I need a vacation.
T. , almost 40,married. She/They. Mostly offline (not online here, not online there, almost never online anywhere). TS4. Wcif friendly. Sharing sometimes my Sims, legacy challenges gameplay or screenshots edits. My story telling will be paused for a while (don´t know how long).
Hi everyone! It´s Daniella again. My days have been quiet. I fish a lot, write...
...go for walks around the neighborhood, and to the Park with Willow...
...and even managed to max the fishing skill and finish the Angling Ace aspiration. Nothing very exciting was going on, you could say, but then...i met our local mail carrier...
Her name is Nova, and after the first awkward introduction (she seemed embarrassed, i don´t know why, i´m the one who´s usually not good with small talk and, well, people in general) she started showing up at the house, we exchanged phone numbers and started texting and calling each other and oh boy, does she talk a lot!
But here´s the funny thing: even if i don´t usually appreciate being around people who talk that much, with her...it´s different, i actually like to listen to her rambles about her job, her daily life, her dream of becoming a nurse one day...i found myself really interested in everything she has to say. It probably has nothing to do with her being so cute...or that i might have feelings for her. Nope, it must not be that ...
... anyway, just in case, i bought a few new books to keep me busy at night before bed time, or it might be hard to fall asleep with my thoughts spinning around and always going back to the mail lady...
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CHAPTER INDEX - links to every story page
TIMELINE - what happens and when
The sky looks very concerning, and it's not just the sky that's concerning... Whilst the militarywoman and the caretaker of the gardens have gotten quite far in a short space of time, Ollie is still lagging behind.
I forgot to add, Ollie suddenly responding nicely to the scent of the bizarre plant is based off a small fan theory about RE4: There is a bit where rotting meat makes Leon say he fancies a steak. This could just be his usual quips in the games, but one fan theory is that it's actually where the Las Plagas infection is kicking in (the infected Ganados are noted to live in unhygienic conditions) and I LOVE that theory.
In case you missed the translation note:
Sus'ta'a is 'aren't you cute?' in Sixamian
and Xila'sol'ta is 'She who is like the Sun'.
The quote in Ollie's thought in the last picture is based on an actual quote regarding journalism.
Lincoln Broadsheet is from another Sims game. I have not played that game, though.
Transcript:
Image 1
TRAILER PARK
6 AM
Roland: Sorry, sweetheart… I don't think any of those dogs would've been any good for a guard dog.
Tammy: Aww…but I really want a dog again! I want Bea back!
Roland: Tammy, please, I know this is upsetting…
Image 2
Roland: Good morning, Arthur.
Tammy: Oh! This is the guy you were talking about?
Roland: Not feeling talkative, huh? You really must be unwell. chuckling
Image 3
Ollie: Oh, sorry. I just woke up.
Roland: Hey, why don't you come over here and meet my kids?
Image 4
Tammy: Nice to meet you! Dad says you're the only nice Henfordian he's ever met!
Ollie: *laughing* Is that so?
Tammy: Hey, have you seen our dog, Bea? I'm sorry she bit you, but I miss her and I want her back!
Ollie: I haven't, but I'll keep an eye out, okay?
Image 5
Ollie: Sus' ta' a?* Who's this? (*'aren't you cute?' in Sixamian)
Roland: Xila'sol'ta'**. She's a cheerful little thing. Tammy loves having a Sixamian sibling. (**'She who is like the Sun'. )
Ollie: I don't usually tell anyone this, but I'd like a Sixamian baby someday, in honour of my adoptive mum. Don't know if I'm brave enough, though…
Caption above the baby: *cheerful echoing baby babble*
Image 6
Ollie: Bit cloudy all of a sudden…
Roland: Must be a haboob rolling in…
Ollie: I hope not - not with those plant spores about. Wait - do you see them floating in the air? The little pinkish bits?
Image 7
Ollie: I dunno…doesn't look like a dust storm to me, or a tornado…
Roland: Whatever it is, it don't look good… Ugh, that stench - it's like cheap perfume! It's everywhere!
Ollie: Really? I don't mind it. It's kind of sweet, isn't it? Like a fruity dessert or something.
Roland: unnerved Well, each to their own, I guess…
Image 8
CURIO STAND
10 AM
Image 9
Curio Stand Vendor: Can I interest you in any of my fine wares, sir? Crystals, hats to protect you from governmental mind-reading, magnets, T-shirts, news from outside New Sixam…
Ollie: News from outside New Sixam? What sort of news?
