Hey everyone first a comment post then a update on my Stones!
@sunblond Thank you for the comments! I appreciate them! They are incredibly cute together! And Mckenna is a cutie even if she punch anyone (besides Matty) that told her so! xD
Heh what an interesting update! I enjoyed it! I was lolling at how your simself was trying to entice him but nothing worked not even the hot tub! Don loved the hottub and getting girls in there in other games xD but PLOT TWIST it was a different Dom!!! xD LOL really omg I busted up laughing! Sorry Ally that Don is faithful to Joey who is never all that faithful!
His preferences have been changed? Since they all start at like zero, I think?
Oh, oh look an update! Pfffft silly Brant you are with Brent!!!! But he is very good looking lol. Don glares and keeps jogging , maybe he is trying to work it out! Lol no clothing! I have yet to go on an island with that option! xD.
I started laughing when Joey showed up uh oh he is up to know good but yes! That is one of the best outfits I’ve seen without mods! xD
LOL I was about to say, which one is he really happy to see? Don or you? Or BOTH! xDDD dying of laughter!
The Lothario strikes again! And lol Joey loves to go after what I hard to get?
Okay dying of laughter of again you simself was like n.o.p.e!
And now the other Don is all flirting lol what a game play man that is great!
I am highly amused an entertained! I know it hard for you right now, so keep focus on doing your best for you, but I anticipate the next update with them!
About my last update, I could not believe my eyes! Mckenna Stone doing flirting all her own! I made sure they where alone and so she maybe would be comfortable, and it worked! (she still has the unflirty trait!) I am such a proud watcher!
Heh, in a sense I have, definitely with the trust part not so much the romance! xD I love romance though and love books about it especial with adventure tied in so I think those have may been my more muse for that part!
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees she did it on her own!!!! They both stopped fishing and then she went and did it! I was lucky to catch those pictures! Heh that is why I wrote it that way, no one controlled her at all, so proud! xD girl knows what she wants, she always been a go-getter! xD If something tries to mess it up it is quting without saving because my heart would break no way is Mckenna losing Matty nuh-uh!
@Koteyka Thank you! They are goals! Especially have well they have grown into this mindset Oops sorry! My bad! Ianto got it! ^.^ I understand how you would think that of him, but after this update and the heart stopping adorableness of how precious all the toddlers are and hearing Ianto again.
I guess my reason for loving him so much is seeing relatability in his words and feelings. Also even if he bashes his family, I can’t say any of it is an exact lie, plus he is intriguing and mysterious, you get sucked in and want to know more of all his little subtle cryptic meanings.
Also YYYYYYYYYESSSSSSSS LOKI!!!
Update: Oh that broke my heart the bunny/imagination of grandpa and the fact that they are leaving… I had a bad feeling it was gonna go this way.
@RedDestiny92 Hehe, you and me both! Marriage yes! Kids? IDK! We will have to see indeed~ Aww, I am sure things will happen now and again but this time you are right, Mckenna will have Matty by her, to carry a bit of her burden when she needs the support
Ooooooh an update, excitement! I like Lil B and Mini B! The Halloween party was great! Your family has such tight bonds or coming together bonds here! I loved that Marinda and her grandson have such a great relationship!
Aww Steve is soooo cute even if a nose is forming! (I also get the reference~) I know what you main about family members and party lasting, I do that too just deposit the little ones around or invite them over in groups, it is a lot of work though!
Rest in peace Cassie! Poor Alexander must be hard on him! I will forever aww and coo at the toddler hug no matter how many times viewed and it make it cuter in the monster costume!
Hehe, I loved the surprise propose and Lacy’s reaction! xD I agree with Bronson though, I really like this family!
Is there such a thing as enough Don?
Adeline is a darling! She is super duper cute when she pouts heh! I always love your great content with the pets hehe, when I get Cats and Dogs I may have to try my hand at it xD I love love love the updated hair with the braids it looks so gooooood! She is a cute and rainbows and sunshine!
Hehehe, Lothario bros are funny! I think Sean might have won this one… at least for the moment!
I can’t wait to see more and of course there is that smirk, a trademark an icon like Bella’s red dress!
Well heck thanks for the information, did this happen after the Oct Update? I would not be surprised if not.
@BlueSeaWaves Thank you for the comments, I am happy you enjoyed them! I thoroughly enjoyed your update! I was giggling a little too much at Archie and Claudio. xD Especially how they thought they were gonna dupe their mom! I guess she had to make her point clear in the end!
I am kinda enjoying the hidden romance between S and O too but since he proposed too her *squeals* I doubt it will be secret for much longer!
@haneul Hey! Thank you so much for the comments! I think you are right xD the drive of sweets can even motivate a lazy sim ha! And Rainbow is fairly polite going off of her character values.
Hehe I actually forget all of Juli traits but to play it safe it could be both, preggers and a glutton!
Wow you told that brilliantly what happened to Aster! Is K. Vatore? Are they a relative? If you mentioned before I must have forgotten! That is awful what happened but I am happy to know Aster lives a more pleasant life now.
I also love how you tinted the past pictures! It really made a difference for the story impact. I might have to borrow that technique in the future!
Wooooow they both look gorgeous! Not as relastic as some, I see what you mean but still, it matters not, they look stunning!
@Daephene I agree! I am excited to see more on Yuki and Adam! I know it is one of my favorite love stories because the strife that came before makes the reaching of a goal that much more satisfying! Heh, it is even more wonderful when the game pushes you in those types of unexpected directions!
@Metior_Ice YES! I am so happy the brothers reunited!!!!! I am excited to see more! I am sorry about the glitch seems really, really annoying to deal with!
@Becka28 I am sorry about your computer, I am in the same boat and am a save craze because I am terrified mine will go out at any minute!
I am relieved with you to hear you saved your sims! I am crossing my fingers and hoping for you to get everything else safely off!
@sarabeth2984 Hey Sara! Sorry life has been such a terror for you, try to hang on, a break in the storm seems pending somehow it has to come! I am happy you love sims 3! I love the game and miss it too! I am thinking of redownloading it again one day when I get a better computer, I agree the realism and interactions are done amazing and relationships! Your gameplay sounds fun!
I loved your update with Griffin! Those teenage years I’ll tell you! Aww though poor Lisette, I hope she does not hit a mood-swing because of that awkward time! I love Griff and Hillary and go girl show what a real DJ does! Aww lol what an amazing night and steamy kisses seem to usual lead somewhere else haha oh boy is right! xD
Okay onto the update! This is the last Stones update until I rotate to somewhere else
After such a magnificent date, A little wet Mckenna got changed and found Lilith heating up the rest of the spaghetti for let night munchies, Mckenna joined her and they talked all about the experience chopping down some delicious pasta.
The next morning, Lilith was telling Rainbow a sneak peek of her next book using a toy to illustrate and Rainbow was over the moon excited (perusual) and flying out her own idea to add and share.
She legit kept forgetting to eat instead she just kept talking and talking, I had to keep directing her to finish! xD
Mckenna does a lot of woodworking so her handiness is up pretty high after studying a few manuals, taking a few classes, and watching some sim-tube, she felt confident enough to upgrade all of their beds.
Here is cute Mccutesy reading her scouts manual before scouts to brush up on some knowledge, aaaaa~ she is just to adorable never. grow. up!
After the scouts were over, Mckenna took Rainbow to a kinda market space (I got from the gallery don't have Eco Life yet) with a playground and eating area.
She happily played and chattered to Mckenna about scouts while she cooked up some hot dogs for dinner.
Max was having a dinner date with Juli via explore mod and Lilith was visiting Angel via social activities mod.
The Rest Of The Day? In Spoilers!
Rainbow was happy to see that Paisley (girl sitting and eating the hotdog) and Wayne (boy eating) came to play.
Another girl named Fatima came over asking if she could have a hotdog? Of course Rainbow said yes and invited her to join them!
They sat around for a bit to chatting and play word games and guess what animal I am pictionary type games~
Silly conversations and things of that like!
Wayne had enough "girly" time and promptly ran off.
Paisley had to use the bathroom, so Fatima intrigued by Rainbows talents asked if she had brought her violin?
Yes she had! She played song or two.
The new friend really loved it and called her a friendly rival in instruments since she also played violin, maybe they could play together some day?
Rainbow was more then ecstatic to do so!
Meanwhile while Paisley ran back to play with Fatima and Rainbow,
Mckenna kept an eye on them all but also trying to sell her woodcraft.
The. Face. Of. Joy!
Soooo maybe I am a bit obsessed but I am allowed to be right? I just really love this sim~
I am gonna destroy who ever actually makes her cry forrreal
Aunt Kenna says time to go!
It is dark and she sold all her things and Rainbow is exhaustedly happy anyways and ready for bed!
Max home from his own date, for some reason.... Juli was not feeling all that well, so he took her home and tucked her in, making her promise to call him if he could do anything.
He saw Rainbow was tired so he read her a short story from her favorite old toddler book Toy Tales.
Then he tucked his sleepy girl in making sure the covers were extra extra snug, the weather was getting colder.
I don't have pics, but Oliver Cole, his wife, and son moved out of his parents' house in Brindleton Bay and went back to where the legacy started: Oasis Springs. That's where I started my gameplay with Oliver's grandparents three months ago. Oliver and his wife Brianne are expecting a son but I'm not sure what to name him. His brother's name is Ryder. Ryder is Oliver's son from his ex-girlfriend.
Origin ID HillyPlays P.A.C.E- Positive Attitude Changes Everything
@Lyrie
It's not that long but I have a lot to post here so I'mma make it neater.
ooh if they have kids maybe they would adopt I could see her wanting to give a child a better life maybe one that hasn't had it as good, while maintaining being happy with herself. Though I guess they could do that without kids it's just they have that vibe like they would want to pull this big family together and be reminded of what they have as it grows. I miss them already I don't really want to open my old saves I think they are fine without default skins but just in case I guess they are in limbo, but yeah they are all about family in that clan. Yes! ref getter hehe, I wish they were born knowing family or even it was just a general thing like they knew family and who lived in the house so there was a connection since the game likes to cull unconnected sims faster. Alex will miss his big sister they simply didn't have enough time how the family goes all depends on how the children in the uglacy turn out, I just had to have them hug the youngest members of the fam and all. I adore this bunch ha.
You know I'm not sure, moar Don!
She really is as you can guess I decided to forgive the games moodynasty and checked it out though she's oddly darling ha, some don't care for pets because they can be attached and needy but they are easily ignored if needed, Rainbow needs a little Kitty named Gold...cause it's at the end of a rainbow...hehe.
I don't know why I like doing that it is much smoother trying to add people in in this game and sometimes I can't help but think why don't they have a bigger family or least one other, something and Sean was born. No matter how different he is from his twin he just had to have the smirk it's as noticeable as...the nose I mean from the other family ah. Now about the issue yes it did but it happened somewhere between finishing playing and opening Origin again it didn't happen again but I'm gonna be watching my documents folder for that stray folder cause it causes too many issues mmhmm.
I feel like that would bug some people but it's kind of cute it's like she was just that excited, so food could wait better than talking with her mouth full I guess. Ah a little group for Rainbow she really is adorable I wonder if that's also because I feel like I've been watching her grow up, ugh sometimes I wish I just played sims as it was cause I get way too attached to pixels with a story....oh well *waves more attachment flag* mmhmm. She is such a doll
Well awesomes out I played for a bit looking for issues I had some t posing, but was able to close the game delete the local thumb and reload the game, I don't know if that's connected it's an old very random bug but it doesn't break anything it's just ugly looking. Mooooooving on more of Adeline cause she's the only one I have till I go back to mods.
I'll break it up got three days of nonsense.
So day one I was getting her up for breakfast and Butterscotch came in the room looking for a hug, she's very attached to Adeline....when she's not showing off her running around in circles talent.
"Soooo cute, here you go doodlebug now I have to feed Gilgamesh."
'I don't know who this Doodlebug is but if that means I get two treats then I'll take them, now about one for Butterscotch?'
Then this look cause her needs were not met, but it was her fault because she has so much energy.
For no reason whatsoever I took her to the toy store and Lilith was there so I thought they could be friends then Angela came in.
"Hey I like your skirt it's so adorable on you." Lilith wasn't really used to people just striking up a convo with her.
"Uh, thanks...I like your braids."
"I did em myself!" show off.
Angela joined the conversation and Adeline ended up inviting them out for coffee but I guess she could read the room cause she wandered off when they got there. Lilith was sure she could find her own friends.
"Where did your sister go?" Adeline asked.
"She had a makeup test to get to." she lied simply she would not make a group with Angela so she could steal it again she sometimes hated her for being so much more...she didn't know what being twins wasn't enough she guessed.
They chatted for a while before Adeline got up I thought she was getting distracted but apparently the coffee bar hadn't actually glitched for once and she got both her orders....so guess she's impatient with the java.........hehe.
Lilith had to go, before they went Makoa texted her they had been spending some friendly time texting and he wanted to see her since she was busy she thought to call him after and they went to work out.....work out besties already, sims love this woman. After a shower she was starving and asked Makoa to grab something to eat with her, he was probably a little too eager reminding himself they were just friends he did still have a wife at home.
Soon as we get there I see Bella and Alexander showing off together which is also cute, this place has gotten more popular it seems.
While there one of my families I dropped in was for the fourth haven't looked at them since their creation, well Adeline had to talk to them I was also excited to see their waitress Joy....from another kid's movie is that one popular ?
"I love the colors." Adeline said dreamily.
"Is that why we're friends?" Makoa asked.
".....might have something to do with it."
They had a really nice time.
Now onto Day 2.
Adeline loves attention so going back and forth texting the brothers is a little different for her, when Sean asked her to come hang out she went even though she was starving.
"Really? A museum?"
"It's nice, usually quiet..I like it that way."
"well okay, but don't suppose there is food here is there?"
"There's a kitchen and it has food in it." he offered.
"Can we just have that? What if it's for the guards or something?"
"They aren't around to stop us?"
She laughed, okay she was game.
"Sooooo?"
"Really I'm surprised it still works."
"I think it's a replica the original stoves could heat up and catch fire from being in hot rooms, due to easily fried wires and all the wood and cloth they decorated with and there is no air conditioning so...yeah."
"ooooh, that makes sense okay okay the museum is growing on me." he smirked, figuring it would.
"Annnd straight to my hips it goes." she laughed.
"As if you have a thing to worry about I wish I could fit my backdoor in jeans that size."
He had to hold back the urge to say she wouldn't hear complaints about that from him....there is a song for that you know.
"Let's head upstairs they have a nice lounge it has a piano." as he said that, I had to cut pics but one of the knights did walk by if he came in I would have had to change my story hehe.
The piano was in good condition but she could tell it had actually been restored instead of replaced.
"Let me play a little" he thought she would "play" with the keys but he was surprised to hear the talent she had he tried to chit chat with Julie, the mother from the fourth family she had come up to tip Adeline. Though he just ended up right next to her catching himself swooning. Embarrassed, thinking as a Lothario he should be doing the charming, though she'd never know, he said good bye and quickly left. Though she didn't have much time to mourn as Don asked to see her.
She hoped Sean was ok he seemed so jumpy sometimes.
Don wasn't in the best mood though he was playing it off when Nina said Sean left to see some new girl he met he figured it was Adeline when she didn't answer his texts. He was in play mode all the same.
"You know normally I buy my dates drinks."
"But you look so good...you can't blame a girl for trying." Perhaps cheesy to some but considering he worked very hard on his lines there were at least a few that worked for him. She was good.
"Careful now doll, I bite."
"And I wouldn't mind," she said with a grin and a wink.
They hung around the bar for a bit, Anger was there serving drinks which amuses me, after they had to get on the dance floor it seems Don is having a realization he's actually having a good time hanging out with her. Which wasn't very Don like but then it wasn't stopping him from enjoying it.
After that, she took Butterscotch to the park to try out the obstacle course since she loved running so much and she only had three faults which is pretty good.
However, she was not amused by her meeting Julie's dog Spot.
'Is this Doodlebug?? I don't like him and will eat all his treats!' she whined a bit then ran around until Adeline took her home.
And lastly, Day 3 which ended up being Easter.
There was also a lotto day she didn't win but meh, she started her day playing an online game with Sean, Makoa and Julie she lost that too but it was much more fun. Sean called to remind her it was Easter and asked if she wanted to do something with him, which of course she would he told her to bring something to swim in and sent the address.
She was ready for food he was ready for a swim, if she had known they'd be here she would have worn wedges but it was still nice.
Before he could get too into swimming she called him to eat.
"Some Easter this is, I love it!" Adeline squealed, always in a better mood with food.
He smiled slightly.
"Did your brother not want to come, it is family time I suppose." he shook his head.
"Don likes to scope for holiday dates at different bars he was gone before I woke up."
She tilted her head, she had been alone for some time before she got Butterscotch who refused to come in favor of naptime, so she was used to it but she noticed a look in his eyes that said he didn't care for it.
"Would you have preferred he stayed?"
He shrugged.
"It was never about family with us growing up, dad didn't have the time working two jobs for us, then Don had to get out of the house he liked his freedom but when we weren't living together I'd at least get a text it's pointless but I guess I do miss that." hearing the shift in tone in his voice she stopped herself from asking about his mom, perhaps another time.
"Well you know...sometimes it's nice to start a new tradition maybe next year we can go to a different beach and have an egg hunt?" despite himself he found a smile eventually.
"Maybe we'll see, I mean next year I could totally hate the beach."
"You won't and I'll make sure of that today, come on!"
Sean was all too excited to see her swimsuit it suited her, Anger was not the only one around I spotted Disgust, Fear, and Sadness...fitting for their convo huh?
The Easter bunny likes the beach too.
At the end she couldn't help but crave a little more it had been so long since she lost her mother she loved making cereal treats usually in different shapes for the holidays she figured she could make some for Sean. He was only thinking, yeah he couldn't hate beach now but as a rule he would never tell her that.
Eating treats surrounded by pink he wasn't sure what to make of it.
"Does my...uh brother come here a lot?" he blurted out, he couldn't help it girls forgot about so easily when it came to both of them hanging around he knew they didn't know each other that well but then he also knew that never stopped you from caring about someone being kind to you for nothing.
"I haven't had him over yet oh I should have called him hmm?"
"He's probably distracted maybe later."
"If you say so he's your twin...want another one?"
"Er.."
"I promise if you do I won't make you wear pink." she teased, rather liking his smile.
"You think you can make me wear pink?"
"I can make anyone wear pink."
"Try it."
We'll see if she gets her way I guess.
Post edited by RedDestiny92 on
Reddestiny921 on the gallery...still not sure if I capitalized the second d..lol
All the sims err'day
Freeman (The Boondocks): This one was pretty basic until the end where Robert (the grandpa) decided that he wanted to try for a baby. This is girlfriend that he has.
This is a rare moment of Riley being nice with his grandpa.
Speaking of Riley, he's gotten along pretty well with his neighbor, John Mole, from The Sims 2.
Here's a random thing I saw.
Racheal Green (Friends): The most interesting thing is that she fell in love with and married Yugi Muto (Yu-Gi-Oh!).
Luckily my game hasn’t had any post-patch issues. It’s always odd how some people have post patch problems and others don’t.
Anyway, Lars is now a child! Just like his dad, he’s a Child of the Islands. Unlike his cousins he got the Happy Toddler reward trait. (Well, there are three of them the exact same age Sakura and Keiko at least mastered Imagination and Movement, respectively, which were the skills associated with their toddler traits. Arisa was close with Thinking). Screenshots will come later.
Couple more renos - Crick Cabana (full tour here) and Daisy Hovel (full tour here)! Bright colours in one of my builds - groundbreaking Lots of debug landscaping, too!
Extra shots under spoilers:
Crick Cabana -
- and Daisy Hovel.
They're not quite starters but they're pretty close. My god, art and clutter costs a lot! I kind of want to do a reno of a reno and remake the Cabana without caring about the cost and see how I go, because there's a lot of cool stuff that can be done!
Other than that, I've also been playing a ton of Vampire: The Masquerade - Night Road! Relevant because once I finish the last two playthroughs I want to do (I mean, successfully - for one, I'm missing a certain achievement, and for another, I still can't get past the final battle), I'm gonna stick all of my protags in the one household and see if they kill each other. For starters, here's my Toreador, Luka!
(Yeah... yeah, they really dress like that in Tucson in 2020. Yeah. If anyone asks, they just explain that they're an artist. Well, video editor. Close enough!)
(Louis de Pointe du Luc whomst.)
@Metior_Ice ohh, that's fair. If you have a ton of Sims already, yeah, it does make it trickier! Your legacy sounds really in-depth!
@DoodlyDoofus certainly a match made in somewhere ;D (Ask Satan where!) Oh dear, Octavia did one too many push-ups, I think XD RIP Vader. Okay but really, do they really want to eat Grim Sr's cooking? XD
@Becka28 oh dang, sorry about your computer! (...And that reminds me to do a backup tomorrow, oops.)
@sarabeth2984 I hope life gets easier for you soon! And yeah, TS3 can be... a lot to get used to, heh.
@sunblond welcome to the world, Mai! Oh man, Kaden is a YA now? Seems like just yesterday he was born! I can understand him wanting to study something he experienced, yeah.
And thank you! I was definitely going for 'creative but lazy', haha.
@DarkAngel1994 the irony is that I'm a bit faceblind (it's really common with autistic people), so 'realistic' versions of characters don't... really do much for me? Since I'm basically looking at most people like they're stylised anyway!
Noah is Evil? That's a concern XD Old kitties! Poor Gwen, and yeah, Tristan, enjoy it while it lasts!
@Metior_Ice ohh, that's fair. If you have a ton of Sims already, yeah, it does make it trickier! Your legacy sounds really in-depth!
Yeah, there are a lot of details planned out. I’ll probably start a new save with my founding family when the current legacy is finished and the earth element is added to the family.
The current legacy follows most of the original legacy rules, but the Lot Traits, NAPs, and Eco status are my twist on it. I thought improving their world with each generation would be a nice way to progress their story.
That was Alexander Goth having a duel... he lost.He and his wife Ivy had a hard time balancing careers and magic this week, but they both got some training from their mentors.
And practiced a bit on their own at home.
Also this week was Fool's Day which includes streaking as an activity so I've put that below the spoiler.
One thing to know... Ivy does not take a prank well.
Beware of hot-headed redheads.
Don't worry, longterm her relationship with daughter Isabella is fine.
Alexander decided to do his streaking in the Magic Realm.
Can't decide if Morgyn disapproves... but definitely has an opinion.
Ivy got in on it too, but in Glimmerbrook late at night... so there were no witnesses.
Anyway, the star of the week was really Isabella, who aged up to teen.
The rest of Isabella's screenshots will be under the spoiler for loading ease.
She started out as just a cute kid who wanted to make potions and have a familiar like her Mom, but had to settle for a chemistry set and a pet hedgehog for the moment.
But finally, she aged up. She's still trying to figure out her true style. I tried a few things I didn't decide to keep, like the top she's wearing here. But it was a nice picture so I kept it.
Her formal attire is a bit leathery.
And I can't decide if this look works but there are a lot of straps and I love her expression.
She decided on a 90's kind of look for her visit with Morgyn.
She was really hoping for more given her parents were already spellcasters, but sure, she can collect some motes, whatever.
Finally she was able to become a full spellcaster.
And immediately had to text about it, which Morgyn pointedly ignored.
She had quite the melancholy mood swing the next day.
Which chess with her cousin Darius did not relieve, but she did get to vent some.
She was still sad at dinner, but had changed into young witch wear.
So they all traveled back to the magic realm to see if that would cheer her up. Here I learned that enthusing about space includes pointing dramatically at the sky, and that Leslie's boots don't work with her outfit. Also for some reason Mark has brown pants which I do not remember authorizing with that top.
Meanwhile, Isabella had her first duel.
With Mark Eggleston who, brown pants aside, looks pretty cool. I remade the Eclectic Arts household as spellcasters a while back and I am happy to find I do like some aspects of their new looks.
Sadly Isabella lost.
And went to Leslie for advice.
Isabella still wasn't happy when they got home, but it was past time to go to sleep so hopefully she'll be in a better mood next time.
While Isabella may be the star this week, I still love these two.
She does the cooking because she harvests all the fresh ingredients, but he keeps her company. In fact, if either of them is left to their own devices for any amount of time, socializing with the other is one of their top choices.
Bonus shots:
Ivy cooking like a showoff while the raccoon (Alexander's familiar) levitates off the edge of the refrigerator.
Jamie (gen 2 heir) and his new wife Thea got married in a fall-themed wedding ceremony. I took over 100 screenshots, most of them will appear on my Tumblr over the next week or so. These are some of my favorites!
From L to R: Jamie's mom Raymie && Thea's mom Lisa && Thea && Thea's cousin Lauren && Jamie's sister Maddie && Maddie's wife Daisy.
Thea's (and now Jamie's) dog Rosie.
From L to R: Thea's cousin Declan, Jamie, Jamie's brother Aaron.
Mr. and Mrs. Beauchamp.
Jamie with his nephew and niece, Harley & Piper (Maddie and Daisy's kids).
Maddie and Daisy.
Party!
Aaron got his first kiss with Eloise, a girl from uni that he's been seeing.
Got the entire family in one pic, including the current gen 2 spouses and the gen 3 kids.
@DeafSimmer ooh, a boy in the family! So I'm guessing that girls/women inherit the throne in the Magic Realm and boys inherit the Windenburg throne.
I love your avatar, whoever that is looks so pretty! I love that hairstyle too.
***
"Oh, Keiko, I'm so sad about Grandpa," Sakura said. "And Grandma, too."
"I know. I feel like we hardly knew them, which makes it worse."
"Absolutely. It'd maybe be easier if we had proper memories of them."
Sakura decided to blog about her feelings of sadness. (Also, I love her hair. I was looking for some Maxis Match 'dos and thought this one would suit Sakura!)
Feeling a little better, she decided to do some drawings.
Hiroshi decided to take his children to the Magic Realm that day.
"Wow, Dad, what is this place?" Sakura asked.
"This is the Magic Realm. Your mum and I are Spellcasters, which means that you, Keiko and Arisa are, too."
"Oh, cool," Sakura replied. "Is Lars one?"
"No," Hiroshi explained. "You see, I was born a normal Sim. But I became a Spellcaster as a teenager. I'd always been fascinated by magic. One of my friends at school was a Spellcaster, from a long line of them, and he told me I could undergo the Rite of Ascension. Your mother became one before she married me."
"Sounds cool," Sakura replied. Hiroshi wasn't entirely sure if Sakura had understood the story, but that wasn't really the point. He always liked telling his story, because it had been such a key moment in his life.
"Unfortunately, you are too young to practise magic right now. But you can obtain a familiar."
"So, we're Spellcasters!" Sakura exclaimed. "Isn't that awesome?"
"Yeah, it's just a shame we can't practise magic," Arisa sighed. "But this place is still cool."
Hiroshi couldn't find any familiars he thought the girls would like, but did purchase himself a Bunnerfly, purely because he loved the sound of the name.
It was a lovely warm afternoon, and Lucy and Anne took their children to Ohan'ali Beach. Although they had direct access to the ocean from their garden, it was still fun to go to a beach with other people around.
I got this screenshot for the view of Lagoon Look, where the twins grew up. No-one looks particularly impressed
Even Lars was able to paddle in the ocean. He looks a little uncertain. Maybe he's not a fan of seaweed?
Anne cooked one of the new dishes, Chimichurri Skewers. Looks like Sakura's enjoying them! I have no idea who built that shark sand sculpture
The twins decided to sunbathe together on the sand, even though the sun was now fading.
Lucy isn't a redhead, so she tans
All four of Lucy's classes would be on the same day, Tuesday and Thursday. She would have *three* term papers to do. With this in mind, she got started on her homework.
As the oldest of the triplets, Arisa took it upon herself to form a kids' club, Just for Kids. Illiana Illes turned up to the inaugural meeting looking rather sad, and Keiko took it upon herself to try and cheer her up. It didn't work, but Keiko still learnt some empathy.
The adult Matsumotos engaging in their main hobbies. Looks like Evie Delgato is appreciative of Hiroshi's jokes!
And the adult van Beerses engaging in their main hobbies. Couples who work out together stay together
Sakura watched on as her mother mentored her father in violin playing. Privately, she thought her father's ability was awful, but everyone has to start somewhere!
"Hey Lars, how are you?"
"I fine, fankoo."
"What are you playing?"
"Don't know."
Max decided to summon some of the Island Elementals. He greeted them, feeling a little nervous. He hoped to win their approval.
Congratulations, Anne!
Anne went to the lounge in Oasis Springs to hold a meeting of Merry Music Makers; there was a new member...
... her ghost Dad! He'd phoned up asking to join.
At one point, my game did this weird thing where the screen went black for a couple of moments, but I could still hear Anne's concerto. Then, it stopped, and all I could hear whilst waiting for the game to return to normal was Olivia Spencer-Kim-Lewis (or Collette as she is in my game) singing... very, very badly. I don't know why the screen goes black, it doesn't seem to affect my game and I don't get any Last Exceptions or anything.
Whilst in the Magic Realm, Hiroshi had also purchased a tome to learn the Zipzap spell, and he decided to learn it. He wasn't a mean Sim, so he didn't think he would ever use it, but it was still fun to learn new stuff.
Here's Anne eating another of the new dishes, Pollo a la Brasa. It looks pretty tasty!
Finally, here's Lars as a child. I think he maybe resembles his father a little bit, but I suppose I'll have a better idea when he's a teenager. Lucy and Anne are naturally a bit tan, darker-skinned than the Mastersons anyway. It's difficult to tell if Lars is more tan than his cousins.
***
Next game session will cover the last few days of Lucy and Anne's degrees! Hopefully Lucy won't go too crazy from doing three term papers
Excerpts from the Journal of Kaden Benali
FIRST TERM
Kaden's Dormmates
From left to right: Beejay Carranza, Dereck Vu, Lonnie Gary, Joel Crook, and Brody Matthews
From left to right: Kaden Benali, Trevon Leggett, Curtis Meek, Bryson Camp, and Yannik Volkov
-I took dad’s advice, so I had asked for a single room, I got it, but boy is it small, it’s basically like a walk-in closet. Still, I guess it’s better than having to share, I mean, I could have gotten someone who’s, well, a pain, I guess, as a roommate, or worse, got stuck with two roommates. Although those rooms are way bigger and all. I’m in Wyvern Hall, which is weird for the boy’s dorm as Drake Hall seems like a better name for a guy’s dorm, but whatever. I have all my classes on Tue. and Thur. So that day will be a bit*h, but that will give me time to do my 2 term papers and a presentation, no finals, so, well, I don’t know if that’s good or bad, being that I have very limited experience taking tests at Uni so far, lol. I sure don’t know when I’ll have time to eat on class days, that’s for sure.
Yeah, its all new, and if I’m being honest, it’s kind of scary, I mean, not having dad or the twins around, it’s like I’m flying blind or something. Plus, well, I was just getting used to Josie and Izzy too, dad and her haven’t really been married all that long. Zayn was probably glad to see my backside though, now he can have his own room again, just saying. He really likes having privacy, way more than me or Samyr, I think. It sure seems like it, the way he carries on about it.
OK, I actually have homework before classes even start, you get a syllabus and it tells you to read and do stuff even before the first class, that’s way more intense that high school, that’s for sure. So, that was what I did first, after I settled in, I did my assignments, with the door locked, just like dad told me. He said to make sure to keep my focus on my classes, plus Felipe told me the same thing, he was playing soccer on the official Uni team, jealous much? And, well, with that and his classes and all, it was tough, plus he had stuff going on back home, that was when Victor came to live with them, so I guess that was a lot. I got lots of advice, and I did listen, honestly, because, well, I am kind of nervous and all, this being the first time I’ve ever totally been on my own. It’s like sink or swim now, and that’s really scary, not gonna lie.
After I did my assignments, I did go out and meet the other guys on my hall. I asked them about their majors and stuff like that, but I avoided asking anything too personal, because, well, I kind of think my life is not that typical, having a new step-mom and step-sister and that my mom died when I was younger. ‘Cause, that seems like it would be kind of a downer to bring up in casual conversation, just saying.-
Kaden’s tiny room.
Kaden meets some of his new dormmates.
-So, I joined the Debate Club, I went to a thing they had for it at Darby’s Den, that’s also where the student cafeteria is, by the way. That is, if you can find the time to actually go over there and eat. I mostly just microwave stuff. I have a mini-fridge and microwave in my room, there was actually a space for them just inside the door, just barely. Anyway, I watched a bit of the debates then talked to Beejay Carranza, he’s one of my dormmates who’s in the club, and he helped me sign up for it and all. He’s a Psych major too, and he told me it would be helpful for a Psych Major, so I decided to do it. It might help with that presentation I have to do for my final, so, well, there’s that too. And I actually won my first debate, I debated Trevon Leggett, also from my dorm, he was kind of bummed after, so when I was back at the dorm I talked to him a bit to try to smooth things over and we kind of hit it off. So, I guess he and Beejay are my first sort of college friends or at least the first guys I have gotten to know a bit so far.-
Kaden debates Trevon.
Smoothing things over with Trevon.
-I don’t have body issues, OK, I got two younger brothers and I was on my high school soccer team and all, but my gods, all the guys on my hall are like way hairier than me. I mean, Beejay has a full moustache and all, he totally looks older than my dad. Another guy, Brody Matthews, has to shave two times a day and still looks like he forgot. And they have lots of hair everywhere else too, like Uncle Salim. I mean, in high school I was kind of average, but, like, just Trevon and an Asian guy named Dereck Vu are behind me on the scale here. It’s just weird, I guess. I mean I kind of look younger that most of the other guys, like I’m some high school poser, and it bugs me is all.
And then there’s Curtis Meek, who is totally gay. I mean I’ve been around gay people my whole life and I have a friend, Victor, who’s bi and all, but this guy is super annoying, he totally flirts and makes lewd comments to all the guys on the hall, including me. Like, even if you tell him you’re straight, right, it doesn’t seem to faze him one bit. Literally on the second or third day here, Curtis and I were talking, I had just basically introduced myself, and he said he loved my latte complexion and that I had a delightful trail down my belly leading to my hidden treasure, it was totally creepy. Then today I had just gone to the bathroom and was washing my hands and I heard Curtis tell Derek Vu, who was just getting out of the shower, something about his exquisitely sculpted Asian porcelain body while Derek was naked and all. Derek got all red faced over it, just saying.-
-Roxanne came to see me, I mean, she’s friends with dad, I know her and all, but I’m way more friendly with her husband Felipe, he’s on dad’s bowling team and was over at our house some. She’s a UBrite Alum though and it was homecoming, I guess. Anyway she called me from downstairs and then took me over to the Spirit Corps Celebration, they have them before all the games. She and I talked, she told me some stories about when she went here and stuff like that, and she asked me how I was doing and all. One of my dormmates, Lonnie Gary was there with his face painted and Roxie started talking to him and kind of introducing him to me, I mean, I had met him and stuff already right. Then Derick Vu, who is in the Spirit Corps Squad, by the way, came over too and Roxie was kind of talking to him and she, like with Lonnie, was talking me up a bit. Honestly, they both were probably just talking to me because Roxie’s kind of hot, I mean, she’s older sure, but still, like, us being guys, well, she’s not that old. Anyway, Roxie dared me to do a keg stand, so I did, Derick lifted me up, he’s pretty strong. It was my first time. Like, I have had juice a few times, me and Austin snuck some in high school a couple times, OK. After it was over we kept talking, me, Roxie and Lonnie and then Roxie offered to take me and Lonnie to Pepper’s Pub in Gibbs Hill and buy us some dinner, Lonnie is a big foodie apparently and he was thrilled, so we went. He and Roxie both left right after they ate, Lonnie offered to walk Roxie back to her car like a gentleman right, but I had a second helping, the food was really good after eating microwave stuff all the time. And then as I was about to leave, I started talking to a guy. At first, well, he kind of looked like me, I mean ethnically and all. His name is Rohan Elderberry and he goes to UBrite too and lives in Gibbs Hill with his grandparents. He is ethnically like me from his mom’s side. And we talked a bit, until it got late and I was sleepy. I guess, Roxie kind of helped me a bit, like with me getting to know some new people, if I’m honest. Lonnie and I are getting to be good friends now and Rohan comes by sometimes, since he lives with his grandparents, it’s kind of a treat for him to get a taste of dorm life, I think. Plus, both of them are nice guys and all too.-
Roxie takes Kaden to a kegger!
