum Zalrian Alex Zalrian (Current Blue Tail Guardian) Dylan Zalrian (When he ages up) Zephyr Zalrian (When he ages up) The Marus Pod Nalani Marus Rio's Life partner and the older sister of the Green Tail Guardian, Anas Mahi'Ai. Nalani was captured alongside Rio. Her capture was largely because she was trying to protect her younger brother. Nalani and Rio are the kind of couple most merfolk strive for. They are close, supportive, and work together to help each other. The Marus pod is one of the smaller and younger pods. Their Pod is organized around Nalani and is one of the rare examples of a pod with a Matriarch. Even though Nalani is the Matriarch, she took Rio's last name. Rio Marus One of the six guardians of the Seven Seas. Legends tell of the six guardians united by one and the power to rule over the seas. Rio was the first of the six Camilo captured. The deep-sea merman then used Rio's Power to cause some havoc for a couple humans on land. Rio's Voice, along with any mermen that are a part of a Guardian Bloodline, has the power to mesmerize, unite mortals with their soul mates, or induce a deadly heart break. Camilo stole, Rio's Voice with Malevolent intentions and uses his necklace as a means to channel the Orange Tail Merman's Guardian Powers. Camilo's ambition is to capture all six of the guardians and use their power to rule over the seven seas. Rio's life partner is Nalani Mahi'Ai, the sister of the Green Tail Guardian. Rio, Anas, and Nalani are all extremely close and make up the Marus Pod. The Marus Pod is a small pod, and despite being soul mates, Nalani and Rio have not brought any new merlings into the world. If they end up having a male merling, Rio's Guardian powers would get passed down to him once he becomes a merboy. For now, the couple enjoy exchanges of affection. Anas Mahi'Ai The Marus Pod Social Structure The Marus Pod's Matriarchal Line of Succession In the Marus Pod, the Matriarch Heirs are always mermaids, and the line of succession is determined by age. This is kinda like a legacy, but the heirs do not become the Patriarch until after something happens to the current patriarch. A pod's Patriarch or Matriarch does not need a specific tail. Current Matriarch:Nalani Marus The Orange Tail Guardian of the Sea Line of Succession The Line of Succession for becoming a Guardian of the Sea is different from the Line of Succession for becoming a Pod Patriarch or Matriarch. The Six Guardians of the Sea possess voices that resonate with the primordial song that brought the first merfolk into existence. A Guardian of the Seas is always a merman. If a Merman meets the following conditions, an existing Guardian can pass their powers onto them. Must be a Merman or Merboy Must have the same tail color as the Current Guardian Must be a Reef Merman/Merboy Share the same Bloodline Potential Orange Tail Guardians Even though Nalani is the Matriarch of the Marus Pod, Nalani and Rio's Children will inherit Rio's Orange Tail. The Marus Pod formed after a recent union. There hasn't been time for a Bloodline to form. Rio Marus (Current Orange Tail Guardian) The Green Tail Guardian of the Sea Line of Succession The Line of Succession for becoming a Guardian of the Sea is different from the Line of Succession for becoming a Pod Patriarch or Matriarch. The Six Guardians of the Sea possess voices that resonate with the primordial song that brought the first merfolk into existence. A Guardian of the Seas is always a merman. If a Merman meets the following conditions, an existing Guardian can pass their powers onto them. Must be a Merman or Merboy Must have the same tail color as the Current Guardian Must be a Reef Merman/Merboy Share the same Bloodline Potential Green Tail Guardians Even though Nalani is the Matriarch of the Marus Pod, Nalani and Rio's Children will inherit Rio's Orange Tail. Anas hasn't found a partner to pass his tail onto. The Marus Pod formed after a recent union. There hasn't been time for a Bloodline to form. Anas Mahi'Ai (Current Green Tail Guardian) The Vatore Pod Caleb Vatore Caleb is Damion's Life Partner and the Patriarch of the Vatore Pod. Caleb was one of the few good vampires that protected humans. After an incident with Vampire Hunters, he lost his life protecting Damion. His untimely demise was not something Damion could accept, and Caleb