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

[MarianT]

ELVES TO THE RESCUE: A Restoring Similization Project

Introduction

   Something terrible happened in Twinbrook – a toxic cloud spreading destruction throughout the Simiverse, changing sims into zombies and worse. But for some reason, elves are immune to the effects. Thus the five graduates of Elf School are able to take on the tasks that will restore similization.

   This will follow the rules of the Restoring Similization Project (found here), with a few exceptions. The elves that have families will stay as families, and a cheat will be used to change genies and fairies to humans. The designated heir will be the one with rainbow skin and pointed ears. The winning bloodline will be the first to complete the 35 unique lifetime wishes necessary to restore similization. The prize will be the opportunity to start some sort of dynasty in Dragon Valley, although by that time, the winner will probably be a descendant of all 5 bloodlines.

Edited to add: I've tried Normal age length and Medium. Neither is quite satisfactory, so I've gone back to Normal, but with shorter ages for toddlers, children and teens, and longer for young adults, adults and elders. Also, I am randomizing the infant's traits, but picking subsequent traits based on their zodiac signs.

   Chapters will be posted as I write them, but will be listed under each family’s name so that someone who is interested in only one elf can follow that storyline.

The Jungbloddins

Chapter the First
Chapter the Second
Chapter the Third
Chapter the Fourth
Chapter the Fifth
Chapter the Sixth

The Cortneys

Chapter the First
Chapter the Second
Chapter the Third
Chapter the Fourth
Chapter the Fifth
Chapter the Sixth

The McCarleve-Pinkertons

Chapter the First
Chapter the Second
Chapter the Third
Chapter the Fourth
Chapter the Fifth
Chapter the Sixth

The Poolakis

Chapter the First
Chapter the Second
Chapter the Third
Chapter the Fourth
Chapter the Fifth
Chapter the Sixth

The Dorainars

Chapter the First
Chapter the Second
Chapter the Third
Chapter the Fourth
Chapter the Fifth
Chapter the Sixth

FIRST SUMMARY

[MarianT]

The Jungbloddins, Chapter the First

   Ignac opened the mailbox with some trepidation. It could only be a letter from Hamish – the humans hadn’t recovered enough to get the postal system working again. Letters from Hamish were usually irritating to read, focusing on one question – “Why haven’t you gotten married yet?” But this was a package, a very thick book with a short note.

Dear Ignac,

   We still don’t know exactly what happened. Some people have suggested that the aliens contaminated the water supply, but it looks more like there was an explosion in Twinbrook that has spread pollution throughout the Simiverse. It appears that we elves are immune. The few human residents of Dragon Valley have become zombies, but we are only minimally affected – not like the rest of the world. Aliens also appear to be immune, which might be why some people blame them for the catastrophe. Even though you’re immune, you must take the precaution of leaving your current home and getting rid of all your possessions. You may keep your cash, however.

   The Watcher has provided me with a set of instructions for you and the others to follow. I suggest you read them over several times, even memorize them if that’s possible. Briefly put, your life will be severely restricted, but as you and your family complete your lifetime wishes, the restrictions will be lifted. Because you have already completed your lifetime wish, you have lifted the first restriction and so are able to marry and have children. This is not the time to hesitate, Ignac. I urge you to find a wife at your earliest opportunity.
 Yours sincerely, Hamish

P.S. Send your heir to me when he or she becomes a young adult. There are many healthy elves here, and I’m sure that finding a spouse will be no problem. Indeed, I have a daughter myself.



   Ignac chuckled sourly. Even in the midst of disaster, Hamish was still harping on the subject of marriage. He hefted the tome. Read it through a few times? Memorize its contents? It would take months to do that. He skimmed the first few pages and gleaned some useful information. Despite his wealth, there were limits to what he could spend, and the size of his house was restricted to a small square, either a basement or on stilts. He looked across the flat expanse of Riverview, and decided upon a basement house. Elves might be immune, or it might be that a higher dosage was required to turn them into zombies. In any case, he didn’t want to be exposed when the prevailing wind was from Twinbrook.

   A few hours later, Ignac had a house that conformed to the instructions. Eight by eight square – check. Cheapest bathroom and kitchen appliances – check. Cheapest bed – check. It was a lot like being back at school, he thought. Apparently his diet would consist of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a long time, but that was okay – pb and j was his favorite meal.



   Ignac went to the Wright Reading Room to read the rest of his instructions. Plus there was always the possibility that he might meet a woman who would enjoy reading and be willing to take on the task of memorization. Even before he sat down, he spotted someone with the same hairstyle as the most successful dynasty spouse of all time.

   “Excuse me, miss,” he said, introducing himself. “It is miss, isn’t it?”

   It was.

   “I couldn’t help admiring your hair,” said Ignac.



