Down With Lamps: Djinn Takeover

[Brooke.]

Congrats on another successful reproduction day

Thank you 

[Brooke.]

Reproduction Day: Nine

As I mentioned last time, Ifrit and I were pining for home. We booked a week's holiday to Egypt and went our separate ways after arriving at base camp.

"Don't kill anyone, please?" Ifrit called over his shoulder at me.

"Don't knock up any of the local ladies or else," I replied, seeing a sly grin on his face.





I breezed through the small town, taking in the smell of dates hanging from the trees and the profusion of spices wafting from the neighbouring kitchens. The much-trodden path I was taking had been in use in my days too, back then it led to the temples and we'd sing and dance on festival days - we'd have freshly cleaned clothes and new cones of perfumed wax sitting comfortably on our heads that dripped sweet fragrances as they melted in the hot sun. Later it had become a popular trading caravan route until the modern age had turned it into a tourist track.





I spent much of the day visiting my old haunts. There was still a small oasis where Herit and I had learnt to swim, a fishing hole where a ship had been blow in by one of the worst sandstorms I'd ever witnessed but nothing remained of the foundations of my village. I wasn't really expecting to find anything after all this time but I had hoped just a little.

Ifrit called me as the sun was setting. We met up a few miles away from the sphinx to recall memories and watch the never-changing stars.

"My Father named that star after me when I was born," I told Ifrit, pointing to a tiny white light - the residue of a star that had already died millions of years before my birth.





"You were luckier than some. I never knew my parents and didn't care to find out. As much as I hate to admit it, Herit was the first Sim to see me as another living being."


I looked sideways at him. Even in the dark there was an unmistakable rush of colour to his cheeks. "Did you fall in love with her?"


"No,"


"Did you woohoo with her?"


"No!"


I didn't know whether to believe him or not, Herit had never been interested in romance though she had been in a few relationships that strictly were more or less polygamous.


Pushing away all thoughts of Ifrit and Herit doing unmentionable things, I declared we'd pursue photography and tour around China and France after we'd completed the Photog challenge here.


I knew all the tricks to open the tombs and Ifrit and I adventured through the easier pyramids first. We took turns to set up our cameras and chose the right angles and filters for each subject.


I'd had never heard of King Raymundo Rodiekhkare, he was probably one of those pharaohs crowned during the great plague that swept through Egypt killing Sims of all social status that a new one took his place every other week.


As he lumbered towards me I snapped a quick photograph and Ifrit did the same. Raymundo decided it would be easier to fight a woman and I am ashamed to say I lost that battle easily while my traitor husband cheered on the mummy.





Ifrit had to carry me to base after that, all I remember is him singing an old lullaby that sent me to the land of dreams.


The next day Ifrit practised with the snake charming basket. I still needed a few more pictures so I took many random shots of the locals, the tourists trying to figure out the secret openings of tombs and Ifrit trying to lure the cobra for a kiss.





We returned home to sell our collection and then went on very short trips to China and France - where we gathered grapes for our next career.






Reproduction Day Nine:


Queen - Jinni Fable
Max Career: Photographer
Skill Challenge 1: Architectural Eye
Skill Challenge 2: Photog
Unique Best Friend: Sidney Shawkti
Unique LTR: Super Green Thumb
5 Object Collection: 3 Beetles


King - Ifrit Fable
Max Career: Photographer
Skill Challenge 1: Architectural Eye
Skill Challenge 2: Photog
Unique Best Friend: Dany Shue
Unique LTR: Inheritance
5 Object Collection: 2 Beetles


Reproduction Day Nine Drones:


Name: Abaddon Fable
Max Skill: Photography
Career: Art Appraiser
Property/Business: Beryl Lane Picnic Spot
New Home: Just Enough Bungalow, 54 Subalpine Blvd


Name: Shezmu Fable
Max Skill: Photography
Career: Magician
Property/Business: Performance Park
New Home: Naturally Simplistic, 8 Alder St


Name: Ninlil Fable
Max Skill: Photography
Career: Video Game Developer
Property/Business: Eloise C Vanderburg's Home For Books
New Home: The Hideout, 9 Meadow Beach Dr

[Malley]

Nice job with the photography skill!  It's always a skill that I've wanted to try but have never really attempted 

[Brooke.]

Nice job with the photography skill!  It's always a skill that I've wanted to try but have never really attempted 

You should go for it, it's really fun to play with. I also had never tried it until my life state and since then it's one of the skills I always consider for use in future projects.

[Brooke.]

Reproduction Day: Ten

All the grapes we had harvested from France were laid out into the garden. Using the singing sunflowers again we were able to produce almost four hundred grapes each within two weeks.





The nectar making machines were upgraded for improved pressing - we really needed those extra bottles.





Although we had nectar in my days I didn't get involved in the actual nectar making. There were no machines then so all the pressing were done by feet, as Ifrit and I are demonstrating, then it would be pressed further in a large sack that two people had to turn at opposite ends. The work was quite gruelling but with the modern machines we turned the handles to their correct positions and sat back to watch as our nectar was boiled and blended with extra helpings of honey for sweetness.





