sychik-personal

[sychik-personal]

paying double the amount of tax is boring, so this season, another hood event will happen. a tragic one, although the sims who will die were supposed to die anyway according to the rules. there are many deaths this season. normally, I would have played the plebeian families first, but not this time.

Longus [Rat infestation]

no one knows where the rats came from, but they seemed to favor this particular part of the shared apartments. someone must have… gone over the top trying to poison the rodents. Risa and Claudia withered away, leaving the youngest kids to fend for themselves. the tragedy has left its mark on the children: Nonus can be very mean, while Inopinata avoids people and doesn't talk much.

Portia, the eldest daughter, returned home as soon as she found out. Claretta released her with a good sum of money, but it was just enough to cover the burial and other expenses. as the sole provider, Portia had to become a dancer.

Portia was welcomed back warmly by the neighbors. unlike her mother and sister, she hadn't made any enemies. she and Candida get along especially well, but the girl's wistful sighs show her intentions might not be as pure. luckily for everyone, her infatuation seems to be one-sided.

Ferus [Death of old age]

death has visited this family as well, although it was expected. the time has come for both Rubin and Sagitta. without the mother-in-law's help, Candida struggles to care for her (now) two children, and a third is likely coming soon. she is exhausted and starving, sleeping in a separate room not to wake up so often. Kanis is helping, but it was him who selfishly wanted this third child. the second child is a boy, and he was named Cattus.

with Risa and Claudia dead, the feud between the two families is a thing of the past. Nonus and Inopinata come and go as if they were relatives, they are welcome here and always fed. Portia visits as well, sharing stories from when she was serving a patrician family.

~~~

I accidentally killed Risa and Claudia too soon and had to adjust Portia's age. lore-wise, Portia only arrived when the kids were already grown, but in reality, it happened much earlier. Nonus and Inopinata also suffered a penalty of -10 for being exposed to rats, rat poison and whatnot during their toddler years, but grew up healthy nonetheless. resilient kids. Kanis was supposed to frame the murder on someone, but he is a Nice sim, so it doesn't make much sense. I think he only did what he considered to be right. what's interesting is that Portia is as Grouchy as the rest of the family, yet everyone likes her.

[sychik-personal]

"my sister is a dryad, how cool is that?"

[sychik-personal]

Rufius [Give them an inch… - only Arni could be controlled]

Arni wanted two things: to get fit and to get a good reputation. the second wish aligned with what he needed for a promotion, but unfortunately, he couldn't fulfill it. while Arni was busy at work, the servant, Leona, was slacking away, Aetius in his teenage rebellion didn't want to educate himself, and even Arni's beloved daughter seemed to have caught the same weird laziness. to top it off, both goat kids went missing.

Aetius is an Unlucky Daredevil, so I doubt this combination will serve him well later in life. at least he is a Knowledge sim. both make sense with how he ended up in this household. he is also uncannily similar to my real self even though his parents are not :D so, as the Watcher, I will favor him.

Circulus

Aelius, Aetius's twin, has grown up as well… into an Evil Sailor with Pleasure aspiration. [he sounds like a man who would take off on a campaign, do all kinds of bad things overseas, then return only to do the same things here at home. Oceanography, Military or a custom career? hmm…] Aelius and Portia are VERY vocal about not liking each other romantically, but weirdly enough, they make good friends.

Claretta is free to explore her passion for Science. her contributions to astronomy, probably under her husband's name, have earned the household a hefty sum. she taught Portia some literacy (or at least how to count), and the girl has been helping financially as well. both lambs have grown up to be rams; one was slaughtered and sold, the other one disappeared without a trace.

Quintus, who was taught to walk what seems like yesterday, is now going to school with his siblings. he is Absent-Minded, Candida is serious to a fault (No Sense of Humor), and Ovidius… is a weird kid (Insane). he is experiencing a slight childhood crush on Abelia: all his wishes are about her. since the old emperor is dead now, and Clematis with his Pleasure aspiration doesn't seem to share his concerns about Abelia, she might escape the fate of becoming a Vestal, and this pair might have a future.

Timerius was visited both by Claretta and Aelius. the boy is already imagining sailing far and wide, using his father's cupboard as a prop. despite having no friends that aren't relatives, Timerius earns a promotion by agreeing to a dangerous goods shipping trip.

[sychik-personal]

fall is the perfect time to arrange a hunt - a suitable pastime for the men of the imperial family. Pyrus and Lucius, too young to participate, had to stay home.

the hunt began in pleasant agitation. Vas stalked and chased the game along with Celer, leading the way as if he was a hound himself. unfortunately, all his strength was unable to save him in a fight with the furious beast. in that very moment, Clematis managed to pierce the boar with his spear, but it was too late. the victory turned irrevocably sour when Clematis heard his father, Vaio, collapse to the ground behind him. witnessing his brother die was too much for the old emperor.

Orchideus Thyrsus

the news broke Tara's heart, and she soon followed her husband. it felt weird to step into the title with no time to mourn his parents, and Clematis was in no mood for proper celebrations. he gifted money to the patrician families, though, attempting to secure his position and to restore the dignity of the noble houses.

to cope with this sudden loss, Clematis and Nona renovated the garden, both being nature enthusiasts. it is now a light and vibrant place, ready just in time to welcome their firstborn, Narcissus. Nona wants more children, but she is quite frail, so it might be too dangerous for her.

Orchideus Flosculus I [No stinky hermits: they've been to the baths exactly once because of all the children]

Verus returned home to find their servant, Elpis, dead as well. Sipesiye only shrugged, repeating she had no idea why her health got so bad all of a sudden. in truth, having discovered Elpis's pregnancy, the princess brewed a special tea for her in a display of false sympathy. she was buried modestly, and for two seasons of service, 2000 simoleons were sent to her son, Cleon.

fate is unfair: Sipesiye gave birth to not one, but two healthy children. they were named Akhraten (a boy) and Kaditede (a girl). Aktisanes has grown up, so now they have two toddlers and two babies to take care of. they took Ursa Ferus as a servant to help with this horde.

Verus also suffered an injury at work, but his health score is so good that the minor penalty isn't even worth mentioning.

Orchideus Flosculus II [No hermits - active social life documented in the pictures]

this is the only household that wasn't touched by death this season. Marcus and Ivy are now adults, but they haven't been able to conceive new children - not that they need to. the matriarch, Terra, helps with the three toddlers. Caius has just become one, while Vitus and Tullus will soon be able to start school.

