Elves of Dragon Valley - the Starsheen Immortal Dynasty

[kylen]

This isn’t my first time playing this dynasty, but it’s the first time in around a year and a half so it all feels pretty new! The expansion packs I’m playing with are: Ambitions, Generations, Pets, Supernatural, University and Showtime. If I fail, I’m going to keep the story going and have it as an unofficial attempt/trial run. But if nothing goes wrong, then this is an official attempt.

Hope you enjoy!

--

Bright and early on a Sunday morning in Dragon Valley, a young, lone traveller arrives. His name is one that roughly translates from his elven language to Bud Starsheen.



Bud is an outdoors kind of guy. He is an elf, after all. His traits are Angler, Excitable, Loves the Outdoors, Over Emotional and Gatherer, and his lifetime wish is to catch thirteen perfect fish and put them on display in bowls.

He knows all about Ambrosia and his family mission to become immortals, so wastes no time getting to work on skilling up.



Poor Bud, looks like he won’t be getting a proper  bed for a while!



On day two he catches a water beetle by the pond then heads into town to harvest some fruits and vegetables from Dragon Valley’s wonderful community garden. He can use them as bait and as something to have a little snack on when he gets hungry.




Then it’s back to fishing. You’re going to be doing a lot of that, Bud.



(interesting note about this picture: the spot he's actually getting his fish from is all the way across the water, near the island. That's one long fishing pole!)

It doesn’t take him very long at all to get several skill points in fishing. One evening, he takes a trip over to the graveyard, and makes a friend... a very small, scaly friend with wings.



Overall, it’s a good night. He catches his first death fish! Wow those things are creepy!



Sometime during his second week, he takes a break from fishing and goes to the gym, with two main goals. The first is to have a shower, because he’s pretty disgusting by now. And the second? Find a Mrs Starsheen.

Ah! Look who we’ve got here!



Pretty, interesting skin colour and facial features. And a quick Sims wiki search reveals that she’s a young adult, has a nice set of traits, no relationship, plus three points in painting!

Her name is Siobahn Murphy.



They hit it off well and exchange their first kiss. So sweet!



But Siobahn has to dash off to work. Fiddlesticks! It looks like Bud will just have to wait until tomorrow.

They meet up in the park the next day and things progress quickly.





Congratulations to the happy couple!



There’s also the little problem of Siobahn’s love interest that needs sorting out. She invites him around while Bud goes out to fish and asks him to just be friends. He doesn’t take it very well.



But that’s not important! Because... Wait, are those chimes I hear?



Yes! Our second heir is on their way!



While Siobahn is at home, resting and painting as she waits for the baby to be born, Bud continues in his pursuits of fishing glory. He completes the first of two fishing skill challenges - to catch at least twenty types of fish. This is the twentieth fish, a Fairy Damsel.



And it looks like it's time for little one to come into the world!



Welcome, baby Cotton!



--

Note: Bud and Cotton... cotton bud. That was actually unintentional. I was trying to think of cute, fairy/elfish names and Cotton was cute so I went for it... forgetting that my founder was called Bud! It must have been in my subconscious somewhere to pair the two names together!

[CeresIn]

Another dynasty to read! Good start!

[dontmindme]

Nice first chapter! I'm glad DV's getting more attention lately (as a fan of the explosive little town) and I wish your Founder and heir good luck!

[kylen]

Thank you both for the kind words!

[kylen]

Cotton's days as an infant are spent mostly swinging around in his chair, which he enjoys very much. It gives working parents Bud and Siobahn a break for a while!



And it's not long before birthday time for our little one.




It's very obvious he's gotten his mother's cheek bones! His eyes and hair come from his father, with his skin being an unusual color - I think it most resembles Siobahn's, but I'm not certain. He's dressed in cute pink and purple outfits that have splashes of his favourite colour... grey.



Coming back to founder Bud, he manages to quickly accumulate thirteen perfect fish. Each one gets a bowl and a name and a place on the table. And boom! Lifetime wish complete!



(Everything gets sold afterwards... it would look a bit weird to have bowls of fish on your lawn)

Siobahn, having already reached level seven of painting by now, gets started on Bud's young adult portrait. She'll be our painter until she dies, which hopefully shouldn't be for quite a while.



