Five Elven Families: A Restoring Similization Project (October 9)

[MarianT]

Vinyl,

Don't tempt me! -- if I let all the families contribute at once, I'd be at four restrictions cleared, which would be lovely. No, each family has to achieve 35 LTWs, unique within each family, but not unique across the board.

If you ever decide to do an Apocalypse Challenge, or this project, I'd love to read it!

[Vinyl]

Ha, well I was going to say you were being very clever by combining the families' LTWs, but now I'll just say you're very brave instead.  35 x 5 = a number I don't even want to think about.   

I know it's probably easier for you since you're the one who refined the project rules, but are you finding it easy enough to keep all of the restrictions straight?

[MarianT]

At the beginning, it's easy, because you can't do much of anything except send your sims to work and school. I've eased up on the two most annoying restrictions from the Apocalypse Challenge -- my sims can take showers (in the cheapest shower) and aren't limited to one meal per day. They can't cook anything but quick meals and peanut butter sandwiches, however. And 4 of my 5 elves were already married with families. But I still have to read over the rules every other day to see if I can do something.

[MarianT]

The McCarleve-Pinkertons, Chapter the Second

Dear Hamish,

   I don’t know if you were affected by the earthquake. We were badly hit here in Appaloosa Plains – it registered a 1.55 on the Richter Scale. I lost all my cute pictures of Marigold and Elrond, including Elrond’s birthday photo. He’s quite the big boy now.



   He’s not happy about wearing pink shoes, but that was all they had in his size at the clothing depot here in Moonlight Falls. There’s such an assortment of strange characters here – werewolves, vampires, and fairies – that I don’ think anyone’s going to tease an elf-boy who wears pink shoes.

   Gavin met many of the residents his first day at work; apparently he’s the highest-ranking doctor at the hospital and much in demand.



It sounded to me like most of them were women, and most of them found him attractive.



But Gavin says once he stuck a hypodermic needle into them, they didn’t want to stick around afterwards.



One person he vaccinated was a ghost – Gavin said he didn’t think they were susceptible to Llama Tail, but apparently the ghost thought otherwise.



He also warned one woman against becoming too friendly with a wicked elf named Breagadoir – he’d heard he was seducing all the ladies of Moonlight Falls.



   What’s sad is that Gavin will become an elder soon and will have to retire. He’s changed his lifetime wish, but I’m not sure we’ll ever accumulate enough money for him to achieve it. We’re getting shaken down for “contributions” here, just like in Appaloosa Plains – 1200 Simoleons per level of house in use, and since we built on pillars this time, and have a chess table and easel on the roof, that counts as two levels. I plan on getting a job as soon as Marigold is old enough to go to school. Speaking of Marigold, here’s my big girl:



   I have to say the two children are an interesting mix of our genetics. Elrond has Gavin’s hair color and my features, while Marigold has my skin and hair color and Gavin’s features.

   I’ll be interested to find out if anyone else was affected by the earthquake. Take care, Sanchera

[MarianT]

The Poolakis, Chapter the Second

   “I don’t know – her ears look pretty round to me.”

   “They’ll be fine, Deannin.”



   “Well, if they’re not, you’ll fix them, won’t you? It’s the least you can do for keeping us stuck here in Twinbrook. Sanchera gets to move…”

   “Sanchera was in an earthquake.”

   “Whatever. We felt something in Twinbrook, too.”

   “Deannin, just go and see if they have what you need at the Elixir Shop.”

   “I don’t understand why they just can’t stay fairies.They’re cute, with their little wings and all.”



   “Deannin, don’t you think it’s time to go home?”

   “No.  I’ll go crazy if I have to spend another minute listening to those baby swings.”



   “Would you rather I took the baby swings away?”

   “Watcher, you don’t know what it’s like – day in, day out, the same tune. “

   “Yes, I do know, which is why I hit the mute button.”

   “I can’t wait until the little monsters start growing up.”

   Later…”Don’t you ever play a fairy trick on me again, you little—“

   “Family-friendly, Deannin.”



   “Well, all I can say is don’t mess with me or the monsters will get you, Moira.”

   “Bad move, Deannin.”



   “Why do you say that, Watcher?”



