sims2bios

[sims2bios]

Clayton Hornsby

Clayton’s strange tale.

When I was a kid, I was often teased about my appearance.  In particular, my ears: they are large and pointed.  "Santa's helper," the other kids would call me.  I didn't hate my appearance though, I was fascinated by it.  My mother was somewhat unhelpful, my grandmother and her shared the same trait, but she knew nothing of it.  An oddity, she said, like anything else.  I noticed she often hid her ears behind her hair.

As a teen, I dug deeper into my family history.  My grandmother's maiden name was Feanor, a prominent family living in Wilholzburg.  Their family castle was mentioned in a tourist website as not open to the public due to it being still being in use as a residence.  I contacted them by mail, and was delighted when I received a letter in return.  Our correspondence went on some time, they were friendly, but not exactly welcoming.  There were many descendants of the Feanor line scattered about the world, I learned.  My grandmother had been the daughter of Gilgamesh Feanor who had a slew of daughters and a single son.  The daughters had been adventurous to the last and settled in countries far away from the family home.  As for my unusual ears, it was a trait among many of the Feanor family, shared by the current head of the household, Faegol.

After my luck with my second cousins in Wilholzburg, I contacted several other branches of the family.  It was through this I picked up correspondence with Esmeralda, another second cousin.  She did not share the odd ears of the Feanors', but her grandmother had also been one of Gilgamesh's daughters.  Esmeralda's family now lived in Cuba, but her grandmother had lived in the states.

I began to plan to move to Wilholzburg, still intrigued with the family history.  I wasn't sure if I would be welcomed, and was honestly too afraid to ask.  Esmeralda and I started a romance.  I admit hesitating at first, though I know enough about my family history to know marrying cousins isn't so strange.  Esmeralda was excited to go to Wilholzburg with me.  As I finished school I studied the language and began to submit my immigration paperwork.  Our plan was that we would marry in the states, then move to Wilholzburg together.

As I awaited the response on my immigration application I received a call.  It was from a man working with the EU, from a department for cultural relations based in northern europe.  I explained that I was applying to Switzerland, not Sweden, and sweated at the thought of my application getting misfiled and rejected.  He had an opportunity for me, he said, it was related to my ears.  I needed to sign some confidentiality paperwork first though.  It sounded like a prank, but I went along.  I told him I was about to be married and asked if I could tell my wife what ever I found out.  He agreed to send the confidentiality agreement her way as well.

The new forms filed, I found myself on the phone with the government man again.  He story was strange.  There was a number of folk living in a secluded part of Norway and they happened to share the same trait of pointed ears.  Now relations with this group was improving, and the department wished to set up a more direct line of communication.  Of course, the group disliked outsiders, but had agreed to allow me in particular to settle there due to my "heritage."  Oh, and the people there practiced magic.  Real-magic or fake magic, I asked.  Real-magic, he responded.

And so it was that a few months later I found myself stepping off a boat with instructions to meet one of these "magical folk."  The dock area was empty of people but packed with piles of wood boards and crates.  The fisherman that sailed me here waved goodbye, with plans to meet me an hour before sunset the next day.  The clearing beside the dock was bordered by thick forest.

I heard the sound of a car and a man appeared from the forest.  He was, as near I can describe, a wizard.  No beard, but a tall pointed hat, robes, gray hair, and a quiet smile.  He drove we around in his old truck on winding dirt roads.  We stopped at a clearing, where there was a half built house.  "Its yours," he said, "if you agree to stay."  It was wooden and single story.  I liked it and told him so.  He drove me to his house, a large cabin much deeper in the woods.  I asked about other people and he explained it was just him and his family here.  The only ones for miles and miles.  Oh other Fae come and go, but they live much further in the forest.

He was the town founder, he explained, or he will be, when there is a town.  Alfaemir was his town but it didn't exist yet.  He explained his eldest son was building himself a house by the lake a little ways from the dock.  "That and the cottage makes three houses, not yet a town, but getting there."  I had grown up in a small town, but not yet that small.  Still, it was what I wanted.  I asked the wizard about my ears.  "Proves you're a Fae."

Clyaton and Esmeralda

The cottage in the woods, overlooking the lake.

Clayton and Esmeralda’s pet cat, Cedric.

[sims2bios]

Andy Marx

Andy talks about his life in Port du la Reine.

My parents died within a few years of each other.  When my mother passed, I took a long look at my life.  A had an ample inheritance, but no motivation, no passion.  So I decided to travel “around the world.”

I only made it half way.  I came to Africa and expected to tour for a few months.  I was studying Islam at the time, and made a habit of praying in the local mosques.  It was there I met many interesting and kind people, including Fahad, now my father in law.  Fahad is a journalist, an author, and a sometime political activist.  When he invited me back to Port du la Reine to show me the countryside, I was ecstatic.  Indeed, this is the most beautiful place in the world.

I dreamed of staying here, and when I found out the local street market had come up for sale, I knew it was a sign.  It has proved to be a sound investment.  This town is coming into its own now, I have no doubt I am seeing the beginning of a wave of growth.  The market sells everything from local produce to imported jewelry and clothing.

Farizah and I got along from the start.  It was shrewd of Fahad to introduce us, but he refuses to admit playing a matchmaker.  Now we have two wonderful children, Hirah and Taheem.

As for the future?  Farizah and I have talked of having many children.  And Fahad and I have created a collection in the hopes of building a mosque.  The nearest is 20 miles away in another town.  If this town is to thrive, it will need a mosque of its own.

Farizah and Hirah

The street market in Port du la Reine

[sims2bios]

Lady Mary Wilder

Lady Mary reflects on her daughter’s new marriage to Sir Edward Edingham.