Kaden’s first keg stand.
Kaden meets Rohan.
-Me and Christine have decided to take our relationship to the next level. We’re both adults now and we’ve been together a long time, plus, well, it’s really hard to keep connected with us living in different places and our course loads and all. But we both love each other. We’ve been in love since high school, I know, but it’s the truth, and me and Christine both want to stay together and make it work. And, well, when we do get to be together, we want to really make it count.
So she’s coming here on Sunday, on her way back from visiting home, and we are going to woohoo. I bought stuff, as in I’m prepared. I got a private room, but she shares a bedroom in the apartment with Jennie Parrish, Victor’s girlfriend. So, it has to be here. I’m really nervous, like, I’ve been thinking about this a lot. I mean, since we first started dating and all. And I guess it’s kind of built up in my head, so I’ve got butterflies in my stomach already. Like, I want everything to, you know, be good and all, but neither of us has any experience, as in, it will be the very first time for both of us. So, I kind of feel a lot of pressure, I guess, you know, to make it special and to be a good experience for her and me and all. Jeez, I’m jittery already, and it’s only Friday night.
Wow, so that happened, like only something I’ve been fantasizing about for years. And it was awkward, at first, we were both so nervous, finally Christine just said she was a nervous wreck and I admitted that I was too. So she and I went to the Spirit Corps Creativity Celebration, they were painting stuff on the Quad, it’s a liberal arts school after all, and we just talked a bit and chatted with some other students there. It helped, just being together there in public and all, we sort of got over being so nervous, I guess. Well, till we got back to my room. But, well, Christine and I spent the whole rest of the afternoon together and she left later that night, she wanted to get back to the city before it got too late. I really feel like her and I are way more connected now, I really do, like, it’s something really special we shared and, hopefully, it will get us through this having to be apart so much.-
On the Quad.
In Kaden’s tiny room.
A goodbye kiss.
-Dad stopped by, we hung out a bit and talked a lot, he let me vent some about school and I told him some stories and things that happened in the dorm. Then he told me some stuff from his college days that, well, that he probably thought I was too young to hear before. Like, well, stuff about girls. He had some experiences in college, I found out. Wow! OK, that was news. Like, I had kind of figured both mom and dad dated and stuff before, right? But, well, my dad, he kind of wasn’t into dating per se, he actually “hooked up” when he was in college. I was floored, I mean he was so, like, be respectful and all that stuff when he talked to me about woohoo. He totally had me snowed. But I get it, I totally do, because you can really mess up and have a baby and all and it must be really scary if you are a parent of a teenager in high school. Like, if Zayn or Samyr got their girlfriends pregnant now, that would practically ruin their lives. I get that, I mean, not being a hypocrite or anything considering recent events, which I totally did not mention to my dad, by the way, but, yeah, it is a really big deal, it was for me and Christine, and it totally should be.-
Kicking the soccer ball around with dad.
Omar and Kaden have a man-to-man chat.
-I had Bryson Cook drive me home this weekend, he has a beat up old car, but it runs. I gave him gas money and promised to give him food from home and he was in. He’s a black guy on my hall, he’s the kind of guy that makes friends easily and talks to everybody, and he’s really personable. He always asks if he can tag along with me and so we’ve been a few places together, he even goes to the Debate Club with me and he’s not even in it.
I wanted to get Josie or dad to cook me a bunch of food that I could put in my fridge, ‘cause I am so sick of microwave food and it’s really hard to make it over to the Den to eat when it’s actually opened.
Well, it was a epic fail, Josie was busy and dad said that he had tried the same thing in college and then he did the same thing to me that Uncle Kyle did to him and told me to cook my own food. Right, I can cook sure, but not nearly as well as Josie or dad, just saying. But I made a bunch of stuff that would keep well in the fridge and then Bryson and me drove back to Uni.
The thing is, Bryson was kind of impressed by my house and family, I guess. On the drive back, he kept talking about my family and how nice they were and how huge our house was, that it looked like it was right out of a TV show, and how nice everyone in my family was to him. So I asked him what his home was like. Well, his mom and his two brothers all live in a 2 bedroom apartment in Sim City. I guess it’s not a very nice part of the city either. He has to get student loans to pay for school. He told me that his car was his graduation present from his uncle, and that the two of them had fixed it up. I guess his uncle is the closest thing to a father figure he has, because he never mentioned his dad at all, and I was not about to ask. So, I kind of opened up to him too, I never tell people about my family, not everything usually, but I felt like he should know that my life was not like a perfect TV sitcom. I even told him how I had to get therapy after my mom died and that it’s kind of why I wanted to study Psychology, I guess. Like I said, Bryson is one of those people that makes you want to tell him stuff about yourself. Up till then only Trevon and Lonnie knew very much about me and neither knows about me getting therapy.-
Bryson meets the family.
-I just have the presentation to do, I need to have it done by tomorrow, Monday, my last class is Tuesday. I have been working on it, but it makes me really nervous, way more than an exam or term paper. Beejay was right though, the debate Club experience will definitely help. When I finally got it done, I asked Beejay to let me practice on him and give me some feedback. Boy did he, he told me that a presentation was a lot like debating, you have to be confident and have command of the facts sure, but also it doesn’t hurt to be amusing a bit, just to keep people listening. So, I added some puns in on some of the psychological terms, hopefully, that will do it.-
Working on the presentation.
-I made the dean’s list, I got all A+’s, boy do I feel great. It was a lot of work, but it does feel totally worth it now! And yeah, my elective was bowling, but still, I do feel good about my first term at Uni.-
@Daravi Yay, I'm happy everyone survived the flu. but 4 children, still, that's the way my grandparents were back then too, they had 6 or 7 children survive to adulthood.
@DarkAngel1994 I have got to remember to take some face shots in game, I really want to try that ArtBreeder on my sims too, good job on yours.
@Lyrie Aww, glad to see Rainbow making some little friends.
@RedDestiny92 Humm, Don Lothario in stereo, as in two of them, what would that be like in one of my games, lol? He has a pack of sons in my current game, legitimate and otherwise. I've lost count.
@ryttu3k Kaden lives in Crick Cabana, his attempt at decorating was to buy rugs. lol. I mean, I don't see him as being a guy who spends much time thinking about that kind of thing. Well, that's my head canon anyway. The makeovers are quite lovely though.
@Daephene Oh, Alexander looks so much like Mortimer in your game, he really doesn't resemble him much in mine.
@MelsieYT Oh, what lovely shots of the wedding, I love the lighting and your sims always look so good in your photos. I am a sucker for wedding photos in the game!
@Lucy_Henley Good luck to Lucy, 3 term papers, wow. I found the presentations were hardest to pull off myself, but term papers are so time consuming too.
The Island Elemental Twins: Dylan and Zephyr Index
I noticed that some of the images for old posts were broken. I edited the posts with working links. Here's an index for those who want to see where the Twins came from.
The Save Founder
For rotational, I have one sim that starts everything in the save. Everything the other sims do is a continuation of wherever he left off.
This is a screenshot from the very beginning.
Calum, the Island Poet, and Arihi Tilo, the Island Elemental.
A merman from the sea and a spirit of the Islands.
Above is a repeat of what I shared so that the index will be in one place
Dylan and Zephyr: Teenager Days Index
I really wish there was an option to undo things when there's a misclick because I just copied and pasted over most of my post, and now I'm starting over from scratch. It'll be difficult to replicate everything I typed, so I'm going to break up the intended post into two different posts. I'll make the second post later or another day.
I added the household to another world without cheats active. I didn't need cheats for what I had planned for the legacy. As a result, I have to rebuild the relationships I had before.
Edit: The Goal for the Teenage Days before aging up.
Achieve Level 10 singing
Max out all Character Value traits in the positive
Get an A in high school
Gain immunity to all weather conditions before aging up, except for the useless Waterproof Trait
Gain the Naturalist Trait and become immune to fire
Meet with the Mua Pel'Am pod at the secret merfolk meeting spot.
Zephyr: "She should watch out though. One of the people trolled was a vampire. I survived an encounter with a vampire when I was a toddler. Scary stuff."
Dylan: "I wonder who would win in a fight. Mom can make things burn with a lava bomb. But, based on my calculations, I can't be sure if she could win."
Zephyr: "Your calculations aren't usually reliable. The vampire would totally win."
Dylan: "You may be right."
Later that week, Zephyr challenged his brother to a game of chess.
Zephyr thinks to himself: "I'm mentally gifted and Dylan is creatively gifted. I'm guaranteed to win."
Dylan thinks to himself: "That's an interesting opening."
Zephyr thinks to himself: "I have a genius idea for my next move."
Dylan thinks to himself: "If he does that than I can do that. That's pretty creative, and he won't see it coming."
After their game of chess, the twins were so tired that they ended up sleeping in their merforms. Dylan and Zephyr are the only merfolk in the game with tails that have sparkling/shiny scales. The idea is that they have so much magical power that is shows in their tails. Shine from their scales is that magical energy. After all, they can control the weather, manipulate the moods of other sims, grant sims the ability to avoid drowning, summon sea monsters to drag sims underwater, lure sims into the ocean with the Siren's Call, summon lava bombs, and enhance the quality of plants. That's just their innate abilities. They can do more with other skills and traits.
As lifeguards at the same level in the career, the game started giving them different outfits. I guess they are becoming more identical in spite of their original fraternal birth.
So, in one of Carl's Guide videos, he uses the Lobster Thermidor to help with the hunger need. It turns out that Children of the Ocean or Merfolk or a combination of both find this meal extremely unpleasant to eat.
Something I forgot to include in the childhood update. I know that I can't control both in the lab, but the lab is the only place sims work. If they are both scientists at the same time, I'm very curious to find out if one of them will be NPC scientists. I'll give it a try regardless. I really want to try it after Dylan's eventful time in the lab.
So, while I was rebuilding relationships, I noticed a mechanic of Eco Living that made completing an Aspiration Milestone impossible without manipulating the game or cheats. Ironically, this meant that I had to activate cheats to move forward because the combination of Gift of Sulani and a Green neighborhood made gardening way too effective.
The Teenager Days 2: Learning Emotional Control
Dylan starts this day off with a big test and an interesting series of events.
I've had Dylan and Zephyr work on the Garden. Their parents did most of the work, so I figured completing the milestone would be easy. Even though the Gift of Sulani is essentially evolving plants immediately, increasing their financial value and quality, the action does not count toward the aspiration. With Eco-Living and a Green Neighborhood, the garden is entirely perfect quality virtually overnight. The auto evolution does not count toward the milestone. Perfect Quality plants can't be evolved and turning off the neighborhood effects doesn't help much. The freelance botanist milestone has a milestone that requires evolving plants. With the almost instant perfect quality from normal quality, it became impossible to finish this milestone without making the neighborhood neutral, industrial, or using cheats. The Freelance Botanist Aspiration is also the aspiration that makes sims immune to catching on fire and makes them effective firefighters after completing it. For an Island Elemental, the combination of Earth and Fire Elements made this an appealing aspiration to complete. I also got the Death Flower which is one step toward immortality.
Dylan and Zephyr had a couple of mood swings when they returned from school. Not much to say there. However, Dylan is talented with the Violin, and Zephyr can play the Guitar pretty well. I can relate to both of them. Sometimes, things get a little overwhelming. Calum lifted the curfew, so they had a chance to blow off some steam at the karaoke bar nearby.
Later that week and blending in as ordinary sims, Dylan and Zephyr sang a duet to have more fun. Calum used his powers to clear up the cloudy skies and give them a sunny day to enjoy. Both Dylan and Zephyr had level 5 singing when they started the duet. By the time they finished singing, Dylan had level 9 singing and Zephyr had level 7 singing. The creatively gifted trait is extremely powerful.
Dylan tried to walk away, and his brother was about to get ambushed by another townie. Dylan and Zephyr started throwing a bit of tantrum. In seconds, they summoned a rain of fire and a torrential thunderstorm. The sunny weather instantly turned into chaos with fire, lightning, wind, and rain bombarding the island.
The thunderstorm started after Zephyr blew into his conch shell. Dylan sang the random townie a Siren's Lullaby, Aegean's Question. She loved his singing after all.
Calum returned home from work. He was dried out after using his power to make the day a pleasant one for the twins. He ran to the ocean change into his merform. He was so dry that he couldn't stay in human form for long. He was not happy.
Calum to Zephyr when he got home: "I feel it's important to remind you that you have responsibilities. Your falling behind in school. In spite of that, I let you take the day off to have fun. I even made the weather pleasant for you."
Calum to Dylan: "You and your brother have a responsibility to take care of the islands, not destroy them. You both should do more to give back, not take away."
Calum: "Look what causing all that chaos did to both of you. You are connected to the islands and the sea. Creating so much chaos won't make you feel better, it'll make you both sick."
Calum: "You can always swim in the ocean, take a bath, or shower when you feel too dried out. You shouldn't summon a thunderstorm to get rehydrated. Now, I want you to rehydrate yourself the right way."
I think I forgot to share this during their childhood, but I discovered this in the study section of build mode. This board lets parents set a curfew for their kids. This can make gameplay more interesting when raising kids. Following the curfew can increase the Responsibility Character Value. For those who want to make unreasonable and strict parents, a curfew set at an earlier time can have an impact on the children.
Looking back, I'll say that taking care of sim twins is a lot of work. Considering that the Child of the Islands trait is required to get them without cheats, these twins that can control the elements and pass judgment like Island Elementals is even more overwhelming. Getting through the hysteria or sad moodlets can be a pain.
Anyways, this is the end of Dylan and Zephyr's Teenager Days.
The Teenager Days 4: Meeting the Pod and Throwing an Epic Birthday Party
Arihi and Calum had the spontaneous idea to build a pool where they kept the rocket ship. Dylan and Zephyr took this opportunity to relax and sit on the pool ledge in their merform. Maintaining human form can be a pain sometimes.
Of course, Arihi and Calum realized placing a pool above the new baby's nursery was probably a bad idea, so they drained it and put a simple patio there instead. Dylan and Zephyr still found a way to relax in their merforms on the patio furniture.
An explanation on how this works will be in the Extras
After taking a break from school, the twins went with Calum to the beach to meet more of the pod.
Dylan met one of the other twin merboys in the pod, Blaise Marus. Blaise and Will Marus are identical twin merboys that call the Windenburg Crumbling Isles home. They live with their older brothers Vesper and Sid Marus and the Azure Brothers: Flynn, Ceren, and Calden. The Marus Brothers and Azure Brothers are the creative partiers of the pod. That's probably why Blaise is skipping school to hang out at the beach. They are from Sulani, but they moved to Windenburg thanks to Flynn and Sid's insider knowledge on where the best parties are. I can't say their brothers enjoy the blizzards in the winter.
Dylan showed Blaise a funny video. It seem creative minds get along well.
Dylan's power to pass judgement on sims with the Child of the Islands trait is not restricted to his household. Apparently, Nalani didn't have a strong connection to the islands.
Nalani: "I've met the twins, and they passed judg..."
Calum: "I'm sorry you had to go through that. But don't feel bad, they deny my connection to the islands daily... sometimes more than once a day and through walls... there is no hiding because they will seek you out and pass there judgement... there's no escape. Oh Sulani, there will be a fourth at home soon."
On Winterfest, Arihi went into labor. She went to the hospital to give birth this time. I really didn't know what to expect. There's a 50% chance that the baby could be a mer, and I won't be able to know for sure until it becomes a toddler. It will have the Sulani Mana trait. That trait is guaranteed as long as one parent has it.
The Doctor: I see. At least it isn't an Alien Pregnancy, I never get use to those... Hold on, her DNA looks like the DNA of someone who lived on Sulani ages ago. How is she alive? People don't just come back from the dead...
The Doctor Pauses
As the machine works its magic, the Doctor speaks: "Ma'am we are almost done, and it looks like it will be a girl."
Arihi: "I'm going to name her Ember. Me and my husband rekindled our flame when we had her. It's winter and flames don't burn their brightest during the winter..."
The Doctor: "Ma'am your giving birth. How do you have the energy to talk like this."
Arihi looks at the doctor: "Exactly, I am giving birth to new life. I do not have energy to talk, but Sulani forbid I stop talking because it's the only thing helping me deal."
Arihi lays her head down and speaks with a monotone voice: "I've already had twins. Now if you could be so kind, I'd like to be done with this already."
Arihi holds her daughter for the first time and rocks her.
Ember: "Oh Sulani, why are you rocking me while I'm starving with a dirty diaper. You literally ate the bare minimum while I was in there. I wanted out because I thought I was going to starve. Oh Sulani, your still rocking me. Where's dad? I need to teleport out of here."
Ember goes poof and teleports to her basinet at home before her parents leave the hospital.
When Arihi and Calum return home, Ember is sleeping soundly in her bassinet under the supervision of her twin older brothers that chose to browse the web and dance to music instead of feed her.
Since Arihi is a loner, she stayed home with Ember while Calum and the boys went to beach. They met Santa there, and Santa had a surprise for Dylan.
Santa to Dylan: "Just in case you get any funny ideas about cancelling one of my blizzards. Remember that I'm the one that gives the gifts during Winterfest. Don't forget. Never forget. You might get nothingness with a sprinkle of sadness and lies."
Zephyr: "You don't have to worry about me. You gave me an awesome gift! An Island Clarity light for the bathroom. Keep a candy cane nice and close and sleep with one eye open. Also, watch the sky for lightning and volcanic bombs. Stay out of the water because I have friends in the deep. The public pools won't keep you safe."
Old times, but new neighbors. I'm making one of the islands a home for the merfolk until they make an underwater neighborhood for merfolk. I'll evict the premade neighbors for that.
The cheat: Traits.Equip_Trait Trait_OccultMermaid_MermaidForm will cause the selected mer to walk around in their tails. They can do other things on land. You can even have them sit at the edge of a pool and do stuff they can't do in the water while in their merform. Just know that this can lead to small bug that can easily be fixed by resetting the sim and having them get in and out of the water.
Dylan: "I'm okay with this."
Zephyr thinking to himself: "Seriously! Seriously. He's actually serious."
A mer sitting on the ledge of a pool can eat harvestables in human form and do other things without going far from the water. If someone wants to push the limits of what a mer can do in the sims without going into human form or far from water, a pool is a good start.
The Pool lot I'm fine tuning is also supposed to help push the limits of what a mersim can do without taking a human form.
As it turns out, a mersim can do a lot without taking a human form. They can watch TV, Sleep, Socialize, Talk to Fish, View Fish in an Aquarium, Order Stuff from a Computer, Listen to Music, and they can probably view wall art. When it comes to tiny living, it might be possible to get some extremely livable conditions plus all the boosts from the lot.
I forgot to take a screenshot of it, but a residential speaker can be listened to even if a sim is in the water. It will offer the option to dance, but it will not work while in merform, no feet. With the emotional control trait, the residential wall speaker can be used like a mirror to wind down from an extreme emotion. Items can be carried in a sims inventory and used off lot or out of the water nearby the active lot. I'd love to see more things that can be done by mersims without leaving the water and taking a human form.
Extras
First, there are some updates from the Island Elemental Twins Household.
I'll start by sharing a picture of Dylan and Zephyr being themselves. Their teenage years are coming to a close, and their young adult years will be broken up according to different goals. They will be aging up after their introduction to the Mua Pel'Am pod.
I want the twins to be comfortable living in the outdoors, so before they move out to the University Dorms, they will have a vacation in Granite Falls and complete the Outdoors Enthusiast Aspiration for that location. My intended set up is to have them spend as much time in their merform as possible at home, and I feel like having a trait that reinforces their outdoors lifestyle will be helpful. If I can keep the time they spend in human form to a minimum in Sulani, I will achieve my goal. Of course, these are the terms for while I play the household. The house they will move in will not have a bed or kitchen. They will sleep in the ocean and eat the food they grow. As elemental merfolk, I think living off of things that come from the elements will be important.
Next, they will attend University and complete the Academic Aspiration. This will be the only knowledge Aspiration both of them will complete. At the same time, I plan for both of them to complete the Master Maker Aspiration, and this will be the only Creative Aspiration both of them complete. I consider these to be more like utility skills than anything else.
After University, I'll play that house and experiment with different career combinations. They will become the household I play rotationally for like a sim year before moving on. I would expect to see them around in other stories because they will not be aging up past young adult, and the chance of them dying from an accident will be slim to none. The twins are already immune to death by various weather conditions and fire. I think the only way they might be killable in the end is if they laugh to death, but even then, the emotional control trait gives them many options to snap out of extreme moods.
As always, Calum has been essential to keeping things going in the house. I'm positive that things would fall apart without him. I wish his sons and wife would stop denying his connection to the island and recognize how much he does for them.
Immediately after waking up, Calum tended to the Garden autonomously.
Calum and Arihi had their love life fade after raising the twins. And guess what, after a Serenade, Charmer's Lullaby, and a bit of Beguilement with romantic art to set the mood, Arihi and Calum are expecting a new addition. I still need to make a restaurant in Sulani. I'm thinking of closing up the Spa to make room for another house. The beach lot I created can provide spa services, and thanks to Free Services, I can hire service sims wherever I want for free. Yay! I have no idea if it will be twins again or not. I'm not even going to manipulate the gender. I wonder what the little dev... I mean angel will be and how many? Fire totally isn't the theme... Even if Calum did rekindle his flame with Arihi.
Zephyr didn't want to be left out, so he joined in by summoning a lava bomb. I think Calum's lessons about using their powers responsibly went out the window, just a little.
Because they are mermen, they don't have to wait for a thunderstorm and the slim chance they get struck twice. They can call a thunderstorm at any time.
@Metior_Ice Thanks for sharing that was way cool to see! Wow the boys are so powerful!
Yeah, they can't really cause harm to other townies, but they nearly destroyed half the lot. It doesn't help that one of the lot traits include volcanic activity. Their antics reached a point where I almost thought the island would tear itself apart. Townie's started watching the weather channel to try and understand what was going on. Dylan got struck twice again too.
After Zephyr cleared the skies, the twins autonomously stopped to think about family. Zephyr thought about his little sister Ember, and Dyland stopped to think about their Dad, Calum. Dylan was the one getting supercharged and causing most of the chaos. I think he remembered his dad's lesson about self-control.
Needless to say, Dylan replaced the furniture the lightning destroyed and cleared the lava rocks cluttering the lot. He also mopped up the soot from everything that burnt from the lightning or lava.
And, because they spent three or four days straight calling thunderstorms, summoning lava bombs, and raining lightning from the sky, I felt it was fitting for them to be so worn out that they couldn't even stay in human form.
Wow! That is impressive! And yes the lot trait does add to the risk and chaos!
The poor townies are desperate to the figure out what was happening did they do something to make the island? Was probably their thoughts! poor them!
I am happy to see the boys calm down and reflect about their family and lessons.
At least Dylan cleaned up.
I like how you gave them a fitting consequence or pentaly for using their powers that way, very creative!
I think Dylan cleaning things up and both of them turning into their merforms was fitting. Since it isn't a built in feature, I plan on making them revert to their natural form whenever they lose self-control. Since they are naturally mermen with unique powers over nature to begin with, I think all that power needs to have at least one draw back. And, I think I'll have them change into their merforms at will too. Kinda wish they couldn't walk around in that form, but I can always turn off autonomy to make that happen. This might be the only instance where I heavily use cheats.
I think they started to realize what they were doing after the power-hype died down. I mean, Dylan was getting hyper-charged by the lightning, and Zephyr was maintaining a perpetual monsoon. They both summoned lava bombs on top of the naturally occurring eruptions. Many townie's were struck by lightning or terrified by the nearby lightning strikes. Some of the sims I made left the lot dazed after getting struck by lightning. The eruptions triggered tense moodlets on top of the tense situation. The twins have the laid-back trait, so they won't get tense.
I haven't been able to follow much of your story, so I apologize for not having a response. I'm happy Delcan is helping Vanessa. The teenagers and parenting can be tedious. I'm sure Calum would be able to relate.
I will say that this Townie life guard should get a raise. He stood out there in the middle of the thunderstorm focused on keeping everyone safe.
Evil-Arihi: "Why do you care so much about the environment? How dare you clean up trash in the ocean!"
Dylan: "Because Sea Turtles are friends and Baby Sea Turtles are so cute."
Zephyr: "Hey, what's all the drama llama?"
Dylan: "She's angry at me for trying to clean up the island."
Zephyr: "If you don't like the islands, what about the sea? Littering is bad for the reefs."
Evil-Arihi: "I don't care. Why don't you understand? I really don't care. Stop making things better or leave."
Evil-Arihi: For Sulani's sake, I hate dolphins.
Dylan: "She didn't just say that about flipper."
Zephyr: "She did. That's not cool."
Evil-Arihi: "I have a bad feeling."
Zephyr: "She didn't listen bro. You know what that means."
Dylan: "I do. Let's have some fun."
After Dylan's Club Gathering with the spin masters (Of course he invited Zephyr) they returned to Sulani and visited the Caldora Eco Center. I learned that Zephyr acquired some interesting interactions with the telescope.
The next day, I left Zephyr to do whatever he wanted. Dylan needed to sleep before painting again. Zephyr started out researching the Apple tree. I thought: "Typical Zephyr doing brainiac stuff."
I started watching a movie Iona picked out. She seems to have an interesting taste in movies. Shortly after, I got this prompt. It seems he has his mother's bad habits.
At this point, I stepped in. If he was going to be on the computer, he should at least do something productive, so I had him practice programming. There was a line of people waiting to use the computer...
Oh, and Andria being the family oriented mother type in the pod ended up sitting there watching over Zephyr's shoulder.
Andria: "Now, you've just started doing things on your own, but it seems you need some looking after right now."
Zephyr: "Shouldn't you be parenting Lyric?"
Andria: "Lyric doesn't troll the tech forums. Keep practicing your programming."
Zephyr: "Yes, mother."
The next year, I had Zephyr start things off playing video games... And no, just no... Don't even think about it... I don't want one of those in the house... the intended building design won't even support it... Thou shall not phone home.
Finally, back to normalcy... It's almost like Zephyr never trolled anyone or hacked into the bill companies computers... It's always the quiet ones I tell you. I don't think he put the book back on the shelf... I think he might actually be a criminal mastermind and his reputation is great.
I create lots that have a lot of opportunities for interaction and gameplay. This lounge will allow a player to "follow a sim to work" for a musician career. You can make up a self-employment career and everything. Anyways, Zephyr went to work making a little extra change for their camping trip.
Because Dylan and Zephyr were former life guards, it seems they will have the lifeguard interactions for the rest of their life. The Beach Flex triggers an instant confident moodlet. Didn't know that.
The skies cleared when Zephyr caught up to his brother. The duo proceeded to catch a few fish. Zephyr pulled out a treasure chest, and I still don't know what he got. Zephyr has proven to be a more competent fisherman than his brother. Maybe the skill is a mentally gifted thing?
With the way Arihi trolls on the internet, it doesn't surprise me that Calum doesn't keep any secrets. I want to know what is more interesting than going through a Fruit Bear phase with your son.
In the Deep Granite Woods, the twins stargazed together. They spent the day hiking and collecting herbs. Getting this far into the woods tired them out.
Back at camp, they needed to roast beetles. To light the campfire, Zephyr called clear skies. He proceeded to take a nap shortly after. Dylan finished this aspiration task quickly, and he actually ate the beetles without a negative moodlet. Maybe it has something to do with being half fish. I just noticed Thorne calling about Flower Arranging. Doesn't he know that Zephyr is on Vacation. He also called the Genius one instead of the Creative one.
Later that night, Zephyr proceeded to cook some beetles. Dylan told an epic ghost story that even attracted a ghost to the campsite. It's a good thing they have a second tent because Bob wouldn't leave the tent alone. And yes, I named the ghost Bob, Just Bob. The twins didn't seem to mind his presence even though he only has negative traits and is almost always angry. The twins starts to get home sick. A full week is a long time for a couple of mermen to be land locked.
The next morning, Zephyr was making his last batch of beetles. Of course, he started a fire that woke Dylan up. Dylan's response time was a little slow, and he called the firefighters. They stood around and waited for the fire to destroy their camping chair and the fire to put itself out. They were absolutely useless, and the twins were not impressed with their dance moves. Zephyr got one of them with his Aegean's Question, but Dylan couldn't get the second one. I also wanted to subject them to a thunderstorm and lava bombs. Honestly, I'll just call a rainstorm next time. I found out that calling the firefighters prevents my mersims from using their mermadic abilities until the fire ends.
Back at the Hermit's Hut, the twin's were able to take a shower.
Dylan: "Why are you wearing your mer-islander outfit here?"
Zephyr: "I'm just missing home and the sea. Plus, there's no where for me to be that allows me to stay in my merform."
Dylan: "I understand, but you might want to change into your camping outfit. We are trying to act like we know how humans dress."
Zephyr: "I guess."
Dylan and Zephyr became friends with the Flower Bunny, but it seems the Flower Bunny prefers Zephyr over Dylan. It rejected Dylan's Flower and accepted Zephyr's.
Near the end of their trip, Dylan and Zephyr played horseshoes. It turns out the Aspiration couldn't be completed until summer because that's when the other six herbs grow.
Dylan: "I was right to book this camping trip. We should stay longer."
Zephyr: "but you got the season wrong."
Dylan: "That's why we should stay."
Zephyr: "I have a better idea. But first, I'd like to sleep in the water like normal. I'm a bit tired of camping."
Even though I made the twins go to sleep in separate grottos, Dylan drifted out of his grotto in his sleep, and Zephyr ignored sleeping in his grotto and slept next to his brother. Dylan happened to be dreaming about sea dragons at the time.
The twins have a slightly new look. Now that I know how to edit smaller details, I gave the naturally born merfolk slightly pointed ears. Also, I noticed Makoa, one of the premade sims really likes to talk to my mersims. I think it's because of his Child of the Ocean Trait, but what I didn't know was that his household is merwoke. Meaning, the members of his household can see merfolk in their true form. I decided to turn him into a half-merman with round ears.
There's Makoa again. He's a good friend for most merfolk sims, and that's why he's a premade I'm keeping around. He also has a toddler in his household which is great for when I have a toddler playdate. The game doesn't offer a lot of ways for toddlers to meet other toddlers.
Even though the Celebrities have nearly aged out of existence, the game created new ones that exist out of world. But what kind of abomination did the Bailey-moon's unleash on the world. I mean no offense to those who like bulked up muscles, but that just looks abnormal to me.
I'll start things off with an update on Ember. Arihi aged her up to being a toddler and the game decided to make her a charmer. She was also born a mermaid, but for the purposes of storytelling she will lose this trait before she has a chance to realize her identity. Soon aft5er she ages up, things will begin to change in Sulani for the worst.
And, Arihi denied Calum's Connection to the island again. I learned that making and drinking Kava helps to reduce the sad moodlets effects. And, it only takes three cups to go from relaxed to maybe-a-little-too-relaxed.
The Island Elemental Twins: Dylan and Zephyr: The Broken World Saga
Now, I'll start the darker saga of this story. The one where I get to upload ghost versions of the twins to the Gallery and make Sulani the ugliest place to live.
This Legacy will be a little different with a different set of rules. There will be 10 generations, but each generation will have a predetermined aspiration tied to whatever object they must acquire. The Founder and Heirs to this legacy will collect 6 objects related to the Elemental Twins and return them to the Crescent Moon Shrine. 2 heirs will drive out the darkness preventing the twins' resurrection, and the last 2 heirs will complete the aspirations that will ultimately restore life to the twins, but every quest completed will make the world they live in a little bit better.
This is: The Broken World Saga
The story is as follows: The Elementals that watched over the island have fallen to a devouring darkness. Yet hope remains, they have a way to return to the mortal world and ensure the continued prosperity of the Islands. [Insert Legacy Last Name] returned to Sulani in hopes of reconnecting with the place they once called home. This family has a stronger connection with the sea than the actual islands, and they left because of their weaker roots. When they return to Sulani, everywhere they go volcanic activity, earthquakes, and unfortunate events follow them. Only places close to the sea escape the mysterious curse. Perhaps the beauty of the ocean could not be overcome by whatever blighted the islands. Myths of merfolk seem more distant among the locals. Any stories from recent "sightings" have become scarce. Most of the native sea life seems withdrawn. Unknown to the individual returning to the islands, malevolent forces have cast their shadow on the islands and scattered the relic required to restore the Elementals and the Islands.
So, the set up: Most of the early set up will be identical to other Legacy challenges. There's a funds limitation, but the one thing that will be for certain is that the legacy household will be restricted to the world they are placed in. No traveling out of the world. Imagine a dark and impenetrable barrier that lets sims in but doesn't let them out.
The unique points to this legacy are made possible thanks to NAPS, Eco-Living, and Lot Traits.
In the beginning, Every Single Lot will have:
Volcanic Activity
Earthquakes
Cursed
If the lot has the Oceanic Paradise Trait that can't be removed, then it will have:
Volcanic Activity
Earthquakes
NAPS
Roughhousing Encouraged: The people of Sulani seem to be filled with a violent spirit and engage in fights everywhere you go.
Power Conservation: Something has gone wrong with Sulani's Geothermal Grid., Unusual volcanic activity has resulted in a loss of power across the islands weekly.
Water Conservation: Earthquakes have caved in wells and saltwater has contaminated many other stores of underwater. Authorities in Sulani are forced to shut off water to preserve what little usable water is left.
Back to the Old Days: Technology has become unreliable and the power grid can't sustain their usage. Technology that made things easier has now become an unsustainable practice.
All of the islands will be toxic with industrial pollution.
Mua Pel'Am will be reduced to its worst state.
Dylan's Quests
Complete the Musical Genius Aspiration
Win a Karaoke Bar Contest at Triton's Beach as a Musical Genius
Acquire Dylan's Urn or Grave Marker
Place the Urn in the Crescent Moon Shrine
Reward: A NAP can be repealed and replaced with something positive using influence.
Complete the Beach Life Aspiration
Recover Dylan's Camping Guitar from a hidden chamber in the Elemental Temple. (This requires Dylan's Spirit to be free to interact with).
Place Dylan's Camping Guitar in the Crescent Moon Shrine.
Reward: A NAP can be Repealed and replaced with something positive using influence.
Complete the Painter Extraordinaire Aspiration
Acquire Dylan's old violin from the Zalrian Household (This will require an interaction with Calum and Dylan's Spirit).
Place Dylan's old violin in the Crescent Moon Shrine
Reward: One of the islands can have its pollution cleaned up except Mua Pel'Am.
Complete the Chief of Mischief Aspiration
Chase away the Darkfin Siblings
Reward: The Earthquakes Lot Trait can be swapped out for something different.
Complete the Bestselling Author Aspiration
The Poetic Sim reads Dylan's Book of Life in the Crescent Moon Shrine
Dylan is brought back from the dead.
