Author Topic: End of the Line Dynasty (4x4)  (Read 179090 times)

Offline KRae

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: In Search of an Exciting Career (16 October)
« Reply #90 on: October 16, 2013, 03:36:37 PM »
Funny, my military sim had two basements waiting for him. One with clogged cheap toilets and one with broken cheap computers. Water and electricity do not mix!




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Offline Rhoxi

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: In Search of an Exciting Career (16 October)
« Reply #92 on: October 16, 2013, 06:53:38 PM »

Ugh, I love Phillip carrying the child to safety! I've never seen that before; not even with Gwenyth! So cool. I think Soph is loosing it in her old age; she seems much to proper to be using a toilet out in the open like that.  :o

Offline hazelnut

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: In Search of an Exciting Career (16 October)
« Reply #93 on: October 19, 2013, 01:26:51 PM »
Ugh, I love Phillip carrying the child to safety! I've never seen that before; not even with Gwenyth! So cool.

It happens whenever there's a kid in a house with a large fire.  The firefighter gets 'carry to safety' as an option instead of 'convince to run'.  It was ages before I saw it in a game, too, but Phil's now done it three times.

I think Soph is loosing it in her old age; she seems much to proper to be using a toilet out in the open like that.  :o

It was really odd.  She wasn't all that far from a functioning loo indoors.  At least she shooed everyone away before she used it :).

Offline hazelnut

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty
« Reply #94 on: October 20, 2013, 06:03:45 PM »
Retirement

Sam and Sophia had settled into retirement.  With very little that they needed to do now, they spent most of their time catching up on relaxation, sometimes separately…



..but usually together.  They were often out of the house all day, visiting Sam’s favourite places from his childhood…







…and discovering new ones.



Each of these days ended the same way, stargazing by the waterfalls.





And then, one night:
“Soph, there’s something I want to play for you.”



Ana and the Genie?  Sam, you’re playing your mother’s songs?”
“Yes, well, you remember you told me you’d written your family’s history?  I thought I should tell my half of the story.”
“I thought you were writing a book.”
“I am.  It’s just about finished – but it’s not really about my family.  You know I said that everyone moved out after we ate Ambrosia?  I realised that I had relatives all over Simland and they’d told me a lot about their towns.  And you’ve talked about growing up in Sunset Valley.  Some of our descendants are going to have to move to other places, so I thought I’d pass on all the insider knowledge – maybe help them decide where to go.”
“Sam, that’s a brilliant idea!  So where do the songs come in?”
“I’ve recorded my own version of Annals.  Not for release – just to pass on down the family.  I don’t think Mum would mind.”
“Even…?”
Poison Boy?  No, not until now.  I needed to find the right time and place.  I think this is it.”





“Oh, Sam, I love you...  Come on, let’s go to the Lodge.  It’s getting cold here.”



“I can’t believe you made yourself do it... actually recording Poison Boy.  And your version…  I love Louisa’s, of course, but yours…  I thought I was going to ruin your recording by crying.  How did you manage to keep singing right to the end?”
“I don’t know.  I just did – although I don't think I could have done it without you standing there.  I couldn’t have done any of this without you.





“You know, I’m still chilly.  I could really do with a hot shower.  Care to join me, Soph?”





Neither of them had noticed the shadowy figure lurking outside.



That was all right.  He was in no hurry and these two were good value.  He could wait for them a little longer.

*   *   *   *   *

“Soph, can you listen to something for me?”



“You wrote a song about us?”
“Yes.  What do you think?”
“I love it – a sort of appendix to Annals.  And I'm very flattered, of course, you old smoothie.  Are you going to record it?”
“If you think it’s good enough, then yes.  All it needs is a title.  I’ve been calling it Poison Boy Grows Up.  I ‘d prefer Golden Years but that’s already been taken.”
“What about Going for Gold?”
“Perfect!”

*   *   *   *   *

“Philip, we have a present for you.”



“A present?  It’s not my birthday or anything.”
“No.  This is something different – a box of memories, to pass on to your children and grandchildren.



“You might like to add to it yourself, as you get older.  We’ve both written books and Granddad’s recorded some songs.  Your father’s supposed to be putting together a photo album.  You may have to remind him.  I think his memory’s starting to go.”



“There are letters as well.  Letters to our descendants.  You’re the last one we’ll be able to talk to directly.  We know you’ll do a good job bringing up your eldest to follow you as heir but we wanted to add our own message to him or her.  Will you make sure the box is kept safe and passed on?”



“Of course – and I’ll make sure Dad does his bit, as well.”

*   *   *   *   *



“So what do you think, Soph?  Did we do a good job with our kids and grandkids?”
“I think so.  They’re all good people, in their different ways.”
“I’ve often wondered but never quite dared to ask.  Do you ever regret agreeing to Grim’s scheme?”



“Sometimes, yes, of course I do.  I’d have liked to have had more time.  More time to learn things.  More time just to enjoy being a mother and grandmother, without the constant tutoring… and above all, more time with you.  But without Deirdra and Grim, we’d never have met.  And I can’t imagine life without you now…  What about you?”
“You know me, Soph.  Daft Old Codger.  Scaredy Cat."
"Sam, why do you always say that?  You're brave in so many ways."