~~~

posing so many sims is a nightmare

dogs are almost uncontrollable even with the cheat

RIP Celer, you were a dog I created solely for the purpose of appearing in the pictures

the "old" emperor was about 46 years old but whatever…

technically, "fall" is the second summer and "winter" is fall, but I'll stick to this proper naming from now on

it took so much time to play through that I now hate myself

also, Nephrite Neomenia for some reason has gone insane to the point EVERYONE notices there's something wrong with him. I don't remember what's wrong. dude, you have fathered EIGHT children, isn't it enough to be happy if you're a Family sim? but maybe it's all the deaths in the hood (there will be even more).

[sychik-personal]

the way my garden just exploded with 4to2 defaults 😭 those were cute mini trees before. now I will have to restyle it, which is honestly for the better

[sychik-personal]

Vestals

Sapphira is now old enough to weal a palla. she seems to enjoy her life at the house of Vestals so far, though time shows it is not a good place for those who seek love. it is getting harder for Fia to find happiness within these walls.

Ludus

the boys have become good friends and get up to various shenanigans when Kairos is not looking, like trying to figure out if they can sneak out through the bedroom window. Aelius trains ambitiously, but Servius prefers to spend his free time fantasizing about strangling Claudia. don't you worry, she will get more than she deserves.

Bellia [Zeus, you again?!]

the new unsorted household. Theia eloped with her short-haired girlfriend, and they had a little ceremony exchanging vows at the nymphaeum. the girlfriend's name is Claretta Bellia, and Theia agreed to take on her family name; as there are no plans for men to appear in the family, the family name will be in feminine form only.

