Author Topic: End of the Line Dynasty (4x4)  (Read 179125 times)

Offline Rhoxi

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: Growing (6 November)
« Reply #120 on: November 06, 2013, 07:15:07 PM »

Poor Phil! And after he waiting so long looking for just the right woman. Gwenyth insisted on driving the firetruck everywhere, too--even when I told her to take a different vehicle. I finally just stashed it in the family inventory because I got sick of it!

Offline hazelnut

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: Growing (6 November)
« Reply #121 on: November 07, 2013, 01:49:04 PM »
I did that, too, but Phil somehow managed to get it back out of the family inventory and use it anyway  ::).



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Offline hazelnut

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty
« Reply #122 on: November 08, 2013, 04:56:30 AM »
Ruthless

Lily had never really liked her daughter-in-law, although she tried to hide it, for Phil’s sake.  She kept quiet about the times she saw Ruth with other men.  Luke would flirt with anything, of course, but Ruth seemed to start it at least as often as he did.  And as for the postman and Elias and…  No.  She couldn’t bring herself to love Ruth, or even like her, but she’d put up with her for as long as she kept Philip happy.

Then one of the days she’d been dreading arrived and it was worse than she could have imagined.  Phil was in the bathroom, about to upgrade the washbasin, when it happened.



Everyone rushed in to say goodbye – although Ruth seemed to have something, or rather someone, else on her mind.



And what was that expression?  Was she just admiring Luke, as usual, or could she be… gloating?



None of them missed what happened next.  Even Phil must have seen it in the mirror.



After that revelation, he was quite content to go with Grim.  He’d had a good life.  He’d thought he had a good marriage.  With his illusions destroyed, there was no point in staying.



Ruth lost no time in expressing her gratitude to the Reaper.



She even flirted a little.  Grim was not amused.

“I’ve met plenty of gold-diggers in my time but they usually have a little more discretion.  I like these people.  You’re not fit to share a house with them!”



While the rest of the family were too shocked to object, Ruth made the most of her success.  And how better to celebrate achieving her lifetime wish than with a wild party?



Not that it was all that wild.  Most of the guests seemed rather subdued – which didn’t stop the police from breaking it up.  Her cow of a mother-in-law had probably tipped them off.  And then the woman had the cheek to treat her as though she were an irresponsible teenager instead of a rich widow and mother of their precious heir.



The evening went downhill rapidly after that.



“Get out!”



Oh well, at least she’d had plenty of time to enjoy their money and luxurious lifestyle while Phil was still alive... and, after all, Hidden Springs was famously full of rich men.

*   *   *   *   *

Lily didn’t long survive her son.  She no longer had the heart to keep drinking from the Fountain of Youth.  Dora and Jack could manage the garden now and she missed Adam and Phil too much.





Even with two deaths to mourn, the house was a much pleasanter place now that Ruth had gone.  Everyone started to take stock of their lives.



Lucy and Elias were still unable to marry but that wasn’t going to stop them from spending the rest of their lives together.



They moved into Nick and Cassidy’s old house, which was nearly as comfortable as Lucy’s family home and had plenty of room for any future Nathanials.

Dora and Jack were also growing closer.



And, surprisingly, Luke also decided he wanted more stability in his life.




Next chapter



Rest in peace, Phil.  He didn’t even make it to the end of his lifespan and a couple of days' difference is quite significant on this speed.  I was fiendishly delighted that Ruth aged very quickly once she was out of the active household (and that the game moved her into a tiny house after she’d been kicked out).  She only lasted a few days longer than Phil.

I'd discovered that she was a gold-digger when she first moved in, of course.  Since she was younger than Phil, she could just have outlived him peacefully and it probably wouldn’t have even made it into the story.  As it was, she was such a troublemaker that it had to become part of the plot.  I gave her the stone-hearted reward, because it seemed to fit her character, but the evil expressions and the wish to throw a party were all her own.

Lily’s death was a complete surprise.  The game seems to have forgotten at some point that she’d made the genie wish for long life.  I suddenly noticed she’d gone from being 48 days old but near the beginning of the elder stage to 53 days and out of time.  Grim arrived a few hours later.

Offline Rhoxi

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: Ruthless (8 November)
« Reply #123 on: November 08, 2013, 04:00:19 PM »

Oh goodness, glad to see you got some vengeance on Ruth there. It is pretty funny that she wished to throw a party. Poor, poor Phil! And Lily, too! Well, I guess this opens up more room for a whole new generation of adorableness.