Step 1 of 2 for removing the Cursed Lot trait is complete.
Zephyr's Quests
Complete the Curator Aspiration
The Curator completes his own collection of sea shells
Acquire Zephyr's Urn from the Caldora Eco Center
Place the Urn in the Crescent Moon Shrine
Reward: A NAP can be Repealed and replaced with something positive using influence.
Complete the Master Mixologist Aspiration
Recover the Plumbite Crystal hidden in the Sand Bar
Place the Plumbite Crystal in the Crescent Moon Shrine
Reward: A NAP can be Repealed and replaced with something positive using influence.
Complete the World Famous Celebrity Aspiration
Cross the threshold into the exclusive room for five star celebrities
Retrieve the Luna Moths from this room
Place the Luna Moths in the Crescent Moon Shrine
Reward: One of the islands can have its pollution cleaned up except Mua Pel'Am.
Complete the Public Enemy Aspiration
Defeat Damion Morbius for this Aspiration
Banish Damion to the Netherworld.
Smash Damion's Grave Marker so he can never return.
Reward: The Volcanic Activity Lot Trait can be swapped out for something different.
Complete the Nerd Brain Aspiration.
The Handy Sim can read Zephyr's Book of Life in the Crescent Moon Shrine
Zephyr is brought back from the dead.
Step 1 of 2 for removing the Cursed Lot trait is complete.
To revive one of the twins, a heir or founder of the Legacy must recover their Urn, retrieve two talismans connected to one of them, remove a threat to the islands, and finally, with the Talismans and Urn safely placed in the Crescent Moon Shrine, a member of the Legacy can read one of the tomes to resurrect one of the twins. The idea is that the absence of the Talismans and the Presence of one of the Evils is preventing them from being brought back to life. Returning a Talisman to a shrine and completing a quest helps to heal the islands and removes a negative element afflicting the gameplay.
Every Lot will have Earthquakes and Volcanic Activity.
Every lot without the unique oceanic paradise trait will have the Cursed Lot trait.
The NAPs in effect are:
Back in the Old Days (Fines for using technology)
Water Conservation (Weekly water shut off and daily fines for using too much water)
Power Conservation (Daily power shut off and daily fines for using too much power)
Roughhousing Encouraged (People break into fights on every island)
Every building on every island uses walls, floors, and items that cause industrial smog. The Gardens my sims grow are the only thing causing the islands to shift into the Neutral state. Otherwise, they would be uncomfortable from the smog.
The Death of Dylan and Zephyr
When Dylan entered the temple, the Island of Mua Pel'am had succumbed to a sickly fog and the Elemental Temple reflected the change in Mua Pel'am. Dylan placed the Tome of the Wayfarer's Tide and the Tome of the Wayfinder's Breeze inside the Crescent Moon Shrine. This shrine hidden in the Temple Catacombs was the only place untouched by whatever plagued the islands, a Sanctuary spared by the shadows.
Back at the Wayfinder's Atoll, Zephyr was investigating the shadow that plagued the island. He found a corruption spreading from Mua Pel'am to the other islands. The other islands hadn't succumbed to the fog but even the most pristine island was experiencing a steady decline into that poor state. On the beach, the demon responsible attacked Zephyr. The fight sent bursts of red shockwaves as the Vampire and Merman sparred.
Zephyr managed to escape the fight, but before he could warn his twin, the Vampire sped up to him and drank deeply. Weakened, Zephyr collapsed to the ground.
The Vampire fled the scene of his attack and invaded the Elemental Temple. He ambushed Dylan and overwhelmed him with corruptive rage. Shortly after, Dylan's heart succumbed and he fell to the floor. His Elemental Spirit trapped inside an Urn was collected by the Vampire. Upon Dylan's fall, every island across Sulani began to suffer an increase in volcanic and tectonic activity.
Zephyr raced into the temple to try and save his brother, but he came face to face with the Vampire.
Damion: "Your brother didn't reveal the location of the Tomes. I've obtained his spirit, but I can't control his power. Tell me where the tomes are? I can't sense their power."
Dazed, Zephyr could barely reply: "Like I'll tell you."
Zephyr felt the corruption of rage seep into his heart. He wouldn't tell the monster that took his brother from him anything.
Damion: "If you won't tell me, I'll capture your spirit. I'll make sure you never see your brother again, and I'll take all the time in the worlds searching the islands for my prize. I will control your power, and I will rule the islands with it."
Zephyr: "I may fall now, but know this, a curse will be placed on the Islands. The curse will ensure that you never find what you seek."
Damion: "Then, I'll have to find someone else to do the dirty work for me. I'm done talking to you."
As soon as Zephyr hit the ground, Damion could feel the curse flood across the islands. There were isolated places close to the sea that did not fall under the curse. He intended to begin his search there. He had an eternity to hunt down the tomes.
Damion: "Zephyr, my word is good if nothing else. I'll use a ward that will prevent others from taking you from here. They will have to gather simple shells and collect more than most before they can touch your spirit. You'll be trapped here, an island away from your brother. You're nothing but a relic, so I hope you enjoy your stay in this museum."
Damion: "Dylan, I can sense in your spirit an affinity for music. Only someone with incredible musical talent will be able to break my wards. I'll leave you here to watch the pristine beauty of this island decay. In your current state, you will be powerless to change anything."
Not long after sealing the twins, the islands changed in dramatic ways. The people of Sulani became consumed with an urge to break out into fights. Technology, electricity, and water became unreliable. Volcanic and tectonic activity made it difficult for the facilities to provide clean water and power to homes. The islands themselves slowly developed a fog that seemed to come from Mua Pel'am. Without the twins, the islands and the spiritual energies that made them a virtual paradise was broken. The vampire would endure the plague he brought the islands until he could control the twins' power. Once he controlled them, he would make them restore his kingdom. The islands should be a place fit for an immortal.
Aparently, only one of the Darkfin Siblings has a unique hidden trait. All six were originally created at the same time using CAS genetics with Volcana as the original. Apparently, the Kleptomaniac of the bunch (forget her name) (Edit: the screenshot had her name. It's Sarah.), has a fear of earthquakes, and I think the only reason I discovered this was because of the tectonic activity from the Volcanic Activity and Quake Zone Traits. This fear must be a hidden trait a sim has a chance of getting after being made in CAS. All of her siblings have the evil trait, so all of them became happy because she's tense.
@Metior_Ice Oooh, I like the way you worked the pollution into the story. I look forward to seeing how this plays out.
The fog has a very cool effect on the game, and the best part is that the build design for the legacy house seems to be putting the Eco-footprint into a bit of struggle. You'll see what I mean in my update, but the environment and the way things look appears to be having its own struggle between good and evil. It took a lot of work to make the changes across the entire neighborhood to create the effect.
You wouldn't believe it because of the fog, but Mua Pel'Am quickly jumped to the thriving state thanks to roughhousing encouraged fights counting as a positive toward island conservation. I don't think that makes sense. Maybe people getting into fights is persuading people to me more environmentally friendly. It just seems like a weird way to accomplish that. People should be able to talk about issues and find a middle ground, not get into fist fights to settle disputes.
@Metior_Ice That was an excellent set up to your legacy story, it crushed me a bit seeing them die since we known them since toddlerhood! but I know one day they will be back! I think it is really cool how hard they were to kill! Good job on making them that way, it seems like a huge achievement
They will be back sooner than you think . They just won't be in the form you remember.
Personal Note
In a way, this won't be a true legacy challenge. I'll be doing things within the general framework of the challenge. I will not be tracking points, not my preferred play style. Also, This story will not go entirely planned. I know what my goals are based on the quests I created for the founder and heirs. However, I plan to let the game play itself out. I think of characters as their own individuals. This has led to some struggles in my personal writing. It can be very hard to think about how a character will make choices in response to their situation. The Sims might be the perfect way to let a Semiautonomous character make decisions and write about that. I want to practice writing a story around what ends up happening and gain experience along the way.
Background Info on the Zalrian Twins for those that didn't follow their origin.
Dylan and Zephyr are the twin sons of Calum and Arihi. Calum is a pure-blooded merman, child of the ocean, and a child of the islands. Calum's unique mix of traits gives him a strong ancestral connection to the islands and the sea. Arihi was an Island Elemental he could summon for judgement. Arihi and Calum quickly fell in love, literally in one night Calum won over Arihi's heart and the twins were conceived on Mua Pel'Am. When Arihi and Calum fell for each other and before the twins were conceived, Calum turned Arihi into a mermaid until the twins aged into their full power. Arihi is also a Child of the Ocean like Calum. Dylan and Zephyr were conceived with a very strong connection to the islands and as pure-blooded mermen (A mother and father that were merfolk at the time of their conception).
It is Dylan and Zephyr's natural ability to control the forces of nature. Everything from calling storms to bringing the lightning to summoning volcanic bombs, it's their natural power. Their unique combination of traits not found in the average premade sims or townies gives them lots of innate power. While the Twins have the trait that can make them Island Elementals, there is more to them that gives them actual power over the elements no matter where they are.
Edit: When the Twins aged into their full power, Arihi lost her Mermadic Powers. After spending so much time in a mortal form, Arihi lost her elemental powers. Ember is only a half-blood mermaid without Sulani Mana. Part of Ember not having as much power has a lot to do with a power-hungry sim hunting down merfolk with strong spiritual energy. As of right now, Calum and the Darkfins are the most powerful beings in Sulani because they are the only mythical being still in Sulani. Fortunately, Calum isn’t on Damion’s radar with six other merfolk to attract his attention.
In my mind, Dylan and Zephyr, the sea and sky, embody a bridge between the land and sea. Their role is to watch over the islands, not as rulers, but as guardians that peacefully protect the natural balance. The term merman or elemental would be fine as a reference to them and their occult status. Although, I think the term elemental is a better term for a spirit and merman works better when they take a more physical form. Their Books of Life, I nicknamed the Tome of Wayfarer's Tides and Wayfinder's Breeze, are bound to the twins. Supposedly, another sim should be able to read those tomes and summon their spirits, even restore life to them. Kailani, in Hawaiian, is a nod to the Sea and Sky and a little nod to the Twins. I'm trying to use names with a connection to islands somewhere: The Celtics of the British Isles, Greece, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Polynesian Islands.
Background Info on Damion because he doesn't have an origin to follow.
Damion's objectives are fairly simple. He's a vampire and has an eternity to live. Once he learned of the Twin's existence, he acted quickly to claim the power to control the islands and the power over nature the twins control.
If you think about it, the twins could be used to manipulate nature in such a way that even the Forgotten Hollow wouldn't remain a safe haven for opposing vampires. He could freely clear the skies and make all the Vampires that oppose him burn in the sun. He can even take control of doors to deny and allow access to any building.
Before you mention the weather machine, you have to remember that weather is bound to a neighborhood, and the weather machine can only change the weather if the player is on the active lot with the machine. Zephyr alone can change the weather wherever he is, and he can make a weather machine instantly fully upgraded. Dylan has traits that allow him to create things to influence the mood of a room. That would come in handy as a stack for vampiric powers.
If he controlled the Twins, thunderstorms, lightning, lava bombs, and fire would become a regular hazard to his enemies. Inflicting negative emotions could go beyond an aura that surrounds him. He's seeking control of Sulani, but the power to control the Twins would, at the very least, allow him to inflict severe damage on any place anywhere that offers shelter to his foes. Townies are surprisingly good at abandoning lots when they are close to death. So, Damion's goals are simple. He's seeking power.
Anyways, I'll introduce the founder.
This is Reef Kailani:
He has a very mixed background. His family once had an ancient lineage in Sulani, and during a time long forgotten by the Kailani Family, a distant ancestor gained the power to wield Sulani's Mana. This ancestor received this power as a gift for their service to the Island Elementals. Reef has no idea that he possesses this power, and he is the last in his family with the trait. For the Kailani lineage, Sulani's Mana is a trait that allows them to interact with Sulani's Spiritual Energy, and it's through interacting with that energy that they can summon Volcanic Bombs and enhance the vitality of plants. This unique ability to interact and commune with Sulani's Spiritual Energy also makes them better equipped to restoring beings closely intertwined with that energy, like the mermen Dylan and Zephyr.
Reef Kailani has a strong connection to the sea, but his island roots have long since been uprooted by time. He tends to feel confident in the face adversity, but he's a bit clumsy. When his distant aunt, the last member of his family, other than him, with the ancient trait passed, he inherited a tiny pavilion on a secluded lot. The Kailani's never invested in their island property, so most of what used to be there was sold to pay off his aunt's debts after passing. Reef broke off from his wayward relatives a long time ago. He doesn't know where they are or what they are doing, but they weren't the family he cared about the most. Many of them can barely be called relatives by blood. He is the last of his ancient lineage.
When he entered the pavilion on Alania Look, he felt a rapid increase in hunger and fatigue. Something didn't feel right, but it was hard to say what. The locals said the Islands were suddenly cursed as if overnight everything changed. Reef valued science, logic, and reason. Magic and curses were superstitious nonsense.
His first order of business was to take up the Conservationist Career. Reef loved the ocean and the sea, and when he visited his Aunt, it pained him to see Mua Pel'am in such a poor state. However, the moment he stepped foot on the island, he felt a spike in his hunger and felt incredibly tired after a minimal amount of physical effort. The island looked like it should be thriving, but a thick fog hid the flowers and trash appeared to be accumulating on the shores again.
Inside the Eco Center, the place looked abandoned. Books littered the tables and the floor. No one seemed to care about the dust covered art. Most of the displays looked empty with empty rooms around every corner as well. He remembered the study of the Eco Center having more people. He remembered how easy it was to lose yourself in a book surrounded by peace and quiet. Now, there was no one. It was like everyone decided to stop what they were doing and flee from something. He figured it had something to do with the volcanic activity common around the Eco Center. He figured they would return once things settled down again.
Inexplicably exhausted, he proceeded to research the latest news in conservation. The smog filling the air had to have a natural source. He couldn't figure out an explanation for it on the computer. Nothing he read helped him make sense of things.
Despite his exhaustion, he began his hike along the island shore. If he couldn't find answers online, he would find them during his survey of local plants and animals.
His surveys, led him to a beach cave he used to visit as a kid. He never got far then. The nearby wreckage of a boat appeared to show signs of someone growing a garden. It also had a strange machine. Other than that, it looked abandoned shortly after someone started to call it home. The cave didn't reveal any answers.
Reef couldn't press on any further, so he went home to get some sleep. A tremor shook the small pavilion and startled him awake. He saw steam rising out of the ground. It looked like the long dead volcano, Alania, was trying to resume activity.
Reef thought: "Impossible."
But, he was too tired to think about it. Something still felt so wrong and the feeling followed him.
Once again, Reef felt inexplicably exhausted. However, he decided to spend a late night in the Caldora Eco Center. He tested a water sample he took from Sulphur debris. He still couldn't explain the fog, but Mua Pel'am was thriving. At this point, it was close to past midnight, and he struggled to keep his eyes open.
Reef turned around and spotted translucent figure sitting in a chair.
Reef thought: "A ghost. I must be dreaming."
The ghost was a young man, and he didn't wear a shirt. He had a necklace made from island stones and beads. He looked like someone that walked in from the nearby beach, maybe straight out of the ocean.
Zephyr: "Hi, how are you doing?"
Reef: "I think I'm dreaming."
Zephyr: "I've been cramped inside a tiny jar, so I didn't expect to be here either. I was just... able to leave that prison for a moment."
Reef: "I'm definitely dreaming, or maybe its the smog."
Zephyr opened a book to try and read away his emotions, but the circumstances of his passing caught up to him.
Zephyr: "I can't forgive. I will never forget. That monster took my brother, and I don't know where he is."
Zephyr raised his voice: "Don't forget. Never forget. Something must be done before the Islands can know peace. He's the one responsible for everything. That monster is responsible. He separated us. Broke us."
Zephyr lowered his voice: "The rage, it burns in my heart. I know it burns in my Brother's too."
When Reef left, he went straight to bed. It had to be a hallucination. He needed sleep. When he woke up the next morning, he felt like he was starting to get closer to something important, and most importantly, he felt like his life was becoming more stable... That is... until a major eruption nearly flattened him with a lava bomb. Maybe, he should investigate the "ghost," whoever that was, and the monster. He was just relieved that his wooden hut didn't go up in flames.
Reef returned to the Caldora Eco Center and climbed the stairs until he reached a room in the middle of the museum. Island Music filled the almost empty room. In the center of the room, an urn sat silently.
Reef thought: "Could this be the thing he said he was trapped in?"
Reef went down to the basement lab to think. The summer heat could still reach the lab deep underground. After all his hard work, he convinced his boss to include a simple couch that could help ease the extreme tiredness he felt at work. It didn't take long before Reef started napping.
Reef dreamt of a strange ruin. The walls had algae covering them. The images blurred and cleared. He saw through the eyes of an individual running down wooden stairs. He felt a sense of panic, a strong sense of urgency. A human shaped shadow with orange eyes stopped him in his tracks with unnatural speed. He felt himself get lifted off the ground. He couldn't hear what the shadow said, but shortly after, everything went dark before a coldness loomed over. Then, nothing but darkness.
The dream changed, and he saw the sea and looked down below his waist. Instead of legs, he saw a tail with a unique red and blue coloration.
Words whispered in his mind, familiar words: "You're a Child of the Ocean. You never lost your connection to the sea even though you lost your roots to the island. Recover your family's connection to the sea. It'll help you do what must be done."
Reef woke up: "Ghosts were one thing, but he knew he wasn't a merman. No one in his family was a mer-anything."
Reef returned to work. As part of his promotion, he got to write conservation articles to bring awareness to the delicate environment of Mua Pel'am.
He tried to push the dream out of his mind. Merfolk and ghosts were just too much to think about. And, everywhere he went on land felt so wrong. He needed reason to ground him.
Reef left the Eco Center and started cleaning things up around the island. In spite of the thriving environment, there was a lot of work that still needed to get done. The heat from the lava reminded him of Alania on the main island. The place he now calls home was a Volcano like Pel'am. The nightmarish ideas of his home falling into a pit of lava crept into his mind.
The strange tiredness he felt on land was getting to him this late into the night. His feeling of exhaustion overriding any potential tension from the major eruption. Four lava bombs hit the side of the Eco Center as he walked. The eruptions seemed to only get worse. He collected from the lava bombs some crystals and metals for study. He still needed to get to the beach waterfall and collect more samples.
After managing to escape near death from multiple eruptions, Reef thought going crazy and seeing ghosts was the least of his worries. He returned to the Eco Center with his samples, and he could sense a spiritual presence. Something told him that the volcanic bombs weren't an accident. He also figured that his survival wasn't an accident. He figured that he should probably talk to this ghost.
Reef: "How are you? What's your name? The urn is unnamed."
Zephyr: "I'm good now. My name is Zephyr, but you can call me Zeph."
Reef: "I have so many questions, but I'll start with a few. What's it like as a ghost? You're very existence shouldn't be possible. How did you get here?"
Zephyr: "I'm not exactly an average ghost. I'm an Island Spirit, and in this form, my elemental powers are much closer to Sulani's Heart. Me and my brother could feel the Island's Heartbeat in ourselves. I can feel it stronger in this form. As for how I got here, a demon trapped me here against my will. Once you arrived, you could say my prison got a little bigger, but only during the darkest time of night."
Reef: "I don't understand. I mean, I don't understand magic. Demons and the Island's Hearbeat are foreign concepts to me."
Zephyr: "I'm kinda happy I get to explain things instead of my brother. He's creative, but he can be a little dense."
Zephyr: "There's a quiet struggle between the islands and the demon. The fog is the result of the struggle. I tried to figure things out when I first noticed the changes. I made the mistake of leaving my brother alone, and the demon slowed me down when I tried to get back to him. He can sense power, and he sensed our power."
Zephyr took a deep breathe: "If I made it back to my brother, we might've been able to stop this monster together, but he got to Dylan before I could. He attacked swiftly. Inside our temple, even a vampire will have trouble traversing the lava tubes. Despite being a poor swimmer, he managed to slow me down long enough to travel through those tunnels and back. An ordinary human could easily drown before making it through. He captured our spirits, but he can't control us."
Reef: "So I was right, Mua Pel'am thriving in spite of such a sickly fog isn't normal."
Zephyr: "You know, I thought that should be obvious, but some humans get so caught up in magic and curses that they forget about logic and reason. It can still help, even against magic and demons."
Zephyr looked down and muttered to himself: "Dylan would probably tell you that music and art has its own useful role in all this."
Zephyr looked up: "Anyways, there was one artistic element to everything. Dylan was the one that did something with them, but there are tomes written by our father. It was a moment of inspiration that made him write them, but they will make all the difference later. There are books bound to us that Dylan hid. These books have the power to set things right. It'll take someone with special qualification to make the most of reading these books, but if you care about the islands, you should make sure your descendants are well equipped. I doubt things will be set right in a single life time."
Before Zephyr vanished: "The demon left our urns unnamed. I guess he thought it would weaken us if people eventually forgot us and our names. You can't touch it now, but I feel... I believe that you will one day hold my urn. When that time comes, I want you to bring me home to the temple, and if possible, I'd like you to return me to the Crescent Moon Shrine. And for your descendants, put my name on the Urn."
The next day was Remembrance Day, something was changing on the islands. Everyday, he could feel it, and the fog on Mua Pel'am was growing thinner. On the second floor of the Eco Center, Reef felt drawn to the urn. He approached the urn and sat on his knees and concentrated. A white and gray light sparked from the Urn and Zephyr's Spirit developed a stronger connection to the physical world, a stronger presence on the islands.
Before returning home, Reef stopped by the waterfall and tried to catch some frogs. Regardless of everything happening, his life goal was to fill the Eco Center with all kinds of things found everywhere. He hoped that his descendants would continue to add to the collection.
Reef thought: "Just Imagine, I'll be the Curator of the Eco Center and that empty place covered in dust will be a treasure to the islands."
The frogs always seemed to expertly evade him, but he also always felt tired after work. He still managed to clear out more trash dumped in the waterfall. He cursed his clumsy nature.
The next day, he met Sara at the Eco Center. She was a Green Fiend determined to get rid of the fog mucking up the islands. Reef often listened to Hip hop at work, and he got in the mood to dance. Sara caught his eye, and he invited her to dance.
Reef: "And that's how you perform that dance move. Pretend you're the frog. Be the frog."
Sara: "That might be a great way to become infamous on the dance floor."
As Reef gained momentum, some of the women that frequented the Eco Center interjected them. Reef didn't know who they were, but the sight of him flirty with someone else triggered some jealousy. The two women were unusually angry.
Reef ignored them and continued to socialize with Sara. Out of all the other people he encountered, she was the only one that didn't engage in the frequent fights tearing apart the island culture. One of the women left, but the other wanted to see Sara leave. Some of the islanders must've been enjoying the misery everyone experienced from the "curse" and fog. They couldn't leave two people alone to be happy.
Still, it didn't matter what others did. The island was changing. Reef cared about the Eco Center and completed remodels around work. For now, the fog lifted from Mua Pel'am. The light started to shine bright.
Tane Ngata, an acquaintance of Zephyr, remembered him and mourned his passing. As Zephyr's connection to the islands grew stronger, the islanders seemed to remember and mourn his passing more often.
Reef spent the night collecting samples from the ocean. In the middle of the night, Zephyr returned. He burned with the rage he died with and couldn't escape the emotion. Zephyr and Reef were becoming good friends, and seeing him upset bothered Reef.
Reef: "Why are you so angry? Everyone is remembering you, and your connection to the islands is growing. Mua Pel'am is recovering from the fog."
Zephyr: "That's fine, but I feel my brother's spirit growing weaker. As I wait to leave the urn, I can feel his spiritual energy in the spirit plane. He's fading away."
Reef left Zephyr to play his games. Fortunately, the meteor showers in the game didn't result in another eruption. When Zephyr calmed down, he started cleaning up the study.
Zephyr thought: "If Dylan enjoyed Reading, he would enjoy this book about the Violin. I miss listening to him play music. His music would lift the darkest emotions. If only we could go camping again, we were so close to our next trip..."
Reef went to the Triton Beach Karaoke Bar with Sara. Sar moved to this island because it was the most pristine of the three. Now, everything looked sick. Near the water, as if in the perfect spot to watch the sea grow sicker, Reef found an identical unnamed Urn to Zephyr's. A faint energy drew him to it. He felt it in his heart. Anger was fading to sadness. Dylan's spirit was very distant. He had to strengthen its connection to the island. he had to give him the strength to hold on.
Reef got on his knees and lectured: "Now, Dylan, I know your ready to give up and fade away. It must break your heart to see things like this. You can't give up on us. Zephyr is always thinking of you."
The urn flashed with a bright white light. Reef could feel the fires of rage burning bright, but he knew that deep inside that fire was the spark of hope renewed.
When Reef got up he thought: "I've been followed by music that moves my soul in spite of how down I feel. I don't think he was giving up. He just needed a little help to hold on."
Reef took Sara on a date to the Wayfarer's Atoll. The beach had a beautiful sunset. A sight made possible by the fogs absence. Reef handed Sara a rose.
Reef thought: "Who cares about curses? We still have too much in this world that is worth holding onto."
Reef felt inexplicably drawn to the Beach Cave again. Inside that cave, he faced bats, fell into an underground river, saw a light in the dark, and escaped a sinister mermaid's siren song. After spending so much time growing closer to what could only be described as magic, he wasn't in the mood to question where his instincts took him.
When he left the cave, he had 10 strange pieces of kelp. Instinctively, he took a bite of the kelp and swallowed all of it. The kelp energized him and he felt drawn to the water. Sara was waiting for him at the Wayfarer's Atoll and he had to cross a body of water to get to her.
Reef lost the feeling of his legs once he entered deeper water. Instead he felt a single powerful limb.
Reef thought: "This feels strange, but at the same time, it feels so natural like I've always been like this. The ocean is so beautiful too."
Reef swam around before falling asleep in the water. He felt so tired, but he felt so awake at the same time. Was his life before moving to Sulani a dream.
@Metior_Ice Wow excellent job on how Reef found his merman roots and I really enjoy Sara! I like how Reef had to give Dylan a pep talk to not give up! I also love all of Zephyr dialogue including on snarky remarks about how Dylan would do things!
I loved the battle or fight between Zephyr VS. Damion I was cheering at how well Zeph was doing from that dark evil man, but now that evil sim is going after more power or wants even more! I am happy to see things moving along! 😊
The next quest will be setting Dylan's spirit free. But, with Zephyr's spirit free, the Sims in Sulani can finally stop fighting everywhere. Maybe, when everyone stops fighting, they can do more to help the islands shake off the evil fog. The Eco Living Industrial/ Green element does make the feel of a silent struggle more noticeable. When Reef first moved in, all of the islands got that sickly fog, but as he worked toward fixing up the Caldera Eco Center and freeing Zephyr's Spirit, the islands would fluctuate between a neutral state and that sickly industrial fog. I know the industrial element didn't come with trash everywhere, but that fog can take away Mua Pel'am's beauty long after the quest to clean it up is finished. In the pictures with Mua Pel'Am, the island is thriving, but the industrial fog makes everything look so sick.
@Metior_Ice That fight was amazing. I'm so happy that the first mission is completed.
It took a long time to get there. Collecting the Sea Shells also took longer than expected. Each quest comes with a task and an aspiration to complete. I tried to make the task and Aspiration connected. On a normal life span, it's surprising how much time passes to create a home for the next generation, produce a heir, and complete just one aspiration and quest. The Sea Shell Collection is one of the smaller collections and it took a long time to find them. You can easily find dozens of sea shells you already collected before finding one you didn't. The volcanic eruptions have been helpful when it comes to collecting geodes, metals, fossils, and crystals, and I still have a long way to go before those collections are complete.
Reef floated on his back above a reef. He felt so content in the ocean.
He shifted upright in the water, and that's when it hit him, his legs weren't there anymore. He glanced down and saw his red and blue tail. In one motion he flicked it to tread water. His memories flooded back to him. He ate that strange kelp and entered the water to meet Sara. His legs fused into his tail, and he fell asleep, exhausted from a very supernatural day. The one thing he couldn't believe, something he struggled more to come to terms with than being a merman, was that he had the power to interact with island spirits. Zephyr definitely wasn't a normal spirit, and he was very real.
Concerned about the average human noticing his new fishing nature, Reef used a power flick of his tail to swim through the water with less people around. He wasn't a natural born merman, and he had no idea that his appearance was hidden from those who did not know merfolk existed. More importantly, he did know that this form came with its own unique powers. All he knew was that he could swim through the water faster and with less effort.
Even with his face submerged below the water, he could still breathe, and his eyes didn't sting from the salt in the water.
With a single, powerful kick, he could lead out of the water like a dolphin, and his tail, fully out of the water, would follow his torso into the water. Reef was having fun flicking his tail and swimming. He almost forgot about trying to get his human form back.
Reef relaxed his arms at his side and let his tail do the work. He swam along the cliff side to a secluded shore. Was he stuck like this forever, or could he return to the land?
Reef entered shallow water and his tail melted away as he regained his legs. His legs felt strange as if they shouldn't be there. Even as he walked, he still felt like he had a tail. It was as if the legs were a physical illusion that others would see instead of his tail. Regardless of how the illusion worked, he could look like a human and walk like one. The further out of the water he got; the more he noticed a need to return to the sea. He truly wasn't a human, but he didn't think of himself as a full merman. He was half a human that enjoyed being on land, and half a merman that found enjoyment in the sea. He didn't want to stay only on land or in the sea, but swimming, it tired him out.
On the shore, Reef met the strange young man he met in the eco center, but this time, he could sense a fishy nature about him he didn't notice before.
Reef: "You're a merman, right?"
Calum smiled: "I see you've become a half-blood. I'm a pure-blood merman."
Reef: "What's the difference? Aren't all merfolk, merfolk?"
Calum: "Not exactly, pure-blood merfolk have parents that are both merfolk. You can tell the difference by our ears and eyes. In my natural form, my ears have a small point, and my eyes stay the same sea-green. Us pure-bloods have the strongest connection to the sea and are the most at home there. All the other pure-blooded merfolk swam out into the sea to hide. I stayed because of my family. Unlike the other merfolk, I have a strong connection to the islands. One of my ancestors was an islander. Two half-blood merfolk can have pure-blood children after all."
Reef: "Do merfolk have somewhere they call home?"
Calum: "I wouldn't know the answer to that question. I know Sulani has lots of ocean and places flooded with water. I guess merfolk call Sulani home for now, but they don't have a specific place to call their own. Maybe they had somewhere to call home underwater, but I wouldn't know where that would be. I think the others are wandering the open ocean until there's a place to return to in Sulani."
Reef: "But why would merfolk spend so much time close to land, even though I'm standing here. I feel like having legs feels so wrong."
Calum: "That's a good question. I think I would be happier if I could spend more time and do more in my natural form. I wish there was a place for merfolk underwater. I don't feel right walking around with legs so often. As you already know, the legs are just an illusion to blend in. We always feel like our tails are there even when they aren't."
Later that evening, Reef met up with Makoa. Apparently, he was also a half-merman. Reef and Makoa swam into the Ohan'Ali Lagoon.
Reef: "Do you know why all the merfolk left?
Makoa: "I remember a couple of mermen, they were some of my acquaintances. When they were around, tons of merfolk swam in these waters, they were pretty common to encounter. Then, a sickly fog cover Mua Pel'am and they vanished. The others left too. The only friendly mer in the area is Calum, and I think his presence is the only thing keeping the less friendly mers from acting out. From what I heard, he gave one of them a good scare."
Reef: "I see. I wonder if the others left because of whatever drove out those mermen."
The next day, Reef was in the Eco Center completing more conservation research. It felt strange working on land after becoming a merman. Even with Elementalfest nearly here, he was still working hard. It was an interesting holiday dedicated to the mythical island elementals. He had doubts about their existence until recently.
Similar to Spooksfest, people got to dress in fun costumes, but instead of a spooky spirit, people did activities related to the four elements. Earth was celebrated by gardening, fire was celebrated with fire dancing, water was celebrated with swimming, and Air was celebrated with singing. Growing up, he heard stories about the three elementals that passed judgement on the Island's Children. If an islander embraced the island culture and participated in their festivities, the Island Spirits would grant them a boon in relation to the elements. He knew that the elements of wind, fire, and earth were involved, but he always wondered how the water element played a part in things. Now, he figured that merfolk represented the fourth element because the elementals weren't depicted as merfolk. For this holiday, he dressed as a smuggler at work.
After the holiday passed, Reef went home. Another eruption dropped lava bombs around the pavilion, this eruption triggered a fire. Fortunately, some of the people he saw around town showed up to put the fire out.
In the end, Reef and Sara completely satisfied their need for fun.
I had to edit this in. Reef's face after their fun in the shower cracks me up. He knows what he's doing.
I haven't been able to read all the posts, so I'll go back and look at the old posts as soon as I have time. Right now, I'll be making posts as a fun break from homework.
The Kailani Legacy: Reef Kailani 4
In a few days, it was go time. Reef and Sara were expecting only one child. Reef had a bit of pre-parental panic.
Surprise. Surprise. They had a couple of twins. The twins were hungry after being born, and the neighbors forgot that babies don't eat island food. Apparently, the neighbors decided to settle their mistake with a fight. Sara and Reef worked together to try and get the babies happy.
The radio broke, and Reef tried to fix it. This might've been a mistake because he breaks all the dishes while washing them (Lowkey probably why they have a one bedroom shack to live in. Dishware is expensive). Anyways, he accidentally started a fire. Curses and and the Clumsy trait really don't mix.
Sara running toward the fire: "In the name of Sulani, what did you do now?!"
Reef extinguishing the fire: "I'm sorry! I was really tired after the boys woke me up for the billionth time!"
Reef and Sara took turns trying to repair the radio. One of the times Reef electrocuted himself, he started wandering toward the beach in full scuba mode. I guess he forgot about the tail.
A few days later, Reef fell flat on his face in exhaustion. These twins were determined to not sleep through the night. In hindsight, taking the parental leave would have been helpful.
Kylen suffered some Voodoo Pain while he was locked out of the house and babbling to himself. At this point, Sara and Reef were asleep and didn't know they aged up.
While Reef tried to catch up on sleep, Sara tried to get the boys to go to sleep. They were getting tired, but every single time she got one into bed and worked on the other, the one that was in bed got out of bed and wobbled toward the radio to bob to music. The twins even changed out of their pajamas on their own. When Sara thought they were both in bed, she tried to get the dishes done. Rylan was particularly bad about going to bed.
Even though Sara was trying to read Rylan to sleep, Rylan didn't want to sleep and wanted to have fun bobbing to music. Sara sat on the bed and waited for him to wobble over. She was close to energy failure from these two night owls.
An hour later, Rylan threw a tantrum and woke everyone up. Reef went outside to dance to music. Apparently, Kylen had enough energy from his very short rest to bob to music. Both of the twins ran into the bushes to dance. Sara was exhausted and stated into space.
Once again, Kylen threw another tantrum. He would not go to bed. This time, he was like a little monster lurking in the bushes. He was throwing tantrums because he was tired, but he refused to go to bed. He didn't even want to listen to a story before bed.
Poor Sara was getting close to starving and Kylen stole her breakfast. Apparently, Rylan decided he wanted help from Sara when it came to food. Reef was trying to catch up on sleep. The twins made sure both parents couldn't get more than a nap in when it came to sleep. Reef aged up shortly after the twins aged up. Age wasn't a friend to Reef, and he would become an elder too soon.