Image 10
Ollie: This isn't your fault, but I can guarantee that nothing in this paper is true. Lincoln Broadsheet has always been a lying cunt! Everything he says is completely unfounded!
Gaia: Oliver-
Image 11
Curio Shop Vendor: Don't you think that's a little harsh to say about him? Most people here love Lincoln Broadsheet!
Ollie: Not in the slightest! No wonder nobody tries to stop you getting hold of these… There's not a single true thing in it! You all
deserve better than this. Anyway - I'll take one of those snow globes and a fridge magnet, please.
Image 12
(Phone call)
Estelle: Oliver? How are you feeling?
Oliver: Fine. Look, I'm not getting anywhere with this. The only option I have is trespassing into the lab, somehow. It's the only place that'll have any useful information. They're even controlling what news is available here. I don't have another option.
Estelle: I doubt our lawyers will like the sound of that, but I believe public interest should justify it enough. Just don't do anything you're not well enough for.
Oliver: I'll be fine. I'll let you know once I've found something.
Image 13
Gaia: You are too quick to doubt the legitimacy of others, Oliver. Why do you not believe I exist? Why do you not believe
that I am who I tell you I am? What reason do I have to lie to you?
Ollie's thoughts: Ted says it's dry outside, Broadsheet says it's raining… and whilst everyone else argues about it, I guess it's up to me to go and look out of the window and figure out which is true.
Hi everyone! It´s Daniella again. My days have been quiet. I fish a lot, write...
...go for walks around the neighborhood, and to the Park with Willow...
...and even managed to max the fishing skill and finish the Angling Ace aspiration. Nothing very exciting was going on, you could say, but then...i met our local mail carrier...
Her name is Nova, and after the first awkward introduction (she seemed embarrassed, i don´t know why, i´m the one who´s usually not good with small talk and, well, people in general) she started showing up at the house, we exchanged phone numbers and started texting and calling each other and oh boy, does she talk a lot!
But here´s the funny thing: even if i don´t usually appreciate being around people who talk that much, with her...it´s different, i actually like to listen to her rambles about her job, her daily life, her dream of becoming a nurse one day...i found myself really interested in everything she has to say. It probably has nothing to do with her being so cute...or that i might have feelings for her. Nope, it must not be that ...
... anyway, just in case, i bought a few new books to keep me busy at night before bed time, or it might be hard to fall asleep with my thoughts spinning around and always going back to the mail lady...
A complete overhaul of the world selection screen, featuring a custom map design and a seamless layout that connects all Sims 4 worlds together.
Available in early access on my Patreon!
✨ MAIN FEATURES:
Completely Overhauled World Selection: Rebuilt from scratch, featuring custom world map design and a seamless layout for all worlds.
Animated Clouds: A new visual effect that makes the in-game maps livelier than ever.
Adjustable Tooltip Style: Choose whether hovering shows the world name with its full description, just the name alone, or no tooltip at all.
Active Family Pin: Toggle a pin showing where your active family is located so you can always find your way home quickly.
Fast Transitions: When enabled, the fade transition from the global map to a specific world is twice as fast, getting you to your destination without unnecessary slowdowns.
My city girl Nova Curious living her best live in San Myshuno. 😎 And i´m loving this "mirror selfie mod thingy" so she already took a bunch of selfies that no one had asked for. 😂
Also she isn´t exactly a chop sticks savvy type of sim it seems. 🤭
Good morning everyone! 😊 I´ve been exploring the game and realized i never played any of the Scenarios. So decided to try the "Stuck in their shadow", see how it goes. But of course i had to give a makeover to the sim from the Scenario, nope, couldn´t help it. 🤭I´ll be sharing the screenies of the gameplay for this save file too any time i can. Now, have to go to work. 🏃♀️ Wish everyone a good day/night. Bye, i´m out. 😎🤘 See you all soon. 🤗💜
'She found out what's underneath'
A mysterious photo of her sister, taken years ago in Strangerville, leads Quinn back to a place she once called home.
She came looking for answers. But in Strangerville, answers have a way of uncovering things that were meant to stay buried.
What secrets are waiting for her beneath the surface?