was resurrected the only way Damion could bring him back. Caleb was reborn as a merman, and like all reef and reborn merfolk, he does not have a human form he can use to return to his life on land. Caleb has embraced his new life as a merman, but he still wants peace between humans and the magic realm. After becoming a merman, Caleb learned some merfolk history from his husband. Almost all the merfolk were driven away from Sulani ages ago by humans that couldn't tell the difference between Malevolent and Benevolent Merfolk. It seemed that the entire merfolk race was on the losing end of a very old conflict with humans. Up until now, he thought the conflict between humans and vampires was the oldest conflict between humans and the magic realm. The Merfolk around Sulani are what the Vampires would become if they continued down their dark path. As a merman, Caleb wants to see the return of merfolk to Sulani and desires peace between the land and sea. More than anything, he dreams of the day his husband returns to what he was before that fateful night. What Damion became didn't escape Caleb's notice, his once kind and loving husband became consumed by something dark after bringing him back from death. Still, Caleb holds onto the hope that Damion will find his way back to the light. He still believes that there is good in him. Even though he knows this is a dream, he refuses to give up on hope. Caleb believes that one day he will see Damion as he remembers him. For now, the days of laying on the shore together remain a distant dream he thinks about, wishes for. Even after everything the humans did to him as a Vampire, he does not hold a grudge against them, and he longs for the day that Damion let's go of his hatred. Damion Vatore Damion is one of the six Guardians of the Seas and a merman born with a natural talent for Sea Sorcery. He mastered the art of Sea Sorcery and can brew every potion and conjure any spell. Many years ago, Damion rescued Caleb Vatore from an ill fate at sea. Damion fell in love with Caleb in that moment. He didn't know Caleb was a vampire, and the merman didn't know about the humans that were actively hunting vampires. For Damion, he never cared enough about the human world to interact with it to begin with. Over time, Caleb fell in love with Damion. While Damion couldn't be on land with Caleb, the two of them met close to the sea. After several dates, the two learned a lot about each other. Damion treasured every moment he had with Caleb. Caleb enjoyed the escape from the shadows vampires dwelled in. During one of their shoreline meetings, Damion learned about how Caleb ended up sinking below the waves. Caleb was among the few good vampires that didn't want to harm humans. A group of evil vampires revealed Caleb's location to Vampire Hunters. The Vampire Hunters didn't know the difference between good and evil vampires, and the coven of evil vampires manipulated them to get rid of the vampires that protected humans. Damion didn't really care too much about the plight of humans. However, Caleb convinced Damion to give them the benefit of the doubt. The merman was moved by his boyfriend's desire to protect humans. Unfortunately, their meetings by the shore were discovered by the Vampire Hunters. The Humans in question didn't even know they were doing the bidding of the very vampires they swore to defeat. When they found Damion and Caleb, Caleb sacrificed himself to give Damion a chance to escape. Caleb promised Damion that he would escape and that they would see each other again. Caleb knew that Damion was too vulnerable on land. Reluctantly, Damion dove into the sea. That evening, the Vampire Hunters brought an end to Caleb. The following days, Damion came close to the shore, looking for Caleb. One night, he heard humans on a pier talking about their victory over the "evil" vampire and how they got a vacation out of it too. Upon hearing this, Damion was consumed by sorrow and hatred. His hatred of humans was born that day, and his sorrow drove him to dive into the depths of Dark Sea Sorcery. Eventually, Damion gathered what he needed to bring Caleb back as a merman. This came at a great personal cost to Damion. The merman's heart was twisted by the darkness he embraced. Damion's eyes lost their sea blue color as the dark magic consumed him. His