Sara's low energy made doing anything difficult, but she had to do the dishes before the twins got hungry again. Kylen took this opportunity to play in the toilet. Again, Reef was focusing his attention on trying to secure some income for the twins and finish his quest to save Zephyr's spirit. Helping the elemental twins was critical for a better future for the Islands. Kylen and Rylan wouldn't understand now, but it would fall on one of them to carry on the quest to restore the islands. Reef wanted to secure the best possible future for them. In spite of her best efforts, Sara continued to put off her hunger to keep up with the twins.
Because I played as Zephyr and had that little fight with Damion, Reef will have a small extension to his life and the time he gets to spend with the twins while they are toddlers. I'm not strictly following the legacy rules, and in a way, I think it's nice that Reef gets a little more time to invest in his kids. The quests I've given to the founders and heirs under the current conditions the world is in has increased the difficulty more than I thought it would. Not only does my sim legacy have more to do before they age into elders, but everything from the cursed lot trait, volcanic activity, and earthquakes are depleting needs faster and giving my sims a persistent negative moodlet almost everywhere they go. Because of Eco-Living, the conditions of the world are even more challenging. The industrial fog gives its own negative moodlet. It took most of the young adult life stage to start to prepare for the next generation. Oh, and the lava bombs from volcanic eruptions can add the fire tense moodlet on top of a tense moodlet from the eruption. Considering the one major rule of this legacy is that they need to complete a quest to undo a negative element in the world, it just increases the pressure to finish the quests. Another rule is that the legacy sims have to live with the world's conditions. They can't leave Sulani to meet any of their needs or do other stuff. With the current NAPs, my sims get fined for using technology, they get fined daily as long as they use too much water and power, and they have to deal with interruptions from fights and an occasional dazed moodlet if they lose a fight, confident if they win. Once a week, my sims also lose access to water and electricity. This has impacted how I develop my house.
Extras
Makoa knows Rylan without meeting him
Thank goodness for day care. Anyways, I don't know how Makoa would even know that Rylan is pretty cool.
I don't have the Star Wars pack yet, and I do expect to get it. I just have a financial situation putting me off. I do have every other pack, and that means I do have the costumes from the spooky stuff pack. I'm a bit upset by what the game decides are costumes for the holiday. I don't mind that they have these costumes to choose from, but they shouldn't exclude the other costumes.
Okay, I know Arihi isn't the most involved parent, but I would at least expect Calum to be there with his daughter. Ember was spawning on the beach lot that glitches with toddlers. You see, the oceanic paradise lot on Mua Pel'Am makes for a great beach lot location with one tiny problem. The place sims leave the lot is different from where they arrive. Toddlers can't swim and parents will try to carry their kids into the water. The result can be seen with Arihi and Zephyr. Anyways, Ember would spawn on the lot, walk across the lot, and then disappear into thin air. She spawned during a thunderstorm too. I think they intended for Toddlers to spawn on the beach lots, but they really shouldn't spawn without parents. They do this in the new community lots for eco living.
So, this is another odd glitch. The lots I make get a ton of activity from NPC sims. An NPC sim left this oddity. My sims were able to clean it up. Like, I know that Dylan and Zephyr are currently elemental spectral mermen, but this isn't normal. It would be a fun ghost interaction for a ghost to wander around a lot invisible with something in their hands.
The Island Elemental Twins: Dylan and Zephyr: The Broken World Saga Index Continued
The Kailani Legacy: Reef Kailani 5
After dedicating a few days to searching the seafloor and the nearby shores, Reef completed his first collection. It took longer than expected, and he sacrificed spending more time with the boys. However, he took comfort in knowing that the first step toward securing a better future for his sons and the islands was completed.
Reef remembered the Urn that contained Zephyr's spirit. He could feel a change in the air. If there was a time to try claim the Urn, it was now. He spent enough time working around Mua Pel'Am to deduce where he needed to take the Urn. Once there, he figured his instinct that led him to becoming a merman and his ability to interact with the Island's Spiritual energy will help him figure out what he needed to do next.
Reef entered the landlocked boat that showed signs of someone once calling it home. When he walked down the stairs, he was a bit shook by how familiar the place looked. He remembered his dream with the orange eyes. Maybe, he saw what Zephyr saw before he died. To think, he barely made it through the door before meeting his end at the hands of that shadow. He also remembered the ruins covered in algae and Zephyr's warning about the tunnels.
Reef climbed down another series of stair only to come face to face with wall sculpture depicting death surrounded by images of a mertail. He had an idea about waited for him the chambers below.
The flooded tunnels had a sickly green algae, and it was the first time that Reef actually felt grossed out by being in the water. He understood why needed to become a merman. Between the unnatural loss of energy he experienced everywhere outside the sea and the sleep he lost trying to raise the twins, he would no doubt have drowned while attempting to traverse the tunnels. It amazed him that whatever took Zephyr's life managed to avoid drowning too. It had to swim through these chambers twice to get to both Zephyr and his brother.
After he entered the temple, Reef sat on the edge of the flooded temple. There really was no end to the water here. No normal person could live in a place like this, but he recognized the walls. Maybe he had a premonition, or maybe, he always knew about this place. He knew that he could interact with the spiritual energy of the islands, and he figured that gave him a subconscious awareness of this place that allowed him to see the temple in his dreams. The walls had more scrolls depicting the tails of merfolk and the sea. He could feel a strong energy deeper inside the ruins.
After entering those ruins, Reef encountered a small shrine with two tomes placed inside. Reef placed the urn on a pedestal and could feel energy from one of the books pull at him. Reef read a passage from the book titled "Tome of the Wayfinder's Breeze." When nothing happened instantly, Reef felt overcome by fatigue and fell asleep.
@Metior_Ice I'm trying to balance the effects of Becca's death in my game, I want it to have an impact, but at the same time I don't want to overdo it so that it's a depressing read all the time though, sigh.
An important character like an an important person should have a major impact on others when they pass. It shouldn't be a small thing. It's also important to celebrate the life that was lived just like it's important to mourn. The important thing is that the stuff people feel shouldn't consume them. There need to be a way forward for those left behind. That's how balance is achieved.
@Metior_Ice Reef is a cutie! That's weird that the townies react so strongly when they don't even know him. Nice to see both his family and his understanding of the island coming along.
Reef has gotten much closer to what his family left behind. Unfortunately my update tonight won't cover his initial reaction to waking up with a tail. He sorta got caught up in the moment, so I don't think he though everything through. He just did it.
So, after a member of the Legacy completes their part of the quest to resurrect Dylan and Zephyr, I'll include a little moment with them.
Reef achieved his Aspiration to become the Curator of the Caldera Eco Center. He continues to add treasures to that museum while he works hard to protect Mua Pel'Am's Eco System. He's moving up slowly as a conservationist. His quest to free Zephyr's Spirit was time consuming, and he was into his Adulthood when he finally collected every type of shell and finished his aspiration. Oh, it seems the Islands blessed him with Twins. Unlike Dylan and Zephyr, Kylen and Rylan are so rambunctious that they practically run the household. I feel bad for Sara while Reef finished freeing Zephyr's Spirit. Kylen is the first born twin and the next heir. He'll be setting free Dylan's Spirit. Should Kylen fail to raise a heir, Rylan will be able to produce a heir. Anyways, by a 50/50 chance, the twins are merboys. I can't wait for another set of super powered twins. Lol. I'm treating Sulani Mana differently with the household. It's the marker for the next heir and what makes the family equipped to help the Elemental Twins. Still, Kylen and Rylan have all the same innate abilities. I may need to save them when they become young adults. If this legacy gives me twins for every heir, I might lose my mind.
Anyways, Zephyr is free.
Zephyr: "Thank you for bringing me home. I hope your descendants can finish what you started."
Reef: "It was a pleasure."
Zephyr: "When your time comes, please know that you will have a place here to rest in peace."
Zephyr's Spirit began to burn red hot: "I still can't believe that cowardice monster is still hiding in shadows. I'll stay close to the temple. Even though my current state leaves me vulnerable, I'll watch over things here. Be careful with that monster, if he finds everything he's looking for in one place it would be like handing the islands over to him. He seems blind to the shrines location though."
When Reef left, Zephyr went to work restoring the temple. It would take a little while to clean up the mess the demon left behind. Regardless, the constant fighting on the islands needed to end. Zephyr would have one last fight before restoring order.
Zephyr started his clean up by calling a rain storm to water the plants dying from thirst.
Zephyr tried to relax in the temple alone, but it wasn't the same without his brother. He decided. There was only one thing left to do that would help pass the time. In spite of his instincts, he knew Damion had this coming.
Zephyr vanished into the air. Damion thought this was silly. His metal roof protected him from the more terrifying eruptions. What could a little ghost do to an Ancient Master Vampire.
Zephyr met Damion on the shore. The vampire was dazed, sparking with electricity, and overcome with tension from the storm and siren song. Damion threw an insult before fighting the spectral merman. Their fight sent shockwaves across the shore again. Zephyr managed to gain the upper hand for a moment when he got Damion in head lock.
Damion got Zephyr by the neck and pulled his spirit into the air: "I will not tolerate this annoyance any more. Tell me where the tomes are. How did you escape your prison?”
Zephyr: "Or what, you'll kill me."
Zephyr chuckled before disappearing into the air.
Zephyr's voice whispered on the wind: "I could easily take your life like you took mine, but that wouldn't be worth my time. I'm not done with this fight."
Damion shook in fear. The very idea of controlling the Elements and living in paradise sent chills though his bones. Could he be afraid of wielding the power? He felt his shriveled heart thump in his chest. Could he really be afraid of this pest?
Damion lunged at the ghost. He would settle this with another fight, a fight that he lost.
Zephyr thought: "Why is he so mean? How can he not see the harm that comes from people so divided in their anger that they are coming to blows against each other? They are cheering for their champions while the islands they love collapse into ruins. No one is winning this fight, and something tells me that he didn't learn his lesson."
Zephyr disappeared in a gust of wind. Damion opened his umbrella as the sun rose and it immediately broke. His umbrella braking every single day was slowing him down. He needed help. Someone was helping his prey, and he had a taste of the sky's power. He wanted it.
@sarabeth2984 the Kailani Legacy will help Dylan and Zephyr. Until Dylan and Zephyr return to normal, I'm sure they'll have fun as ghosts once they are together again.
The Broken World Saga
The Kailani Legacy
A day before their birthday, Reef spent some time with the boys. Rylan preferred to do things on his own, so Reef focused his attention on Kylen. Reef worked on teaching Kylen new words, and every now and again, Kylen spoke "Flower Emojis." Reef didn't know where he learned the words, and then he remembered the fire that ruined their cardboard dance floor. At least Kylen learned how to say sorry.
I chose the outfits to make the Kailani Twins appear closer to the islands. In my mind, I think it would be cool if merchildren had a merform. Considering how they are still merboys, it just makes sense that they wear something they could wear if they had a tail. For now, I'm just imagining that they have a merform. The active wear will be a duplicate of the swimwear. Sulani has so much water, and they won't be visiting any other worlds as a Rule for this Legacy. If they are going to workout, it'll likely involve swimming.
Kylen Kailani (The Heir to the Kailani Legacy by a few milliseconds)
For this Legacy Play Style, I already know that Kylen's aspiration will be to become a Musical Genius because that's the Aspiration that needs to be completed to set Dylan's Spirit free. His traits, however, will be totally random. So, Kylen is a Goofball.
Rylan Kailani (The Spare to the Kailani Legacy by a few milliseconds)
If something happens to Kylen or it looks like Kylen can't produce the next heir, Rylan has the trait that can mark the next heir. Rylan can also work toward completing the heir's required quest if something happens to the heir. Rylan rolled the Genius Trait.
Apparently, Reef and Sara passed on good genetics. I think Sara's eyes are Brown and Reef's eyes are Blue. The merboys have a kind of hazel-topaz yellow looking eyes.
Shortly after the merboys aged up, everyone was exhausted, so the parents sprayed the monsters under the beds and they all went to bed.
I'm going to break the fourth wall here. Kylen my man, you have some awesome aspirations. I don't know what you will do with your Ninja Talents, but I know you would do something great with those skills.
Kylen, this is not how you become a Ninja. Unless you were trying to make smoke bombs, then mission successful. But in all seriousness, he shouldn't be blowing up his classmates as a practical joke.
Now, this is kind of a sad observation. Zephyr's Spirit was trapped inside the Caldera Eco Center. I never saw Zephyr leave the lot he was trapped in, and he only appeared after 3 am during the late night. On Remembrance Day from 6 am to 2 am, ghosts are wandering the islands. As if in a cruel twist of fate, Dylan has slipped away from where his spirit is trapped and visits the Islands visited by Zephyr at different times. It's almost as if Dylan can wander the islands looking for his brother and always miss his chance to catch to him. I first ran into Dylan on Mua Pel'Am, and now, after Zephyr had his fight with Damion, Dylan appears on this island at time when he won't meet up with his brother. I don't know which is worse, being stuck in one spot cut off or being able to wander and still never find who you are looking for.
Dylan: "It feels like I've been wandering the islands for ages. Have you seen my brother?"
Reef: "I saved your brother from his prison and returned him to your home."
Dylan: "Home? I don't know why, but I can't seem to find my way there. Do you... Do you mind if we hang out? I never had a chance to thank you for helping me. I found it easier to continue wandering after what you said."
Dylan: "Makoa! I'm glad to see that you're doing well! I wish more of the pod was here. It hurts seeing the islands get so sick."
Makoa: "It comes and goes, but this island has been fog free for a little while."
Dylan: "I'm happy to hear it."
Reef: "So, that's what your true form looks like."
Dylan smiled: "Yeah, it's a little weird not being able to see my fins, but just like a good song, I'm rolling with the flow."
Reef: "You don't get tired floating around."
Dylan frowned: "It happened so quick, and then, I found myself wandering. It's lonesome, but I keep thinking about what Zephyr would do in my situation. Man, if only I could find my way home, Zephyr would know the way. He'd point to a star and say. That's the way! I just know that he would know. I need to continue my search. it was nice chatting."
Also Rylan: "Ah Crinky, I didn't mean Junior Spellcaster."
Disclaimer: "Rylan does not know what a Spellcaster is, and Spellcasters can rest easy knowing that this is totally not a jab at certain spells that can go wrong..."
Sara: "I can't leave you boys alone for two 'flower emoji' seconds. Also, this is supposed to be my birthday. Why am I coming from work to this? I baked all y'all's cakes too!"
Reef: "Honey, you need help?"
Sara yells over the extinguisher: "Are you really asking that question?!"
After Reef extinguished the fire, another volcanic eruption caused a gas leak with the stove. Reef was able to fix it without setting the house on fire! Reef has gotten pretty good at completing repairs, and he can do it in full SCUBA mode.
Rylan: "And here we are left home alone. We decided to sneak off to the lounge and watch the weather channel. Some how, Dad pulls a professor oak and calls to check up on us. If he's at work, how does he know we are here?"
Kylen: "That's the craziest thing I've ever heard!"
This was incredibly difficult to get screenshots for. I had a major eco living bug slow things down. I expected to finish this update a lot sooner. I took screenshots and will post them in another thread. The bug was very similar to the Future Cube bug that spawned items in the Sims inventory so they could perform the action. Eco Living has features I find very helpful, but sims should not be able to use or spawn items they don't own. If there was a book case or something on the lot for these sims to get books, that's one thing, but I almost raised the household funds for the Darkfins by 3k because of how many books they materialized in their inventory, duplicates of some books. Obviously, they spawn a new book every time they perform the action regardless if they have the book or not. This had me extremely stressed, and I was hoping to use the inspiration from this post to complete more writing. Posting in this discussion has been very helpful when it comes to getting the words flowing.
Anyways, fair warning with going industrial or the NAP that excludes tech, it seems to be the only possible cause of this bug. Time for the update.
Calum Confronts the Darkfin Siblings
Calum took notice of the Darkfin presence near the island's northern reefs. The remote location was home to a substantial portion of the Mua Pel'am pod. Before the pod fled, dozens of mermen and mermaids called this island home. When his sons passed away, they left the islands for the deeper waters. In the twin's and pod's absence, the Darkfins moved in without any worries. Calum showing up did not make Freddy happy. Freddy remembered Calum's warning when he isolated him. Shortly after, the twins ascended to their full power and the Darkfins fled to the dry Oasis Springs. The Darkfins feared the twins and their power. However, Arihi had lost her elemental and mermadic powers. Calum didn't have the power he used to. Despite the time that had passed, Calum hadn't aged a bit. Just like the Island Elementals cursed the Darkfins with scars in their merforms and an eternity to cower in shadows, it seemed Arihi used the last of her elemental powers to secure eternal life for her and Calum. Freddy took Calum's presence as an insult.
Freddy: "How dare you stand before us?"
Calum: "Is that an insult? That's rich. I just wanted to make sure you and your siblings weren't causing any problems."
Freddy: "You may be able to give one of us a scare, but we don't scare as easy together."
Calum: "Maybe I need to remind you as to who you are dealing with."
Calum called a thunderstorm. As expected, the storm sent fear into the Darkfins and divided them. Only Nyx and Sara were willing to face Calum, but Calum sang a Siren's Lullaby that crippled Nyx's courage, and he proceeded to sow sorrow in Sara. Freddy almost summoned the courage to face Calum, but his past experience prevented him from finding the courage.
Calum turned back to Nyx and attempted to summon a creature from the deep. One last show of power should be enough to either chase off the Darkfins or ensure they don't cause any trouble. Unfortunately, the creatures of the deep wouldn't answer his call, and Nyx evaded the assault from below. Nyx sensed a change in the tides. He and his brothers and sisters survived the lightning and Calum no longer held enough influence to call on the creatures of the sea. The Darkfins found the strength to overcome their limitations and found themselves at home in the stormy chaos.
Drunk with power, all six of the Darkfins siblings sang together to call forth a kraken from the deep. Calum started to feel a sense of dread as he lost more control over the situation.
To make their point very clear, they called another creature from the deep, proving to Calum that they could do this as much as they wanted to and he couldn't stop them.
Calum arched his back and twisted up as he kicked his tail. He took a breath as he broke the surface. The panic from getting dragged under made him forget he could breathe underwater.
The Darkfins laughed and scattered as they swam around. Calum knew they weren't swimming in fear. He was outnumbered and overpowered. Not even conjuring a monsoon would be enough to drive them out. They were thriving in these chaotic conditions, and the island, it was succumbing to a blight he couldn't fix. Calum swam for the shore and returned home. His new neighbors were here to stay.
Freddy thought: "We'll let him go for now. We'll have an eternity to have fun with him and his family. I can't believe he scared me so much before."
Flaira warned Calum: "If you challenge us again, I'll make sure you don't swim out of here again."
Sara started cooking breakfast for the family. She was the best cook in the house. Unfortunately, something inexplicably went wrong and the stove caught on fire. Sara started to notice how so many things seemed to always go wrong in the house. She almost thought she was going mad.
Reef tried to fix the radio again, but he got zapped. This also sparked another fire. It had to happen while Kylen was practicing the Violin and Rylan played chess with his mom. Reef almost felt like the universe was conspiring against them. Reef knew what Kylen would end up having to do later. He cursed the bad timing because Kylen needed to hone his musical talents.
Fortunately, everyone escaped to safety and neighbors arrived just in time to help Reef put out the fire. One of them was brave enough to run toward the fire, but he didn't seem bright enough to help much.
After everything settled down, the family gathered together to help Kylen finish his project after Rylan destroyed it. It was only right that Rylan finished his own project and helped out. Kylen's project turned out better than Rylan's too.
After careful thought, Reef decided to gather friends and family around Dylan's Urn. It was time that everyone knew what was going on.
Reef: "I don't know where to begin. But, I'll start with the fog."
Reef Looked toward Sara and smiled before frowning: "Sara, you came to Sulani because you wanted to clean things up. And it's true, the fog is unnatural, but not the unnatural you are thinking of. A monster of sorts came to Sulani and brought this fog with him. I thank every day we don't run into it because that thing murder the two beings that kept all this bad stuff away from the islands. And, it was that same monster that trapped their spirits."
Reef gestured to the Urn: "I freed Zephyr's Spirit, and I'm sure that it helped in some way. People aren't fighting like they used to, but it didn't fix everything. Inside this Urn, his brother is still trapped in a terrible limbo."
Calum sat down in the lounger behind reef. Arihi spoke up: "Me and Calum would be able to handle fixing everything if we had all our strength. But, it took everything we had just to ensure hope for the future."
Calum spoke up: "I wrote the tomes that would one day bring them back, but the tomes by themselves won't be enough. We need talismans, objects close to the boys that could help strengthen their connection to the islands. And then and only then, someone who has obtained the necessary Knowledge and Creativity can read the tomes to resurrect them."
Arihi added: "That person must also have a connection with the Islands' Spiritual Energy. Reef, I sense that connection in you and in your sons."
Reef looked toward the Urn: "Zephyr told me that he believed that I would one day set his spirit free. Unfortunately, I do not feel like I'm able to touch Dylan's Urn. I can't free him, but I feel like one of my sons will one day. Kylen, I don't think the musical aptitude you've displayed is an accident."
Kylen looked to his father: "So, that's what I'll end up doing. Freeing his spirit."
Reef smiled at his son: "Both you and your brother could, but you have the best chances. It's important that you succeed. Setting his spirit free will heal some part of the island. Just like how freeing Zerphyr's Spirit stopped the constant fighting everywhere we went."
Reef looked to Sara: "Everything going wrong around the house, the fires and electrocutions from attempting repairs, it's a curse. I'm certain it has a part to play in everything. The curse touches everywhere the sky touches except the places closest to the sea. I wouldn't be surprised if the curse was cast by Zephyr, but I doubt it will end with him. Setting his spirit free didn't even affect the curse."
Sara: "Then what do we do. If these two have so much power over the islands and a monster managed to kill and trap them, what can any of us hope to accomplish. It doesn't sound like much has changed. The fog covers the islands..."
Makoa interrupted: "All of the islands except the main island."
Reef: "That's true. While things aren't fixed and might not be fixed in our lifetimes, the fog hasn't covered the main island in sometime. I think the demon must be weaker than when he assaulted the twins, and our family is growing stronger. Their may come a time when we also grow stronger than the demon at his full strength."
Calum: "For now, the seas are not a friend to anyone. The Darkfins are in control. I tried to chase them away, but I couldn't overpower them. They've grown stronger, and the creatures of the sea answer to them. We may be able to change the weather as mermen, but we have no way of manipulating the skies in a way that will give us an edge. We need the power of both the Sea and the Sky to restore the Islands. We need Dylan and Zephyr to ensure that the Darkfins will not return to the islands.
Makoa: "What about the others? I remember so many merfolk before I became a merman. When the twins were here, merfolk could be found everywhere. Can we get their help?"
Calum: "It's unlikely. It's not just the Darkfins that drove them away. Most merfolk made Sulani home because it was a good place to call home. Merfolk don't have their own home around here, and asking them to stay, that's a lot to ask for considering how little is here for them. As you might guess, merfolk with pureblood like me prefer life in the sea over life on the land. I stayed because of my family, but the other merfolk are families of merfolk, brothers and sisters. They don't have anyone to keep them here."
Reef looked down: "I brought everyone here so we could all know what's going on. We need to weaken the dark influences on the island before we fight back. Obviously, we're too weak to fight back, but we can still save Dylan's spirit. Setting him free will help us take back the sea."
Sara shrugged: "What choice do we have? Now that I know what's going on. I can't give up on trying to clean up these islands. I'm dedicated to making the world a better place, after all."
Makoa: "My family will stick around and help guide future generations. We've got the blessings of Island Spirits that will help us stick around until the end. Our role is to observe and carry the island's traditions, but we aren't afraid to step in and help out."
Calum: "Thanks to Arihi, we won't be going anywhere either. We'll wait for a time when your family is strong enough to help drive out the Darkfins and deal with the Demon that took our boys away from us. We aren't as strong as we used to be, but we have a few tricks up our sleeves. I'll write a special gift for you Reef. One day, one of your descendants might need your help. I want to make sure they can call on you when that time comes.
Reef: "Thanks, I feel like my age is catching up to me. I'm just happy the next step toward a brighter future is secured."
So, this is my first Elderly Death while visiting a lot. Most of the other sims have died and faded out of existence without being noticed. RIP Morgan Fyres the last of the Fyres Household.
(Oh, All the original Celebrities kicked the bucket. No more celebrity interruptions! I admit that got pretty annoying. I still have problems with townies interjecting themselves where I don't want them. I had to turn Triton Beach into a generic lot to avoid a random townie showing up in screenshots.)
Since Reef will become an Elder soon, I decided to make him look more like an Islander. He didn't have a strong connection with the islands, but after becoming a merman, freeing Zephyr's Spirit, exploring the Elemental Temple, and helping the islands heal by ending the constant fighting and participating in conservation research, I'd say he's an islander now.
Just a Reminder: Reef is now wearing skirts because he's a merman, and in the story, the feeling of having a tail doesn't disappear in human form. Personally, I wish their were residential lots where merfolk didn't have to be in human form. For now, I'll use my imagination to make up for what doesn't exist in the game. I play on the console, so I wouldn't feel comfortable with attempting mods or cc.
The Island Elemental Twins: Dylan and Zephyr: The Broken World Saga Index Continued
Merfolk Gender Terminology and Why it Matters
The game uses the term "Mermaid" for all merfolk even though the word literally means "maiden of the sea" and only accurately represents women.
So, for the sake of clarity, I'm going to share a small break down of the words and what they mean.
Mermaid(s) means "Maiden of the Sea" and I use the term to refer to Adult Women of the Female Gender.
Merman or Mermen means "Man of the Sea" and I use the term to refer to Adult Men of the Male Gender.
Merboy(s) means "Boy of the Sea" and I use the term to refer to anyone of the Male Gender that is Toddler to Teen.
Mergirl(s) means "Girl of the Sea" and I use the term to refer to anyone of the Female Gender that is Toddler to Teen.
Merfolk and Merpeople means "People of the Sea" and I use the term to refer to anyone that is non-binary, to represent both the male and female gender in a group, or when the gender can't be identified.
Merperson means "Person of the Sea" and it more accurately represents non-binary and individual without an identifiable gender.
Merling(s) is a common term in the merfolk community that is gender neutral and refers to both merboys and mergirls Toddler to Early Teen.
"Mer" is the prefix that modifies words to mean "of the sea" and it can work as a gender neutral term.
For the sims, a MerSim is a "Sim of the Sea."
The existing terms matter because everything from merfolk mythos to what merfolk can do is split by gender. While MerMaids have stories of them using a Siren Song to lure Sailors to their grave, MerMen have stories of them taking the form of a horse and wildly running into the water to drown whoever tries to drown them. This Horse Version is the a MerMan version of the MerMaid Siren. MerMen might also be able to sing a Siren Song, but other stories depict MerMen playing instruments like a Violin in a way that holds influence over nature. I think in modern times, the abilities and appearance of merfolk doesn't need to be gender exclusive, but in the past, the stories about merfolk were split by gender and the full range of what merfolk can do is also only identified by whether or not you use the correct term in your research. More often than not, searching the term MerMaid will exclude MerMen and represent merfolk more poorly because of it.
Also, I think using the correct term is more important when an individual states their preference. This is very similar to how some people prefer a certain pronoun when people refer to them.
This ends the public service announcement.
The Kailani Legacy: Kylen and Rylan 3
I decided to focus more on sharing the merform of my sims in this thread. For me, the form that actually matters most is their merform, and I think merfolk should have more opportunities to do more in that form. In another thread, I'll share their other outfits if they have them.
The merboys' childhood was coming to an end. I had Kylen and Rylan play a couple games of chess to make some progress on the Whiz Kid aspiration for Kylen.
Kylen thought: "That was a clever move"
Rylan thought: "He's not too bad at this, if I wasn't so tired."
Sara helped Kylen with the Baking Soda Volcano Project. The didn't say much and focused on getting this done as fast as possible. They had plenty of experience with real volcanic eruptions. But, the school wanted them to learn more about them.
So, I made a few parenting choices based on what might've done. I'm against bullies and bullies taking lunch money. More importantly, I wouldn't want to tell my child that they are on their own and need to learn to stand up for themselves. I think, from personal experience being bullied, that kids that are bullied need someone else to stand with them. I don't think I would do all the fighting for them, but I think it's important that someone stands by their side through the struggle.
Kylen is quite the multi-tasker, he was eating a late night snack while confronting the monster under the bed. Unfortunately, the monster didn't want to be friends.
Another parenting choice I made based on what I would do. I know about the gifts that keep on giving, but I would be fine if I had a kid that wanted to give a gift given to them to someone else. I would rather the gift find its way to someone who wants it instead of making my child keep it. On the other side of things, I don't think I would be okay with this if it happened too often.
Reef aged pretty well, and he never stopped looking like a young adult even as his adulthood reached an end, maybe being a Merman helped with the aging.
He took some samples from the ocean and tested them. He was getting close to becoming an elder.
During Reef's Birthday, Calum and the other remaining Sulani Merfolk came over. The merman spent some time with Rylan to give the merboy a character lesson. Rylan learned the value of emotional control. There aren't very many merfolk left in Sulani, and they need to stick together.
Reef is an Elder now. Every Wednesday, the water gets shut off. Kylen was starting to need a bath. The book Kylen is thinking of has been a very annoying bug. Much like the future cube, my sims are spawning books in their inventory to read. This, of course, interrupts any other actions while I'm not controlling them.
Reef's Hydration was getting low, so he took a moment to back float in the Waterfall Lagoon. He was going to get some rest and retire from the conservationist career. He'll dedicate the remainder of his years helping the merboys grow into respectable mermen.
Kylen aged up first. This is the game's random trait for him. I was not ecstatic about this, but he doesn't need to do a lot of physical activity to become a musical genius.
So, Kylen pulls out a book and starts reading because of the bug. A random townie approaches him and starts striking up a conversation. I guess he's just trying to be friendly. And yep, Kylen is looking as out of place as expected. The merboys are looking more like they belong in the sea instead of on land as intended.
Afterword, he listened to some music on the stereo. Bartending Guy has been keeping busy. I need to make him a family friend. He has maxed out bartending skills. He lives and breathes bartending. It's nice he found a fish friend.
So, I'm protesting the lack of underwater lots for merfolk by having merfolk do everything in their merform. This has given me the chance to see what things would look like while they are in their merform, and I think a lot of stuff could be adapted to an underwater lot.
Also, I'm using spoiler to help with the website load time for those with slower computers.
The Kailani Legacy: Kylen and Rylan 4
Reef encountered an unfriendly young merman in the waterfall lagoon.
Nyx: "What do you think you are doing my Lagoon. I thought me and my brothers and sister made it clear that the islands' waters belong to us."
After the creature yanked Reef down, the old merman resurfaced. Nyx, frustrated with the poor results, proceeded to sing the petrifying Aegean's Question. Exhausted from his struggle, Reef could only tread water and listen.
Meanwhile, the old and tired Reef swam for the shore. He needed to escape, and he cursed himself for swimming away while his son, a merboy, confronted a more experienced merman. Reef had a feeling that this merman wasn't a mer to take lightly.
Fortunately, Rylan saw his dad fleeing the water and caught up to his brother. The twin merboys decided to have a little fun with the merman tormenting their dad. They started things with a little story.
Kylen: "And that's when the sea dragon circled below the cruel merman. The merman tormented the humans and sank their boats using his own voice to command the forces of nature."
Rylan: "He thought that the sea monsters only obeyed him, and he threatened mer and human alike while calling forth terrible storms to terrify his foes. He thought all of them would be too scared of the sea monsters and lightning to confront him."
Kylen: "But two weak little merboys were scared of this merman and still chose to confront him. They hated seeing their family tormented by him, and that gave them the courage they needed. The creatures of the sea might obey the merman, but the sky was not as obedient. The two merboys had their own power to wield."
The merboys swam away. Nyx chuckled to himself. How could he let half-merboys scare him? Then, he felt the arms of a sea monster wrap around his tail and yank him under.
Growing scared and dazed from the collision, Nyx swam toward the shore only to be met by Kylen. Kylen changed the weather before his eyes, removing the threat of lightning. The gesture made it clear to Nyx that these merboys were more capable than they looked.
Later in the evening, Kylen cleared the night sky. He had enough of the stormy weather. Using all this power made him tired, he didn't know he had this much in him.
On land, Kylen relaxed while busking for tips on his guitar. The entertainer was a drunk, and she spent more time drinking and socializing than performing.
After the crowd left, the drunk entertainer tipped Kylen before reacting in disgust. She was too drunk to realize she tipped him, but she still expressed her displeasure from being shown up.
The merboys slowly drifted closer together. Kylen and Rylan were becoming quite the team, and they needed to be there for each other. They couldn't always count on their parents. Their dad was getting older every day.
After finishing some gardening, Sara helped Rylan out with his project. She double checked the list of steps for completing the project while Rylan fiddled with some clay.
Kylen in the background: "Don't mind me, I just happen to have a spirit to save, so I'll just be here playing my guitar while you have fun appeasing the gnomes."
In the distance, there was a lone Reaper Gnome. It sat their as a warning for what was to come, the inevitable end of life... What kind of doom would it see fit to bestow on the Kailani Family.
Aside from the typical eruptions, Rylan returned home later that evening and spent time with their parents. Kylen, naturally, was spending more time sleeping.
Comments
TINY HOUSE CHALLENGE
The May Family
Modeling Career?
@sunblond Thank you for the comments! I appreciate them! They are incredibly cute together! And Mckenna is a cutie even if she punch anyone (besides Matty) that told her so! xD
@AlwaysAsking
His preferences have been changed? Since they all start at like zero, I think?
Oh, oh look an update! Pfffft silly Brant you are with Brent!!!! But he is very good looking lol. Don glares and keeps jogging , maybe he is trying to work it out! Lol no clothing! I have yet to go on an island with that option! xD.
I started laughing when Joey showed up uh oh he is up to know good but yes! That is one of the best outfits I’ve seen without mods! xD
LOL I was about to say, which one is he really happy to see? Don or you? Or BOTH! xDDD dying of laughter!
The Lothario strikes again! And lol Joey loves to go after what I hard to get?
Okay dying of laughter of again you simself was like n.o.p.e!
And now the other Don is all flirting lol what a game play man that is great!
I am highly amused an entertained! I know it hard for you right now, so keep focus on doing your best for you, but I anticipate the next update with them!
About my last update, I could not believe my eyes! Mckenna Stone doing flirting all her own! I made sure they where alone and so she maybe would be comfortable, and it worked! (she still has the unflirty trait!) I am such a proud watcher!
Heh, in a sense I have, definitely with the trust part not so much the romance! xD I love romance though and love books about it especial with adventure tied in so I think those have may been my more muse for that part!
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees she did it on her own!!!! They both stopped fishing and then she went and did it! I was lucky to catch those pictures! Heh that is why I wrote it that way, no one controlled her at all, so proud! xD girl knows what she wants, she always been a go-getter! xD If something tries to mess it up it is quting without saving because my heart would break no way is Mckenna losing Matty nuh-uh!
@Koteyka Thank you! They are goals! Especially have well they have grown into this mindset
I guess my reason for loving him so much is seeing relatability in his words and feelings. Also even if he bashes his family, I can’t say any of it is an exact lie, plus he is intriguing and mysterious, you get sucked in and want to know more of all his little subtle cryptic meanings.
Also YYYYYYYYYESSSSSSSS LOKI!!!
Update: Oh that broke my heart the bunny/imagination of grandpa and the fact that they are leaving… I had a bad feeling it was gonna go this way.