We chose our most expensive bottles for our collection and sold the rest for a tidy sum. The drones from this reproduction day had no problems purchasing and upgrading their required properties and also still be able to buy their own homes.





Reproduction Day Ten:


Queen - Jinni Fable
Max Career: Nectar Making
Skill Challenge 1: Mix Master
Skill Challenge 2: Flavourful Feet
Unique Best Friend: Gary Shue
Unique LTR: Better Mixologist
5 Object Collection: 2 Perfect Cranerlet Nectar Bottles


King - Ifrit Fable
Max Career: Nectar Making
Skill Challenge 1: Mix Master
Skill Challenge 2: Flavourful Feet
Unique Best Friend: Kasey Etheridge
Unique LTR: Artisan Crafter
5 Object Collection: 3 Perfect Cranerlet Nectar Bottles


Reproduction Day Ten Drones:


Name: Bes Fable
Max Skill: Photography
Career: Alchemist
Property/Business: Redwood Peak Viewing Area
New Home: Pristine & Pretty, 8 Ponderosa Ave


Name: Hob Fable
Max Skill: Photography
Career: Inventor
Property/Business: Shoreline Cabin
New Home: Newly Arrived Domicile, 12 Cedar Rd


Name: Goblin Fable
Max Skill: Photography
Career: Political
Property/Business: Louie Falls
New Home: Sustainable Oasis, 18 Subalpine Cir

[Malley]

Good thinking on harvesting the grapes ahead of time when they were in France 

[Brooke.]

Good thinking on harvesting the grapes ahead of time when they were in France 

I learn from my many mistakes 

[Brooke.]

Reproduction Day: Eleven

Night fishing was something we started getting used to. It didn't help that there was a waterfall gushing away and random sprays would drench us in seconds. Fortunately Goblin had purchased Louie Falls from the previous reproduction day so were could freshen up and make use of the hot tub.





As soon as we were able to catch deathfish, Ifrit and I camped at the cemetery. There were plenty of new headstones from the recently deceased townsfolk and some very old ones too, names worn away by centuries of decay but some I read: Jack Blackburn - blunt force trauma - Merida Bast - arrows in the eyes - and Hansel Bastet - death by fire. The last two were most certainly Herit's spawn.


We could see the deathfish swimming happily under the grey smoke hanging over the small pond, ignoring our baits that only the vampire fish we greedy enough to bite.





But as the sun began to rise Ifrit caught his first deathfish and whooped with joy, an arrogant look on his face as caught another within minutes.





It wasn't until the next night that I also began catching the elusive breed. The plan then was now to go back to Egypt and catch new species we wouldn't find in Hidden Springs.


We cast our lines sending velvety ripples across the once calm waters and I told Ifrit about the sandstorm, motioning to the hulk behind us and using visual magic to show him the real event from my point of view. Fishing was a long and slow process so it was a chance for us to learn new things about each other's lives.





The same routine was followed in China. We had only made a brief stop before so this time, after our fishing challenges were complete, Ifrit and I took selfies in front of the Dragon Cave and found peace in The Scholar's Garden.





Back home, we proceeded to work away at the Glassblowing Machine to create our collection - glass dragon eggs.








Reproduction Day Eleven:


Queen - Jinni Fable
Max Career: Angler
Skill Challenge 1: Amateur Ichthyologist
Skill Challenge 2: Commercial Fisherman
Unique Best Friend: Maritza Carroll
Unique LTR: Above Reproach
5 Object Collection: 3 Glass Dragon Eggs


King - Ifrit Fable
Max Career: Angler
Skill Challenge 1: Amateur Ichthyologist
Skill Challenge 2: Commercial Fisherman
Unique Best Friend: Jesse Pena
Unique LTR: Body Sculptor
5 Object Collection: 2 Glass Dragon Eggs


Reproduction Day Eleven Drones:


Name: Banshee Fable
Max Skill: Photography
Career: Gardener
Property/Business: Landgraab Swap 'n' Sell
New Home: Sweet Château, 29 Bristlecone Way


Name: Wendigo Fable
Max Skill: Photography
Career: Law Enforcement
Property/Business: Hidden Gardens
New Home: The Fun House, 3 Cedar Ct


Name: Ravana Fable
Max Skill: Photography
Career: Nectar Maker
Property/Business: Fairyfolk Park
New Home: Little Cottage Getaway, 3 Ash Dr

[Malley]

The glass dragon eggs looked awesome!

[Brooke.]

The glass dragon eggs looked awesome!

They sure do, I'm a little sad they don't show up so well.

[Brooke.]

Reproduction Day: Twelve

Had I known writing would be so dull, I'm sure this reproduction day would not have happened. The two of us barely talked, our fingers moved at a rapid pace across the keyboards, spewing out everything we knew on sports - from kids rounders games to a new growth of male cheerleaders.





Ifrit had a tendency to always surpass me in our careers, so he took to glassblowing again to decorate our house - even though we had no need for it - and I dolefully sat at my desk to write another dozen or so books.





After our tremendous experience with a hot tub at Louie Fall, we bought our own and it was great to relax my aching and somewhat stiff joints.





It also served another purpose...







