Warning: Contains vampires and may be dark.
THE STRAUD DYNASTY
Prologue -- The Count and the CroneOne day, just like that, the membrane separating Forgotten Hollow from the rest of the Sim world was severed.
Count Vladislaus Straud IV was reading
Plasma Fruit: Boon or Bane? when he became aware of the change. "At last!" he gloated, long penned up in a dark world inhabited only by vampires, "fresh plasma, maidens, freedom! And, dare I think it, toddlers?"
For Count Vlad adored the chubby little demons, not as a source of food, as some would have it, but because their chirping voices and lurching walk brought joy to his lean and withered heart. With only three residents in Forgotten Hollow, all of them vampires, it had been suicidal to try to breed. There were only so many plasma fruits to go around.
Besides, Count Vlad didn't want a vampire mate. Vampires were a contentious lot, not likely to get along well with others. A human mate at least had a few uses in addition to producing babies. She could provide plasma, and could be mesmerized to perform tasks about the house. And if he didn't wish to be disturbed by her demands, he could make her sleep for a long time so she would leave him alone.
In this new world, the Count discovered a dozen female Sims who were perfect for his needs -- lovely, young and docile. He wanted to marry them all, but that way led to exhaustion. What he wanted was to marry one and then move on to the next when the first became old or boring. But the others would all be older, too. What to do, what to do?
Count Vlad pored over his volumes of vampire lore, seeking to discover a way to preserve humans in their youth. And finally, in the last book he read, he came across something which gave him an idea. Vampirism was something that could be cured. Vlad wasn't interested in a cure for himself, but if he turned all his future brides into vampires, they would stay young forever. Then he could, at his leisure, cure one after another and provide himself with a new source of tender young delight.
Excited, he set out upon his program that very evening, turning Nina Caliente first,
then Cassandra Goth,
then Luna Villareal,
then Sofia Bjergsen,
then Morgan Fyres.
He was stopped in his progress by an old crone. "It's a good thing I caught you," she cackled. "You lost all track of time, didn't you?"
To his shock, Vlad realized that it was nearly daybreak. He was exhausted and he suddenly felt rather hungry.
"Don't even think about chomping on me," said the old witch. "I've a message for you from the Watcher."
Count Vlad laughed. "Don't tell me you actually believe in that myth!"
"Yes, and you'd better, too," said the witch. "She has the power to lock your front door against you and keep you outside until you spontaneously combust, so you'd better do what she wants. Here's a letter for you."
He slit open the envelope with one of his teeth (fangs had other uses besides piercing skin) and pulled out a thick wad of paper.
Dear Vlad,(Hmmph, he snorted -- not even the courtesy of his title, self-bestowed though it was.)
It is my understanding that you have begun the program I had intended for you. But since we hadn't communicated yet, I doubt that you are clear on the concept. I do want you to be the founder of a dynasty, a long and highly productive dynasty. To that end, I require you to "turn" youths from 10 or 12 of the leading families of Willow Creek, Oasis Springs, Windenburg, and San Myshuno. (Vlad's eyes gleamed -- 10 or 12? and so far he'd only done 5.)
They should be about half male and half female and no older than young adult.(What? He had no intention of marrying any men, no matter how handsome they might be.)
Your vampiric offspring will be kept young so that they can be spouses, in time, for your descendants.
Vlad looked up and glared at the witch. "Did you put the Watcher up to this? I know your lot is jealous that we vampires broke through first, but it's still a bit low."
"I had nothing to do with it," said the witch.
You'll find basic instructions in Attachment A -- Ten-Gen Townie Dynasty Challenge. You'll need to move out of your house and move in with your spouse; I suggest you make Straud Mansion a museum. You'll have to put together a collection of 10 items -- photographs will be quick -- and get married and produce a heir within the first 10 days. (Leave Straud Mansion? thought Vlad. Never!)
Once you've moved in with your bride and her household, you'll have to accumulate 200 points before control can pass to your heir. You'll note that the instructions in Attachment A say 50 points, but I've lengthened the lifespan of those around you by a factor of 4. To aid in achieving the goal of 200 points, I've added several additional ways to gain points, to wit:- +1 point for spending 2 or more hours at a different community lot.
- +1 point for spending 2 or more hours at a different festival.
- +2 points for obtaining a plaque for completing a collection (or just completing the collection, if there's no plaque). No repetition among heirs until all collections have been completed.
- +2 points for obtaining the urn of a parent's remains and placing it in the family crypt.
- -40 points for a controlled vampire, which may be spread throughout the point total as -2 at the beginning of every 10-point increment.
Also, you and your heirs may gain points through 2 skills at once, and the limits on points that can be gained are removed."I don't have time for worrying about points," Vlad told the witch. "It sounds like a very unaristocratic thing to do. You can tell her I'm not interested."
"Keep reading," said the witch. "There's another page."
If you are willing to accept the challenge, then you may so inform my emissary. If not, then, I shall investigate whether Caleb or Lilith Vatore is interested and offer my terms to them. Needless to say, you will not be allowed to create any more vampires and you will be unable to have progeny."She can't prevent me from having children," said Vlad.
"Yes, she can," said the witch. "There are no children born here without the Watcher's blessing."
In closing, I realize that you are both evil and a loner, with powers greater than those of ordinary Sims. I am willing to cut you some slack, but if I observe that you are abusing your powers and position, I will arrange some punishment. The ultimate punishment would be to cure you of vampirism, of course. I do so hope it won't come to that.
Cordially,
The Watcher"This all sounds like the kind of plot that a witch would come up with," said Vlad, "but I'd hate to see that namby-pamby Caleb Vatore fill the world with his spawn. I do have a few conditions of my own that I hope the Watcher will agree to:
- Each heir will bring his or her toddlers to spend time with me until the future heir has become my good friend.
- Each heir will attempt to produce as many toddlers as possible and will acquire the "On a Ley Line" lot trait upon moving in with his spouse.
The witch meditated a few minutes; Vlad sneered to see that she required a stool and was unable to levitate gracefully as he could.
"The Watcher agrees," she said, "but she wants to know whether you want to see all the toddlers, and whether your heirs can quit producing toddlers once you've become good friends with the future heir."
"All," said Vlad, "and I see no reason why they should quit producing them. The whole point of this exercize is that I get little ones to play with. But they can wait until one batch of toddlers has become children before they produce another."
"My work is done then," said the crone. "Count Vlad, it is been a pleasure."
"Not so fast," said Vlad. "It was most unwise of you to keep me talking before I'd fed."
When the witch recovered, she was furious. "I have powers of my own," she hissed. "And I curse you, Vlad Straud, and all your descendants. Wherever you and they live, there will be unpleasant surprises -- gremlins here, filthiness there, perhaps a ghost or two. Enjoy your new lodgings, mwahaha!"