@RedDestiny92 Hehe, you and me both! Marriage yes! Kids? IDK! We will have to see indeed~ Aww, I am sure things will happen now and again but this time you are right, Mckenna will have Matty by her, to carry a bit of her burden when she needs the support
Ooooooh an update, excitement! I like Lil B and Mini B! The Halloween party was great! Your family has such tight bonds or coming together bonds here! I loved that Marinda and her grandson have such a great relationship!
Aww Steve is soooo cute even if a nose is forming! (I also get the reference~) I know what you main about family members and party lasting, I do that too just deposit the little ones around or invite them over in groups, it is a lot of work though!
Rest in peace Cassie! Poor Alexander must be hard on him! I will forever aww and coo at the toddler hug no matter how many times viewed and it make it cuter in the monster costume!
Hehe, I loved the surprise propose and Lacy’s reaction! xD I agree with Bronson though, I really like this family!
Is there such a thing as enough Don?
Adeline is a darling! She is super duper cute when she pouts heh! I always love your great content with the pets hehe, when I get Cats and Dogs I may have to try my hand at it xD I love love love the updated hair with the braids it looks so gooooood! She is a cute and rainbows and sunshine!
Hehehe, Lothario bros are funny! I think Sean might have won this one… at least for the moment!
I can’t wait to see more and of course there is that smirk, a trademark an icon like Bella’s red dress!
Well heck thanks for the information, did this happen after the Oct Update? I would not be surprised if not.
@BlueSeaWaves Thank you for the comments, I am happy you enjoyed them! I thoroughly enjoyed your update! I was giggling a little too much at Archie and Claudio. xD Especially how they thought they were gonna dupe their mom! I guess she had to make her point clear in the end!
I am kinda enjoying the hidden romance between S and O too but since he proposed too her *squeals* I doubt it will be secret for much longer!
@haneul Hey! Thank you so much for the comments! I think you are right xD the drive of sweets can even motivate a lazy sim ha! And Rainbow is fairly polite going off of her character values.
Hehe I actually forget all of Juli traits but to play it safe it could be both, preggers and a glutton!
Wow you told that brilliantly what happened to Aster! Is K. Vatore? Are they a relative? If you mentioned before I must have forgotten! That is awful what happened but I am happy to know Aster lives a more pleasant life now.
I also love how you tinted the past pictures! It really made a difference for the story impact. I might have to borrow that technique in the future!
Wooooow they both look gorgeous! Not as relastic as some, I see what you mean but still, it matters not, they look stunning!
@Daephene I agree! I am excited to see more on Yuki and Adam! I know it is one of my favorite love stories because the strife that came before makes the reaching of a goal that much more satisfying! Heh, it is even more wonderful when the game pushes you in those types of unexpected directions!
@Metior_Ice YES! I am so happy the brothers reunited!!!!! I am excited to see more! I am sorry about the glitch seems really, really annoying to deal with!
@Becka28 I am sorry about your computer, I am in the same boat and am a save craze because I am terrified mine will go out at any minute!
I am relieved with you to hear you saved your sims! I am crossing my fingers and hoping for you to get everything else safely off!
@sarabeth2984 Hey Sara! Sorry life has been such a terror for you, try to hang on, a break in the storm seems pending somehow it has to come! I am happy you love sims 3! I love the game and miss it too! I am thinking of redownloading it again one day when I get a better computer, I agree the realism and interactions are done amazing and relationships! Your gameplay sounds fun!
I loved your update with Griffin! Those teenage years I’ll tell you! Aww though poor Lisette, I hope she does not hit a mood-swing because of that awkward time! I love Griff and Hillary and go girl show what a real DJ does! Aww lol what an amazing night and steamy kisses seem to usual lead somewhere else haha oh boy is right! xD
Okay onto the update! This is the last Stones update until I rotate to somewhere else
After such a magnificent date, A little wet Mckenna got changed and found Lilith heating up the rest of the spaghetti for let night munchies, Mckenna joined her and they talked all about the experience chopping down some delicious pasta.
The next morning, Lilith was telling Rainbow a sneak peek of her next book using a toy to illustrate and Rainbow was over the moon excited (perusual) and flying out her own idea to add and share.
She legit kept forgetting to eat instead she just kept talking and talking, I had to keep directing her to finish! xD
Mckenna does a lot of woodworking so her handiness is up pretty high after studying a few manuals, taking a few classes, and watching some sim-tube, she felt confident enough to upgrade all of their beds.
Here is cute Mccutesy reading her scouts manual before scouts to brush up on some knowledge, aaaaa~ she is just to adorable never. grow. up!
After the scouts were over, Mckenna took Rainbow to a kinda market space (I got from the gallery don't have Eco Life yet) with a playground and eating area.
She happily played and chattered to Mckenna about scouts while she cooked up some hot dogs for dinner.
Max was having a dinner date with Juli via explore mod and Lilith was visiting Angel via social activities mod.
The Rest Of The Day? In Spoilers!
Another girl named Fatima came over asking if she could have a hotdog? Of course Rainbow said yes and invited her to join them!
They sat around for a bit to chatting and play word games and guess what animal I am pictionary type games~
Silly conversations and things of that like!
Wayne had enough "girly" time and promptly ran off.
Paisley had to use the bathroom, so Fatima intrigued by Rainbows talents asked if she had brought her violin?
Yes she had! She played song or two.
The new friend really loved it and called her a friendly rival in instruments since she also played violin, maybe they could play together some day?
Rainbow was more then ecstatic to do so!
Meanwhile while Paisley ran back to play with Fatima and Rainbow,
Mckenna kept an eye on them all but also trying to sell her woodcraft.
The. Face. Of. Joy!
Soooo maybe I am a bit obsessed but I am allowed to be right? I just really love this sim~
I am gonna destroy who ever actually makes her cry forrreal
Aunt Kenna says time to go!
It is dark and she sold all her things and Rainbow is exhaustedly happy anyways and ready for bed!
Max home from his own date, for some reason.... Juli was not feeling all that well, so he took her home and tucked her in, making her promise to call him if he could do anything.
He saw Rainbow was tired so he read her a short story from her favorite old toddler book Toy Tales.
Then he tucked his sleepy girl in making sure the covers were extra extra snug, the weather was getting colder.
Goodnight sweet Rainbow~
Until next time
HillyPlays
P.A.C.E- Positive Attitude Changes Everything
It's not that long but I have a lot to post here so I'mma make it neater.
You know I'm not sure, moar Don!
She really is as you can guess I decided to forgive the games moodynasty and checked it out though she's oddly darling ha, some don't care for pets because they can be attached and needy but they are easily ignored if needed, Rainbow needs a little Kitty named Gold...cause it's at the end of a rainbow...hehe.
I don't know why I like doing that it is much smoother trying to add people in in this game and sometimes I can't help but think why don't they have a bigger family or least one other, something and Sean was born. No matter how different he is from his twin he just had to have the smirk it's as noticeable as...the nose I mean from the other family ah. Now about the issue yes it did but it happened somewhere between finishing playing and opening Origin again it didn't happen again but I'm gonna be watching my documents folder for that stray folder cause it causes too many issues mmhmm.
I feel like that would bug some people but it's kind of cute it's like she was just that excited, so food could wait better than talking with her mouth full I guess. Ah a little group for Rainbow she really is adorable I wonder if that's also because I feel like I've been watching her grow up, ugh sometimes I wish I just played sims as it was cause I get way too attached to pixels with a story....oh well *waves more attachment flag* mmhmm. She is such a doll
@mercuryfoam @Silverofdreams30 @AlwaysAsking do you guys think there is enough Don? I don't think I think so....lol
Well awesomes out I played for a bit looking for issues I had some t posing, but was able to close the game delete the local thumb and reload the game, I don't know if that's connected it's an old very random bug but it doesn't break anything it's just ugly looking. Mooooooving on more of Adeline cause she's the only one I have till I go back to mods.
I'll break it up got three days of nonsense.
So day one I was getting her up for breakfast and Butterscotch came in the room looking for a hug, she's very attached to Adeline....when she's not showing off her running around in circles talent.
"Soooo cute, here you go doodlebug now I have to feed Gilgamesh."
'I don't know who this Doodlebug is but if that means I get two treats then I'll take them, now about one for Butterscotch?'
Then this look cause her needs were not met, but it was her fault because she has so much energy.
For no reason whatsoever I took her to the toy store and Lilith was there so I thought they could be friends then Angela came in.
"Hey I like your skirt it's so adorable on you." Lilith wasn't really used to people just striking up a convo with her.
"Uh, thanks...I like your braids."
"I did em myself!" show off.
Angela joined the conversation and Adeline ended up inviting them out for coffee but I guess she could read the room cause she wandered off when they got there. Lilith was sure she could find her own friends.
"Where did your sister go?" Adeline asked.
"She had a makeup test to get to." she lied simply she would not make a group with Angela so she could steal it again she sometimes hated her for being so much more...she didn't know what being twins wasn't enough she guessed.
They chatted for a while before Adeline got up I thought she was getting distracted but apparently the coffee bar hadn't actually glitched for once and she got both her orders....so guess she's impatient with the java.........hehe.
Lilith had to go, before they went Makoa texted her they had been spending some friendly time texting and he wanted to see her since she was busy she thought to call him after and they went to work out.....work out besties already, sims love this woman. After a shower she was starving and asked Makoa to grab something to eat with her, he was probably a little too eager reminding himself they were just friends he did still have a wife at home.
Soon as we get there I see Bella and Alexander showing off together which is also cute, this place has gotten more popular it seems.
While there one of my families I dropped in was for the fourth haven't looked at them since their creation, well Adeline had to talk to them I was also excited to see their waitress Joy....from another kid's movie is that one popular ?
"I love the colors." Adeline said dreamily.
"Is that why we're friends?" Makoa asked.
".....might have something to do with it."
They had a really nice time.
Now onto Day 2.
Adeline loves attention so going back and forth texting the brothers is a little different for her, when Sean asked her to come hang out she went even though she was starving.
"Really? A museum?"
"It's nice, usually quiet..I like it that way."
"well okay, but don't suppose there is food here is there?"
"There's a kitchen and it has food in it." he offered.
"Can we just have that? What if it's for the guards or something?"
"They aren't around to stop us?"
She laughed, okay she was game.
"Sooooo?"
"Really I'm surprised it still works."
"I think it's a replica the original stoves could heat up and catch fire from being in hot rooms, due to easily fried wires and all the wood and cloth they decorated with and there is no air conditioning so...yeah."
"ooooh, that makes sense okay okay the museum is growing on me." he smirked, figuring it would.
"Annnd straight to my hips it goes." she laughed.
"As if you have a thing to worry about I wish I could fit my backdoor in jeans that size."
He had to hold back the urge to say she wouldn't hear complaints about that from him....there is a song for that you know.
"Let's head upstairs they have a nice lounge it has a piano." as he said that, I had to cut pics but one of the knights did walk by if he came in I would have had to change my story hehe.
The piano was in good condition but she could tell it had actually been restored instead of replaced.
"Let me play a little" he thought she would "play" with the keys but he was surprised to hear the talent she had he tried to chit chat with Julie, the mother from the fourth family she had come up to tip Adeline. Though he just ended up right next to her catching himself swooning. Embarrassed, thinking as a Lothario he should be doing the charming, though she'd never know, he said good bye and quickly left. Though she didn't have much time to mourn as Don asked to see her.
She hoped Sean was ok he seemed so jumpy sometimes.
Don wasn't in the best mood though he was playing it off when Nina said Sean left to see some new girl he met he figured it was Adeline when she didn't answer his texts. He was in play mode all the same.
"You know normally I buy my dates drinks."
"But you look so good...you can't blame a girl for trying." Perhaps cheesy to some but considering he worked very hard on his lines there were at least a few that worked for him. She was good.
"Careful now doll, I bite."
"And I wouldn't mind," she said with a grin and a wink.
They hung around the bar for a bit, Anger was there serving drinks which amuses me, after they had to get on the dance floor it seems Don is having a realization he's actually having a good time hanging out with her. Which wasn't very Don like but then it wasn't stopping him from enjoying it.
After that, she took Butterscotch to the park to try out the obstacle course since she loved running so much and she only had three faults which is pretty good.
However, she was not amused by her meeting Julie's dog Spot.
'Is this Doodlebug?? I don't like him and will eat all his treats!' she whined a bit then ran around until Adeline took her home.
And lastly, Day 3 which ended up being Easter.
There was also a lotto day she didn't win but meh, she started her day playing an online game with Sean, Makoa and Julie she lost that too but it was much more fun. Sean called to remind her it was Easter and asked if she wanted to do something with him, which of course she would he told her to bring something to swim in and sent the address.
She was ready for food he was ready for a swim, if she had known they'd be here she would have worn wedges but it was still nice.
Before he could get too into swimming she called him to eat.
"Some Easter this is, I love it!" Adeline squealed, always in a better mood with food.
He smiled slightly.
"Did your brother not want to come, it is family time I suppose." he shook his head.
"Don likes to scope for holiday dates at different bars he was gone before I woke up."
She tilted her head, she had been alone for some time before she got Butterscotch who refused to come in favor of naptime, so she was used to it but she noticed a look in his eyes that said he didn't care for it.
"Would you have preferred he stayed?"
He shrugged.
"It was never about family with us growing up, dad didn't have the time working two jobs for us, then Don had to get out of the house he liked his freedom but when we weren't living together I'd at least get a text it's pointless but I guess I do miss that." hearing the shift in tone in his voice she stopped herself from asking about his mom, perhaps another time.
"Well you know...sometimes it's nice to start a new tradition maybe next year we can go to a different beach and have an egg hunt?" despite himself he found a smile eventually.
"Maybe we'll see, I mean next year I could totally hate the beach."
"You won't and I'll make sure of that today, come on!"
Sean was all too excited to see her swimsuit it suited her, Anger was not the only one around I spotted Disgust, Fear, and Sadness...fitting for their convo huh?
The Easter bunny likes the beach too.
At the end she couldn't help but crave a little more it had been so long since she lost her mother she loved making cereal treats usually in different shapes for the holidays she figured she could make some for Sean. He was only thinking, yeah he couldn't hate beach now but as a rule he would never tell her that.
Eating treats surrounded by pink he wasn't sure what to make of it.
"Does my...uh brother come here a lot?" he blurted out, he couldn't help it girls forgot about so easily when it came to both of them hanging around he knew they didn't know each other that well but then he also knew that never stopped you from caring about someone being kind to you for nothing.
"I haven't had him over yet oh I should have called him hmm?"
"He's probably distracted maybe later."
"If you say so he's your twin...want another one?"
"Er.."
"I promise if you do I won't make you wear pink." she teased, rather liking his smile.
"You think you can make me wear pink?"
"I can make anyone wear pink."
"Try it."
We'll see if she gets her way I guess.
All the sims err'day
This is a rare moment of Riley being nice with his grandpa.
Speaking of Riley, he's gotten along pretty well with his neighbor, John Mole, from The Sims 2.
Here's a random thing I saw.
Racheal Green (Friends): The most interesting thing is that she fell in love with and married Yugi Muto (Yu-Gi-Oh!).
Anyway, Lars is now a child! Just like his dad, he’s a Child of the Islands. Unlike his cousins he got the Happy Toddler reward trait. (Well, there are three of them the exact same age
Haha, that Don!
Great update.
Extra shots under spoilers:
- and Daisy Hovel.
They're not quite starters but they're pretty close. My god, art and clutter costs a lot! I kind of want to do a reno of a reno and remake the Cabana without caring about the cost and see how I go, because there's a lot of cool stuff that can be done!
Other than that, I've also been playing a ton of Vampire: The Masquerade - Night Road! Relevant because once I finish the last two playthroughs I want to do (I mean, successfully - for one, I'm missing a certain achievement, and for another, I still can't get past the final battle), I'm gonna stick all of my protags in the one household and see if they kill each other. For starters, here's my Toreador, Luka!
(Yeah... yeah, they really dress like that in Tucson in 2020. Yeah. If anyone asks, they just explain that they're an artist. Well, video editor. Close enough!)
(Louis de Pointe du Luc whomst.)
@Metior_Ice ohh, that's fair. If you have a ton of Sims already, yeah, it does make it trickier! Your legacy sounds really in-depth!
@DoodlyDoofus certainly a match made in somewhere ;D (Ask Satan where!) Oh dear, Octavia did one too many push-ups, I think XD RIP Vader. Okay but really, do they really want to eat Grim Sr's cooking? XD
@Becka28 oh dang, sorry about your computer! (...And that reminds me to do a backup tomorrow, oops.)
@sarabeth2984 I hope life gets easier for you soon! And yeah, TS3 can be... a lot to get used to, heh.
@sunblond welcome to the world, Mai! Oh man, Kaden is a YA now? Seems like just yesterday he was born! I can understand him wanting to study something he experienced, yeah.
And thank you! I was definitely going for 'creative but lazy', haha.
@DarkAngel1994 the irony is that I'm a bit faceblind (it's really common with autistic people), so 'realistic' versions of characters don't... really do much for me? Since I'm basically looking at most people like they're stylised anyway!
Noah is Evil? That's a concern XD Old kitties! Poor Gwen, and yeah, Tristan, enjoy it while it lasts!
Yeah, there are a lot of details planned out. I’ll probably start a new save with my founding family when the current legacy is finished and the earth element is added to the family.
The current legacy follows most of the original legacy rules, but the Lot Traits, NAPs, and Eco status are my twist on it. I thought improving their world with each generation would be a nice way to progress their story.
It's October, so time for a witchy update!
That was Alexander Goth having a duel... he lost.He and his wife Ivy had a hard time balancing careers and magic this week, but they both got some training from their mentors.
And practiced a bit on their own at home.
Also this week was Fool's Day which includes streaking as an activity so I've put that below the spoiler.
Beware of hot-headed redheads.
Don't worry, longterm her relationship with daughter Isabella is fine.
Alexander decided to do his streaking in the Magic Realm.
Can't decide if Morgyn disapproves... but definitely has an opinion.
Ivy got in on it too, but in Glimmerbrook late at night... so there were no witnesses.
Anyway, the star of the week was really Isabella, who aged up to teen.
The rest of Isabella's screenshots will be under the spoiler for loading ease.
But finally, she aged up. She's still trying to figure out her true style. I tried a few things I didn't decide to keep, like the top she's wearing here. But it was a nice picture so I kept it.
Her formal attire is a bit leathery.
And I can't decide if this look works but there are a lot of straps and I love her expression.
She decided on a 90's kind of look for her visit with Morgyn.
She was really hoping for more given her parents were already spellcasters, but sure, she can collect some motes, whatever.
Finally she was able to become a full spellcaster.
And immediately had to text about it, which Morgyn pointedly ignored.
She had quite the melancholy mood swing the next day.
Which chess with her cousin Darius did not relieve, but she did get to vent some.
She was still sad at dinner, but had changed into young witch wear.
So they all traveled back to the magic realm to see if that would cheer her up. Here I learned that enthusing about space includes pointing dramatically at the sky, and that Leslie's boots don't work with her outfit. Also for some reason Mark has brown pants which I do not remember authorizing with that top.
Meanwhile, Isabella had her first duel.
With Mark Eggleston who, brown pants aside, looks pretty cool. I remade the Eclectic Arts household as spellcasters a while back and I am happy to find I do like some aspects of their new looks.
Sadly Isabella lost.
And went to Leslie for advice.
Isabella still wasn't happy when they got home, but it was past time to go to sleep so hopefully she'll be in a better mood next time.
While Isabella may be the star this week, I still love these two.
She does the cooking because she harvests all the fresh ingredients, but he keeps her company. In fact, if either of them is left to their own devices for any amount of time, socializing with the other is one of their top choices.
Bonus shots:
Ivy cooking like a showoff while the raccoon (Alexander's familiar) levitates off the edge of the refrigerator.
Raccoon hanging out at family breakfast.
Happy simming!
From L to R: Jamie's mom Raymie && Thea's mom Lisa && Thea && Thea's cousin Lauren && Jamie's sister Maddie && Maddie's wife Daisy.
Thea's (and now Jamie's) dog Rosie.
From L to R: Thea's cousin Declan, Jamie, Jamie's brother Aaron.
Mr. and Mrs. Beauchamp.
Jamie with his nephew and niece, Harley & Piper (Maddie and Daisy's kids).
Maddie and Daisy.
Party!
Aaron got his first kiss with Eloise, a girl from uni that he's been seeing.
Got the entire family in one pic, including the current gen 2 spouses and the gen 3 kids.
And finally...
I love your avatar, whoever that is looks so pretty! I love that hairstyle too.
***
"Oh, Keiko, I'm so sad about Grandpa," Sakura said. "And Grandma, too."
"I know. I feel like we hardly knew them, which makes it worse."
"Absolutely. It'd maybe be easier if we had proper memories of them."
Sakura decided to blog about her feelings of sadness. (Also, I love her hair. I was looking for some Maxis Match 'dos and thought this one would suit Sakura!)
Feeling a little better, she decided to do some drawings.
Hiroshi decided to take his children to the Magic Realm that day.
"Wow, Dad, what is this place?" Sakura asked.
"This is the Magic Realm. Your mum and I are Spellcasters, which means that you, Keiko and Arisa are, too."
"Oh, cool," Sakura replied. "Is Lars one?"
"No," Hiroshi explained. "You see, I was born a normal Sim. But I became a Spellcaster as a teenager. I'd always been fascinated by magic. One of my friends at school was a Spellcaster, from a long line of them, and he told me I could undergo the Rite of Ascension. Your mother became one before she married me."
"Sounds cool," Sakura replied. Hiroshi wasn't entirely sure if Sakura had understood the story, but that wasn't really the point. He always liked telling his story, because it had been such a key moment in his life.
"Unfortunately, you are too young to practise magic right now. But you can obtain a familiar."
"So, we're Spellcasters!" Sakura exclaimed. "Isn't that awesome?"
"Yeah, it's just a shame we can't practise magic," Arisa sighed. "But this place is still cool."
Hiroshi couldn't find any familiars he thought the girls would like, but did purchase himself a Bunnerfly, purely because he loved the sound of the name.
It was a lovely warm afternoon, and Lucy and Anne took their children to Ohan'ali Beach. Although they had direct access to the ocean from their garden, it was still fun to go to a beach with other people around.
I got this screenshot for the view of Lagoon Look, where the twins grew up. No-one looks particularly impressed
Even Lars was able to paddle in the ocean. He looks a little uncertain. Maybe he's not a fan of seaweed?
Anne cooked one of the new dishes, Chimichurri Skewers. Looks like Sakura's enjoying them! I have no idea who built that shark sand sculpture
The twins decided to sunbathe together on the sand, even though the sun was now fading.
Lucy isn't a redhead, so she tans
All four of Lucy's classes would be on the same day, Tuesday and Thursday. She would have *three* term papers to do. With this in mind, she got started on her homework.
As the oldest of the triplets, Arisa took it upon herself to form a kids' club, Just for Kids. Illiana Illes turned up to the inaugural meeting looking rather sad, and Keiko took it upon herself to try and cheer her up. It didn't work, but Keiko still learnt some empathy.
The adult Matsumotos engaging in their main hobbies. Looks like Evie Delgato is appreciative of Hiroshi's jokes!
And the adult van Beerses engaging in their main hobbies. Couples who work out together stay together
Sakura watched on as her mother mentored her father in violin playing. Privately, she thought her father's ability was awful, but everyone has to start somewhere!
"Hey Lars, how are you?"
"I fine, fankoo."
"What are you playing?"
"Don't know."
Max decided to summon some of the Island Elementals. He greeted them, feeling a little nervous. He hoped to win their approval.
Congratulations, Anne!
Anne went to the lounge in Oasis Springs to hold a meeting of Merry Music Makers; there was a new member...
... her ghost Dad! He'd phoned up asking to join.
At one point, my game did this weird thing where the screen went black for a couple of moments, but I could still hear Anne's concerto. Then, it stopped, and all I could hear whilst waiting for the game to return to normal was Olivia Spencer-Kim-Lewis (or Collette as she is in my game) singing... very, very badly. I don't know why the screen goes black, it doesn't seem to affect my game and I don't get any Last Exceptions or anything.
Whilst in the Magic Realm, Hiroshi had also purchased a tome to learn the Zipzap spell, and he decided to learn it. He wasn't a mean Sim, so he didn't think he would ever use it, but it was still fun to learn new stuff.
Here's Anne eating another of the new dishes, Pollo a la Brasa. It looks pretty tasty!
Finally, here's Lars as a child. I think he maybe resembles his father a little bit, but I suppose I'll have a better idea when he's a teenager. Lucy and Anne are naturally a bit tan, darker-skinned than the Mastersons anyway. It's difficult to tell if Lars is more tan than his cousins.
***
Next game session will cover the last few days of Lucy and Anne's degrees! Hopefully Lucy won't go too crazy from doing three term papers
Excerpts from the Journal of Kaden Benali
FIRST TERM
From left to right: Beejay Carranza, Dereck Vu, Lonnie Gary, Joel Crook, and Brody Matthews
From left to right: Kaden Benali, Trevon Leggett, Curtis Meek, Bryson Camp, and Yannik Volkov
-I took dad’s advice, so I had asked for a single room, I got it, but boy is it small, it’s basically like a walk-in closet. Still, I guess it’s better than having to share, I mean, I could have gotten someone who’s, well, a pain, I guess, as a roommate, or worse, got stuck with two roommates. Although those rooms are way bigger and all. I’m in Wyvern Hall, which is weird for the boy’s dorm as Drake Hall seems like a better name for a guy’s dorm, but whatever. I have all my classes on Tue. and Thur. So that day will be a bit*h, but that will give me time to do my 2 term papers and a presentation, no finals, so, well, I don’t know if that’s good or bad, being that I have very limited experience taking tests at Uni so far, lol. I sure don’t know when I’ll have time to eat on class days, that’s for sure.
Yeah, its all new, and if I’m being honest, it’s kind of scary, I mean, not having dad or the twins around, it’s like I’m flying blind or something. Plus, well, I was just getting used to Josie and Izzy too, dad and her haven’t really been married all that long. Zayn was probably glad to see my backside though, now he can have his own room again, just saying. He really likes having privacy, way more than me or Samyr, I think. It sure seems like it, the way he carries on about it.
OK, I actually have homework before classes even start, you get a syllabus and it tells you to read and do stuff even before the first class, that’s way more intense that high school, that’s for sure. So, that was what I did first, after I settled in, I did my assignments, with the door locked, just like dad told me. He said to make sure to keep my focus on my classes, plus Felipe told me the same thing, he was playing soccer on the official Uni team, jealous much? And, well, with that and his classes and all, it was tough, plus he had stuff going on back home, that was when Victor came to live with them, so I guess that was a lot. I got lots of advice, and I did listen, honestly, because, well, I am kind of nervous and all, this being the first time I’ve ever totally been on my own. It’s like sink or swim now, and that’s really scary, not gonna lie.
After I did my assignments, I did go out and meet the other guys on my hall. I asked them about their majors and stuff like that, but I avoided asking anything too personal, because, well, I kind of think my life is not that typical, having a new step-mom and step-sister and that my mom died when I was younger. ‘Cause, that seems like it would be kind of a downer to bring up in casual conversation, just saying.-
Kaden’s tiny room.
Kaden meets some of his new dormmates.
-So, I joined the Debate Club, I went to a thing they had for it at Darby’s Den, that’s also where the student cafeteria is, by the way. That is, if you can find the time to actually go over there and eat. I mostly just microwave stuff. I have a mini-fridge and microwave in my room, there was actually a space for them just inside the door, just barely. Anyway, I watched a bit of the debates then talked to Beejay Carranza, he’s one of my dormmates who’s in the club, and he helped me sign up for it and all. He’s a Psych major too, and he told me it would be helpful for a Psych Major, so I decided to do it. It might help with that presentation I have to do for my final, so, well, there’s that too. And I actually won my first debate, I debated Trevon Leggett, also from my dorm, he was kind of bummed after, so when I was back at the dorm I talked to him a bit to try to smooth things over and we kind of hit it off. So, I guess he and Beejay are my first sort of college friends or at least the first guys I have gotten to know a bit so far.-
Kaden debates Trevon.
Smoothing things over with Trevon.
-I don’t have body issues, OK, I got two younger brothers and I was on my high school soccer team and all, but my gods, all the guys on my hall are like way hairier than me. I mean, Beejay has a full moustache and all, he totally looks older than my dad. Another guy, Brody Matthews, has to shave two times a day and still looks like he forgot. And they have lots of hair everywhere else too, like Uncle Salim. I mean, in high school I was kind of average, but, like, just Trevon and an Asian guy named Dereck Vu are behind me on the scale here. It’s just weird, I guess. I mean I kind of look younger that most of the other guys, like I’m some high school poser, and it bugs me is all.
And then there’s Curtis Meek, who is totally gay. I mean I’ve been around gay people my whole life and I have a friend, Victor, who’s bi and all, but this guy is super annoying, he totally flirts and makes lewd comments to all the guys on the hall, including me. Like, even if you tell him you’re straight, right, it doesn’t seem to faze him one bit. Literally on the second or third day here, Curtis and I were talking, I had just basically introduced myself, and he said he loved my latte complexion and that I had a delightful trail down my belly leading to my hidden treasure, it was totally creepy. Then today I had just gone to the bathroom and was washing my hands and I heard Curtis tell Derek Vu, who was just getting out of the shower, something about his exquisitely sculpted Asian porcelain body while Derek was naked and all. Derek got all red faced over it, just saying.-
-Roxanne came to see me, I mean, she’s friends with dad, I know her and all, but I’m way more friendly with her husband Felipe, he’s on dad’s bowling team and was over at our house some. She’s a UBrite Alum though and it was homecoming, I guess. Anyway she called me from downstairs and then took me over to the Spirit Corps Celebration, they have them before all the games. She and I talked, she told me some stories about when she went here and stuff like that, and she asked me how I was doing and all. One of my dormmates, Lonnie Gary was there with his face painted and Roxie started talking to him and kind of introducing him to me, I mean, I had met him and stuff already right. Then Derick Vu, who is in the Spirit Corps Squad, by the way, came over too and Roxie was kind of talking to him and she, like with Lonnie, was talking me up a bit. Honestly, they both were probably just talking to me because Roxie’s kind of hot, I mean, she’s older sure, but still, like, us being guys, well, she’s not that old. Anyway, Roxie dared me to do a keg stand, so I did, Derick lifted me up, he’s pretty strong. It was my first time. Like, I have had juice a few times, me and Austin snuck some in high school a couple times, OK. After it was over we kept talking, me, Roxie and Lonnie and then Roxie offered to take me and Lonnie to Pepper’s Pub in Gibbs Hill and buy us some dinner, Lonnie is a big foodie apparently and he was thrilled, so we went. He and Roxie both left right after they ate, Lonnie offered to walk Roxie back to her car like a gentleman right, but I had a second helping, the food was really good after eating microwave stuff all the time. And then as I was about to leave, I started talking to a guy. At first, well, he kind of looked like me, I mean ethnically and all. His name is Rohan Elderberry and he goes to UBrite too and lives in Gibbs Hill with his grandparents. He is ethnically like me from his mom’s side. And we talked a bit, until it got late and I was sleepy. I guess, Roxie kind of helped me a bit, like with me getting to know some new people, if I’m honest. Lonnie and I are getting to be good friends now and Rohan comes by sometimes, since he lives with his grandparents, it’s kind of a treat for him to get a taste of dorm life, I think. Plus, both of them are nice guys and all too.-
Roxie takes Kaden to a kegger!
Kaden’s first keg stand.
Kaden meets Rohan.
-Me and Christine have decided to take our relationship to the next level. We’re both adults now and we’ve been together a long time, plus, well, it’s really hard to keep connected with us living in different places and our course loads and all. But we both love each other. We’ve been in love since high school, I know, but it’s the truth, and me and Christine both want to stay together and make it work. And, well, when we do get to be together, we want to really make it count.
So she’s coming here on Sunday, on her way back from visiting home, and we are going to woohoo. I bought stuff, as in I’m prepared. I got a private room, but she shares a bedroom in the apartment with Jennie Parrish, Victor’s girlfriend. So, it has to be here. I’m really nervous, like, I’ve been thinking about this a lot. I mean, since we first started dating and all. And I guess it’s kind of built up in my head, so I’ve got butterflies in my stomach already. Like, I want everything to, you know, be good and all, but neither of us has any experience, as in, it will be the very first time for both of us. So, I kind of feel a lot of pressure, I guess, you know, to make it special and to be a good experience for her and me and all. Jeez, I’m jittery already, and it’s only Friday night.
Wow, so that happened, like only something I’ve been fantasizing about for years. And it was awkward, at first, we were both so nervous, finally Christine just said she was a nervous wreck and I admitted that I was too. So she and I went to the Spirit Corps Creativity Celebration, they were painting stuff on the Quad, it’s a liberal arts school after all, and we just talked a bit and chatted with some other students there. It helped, just being together there in public and all, we sort of got over being so nervous, I guess. Well, till we got back to my room. But, well, Christine and I spent the whole rest of the afternoon together and she left later that night, she wanted to get back to the city before it got too late. I really feel like her and I are way more connected now, I really do, like, it’s something really special we shared and, hopefully, it will get us through this having to be apart so much.-
On the Quad.
In Kaden’s tiny room.
A goodbye kiss.
-Dad stopped by, we hung out a bit and talked a lot, he let me vent some about school and I told him some stories and things that happened in the dorm. Then he told me some stuff from his college days that, well, that he probably thought I was too young to hear before. Like, well, stuff about girls. He had some experiences in college, I found out. Wow! OK, that was news. Like, I had kind of figured both mom and dad dated and stuff before, right? But, well, my dad, he kind of wasn’t into dating per se, he actually “hooked up” when he was in college. I was floored, I mean he was so, like, be respectful and all that stuff when he talked to me about woohoo. He totally had me snowed. But I get it, I totally do, because you can really mess up and have a baby and all and it must be really scary if you are a parent of a teenager in high school. Like, if Zayn or Samyr got their girlfriends pregnant now, that would practically ruin their lives. I get that, I mean, not being a hypocrite or anything considering recent events, which I totally did not mention to my dad, by the way, but, yeah, it is a really big deal, it was for me and Christine, and it totally should be.-
Kicking the soccer ball around with dad.
Omar and Kaden have a man-to-man chat.
-I had Bryson Cook drive me home this weekend, he has a beat up old car, but it runs. I gave him gas money and promised to give him food from home and he was in. He’s a black guy on my hall, he’s the kind of guy that makes friends easily and talks to everybody, and he’s really personable. He always asks if he can tag along with me and so we’ve been a few places together, he even goes to the Debate Club with me and he’s not even in it.
I wanted to get Josie or dad to cook me a bunch of food that I could put in my fridge, ‘cause I am so sick of microwave food and it’s really hard to make it over to the Den to eat when it’s actually opened.
Well, it was a epic fail, Josie was busy and dad said that he had tried the same thing in college and then he did the same thing to me that Uncle Kyle did to him and told me to cook my own food. Right, I can cook sure, but not nearly as well as Josie or dad, just saying. But I made a bunch of stuff that would keep well in the fridge and then Bryson and me drove back to Uni.