Offline Snufflesxx

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: Ruthless (8 November)
« Reply #124 on: November 08, 2013, 06:16:23 PM »
R.I.P Lily and Phil.  :'(
And good riddance to Ruth!
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Offline hazelnut

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: Ruthless (8 November)
« Reply #125 on: November 09, 2013, 01:53:06 PM »
Oh goodness, glad to see you got some vengeance on Ruth there. It is pretty funny that she wished to throw a party. Poor, poor Phil! And Lily, too! Well, I guess this opens up more room for a whole new generation of adorableness.

I loved Lily slapping her.  Of course, I may have helped that along a bit...  Poor Phil, indeed.  Maybe he'll get another chance after the end of the game, if I get that far.

It felt quite odd to have a household of four suddenly.  There had been six to eight Sims in the house ever since day 1.   It went back to eight remarkably quickly, though :).

R.I.P Lily and Phil.  :'(
And good riddance to Ruth!

I started out really liking Ruth but went off her quite quickly.  It does feel good to have kicked her out  :-\.

Offline kaylas

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: Ruthless (8 November)
« Reply #126 on: November 09, 2013, 06:17:18 PM »
You're doing a 4x4 dynasty now? Oh Hazelnut, we can always count on you to do them all!  ;)  Best of luck!
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Offline hazelnut

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty
« Reply #127 on: November 10, 2013, 05:01:31 AM »
You're doing a 4x4 dynasty now? Oh Hazelnut, we can always count on you to do them all!  ;)  Best of luck!

Well, I had to complete the set, didn't I?  It's not an addiction at all, honest  ;).

And thanks :).



Luke’s Loves

Most people would have laughed at the idea that what Luke really wanted was a serious relationship.  In fact, until recently, he’d probably have joined in.  Ever since high school, he’d known what girls were for.  He liked their company.  He loved snogging.



He grew up and discovered WooHoo.  That was even better fun.  And why would he limit himself to just one partner when there was so much variety available?  The more the merrier.

Then he met Ruth.  She was beautiful and as flirty as he was.  Surely Phil wouldn’t mind sharing?



Phil would.

Still, Ruth didn’t seem to be letting that bother her too much.  They carried on meeting, and flirting, out of Phil’s sight.



Gradually, though, Luke began to feel that Ruth was using him.  He wasn’t quite sure what she was up to but he’d caught a hard look on her face sometimes.  He started spending less time at home, trying to avoid being alone with her.

Arlene made that easier.  They’d first met when she was a teenager and a schoolfriend of Dora’s.



After her graduation they chatted for hours.  She was interested in business and he was now the local division manager.  He was delighted to pass on advice to an interested youngster.  It was entirely incidental that she was pretty and had a crush on him, according to Dora.



As colleagues, they inevitably saw a lot of each other and it was only natural that he’d spend evenings round at her house, ‘discussing the future of the company’.  Then she told him that she was pregnant.  He was delighted, although she seemed less happy and always claimed to be busy when he called.

Then a business contact asked him if he’d be interested on setting up a company together, making video games.  It would mean a temporary drop in income but the family was rich enough for that not to matter.  As CEO, his working life was nothing but meetings.  Getting paid for playing games seemed far more appealing.  He was so involved in his new career that it was a surprise when he bumped into Arlene again and found her holding a toddler: his daughter Meranda.



Not only that, he discovered that she had a twin sister, Tamera.



He was a dad.  Twice over.  He’d fallen in a big way for Dora’s toddler charms but having two little girls of his own was even better.  He’d have loved to have been a hands-on father – after all, he could work from home now – but Arlene started avoiding him again.  Then the text arrived.  The one that said it was all over between them.  Maybe she’d heard about Candy.



He’d met Candy Souza while he was taking photos around town, getting reference shots for the latest game.  He didn’t really need any pictures of people but he asked her to pose anyway.  Then they started talking – and more.  Candy wanted kids and Luke was happy to help out.



Before long, he had another set of twin daughters, Alisha…



…and Marlena.



Then Candy started avoiding him, too.  That was fine.  He’d have liked to have seen more of his kids but, to tell the truth, he was getting more than a little bored of Candy – and of his other girlfriends.  Despite his reputation, sometimes he just wanted to talk and they’d done so little with their lives.  Where could he find a woman who was his equal?  Someone with skills and a career?

Then he came across his parents’ diaries, with their accounts of their early life in Hidden Springs, and he realised that such a woman did exist.  He already had contacts at the science lab and Zoë could help him with the rest.