Sims In Bloom: Generation 3 Pt. 73 (Alice's Sorrow)
cw: spoilers for the 'Alice's Sorrow' mini-quest in Ravenwood, and mentions of the legend of La Llorona
Life in Ravenwood was good for the Specters these days. Nyon and Annie were thriving at their jobs, and as she inched closer to nursing school graduation, they'd even started thinking about planning the wedding.
Alex Goth was travelling back and forth between Olive in Ravenwood and his family in Brindleton Bay. Nyon's mother had fallen hard, as if she'd discovered the joy of first love all over again, while her son and future daughter-in-law hoped to uncover the long buried family secrets of local ghosts, Edith and Alice Basu.
"My mother had a book of legends from around the world. La Llorona wasn't the only Weeping Woman. The mother mourning her children, wailing on the wind, it's a common theme. It probably has nothing to do with Alice," reasoned Alex at the breakfast table.
"It was careless of me to make the connection without evidence," admitted Olive.
"Well, until we figure out the truth, I won't be able to get it out of my mind," admitted Nyon. "Annie's sleeping after her night shift, but she has tonight off, so we're heading back to Mourningvale when I'm done work."
"She's a lot more worked up about La Llorona than you are," Olive observed.
"She feels protective of Edith, that's why. If it turns out to be true, it's probably good for Alice's sake that she's already a ghost."
"I thought you cured Annie's wolfism, sweetheart?"
"I did cure her wolfism. Not her fight."
"I think it's great that you're trying to help Edith and her mother," said Alex. "Whatever they need, they've wandered this side long enough. They deserve to find it."
With his usual stoicism, Nyon stood to leave. He liked the Goths, as meddlesome as Alex's mother was when it came to his relationship with his donor, the Grim Reaper. But Alex made his mother happy, and that mattered to Nyon more than anything.
He was glad for the support as he and Annie investigated the deaths of Alice's children. But Alex and Olive were happy to stay home when the young couple made their way north to spooky Mourningvale.
Her face tensed into a scowl, Annie marched to the Guardian Tree with Nyon tailing behind. "Alice? Alice Basu, are you out here?"
Slowly, Alice's ghost appeared before the hollow tree. "Who calls for me?"
"I do. Name's Annie. You met Nyon and asked him to help you find out the fates of your children."
The ghostly woman's hue shifted from blue to green, as though she vaguely remembered him. "Have you learned anything?"
"Not yet. We came back tonight to check the mausoleum you pointed out the last time I was here. Or, I'm going to check it. Annie can stand guard at the top of the stairs. All sorts of things like to jump out at you in the underground crypts."
Annie creased her brow with suspicion toward the woman in perpetual mourning. "Do you really not remember how Edith died?"
The ghostly woman sniffled behind her veil. "I remember only that my heartbreak was too much to bear, and still is."
"Before she died, what was your relationship with Edith?"
"Edith was my headstrong one. She defied me at every turn, but she reminded me of myself. The others were more like my husband."
"Edith drowned," Annie said bluntly. "Does that trigger any other memories?"
Alice wailed with defiance. "I remember nothing! Oh, my Edith!"
"Annie, let her be. We don't know the truth until we find proof. I'll check the mausoleum behind the nightclub, and you can stay here to keep an eye on Alice and the tree."
Annie frowned. "I know Alice can't go far, but I'll check some of the gravestones above ground for more clues. Be careful."
With a deep breath, Nyon made his way over the bridge, steeling himself as he entered through the creaky black door of the stone mausoleum.
He stepped in a puddle on his way down the stairs - the crypt smelled of burning incense, and he pulled a lighter from his pocket to illuminate the space.
He found a wall of tombs engraved with names, and he waved the lighter over a few placards. Finally, his hand stopped in front of a sarcophagus etched with a familiar name: Deimos Basu.
Nyon read the epitaph as relief slowly washed over him. Deimos lived a long life before facing death from a cowplant. He cringed; death by cowplant was a fate he'd never want, but at least it confirmed one thing - Alice didn't harm him before her own death.
Nyon took this news to Annie and Alice back above ground. Alice was in a more playful mood and grateful to know her eldest son's fate. "I'm content he sleeps peacefully in his final resting place. Thank you."
"Where should we look next?" he asked.
"Isn't that friendly spectre in Crow's Crossing named Freddy?" Annie recalled after a moment's thought. "The one with the bowtie who likes to introduce himself to every new resident in Ravenwood."
"Freddy was my charmer," Alice remembered, shifting to green again to speak of her children. "He never met a sim he didn't want to befriend."