Reproduction Day Twelve:


Queen - Jinni Fable
Max Career: Writer
Skill Challenge 1: Sports Writer
Skill Challenge 2: Speed Writer
Unique Best Friend: Darren Marks
Unique LTR: Acclaimed Author
5 Object Collection: 2 Sports Books


King - Ifrit Fable
Max Career: Writer
Skill Challenge 1: Sports Writer
Skill Challenge 2: Speed Writer
Unique Best Friend: Cornelius Waite
Unique LTR: Collection Helper
5 Object Collection: 3 Sports Books


Reproduction Day Twelve Drones:


Name: Anzu Fable
Max Skill: Photography
Career: Professional Sports
Property/Business: Silver Zephyr Poolside Retreat
New Home: Ultimate Family Retreat, 8 Lakeside Dr


Name: Nasnas Fable
Max Skill: Photography
Career: Fortune Teller
Property/Business: Redwood Heights Luxury Lodge
New Home: Comfort Central, 52 Subalpine Blvd


Name: Aamon Fable
Max Skill: Photography
Career: Writer
Property/Business: Varg's Tavern
Best Friend: Charles Winterly
New Home: Ponderosa Place, 3 Ponderosa Ave

[Brooke.]

Reproduction Day: Thirteen

Ifrit and I had purposely avoided the junkyard since first stepping foot in Hidden Springs. It had become a dumping ground for all sorts of rubbish and machines past their glory days, and some Sims even left spilling bin bags so we had to magically clean each other several times a day - our OCD was out of control during this time.


We worked together to sort through the junk to gather scrap we'd need for our current career. It was easier to spend a few hundred simoleons now that we were filthy rich and I refused to visit the junkyard after that.





I took a cautious approach to my dabbling, carefully screwing in new bolts and buffing the surfaces over and over again to give them a new shine.





Ifrit preferred to just throw a heap of things together, using the blowtorch to meld them into new and exciting 'shapes' that he called toys - I know for sure those things were hazardous to children so I made lengthy inspections on each item before setting it aside for the consignment store.





Our experiments with the inventing workbench weren't always successful. Crying out in surprise to find our bum on fire became quite frequent and we had to install outdoors showers to put ourselves out. No pain, no gain as they say because after our wild dances we were able to produce higher quality widgets and even a time machine.





The time machines we built were ugly grey blocks, not the beautiful blue of the TARDIS with her glitzy decor and dashing doctor. Ifrit went to the future, not to find our descendants but to see if we were still together in two hundred years time - the answer? Well, you and I will both have to wait and see.





I chose the past. I went to see what happened to my parents after my disappearance. Herit was nowhere in sight so I was safe to enter my old home - still smelling of cinnamon and freshly harvested honey - and I had to hold in my tears when my parents found me. It was an emotional journey, I told them I had just decided to up and leave our tribe to explore the wilderness of Simnation. Whether they believed me or not I'm not sure but I was beginning to fade and had to hurry back to the time machine which spat me out like something rotten. I was glad to have given my parents some peace even if it had involved lying - partially, I was totally fine except for the whole turned-into-a-djiini thing and I had children like Mother wanted.






We were thankful to all the steampunk fans around the Simverse as our 'vintage' inventions sold faster than we could keep track of.






Reproduction Day Thirteen


Queen - Jinni Fable
Max Career: Inventor
Skill Challenge 1: The Scrap Collector
Skill Challenge 2: Widget Wonder
Unique Best Friend: Sam Fields
Unique LTR: Food Replicator
5 Object Collection: 3 Widgets


King - Ifrit Fable
Max Career: Inventor
Skill Challenge 1: The Scrap Collector
Skill Challenge 2: Widget Wonder
Unique Best Friend: Elliott Fagan
Unique LTR: Philosopher's Stone
5 Object Collection: 2 Widgets


Reproduction Day Thirteen Drones:


Name: Rahab Fable
Max Skill: Photography
Career: Musician
Property/Business: Lars' Disco-Tech
Best Friend: Gary Shue
New Home: Shue Place, 16 Meadow Beach Dr


Name: Siris Fable
Max Skill: Photography
Career: Gardener
Property/Business: Mick's Master Karaoke
Best Friend: Minzi Cho
New Home: Seaside Mansion, 2 Lake View Way


Name: Pazuzu Fable
Max Skill: Photography
Career: Stylist
Property/Business: Han's Tavern & Cafe
New Home: The Tidewater

[Lisa46]

Almost done! Almost done!

I vote for a good ending by the way.

[Malley]

Ifrit went to the future, not to find our descendants but to see if we were still together in two hundred years time - the answer? Well, you and I will both have to wait and see.

I have my fingers crossed 

[Brooke.]

Almost done! Almost done!

I vote for a good ending by the way.

You don't know how pleased I was when this reproduction day was done, knowing I was so close to the end 

I have my fingers crossed 

There are two different futures depending on what ending gets chosen 


I was going to post the last RD today but my sister had her baby this morning so I've been busy taking care of her older daughter and visiting the hospital. I'm really exhausted but it gives anyone interested in voting another day to decide on what ending they'd like. So far it's one vote for good and my younger sister says go with bad.