Claretta is a very well educated and skilled woman, if a bit shy. she must have done something to displease the men of the family if her hair was cut and she was so eager to run away. while Florentia is not without its fantasy elements and its demiurge is quite benevolent, it isn't a perfect paradise where discrimination does not exist. these two have found their safe haven on an island, like Velius and Dahlia once did. Theia now wears her hair down. Claretta is on the fence about her own hairstyle: it is both a symbol of power and rebellion and a reminder of how powerless she was before.

Theia does a little bit of everything, but mainly, she has discovered a passion for gardening. Claretta, on the contrary, wants to get a "normal" job, but this will have to wait. the gods have blessed them with a child, Silvina. Claretta was upset and shocked at first, but she quickly changed her mind, especially after seeing Silvina's peculiar features for herself.

~~~

Theia was the natural choice to carry the faelien pregnancy, because Claire-Claretta is a townie and her genes have zero importance. that said, I've had enough. let's hope the faelien baby boom stops after that.

[sychik-personal]

Longus

[Matchmaker curse]

this... line of work involves high risks and hanging out with many dubious individuals. one time, Nero just doesn't return home. Claudia grows up depressed and deeply troubled; her mom even jokes about sending her to ludus, just like her brother. admittedly, she is Over-Emotional, but also Ambitious in her pursuit of money.

Risa, it seems, wasn't deeply in love with Nero, because first thing she wants after his death is to find a new love. this plan goes nowhere (because the man was dressed as a firefighter and I couldn't take it seriously), but Risa is past her prime anyway. and perhaps, this is why the matchmaker's curse comes in a different form.

Ferus

[Crushing]

here, Ursa grows up as well. like Claudia, she's after Fortune, and her raging hormones agree: she sighs wistfully, looking at Julius Flosculus and knowing well it will go nowhere. or will it?

Ursa doesn't get along with Claudia, and this is an understatement. Risa, too, got into a fight with Kanis, perhaps blaming him for her husband's death, because Kanis is also a Criminal. the tension between the two households is escalating, but the consequences will have to come later.

Sagitta is now an elder. she isn't happy with how her life turned out, but even this isn't enough to make her health worse. there's a good chance she will stick around to look after grandchildren, the first of which is a girl named Locusta.

~~~

the game crashed before I could save but after Candida giving birth, so the screenshot features Locusta the second. the first was blue-eyed and lighter-skinned. also, the poll tax is crazy: the Ferus household has five "adults" and has to pay 2000 simoleons per season (double that and they're on the verge of poverty).

[sychik-personal]

Lepidus

[Adoption]

Aelia seems to get along fine with other children and her adoptive parents. right around the time of adoption, Fabius and Pyritha unexpectedly got two babies of their own to care for, so Aelia is left to stand out in her old clothes. the boys were named Junius and Julius.

Viridis

[No ROS]

the boys are growing up. Evios wanted to have his first kiss, and Cleon wanted to go on a date, so they ended up exploring this together. not to the point of exploring exploring. Evios is a Family sim and the heir to the original bloodline, and it is logical that he has to get a wife later, but no girl he knows has caught his fancy yet - not even one bolt with anyone.

Viridis II (-> Alienus)

[Insanity]

having green children was too much to handle. unable to cope with unsolved mysteries of the universe, Nero left abruptly to search for his own answers.

he was lucky to find them and return home safe. not only that, but two years of hermit life allowed Nero to reach the previously unseen heights in science... with only minor damage to his psyche, or so it seems. the whole family earns a cognomen - Alienus.

Nero also arrived just in time to witness his firstborn turn into a teenager. Primus is a Popularity sim, so maybe he will be a famous artist one day.