He paid a visit to the family graveyard.



His next stop was the Centre for Naturally Scientific Studies.



Then he brought her home for Ambrosia…



…and a Young Again potion.



Welcome back, Emmaline!



Of course, just because Luke had found an intellectual woman at last, that didn’t mean their relationship was entirely cerebral…



…and soon Luke was an expectant father again.



Emmaline produced his third set of twin daughters, Tansy and Bryony.



This time he really was going to be involved in his kids’ upbringing, even if Emmaline was reluctant to let him hold the babies.  Maybe it was time for a complete change of lifestyle.  He broke up with his other girlfriends and took one of the genie rings from the chest.



“Emmaline, you know you are very special to me.  I’ve never met another woman like you.



“Would you…”
“Would I what?  Luke, why are you kneeling on the kitchen floor?  I told you I dropped an egg while I was making breakfast.”

This wasn’t quite going the way he’d planned.



“Emmaline Rhoen, please will you accept this ring?”
“Why on earth would I want to do that?  It’s far too shiny.  Probably radioactive or something.  And anyway, I already have a ring.  Look!”



“So you don’t want to marry me?”
“No.



“Oh, don’t look so sad.  We can still have fun together.  I just don’t want to marry you – and I don’t think you really want to marry me either.  Now come on, I can hear crying.  Race you to the nursery.”

Offline hazelnut

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty
« Reply #128 on: November 10, 2013, 05:16:16 AM »
In a Simlish Country Garden

Dora loved her garden.



She started conventionally enough, with fruit, veg and herbs but, as her skills developed, she moved on to more interesting plants.



With Jack to help out (when he hadn’t sneaked off somewhere in search of fish), the garden was soon back in full production.



Whether it was because of Flora’s good advice or sheer luck, Dora finished her opportunities remarkably quickly.



That meant she had more time to spend with Jack…



…and to start learning charisma.  They were at the library together when the sparkles hit.



“OK, I may be middle-aged and having a bad hair day but I’ve still got it.”



Jack agreed.

A few days later, with the end of her tasks in sight, Dora and Jack went on an all-day date, ending at the Hidden Gardens as evening fell.



They stood on the bridge together and watched the sun set over the lake.



It was beautiful.



After the disaster of her parents’ marriage, Dora hadn’t been sure whether she wanted to marry anyone – but she and Jack were different.  They’d been friends since forever and she knew he wasn’t keeping any nasty secrets from her.  Now the moment was right.  She dropped to one knee.



The following day, Dora reached the top of her career and finally completed the Master Farmer challenge.  It was time for the next generation.



Welcome, Michael Gold, the final Hidden Springs heir.




Next chapter



Summary – Generation 3

Heir: Dora
Traits: Loves the Outdoors, Excitable, Eco-Friendly, Vegetarian, Green Thumb
Lifetime wish: Perfect Garden

Unique maxed career: Self-Employed Gardener
Two unique best friends: Donnie Kang & Antwain Rainey Sedrick Souza*
Three unique skill challenges: Master Planter, Botanical Boss, Master Farmer
Four unique opportunities: Ingredients Ripe for the Eating, Uncommonly Good, Peppers on Parade, A Just-in-Time Harvest
Buildings bought this generation: Hidden Springs Coliseum, Rudolph Vanderburg Memorial Hospital
Newly-upgraded properties: Shoreline Cabin (demolished, replaced with a toilet block and another Fountain of Youth for the upgrade and most of the space used for the family graveyard)

*Antwain Rainey was the policeman who broke up Ruth’s party.  Dora met him in town after finishing one of her opportunities.  He was also a keen gardener and they became friends.  The warning that he was about to die popped up at the start of the last day of Dora’s pregnancy, so, instead of spending the day at the spa, she waddled around town in search of a replacement.  She and Sedrick Souza (Candy’s brother) became best friends just a couple of hours before the labour pains started.



Outtakes

Since this is a short chapter, it seemed a good point to post a random assortment of screenshots that didn't fit the story.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Offline butterfly

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: two updates (10 November)
« Reply #129 on: November 10, 2013, 07:55:15 AM »
hahahahah those outtakes are so funny! Welcome gen 4! You are zooming through this so fast, I'm already curious which town will Michael move in.
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Offline hazelnut

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: two updates (10 November)
« Reply #130 on: November 11, 2013, 02:12:48 PM »
hahahahah those outtakes are so funny!