"You think so?  I can't see it.  Of course I want more time.  Lots more time – and maybe we’ll get it one day, if Grim keeps his promise.  But you’re right.  Without his challenge, we’d never have met.  I’d have carried on with my pointless little existence, hiding from everything.  Instead, I’ve been living.  Really living.  Even if this is all we get, it’s been worth it.  We’ve had a good life… together."




Next chapter

Offline Rhoxi

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: Retirement (20 October)
« Reply #95 on: October 20, 2013, 10:01:05 PM »

Oh goodness, fighting the tears welling. No! Sam and Sophia, no! You may not die yet. Ugh, I know it's coming, but I'm so glad you at least prefaced it with this lovely chapter. So beautiful. And such a scare with the shot of grim in the lounger! But it's also funny that you got a shot of him doing that. I love the two of them being so adorable and old and in love. R.I.P., founders, since we know it's coming soon.  :'(

Offline hazelnut

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: Retirement (20 October)
« Reply #96 on: October 21, 2013, 04:38:05 AM »
Oh goodness, fighting the tears welling. No! Sam and Sophia, no! You may not die yet. Ugh, I know it's coming, but I'm so glad you at least prefaced it with this lovely chapter. So beautiful. And such a scare with the shot of grim in the lounger! But it's also funny that you got a shot of him doing that. I love the two of them being so adorable and old and in love. R.I.P., founders, since we know it's coming soon.  :'(

I've been putting off writing this chapter and the next one because I've got so attached to Sam and Sophia.  They both had their lives extended several times with makeovers (and both turned out to be long-lived anyway) but the rules said that at least one had to go  :'(.  The shots of them being 'old and adorable and in love' were almost all autonomous interactions.  They really are a very sweet couple.

Grim in the lounger was just something that happened in the game.  It was a complete surprise - I was swinging the camera around for a shot and saw him getting into it.  I assume he was there because someone had died at the Lodge earlier on and he'd hung around afterwards, but I hadn't noticed an unexpected camera pan or heard his music, so I think it must have happened before Sam and Sophia got there.



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Online LenaLJ

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: Retirement (20 October)
« Reply #97 on: October 21, 2013, 07:35:15 AM »
Hazelnut I have to say I adore your writings you got me hooked on each of your finished dynasties and now on this one, I cant wait for the next chapters.

Offline butterfly

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: Retirement (20 October)
« Reply #98 on: October 21, 2013, 09:09:01 AM »
awwww this is adorable, I'd hate to see them go :'(
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Offline Snufflesxx

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: Retirement (20 October)
« Reply #99 on: October 21, 2013, 10:44:13 AM »
*sniffles* Oh that was so touching! I don't want them to go. That's the problem with this dynasty. It moves too fast  :(
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Offline hazelnut

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: Retirement (20 October)
« Reply #100 on: October 21, 2013, 02:52:05 PM »
Hazelnut I have to say I adore your writings you got me hooked on each of your finished dynasties and now on this one, I cant wait for the next chapters.

Thank you.   I'm glad you like them  ;D.

awwww this is adorable, I'd hate to see them go :'(

Thanks  ;D.  I've waited a while to write this because I am finding it surprisingly hard to let go of Sam and Sophia.  (The game's up to generation 3.)

*sniffles* Oh that was so touching! I don't want them to go. That's the problem with this dynasty. It moves too fast  :(

It really does.  I quite like the short toddler and teen phases (and am still aging most of them up early) but the adult Sims aren't around nearly long enough  :(.

Offline hazelnut

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty
« Reply #101 on: October 24, 2013, 03:44:06 PM »
The Hidden Spring

Ever since he was a little boy, Adam had been hearing about the mysterious Fountain of Youth.  It had featured heavily in Cassidy’s bedtime stories:  if you were clever, virtuous or the seventh son of a seventh son, you were practically bound to stumble across it sooner or later.  At school, the kids all knew about the spring and devoted many evenings and weekends to trying to locate it.  The trouble was, they couldn’t agree on where to look.  ‘Everyone’ knew it was on top of the mountain.  Or deep in the woods.  Or just sitting there, hiding in plain sight, where only the worthy could spot it.  Of course, they never found it.  They did find plenty of other water, though – and lots of mud, all of which had to be explored, just in case it turned out to be the true spring – but all they got out of it were wet, dirty clothes and tellings-off from their mothers.

Emmaline was convinced it was real.  She said the spa’s famous healing waters had to have their source somewhere and it was only reasonable that the pure spring would have stronger powers.  Of course, it was widely accepted that Emmaline, despite being a great healer, was more than a little mad.  Still, Adam kept the nagging feeling that the stories must have some basis in fact.  Once Phil had taken over the active dynasty duties, he started wandering around the obscurer parts of town.  If anyone asked, he had the excuse that he was trying to complete photo collections, but he was also keeping an eye out for wet patches of ground.  But it was when he was inspecting the family’s latest acquisition, the viewpoint at Redwood Peak, that he unexpectedly heard the sound of running water.  He looked among the trees and there it was.  A little waterfall, appearing from nowhere and splashing into a tiny pond among moss-grown boulders.