Neomenia

[No ROS]

meanwhile, it's all about babies in the Neomenia family. Nephrite and Nadia, too, welcome two new boys: Heliodorus and Aktis. (and I silently hope for a war event when they are all grown up). Amethystos understands very well that his parents aren't done making children of their own and finds his own place. he and Zaria Viridis have two bolts of chemistry, luckily, but the marriage was still a little too soon for the unfulfilled playboy. the generous uncle Arni has provided Zaria with a dowry of 1000, Nephrite and Nadia could only spare 4000. their new home is no better than the one Timerius lives in. at least Zaria is temporarily happy.

~~~

I have introduced a poll tax instead of the normal one. it will be equal to the salary cap for the lowest classes, 400 simoleons per every sim teen and older. this season, the hood ROS is Immense Taxes, so they all pay double the amount except households that are exempt from paying taxes. perhaps I should also track how long servants spend working for a family, to see how much money of their own they could have accumulated.

[sychik-personal]

this was what one of the most peaceful and easy-to-play families decided to grace me with before my surgery

[sychik-personal]

Rufius [no ROS]

with some patience (and a bit of help from the sim blender), the children finally start to get along. Arni shows no signs of wanting to get married for the second time, and he sees Aetius as his own heir. he won't be adopting him officially, instead he has a pretty unconventional plan for Aetius to marry Aurea and take her family name instead.

Zaria has set her sights on Amethystos Neomenia, and the attraction is mutual, so they will get married later when Amethystos is an adult. since she will be moving out, Arni has taken Leona Ferus as a servant. she grew up to be a stunning young woman as well.

Circulus [Abandonment - Timerius]

Timerius has grown unhappy with his life choices: he feels like his family is holding him back from achieving his dream of being extremely wealthy (he is right, though). he discussed it with Zoe, and she, like the loving and wise mother she is, agreed he needs to pursue his goals. so Timerius kissed his kids goodbye and left.

what Zoe didn't expect was for her time to come so soon after her son had left. Claretta had to take Portia Longus as a servant. she couldn't handle the household and the children all on her own, even though it is easier now that Quintus is the only toddler. Ovidius is now a child. the Circulus genes are obvious in his features.

there was no divorce, and the funds were split almost equally: 7000 simoleons went to Claretta, while Timerius used his 6000 simoleons to move into a very modest house and start a Business career. I have to mind the 1000 salary cap though, and he'll probably have to do something on the side to achieve his life goal. the extra money will all be sent to his family, obviously. now that he lives alone, he is happier overall but misses Claretta dearly. all his wants and fears are about her. does he miss his children? eh, probably.

I am starting to really get into this pseudoroman architecture. simple to build and adapt to whatever purpose I have in mind. please ignore the ugly modern mailbox.

[sychik-personal]

oooh new causes of death for my sims just dropped *rubbing my hands together*

seriously though 1) my imagination isn't the best so this is a lifesaver and 2) I forgot that hunting existed as a pastime...

apparently Ancient Romans liked boar hunting. a good reason for all my emperor male sims to get together

[sychik-personal]

Orchideus Thyrsus [no ROS]

here, we are met with four birthdays all at once. the only one actually celebrated is Clematis as potential future emperor. him becoming an emperor has to wait, but he follows in his father's footsteps and takes up a job in Politics.

Abelia has become a child - another prime candidate to become a Vestal Virgin, and Pyrus is an unhappy teenager. like his older brother, he is a Pleasure sim, but he lacks ambition, and his health isn't the best.

their servant, Iolita, is an adult woman now as well. consistent with the Watcher's my goals, she dreams of marrying rich. before she became an adult, she made acquaintance with the two oldest Flosculus brothers and liked them equally well (two bolts for each). Marcus is still firmly married, but she will be a good match for Julius.

Orchideus Flosculus I [Something fresh]

Nensela is growing up, and an heir, Aktisanes, is born, so it is time for some investment into how the house looks.

Verus is an adult, and, among other things, a Brave Daredevil. he, too, takes up a job in Law Enforcement, like his father. Vas's hair is all grey but he is still trying to get to level 10.

even though this household is small, it's a breeding ground for drama. Sipesiye and Elpis didn't get along from the very beginning, but now the tension has escalated. the dalliance with the head of the family is also starting to bear fruit…

Orchideus Flosculus II [Give it a try - Terra]