The thing is, Bryson was kind of impressed by my house and family, I guess. On the drive back, he kept talking about my family and how nice they were and how huge our house was, that it looked like it was right out of a TV show, and how nice everyone in my family was to him. So I asked him what his home was like. Well, his mom and his two brothers all live in a 2 bedroom apartment in Sim City. I guess it’s not a very nice part of the city either. He has to get student loans to pay for school. He told me that his car was his graduation present from his uncle, and that the two of them had fixed it up. I guess his uncle is the closest thing to a father figure he has, because he never mentioned his dad at all, and I was not about to ask. So, I kind of opened up to him too, I never tell people about my family, not everything usually, but I felt like he should know that my life was not like a perfect TV sitcom. I even told him how I had to get therapy after my mom died and that it’s kind of why I wanted to study Psychology, I guess. Like I said, Bryson is one of those people that makes you want to tell him stuff about yourself. Up till then only Trevon and Lonnie knew very much about me and neither knows about me getting therapy.-
Bryson meets the family.
-I just have the presentation to do, I need to have it done by tomorrow, Monday, my last class is Tuesday. I have been working on it, but it makes me really nervous, way more than an exam or term paper. Beejay was right though, the debate Club experience will definitely help. When I finally got it done, I asked Beejay to let me practice on him and give me some feedback. Boy did he, he told me that a presentation was a lot like debating, you have to be confident and have command of the facts sure, but also it doesn’t hurt to be amusing a bit, just to keep people listening. So, I added some puns in on some of the psychological terms, hopefully, that will do it.-
Working on the presentation.
-I made the dean’s list, I got all A+’s, boy do I feel great. It was a lot of work, but it does feel totally worth it now! And yeah, my elective was bowling, but still, I do feel good about my first term at Uni.-
@Daravi Yay, I'm happy everyone survived the flu. but 4 children, still, that's the way my grandparents were back then too, they had 6 or 7 children survive to adulthood.
@DarkAngel1994 I have got to remember to take some face shots in game, I really want to try that ArtBreeder on my sims too, good job on yours.
@Lyrie Aww, glad to see Rainbow making some little friends.
@RedDestiny92 Humm, Don Lothario in stereo, as in two of them, what would that be like in one of my games, lol? He has a pack of sons in my current game, legitimate and otherwise. I've lost count.
@ryttu3k Kaden lives in Crick Cabana, his attempt at decorating was to buy rugs. lol. I mean, I don't see him as being a guy who spends much time thinking about that kind of thing. Well, that's my head canon anyway. The makeovers are quite lovely though.
@Daephene Oh, Alexander looks so much like Mortimer in your game, he really doesn't resemble him much in mine.
@MelsieYT Oh, what lovely shots of the wedding, I love the lighting and your sims always look so good in your photos. I am a sucker for wedding photos in the game!
@Lucy_Henley Good luck to Lucy, 3 term papers, wow. I found the presentations were hardest to pull off myself, but term papers are so time consuming too.
I noticed that some of the images for old posts were broken. I edited the posts with working links. Here's an index for those who want to see where the Twins came from.
The Save Founder
For rotational, I have one sim that starts everything in the save. Everything the other sims do is a continuation of wherever he left off.
This is a screenshot from the very beginning.
Calum, the Island Poet, and Arihi Tilo, the Island Elemental.
A merman from the sea and a spirit of the Islands.
I had no idea this screenshot existed until I found it.
Dylan and Zephyr: Toddler Days
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/888255/what-happened-in-your-game-today/p758
Dylan and Zephyr: Childhood Days
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/17621784#Comment_17621784
Above is a repeat of what I shared so that the index will be in one place
Dylan and Zephyr: Teenager Days Index
I added the household to another world without cheats active. I didn't need cheats for what I had planned for the legacy. As a result, I have to rebuild the relationships I had before.
Edit: The Goal for the Teenage Days before aging up.
Achieve Level 10 singing
Max out all Character Value traits in the positive
Get an A in high school
Gain immunity to all weather conditions before aging up, except for the useless Waterproof Trait
Gain the Naturalist Trait and become immune to fire
Meet with the Mua Pel'Am pod at the secret merfolk meeting spot.
Now, onto the story:
The Teenager Days 1: Creative vs Genius
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Now, onto the story for real.
Zephyr: "Completing school projects can be really exhausting, thanks for helping bro."
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Dylan: It's no problem. I'm not sure if I'm that helpful with stuff like this. By the way, did you see Mom's latest trolling on the tech forums.
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Zephyr: "I was impressed by her responses to those nerds."
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Dylan: "Her trolling was pretty neat."
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Zephyr: "She should watch out though. One of the people trolled was a vampire. I survived an encounter with a vampire when I was a toddler. Scary stuff."
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Dylan: "That's not how I remember it, but I believe you."
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Dylan: "I wonder who would win in a fight. Mom can make things burn with a lava bomb. But, based on my calculations, I can't be sure if she could win."
Zephyr: "Your calculations aren't usually reliable. The vampire would totally win."
Dylan: "You may be right."
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Zephyr: "Thanks for your help."
Dylan: "It wasn't a problem."
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Inspired by his conversation with Dylan, Zephyr picked out an interesting book to read.
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Later that week, Zephyr challenged his brother to a game of chess.
Zephyr thinks to himself: "I'm mentally gifted and Dylan is creatively gifted. I'm guaranteed to win."
Dylan thinks to himself: "That's an interesting opening."
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Zephyr: "That's a strange move."
Dylan: "Art involves careful observation to detail."
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Zephyr: "I wrote the book on playing chess and winning."
Dylan: "I see an inspired move."
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Zephyr thinks to himself: "I have a genius idea for my next move."
Dylan thinks to himself: "If he does that than I can do that. That's pretty creative, and he won't see it coming."
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Zephyr: "How did that just happen?"
Dylan: "Remember, No drama llamas."
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Zephyr thinks to himself: "I'm not a drama llama. I'm a chess master."
Dylan thinks to himself: "Another inspired idea."
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Zephyr thinks to himself: "He's actually pretty good at this game."
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Dylan: "Checkmate."
Zephyr thinks to himself: "How did...?!"
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Dylan thinks to himself: "I'm pretty awesome."
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Zephyr thinks to himself: "Darn it. I didn't see that coming."
Dylan thinks to himself: "I have an inspired idea."
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After their game of chess, the twins were so tired that they ended up sleeping in their merforms. Dylan and Zephyr are the only merfolk in the game with tails that have sparkling/shiny scales. The idea is that they have so much magical power that is shows in their tails. Shine from their scales is that magical energy. After all, they can control the weather, manipulate the moods of other sims, grant sims the ability to avoid drowning, summon sea monsters to drag sims underwater, lure sims into the ocean with the Siren's Call, summon lava bombs, and enhance the quality of plants. That's just their innate abilities. They can do more with other skills and traits.
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Extras:
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So, in one of Carl's Guide videos, he uses the Lobster Thermidor to help with the hunger need. It turns out that Children of the Ocean or Merfolk or a combination of both find this meal extremely unpleasant to eat.
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Something I forgot to include in the childhood update. I know that I can't control both in the lab, but the lab is the only place sims work. If they are both scientists at the same time, I'm very curious to find out if one of them will be NPC scientists. I'll give it a try regardless. I really want to try it after Dylan's eventful time in the lab.
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The Teenager Days 2: Learning Emotional Control
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Regardless, the twins are both A students.
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The Gardening Situation
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When I started things up, I had Calum fabricate upgrade parts on his day off. He dyed in an explosion of color.
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Dylan and Zephyr had a couple of mood swings when they returned from school. Not much to say there. However, Dylan is talented with the Violin, and Zephyr can play the Guitar pretty well. I can relate to both of them. Sometimes, things get a little overwhelming. Calum lifted the curfew, so they had a chance to blow off some steam at the karaoke bar nearby.
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Later that week and blending in as ordinary sims, Dylan and Zephyr sang a duet to have more fun. Calum used his powers to clear up the cloudy skies and give them a sunny day to enjoy. Both Dylan and Zephyr had level 5 singing when they started the duet. By the time they finished singing, Dylan had level 9 singing and Zephyr had level 7 singing. The creatively gifted trait is extremely powerful.
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When they finished singing, Dylan got pestered by a random townie. She was persistent. I think she was an adult, and he was a teen.
Random townie: "I loved your singing."
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Dylan tried to walk away, and his brother was about to get ambushed by another townie. Dylan and Zephyr started throwing a bit of tantrum. In seconds, they summoned a rain of fire and a torrential thunderstorm. The sunny weather instantly turned into chaos with fire, lightning, wind, and rain bombarding the island.
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The other townie thought to herself: "What have we done?"
She left as soon as she reached the top of the stairs.
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The thunderstorm started after Zephyr blew into his conch shell. Dylan sang the random townie a Siren's Lullaby, Aegean's Question. She loved his singing after all.
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Arihi returned home after the twins left for work.
Arihi: "The boys are growing up so fast. One day, your practicing lava bomb summoning, and the next day, they are summoning storms at will."
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Calum returned home from work. He was dried out after using his power to make the day a pleasant one for the twins. He ran to the ocean change into his merform. He was so dry that he couldn't stay in human form for long. He was not happy.
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In the ocean, Calum called clear skies. He used all his power and drew strength from the sea to undo the Twins' chaos.
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Calum: "I'm going to have to give the boys a talking to. They shouldn't use their powers so freely like this."
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Calum to Zephyr when he got home: "I feel it's important to remind you that you have responsibilities. Your falling behind in school. In spite of that, I let you take the day off to have fun. I even made the weather pleasant for you."
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Calum: "I tried to be nice Zephyr."
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Calum: "And now, you've gone and dried yourself out. What were you trying to accomplish? You can't stay in human form like that."
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Zephyr: "I don't like sunny days. Random townies wouldn't leave me and Dylan alone. We just wanted to have some fun."
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Calum: "But you should think of others. I dried myself out making the weather nice for you and your brother. You should show a little more restraint."
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Zephyr: "That was pretty nice of you."
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Calum: "Now, I want you to get rehydrated while I talk to your brother."
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Zephyr: "I'll do that, and I'll try to show more self-control in the future."
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Calum to Dylan: "You and your brother have a responsibility to take care of the islands, not destroy them. You both should do more to give back, not take away."
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Calum: "Look what causing all that chaos did to both of you. You are connected to the islands and the sea. Creating so much chaos won't make you feel better, it'll make you both sick."
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Dylan: "I enjoyed the rain though. The sun makes everything so dry."
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Calum: "You can always swim in the ocean, take a bath, or shower when you feel too dried out. You shouldn't summon a thunderstorm to get rehydrated. Now, I want you to rehydrate yourself the right way."
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Dylan: "I understand. I'll do better to take better care of the islands. Me and Zephyr won't let you down."
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Extras:
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Anyways, this is the end of Dylan and Zephyr's Teenager Days.
The Teenager Days 4: Meeting the Pod and Throwing an Epic Birthday Party
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Of course, Arihi and Calum realized placing a pool above the new baby's nursery was probably a bad idea, so they drained it and put a simple patio there instead. Dylan and Zephyr still found a way to relax in their merforms on the patio furniture.
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After taking a break from school, the twins went with Calum to the beach to meet more of the pod.
Dylan met one of the other twin merboys in the pod, Blaise Marus. Blaise and Will Marus are identical twin merboys that call the Windenburg Crumbling Isles home. They live with their older brothers Vesper and Sid Marus and the Azure Brothers: Flynn, Ceren, and Calden. The Marus Brothers and Azure Brothers are the creative partiers of the pod. That's probably why Blaise is skipping school to hang out at the beach. They are from Sulani, but they moved to Windenburg thanks to Flynn and Sid's insider knowledge on where the best parties are. I can't say their brothers enjoy the blizzards in the winter.
Dylan showed Blaise a funny video. It seem creative minds get along well.
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Later, Dylan met Nalani and Vesper. Vesper is one of the music lovers in the pod, and he will show playing the guitar at events.
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Dylan's power to pass judgement on sims with the Child of the Islands trait is not restricted to his household. Apparently, Nalani didn't have a strong connection to the islands.
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When night fell, Zephyr expressed his disapproval while Nalani had the moodlet from Dylan's judgement.
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Nalani: "I've met the twins, and they passed judg..."
Calum: "I'm sorry you had to go through that. But don't feel bad, they deny my connection to the islands daily... sometimes more than once a day and through walls... there is no hiding because they will seek you out and pass there judgement... there's no escape. Oh Sulani, there will be a fourth at home soon."
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On Winterfest, Arihi went into labor. She went to the hospital to give birth this time. I really didn't know what to expect. There's a 50% chance that the baby could be a mer, and I won't be able to know for sure until it becomes a toddler. It will have the Sulani Mana trait. That trait is guaranteed as long as one parent has it.
The Doctor: I see. At least it isn't an Alien Pregnancy, I never get use to those... Hold on, her DNA looks like the DNA of someone who lived on Sulani ages ago. How is she alive? People don't just come back from the dead...
The Doctor Pauses
As the machine works its magic, the Doctor speaks: "Ma'am we are almost done, and it looks like it will be a girl."
Arihi: "I'm going to name her Ember. Me and my husband rekindled our flame when we had her. It's winter and flames don't burn their brightest during the winter..."
The Doctor: "Ma'am your giving birth. How do you have the energy to talk like this."
Arihi looks at the doctor: "Exactly, I am giving birth to new life. I do not have energy to talk, but Sulani forbid I stop talking because it's the only thing helping me deal."
Arihi lays her head down and speaks with a monotone voice: "I've already had twins. Now if you could be so kind, I'd like to be done with this already."
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Arihi holds her daughter for the first time and rocks her.
Ember: "Oh Sulani, why are you rocking me while I'm starving with a dirty diaper. You literally ate the bare minimum while I was in there. I wanted out because I thought I was going to starve. Oh Sulani, your still rocking me. Where's dad? I need to teleport out of here."
Ember goes poof and teleports to her basinet at home before her parents leave the hospital.
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When Arihi and Calum return home, Ember is sleeping soundly in her bassinet under the supervision of her twin older brothers that chose to browse the web and dance to music instead of feed her.
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Arihi took care of Ember's needs, and she showed her to Calum.
Arihi spoke softly: "This is our daughter."
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Arihi: "She's the spark that came from the flame we rekindled."
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Since Arihi is a loner, she stayed home with Ember while Calum and the boys went to beach. They met Santa there, and Santa had a surprise for Dylan.
Santa to Dylan: "Just in case you get any funny ideas about cancelling one of my blizzards. Remember that I'm the one that gives the gifts during Winterfest. Don't forget. Never forget. You might get nothingness with a sprinkle of sadness and lies."
Zephyr: "You don't have to worry about me. You gave me an awesome gift! An Island Clarity light for the bathroom. Keep a candy cane nice and close and sleep with one eye open. Also, watch the sky for lightning and volcanic bombs. Stay out of the water because I have friends in the deep. The public pools won't keep you safe."
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It seem that the twins were in sync for a moment.
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The elementals will always find the Children of the Islands, always.
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So, make sure you have lots of friends and throw epic Kava Parties!
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And rest up after eating Nature's Gift.
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And throw the most epic birthday party for your Elemental Twins that will be moving out soon.
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When the party ends, Remember the old times that made you happy and think about how far you've come.
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Old times, but new neighbors. I'm making one of the islands a home for the merfolk until they make an underwater neighborhood for merfolk. I'll evict the premade neighbors for that.
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The next dive will be an Outdoors Adventure!
The twins will be doing things on their own now. Look at them chilling under the stars near the special merfolk cave.
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Extras
If you see a pod of merboys and mermen...
You tell an epic tale of your exploration of a sunken ship!
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I See Tails on land
Dylan: "I'm okay with this."
Zephyr thinking to himself: "Seriously! Seriously. He's actually serious."
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Pushing the Limits of the Merfolk Lifestyle
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The Pool lot I'm fine tuning is also supposed to help push the limits of what a mersim can do without taking a human form.
As it turns out, a mersim can do a lot without taking a human form. They can watch TV, Sleep, Socialize, Talk to Fish, View Fish in an Aquarium, Order Stuff from a Computer, Listen to Music, and they can probably view wall art. When it comes to tiny living, it might be possible to get some extremely livable conditions plus all the boosts from the lot.
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I forgot to take a screenshot of it, but a residential speaker can be listened to even if a sim is in the water. It will offer the option to dance, but it will not work while in merform, no feet. With the emotional control trait, the residential wall speaker can be used like a mirror to wind down from an extreme emotion. Items can be carried in a sims inventory and used off lot or out of the water nearby the active lot. I'd love to see more things that can be done by mersims without leaving the water and taking a human form.
Extras
I'll start by sharing a picture of Dylan and Zephyr being themselves. Their teenage years are coming to a close, and their young adult years will be broken up according to different goals. They will be aging up after their introduction to the Mua Pel'Am pod.
I want the twins to be comfortable living in the outdoors, so before they move out to the University Dorms, they will have a vacation in Granite Falls and complete the Outdoors Enthusiast Aspiration for that location. My intended set up is to have them spend as much time in their merform as possible at home, and I feel like having a trait that reinforces their outdoors lifestyle will be helpful. If I can keep the time they spend in human form to a minimum in Sulani, I will achieve my goal. Of course, these are the terms for while I play the household. The house they will move in will not have a bed or kitchen. They will sleep in the ocean and eat the food they grow. As elemental merfolk, I think living off of things that come from the elements will be important.
Next, they will attend University and complete the Academic Aspiration. This will be the only knowledge Aspiration both of them will complete. At the same time, I plan for both of them to complete the Master Maker Aspiration, and this will be the only Creative Aspiration both of them complete. I consider these to be more like utility skills than anything else.
After University, I'll play that house and experiment with different career combinations. They will become the household I play rotationally for like a sim year before moving on. I would expect to see them around in other stories because they will not be aging up past young adult, and the chance of them dying from an accident will be slim to none. The twins are already immune to death by various weather conditions and fire. I think the only way they might be killable in the end is if they laugh to death, but even then, the emotional control trait gives them many options to snap out of extreme moods.
As always, Calum has been essential to keeping things going in the house. I'm positive that things would fall apart without him. I wish his sons and wife would stop denying his connection to the island and recognize how much he does for them.
Immediately after waking up, Calum tended to the Garden autonomously.
Calum Paints Masterpieces worth thousands of simoleons, but Arihi's App doesn't help as much.
Calum was on the floor directly above Dylan, but that didn't spare him judgement. Dylan cried a puddle that needed to be mopped up.
Calum was listening to the kids radio. He had a great idea.
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Calum and Arihi had their love life fade after raising the twins. And guess what, after a Serenade, Charmer's Lullaby, and a bit of Beguilement with romantic art to set the mood, Arihi and Calum are expecting a new addition. I still need to make a restaurant in Sulani. I'm thinking of closing up the Spa to make room for another house. The beach lot I created can provide spa services, and thanks to Free Services, I can hire service sims wherever I want for free. Yay! I have no idea if it will be twins again or not. I'm not even going to manipulate the gender. I wonder what the little dev... I mean angel will be and how many? Fire totally isn't the theme... Even if Calum did rekindle his flame with Arihi.
After Arihi started showing, the twins asked Arihi about Woohoo at the same time. Her face froze like this. Her animations literally stopped.
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
Outdoor Adventures: Beach Day 1
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So, I started calling lightning from the sky.
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I'd say Dylan is pretty impressed with himself.
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Zephyr didn't want to be left out, so he joined in by summoning a lava bomb. I think Calum's lessons about using their powers responsibly went out the window, just a little.
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Because they are mermen, they don't have to wait for a thunderstorm and the slim chance they get struck twice. They can call a thunderstorm at any time.
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Dylan got struck a third time while he was playing with lightning.
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But, the experience was awesome, and knowing that I can control the weather on a whim and increase the odds of this happening again is epic.
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Edit:
Conservation Guy: "What are you doing swimming out here in a thunderstorm?"
Zephyr: "My brother got cool lightning powers after getting struck by lightning twice. I want cool lightning powers too!"
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Conservation Guy: "That sounds pretty cool."
Zephyr: "It is! What are you doing out here in a thunderstorm?"
Conservation Guy: "I'm not sure anymore, but I wish I could be as cool as you and your brother."
Zephyr: "Conservation guy, everyone does."
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Yeah, they can't really cause harm to other townies, but they nearly destroyed half the lot. It doesn't help that one of the lot traits include volcanic activity. Their antics reached a point where I almost thought the island would tear itself apart. Townie's started watching the weather channel to try and understand what was going on. Dylan got struck twice again too.
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This is a volcanic fissure from the lot trait. During a thunderstorm the screen shook as earthquakes took place.
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It was interesting to see the townies watching the weather channel too.
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After Zephyr cleared the skies, the twins autonomously stopped to think about family. Zephyr thought about his little sister Ember, and Dyland stopped to think about their Dad, Calum. Dylan was the one getting supercharged and causing most of the chaos. I think he remembered his dad's lesson about self-control.
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Needless to say, Dylan replaced the furniture the lightning destroyed and cleared the lava rocks cluttering the lot. He also mopped up the soot from everything that burnt from the lightning or lava.
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And, because they spent three or four days straight calling thunderstorms, summoning lava bombs, and raining lightning from the sky, I felt it was fitting for them to be so worn out that they couldn't even stay in human form.
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I think Dylan cleaning things up and both of them turning into their merforms was fitting. Since it isn't a built in feature, I plan on making them revert to their natural form whenever they lose self-control. Since they are naturally mermen with unique powers over nature to begin with, I think all that power needs to have at least one draw back. And, I think I'll have them change into their merforms at will too. Kinda wish they couldn't walk around in that form, but I can always turn off autonomy to make that happen. This might be the only instance where I heavily use cheats.
I think they started to realize what they were doing after the power-hype died down. I mean, Dylan was getting hyper-charged by the lightning, and Zephyr was maintaining a perpetual monsoon. They both summoned lava bombs on top of the naturally occurring eruptions. Many townie's were struck by lightning or terrified by the nearby lightning strikes. Some of the sims I made left the lot dazed after getting struck by lightning. The eruptions triggered tense moodlets on top of the tense situation. The twins have the laid-back trait, so they won't get tense.
I haven't been able to follow much of your story, so I apologize for not having a response. I'm happy Delcan is helping Vanessa. The teenagers and parenting can be tedious. I'm sure Calum would be able to relate.
I will say that this Townie life guard should get a raise. He stood out there in the middle of the thunderstorm focused on keeping everyone safe.
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Epic Extras
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Swan Dive
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The Outdoor Adventures: Beach Day 2
Evil-Arihi: "Why do you care so much about the environment? How dare you clean up trash in the ocean!"
Dylan: "Because Sea Turtles are friends and Baby Sea Turtles are so cute."
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Evil-Arihi: "I don't care, and I'm not sorry about that!"
Dylan thinks to himself: "Now I just want her to go poof."
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Dylan: "Littering is bad. It hurts the island."
Evil-Arihi: "I don't care about the island's well-being."
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Zephyr: "Hey, what's all the drama llama?"
Dylan: "She's angry at me for trying to clean up the island."
Zephyr: "If you don't like the islands, what about the sea? Littering is bad for the reefs."
Evil-Arihi: "I don't care. Why don't you understand? I really don't care. Stop making things better or leave."
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Evil-Arihi: For Sulani's sake, I hate dolphins.
Dylan: "She didn't just say that about flipper."
Zephyr: "She did. That's not cool."
Evil-Arihi: "I have a bad feeling."
Zephyr: "She didn't listen bro. You know what that means."
Dylan: "I do. Let's have some fun."
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Evil-Arihi: "The ocean feels colder for some reason. I have a feeling I should leave."
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Zephyr Sings: "Evil-Arihi who insulted the islands and the sea come to me and give back what you took."
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Dylan Sings: "Kraken of the deep show no mercy."
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Dylan Sings: "The sea isn't finished yet for you took too much and insulted poor innocent Flipper. I will take what's left to give."
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Once they were done, Dylan cleared the skies.
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For a second, Evil-Arihi was so traumatized that she merged with the latter.
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But on land, she had an accident. Maybe they scared her too much.
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Meanwhile, Zephyr was watching the travel channel as he thought about the worlds they would explore.
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After Dylan's Club Gathering with the spin masters (Of course he invited Zephyr) they returned to Sulani and visited the Caldora Eco Center. I learned that Zephyr acquired some interesting interactions with the telescope.
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Dylan honed his painting skills while Zephyr practiced analysis.
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The next day, I left Zephyr to do whatever he wanted. Dylan needed to sleep before painting again. Zephyr started out researching the Apple tree. I thought: "Typical Zephyr doing brainiac stuff."
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Apparently, Dylan left a half finished painting on this lot.
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I started watching a movie Iona picked out. She seems to have an interesting taste in movies. Shortly after, I got this prompt. It seems he has his mother's bad habits.
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Zephyr also met some wonderful people that wanted to use the computer.
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Naturally, he has a wonderful personality, perfect for Floral Arrangement. The timing couldn't be better.
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I canceled Zephyr's action while having Dylan start painting again. Then, I got this prompt.
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While he's trolling...
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Then, Zephyr started to think about his sister again. I thought: "Maybe he'll stop trolling and be a good role model for his younger sister."
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Yeah, he stopped trolling...
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Still thinking about family...
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Yeah, I guess hacking into the Landgraab System is like shopping for a genius...
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So, Dylan stopped painting and grabbed a bite to eat. He walked in on Zephyr and thought: "That screen doesn't look normal?"
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Hurray, Zephyr can make mobile phone apps...
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At this point, I stepped in. If he was going to be on the computer, he should at least do something productive, so I had him practice programming. There was a line of people waiting to use the computer...
Oh, and Andria being the family oriented mother type in the pod ended up sitting there watching over Zephyr's shoulder.
Andria: "Now, you've just started doing things on your own, but it seems you need some looking after right now."
Zephyr: "Shouldn't you be parenting Lyric?"
Andria: "Lyric doesn't troll the tech forums. Keep practicing your programming."
Zephyr: "Yes, mother."
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They made it to the end of the year!
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The next year, I had Zephyr start things off playing video games... And no, just no... Don't even think about it... I don't want one of those in the house... the intended building design won't even support it... Thou shall not phone home.
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And, it seems the programming skill will be VERY helpful...
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Dylan is painting wonderful pictures and no one speaks in whispers about him on internet forums...
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Finally, back to normalcy... It's almost like Zephyr never trolled anyone or hacked into the bill companies computers... It's always the quiet ones I tell you. I don't think he put the book back on the shelf... I think he might actually be a criminal mastermind and his reputation is great.
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I create lots that have a lot of opportunities for interaction and gameplay. This lounge will allow a player to "follow a sim to work" for a musician career. You can make up a self-employment career and everything. Anyways, Zephyr went to work making a little extra change for their camping trip.
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Calum showed up on a beach lot.
Dylan and Zephyr: "Dad go home and take care of Ember."
Calum didn't seem to mind much, but something tells me that he's not doing so well with the new baby....
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Extras
Former Lifeguards
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They can also patrol for danger. I haven't exactly given this one a try yet.
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The Outdoor Adventures: The Spring Camping Trip and Zephyr's Weather Machine
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The skies cleared when Zephyr caught up to his brother. The duo proceeded to catch a few fish. Zephyr pulled out a treasure chest, and I still don't know what he got. Zephyr has proven to be a more competent fisherman than his brother. Maybe the skill is a mentally gifted thing?
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Still, Dylan caught five fish for the aspiration before his brother and decided to cloudgaze while his brother finished catching fish.
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After hiking in the woods, Zephyr was the first to try and identify the herbs they collected.
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Dylan went for a short hike in search of more unidentified herbs when his Dad called.
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Of course, he took a moment to chat.
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With the way Arihi trolls on the internet, it doesn't surprise me that Calum doesn't keep any secrets. I want to know what is more interesting than going through a Fruit Bear phase with your son.
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In the Deep Granite Woods, the twins stargazed together. They spent the day hiking and collecting herbs. Getting this far into the woods tired them out.
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Once again, Dylan finished an aspiration task before his brother and decided it was a good time to play the guitar. He's great moral support.
Zephyr in the Background: "Couldn't he help me collect the bugs at least?"
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Zephyr: "Nah, I'm totally geeking out over all the bugs I'm collecting."
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Zephyr: "I'm still really tired."
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Back at camp, they needed to roast beetles. To light the campfire, Zephyr called clear skies. He proceeded to take a nap shortly after. Dylan finished this aspiration task quickly, and he actually ate the beetles without a negative moodlet. Maybe it has something to do with being half fish. I just noticed Thorne calling about Flower Arranging. Doesn't he know that Zephyr is on Vacation. He also called the Genius one instead of the Creative one.
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Later that night, Zephyr proceeded to cook some beetles. Dylan told an epic ghost story that even attracted a ghost to the campsite. It's a good thing they have a second tent because Bob wouldn't leave the tent alone. And yes, I named the ghost Bob, Just Bob. The twins didn't seem to mind his presence even though he only has negative traits and is almost always angry. The twins starts to get home sick. A full week is a long time for a couple of mermen to be land locked.
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Dylan couldn't sleep, so he played some campfire songs with his guitar. He was getting the homesick vibes.
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The next morning, Zephyr was making his last batch of beetles. Of course, he started a fire that woke Dylan up. Dylan's response time was a little slow, and he called the firefighters. They stood around and waited for the fire to destroy their camping chair and the fire to put itself out. They were absolutely useless, and the twins were not impressed with their dance moves. Zephyr got one of them with his Aegean's Question, but Dylan couldn't get the second one. I also wanted to subject them to a thunderstorm and lava bombs. Honestly, I'll just call a rainstorm next time. I found out that calling the firefighters prevents my mersims from using their mermadic abilities until the fire ends.
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Firefighter: "We are so hot! We are so awesome! They love us so much!"
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Firefighter thinking: "They didn't call us for our dance moves! Abort! Abort!"
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Back at the Hermit's Hut, the twin's were able to take a shower.
Dylan: "Why are you wearing your mer-islander outfit here?"
Zephyr: "I'm just missing home and the sea. Plus, there's no where for me to be that allows me to stay in my merform."
Dylan: "I understand, but you might want to change into your camping outfit. We are trying to act like we know how humans dress."
Zephyr: "I guess."
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Dylan: "Much better."
Zephyr: "If you say so."
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The twins spent a lot of time mourning their friends mounted on the wall. Even if they needed to become friends with the hermit, she's a MONSTER!
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The Flower Bunny arrived the next day. And, apparently the hermit doesn't live in her house...
Hermit: "Watch where you swing that thing."
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Dylan and Zephyr became friends with the Flower Bunny, but it seems the Flower Bunny prefers Zephyr over Dylan. It rejected Dylan's Flower and accepted Zephyr's.
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Near the end of their trip, Dylan and Zephyr played horseshoes. It turns out the Aspiration couldn't be completed until summer because that's when the other six herbs grow.
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Zephyr: "This vacation has been mertastic, no Fintastic!
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Dylan: "I was right to book this camping trip. We should stay longer."
Zephyr: "but you got the season wrong."
Dylan: "That's why we should stay."
Zephyr: "I have a better idea. But first, I'd like to sleep in the water like normal. I'm a bit tired of camping."
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Even though I made the twins go to sleep in separate grottos, Dylan drifted out of his grotto in his sleep, and Zephyr ignored sleeping in his grotto and slept next to his brother. Dylan happened to be dreaming about sea dragons at the time.
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This is how they ended up drifting while they slept.
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Dylan: "So this was your idea."
Zephyr: "Keep watch. I don't want to be disturbed by a conservationist."
Dylan: "Sure thing bro."
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Zephyr: "And it works, muwhaha! The only downside is that we can only change the weather on the lot that has this machine."
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Dylan sings: "We're going to go camping again! Oh yah, we get to camp in the summer."
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Dylan: "Awesome work bro. I'm a little disappointed that it didn't snow."
Zephyr: "At least I tried."
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Extras:
Beach Day:
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They have 3 outfits restricted to their merform. They wear nothing in their first outfit. Sometimes nets, necklaces, and bracelets can be a pain.
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The next outfit is just their necklace and bracelet.
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The last outfit includes their necklace, bracelet, and net.
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There's Makoa again. He's a good friend for most merfolk sims, and that's why he's a premade I'm keeping around. He also has a toddler in his household which is great for when I have a toddler playdate. The game doesn't offer a lot of ways for toddlers to meet other toddlers.
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So, I turned Makoa into a half-merman with round ears. This is the tail the game gave him.
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I went into CAS and changed his tail into something else. I felt like this was more fitting.
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So like magic, Makoa gets to be a half-merman, and I kinda think he was set up to be one.
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Looking for Bartending Guy
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Ember's Toddler Days
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For a second, I thought Dylan was going to give her an imaginary friend, but it seems he sent her an ordinary toy.
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Arihi's Potty Training Skills went as well as expected. For once, I really want her to be the major parent taking care of the kid.
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Arihi offered Ember some comfort. She's trying to be a better mother.
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Ember: Babbles (Mommy, I'm hungry)
And the parents fought over who gets to feed her. I guess they are too used to raising twins.
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Calum ended up reading her to sleep. I noticed that most of her character values started in the negative.
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And, Arihi denied Calum's Connection to the island again. I learned that making and drinking Kava helps to reduce the sad moodlets effects. And, it only takes three cups to go from relaxed to maybe-a-little-too-relaxed.
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Arihi ended up changing Ember's diaper. I think she should get used to this if her potty training doesn't become a priority over dance parties.
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This catches everything up to the Broken World Saga.
This Legacy will be a little different with a different set of rules. There will be 10 generations, but each generation will have a predetermined aspiration tied to whatever object they must acquire. The Founder and Heirs to this legacy will collect 6 objects related to the Elemental Twins and return them to the Crescent Moon Shrine. 2 heirs will drive out the darkness preventing the twins' resurrection, and the last 2 heirs will complete the aspirations that will ultimately restore life to the twins, but every quest completed will make the world they live in a little bit better.
This is: The Broken World Saga
So, the set up: Most of the early set up will be identical to other Legacy challenges. There's a funds limitation, but the one thing that will be for certain is that the legacy household will be restricted to the world they are placed in. No traveling out of the world. Imagine a dark and impenetrable barrier that lets sims in but doesn't let them out.
The unique points to this legacy are made possible thanks to NAPS, Eco-Living, and Lot Traits.
In the beginning, Every Single Lot will have:
Volcanic Activity
Earthquakes
Cursed
If the lot has the Oceanic Paradise Trait that can't be removed, then it will have:
Volcanic Activity
Earthquakes
NAPS
Roughhousing Encouraged: The people of Sulani seem to be filled with a violent spirit and engage in fights everywhere you go.
Power Conservation: Something has gone wrong with Sulani's Geothermal Grid., Unusual volcanic activity has resulted in a loss of power across the islands weekly.
Water Conservation: Earthquakes have caved in wells and saltwater has contaminated many other stores of underwater. Authorities in Sulani are forced to shut off water to preserve what little usable water is left.
Back to the Old Days: Technology has become unreliable and the power grid can't sustain their usage. Technology that made things easier has now become an unsustainable practice.
All of the islands will be toxic with industrial pollution.
Mua Pel'Am will be reduced to its worst state.
Dylan's Quests
Win a Karaoke Bar Contest at Triton's Beach as a Musical Genius
Acquire Dylan's Urn or Grave Marker
Place the Urn in the Crescent Moon Shrine
Reward: A NAP can be repealed and replaced with something positive using influence.
Complete the Beach Life Aspiration
Recover Dylan's Camping Guitar from a hidden chamber in the Elemental Temple. (This requires Dylan's Spirit to be free to interact with).
Place Dylan's Camping Guitar in the Crescent Moon Shrine.
Reward: A NAP can be Repealed and replaced with something positive using influence.
Complete the Painter Extraordinaire Aspiration
Acquire Dylan's old violin from the Zalrian Household (This will require an interaction with Calum and Dylan's Spirit).
Place Dylan's old violin in the Crescent Moon Shrine
Reward: One of the islands can have its pollution cleaned up except Mua Pel'Am.