   “Eeeeee! Monster! Help!”



   “Well, at least Fiona is a good kid.”



   “Most of the time.”

   “Take that, noisy baby! And that, stinky toddler! And that, crabby mommy!”



   Meanwhile, back at the house – “Us guys gotta stick together, huh, Beren?”



And finally – we have an heir!



   “I bet you changed her ears.”

   “No, Deannin, that’s the way they turned out.”

   “Would you have changed them if they’d been round?”

   “We’ll never know.”

   “I bet you did change them.”

   “No, you can see that her eyes are still crossed – she aged up with them pointed.”

   “Whatever you say, Watcher.”

[MarianT]

The Dorainars, Chapter the Second

   “You and your dad were named after parts of a tree,” Aubria explained to Twig.

   “Tree!” said Twig.



   “And maybe when you grow up you can become a policeman and put people in handcuffs,” she added.

   “Handcuffs?” said Twig.



   Time was passing quickly, and Aubria still hadn’t achieved her lifetime wish, nor had Branch achieved his. The alchemy textbook seemed to have grown in size since the last time she picked it up. No matter how much studying she did, she didn’t seem to make any progress. And there were so many other things to do, like fixing the plumbing when it broke down.



Or celebrating Finglas’s birthday.



Or trying for another heir because Finglas’s ears were as round as his father’s. The shower was the only place where she and Branch could have some privacy.



   Aubria didn’t think there were any babies as adorable as her Twig and Finglas.



   And then one day, Twig wasn’t a baby any longer.



   But despite her slow progress, and the cramped conditions, and morning sickness, and plumbing disasters, Aubria remained cheerful. Her philosophy was that you couldn’t possibly feel unhappy when sliding down a banister.



Which was something she did regularly.

[Tiamet]

Marian, this is such an amazing project.  Poor Deannin, all those kids and swings!  Thank goodness Arwen's ears are alright!  (Lucky name?)

I love how cheerful Aubria remains.  Good on her!

[MarianT]

The Jungbloddins, Chapter the Third

   There’s nothing sadder than an elf going through a mid-life crisis. Ignac inspected his wrinkles for the umpteenth time and shook his head.



It wasn’t his growing older that he minded (hadn’t that been a dimple yesterday? And now it was a furrow down the side of his mouth – unbelievable), but what was happening to Lorraine. She had been so excited over her birthday.



She hadn’t realized how much damage the fallout from the disaster could do to elders. Of course, she might have guessed when she saw her friend Vadim Simovitch show up in a suit jacket, vest, tie, and Bermuda shorts. In late autumn. But like most people, Lorraine didn’t think it would happen to her and groused over the rule that she would have to quit her job.



   But she wasn’t grousing when she realized she couldn’t remember the phone number for work so that she could call and quit her job. Ignac knew he was luckier than most. Lorraine still enjoyed cleaning and would do things around the house without being asked.



And she was still affectionate, rather than grumpy and complaining.



   Ignac’s other worry was Gilgad. Ever since the day he had declared that his imaginary friend was a real kid, just like him, Ignac had been anxious.



   He knew he should probably tell Hamish that Gilgad played rock, paper, scissors with an invisible being.



And that he flailed about with a pillow, pretending that they were fighting.



   But he knew that Gilgad was the top candidate for Hamish’s daughter’s hand in marriage, as both of them were Virgos, and Ignac didn’t want to ruin that for his son. Besides, maybe it wasn’t all imagination – the other evening, he had definitely seen someone helping Gilgad with his snowman.



So when Ignac got a letter from Hamish: “…We’re opening a resort, it's a lot of hard work…If you have a red dragon, don’t ask it to throw a fireball on your property…”



Here was what he was looking for: “It might be a good idea to send Gilgad as soon as he becomes a teen. Clover is such a pretty girl that I’m afraid she might get romantically involved as a teen rather than sensibly waiting until she can get married.”

   Ignac made his decision. “Gilgad has become quite a handsome young fellow,” he wrote in return. “Here’s hoping they have lovely children.” Hamish hadn’t told him what Clover’s traits were, so Ignac didn’t see any reason to tell him Gilgad’s. They were mostly good traits – brave, a lover of outdoors, and good, but socially awkward might be a problem.