Glad you liked them  ;).

hahahahah those outtakes are so funny! Welcome gen 4! You are zooming through this so fast, I'm already curious which town will Michael move in.

I think I know where they're going next but it's not quite decided yet.  I can tell you that it won't be Sunset Valley, Riverview or Twinbrook, because I wanted to play in less familiar towns.  Michael's only just aged up to young adult in the game, so it won't be happening for a little while.

Offline Rhoxi

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: two updates (10 November)
« Reply #131 on: November 12, 2013, 12:07:55 PM »

Wow, the last of the first set of four. It seems like you're just whizzing through this! Great out takes, by the way. Totally did not see Emmaline coming back! The 4x4 rules certainly let you do some fun and unexpected things! (Plus it brings more green boos, so yay!)

Offline hazelnut

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: two updates (10 November)
« Reply #132 on: November 12, 2013, 02:58:49 PM »
You are zooming through this so fast.

Wow, the last of the first set of four. It seems like you're just whizzing through this!

Compared with KRae, I'm really dawdling (but then, aren't we all?)  Also, I think my head's coming undone.  I definitely said something like this yesterday but must somehow have managed to delete it before hitting 'Post'.

Great out takes, by the way. Totally did not see Emmaline coming back! The 4x4 rules certainly let you do some fun and unexpected things! (Plus it brings more green boos, so yay!)

Thanks :).  I'd always vaguely planned to bring Emmaline back, depending on how the game went.  As it turns out, she and Luke are a good match, although their relationship is stormy, to say the least.  It's mostly Luke's fault: the idiot keeps confessing to cheating, even though he's broken up with everyone else.  Unsurprisingly, Emmaline gets upset about it.  They keep richocheting from maxed-out relationship to 'I hate you' red and back again but are surprisingly devoted despite everything.  Em is 'eternally faithful' now, although I don't think Luke will ever achieve it ;).

Offline hazelnut

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty
« Reply #133 on: November 12, 2013, 03:21:16 PM »
A Wedding, Several Birthdays and a Family Reunion



Neither Dora nor Jack wanted a big wedding.  After all, her parents had had one and look where it got them.  They simply left Michael in the nursery with Emmaline’s twins and headed off to a peaceful spot to exchange vows and rings.



Then it was time for a birthday.





Michael was definitely showing signs of taking after his daddy.  A few hours later, it was Bryony and Tansy’s turn.



*   *   *   *   *

Dora was sadly aware that old age was creeping up on her.  Although she loved all plants, she started to concentrate on the high-value cash crops: money trees and omniplants.



Before long, the garden plot had halved in size.



All too soon, she was overtaken by sparkles again.



How was life flying by so fast?  Her son was still a toddler, yet here she was, an old lady.



Sometimes it all got a bit too much.  A house with three pre-schoolers in it was no place for a peaceful retirement – but at least there was plenty of like-minded company when you wanted to let off steam.



Then the three kids weren’t toddlers any more…





…and Zoë was leaving them.



Hers was the third family death in two days.  Caroline had died a day before her mother, followed a few hours later by Luke’s ex-girlfriend Candy.  Luke worried about how well his daughters were managing on their own.  After all, they were still teenagers.

Once the period of mourning for Zoë was over, Luke, Dora and Jack decided to hold a family reunion.  Everyone was growing older and it was time to renew old bonds.  In fact, it was only when they were compiling the guest list that they realised quite how out of touch they'd been.

Meranda was the first to arrive…



…followed by her twin sister Tamera.



Their mother Arlene also turned up, uninvited but bringing food.  Maybe she wanted to be friends again before it was too late.

Lucy and Martin arrived together.  Everyone was shocked to see how old they looked, although grey hair certainly suited their skin colours.



Then Luke’s second pair of daughters arrived: Marlena...



…and Alisha.



The real surprise guest turned up last of all.  Michael had found the adults planning the party and announced that he wanted to invite his big friend Raphael.  It seemed they’d met on a school trip and had become friends despite an age gap – but the really astonishing thing was Raphael’s surname.

Jack had a little brother.





When the pop-up appeared saying that Mike had met Raphael Nathanial, I assumed that the game was just recycling names.  Then he appeared on the list of potential guests, complete with thumbnail portrait, and I was all excited for a while, thinking that story progression had started working again – until I remembered that Lucy and Elias had ‘tried for baby’ just before she moved out.

Still, it was nice to have it confirmed that the Hidden Springs ghosts really do have blue skin.

Offline Rhoxi

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Apparently sending those pink and blue vibes your way is starting to finally pay off!  :P