Complete the Chief of Mischief Aspiration
Chase away the Darkfin Siblings
Reward: The Earthquakes Lot Trait can be swapped out for something different.
Complete the Bestselling Author Aspiration
The Poetic Sim reads Dylan's Book of Life in the Crescent Moon Shrine
Dylan is brought back from the dead.
Step 1 of 2 for removing the Cursed Lot trait is complete.
Zephyr's Quests
The Curator completes his own collection of sea shells
Acquire Zephyr's Urn from the Caldora Eco Center
Place the Urn in the Crescent Moon Shrine
Reward: A NAP can be Repealed and replaced with something positive using influence.
Complete the Master Mixologist Aspiration
Recover the Plumbite Crystal hidden in the Sand Bar
Place the Plumbite Crystal in the Crescent Moon Shrine
Reward: A NAP can be Repealed and replaced with something positive using influence.
Complete the World Famous Celebrity Aspiration
Cross the threshold into the exclusive room for five star celebrities
Retrieve the Luna Moths from this room
Place the Luna Moths in the Crescent Moon Shrine
Reward: One of the islands can have its pollution cleaned up except Mua Pel'Am.
Complete the Public Enemy Aspiration
Defeat Damion Morbius for this Aspiration
Banish Damion to the Netherworld.
Smash Damion's Grave Marker so he can never return.
Reward: The Volcanic Activity Lot Trait can be swapped out for something different.
Complete the Nerd Brain Aspiration.
The Handy Sim can read Zephyr's Book of Life in the Crescent Moon Shrine
Zephyr is brought back from the dead.
Step 1 of 2 for removing the Cursed Lot trait is complete.
To revive one of the twins, a heir or founder of the Legacy must recover their Urn, retrieve two talismans connected to one of them, remove a threat to the islands, and finally, with the Talismans and Urn safely placed in the Crescent Moon Shrine, a member of the Legacy can read one of the tomes to resurrect one of the twins. The idea is that the absence of the Talismans and the Presence of one of the Evils is preventing them from being brought back to life. Returning a Talisman to a shrine and completing a quest helps to heal the islands and removes a negative element afflicting the gameplay.
Every Lot will have Earthquakes and Volcanic Activity.
Every lot without the unique oceanic paradise trait will have the Cursed Lot trait.
The NAPs in effect are:
Back in the Old Days (Fines for using technology)
Water Conservation (Weekly water shut off and daily fines for using too much water)
Power Conservation (Daily power shut off and daily fines for using too much power)
Roughhousing Encouraged (People break into fights on every island)
Every building on every island uses walls, floors, and items that cause industrial smog. The Gardens my sims grow are the only thing causing the islands to shift into the Neutral state. Otherwise, they would be uncomfortable from the smog.
The Death of Dylan and Zephyr
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Back at the Wayfinder's Atoll, Zephyr was investigating the shadow that plagued the island. He found a corruption spreading from Mua Pel'am to the other islands. The other islands hadn't succumbed to the fog but even the most pristine island was experiencing a steady decline into that poor state. On the beach, the demon responsible attacked Zephyr. The fight sent bursts of red shockwaves as the Vampire and Merman sparred.
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Zephyr managed to escape the fight, but before he could warn his twin, the Vampire sped up to him and drank deeply. Weakened, Zephyr collapsed to the ground.
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The Vampire fled the scene of his attack and invaded the Elemental Temple. He ambushed Dylan and overwhelmed him with corruptive rage. Shortly after, Dylan's heart succumbed and he fell to the floor. His Elemental Spirit trapped inside an Urn was collected by the Vampire. Upon Dylan's fall, every island across Sulani began to suffer an increase in volcanic and tectonic activity.
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Zephyr raced into the temple to try and save his brother, but he came face to face with the Vampire.
Damion: "Your brother didn't reveal the location of the Tomes. I've obtained his spirit, but I can't control his power. Tell me where the tomes are? I can't sense their power."
Dazed, Zephyr could barely reply: "Like I'll tell you."
Zephyr felt the corruption of rage seep into his heart. He wouldn't tell the monster that took his brother from him anything.
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Damion: "If you won't tell me, I'll capture your spirit. I'll make sure you never see your brother again, and I'll take all the time in the worlds searching the islands for my prize. I will control your power, and I will rule the islands with it."
Zephyr: "I may fall now, but know this, a curse will be placed on the Islands. The curse will ensure that you never find what you seek."
Damion: "Then, I'll have to find someone else to do the dirty work for me. I'm done talking to you."
As soon as Zephyr hit the ground, Damion could feel the curse flood across the islands. There were isolated places close to the sea that did not fall under the curse. He intended to begin his search there. He had an eternity to hunt down the tomes.
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Damion: "Zephyr, my word is good if nothing else. I'll use a ward that will prevent others from taking you from here. They will have to gather simple shells and collect more than most before they can touch your spirit. You'll be trapped here, an island away from your brother. You're nothing but a relic, so I hope you enjoy your stay in this museum."
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Damion: "Dylan, I can sense in your spirit an affinity for music. Only someone with incredible musical talent will be able to break my wards. I'll leave you here to watch the pristine beauty of this island decay. In your current state, you will be powerless to change anything."
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Not long after sealing the twins, the islands changed in dramatic ways. The people of Sulani became consumed with an urge to break out into fights. Technology, electricity, and water became unreliable. Volcanic and tectonic activity made it difficult for the facilities to provide clean water and power to homes. The islands themselves slowly developed a fog that seemed to come from Mua Pel'am. Without the twins, the islands and the spiritual energies that made them a virtual paradise was broken. The vampire would endure the plague he brought the islands until he could control the twins' power. Once he controlled them, he would make them restore his kingdom. The islands should be a place fit for an immortal.
Corrupted Mua Pel'am
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Wayfinder's Atoll
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The Elemental Temple
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Ohan'ali Surf Bar
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Tangled Grove (Home to Bartending Guy)
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Lagoon Look (Damion's Lair)
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Nautilus Lagoon
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Aquarius Atoll (The Darkfin Siblings' Lair)
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Extras:
Smug Damion
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A Unique Trait
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The Kailani Legacy: Reef Kailani 1
The fog has a very cool effect on the game, and the best part is that the build design for the legacy house seems to be putting the Eco-footprint into a bit of struggle. You'll see what I mean in my update, but the environment and the way things look appears to be having its own struggle between good and evil. It took a lot of work to make the changes across the entire neighborhood to create the effect.
You wouldn't believe it because of the fog, but Mua Pel'Am quickly jumped to the thriving state thanks to roughhousing encouraged fights counting as a positive toward island conservation. I don't think that makes sense. Maybe people getting into fights is persuading people to me more environmentally friendly. It just seems like a weird way to accomplish that. People should be able to talk about issues and find a middle ground, not get into fist fights to settle disputes.
They will be back sooner than you think
Personal Note
Background Info on the Zalrian Twins for those that didn't follow their origin.
It is Dylan and Zephyr's natural ability to control the forces of nature. Everything from calling storms to bringing the lightning to summoning volcanic bombs, it's their natural power. Their unique combination of traits not found in the average premade sims or townies gives them lots of innate power. While the Twins have the trait that can make them Island Elementals, there is more to them that gives them actual power over the elements no matter where they are.
Edit: When the Twins aged into their full power, Arihi lost her Mermadic Powers. After spending so much time in a mortal form, Arihi lost her elemental powers. Ember is only a half-blood mermaid without Sulani Mana. Part of Ember not having as much power has a lot to do with a power-hungry sim hunting down merfolk with strong spiritual energy. As of right now, Calum and the Darkfins are the most powerful beings in Sulani because they are the only mythical being still in Sulani. Fortunately, Calum isn’t on Damion’s radar with six other merfolk to attract his attention.
In my mind, Dylan and Zephyr, the sea and sky, embody a bridge between the land and sea. Their role is to watch over the islands, not as rulers, but as guardians that peacefully protect the natural balance. The term merman or elemental would be fine as a reference to them and their occult status. Although, I think the term elemental is a better term for a spirit and merman works better when they take a more physical form. Their Books of Life, I nicknamed the Tome of Wayfarer's Tides and Wayfinder's Breeze, are bound to the twins. Supposedly, another sim should be able to read those tomes and summon their spirits, even restore life to them. Kailani, in Hawaiian, is a nod to the Sea and Sky and a little nod to the Twins. I'm trying to use names with a connection to islands somewhere: The Celtics of the British Isles, Greece, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Polynesian Islands.
Background Info on Damion because he doesn't have an origin to follow.
If you think about it, the twins could be used to manipulate nature in such a way that even the Forgotten Hollow wouldn't remain a safe haven for opposing vampires. He could freely clear the skies and make all the Vampires that oppose him burn in the sun. He can even take control of doors to deny and allow access to any building.
Before you mention the weather machine, you have to remember that weather is bound to a neighborhood, and the weather machine can only change the weather if the player is on the active lot with the machine. Zephyr alone can change the weather wherever he is, and he can make a weather machine instantly fully upgraded. Dylan has traits that allow him to create things to influence the mood of a room. That would come in handy as a stack for vampiric powers.
If he controlled the Twins, thunderstorms, lightning, lava bombs, and fire would become a regular hazard to his enemies. Inflicting negative emotions could go beyond an aura that surrounds him. He's seeking control of Sulani, but the power to control the Twins would, at the very least, allow him to inflict severe damage on any place anywhere that offers shelter to his foes. Townies are surprisingly good at abandoning lots when they are close to death. So, Damion's goals are simple. He's seeking power.
Anyways, I'll introduce the founder.
This is Reef Kailani:
He has a very mixed background. His family once had an ancient lineage in Sulani, and during a time long forgotten by the Kailani Family, a distant ancestor gained the power to wield Sulani's Mana. This ancestor received this power as a gift for their service to the Island Elementals. Reef has no idea that he possesses this power, and he is the last in his family with the trait. For the Kailani lineage, Sulani's Mana is a trait that allows them to interact with Sulani's Spiritual Energy, and it's through interacting with that energy that they can summon Volcanic Bombs and enhance the vitality of plants. This unique ability to interact and commune with Sulani's Spiritual Energy also makes them better equipped to restoring beings closely intertwined with that energy, like the mermen Dylan and Zephyr.
Reef Kailani has a strong connection to the sea, but his island roots have long since been uprooted by time. He tends to feel confident in the face adversity, but he's a bit clumsy. When his distant aunt, the last member of his family, other than him, with the ancient trait passed, he inherited a tiny pavilion on a secluded lot. The Kailani's never invested in their island property, so most of what used to be there was sold to pay off his aunt's debts after passing. Reef broke off from his wayward relatives a long time ago. He doesn't know where they are or what they are doing, but they weren't the family he cared about the most. Many of them can barely be called relatives by blood. He is the last of his ancient lineage.
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When he entered the pavilion on Alania Look, he felt a rapid increase in hunger and fatigue. Something didn't feel right, but it was hard to say what. The locals said the Islands were suddenly cursed as if overnight everything changed. Reef valued science, logic, and reason. Magic and curses were superstitious nonsense.
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His first order of business was to take up the Conservationist Career. Reef loved the ocean and the sea, and when he visited his Aunt, it pained him to see Mua Pel'am in such a poor state. However, the moment he stepped foot on the island, he felt a spike in his hunger and felt incredibly tired after a minimal amount of physical effort. The island looked like it should be thriving, but a thick fog hid the flowers and trash appeared to be accumulating on the shores again.
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Inside the Eco Center, the place looked abandoned. Books littered the tables and the floor. No one seemed to care about the dust covered art. Most of the displays looked empty with empty rooms around every corner as well. He remembered the study of the Eco Center having more people. He remembered how easy it was to lose yourself in a book surrounded by peace and quiet. Now, there was no one. It was like everyone decided to stop what they were doing and flee from something. He figured it had something to do with the volcanic activity common around the Eco Center. He figured they would return once things settled down again.
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Inexplicably exhausted, he proceeded to research the latest news in conservation. The smog filling the air had to have a natural source. He couldn't figure out an explanation for it on the computer. Nothing he read helped him make sense of things.
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Despite his exhaustion, he began his hike along the island shore. If he couldn't find answers online, he would find them during his survey of local plants and animals.
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Reef got some interesting data from local plants but no answers.
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His surveys, led him to a beach cave he used to visit as a kid. He never got far then. The nearby wreckage of a boat appeared to show signs of someone growing a garden. It also had a strange machine. Other than that, it looked abandoned shortly after someone started to call it home. The cave didn't reveal any answers.
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Reef couldn't press on any further, so he went home to get some sleep. A tremor shook the small pavilion and startled him awake. He saw steam rising out of the ground. It looked like the long dead volcano, Alania, was trying to resume activity.
Reef thought: "Impossible."
But, he was too tired to think about it. Something still felt so wrong and the feeling followed him.
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When Reef returned to work, he received instructions to Survey the beach cave again.
Reef whispered to himself: "I have to admit. This cave intrigues me, and oddly, I almost always have no energy when I get here from the Eco Center."
Reef looked inside: "This cave is so mysterious."
Reef interrupted Dolphins playing with strange seaweed. Upset, he left the cave and the seaweed inside it.
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Once again, Reef felt inexplicably exhausted. However, he decided to spend a late night in the Caldora Eco Center. He tested a water sample he took from Sulphur debris. He still couldn't explain the fog, but Mua Pel'am was thriving. At this point, it was close to past midnight, and he struggled to keep his eyes open.
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Reef turned around and spotted translucent figure sitting in a chair.
Reef thought: "A ghost. I must be dreaming."
The ghost was a young man, and he didn't wear a shirt. He had a necklace made from island stones and beads. He looked like someone that walked in from the nearby beach, maybe straight out of the ocean.
Zephyr: "Hi, how are you doing?"
Reef: "I think I'm dreaming."
Zephyr: "I've been cramped inside a tiny jar, so I didn't expect to be here either. I was just... able to leave that prison for a moment."
Reef: "I'm definitely dreaming, or maybe its the smog."
Zephyr: "Right, the fog. That reminds me..."
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Zephyr opened a book to try and read away his emotions, but the circumstances of his passing caught up to him.
Zephyr: "I can't forgive. I will never forget. That monster took my brother, and I don't know where he is."
Zephyr raised his voice: "Don't forget. Never forget. Something must be done before the Islands can know peace. He's the one responsible for everything. That monster is responsible. He separated us. Broke us."
Zephyr lowered his voice: "The rage, it burns in my heart. I know it burns in my Brother's too."
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When Reef left, he went straight to bed. It had to be a hallucination. He needed sleep. When he woke up the next morning, he felt like he was starting to get closer to something important, and most importantly, he felt like his life was becoming more stable... That is... until a major eruption nearly flattened him with a lava bomb. Maybe, he should investigate the "ghost," whoever that was, and the monster. He was just relieved that his wooden hut didn't go up in flames.
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The Kailani Legacy: Reef Kailani 2
Reef thought: "Could this be the thing he said he was trapped in?"
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Reef went down to the basement lab to think. The summer heat could still reach the lab deep underground. After all his hard work, he convinced his boss to include a simple couch that could help ease the extreme tiredness he felt at work. It didn't take long before Reef started napping.
Reef dreamt of a strange ruin. The walls had algae covering them. The images blurred and cleared. He saw through the eyes of an individual running down wooden stairs. He felt a sense of panic, a strong sense of urgency. A human shaped shadow with orange eyes stopped him in his tracks with unnatural speed. He felt himself get lifted off the ground. He couldn't hear what the shadow said, but shortly after, everything went dark before a coldness loomed over. Then, nothing but darkness.
The dream changed, and he saw the sea and looked down below his waist. Instead of legs, he saw a tail with a unique red and blue coloration.
Words whispered in his mind, familiar words: "You're a Child of the Ocean. You never lost your connection to the sea even though you lost your roots to the island. Recover your family's connection to the sea. It'll help you do what must be done."
Reef woke up: "Ghosts were one thing, but he knew he wasn't a merman. No one in his family was a mer-anything."
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Reef returned to work. As part of his promotion, he got to write conservation articles to bring awareness to the delicate environment of Mua Pel'am.
He tried to push the dream out of his mind. Merfolk and ghosts were just too much to think about. And, everywhere he went on land felt so wrong. He needed reason to ground him.
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Reef left the Eco Center and started cleaning things up around the island. In spite of the thriving environment, there was a lot of work that still needed to get done. The heat from the lava reminded him of Alania on the main island. The place he now calls home was a Volcano like Pel'am. The nightmarish ideas of his home falling into a pit of lava crept into his mind.
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The strange tiredness he felt on land was getting to him this late into the night. His feeling of exhaustion overriding any potential tension from the major eruption. Four lava bombs hit the side of the Eco Center as he walked. The eruptions seemed to only get worse. He collected from the lava bombs some crystals and metals for study. He still needed to get to the beach waterfall and collect more samples.
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Around the same time as the eruption, Zephyr was playing his video game. He saw fit to drop four meteors on his virtual city.
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After managing to escape near death from multiple eruptions, Reef thought going crazy and seeing ghosts was the least of his worries. He returned to the Eco Center with his samples, and he could sense a spiritual presence. Something told him that the volcanic bombs weren't an accident. He also figured that his survival wasn't an accident. He figured that he should probably talk to this ghost.
Reef: "How are you? What's your name? The urn is unnamed."
Zephyr: "I'm good now. My name is Zephyr, but you can call me Zeph."
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Reef: "I have so many questions, but I'll start with a few. What's it like as a ghost? You're very existence shouldn't be possible. How did you get here?"
Zephyr: "I'm not exactly an average ghost. I'm an Island Spirit, and in this form, my elemental powers are much closer to Sulani's Heart. Me and my brother could feel the Island's Heartbeat in ourselves. I can feel it stronger in this form. As for how I got here, a demon trapped me here against my will. Once you arrived, you could say my prison got a little bigger, but only during the darkest time of night."
Reef: "I don't understand. I mean, I don't understand magic. Demons and the Island's Hearbeat are foreign concepts to me."
Zephyr: "I'm kinda happy I get to explain things instead of my brother. He's creative, but he can be a little dense."
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Zephyr: "There's a quiet struggle between the islands and the demon. The fog is the result of the struggle. I tried to figure things out when I first noticed the changes. I made the mistake of leaving my brother alone, and the demon slowed me down when I tried to get back to him. He can sense power, and he sensed our power."
Zephyr took a deep breathe: "If I made it back to my brother, we might've been able to stop this monster together, but he got to Dylan before I could. He attacked swiftly. Inside our temple, even a vampire will have trouble traversing the lava tubes. Despite being a poor swimmer, he managed to slow me down long enough to travel through those tunnels and back. An ordinary human could easily drown before making it through. He captured our spirits, but he can't control us."
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Reef: "So I was right, Mua Pel'am thriving in spite of such a sickly fog isn't normal."
Zephyr: "You know, I thought that should be obvious, but some humans get so caught up in magic and curses that they forget about logic and reason. It can still help, even against magic and demons."
Zephyr looked down and muttered to himself: "Dylan would probably tell you that music and art has its own useful role in all this."
Zephyr looked up: "Anyways, there was one artistic element to everything. Dylan was the one that did something with them, but there are tomes written by our father. It was a moment of inspiration that made him write them, but they will make all the difference later. There are books bound to us that Dylan hid. These books have the power to set things right. It'll take someone with special qualification to make the most of reading these books, but if you care about the islands, you should make sure your descendants are well equipped. I doubt things will be set right in a single life time."
Before Zephyr vanished: "The demon left our urns unnamed. I guess he thought it would weaken us if people eventually forgot us and our names. You can't touch it now, but I feel... I believe that you will one day hold my urn. When that time comes, I want you to bring me home to the temple, and if possible, I'd like you to return me to the Crescent Moon Shrine. And for your descendants, put my name on the Urn."
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The next day was Remembrance Day, something was changing on the islands. Everyday, he could feel it, and the fog on Mua Pel'am was growing thinner. On the second floor of the Eco Center, Reef felt drawn to the urn. He approached the urn and sat on his knees and concentrated. A white and gray light sparked from the Urn and Zephyr's Spirit developed a stronger connection to the physical world, a stronger presence on the islands.
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Reef felt worn out after the long night. He went down into the Eco Center Main Hall and encountered a young man that dressed a little oddly.
Reef: "I feel like I've seen someone that looked kinda like you."
Calum: "I don't understand? You saw someone that looked like me?"
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Reef: "Yeah, he said a bunch of stuff about books and returning his urn to a shrine."
Reef thought about his research and not finding anything about a temple or shrine.
Calum thought about the books he wrote.
Calum thought: "Is he looking for the boys' tomes? Can I trust him? I'm not sure."
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Before returning home, Reef stopped by the waterfall and tried to catch some frogs. Regardless of everything happening, his life goal was to fill the Eco Center with all kinds of things found everywhere. He hoped that his descendants would continue to add to the collection.
Reef thought: "Just Imagine, I'll be the Curator of the Eco Center and that empty place covered in dust will be a treasure to the islands."
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The frogs always seemed to expertly evade him, but he also always felt tired after work. He still managed to clear out more trash dumped in the waterfall. He cursed his clumsy nature.
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The next day, he met Sara at the Eco Center. She was a Green Fiend determined to get rid of the fog mucking up the islands. Reef often listened to Hip hop at work, and he got in the mood to dance. Sara caught his eye, and he invited her to dance.
Reef: "And that's how you perform that dance move. Pretend you're the frog. Be the frog."
Sara: "That might be a great way to become infamous on the dance floor."
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Sara tried to look away from Reef's awkward Dance moves. She couldn't help, but think he was a geek. Still, he intrigued her.
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Reef had a burst of confidence and walked up behind Sara. When she turned around, he gave her his boldest pick up line. She fell for it instantly.
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As Reef gained momentum, some of the women that frequented the Eco Center interjected them. Reef didn't know who they were, but the sight of him flirty with someone else triggered some jealousy. The two women were unusually angry.
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Reef ignored them and continued to socialize with Sara. Out of all the other people he encountered, she was the only one that didn't engage in the frequent fights tearing apart the island culture. One of the women left, but the other wanted to see Sara leave. Some of the islanders must've been enjoying the misery everyone experienced from the "curse" and fog. They couldn't leave two people alone to be happy.
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Still, it didn't matter what others did. The island was changing. Reef cared about the Eco Center and completed remodels around work. For now, the fog lifted from Mua Pel'am. The light started to shine bright.
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The next day. Reef returned to the Eco Center and completed more surveys and picked up all the books in the study.
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Tane Ngata, an acquaintance of Zephyr, remembered him and mourned his passing. As Zephyr's connection to the islands grew stronger, the islanders seemed to remember and mourn his passing more often.
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Reef spent the night collecting samples from the ocean. In the middle of the night, Zephyr returned. He burned with the rage he died with and couldn't escape the emotion. Zephyr and Reef were becoming good friends, and seeing him upset bothered Reef.
Reef: "Why are you so angry? Everyone is remembering you, and your connection to the islands is growing. Mua Pel'am is recovering from the fog."
Zephyr: "That's fine, but I feel my brother's spirit growing weaker. As I wait to leave the urn, I can feel his spiritual energy in the spirit plane. He's fading away."
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Reef left Zephyr to play his games. Fortunately, the meteor showers in the game didn't result in another eruption. When Zephyr calmed down, he started cleaning up the study.
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Zephyr thought: "If Dylan enjoyed Reading, he would enjoy this book about the Violin. I miss listening to him play music. His music would lift the darkest emotions. If only we could go camping again, we were so close to our next trip..."
Zephyr disappeared as the sun rose.
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Reef went to the Triton Beach Karaoke Bar with Sara. Sar moved to this island because it was the most pristine of the three. Now, everything looked sick. Near the water, as if in the perfect spot to watch the sea grow sicker, Reef found an identical unnamed Urn to Zephyr's. A faint energy drew him to it. He felt it in his heart. Anger was fading to sadness. Dylan's spirit was very distant. He had to strengthen its connection to the island. he had to give him the strength to hold on.
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Reef got on his knees and lectured: "Now, Dylan, I know your ready to give up and fade away. It must break your heart to see things like this. You can't give up on us. Zephyr is always thinking of you."
The urn flashed with a bright white light. Reef could feel the fires of rage burning bright, but he knew that deep inside that fire was the spark of hope renewed.
When Reef got up he thought: "I've been followed by music that moves my soul in spite of how down I feel. I don't think he was giving up. He just needed a little help to hold on."
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Reef took Sara on a date to the Wayfarer's Atoll. The beach had a beautiful sunset. A sight made possible by the fogs absence. Reef handed Sara a rose.
Reef thought: "Who cares about curses? We still have too much in this world that is worth holding onto."
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Reef felt inexplicably drawn to the Beach Cave again. Inside that cave, he faced bats, fell into an underground river, saw a light in the dark, and escaped a sinister mermaid's siren song. After spending so much time growing closer to what could only be described as magic, he wasn't in the mood to question where his instincts took him.
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When he left the cave, he had 10 strange pieces of kelp. Instinctively, he took a bite of the kelp and swallowed all of it. The kelp energized him and he felt drawn to the water. Sara was waiting for him at the Wayfarer's Atoll and he had to cross a body of water to get to her.
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Reef lost the feeling of his legs once he entered deeper water. Instead he felt a single powerful limb.
Reef thought: "This feels strange, but at the same time, it feels so natural like I've always been like this. The ocean is so beautiful too."
Reef swam around before falling asleep in the water. He felt so tired, but he felt so awake at the same time. Was his life before moving to Sulani a dream.
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Reef's Dreams were met with the song that followed him everywhere.
https://youtu.be/JSfKiAtf2_k
The Kailani Legacy: Reef Kailani 3
The next quest will be setting Dylan's spirit free. But, with Zephyr's spirit free, the Sims in Sulani can finally stop fighting everywhere. Maybe, when everyone stops fighting, they can do more to help the islands shake off the evil fog. The Eco Living Industrial/ Green element does make the feel of a silent struggle more noticeable. When Reef first moved in, all of the islands got that sickly fog, but as he worked toward fixing up the Caldera Eco Center and freeing Zephyr's Spirit, the islands would fluctuate between a neutral state and that sickly industrial fog. I know the industrial element didn't come with trash everywhere, but that fog can take away Mua Pel'am's beauty long after the quest to clean it up is finished. In the pictures with Mua Pel'Am, the island is thriving, but the industrial fog makes everything look so sick.
It took a long time to get there. Collecting the Sea Shells also took longer than expected. Each quest comes with a task and an aspiration to complete. I tried to make the task and Aspiration connected. On a normal life span, it's surprising how much time passes to create a home for the next generation, produce a heir, and complete just one aspiration and quest. The Sea Shell Collection is one of the smaller collections and it took a long time to find them. You can easily find dozens of sea shells you already collected before finding one you didn't. The volcanic eruptions have been helpful when it comes to collecting geodes, metals, fossils, and crystals, and I still have a long way to go before those collections are complete.
Reef floated on his back above a reef. He felt so content in the ocean.
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He shifted upright in the water, and that's when it hit him, his legs weren't there anymore. He glanced down and saw his red and blue tail. In one motion he flicked it to tread water. His memories flooded back to him. He ate that strange kelp and entered the water to meet Sara. His legs fused into his tail, and he fell asleep, exhausted from a very supernatural day. The one thing he couldn't believe, something he struggled more to come to terms with than being a merman, was that he had the power to interact with island spirits. Zephyr definitely wasn't a normal spirit, and he was very real.
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Concerned about the average human noticing his new fishing nature, Reef used a power flick of his tail to swim through the water with less people around. He wasn't a natural born merman, and he had no idea that his appearance was hidden from those who did not know merfolk existed. More importantly, he did know that this form came with its own unique powers. All he knew was that he could swim through the water faster and with less effort.
Even with his face submerged below the water, he could still breathe, and his eyes didn't sting from the salt in the water.
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With a single, powerful kick, he could lead out of the water like a dolphin, and his tail, fully out of the water, would follow his torso into the water. Reef was having fun flicking his tail and swimming. He almost forgot about trying to get his human form back.
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Reef relaxed his arms at his side and let his tail do the work. He swam along the cliff side to a secluded shore. Was he stuck like this forever, or could he return to the land?
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Reef entered shallow water and his tail melted away as he regained his legs. His legs felt strange as if they shouldn't be there. Even as he walked, he still felt like he had a tail. It was as if the legs were a physical illusion that others would see instead of his tail. Regardless of how the illusion worked, he could look like a human and walk like one. The further out of the water he got; the more he noticed a need to return to the sea. He truly wasn't a human, but he didn't think of himself as a full merman. He was half a human that enjoyed being on land, and half a merman that found enjoyment in the sea. He didn't want to stay only on land or in the sea, but swimming, it tired him out.
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On the shore, Reef met the strange young man he met in the eco center, but this time, he could sense a fishy nature about him he didn't notice before.
Reef: "You're a merman, right?"
Calum smiled: "I see you've become a half-blood. I'm a pure-blood merman."
Reef: "What's the difference? Aren't all merfolk, merfolk?"
Calum: "Not exactly, pure-blood merfolk have parents that are both merfolk. You can tell the difference by our ears and eyes. In my natural form, my ears have a small point, and my eyes stay the same sea-green. Us pure-bloods have the strongest connection to the sea and are the most at home there. All the other pure-blooded merfolk swam out into the sea to hide. I stayed because of my family. Unlike the other merfolk, I have a strong connection to the islands. One of my ancestors was an islander. Two half-blood merfolk can have pure-blood children after all."
Reef: "Do merfolk have somewhere they call home?"
Calum: "I wouldn't know the answer to that question. I know Sulani has lots of ocean and places flooded with water. I guess merfolk call Sulani home for now, but they don't have a specific place to call their own. Maybe they had somewhere to call home underwater, but I wouldn't know where that would be. I think the others are wandering the open ocean until there's a place to return to in Sulani."
Reef: "But why would merfolk spend so much time close to land, even though I'm standing here. I feel like having legs feels so wrong."
Calum: "That's a good question. I think I would be happier if I could spend more time and do more in my natural form. I wish there was a place for merfolk underwater. I don't feel right walking around with legs so often. As you already know, the legs are just an illusion to blend in. We always feel like our tails are there even when they aren't."
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Later that evening, Reef met up with Makoa. Apparently, he was also a half-merman. Reef and Makoa swam into the Ohan'Ali Lagoon.
Reef: "Do you know why all the merfolk left?
Makoa: "I remember a couple of mermen, they were some of my acquaintances. When they were around, tons of merfolk swam in these waters, they were pretty common to encounter. Then, a sickly fog cover Mua Pel'am and they vanished. The others left too. The only friendly mer in the area is Calum, and I think his presence is the only thing keeping the less friendly mers from acting out. From what I heard, he gave one of them a good scare."
Reef: "I see. I wonder if the others left because of whatever drove out those mermen."
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The next day, Reef was in the Eco Center completing more conservation research. It felt strange working on land after becoming a merman. Even with Elementalfest nearly here, he was still working hard. It was an interesting holiday dedicated to the mythical island elementals. He had doubts about their existence until recently.
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Similar to Spooksfest, people got to dress in fun costumes, but instead of a spooky spirit, people did activities related to the four elements. Earth was celebrated by gardening, fire was celebrated with fire dancing, water was celebrated with swimming, and Air was celebrated with singing. Growing up, he heard stories about the three elementals that passed judgement on the Island's Children. If an islander embraced the island culture and participated in their festivities, the Island Spirits would grant them a boon in relation to the elements. He knew that the elements of wind, fire, and earth were involved, but he always wondered how the water element played a part in things. Now, he figured that merfolk represented the fourth element because the elementals weren't depicted as merfolk. For this holiday, he dressed as a smuggler at work.
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After the holiday passed, Reef went home. Another eruption dropped lava bombs around the pavilion, this eruption triggered a fire. Fortunately, some of the people he saw around town showed up to put the fire out.
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It didn't take very long for Sara and Reef to make their relationship official.
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At Triton's Beach, Sara and Reef had their first kiss.
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Reef proposed to Sara on the beach, and because they couldn't afford a big wedding, they married shortly after.
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When they returned home, they had their first woohoo with an explosive conclusion. Ignoring the signs, the kept going.
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They knew not what they were going to do to themselves later and kept going.
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In the end, Reef and Sara completely satisfied their need for fun.
I had to edit this in. Reef's face after their fun in the shower cracks me up. He knows what he's doing.
I haven't been able to read all the posts, so I'll go back and look at the old posts as soon as I have time. Right now, I'll be making posts as a fun break from homework.
The Kailani Legacy: Reef Kailani 4
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Surprise. Surprise. They had a couple of twins. The twins were hungry after being born, and the neighbors forgot that babies don't eat island food. Apparently, the neighbors decided to settle their mistake with a fight. Sara and Reef worked together to try and get the babies happy.
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Reef to Sara: "They're pretty committed to figuring out who's right."
Sara to Reef: "I just hope they don't wake the boys."
It took around an hour and a half for them to finish fighting.
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Lilliana must've lost the fight, just guessing. She came into the house dazed and started to eat. Kylen and Rylan woke up.
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The radio broke, and Reef tried to fix it. This might've been a mistake because he breaks all the dishes while washing them (Lowkey probably why they have a one bedroom shack to live in. Dishware is expensive). Anyways, he accidentally started a fire. Curses and and the Clumsy trait really don't mix.
Sara running toward the fire: "In the name of Sulani, what did you do now?!"
Reef extinguishing the fire: "I'm sorry! I was really tired after the boys woke me up for the billionth time!"
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Reef: "I put out the fire."
Sara: "I'll get the boys settled again."
Reef: "I couldn't save the dance floor"
Sara: "Flower emojis"
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Reef and Sara took turns trying to repair the radio. One of the times Reef electrocuted himself, he started wandering toward the beach in full scuba mode. I guess he forgot about the tail.
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A few days later, Reef fell flat on his face in exhaustion. These twins were determined to not sleep through the night. In hindsight, taking the parental leave would have been helpful.
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While the parent's were passed out, the boys flew out of their basinets and aged up.
Rylan got the Independent Trait. He was the second born twin, but he apparently aged up first by miliseconds.
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Kylen got the Charmer Trait.
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Both of them were merboys. They are only half-mermen, so no sea-green eyes and pointy ears. I will give Rylan an identical tail to Kylen.
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When I left CAS, Kylen teleported through a locked door and was bobbing to music. Rylan started learning to potty on his own.
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Kylen suffered some Voodoo Pain while he was locked out of the house and babbling to himself. At this point, Sara and Reef were asleep and didn't know they aged up.
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While Reef tried to catch up on sleep, Sara tried to get the boys to go to sleep. They were getting tired, but every single time she got one into bed and worked on the other, the one that was in bed got out of bed and wobbled toward the radio to bob to music. The twins even changed out of their pajamas on their own. When Sara thought they were both in bed, she tried to get the dishes done. Rylan was particularly bad about going to bed.
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Even though Sara was trying to read Rylan to sleep, Rylan didn't want to sleep and wanted to have fun bobbing to music. Sara sat on the bed and waited for him to wobble over. She was close to energy failure from these two night owls.
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An hour later, Rylan threw a tantrum and woke everyone up. Reef went outside to dance to music. Apparently, Kylen had enough energy from his very short rest to bob to music. Both of the twins ran into the bushes to dance. Sara was exhausted and stated into space.
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Once again, Kylen threw another tantrum. He would not go to bed. This time, he was like a little monster lurking in the bushes. He was throwing tantrums because he was tired, but he refused to go to bed. He didn't even want to listen to a story before bed.