Here are Bud and Cotton's paintings side by side. Bud's is a little funny looking, and Cotton isn't really that red, but they'll do. They're neither masterpieces nor brilliant, but it's not that important to me.



Little Cotton has a fun time as a toddler. Now that the family is comfortable in terms of funds (thanks to Bud's fishing and the income Siobahn gets despite being on leave for what seems like forever), Cotton can have lots of nice toys, including a pink fairy bear.



His parents spend lots of quality time with him, despite having to paint and cook and fish so much. Yes, they love their little one, especially Bud.




"Ah! Sparkles!"

Don't worry, Bud. You're just ageing up.

"Ah! Ageing up!"



Looking good, Bud.



As a sort of birthday present, Bud gets his very own pond, which he stocks up full with angelfish and alley catfish. Now he can reel them out to his hearts content and he doesn't even have to leave home.



(And do you like his motive mobile? That thing is a life saver!)

Siobahn also has her adult birthday, alone by her easel. Bud by the pond, Siobahn by the easel. Not surprising, seeing as that's where they spend most of their time!



(Hasn't she got such an interesting face?)



Unlike Bud, she starts having a midlife crisis. Sorry, Siobahn, but I'm afraid you can't move house and you're not going to divorce Bud. Hey, how about you start a garden to keep your mind off it? Then Cotton will have something already there to look after once he's old enough to garden.



Speaking of which, somebody else in the household also has a birthday!




And, finally, I leave you with a picture of Bud holding up a 750kg fish... in one hand. How is that even possible?!

[KRae]

This going really well. I love Dragon Valley, and I need to remember to use those baby dragons in my 4x4. A black dragon is so helpful!

[dontmindme]

Cotton is so cute! If Bud is on the rainbow slider, then that means that Cotton has his mother spot on his father's skin slider. Poor Siobahn, midlife crises are no fun. Congrats to Bud and the whole family, they seem to be doing really well.

[kylen]

Cotton is so cute! If Bud is on the rainbow slider, then that means that Cotton has his mother spot on his father's skin slider. Poor Siobahn, midlife crises are no fun. Congrats to Bud and the whole family, they seem to be doing really well.

Ah yes, that's it, that's why he's got that skin tone. The rainbow slider is so fun, isn't it? I like strangely coloured Sims, especially when they have fun hair to match!

[kylen]

Cotton has a rather stern little face for a child, mostly because of his mother's genetics. But he's an elf - elves look different to humans, don't they?



He gets the vegetarian trait to add to Loves the Outdoors and Excitable that he got when he was born. No option for green thumb yet; that'll come when he's a teenager.

His childhood is mostly uneventful. He goes to school and gets on the honor roll by his fourth day. Mama Siobahn paints his child portrait, which goes right next to his dad's adult one. They'll be moved from Siobahn's studio when a proper museum gets made... eventually!



Also, check out his school! The Dragon Valley rabbitholes really are the coolest.



Bud continues to do what he always does - fish. He catches perfect angelfish in his pond during the day, then uses them to catch perfect death fish in the graveyard at night. And those creepy fish are worth a small fortune each! He sails through the ranks of the angler self-employment career and soon supermaxes fishing after catching his 350th fish.

Siobahn has been busy too, tending the garden for the time when Cotton comes of age, collecting special seeds around the neighbourhood to get that life fruit, paints portraits, and reads cookery skill books.  After purchasing the faster learner lifetime reward, it doesn't take much time for her to get up to level ten. And you know what she has to learn how to make when she gets that skilled...



Ambrosia! Almost everything is in place for Bud to have his first bite of the wonderful dish. He just needs to age up, have his portrait taken and gather a few more best friends.

Meanwhile, let's go back to Cotton, shall we? It's his birthday again! Happy birthday, little guy!



He's certainly grown into his features. Looking very handsome too, but with a lovely distinction to his face. I'm sure he'll pass on some great genetics to the next heir when the time comes!



After picking up Green Thumb as his fourth trait, Cotton gets straight to work in the garden, managing to earn the first few skill points quickly. He also joins the self-employed gardener career and advances to level 3 with his first few sales.



As he's getting close to being a young adult, it's time to start thinking about potential wives. Cotton was born a little late, so most of the unborn kids and toddlers will be a fair bit older than him. But, he does meet one lady who could be a good bet. She's mostly certainly got some interesting colours to add to this family!



She ages up not long after this and I estimate she's about ten days older than Cotton. That could work.