Yesterday, my daughter Rose married Sir Edward Edingham, the son and heir of the Earl of Gloucestershire.  I could not be more proud.

My grandfather, Lord Danton Wilder, made me the head of this family knowing that I would work tirelessly to improve our wealth and standing.  I have done everything for the sake of this family.  I contributed to our estate, became a respected judge, married as well as I could, and raised four beatiful children.  I raised Rose knowing that one day this would all be hers.

Her giving up her name for her husband's was never something I had in mind.  This was all her idea.  Her marrage to the Earl's son opens so many doors for us.  And her dowry is a much needed salve to smooth over the Edinghams' debts.  Her younger brother, Archibald, will be the new hier to the Wilder estate.  I know Rose would never have left it in his hands if she didn't trust he would make a wonderful Lord Wilder.

I don't much care for Edward.  Rose likes him though, and my motherly questioning has turned up no reservations from her.  I think she is happy.  She has advanced herself at the same time as advancing her family.  What more could a person want?

Lady Rose

Sir Egypto, Sea Captain, Lady Mary’s husband

Sir Archibald, heir

The Wilder dog, Richie

The Wilder estate in Cape Charnook, Canada

Sir Edward Edingham, heir to the Earl of Gloucestershire

Rose and Edward, outside the Edingham estate

The Edingham estate in Gloucestershire, England.  Modest compared to the Wilder’s home.

[sims2bios]

I just set up steam to take screenshots in decent res.  Since I’m on windows 10 this was the only thing that would work for me, the native printscreen would only take shots of my underlying desktop!

[sims2bios]

Ashley Smith

Ashley Smith starts a new life.

   My name is Ashley Smith, and I moved to the island a four months ago from the moon.  Well, more specifically, from Moon Base Zeta.  I was born and raised there.  And until I moved down here for good, I had only visited Earth once.  And yes, that means I'm an alien, even if I don't look like it.  Children that are raised on the moon need to be part alien, because that grants them a slew of beneficial genes against the radiation and the irregular artificial gravity.  It means we can grow up healthy in those conditions, and for the foreseeable future all moon colonists will need a little alien blood.    But despite my heritage, I never really felt like I was an alien.  My cousin and best friend, Grace, is a green-skin and she'll talk about "her people" like I'm not even included.  I guess I can understand though, everyone can see who she is just by looking.  Even though she's one-fourth just the same as I am.    I always knew I wouldn't stick around the moon.  It didn't feel like I belonged.  And as I got older, I realized how everything we do is just to further corporate or military research.  I wanted to really help people, and to do that on my own terms, and there was no place for that in the colony.  My boyfriend, Rodrigo, wanted to leave too, although not for the same reasons.  He hated the restrictions of the base- working for the government meant they controlled your salary, and living on the moon meant pod-houses.  He wanted more for himself.  He planned on moving to San Amaro when he came of age, and for a long time I planned on joining him.    A lot changed when I got pregnant, I started thinking more critically about what I wanted.  Rodrigo didn't want me to work, he wanted a housewife.  We fought over everything.  He started flirting with other girls online.  So we broke up.  He told me he would raise our child himself and when I told him we'd have to have joint custody he lost interest.  He didn't want anything to do with me.  I'm seven months pregnant now.    I polled my father’s government contacts looking for a placement on earth.  I hated to do it.  He had burned a lot of bridges, but people seemed not to hold it against me.  Now I'm working with the island's governor, researching sustainable growth and lobbying to protect indigenous sites.  The island's economy is quite strong, but I'm recommending expanding fishing industry to prevent creeping unemployment.  Especially among natives.  Up until a decade ago, native islanders were restricted from fishing, due to military exercises and private fishing contracts from outside companies.  The island has gained a lot more control of its waters, but many of the traditional fishing practices have been lost.  I'm hoping to revitalize the industry with a push towards sustainable, locally-controlled expansion.    I choose to come to the island, not just for the position I was offered, but because my mother was born here.  Before my grandparents were recruited as the founding colonists for Zeta, they lived here.  My mother used to tell me stories about the beaches and the palm trees and the ocean.  I wanted to see it for myself.  I changed my last name from Wilder to Smith.  I didn't like carrying my fathers name into my new life.    My mother and brother are still living on the moon.  My father left when I was nine.  I don't think he enjoyed the "life in the sky" or so they say.  He's full human, and moved up to the moon to oversee things for the varying earth-based interests.  That's not to say he wasn't well liked on the base.  Most people were surprised when he ran off back to earth Phador VI's wife.  I guess they wanted to raise a full-human family together, I don't know.  My mother got by okay without him though, their marriage had been one of political convenience.  A few years later she went to earth and got herself pregnant in the most stereotype inducing way.  Non-aliens have all these conspiracies about aliens seducing humans and having their children... and my mother goes to earth, picks out a "handsome guy" in a bar, and gets herself pregnant on purpose.  It makes me cringe.  But aliens have a lot of societal pressure to have children, there's only a few of us and there's all these myths about chosen ones and its our duty find our purpose, which of course means procreate so our children’s children can do the things they are meant to do.  Children are celebrated.  And my bother, doubly so, since he's "perfect." Green skin, black eyes, black hair.  My mother loves us both but she dotes on him.  He's hers alone, she decided to have him on her own and when she did, and he come out perfect.  His name is Polaris and I love him too, even if he is a little precious shit sometimes.   I'm happy to be becoming a mother.  I know it will be hard to raise him or her alone, but I know it will be so satisfying.  Moving here feels like I've left my whole life behind and now I'm starting new.

The island neighborhood where Ashley moved.

Ashley on her balcony.

Moon Base Zeta