He knelt for a closer look.  Could it be…?
No, come on, Adam.  Don’t be silly.
Still, the water smelt good: fresh and sort of green.  And there were those sparkles in the air above it.  Maybe he should taste it.  What harm could it do?
A stomach upset, said his memory, recalling sneaky readings of Emmaline’s medical books.  Parasites.  Cholera, even.
Rubbish.  There was no way this water was polluted.  It was coming straight out of the rock – even if it wasn’t too clear how it got there in the first place.  Might as well go for it.  He scooped up a handful and drank.



At once, he felt light pouring through his body.  It was like drinking a rainbow.  Then the light faded to sparkles and was gone.  All that was left was a feeling of vitality, of cheating death just a little.
Wonder what would happen if I made a wish, like in the stories?
No, best not to be greedy – and anyway…

*   *   *   *   *

After sleeping on it (and he couldn’t remember sleeping like that since he’d been a teenager), he persuaded Lily to walk up the hill to admire the view – and then oh-so-casually asked if she could hear water.  She wasn’t sure, so he led her over to the trees.



“Oh, Adam,” she said, “you built a water feature.  It’s very pretty.”
“It’s more than that...” he started.



It was no good.  He could tell she wasn’t convinced – but she did agree to taste the water.



He hadn’t imagined it, then.  He saw the blaze of coloured light from her body, the lingering sparkles as she stood up.



“Lily, I really believe this is the true spring, the Fountain of Youth.  I want you to drink from it every day.  Try wishing, too.  Wish for eternal youth.”
“I will if you will.”



“No, Lils.  I’ve been thinking about this.  Haven’t you ever read the list of Grim’s conditions?  One of them was a collection of tombstones from people who’d led happy lives.  I think I could provide one.  I think I should.”
“Well, then, so can I!  I can die, too, you know – and I bet my tombstone would be as large as yours!”



“It wouldn’t count.  It has to be the direct bloodline: founders and heirs only.  And anyway, Lils, you can’t die for a long time yet.  The family needs you.



“They need someone to look after the garden – and the kids.  I’m just a photographer.  I’ve done my bit.  In fact, my pictures will probably be worth more when I’m gone.  It’s an unpleasant truth that all artists must face.



“Please, Lily.  I’m not happy about this – but I think it’ll be a little easier to bear if I know that you’re still here.  I’ll still be alive in your memories.  I want to think of you staying young and beautiful.”



“But I don’t want to go on without you!”



“It won’t be for ever, I promise.  Just until there’s someone else to tend the plants and care for our descendants.  Then you can join me.  I’ve waited for you before.  I can do it again.  And, one day, we’ll be reunited in life.  Grim said so.”
“Only if everyone does what he wants.”
“I think they’ll manage it.  Don’t you?  They’ll have our genes, after all.  They’ve got to be terrific.”
“Well, I have great faith in Phil…  All right, I’ll do it, for you… but I warn you, I’m leaving as soon as I can.”
“I’ll be waiting – and watching over you.  I’ll always be with you, Lils.”



*   *   *   *   *

It was hard to stay calm and reassuring but he managed it somehow.  He had to be strong, for Lils and the rest of the family.  But still, he was glad to be alone when the sparkles hit. Your last birthday wasn’t one to look forward to.




Next chapter (interlude)
Next chapter of main story



Leon’s Fountain of Youth was, of course, completely over the top as a property upgrade but a) there’s not much spare space at Redwood Peak Viewing Area and b) I realised I’d had Hidden Springs for about a year now and hadn’t got around to playing with the Fountain.

Offline Rhoxi

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: The Hidden Spring (24 October)
« Reply #102 on: October 24, 2013, 06:43:00 PM »

Ugh, and now we're talking about Adam dying, too. No! Just stop that. I'm used to founders and heirs staying alive, you know.  :P I'm glad Lily will be sticking around for a while yet, though. Anyway, very sweet update.

Offline Snufflesxx

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: The Hidden Spring (24 October)
« Reply #103 on: October 25, 2013, 02:13:45 AM »
The worse thing in this dynasty is choosing who goes and who stays. I'll be terribly sad when I have to let go of some of my favourite Sims. At least Lily will be around for a while yet.  :)
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Offline hazelnut

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Re: End of the Line Dynasty: The Hidden Spring (24 October)
« Reply #104 on: October 25, 2013, 04:34:14 AM »
Ugh, and now we're talking about Adam dying, too. No! Just stop that. I'm used to founders and heirs staying alive, you know.  :P

I do know.  Horrible, isn't it?  The downside of keeping Sam and Sophia alive for so long was that Adam almost caught them up.  I let him have some extra time as an adult, but only a few days - which means that this is a thoroughly sad part of the story.  It will get better soon, I promise :).

The worse thing in this dynasty is choosing who goes and who stays. I'll be terribly sad when I have to let go of some of my favourite Sims.

I agree.  It's quite upsetting if you get attached to your Sims.  They almost all died in the DecaDynasty, too, but at least they were around for longer - a lot longer, in some cases.

 

anything