   “Also, you seem like a nice person. Will you marry me?”

   Lorraine Cantina said yes.



   She was a little bit older than he was, but Ignac figured that could be fixed easily with a fountain of youth elixir. Unfortunately, elixirs weren’t allowed yet, not until he was able to go to stores and able to grow things in the ground. On the positive side, Lorraine was a neatnik, which meant she wouldn’t let their tiny apartment turn into a dump. (It would be a while before they could hire a maid.)



   It wasn’t long before Lorraine started suffering from morning sickness. Ignac got a job in journalism. They didn’t really need the money, but it got him out of the house, which seemed smaller than ever when shared with someone who had hormones.



   The night that Lorraine gave birth was wild and stormy, with a full moon as well. Ignac realized he should have built a fence around the entrance. Not only was every stray animal coming in to get out of the rain, but a zombie showed up, too. Luckily they went for the contents of the planters instead of him and Lorraine.



   Despite the hubbub, Lorraine delivered a handsome green-skinned baby boy, who was brave and an outdoor-lover. They decided to call him Gilgad.



   And when Gilgad became a toddler, Ignac was delighted to see that his ears were pointed, too.

[MarianT]

The Cortneys, Chapter the First

   Brendon received a letter similar to Ignac’s, but with a different ending:

“The Watcher informs me that she is unable to transform genies into humans. You therefore are allowed to purchase either a bottled witch’s brew or a potent cure elixir and transform your wife and son.”

   For Brendon, the hardest part was getting rid of his showers-in-a-can.



Living in a small box wasn’t easy, either, but at least he and his family could put things on the roof.



Indeed, Kimberley spent so much time on the roof that it was where she gave birth.



   Kimberley decided to get a job in law enforcement, leaving Brendon at home to play with Elanor. It was an arrangement he was happy with, and Elanor seemed to like it, too.



   It took a while, but Brendon finally found an elixir to use on Kimberley. She hadn’t been using her genie powers at all, but there was still the problem of her age.



   When Elanor became a toddler, everyone was relieved to see that she had the proper ears for an heir. Elanor seemed excited about the prospect, too.



“Someday, you’re going to get married,” Kimberley explained.



“And maybe you can have a dragon,” said Brendon. “We used to have a dragon. Its name was Verdi. Can you say dragon?”



   Elanor was a very bright child, learning how to walk and use the potty quite quickly.



Her big brother Colin also taught her how to play peek-a-boo.



   On the whole, Brendon thought they were surviving pretty well. He had used some of his happiness points to make peanut butter and jelly his favorite food. Colin was doing well in school. Because Elanor was eligible to become his heir, he and Kimberley didn’t have to have any more children. Not that he disliked children – it just was that even with the roof, things were pretty cramped. And Kimberley’s job was turning out to have an unexpected benefit.



   “Get out of here, you #$@%^ burglar! You’re not stealing my toilet!”

[Tiamet]

Marian, I'm hooked.  Can't wait for more!

[MarianT]

The McCarleve-Pinkertons, Chapter the First

Dear Hamish,

   I suppose I understand why you sent a trailer for the horses.



Even though I look upon Dapple and her colt Sprite as family,





I can’t keep them with me if it means that they’ll be eating contaminated grass and hay. But I hope you’re right when you say that they’ll be going to a safe place. And that safe place had better not be a glue factory.



   I don’t understand why it’s necessary to live below ground, but Gavin and I did follow your advice about the fence. I’m sorry Ignac had to learn the hard way, but at least all he lost were some plants.



   And I really don’t understand why I had to give up my guitar and piano, because I’m pretty sure they weren’t contaminated with anything. Do you realize the only music I have access to now is “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” played on the xylophone by Elrond?



   Of course, at the moment, I don’t have any time for music. Since giving birth (which wasn't an easy delivery),



I’ve been kept very busy by Elrond and Marigold.



It seems like as soon as I feed one, the other is hungry. I try to get some sleep whenever I can.



   Gavin is working night and day at the hospital or out in the community, trying to vaccinate people as soon as the latest virus is analyzed. Would you believe that the other evening, they called him back to the hospital a minute after he came down the stairs?



   I sometimes feel that I was much better off when I was at school. The beds might not have been more comfortable, but at least I could get a good night’s sleep in them. Now that Marigold is a toddler, I don’t know when I’ll sleep again.



   I checked her ears – they’re rounded, but luckily Elrond is eligible to be the heir. Best wishes, Sanchera

P.S. Don’t mind my grousing. I know it’s a difficult time for everyone, and I do have the melodies in my head. I just wish I could play them once in a while. And I'm very proud of Elrond and Marigold. Did I mention they're both artistic? And Elrond is disciplined, while Marigold is a genius.