Nyon grinned. "That's probably where we should go next. Great thinking, Annie."
They left Alice at the gnarled old Guardian Tree, returning to Crow's Crossing under the light of the full moon. Freddy and two more bulbous spectres floated near the playground in the square, but once he spotted the curious people looking his way, Freddy somersaulted over to introduce himself.
"Hi, friends! I'm Freddy, what's your name?"
"I'm Nyon, and this is my fiancee, Annie. We wanted to ask you a few questions about your life...before. Before you became a spectre greeting living sims in a park."
The spectre thought a moment. He was used to answering questions about the town itself; few ever asked about his life before, and he found himself struggling to remember. "I was...I was an entertainer, I think. I always loved making people laugh. I saw the world."
"What about the names Alice and Edith?" Annie pressed. "Do they mean anything to you?"
Freddy thought harder. "Hmmm...Alice. Alice? I think she was my mother. I remember when she died, I told jokes at her funeral. I can't remember her face, but I remember how much she loved us. And Edith...I think she was a very good friend of mine, but she never laughed at any of my jokes."
"Are you sure? Do you remember any other siblings?"
"I remember Deimos. He told scary stories and said none of them were real, and Ann...Annie...she had your name but she wasn't like you. She loved swimming out by the mysterious rock face in the Whispering Glen."
"But you saw the world and made people laugh?"
"I think I did!" he agreed. "But things are fuzzy."
"That's okay," said Nyon. "You've been a great help."
The spectre smiled proudly and did a few backflips. "Oh, thank you! I'm so glad I could help. If you have any other questions about the town, I'm your ghost, and you know where to find me!"
They said their farewells to Freddy and his spectre friends before Annie and Nyon headed back to the house, discussing everything they'd learned so far.
"That's two for two," said Nyon, finally taking off his stuffy lab coat with no more ghosts to impress for the night. "Alice didn't drown Deimos or Freddy."
Annie nodded. "It looks like she wasn't La Llorona, but until we find Ann, we can't be sure. And Edith still drowned, after all."
"It's too late to go tonight, but on your next night off we'll head out to the Whispering Glen and look around. We might find something to tell us what happened to Ann where Freddy said she liked to swim."
Annie smiled, happy with the plan as they called their investigation for the night. They headed home, where Olive and Alexander were locked in conversation in the living room.
"It's getting harder and harder to fly back and forth between here and Brindleton Bay," he lamented.
"I know what you mean. And I've been thinking...I know your children are important to you, but they're getting older and will be out on their own soon. What if you moved in with Nyon, Annie, and I out here in Ravenwood?"
Alex couldn't mask a smile at the thought, but his heart was conflicted. He never wanted to leave his kids, but Jagger was already in college, and Carina would finish high school before long.
"I don't know, I...their mother is almost always off on some wellness retreat or another, and they both still live at home. Even if they can both take care of themselves, I wouldn't want to put their care on my mother."
Olive nodded. "Your mother thrives on taking care of her family, doesn't she? I admire that about her, as meddlesome as she can be. Didn't she push you to travel and find yourself after your divorce, in the first place?"
Alex nodded. "I would love to move in with you, Olive. I've never felt about anyone the way I feel about you, but I can't make this decision without talking to Jagger and Carina."
Olive understood. Alex wasn't the first man she'd been with who had children of his own. She refused to make decisions without considering Nyon - even if her doctor son was 28 years old and ready to start a family of his own - so she inherently understood Alexander's position .
"I love that you consider them so much," said Olive. "Our children should always come first."
"You're not upset that I need time to consider your offer to move in?"
"Not at all!" she said with a laugh. "I don't mind if you take a while to decide, but I do hope you'll eventually say yes." ->
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Gen 1 Start | Gen 1 Summary | RIP Neal
Gen 2 Start | Gen 2.1 Summary | Gen 2.2 Summary | Gen 2 Finale
NOTE: My original plan was to see if I could slowly build a romantic connection between Olive Specter and Mary Sue Pleasant, but Olive was never quite into it, even though the women are good friends. Just into guys, I guess! I thought they might both find happiness together, bond over being let down by their past loves, but the Soulmate mod squashed that plan. Poor Mary Sue, I wish there was a great love out there for her, but she's content with her grandkids and she does date around! Exhibit A: (I don't know this random townie and I doubt I'll pursue this, but good for Mary Sue!)