pendent that marked him as a Guardian of the Sea lost its purple hue, turning obsidian black. Damion grew more obsessed with Sea Sorcery and became the Sea Witch other merfolk feared. And despite his crumbling reputation, many poor unfortunate mer came to him seeking spells. Dark Sea Sorcery allowed Damion to grant their wishes, permanently. While he could always dispel a contract and undo the magic. He never did. For better or for worse, his clients got their wishes with permanent consequences. Only Damion could release them from the contracts that bound the magic, but the Sea Witch coveted everything he collected. Even after Caleb was brough back and the two of them partnered for life, Damion continued to slip deeper into his dark magic. Alexander Goth Ukupanipo Hekekia Ukupanipo was a poor unfortunate soul that made a deal with Damion. He sought the heart of a mermaid that did not share his feelings. Damion was happy to help a fellow merperson, but his magic came at a price that Ukupanipo couldn't pay. Ukupanipo has lost his free will and is bound to Damion by the contract he signed. Ukupanipo has since turned to the darker side of the sea and serves Damion faithfully. He neither feels the warmth of love nor is he bothered by what is asked of him by Damion. The Vatore Pod Social Structure The Vatore Pod's Patriarchal Line of Succession In the Vatore Pod, the Patriarch Heirs are always mermen, and the line of succession is determined by age. This is kinda like a legacy, but the heirs do not become the Patriarch until after something happens to the current patriarch. A pod's Patriarch or Matriarch does not need a specific tail. While Alexander is technically adopted into the pod and not related by blood to Caleb, he is able to become the patriarch of the Vatore Pod. As a cursed merman and Damion's servant, Ukupanipo doesn't have any claim to becoming a Patriarch of this pod. Current Patriarch:Caleb Vatore First Heir:Damion Vatore Second Heir:Alexander Goth The Purple Tail Guardian of the Sea Line of Succession The Line of Succession for becoming a Guardian of the Sea is different from the Line of Succession for becoming a Pod Patriarch or Matriarch. The Six Guardians of the Sea possess voices that resonate with the primordial song that brought the first merfolk into existence. A Guardian of the Seas is always a merman. If a Merman meets the following conditions, an existing Guardian can pass their powers onto them. Must be a Merman or Merboy Must have the same tail color as the Current Guardian Must be a Reef Merman/Merboy Share the same Bloodline Potential Purple Tail Guardians Damion is unlikely to have a potential successor. The Patriarch of his Pod is Caleb and none of their children will inherit Damion's Purple Tail. Instead, their children will inherit Caleb's Orange Tail. Damion Vatore (Current Purple Tail Guardian) The Keahloha Pod Makoa Keahloha A premade I added to my rotational gameplay. Unlike how he is in a new save, I made him a merman. Not just a human turned into a merman. In my story, he's 100% a natural born merman from the sea. This also means that his Ambitious trait was replaced with the Clumsy Trait, and I changed his aspiration to the Super Parent one. He still retains his core attributes though. He's active and family oriented. Additionally, Makoa fills the role as the Patriarch of his own pod, another small pod. Kai, Lano, and Tero Keahloha Kai was born in game. Lano and Tero were created in CAS to complete the triplet trio. Kai is an Innovator, Lano is a comedian, and Tero is dedicated to the arts. Their story will be just beginning and there will be updates to their character bios in the future. The Keahloha Pod Social Structure The Keahloha Pod's Patriarchal Line of Succession In the Keahloha Pod, the Patriarch Heirs are always mermen, and the line of succession is determined by age. This is kinda like a legacy, but the heirs do not become the Patriarch until after something happens to the current patriarch. A pod's Patriarch or Matriarch does not need a specific tail. Current Patriarch:Makoa Keahloha First Joint Heirs: Kai, Lano, and Tero Keahloha The Maelstren Pod Stevie Maelstren Because the Maelstren Pod was organized around a Patriarch, the males within the pod were used as a tool by other members of the pod to gain power. Much