Then again, Gilgad was handsome enough that Clover might not notice.

[MarianT]

The Cortneys, Chapter the Third

   There were a couple of birthdays in the Cortney household. Brendon became an adult – without a midlife crisis.



And Elanor went from being an adorable toddler…



…to being an adorable – in her own way – little girl.



       “Yeah, funny hair, funny ears, blue skin and overweight – you shouldn’t have any trouble fitting in at school,” teased Colin.

       “If people don’t like me, I’ll just read a book,” said Elanor.

       “Right, you can have Better Out than In when I’m finished with it,” said Colin.

       Kimberley told him to stop picking on his little sister and go fix the sink.



   Thanks to Spooky Day, they had a long weekend. Although there would be no festival until conditions improved, the Cortneys could still have fun. Brendon and Colin tried to beat each other at chess.



And Kimberley and Elanor played hopscotch together.



   Tuesday morning was Elanor’s first schoolday. She got up early to play hopscotch before it was time to get ready. Colin had warned her that school wouldn’t be any fun at all so she needed to be in a good mood.



   All too soon, it was time to get ready. Elanor took a shower and discovered that Colin had left a present for her.



   “Mom!” she hollered.

   “It’ll rinse out,” Kimberley called. “Hurry up, the bus is waiting.”

   As she left the house, Elanor noticed that the full moon was setting. There wouldn’t be any zombies for almost another week, she thought. That was a good thing. Maybe Colin was wrong about the other children not liking her.



By the end of the first day, she had two friends – “So there, big brother!” she chortled.

[Magz from Oz]

I'm really enjoying your story Marian.  It's not a challenge I'd want to try so kudos for trying and more kudos for writing it so entertainingly. 

[MarianT]

The McCarleve-Pinkertons, Chapter the Third

Dear Hamish,

   Well, each of us has had a birthday since the last time I wrote to you. I was the first, becoming middle-aged all of a sudden.



Now I obsess about my wrinkles all the time. Wrinkles and dirty dishes.



   The next one was Gavin. You were right – the toxic crud from Twinbrook began working on his mind as soon as he became an elder.



I caught him having ice cream for breakfast the very next morning. I suppose I should be grateful that it wasn’t brain freeze. I’ve heard a rumor that seven dishes of the stuff will turn you into a zombie.



   He had to quit his job, of course. Actually, having him home all day isn’t too bad. He helps out quite a bit.



And he seems more cheerful and affectionate.



He even enjoys pillow-fighting these days.



He spends a lot of time practicing magic, and he cast a good-luck charm on me. I was very apprehensive because I’ve heard those things can turn you into a toad, but it actually worked.



   The next person to have a birthday was Marigold. Unfortunately, the box of clothing sent to us by the Moonlight Falls Relief Committee didn’t have anything that was cute or pretty. I don’t know where her everyday outfit came from.



Her formal outfit is all right, but not very formal.



Her athletic outfit is the best of the bunch, especially since she loves hot weather.



   Last but not least, Elrond is now a teen.



   I understand from Ignac that you’re considering having Gilgad visit you now that he’s a teen. Would you be willing to take Elrond, too? He’s quite a nice kid; the only reason I’m asking is that we are rather cramped for space. Best Wishes, Sanchera

   In return, Sanchera received this answer from Hamish:

Dear Sanchera,

I’m afraid I made a mistake when I invited Gilgad to come as a teen. I forgot that the High Council has explicitly forbidden traveling to Dragon Valley for anyone below the age of young adult. Both Gilgad and Elrond will have to wait. I’m sure that Elrond is a fine young man and look forward to meeting him. Sincerely, Hamish

[MarianT]

The Poolakis – Chapter the Third

   “Watcher, you’ll be proud of me – I managed to find an elixir that would make Moira a witch (not that you can tell by looking at her, but her wings are gone).



And the next day, I found a potent cure elixir for Fiona. You don’t think she’ll be upset because Moira’s a witch and she’s not, do you?”



“You can always tell her it’s my fault, Deannin. I’m the one who insisted that you make them stop being fairies as soon as possible.”

