#faq: werewolves

[lunarcovehq]

can vampires & werewolves smell a difference between species?

Hi nonnie, the short answer is not really, but they might be able to use their enhanced senses to be able to discern some differences between species. For instance, the Vampires in this world don't smell like death as our vampires are not technically dead. They might have died temporarily, but after waking up as a vampire, they have become their own species with their own heartbeat that circulates their blood throughout their body etc. So, they would not smell like death and would definitely smell like a corpse. Their scent would be nearly indiscernible to that of a human. But, while they do have a heartbeat, it doesn't beat at the same rate as a regular human's would (which would be a tell that you may be in the presence of a vampire). Vampires also run colder than the average human, so in terms of scent, they likely would have less of a distinct body odor. It's also nearly impossible for a vampire to break a sweat, so they wouldn't carry a smell that a human might, per say, after having run a marathon. Wolves on the other hand, run hotter than the average human, so technically speaking they would be more likely to have a distinct scent to them, but when in human form, their scent is still nearly indiscernible to that of humans. Though, when they shift, they would develop more of a distinct scent closer to that of a wolf than that of a human (but given that they aren't wolves, but shifters, their scent even in wolf form would still be distinguishable from that of an actual wolf). In terms of witches, they'd smell exactly the same as humans, though a fire witch would likely smell of embers or a fireplace after using their magic, just as an earth witch may smell of plants and or dirt after playing with twigs and rocks. In terms of fae, fae in human form also smell nearly indistinguishable to humans, but I would imagine, they'd smell slightly sweeter, especially to vampires who can smell their blood. Sirens might also smell a little fishy when in their merform. But, long story short, in human form, most species smell like humans. Though their can be some distinct tells one may be able to pick up if they are looking out for it.

[hetaween-event]

Hi, I hope y'all are doing well and enjoying your autumn to the fullest!

How hard are we supposed to adhear to the prompts? I had an idea for day 5 in which a socially awkward ghost pretends to be a demon to scare off the people who've trespassed into their abandoned home... Do I have to include an actual demon for it to count?

hey hey! all good over here, thanks, we're officially in the spoopy september mood! hope you're enjoying autumn too! 🍂

so, of course we want to see the prompts used in some sort of way in works - the idea of a prompt is to inspire and guide you! but we also don't want you to feel you have to take a prompt and be literal and direct with it if it's not working for you, or inspiration takes you down a different route.

looking at your example, that work would absolutely be acceptable for the event! it's a fun twist on the prompt, which is great to see when the prompt allows for other cool interpretations like that. that being said, for prompts like 'werewolves' or 'vampires' it's likely you'd take it at face value and we love that too! you guys voted for these prompts, after all - and we're dead excited to see what you all have in store!

in conclusion, should you find a prompt you feel you're able to utilise in a different way to the 'obvious', then we say: go for it! as long as it's clear how a work links to a prompt, then that works for us! but there's no pressure to do so either. and if you're ever in doubt, you're always welcome to ask us to check! :)

[veritasislehq]

hi hi hello! so i’m planning on bringing a werewolf without a pack, a lone wolf that went rogue after Things happened in her life 👀 but i have a few questions: first, the species section says werewolves’ wolf gets triggered after a first kill, does this mean a person can have the ww gene but never become an actual werewolf/shapeshifter? in this case, does the person possess any of the other ww’s abilities (outside of shapeshifting) or all of them are only reserved for triggered werewolves? second, can a rogue wolf live in or visit moonlit creek?