[MarianT]

The Poolakis, Chapter the First

   “Twinbrook! Nooo!” That was Deannin’s reaction when she opened the letter from Hamish. She skimmed the rest of it, noting that she would have to “cure” Ciro of being a fairy, and do the same for her darling fairy babies when they were old enough. Apparently, this was an order from the Watcher. “Stupid Watcher,” muttered Deannin.

   “We weren’t supposed to go to Twinbrook,” she protested, to no one in particular. “We were supposed to go to Isla Paradiso and live on a houseboat.”

   “Isla Paradiso is under quarantine for the moment,” said the Watcher.

   “Oh, and Twinbrook isn’t? I thought this place was ground zero for the toxic pollution.”

   “Which is why we need a large family here. You’re the one who had the fertility treatment, so you’re the one more likely to get off to a fast start on cleaning things up.”

   “Is that why you put my house in the dump?” asked Deannin. “Just look at the place.”





   “Sorry about that,” said the Watcher, “I thought I’d cleared out all the spawners, but it looks like I missed a couple. But I love what you’re done with the place. The baby swings look especially nice.”



   “Yeah, well, there’s not enough room for three cribs,” said Deannin. “And we do make sure the twins learn their skills. I taught Fiona how to walk.



“And Ciro helped Moira learn how to use the potty.”



   “They are adorable,” said the Watcher. “Oh dear. I’d hoped that you could get along without a fence downstairs, but apparently I was wrong. Sorry about the zombie, dear.”



   “We have zombies?” said Deannin. “Nooooo!”



   “Oh, you’re giving birth,” said the Watcher. “No wonder you’re so cranky. Well, I’ll just be running along…”

   “You’re not going anywhere until you tell me that my baby is eligible to be the heir.”



   “Sorry, dear,” said the Watcher. “He’s a beautiful little boy, but his skin is the same shade as his father’s. You’re going to have to try for baby again.”

   Time passed. Ciro took a job in Science and decided that his lifetime wish was to become a creature-robot cross-breeder. His progress through the career was slow because getting blown up tended to make his mood go down.



   Soon Deannin was ready to give birth again.



This time she had twins. Luckily, Arwen had her mother’s blue skin, although it was too soon to tell what her ears would be like. From left to right, the babies and toddlers were Beren, Moira, Arwen, and Fiona.



And Elwing off on the other side of the room.



   Miraculously, Moira and Fiona had learned all their toddler skills by the time Beren had his birthday, so Deannin and Ciro just had to work on one toddler until the next set of twins grew older.



   “I’m not having any more children,” said Deannin.

   “It depends on Arwen’s ears,” said the Watcher.

   “I’m not having any more children,” she repeated. “Deal with it. Oh, and maybe Ciro should get the Surrounded by Family lifetime wish because I don’t think he’s going to get promoted often enough before he becomes an elder and has to quit his job.”

[MarianT]

The Dorainars, Chapter the First

   Of all the elves, Aubria was the happiest. Maybe it was because the Watcher had finally learned that one spiral staircase could be put on top of the other, giving them a little more room.



Maybe it was because Branch was well on his way to completing his lifetime wish of having a perfect garden.



A garden that the zombies couldn’t get to.



Maybe it was because Twig was the cutest toddler she’d ever seen.



He was a genius, learning how to walk with only a little coaching.





Maybe Aubria was happy because Branch was so concerned when she gave birth that he went into hysterics.



Or maybe she was happy because she was childish and a heavy sleeper, two traits that had real benefit in a world that had fallen apart. All Aubria knew was that she was so happy that she didn’t care whether Finglas would have pointy ears or not. He was perfect the way he was.

[Tiamet]

Oh my word!  Poor Deannin, with 5 babies in that little space!  And I grin every time I recognize a name.   

[MarianT]

Oh my word!  Poor Deannin, with 5 babies in that little space!  And I grin every time I recognize a name.   

Yeah, I looked in the index at the back of Vol. III.

[Tiamet]

The index that's almost bigger than the book?   

I really am enjoying this story, Marian, as a continuation of the last one.  Is it hard to keep straight, playing in different towns and such, and remembering what everyone is doing?

[MarianT]

Right now, it's not too hard to keep things straight because they're all starting out. And I have a notebook next to my computer.

About that index -- I was one of the first people in my town to get LOTR when it first came out (this was in 1966), and the only thing they had at the bookstore was Return of the King. I got it Friday night and had to wait until my mother could take me to another town on Saturday, so I spent Friday night poring over the appendices. Okay, back on topic...

[MarianT]

The Jungbloddins, Chapter the Second

   “It’s not going to be very exciting,” the Watcher had warned. “You’re not going to be able to buy anything that requires electricity or anything very expensive. Still, it is a project story on the Forum, if you’re interested."