Marcus breaks the tradition and becomes an investigator. I doubt there was such a job in Ancient Rome, so I imagine it's more like law enforcement with a more in-depth approach. whatever Marcus is doing, he's good at it, and the rich are allowed to have their quirks.

Tullus and Vitus are toddlers now, and if I were the father, I would suspect Ivy of adultery. Tullus undeniably has Marcus's (and Terra's) mouth and facial structure, but the genes have mixed in such a way that he looks weirdly asian.

Lucius has grown up. he is a Family sim, and like Pyrus, kind of a forgotten child. he dreams of getting to the top of Culinary career, and as a third son in a side branch, he would be allowed to.

before Terra went all grey-haired too, she had to fulfill the ROS - pay the matchmaker and take a chance at dating. the date was dressed in a modern suit and nothing of interest happened.

another boy, Caius, was born - without my wish or interference, because after two boys Marcus and Ivy are free to NOT have children. with so many people in the house, no one noticed Theia was gone. where to? to the end of the rotation, into a rebellious family of her own

[sychik-personal]

perhaps unintuitively, this rotation starts where the previous ended - with the Longus household, because it is time to disband it. Velius wasn't too cautious with fish (or his own fingers), so he met an untimely death.

the poor children have nowhere to go: they don't know their mother was the emperor's daughter, and even if they knew, they wouldn't ever be welcome in that family. the two used what little money they had to return to the peninsula; Aelia got adopted by the Lepidus family (another ROS fulfilled), while Aelius ended up in the gladiator school (with Fitness as his designated hobby). it's a bit funny that Servius is his uncle.

the Vestals get to recruit a girl. most of the available girls are either the only child or of lower birth, so they ended up accepting Sapphira Neomenia into their ranks.

[sychik-personal]

the Vestals got the Festivities ROS and invited some plebeian and patrician women. I don't know what exactly I did differently here, but the party was good. even though Zoe got struck by lightning.

Azalea's passion is Science. the girl spends all of her time looking at the sky.

overall, they lead a very peaceful and respectable life.

[sychik-personal]

so, why did everyone move out of the old insulae? perhaps because strange things started to happen more and more often. the Longus family now has a green child of their own - Inopinata (thanks to ROS). the unkempt hair is on purpose, but it almost made me forget they had another male child, Nonus.

Portia is a teen now. she's very sweet-looking, but I try to remind myself everyone in this family is Grouchy. she is a Fortune sim, which makes sense.

the Ferus family remain as their neighbors. Kanis is an adult; for now, he continues to be enrolled in the Criminal career. he and Candida* got married, though she is now unhappy and tries to find solace in music. it is the only easily accessible skill and she is a Knowledge sim.

* also, funny how she turned out to have black hair... though I suppose she looks more or less white, so the name I gave her isn't too inaccurate.

Columba is a child now (Outgoing and Serious). Sagitta is on the verge of becoming an elder (and Leo IS an elder, I don't remember mentioning it), so it's good they are done with making babies.

as for the runaway Velius and his children... they got An evidence of your love(?) ROS, and I was to make the worst date possible. I underestimated the power of two bolts and failed at failing. it wasn't a Dream Date, but it was okay. I'll still consider it done, but I will remember this nuance if I get this ROS again.

[sychik-personal]

I think this warrants a separate post. here is the gladiator school I built:

perhaps it should have been wider to make the inner courtyard bigger, but I also don't want to handle more than four potential gladiators at once, so it is a small school.

Kairos Viridis will become the lanista of this school. his personality makes him a less-than-ideal candidate: Nice, Shy and Lazy doesn't scream "I'll train boys to fight to the death in the arena". however, he is single, more or less young, a Popularity sim and a plebeian whose reputation won't suffer much. I also don't have any other plans for him. the building of the ludus is sponsored by the future emperor Clematis, so Kairos doesn't have to pay for moving in. he takes 8,000 out of family funds; Evios and Cleon are left with 7,000. Servius has successfully moved out (though he still comes by occasionally just to beat his sister... sigh)

other than focusing on Body skill and Charisma in training, I don't know yet how I'll handle the actual fights and earnings. one fight per season sounds reasonable, and maybe some rolls that will be affected by skill.

I also thought the city needed some gardens.

[sychik-personal]

No, I just used my basic knowledge of objects and clothes, etc. in Milkshape and simPE.

BIG TUTORIAL under the cut.  With pictures:

Keep reading