Hello, first we are very excited you are interested in group! That said, that's a bit of an error on our side as we meant to change the triggering of the gene. It wouldn't really make sense that there were so many deaths on an island, even if some are accidental. We're going to change it, so that one pack is cursed with it, though we'll come back with a subplot for that. Instead, it'll be at the age of eighteen, and for lycanthropes that are bitten, it'll trigger once the first full moon comes after they were bitten. We apologize for that oversight, we'll get that changed now! The specific pack will be one that was sort of banished from Moonlit Creek, more or less. That said, whether your character comes originally from that pack is up to you! We mentioned them briefly on the npc page. There's also the Rogue Pack which would be an option for living quarters depending on if that fits your muse which can be found here. As for your second question, I would say yes, one of my muses is a bit of an outcast / rogue himself, mostly by choice, so it is definitely possible ! He lives on the outskirts sort of towards the border of Moonlit Creek and Ashborne City, so it is definitely possible! Whether or not they would want to is up to you, it's possible for them to live elsewhere despite being a werewolf, though likely that would be in Justport or Ashborne City!

[aphelionrpbuzz]

historically, werewolves & witches are tied together - but in modern day, is there any resentment that remains between the species?

Hi! Yes, there is definitely at least a level of distrust between witches and werewolves, even historically. Once the curse was placed on the original werewolves, they held no love for witches any longer.

However, most werewolves are comfortable going to or working with hedge witches since they do not belong to a coven and are seen as more trustworthy as a result.

Resentment... that depends on the person/pack and how said pack's ancestors viewed the original curse. Some packs gradually learned to let go of their resentment while others clung to it like a lifeline.

[finnlongman]

Dear Tumblr, I have been desperately wanting to share this news with you since May last year and now I finally can: Gollancz is publishing not one, not two, but THREE of my queer medieval retellings over the next few years! You'll have seen me posting little bits about these books in the past, but I'm so excited to get to share them with you properly.

First up in 2025: The Wolf and His King, a queer retelling of Bisclavret that uses werewolfism as a metaphor to explore chronic pain and illness. It's also very much about gay yearning, fealty, and the mortifying ordeal of being known. Partially in second person and partially in verse, you can see my previous posts about it under the tag the wolf and his king or, for the really early ones, werewolves and gay yearning.

In 2026, I'm bringing you The Animals We Became [working title], which is a queertrans retelling of the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, looking at gender, compulsory heterosexuality, and trauma, via nonconsensual shapeshifting. Lotta trans vibes, lotta trauma; I wrote a first draft of this last year because I got carried away writing the sample chapters for my proposal and I'm excited to get deeper into it in edits. Aka t4t shapeshifting and trauma; generally tagged as also owls are transmasculine now.

And finally, in 2027, which is the one I've honestly been most excited to tell you guys about, it's To Run With The Hound [working title]. If you've been following me for a while, you'll know that I wrote a book with this title way back in 2018… well, the one I've sold isn't exactly that book, it's a proposal for how I intend to completely rewrite that book from the ground up, but yes, this is it: my Cú Chulainn novel, my queer medieval Irish book, my (hopefully) magnum opus. Haven't written it yet, but the plan is to use a nonlinear narrative to explore why Táin Bó Cúailnge is a tragedy, featuring a great many feelings about Fer Diad, Láeg, and Cú Chulainn himself.

There's a bit more detail and some FAQs on my website right now, but the most important thing is QUEER MEDIEVAL BOOKS WRITTEN BY SOMEBODY WITH MULTIPLE DEGREES IN MEDIEVAL LITERATURE. If that sounds like your jam, stick around.

[aftg-paranormal]

Do you love AFTG? Do you love the paranormal? Then this is the fest for you!

The AFTG Paranormal Fest aims to inspire fanfics and artwork based on all things supernatural.

You can sign up as a writer, an artist or both! Express your interest by filling out this form now! Sign-ups begin May 1st.

Please reblog to spread!

What content is allowed?

Anything and everything paranormal, supernatural and AFTG. All we ask is that it is tagged correctly when posted.

All transformative works will be accepted. All relationships, tropes and ratings are accepted. There are no limits, other than the paranormal!