He also meets a sweetheart during his prom. She's a generic-faced Sim, one without Dragon Valley's unique elfish qualities - very much human. But she's pretty, Cotton likes her.

What to do...?




Going back to Bud, it's time to say goodbye to his youth.

"What?!"

Sorry, Bud!




"Well, I suppose this isn't so bad."



Beautiful Siobahn also has her birthday and she's surrounded by her family when the sparkles hit.




(Do you like Bud's old man pastel pink and purple ensemble?)

Siobahn paints the last required picture of her husband for the museum, as well as Cotton's teen one. She'll do his young adult one and hopefully the toddler painting of the third heir... if she hangs on in there for a while longer.



And I leave you with this picture of Cotton harvesting his apple trees.



--

Sorry that this isn't very... story-ish at the moment. I'm not so good at writing plot lines and stuff for Sims challenges, I just like posting about what's going on, you know? Hope you enjoyed it anyway!

[KRae]

I always enjoy seeing how others tackle the challenges. Even when I sort of start with a story it morphs into a non-story. Don't worry about it. I'll enjoy just seeing how the genetics play out.

[dontmindme]

This was a nice update. The Mithrilen girl is lovely, as they always are, though she looks strangely pastel from that pic (can you tell I only play DV?). Her genetics should play nicely with Cotton's. Speaking of Cotton, wow, Siobahn makes some lovely looking boys. I can't believe how quickly Bud and Cotton are progressing, here's to hoping that Bud makes those friends quickly and that Siobahn sticks around for a while.

[kylen]

I always enjoy seeing how others tackle the challenges. Even when I sort of start with a story it morphs into a non-story. Don't worry about it. I'll enjoy just seeing how the genetics play out.

When I've tried stories in the past (this isn't my first time on the forum, but it's the first time in well over a year and a half), I end up focusing too much on the story and taking fancy screenshots and stuff and the actual tasks get neglected. This time I'm making their requirements the utmost priority!

This was a nice update. The Mithrilen girl is lovely, as they always are, though she looks strangely pastel from that pic (can you tell I only play DV?). Her genetics should play nicely with Cotton's. Speaking of Cotton, wow, Siobahn makes some lovely looking boys. I can't believe how quickly Bud and Cotton are progressing, here's to hoping that Bud makes those friends quickly and that Siobahn sticks around for a while.

She is very pretty, isn't she? Probably looking really pastel because of my crummy graphics, haha (have to play with just about everything on low to stop the thing crashing!). And thank you

[kylen]

Siobahn gets her old hair colour back - well, as close as I could get to her old colour. The grey really doesn't suit her the way it does with Bud.



Nearing his next birthday now, Cotton makes the decision to ask his prom girl to just be friends. The town will die off soon and this might be the last proper chance that the family gets to add some more interesting Dragon Valley genetics to the mix. So Jacqueline Mithrilen - the blue girl from earlier - will be a perfect choice for Cotton's wife.

Prom girl doesn't take it well at first, but with Cotton being Cotton, the little sweetheart he is, she quickly gets over it and they stay friends.



(Cotton looks like he sort of face planted into her shoulder here, haha)

His young adult birthday comes around and he goes to blow out his candles. *sniffles* They grow up so fast, don't they?




Cotton, you definitely need your old haircut and clothes back!



And here he is, Cotton, all grown up.



He heads out to go and find a certain blue-haired girl, who happens to be at the park where Bud and Siobahn married.



After some initial awkwardness, they start to get along very well indeed.




Get a room, you guys!



Then Cotton pops the big question...



And she says no! Jacqueline!

"Hey, I've only know the guy for a day. Give me a chance to think about it."



After some more flirting and kisses, he tries again.



And this time it's a definite yes! Oh, Jackie, why did you have to leave us in suspense?

"That's how I roll, mister."



They marry right there, not far from the spot where Cotton's parents got hitched.



Hooray for the second Mr and Mrs Starsheen!



Once home, Cotton and Jackie (it's going to be Jackie from now on... I'm too lazy to write out Jacqueline every time!) head off into their new bedroom to do a certain something that is going to bring around the next heir...



Aaaand there are the chimes!

[CeresIn]

Cotton and Jackie will make a cute nooboo.

[kylen]

Cotton and Jackie will make a cute nooboo.

Spoiler: they do