   Lorraine Cantina had been interested. She had long been envious of sims who were chosen for dynasty spouses, even though they warned her that it was not all beer and skittles. “All you do is paint,” advised Agnes, the queen of dynasty spouses. “And it’s worse in the Decadynasty,” said Constance Shelley. “All they want there is a baby and a tombstone.”

   Nevertheless, Lorraine wanted her chance. Unfortunately, she was discovering that when the Watcher said, “not very exciting,” she meant incredibly boring. If Lorraine wanted fun, she could play at the pegboard with Gilgad.



   “Why is it that you just can’t put the green cylinder in the round hole?” she asked. “Is it really that difficult?”

   Or she could watch Ignac weed.



   On the plus side, in this particular project, she didn’t have to submit to the indignity of a makeover. She could keep her hairstyle and wardrobe, because none of them would be allowed to use the dresser or the mirror to change things. On the minus side, she was one of 10 characters, more, if you counted the rugrats and ankle-biters.

   However, she did have to change her lifetime wish. “If it’s taking you three days to get a promotion, you’re just not going to become the Leader of the Free World in time,” said the Watcher. “You do realize you won’t be able to work anymore once you become an elder. Let’s try Super Popular instead.” That explained why Lorraine was outside, chatting up the woman who had stolen their toilet. “I can’t believe I’m exerting my charismatic and friendly capabilities to form a relationship with a burglar,” thought Lorraine, who was also a snob.



   But time passed. Ignac became an adult, and immediately developed a midlife crisis.



Whenever Lorraine wanted to admire herself in the mirror, she had to wait until Ignac had finished stressing over his wrinkles.

   And finally, a day that started (at 3 am) with Gilgad throwing a tantrum, ended with his birthday.



Gilgad, being a Virgo, decided that he wanted to be good, as well as brave and a lover of the outdoors.



   And even though his new pajamas included what she thought of as “that awful muscle shirt,” Lorraine couldn’t help feeling proud and pleased when she saw him sleeping in his new loft bed.

[MarianT]

The Cortneys, Chapter the Second

   It was his birthday, but Colin Cortney wasn’t happy. To begin with, there was the fact that he would have no cake.

   “Colin, I’ve explained this to you. We can’t have cake because all the sugar was contaminated in the Twinbrook Toxic Turmoil.”

   “Mom, I could make cake if you let me use my genie powers,” countered Colin.



   “And do you remember why you can’t use those powers? You’re not making something out of nothing – you’re rearranging the local molecules to produce something. And if the local molecules are contaminated, there’s no telling what poisons you might be including. Honestly, Colin, quit being such a baby.”



   The word “baby” brought up another painful issue: the fact that he would be superseded by his baby sister just because she had the ears.



   “Who is Daddy’s little heiress? Who’s a bitty nooboo?”



   Well, if Colin couldn’t be the heir (even though he was the firstborn), he’d be a king. “People of Sunset Valley, now it is time for you to bow to my will!”



   At which point his dad reminded him that his mother needed to study so she could get a promotion at work tomorrow.



   Colin went into the bathroom to talk to Snuggles, who always Understood. Unfortunately he was followed by Elanor who wanted to talk to Snuggles, too. Tomorrow he would be too old for Snuggles, but Elanor would still be able to be a child.



   To cheer himself up, he decided to slide down the bannister.



Whereupon his mother said if he had that much energy, he could go outside and recycle the newspaper. In the rain, which was turning into hail.



   When the moment came for Colin to turn into a teen, he was definitely grumpy. When his mother asked him to mop up the bathroom floor, he exploded. “Why can’t I just make the house spotless and sparkly? That doesn’t involve creating anything with possibly toxic molecules.”

   “Because you’re not going to be a genie as soon as your dad can get a potion to make you human,” said his mother. “You might as well get used to not having the powers.”



   Colin’s last hope was that he might get a cool genie outfit like his mom’s – only it would look better on him because he wasn’t overweight.



   Nope. Wasn’t going to happen. Was there no silver lining in this big black cloud?



And then, an idea occurred to Colin – if he wasn’t going to be the heir, that meant he didn’t have to get married. And that meant he could have as many girlfriends as he wanted. All of a sudden, life wasn’t too bad.

[Tiamet]

Poor Colin.  Glad the idea of girlfriends cheered him up, he looks like a heartbreaker.  And two heirs already! 

[Vinyl]

What an ambitious project!  I'm really enjoying the updates.  Are your five families working co-operatively (so each LTW achieved cleans up the world) or separately (the LTWs only clean up the one family's world)?

The idea of trying an apocalyptic sim challenge has appealed to me for a while, and your challenge rules look very neat and straightforward.  I'll definitely be following the stories.  Hopefully it's turning out to be as fun to play as it is to read about!