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Poor Sara was getting close to starving and Kylen stole her breakfast. Apparently, Rylan decided he wanted help from Sara when it came to food. Reef was trying to catch up on sleep. The twins made sure both parents couldn't get more than a nap in when it came to sleep. Reef aged up shortly after the twins aged up. Age wasn't a friend to Reef, and he would become an elder too soon.
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Sara's low energy made doing anything difficult, but she had to do the dishes before the twins got hungry again. Kylen took this opportunity to play in the toilet. Again, Reef was focusing his attention on trying to secure some income for the twins and finish his quest to save Zephyr's spirit. Helping the elemental twins was critical for a better future for the Islands. Kylen and Rylan wouldn't understand now, but it would fall on one of them to carry on the quest to restore the islands. Reef wanted to secure the best possible future for them. In spite of her best efforts, Sara continued to put off her hunger to keep up with the twins.
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Because I played as Zephyr and had that little fight with Damion, Reef will have a small extension to his life and the time he gets to spend with the twins while they are toddlers. I'm not strictly following the legacy rules, and in a way, I think it's nice that Reef gets a little more time to invest in his kids. The quests I've given to the founders and heirs under the current conditions the world is in has increased the difficulty more than I thought it would. Not only does my sim legacy have more to do before they age into elders, but everything from the cursed lot trait, volcanic activity, and earthquakes are depleting needs faster and giving my sims a persistent negative moodlet almost everywhere they go. Because of Eco-Living, the conditions of the world are even more challenging. The industrial fog gives its own negative moodlet. It took most of the young adult life stage to start to prepare for the next generation. Oh, and the lava bombs from volcanic eruptions can add the fire tense moodlet on top of a tense moodlet from the eruption. Considering the one major rule of this legacy is that they need to complete a quest to undo a negative element in the world, it just increases the pressure to finish the quests. Another rule is that the legacy sims have to live with the world's conditions. They can't leave Sulani to meet any of their needs or do other stuff. With the current NAPs, my sims get fined for using technology, they get fined daily as long as they use too much water and power, and they have to deal with interruptions from fights and an occasional dazed moodlet if they lose a fight, confident if they win. Once a week, my sims also lose access to water and electricity. This has impacted how I develop my house.
Extras
Makoa knows Rylan without meeting him
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Star Wars
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Ember Zalrian Visiting the Beach
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I have no idea why she spawned on the lot this late at night.
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Floating Glass
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The Kailani Legacy: Reef Kailani 5
Reef remembered the Urn that contained Zephyr's spirit. He could feel a change in the air. If there was a time to try claim the Urn, it was now. He spent enough time working around Mua Pel'Am to deduce where he needed to take the Urn. Once there, he figured his instinct that led him to becoming a merman and his ability to interact with the Island's Spiritual energy will help him figure out what he needed to do next.
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Reef entered the landlocked boat that showed signs of someone once calling it home. When he walked down the stairs, he was a bit shook by how familiar the place looked. He remembered his dream with the orange eyes. Maybe, he saw what Zephyr saw before he died. To think, he barely made it through the door before meeting his end at the hands of that shadow. He also remembered the ruins covered in algae and Zephyr's warning about the tunnels.
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Reef climbed down another series of stair only to come face to face with wall sculpture depicting death surrounded by images of a mertail. He had an idea about waited for him the chambers below.
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The flooded tunnels had a sickly green algae, and it was the first time that Reef actually felt grossed out by being in the water. He understood why needed to become a merman. Between the unnatural loss of energy he experienced everywhere outside the sea and the sleep he lost trying to raise the twins, he would no doubt have drowned while attempting to traverse the tunnels. It amazed him that whatever took Zephyr's life managed to avoid drowning too. It had to swim through these chambers twice to get to both Zephyr and his brother.
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After he entered the temple, Reef sat on the edge of the flooded temple. There really was no end to the water here. No normal person could live in a place like this, but he recognized the walls. Maybe he had a premonition, or maybe, he always knew about this place. He knew that he could interact with the spiritual energy of the islands, and he figured that gave him a subconscious awareness of this place that allowed him to see the temple in his dreams. The walls had more scrolls depicting the tails of merfolk and the sea. He could feel a strong energy deeper inside the ruins.
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After entering those ruins, Reef encountered a small shrine with two tomes placed inside. Reef placed the urn on a pedestal and could feel energy from one of the books pull at him. Reef read a passage from the book titled "Tome of the Wayfinder's Breeze." When nothing happened instantly, Reef felt overcome by fatigue and fell asleep.
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While Reef slept, a familiar spectral merman entered the Temple. The passage Reef read successfully summoned him.
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Zephyr Confronts Damion Again
An important character like an an important person should have a major impact on others when they pass. It shouldn't be a small thing. It's also important to celebrate the life that was lived just like it's important to mourn. The important thing is that the stuff people feel shouldn't consume them. There need to be a way forward for those left behind. That's how balance is achieved.
Reef has gotten much closer to what his family left behind. Unfortunately my update tonight won't cover his initial reaction to waking up with a tail. He sorta got caught up in the moment, so I don't think he though everything through. He just did it.
So, after a member of the Legacy completes their part of the quest to resurrect Dylan and Zephyr, I'll include a little moment with them.
Reef achieved his Aspiration to become the Curator of the Caldera Eco Center. He continues to add treasures to that museum while he works hard to protect Mua Pel'Am's Eco System. He's moving up slowly as a conservationist. His quest to free Zephyr's Spirit was time consuming, and he was into his Adulthood when he finally collected every type of shell and finished his aspiration. Oh, it seems the Islands blessed him with Twins. Unlike Dylan and Zephyr, Kylen and Rylan are so rambunctious that they practically run the household. I feel bad for Sara while Reef finished freeing Zephyr's Spirit. Kylen is the first born twin and the next heir. He'll be setting free Dylan's Spirit. Should Kylen fail to raise a heir, Rylan will be able to produce a heir. Anyways, by a 50/50 chance, the twins are merboys. I can't wait for another set of super powered twins. Lol. I'm treating Sulani Mana differently with the household. It's the marker for the next heir and what makes the family equipped to help the Elemental Twins. Still, Kylen and Rylan have all the same innate abilities. I may need to save them when they become young adults. If this legacy gives me twins for every heir, I might lose my mind.
Anyways, Zephyr is free.
Zephyr: "Thank you for bringing me home. I hope your descendants can finish what you started."
Reef: "It was a pleasure."
Zephyr: "When your time comes, please know that you will have a place here to rest in peace."
Reef: "I'm not an elder yet."
Zephyr l: “That’s true.”
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Zephyr's Spirit began to burn red hot: "I still can't believe that cowardice monster is still hiding in shadows. I'll stay close to the temple. Even though my current state leaves me vulnerable, I'll watch over things here. Be careful with that monster, if he finds everything he's looking for in one place it would be like handing the islands over to him. He seems blind to the shrines location though."
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When Reef left, Zephyr went to work restoring the temple. It would take a little while to clean up the mess the demon left behind. Regardless, the constant fighting on the islands needed to end. Zephyr would have one last fight before restoring order.
Zephyr started his clean up by calling a rain storm to water the plants dying from thirst.
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Zephyr tried to relax in the temple alone, but it wasn't the same without his brother. He decided. There was only one thing left to do that would help pass the time. In spite of his instincts, he knew Damion had this coming.
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Upon visiting the lot, Damion met him with his evil laughter.
Zephyr thought: "Does he think my visit is a joke?"
Zephyr blew on a conch and called forth a thunderstorm.
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Zephyr corned Damion against his foe's hut.
Zephyr faded in and out of the physical world before giving Damion a healthy fright.
Zephyr: "I bet you didn't expect to see me again."
Damion: “I expected you to stay in your Urn.”
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Zephyr Sang a Siren's Lullaby woven with a petrifying tune. Damion listened and felt too tense to do anything else.
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Zephyr vanished into the air. Damion thought this was silly. His metal roof protected him from the more terrifying eruptions. What could a little ghost do to an Ancient Master Vampire.
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Zephyr reappeared as a bolt of electricity from the sky zapped the vampire: "Metal conducts electricity. Haven't you heard of lightning rods? "
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Damion: "Now that's playing dirty."
Zephyr: "Whoa, you’re one to talk. I didn't murder anyone with power over nature."
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Zephyr met Damion on the shore. The vampire was dazed, sparking with electricity, and overcome with tension from the storm and siren song. Damion threw an insult before fighting the spectral merman. Their fight sent shockwaves across the shore again. Zephyr managed to gain the upper hand for a moment when he got Damion in head lock.
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Damion got Zephyr by the neck and pulled his spirit into the air: "I will not tolerate this annoyance any more. Tell me where the tomes are. How did you escape your prison?”
Zephyr: "Or what, you'll kill me."
Zephyr chuckled before disappearing into the air.
Zephyr's voice whispered on the wind: "I could easily take your life like you took mine, but that wouldn't be worth my time. I'm not done with this fight."
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A chill flowed through Damion and Zephyr appeared behind him.
Zephyr: "Villains like you always get exactly what they seek. Just keep waiting for immortality in paradise."
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Damion shook in fear. The very idea of controlling the Elements and living in paradise sent chills though his bones. Could he be afraid of wielding the power? He felt his shriveled heart thump in his chest. Could he really be afraid of this pest?
Damion lunged at the ghost. He would settle this with another fight, a fight that he lost.
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Zephyr thought: "Why is he so mean? How can he not see the harm that comes from people so divided in their anger that they are coming to blows against each other? They are cheering for their champions while the islands they love collapse into ruins. No one is winning this fight, and something tells me that he didn't learn his lesson."
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Zephyr disappeared in a gust of wind. Damion opened his umbrella as the sun rose and it immediately broke. His umbrella braking every single day was slowing him down. He needed help. Someone was helping his prey, and he had a taste of the sky's power. He wanted it.
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The Kailani Legacy: Kylen and Rylan 1
@Daravi I'm really interested in your fantasy story. Consider me curious for the next update.
@sunblond I need to check that out, thank you.
@sarabeth2984 the Kailani Legacy will help Dylan and Zephyr. Until Dylan and Zephyr return to normal, I'm sure they'll have fun as ghosts once they are together again.
The Broken World Saga
The Kailani Legacy
A day before their birthday, Reef spent some time with the boys. Rylan preferred to do things on his own, so Reef focused his attention on Kylen. Reef worked on teaching Kylen new words, and every now and again, Kylen spoke "Flower Emojis." Reef didn't know where he learned the words, and then he remembered the fire that ruined their cardboard dance floor. At least Kylen learned how to say sorry.
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Aging Up
I chose the outfits to make the Kailani Twins appear closer to the islands. In my mind, I think it would be cool if merchildren had a merform. Considering how they are still merboys, it just makes sense that they wear something they could wear if they had a tail. For now, I'm just imagining that they have a merform. The active wear will be a duplicate of the swimwear. Sulani has so much water, and they won't be visiting any other worlds as a Rule for this Legacy. If they are going to workout, it'll likely involve swimming.
Kylen Kailani (The Heir to the Kailani Legacy by a few milliseconds)
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Everyday, Formal, and Active
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Sleep, Party, Swim
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Hot and Cold
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Rylan Kailani (The Spare to the Kailani Legacy by a few milliseconds)
Everyday, Formal, and Active
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Sleep, Party, and Swim
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Hot and Cold
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Apparently, Reef and Sara passed on good genetics. I think Sara's eyes are Brown and Reef's eyes are Blue. The merboys have a kind of hazel-topaz yellow looking eyes.
Shortly after the merboys aged up, everyone was exhausted, so the parents sprayed the monsters under the beds and they all went to bed.
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The next morning during breakfast:
Rylan: "Man, I wish we had some new video games. All I have to play with is this toy that looks like a cat."
Kylen: "I don't know. Dad might accidentally start a fire trying to fix it after the next earthquake or volcanic eruption."
Rylan: "Nah, I think you are just over reacting."
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I'm going to break the fourth wall here. Kylen my man, you have some awesome aspirations. I don't know what you will do with your Ninja Talents, but I know you would do something great with those skills.
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Kylen, this is not how you become a Ninja. Unless you were trying to make smoke bombs, then mission successful. But in all seriousness, he shouldn't be blowing up his classmates as a practical joke.
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Dylan: "It feels like I've been wandering the islands for ages. Have you seen my brother?"
Reef: "I saved your brother from his prison and returned him to your home."
Dylan: "Home? I don't know why, but I can't seem to find my way there. Do you... Do you mind if we hang out? I never had a chance to thank you for helping me. I found it easier to continue wandering after what you said."
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Dylan: "Makoa! I'm glad to see that you're doing well! I wish more of the pod was here. It hurts seeing the islands get so sick."
Makoa: "It comes and goes, but this island has been fog free for a little while."
Dylan: "I'm happy to hear it."
Reef: "So, that's what your true form looks like."
Dylan smiled: "Yeah, it's a little weird not being able to see my fins, but just like a good song, I'm rolling with the flow."
Reef: "You don't get tired floating around."
Dylan frowned: "It happened so quick, and then, I found myself wandering. It's lonesome, but I keep thinking about what Zephyr would do in my situation. Man, if only I could find my way home, Zephyr would know the way. He'd point to a star and say. That's the way! I just know that he would know. I need to continue my search. it was nice chatting."
Dylan swam off and disappeared.
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Kylen thought: "These are some awesome tunes."
Sara: "Okay Rylan, you know how this works. Let's hug it out over making this mess."
Rylan: "Mom, we lost water because of the earthquakes and I'm so grungy. What are you doing?"
Sara: "Yeah, this isn't working as well as I thought either. Don't make a mess again, okay."
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Rylan: "I'm going to be a Junior Wizard!"
Kylen thinking to himself: "Is the plumbing working yet?"
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Also Rylan: "Ah Crinky, I didn't mean Junior Spellcaster."
Disclaimer: "Rylan does not know what a Spellcaster is, and Spellcasters can rest easy knowing that this is totally not a jab at certain spells that can go wrong..."
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Sara: "I can't leave you boys alone for two 'flower emoji' seconds. Also, this is supposed to be my birthday. Why am I coming from work to this? I baked all y'all's cakes too!"
Reef: "Honey, you need help?"
Sara yells over the extinguisher: "Are you really asking that question?!"
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Reef: "Honey, the fire came back for round two!"
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After Reef extinguished the fire, another volcanic eruption caused a gas leak with the stove. Reef was able to fix it without setting the house on fire! Reef has gotten pretty good at completing repairs, and he can do it in full SCUBA mode.
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Rylan: "And here we are left home alone. We decided to sneak off to the lounge and watch the weather channel. Some how, Dad pulls a professor oak and calls to check up on us. If he's at work, how does he know we are here?"
Kylen: "That's the craziest thing I've ever heard!"
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Kylen: "Dad's a psychic drama llama."
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Random Townie: "Go home Calum, you've had too much Kava to Drink."
Calum: "I could have sworn someone asked for an Entertainer. I switched jobs just to do this."
Random Townie: "Just go home."
Calum: "But you have to admit, my timing is a work of art!"
[img][/img]
Anyways, fair warning with going industrial or the NAP that excludes tech, it seems to be the only possible cause of this bug. Time for the update.
Calum Confronts the Darkfin Siblings
Freddy: "How dare you stand before us?"
Calum: "Is that an insult? That's rich. I just wanted to make sure you and your siblings weren't causing any problems."
Freddy: "You may be able to give one of us a scare, but we don't scare as easy together."
Calum: "Maybe I need to remind you as to who you are dealing with."
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Calum called a thunderstorm. As expected, the storm sent fear into the Darkfins and divided them. Only Nyx and Sara were willing to face Calum, but Calum sang a Siren's Lullaby that crippled Nyx's courage, and he proceeded to sow sorrow in Sara. Freddy almost summoned the courage to face Calum, but his past experience prevented him from finding the courage.
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Calum turned back to Nyx and attempted to summon a creature from the deep. One last show of power should be enough to either chase off the Darkfins or ensure they don't cause any trouble. Unfortunately, the creatures of the deep wouldn't answer his call, and Nyx evaded the assault from below. Nyx sensed a change in the tides. He and his brothers and sisters survived the lightning and Calum no longer held enough influence to call on the creatures of the sea. The Darkfins found the strength to overcome their limitations and found themselves at home in the stormy chaos.
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Even though he was struck by lightning, Archer called a thunderstorm, unafraid.
Calum thought: "What are they trying to do?"
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Flaira: "We'll show you who's in charge of the seas, It'll be as easy as writing a book."
Calum: "What would you know about writing?!"
Sara and Volcana called a sea monster with their song.
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Calum struggled as the octopus's arms wrapped around his tail and yanked him under. He uncomfortably swallowed sea water as he got dragged down.
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Nyx thought: "Who cares if the land and sky isn't under our full control. We control the creatures of the deep. The seas belong to us."
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Calum broke the surface and gasped for air. He thought the creature wouldn't let him go.
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Drunk with power, all six of the Darkfins siblings sang together to call forth a kraken from the deep. Calum started to feel a sense of dread as he lost more control over the situation.
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Calum thought: "It's coming back."
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Calum disappeared below the water's surface. The Darkfins laughed.
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To make their point very clear, they called another creature from the deep, proving to Calum that they could do this as much as they wanted to and he couldn't stop them.
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Calum saw the creature coming, but he knew there was no escape. He braced himself for a fight for his life below the water.
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Calum arched his back and twisted up as he kicked his tail. He took a breath as he broke the surface. The panic from getting dragged under made him forget he could breathe underwater.
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The Darkfins laughed and scattered as they swam around. Calum knew they weren't swimming in fear. He was outnumbered and overpowered. Not even conjuring a monsoon would be enough to drive them out. They were thriving in these chaotic conditions, and the island, it was succumbing to a blight he couldn't fix. Calum swam for the shore and returned home. His new neighbors were here to stay.
Freddy thought: "We'll let him go for now. We'll have an eternity to have fun with him and his family. I can't believe he scared me so much before."
Flaira warned Calum: "If you challenge us again, I'll make sure you don't swim out of here again."
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The Kailani Legacy: Kylen and Rylan 2
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Despite the fire, the family gathered in panic. Fortunately, Reef and Sara were getting experienced with dealing with fires.
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Reef and Sara yelled over the extinguishers in unison: "Boys! Get outside to safety! We've got this!"
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Reef tried to fix the radio again, but he got zapped. This also sparked another fire. It had to happen while Kylen was practicing the Violin and Rylan played chess with his mom. Reef almost felt like the universe was conspiring against them. Reef knew what Kylen would end up having to do later. He cursed the bad timing because Kylen needed to hone his musical talents.
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Fortunately, everyone escaped to safety and neighbors arrived just in time to help Reef put out the fire. One of them was brave enough to run toward the fire, but he didn't seem bright enough to help much.
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After everything settled down, the family gathered together to help Kylen finish his project after Rylan destroyed it. It was only right that Rylan finished his own project and helped out. Kylen's project turned out better than Rylan's too.
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After careful thought, Reef decided to gather friends and family around Dylan's Urn. It was time that everyone knew what was going on.
Reef: "I don't know where to begin. But, I'll start with the fog."
Reef Looked toward Sara and smiled before frowning: "Sara, you came to Sulani because you wanted to clean things up. And it's true, the fog is unnatural, but not the unnatural you are thinking of. A monster of sorts came to Sulani and brought this fog with him. I thank every day we don't run into it because that thing murder the two beings that kept all this bad stuff away from the islands. And, it was that same monster that trapped their spirits."
Reef gestured to the Urn: "I freed Zephyr's Spirit, and I'm sure that it helped in some way. People aren't fighting like they used to, but it didn't fix everything. Inside this Urn, his brother is still trapped in a terrible limbo."
Calum sat down in the lounger behind reef. Arihi spoke up: "Me and Calum would be able to handle fixing everything if we had all our strength. But, it took everything we had just to ensure hope for the future."
Calum spoke up: "I wrote the tomes that would one day bring them back, but the tomes by themselves won't be enough. We need talismans, objects close to the boys that could help strengthen their connection to the islands. And then and only then, someone who has obtained the necessary Knowledge and Creativity can read the tomes to resurrect them."
Arihi added: "That person must also have a connection with the Islands' Spiritual Energy. Reef, I sense that connection in you and in your sons."
Reef looked toward the Urn: "Zephyr told me that he believed that I would one day set his spirit free. Unfortunately, I do not feel like I'm able to touch Dylan's Urn. I can't free him, but I feel like one of my sons will one day. Kylen, I don't think the musical aptitude you've displayed is an accident."
Kylen looked to his father: "So, that's what I'll end up doing. Freeing his spirit."
Reef smiled at his son: "Both you and your brother could, but you have the best chances. It's important that you succeed. Setting his spirit free will heal some part of the island. Just like how freeing Zerphyr's Spirit stopped the constant fighting everywhere we went."
Reef looked to Sara: "Everything going wrong around the house, the fires and electrocutions from attempting repairs, it's a curse. I'm certain it has a part to play in everything. The curse touches everywhere the sky touches except the places closest to the sea. I wouldn't be surprised if the curse was cast by Zephyr, but I doubt it will end with him. Setting his spirit free didn't even affect the curse."
Sara: "Then what do we do. If these two have so much power over the islands and a monster managed to kill and trap them, what can any of us hope to accomplish. It doesn't sound like much has changed. The fog covers the islands..."
Makoa interrupted: "All of the islands except the main island."
Reef: "That's true. While things aren't fixed and might not be fixed in our lifetimes, the fog hasn't covered the main island in sometime. I think the demon must be weaker than when he assaulted the twins, and our family is growing stronger. Their may come a time when we also grow stronger than the demon at his full strength."
Calum: "For now, the seas are not a friend to anyone. The Darkfins are in control. I tried to chase them away, but I couldn't overpower them. They've grown stronger, and the creatures of the sea answer to them. We may be able to change the weather as mermen, but we have no way of manipulating the skies in a way that will give us an edge. We need the power of both the Sea and the Sky to restore the Islands. We need Dylan and Zephyr to ensure that the Darkfins will not return to the islands.
Makoa: "What about the others? I remember so many merfolk before I became a merman. When the twins were here, merfolk could be found everywhere. Can we get their help?"
Calum: "It's unlikely. It's not just the Darkfins that drove them away. Most merfolk made Sulani home because it was a good place to call home. Merfolk don't have their own home around here, and asking them to stay, that's a lot to ask for considering how little is here for them. As you might guess, merfolk with pureblood like me prefer life in the sea over life on the land. I stayed because of my family, but the other merfolk are families of merfolk, brothers and sisters. They don't have anyone to keep them here."
Reef looked down: "I brought everyone here so we could all know what's going on. We need to weaken the dark influences on the island before we fight back. Obviously, we're too weak to fight back, but we can still save Dylan's spirit. Setting him free will help us take back the sea."
Sara shrugged: "What choice do we have? Now that I know what's going on. I can't give up on trying to clean up these islands. I'm dedicated to making the world a better place, after all."
Makoa: "My family will stick around and help guide future generations. We've got the blessings of Island Spirits that will help us stick around until the end. Our role is to observe and carry the island's traditions, but we aren't afraid to step in and help out."
Calum: "Thanks to Arihi, we won't be going anywhere either. We'll wait for a time when your family is strong enough to help drive out the Darkfins and deal with the Demon that took our boys away from us. We aren't as strong as we used to be, but we have a few tricks up our sleeves. I'll write a special gift for you Reef. One day, one of your descendants might need your help. I want to make sure they can call on you when that time comes.
Reef: "Thanks, I feel like my age is catching up to me. I'm just happy the next step toward a brighter future is secured."
Reef smiled at Sara, Kylen, and Rylan.
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Extras
Fruit Bears
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And of course, the King of the Fruit Forest would be scared of a monster under the bed. Reef was very helpful when it came to dealing with this.
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First Elderly Death
(Oh, All the original Celebrities kicked the bucket. No more celebrity interruptions! I admit that got pretty annoying. I still have problems with townies interjecting themselves where I don't want them. I had to turn Triton Beach into a generic lot to avoid a random townie showing up in screenshots.)
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Scars of a Fight
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Islander Reef
Just a Reminder: Reef is now wearing skirts because he's a merman, and in the story, the feeling of having a tail doesn't disappear in human form. Personally, I wish their were residential lots where merfolk didn't have to be in human form. For now, I'll use my imagination to make up for what doesn't exist in the game. I play on the console, so I wouldn't feel comfortable with attempting mods or cc.
Everyday, Formal, Active
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Sleep, Party, Swim
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Hot and Cold
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Merfolk Gender Terminology and Why it Matters
So, for the sake of clarity, I'm going to share a small break down of the words and what they mean.
Mermaid(s) means "Maiden of the Sea" and I use the term to refer to Adult Women of the Female Gender.
Merman or Mermen means "Man of the Sea" and I use the term to refer to Adult Men of the Male Gender.
Merboy(s) means "Boy of the Sea" and I use the term to refer to anyone of the Male Gender that is Toddler to Teen.
Mergirl(s) means "Girl of the Sea" and I use the term to refer to anyone of the Female Gender that is Toddler to Teen.
Merfolk and Merpeople means "People of the Sea" and I use the term to refer to anyone that is non-binary, to represent both the male and female gender in a group, or when the gender can't be identified.
Merperson means "Person of the Sea" and it more accurately represents non-binary and individual without an identifiable gender.
Merling(s) is a common term in the merfolk community that is gender neutral and refers to both merboys and mergirls Toddler to Early Teen.
"Mer" is the prefix that modifies words to mean "of the sea" and it can work as a gender neutral term.
For the sims, a MerSim is a "Sim of the Sea."
The existing terms matter because everything from merfolk mythos to what merfolk can do is split by gender. While MerMaids have stories of them using a Siren Song to lure Sailors to their grave, MerMen have stories of them taking the form of a horse and wildly running into the water to drown whoever tries to drown them. This Horse Version is the a MerMan version of the MerMaid Siren. MerMen might also be able to sing a Siren Song, but other stories depict MerMen playing instruments like a Violin in a way that holds influence over nature. I think in modern times, the abilities and appearance of merfolk doesn't need to be gender exclusive, but in the past, the stories about merfolk were split by gender and the full range of what merfolk can do is also only identified by whether or not you use the correct term in your research. More often than not, searching the term MerMaid will exclude MerMen and represent merfolk more poorly because of it.
Also, I think using the correct term is more important when an individual states their preference. This is very similar to how some people prefer a certain pronoun when people refer to them.
This ends the public service announcement.
The Kailani Legacy: Kylen and Rylan 3
The merboys' childhood was coming to an end. I had Kylen and Rylan play a couple games of chess to make some progress on the Whiz Kid aspiration for Kylen.
Kylen thought: "That was a clever move"
Rylan thought: "He's not too bad at this, if I wasn't so tired."
Rylan Thought: "It looks like I can tie the game, so we can go to bed."
Sara helped Kylen with the Baking Soda Volcano Project. The didn't say much and focused on getting this done as fast as possible. They had plenty of experience with real volcanic eruptions. But, the school wanted them to learn more about them.
So, I made a few parenting choices based on what might've done. I'm against bullies and bullies taking lunch money. More importantly, I wouldn't want to tell my child that they are on their own and need to learn to stand up for themselves. I think, from personal experience being bullied, that kids that are bullied need someone else to stand with them. I don't think I would do all the fighting for them, but I think it's important that someone stands by their side through the struggle.
And another eruption shortly after the last, two in one day is a new record.
Kylen is quite the multi-tasker, he was eating a late night snack while confronting the monster under the bed. Unfortunately, the monster didn't want to be friends.
Another parenting choice I made based on what I would do. I know about the gifts that keep on giving, but I would be fine if I had a kid that wanted to give a gift given to them to someone else. I would rather the gift find its way to someone who wants it instead of making my child keep it. On the other side of things, I don't think I would be okay with this if it happened too often.
Reef aged pretty well, and he never stopped looking like a young adult even as his adulthood reached an end, maybe being a Merman helped with the aging.
He took some samples from the ocean and tested them. He was getting close to becoming an elder.
Sara is the best cook in the house, but she triggered a fire on the stove. It was an inspirational moment.
During Reef's Birthday, Calum and the other remaining Sulani Merfolk came over. The merman spent some time with Rylan to give the merboy a character lesson. Rylan learned the value of emotional control. There aren't very many merfolk left in Sulani, and they need to stick together.
Reef is an Elder now. Every Wednesday, the water gets shut off. Kylen was starting to need a bath. The book Kylen is thinking of has been a very annoying bug. Much like the future cube, my sims are spawning books in their inventory to read. This, of course, interrupts any other actions while I'm not controlling them.
Reef's Hydration was getting low, so he took a moment to back float in the Waterfall Lagoon. He was going to get some rest and retire from the conservationist career. He'll dedicate the remainder of his years helping the merboys grow into respectable mermen.
Kylen aged up first. This is the game's random trait for him. I was not ecstatic about this, but he doesn't need to do a lot of physical activity to become a musical genius.
Rylan aged up next. This is the game's random trait for him. I can only imagine the things a Goofball Genius can do.
(Merboy) Kylen Kailani
(Merboy) Rylan Kailani
(Elder Merman) Reef Kailani
So, Kylen pulls out a book and starts reading because of the bug. A random townie approaches him and starts striking up a conversation. I guess he's just trying to be friendly. And yep, Kylen is looking as out of place as expected. The merboys are looking more like they belong in the sea instead of on land as intended.
Kylen developed a fear of earthquakes after living on a lot with so many. He took some time to soak and relieve the tension.
Afterword, he listened to some music on the stereo. Bartending Guy has been keeping busy. I need to make him a family friend. He has maxed out bartending skills. He lives and breathes bartending. It's nice he found a fish friend.
So, after a couple of birthdays, Kylen decided to Nap Lazily for the rest of the night.
Extras:
The Lazy Trait
Nap Lazily
MerStyle Dancing
Kylen's Thoughts: "Leap Like a Frog"
Kylen's Thoughts: "Shake your fins."
Kylen's Thoughts: "Flick out your fluke."
Kylen's Thoughts: "Show those humans you don't need two left feet."
Kylen's Thoughts: "Be like the Octopus. Imagine the squid legs."
Kylen's Thoughts: "Okay, maybe the Jimmy Leg requires human legs."
Also, I'm using spoiler to help with the website load time for those with slower computers.
The Kailani Legacy: Kylen and Rylan 4
Nyx: "What do you think you are doing my Lagoon. I thought me and my brothers and sister made it clear that the islands' waters belong to us."
Reef: "You should respect your elders young man."
Nyx didn't care how old this merman was. He called a friend from the deep to do his bidding.
After the creature yanked Reef down, the old merman resurfaced. Nyx, frustrated with the poor results, proceeded to sing the petrifying Aegean's Question. Exhausted from his struggle, Reef could only tread water and listen.
Before Nyx could do more harm, he was confronted by Kylen.
Kylen swam up to Nyx: "Leave my dad alone!"
Nyx: "Or what? What's a little merboy going to do about it."
Nyx used his powers over the weather to start a severe thunderstorm. The merman wasn't going to back down quietly.
Meanwhile, the old and tired Reef swam for the shore. He needed to escape, and he cursed himself for swimming away while his son, a merboy, confronted a more experienced merman. Reef had a feeling that this merman wasn't a mer to take lightly.
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Fortunately, Rylan saw his dad fleeing the water and caught up to his brother. The twin merboys decided to have a little fun with the merman tormenting their dad. They started things with a little story.
Kylen: "And that's when the sea dragon circled below the cruel merman. The merman tormented the humans and sank their boats using his own voice to command the forces of nature."
Rylan: "He thought that the sea monsters only obeyed him, and he threatened mer and human alike while calling forth terrible storms to terrify his foes. He thought all of them would be too scared of the sea monsters and lightning to confront him."
Kylen: "But two weak little merboys were scared of this merman and still chose to confront him. They hated seeing their family tormented by him, and that gave them the courage they needed. The creatures of the sea might obey the merman, but the sky was not as obedient. The two merboys had their own power to wield."
Kylen and Rylan summoned their courage and called forth a creature of the deep.
Nyx shifted with uncertainty: "What are you doing... Th... th.. the... cre... crea... creatures... of the deep obey me and only me."
The merboys swam away. Nyx chuckled to himself. How could he let half-merboys scare him? Then, he felt the arms of a sea monster wrap around his tail and yank him under.
To add insult to injury, a random human ran him over with their jet skii immediately after he escaped the sea monster.
Growing scared and dazed from the collision, Nyx swam toward the shore only to be met by Kylen. Kylen changed the weather before his eyes, removing the threat of lightning. The gesture made it clear to Nyx that these merboys were more capable than they looked.
Kylen: "I'm letting you go this time, but if you mess with my father or my family again, I will not go easy on you."
Nyx cried. This was an embarrassment for a Darkfin.
Later in the evening, Kylen cleared the night sky. He had enough of the stormy weather. Using all this power made him tired, he didn't know he had this much in him.
On land, Kylen relaxed while busking for tips on his guitar. The entertainer was a drunk, and she spent more time drinking and socializing than performing.
His performance drew the attention of friends, strangers, and members of the new local comedy club.
After the crowd left, the drunk entertainer tipped Kylen before reacting in disgust. She was too drunk to realize she tipped him, but she still expressed her displeasure from being shown up.
After the performance and confronting a Darkfin, the Kailani Merman and Merboys dozed off in the nearby lagoon.
The merboys slowly drifted closer together. Kylen and Rylan were becoming quite the team, and they needed to be there for each other. They couldn't always count on their parents. Their dad was getting older every day.
The next morning, Rylan showed Kylen a funny video on his waterproof phone. The two merboys goofed around before leaving for school.
When the merboys came home from school, they were given school projects to do.
Rylan started working on his own. His lazy brother went strait to his bed to take a nap.
After finishing some gardening, Sara helped Rylan out with his project. She double checked the list of steps for completing the project while Rylan fiddled with some clay.
Sara's thought: "This is certainly a creative approach to completing this project. He's only following half the steps and using a lot of clay."
Rylan's thought: "Need more clay. Must have more clay."
Kylen woke up from his nap and started helping too. The project was mostly complete at this point.
After they finished Rylan's Project, the Kailani Family Worked together to finish Kylen's Project.
Rylan's thought: "Yes! I get to play with more clay!"
Rylan's thought: "A little clay there. A little more clay here."
Sara's thought: "Based on these measurements, we are somehow using more clay than what came with the project. Where is Rylan finding all this clay?"
During Harvest fest, the Kailani family angered the gnomes. Pleading for forgiveness was electrifying.
The game also spawned a naked gnome...
Kylen in the background: "Don't mind me, I just happen to have a spirit to save, so I'll just be here playing my guitar while you have fun appeasing the gnomes."
Rylan: "I'm sor..."
In the distance, there was a lone Reaper Gnome. It sat their as a warning for what was to come, the inevitable end of life... What kind of doom would it see fit to bestow on the Kailani Family.
Psych, no screenshot, but Kylen appeased it.
Sara and the Merboys expressed how grateful they were to be spending Harvestfest with Reef.
The next day...
Back at the Zalrian Residence, Calum was on his waterproof computer working on a new Epic Saga, Reef's Book of Life.
Calum: "Thank you for helping my son."
Reef: "I don't know what to say. Thank you."
Aside from the typical eruptions, Rylan returned home later that evening and spent time with their parents. Kylen, naturally, was spending more time sleeping.
Rylan asked his mom for advice.
Reef helped Rylan with his homework.
Extras
Kylen Walks instead of Runs
New Clubs
Sims Gain Fun and Can Dance Near Sims Playing Music
The Game Glitched and Gave Sims Random Clothing in a Played Household
Lazy Merfolk can't Nap Lazily in Water
The Zalrian's Hot Tub Broke