of the conflict was centered around the Patriarchal Line of Succession until the pod was no more. After the Maelstren Pod was scattered and destroyed from internal conflict, Stevie lost contact with the other remaining members of his pod, Lir and Calden. Lir Maelstren is Stevie's cousin, and Calden is Stevie's little brother. Stevie was the next in line to become the Patriarch of the Maelstren Pod once the conflict ended. Stevie saved Calden and Lir from the Maelstren Pod conflict, but along the way, he got separated from them and was never able to find them again. While Lir was adopted by the Zalrian Pod, Calden's whereabouts are still unknown. The Merman, Merboy, and Merling managed to survive the pod's destruction by staying away from the conflict. Originally, Stevie wanted to restore the Maelstren Pod. For that to happen, he needed to find a life partner, settle down, and locate his little brother and cousin. When Stevie fell in love with a mermaid, his heart was broken after learning of her betrayal. Torn up by a broken heart, he gave up on restoring his pod. Depressed and alone, he went to Damion for a way to escape his heartache and live a new life. Damion offered to grant him a human form in exchange for the Love in Stevie's Heart. Thinking he had nothing to lose, Stevie sacrificed his ability to find love again in exchange for the ability to take human form permanently. Stevie now lives a life between the land and sea. He's incapable of finding love again, but the loss of Love in his Heart did not corrupt him. Over many decades, Stevie adjusted to life in the human world and learned how to blend in with them. While he lives out his days on land, he always returns to his home in the sea. Among the islanders, Stevie is a known fire dancer and bartender. None of the other humans know he's a merman, and for the most part, he's begun to live a quiet and peaceful life on land. Many humans have fallen for his looks and charm, but the love is always one sided. While Stevie doesn't seek out romance of any kind, he's often hearing the troubles of humans that buy a drink from him. He's learned how to help others through their troubles. Calden Maelstren The Maelstren Pod Social Structure The Mordero Pod Camilo Mordero Anika Briones Ronen Mendez The Mordero Pod Social Structure More pods to be added in the future. The following is a bit of lore I made up for my story. I hope it gives others some ideas. Mods Credit Since a lot of this story wouldn't be possible without certain mods, I do want to give the mods I use the credit they deserve. I will update this as quickly as I can to credit the awesome modders that created the mods and poses that make telling this story possible. Spinning Plumbob Mods The Expanded Mermaid Mod "Neverland" Mermaid Tail CC The "Down Under" Set CC "Sea-nery Stuff" Build/Buy Set Occult Preferences Mod
CASTING CALL - ASYLUM CHALLENGE
Jumping right in the new forums with a Casting Call for sims. Need 7 sims to participate in the Asylum Challenge. The Asylum Challenge will be played on Hard Mode. All lot traits will be used, except simple living. I will only be controlling my own sim. The rest of the sims will run amuck...er...free in the asylum. The rules for the challenge areHERE 1. Create your sim. Teen, YA, Adult or Elder. The only requirement is that they must have the erratic trait. 2. Occults welcome (except vampires, as I don't have the pack). 3. No cc as I play a vanilla game. 4. Create a backstory for your sim on how they ended up in the asylum. 5. Post your sim below and on the gallery using #SOULGALASYLUM 6. DEADLINE: FRIDAY, JULY 26th. Have fun!
Wyrd Tales - Raven's Apprentice (completed 7/19)
A tale of young love, high school and supernatural drama. Raven's Apprentice is the 5th story in my Wyrd Tales series, posted on my blog. This is an experiment to see how posting one of my stories on the new forums might work. Each chapter will be a post in reply to this title page. Please try to limit reader responses to replies to each chapter. (Note for new readers, because my Wyrd Tales contain mature themes, language and content I cannot actually provide links to the blog itself. If you want a link, contact me... but really, right now this is just an experiment with the new forum.) Chapter 32 Epilogue AfterwordCastle, Palace, Manor or what?