     “Ciro taught Elwing how to walk.



I taught Arwen how to talk. I hope I’m not raising false hopes by telling her about birthday cakes.



I also taught Elwing. Urns are a safer topic.



   “We finally had a weekend day without rain, so Moira and Fiona played tag outside.



They’re actually friends now.



   “And then we had a bunch of birthdays. I went first.



I was sure I’d have a mid-life crisis on top of everything else, but I actually felt pretty good after spinning around. I didn’t even mind losing my hair-style and getting something more matronly. I’m the mother of five now; it’s about time I quit looking like a teeny-bopper.



   “Beren was the next to have a birthday. I don’t know how he’ll feel about being the only boy in the family.



   “Moira turned out to be pretty…



Fiona looks like her father.



   “A couple of days later, our other twins grew up. Here’s Arwen…



…and Elwing. No more baby swings, no more potty chair – I don’t know what I’ll do with the rest of my life.



   “What’s amazing is that we managed to teach them all their toddler skills. Arwen is now a party animal besides being a genius and excitable; Elwing is eco-friendly. I think I’ve done a pretty good job, don’t you, Watcher?”

“Indeed, I do, Deannin.”

[Magz from Oz]

I think you did an amazing job Deannin and watcher.  Teaching all those toddler their skills is testament to your organisational skill.  So kudos to you too watcher.  I'm really enjoying how you tell this story.  Thanks MarianT.

[MarianT]

The Dorainers, Chapter the Third

   Aubria and Branch continue to stay on the slow track in Starlight Shores. As far as they’re concerned, the most important thing is bringing up Finglas. Aubria would much rather teach him how to walk than finish reading about Alchemy.



   Branch actually got demoted at work, even though he’s been on time every day and hasn’t taken it easy at all. Still, work isn’t any fun for him. He’d rather discuss football with Finglas.



Playing with newborn Thistle is also high on Branch’s list of priorities.



   In defense of Branch and Aubria, it’s hard to do well when you never get a good night’s sleep.



   There’s one member of the family who’s an active go-getter – Twig. Either he’s helping with the cleaning…



…or keeping Finglas entertained. And he gets his homework done, too.



    Fortunately for Aubria, it looks as if Thistle will be the next heir.



Now the question is, whether she can finish her alchemical studies before becoming an elder. She has her whole adulthood ahead of her, but will it be enough time?

[MarianT]

The Jungbloddins, Chapter the Fourth

Dear Ignac,

Shortly after Gilgad joined our household, we suffered an infestation of bugs in Dragon Valley. I personally don’t think it was his fault, but we were asked to leave, and have moved to Moonlight Falls, where we have to live by the same guidelines the rest of you have to follow.



I’m sending this letter to everyone else. I won’t be able to offer free room and board to the other heirs, and I doubt that they would be welcome in Dragon Valley. However, I can still ensure safe travel so that non-heirs can become spouses of the heirs.
Sincerely, Hamish

   Clover was still a teen when Gilgad moved in with the Oteroins. He became friends with her by playing chessl, which helped with his work as well.



   While they played, he amused her by telling her about the time he pranked his father with hair dye in the bathroom.



   “He knew it was me, of course,” said Gilgad. “There wasn’t anyone else it could be – I didn’t realize that I’d be Suspect No. 1.”

   But Gilgad felt it was only fair to warn Clover that life in Riverview could be hard. “Mom’s been going steadily downhill since she became an elder,” he said. “She often talks to the furniture, or about the furniture – it’s hard to tell which.



   “And the Grim Reaper is a frequent visitor,” Gil said, “especially in the winter when there are more zombies.



“But winter’s not all bad,” he added hastily. “We go out and make snowmen – even Dad, who hates being outdoors.”



   As soon as Clover became a young adult, Gilgad proposed.



They got married in Moonlight Falls, and left immediately to return to Riverview. “It would be nice to go to France,” Clover remarked wistfully. “And our descendants will be able to do that someday,” said Gilgad. “Speaking of descendants…”



   There was room for only one double bed in their abode, and that belonged to Gilgad’s parents. But they managed to find space and privacy, and soon Clover was feeling nauseous from unknown causes.