If you play royals and/or high nobility houses, your sims probably reside in spacious conditions. Such big houses often hold history and traditions, and they most likely have a proper name to reflect their status. So, I'm curious to learn how you name those huge estates? If you only play one royal family you probably have them residing a Castle. I just did some research and found that Castle would be the right name only if it is located on the countryside and has a large park. In real life many former Castles are now referred to as Palaces - simply because the surrounding village grew into a town and the old castle is no longer surrounded by open fields, as it used to be. We're of course not that realistic, but it made me think - should my Duke's big residence be named Castle, Palace, or Manor? And what's the difference between Manor and Estate, anyway? Would be cool to learn how you name your huge house(s), and perhaps some of its backstory as well. I don't play any royals, but I have 4 dukedoms (and some baronies), and their estates are all differently named (and probably categorized, too). Chateau Cavalier (pictured) is the home to Duke Aquess de Cavalier and his Duchess Claudine. The rough stone building is very rustic and the exterior not so elegant. It is shaped as a bone, was built based on older stone constructions 128 years ago. I named it "Chateau" (castle) before I was aware of the differences between a castle and a palace, but as castles normally have a big park (a palace will normally have a smaller garden), and Chateau Cavalier does indeed have the biggest and most impressive formal greenery arrangement in my entire region, so I think it might just about fit the bill. Its location is rural, too, at Cavalier Cove in Brindleton Bay. Rossie Palace is the home to Duke Jarret Ross, his wife Duchess Ribra Lynn and their 4 sons. I used to think about their home as "Rossie Castle", as it is the biggest and oldest (224 years!) of my four dukedoms' builds, but then I realized they probably have the small town pretty close, and the lot is not large enough for a major park arrangement. They have a rose garden, an apple tree garden with long traditions, and a limited patio with a pool. The location is actually outside my played region, so I'm hoping for a future pack with a suitable new world. So - I'll call it the Rossie Palace. Von Windenburg Estate is home to Duke Merlin von Windenburg. He is an elderly man with an exciting backstory but no family. The build has a 125 years long and detailed story in my game, and the duke is currently renovating it to its former state. It is not at all a castle, but I feel the Estate name seems a bit lame for a duke, but I think I'll keep it. After all the build is not extremely big, besides this family was mostly pretty much down-to-earth. The dukes von Windenburg used to reside in an old castle that was part of today's ancient ruins, but it was completely ruined during a war long ago. Finally,Meadows Penthouse (pictured), located at Fashion District in San Myshuno, is home to Duke Victus of Meadows, his wife Duchess Gloria and their daughter Lady Corva. This family used to reside at the Meadows, but one generation ago they moved into the top section of the new city Tower. I don't really have a name for it, but as it definitely is neither a castle, palace nor manor, I'll just refer to it as the Torini Penthouse or Meadows Penthouse. It's also rather new lacking the long history and traditions, allowing for a modern name. My other nobility households reside in Manors and Estates, mostly. I don't really know when a home is a Manor and when it is an Estate, so maybe that should be my next research ;) Whatever, I rarely change those old names because I like that both families and buildings have a backstory. How do you name the home of your top crest families?A Traditional 100 Baby Challenge
Thought I would start a traditional 100 baby challenge inspired by other baby challenges, but this one has a twist, you must marry your forever sim and stay with them till death and try to have at least 6 babies per generation till your sim and their generation gets to 100 Babies the old fashioned way!! I wrote up a little set of rules to follow along with. I may not post everything here but I wanted to just add the sim and who he/she is marrying at the time and how far along I've gotten. It will be a very slow play-through and will take a long time for me to complete so this is more so a look-back area for the things I've done within this challenge.. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Bo_LjUpW_gT6IwmLeInAOwH-_bs54HJdcSULSgJP6dA/edit?usp=sharing Meet Kolby West He is marrying Nalani Mahi'Ai and their Generation will start here!! Enjoy their journey