You may use themes such as, but not limited to:

Vampires

Werewolves

Witches / Magic

Ghosts / spirits

Superpowers and/or abilities

Reality shifting

Mermaids / Sirens

Ressurection

Demons / Angels / Devils

Time Travel

Seers / precognition

Faeries / Fae

Dragons

Aliens

And more! If it is supernatural, it counts!

If you have any questions. do not hesitate to reach out through our inbox, asks or discord!

FAQ

Q: Am I allowed to sign up as both an author and an artist? A: Absolutely!

Q: Can I finish my WIP for this event? A: Absolutely, as long as it is completely unpublished (i.e. is not already up on AO3).

Q: Can I write a sequel? A: You can write sequels to already-existing fic! However, it must also be possible to read as a standalone. If you are writing a sequel of someone else's fic, you must have their permission.

Q: What kind of art is accepted? A: Everything! Drawings, paintings, fan videos, podfic, edits, everything in between!

Q: Can my friend and I sign up as a pair? A: You absolutely can! Can't wait to see your collaborative efforts.

Q: Are crossovers or fusions allowed? A: Yes, as long as AFTG is the main focus.

[lovebites-if]

DEMO (tba) - FAQ - NAVIGATION

Tag(s): Slice of Life, Fantasy, Comedy, Drama, Romance, YA, LGBTQ+, Text-based, Lighthearted. Inspired by The Office and What We Do In The Shadows.

Congratulations, human!

You have been chosen to join the extraordinary Creature Mediation Center (CMC), a unique workplace where all kinds of different monsters creatures collaborate to bridge the specieist gap in our society. As the newest and only human of our team, you'll navigate a world of diverse creatures, handling counseling sessions, managing projects, and making critical decisions to foster harmony between two worlds.

Welcome to a realm where diplomacy is a blend of corporate intrigue and fantastical diversity!

Customize your human MC's physical appearance, personality, age (25-35) and many more features.

Build relationships with diverse colleagues, each with unique personalities, backgrounds, and challenges. Strengthen alliances or face consequences based on your interactions.

Encounter a plethora of fantastical creatures, each with its own cultural nuances, habits, and communication styles. Learn to navigate this rich tapestry of diversity.

Juggle various projects aimed at fostering understanding and cooperation between monsters and humans. Successes and failures affect the overall atmosphere in the office.

Engage in crucial decision-making that impacts office dynamics, relationships, and the overall course of monster and human relations. Your choices influence the harmony or discord between both species. Good luck, human!

RO Intros • Choosing a route

Among the various members of your team, we present you the Monsters Working With the Human Division (MWHD) provisional name.

Naira/Namid (she/her or he/him) • THE WEREWOLF • 32 years old

Animated, bubbly and incredibly friendly, our beloved N brings an energetic and passionate, and lively spirit to the office. As a Werewolf, their empathetic nature makes them adept at counseling. They joined the office seeking a bridge between the worlds, hoping to dispel misconceptions about werewolves and foster understanding.

Friends to lovers, idiots in love, (possible) friends with benefits. It's possible to enter a poly relationship with N and Val.

Val (she/her or he/him) • THE VAMPIRE • age undisclosed (200+)

Mysterious and meticulous, Val is the epitome of a centuries-old vampire. Their adherence to rules and structure contrasts with the unfortunate chaotic nature of the office. Val took on this role to observe and maintain order, ensuring the delicate balance between humans and monsters.

Slow-burn, (Val's) First love. It's possible to enter a poly relationship with N and Val.

Maureen/Marius (she/her or he/him) • THE GRIM REAPER • age undisclosed (300+)

Enigmatic yet compassionate, M retired from their reaping decades ago. They've been part of the office for a few years now, working almost exclusively with ghosts and their human relatives. M's unique perspective offers profound insights into life and afterlife.

Forbidden love, friends to lovers, mutual pining.

Devan (they/them) • THE ONI • 28 years old

Devan embodies the mischievous spirit of an Oni, their playful and curious personality makes them difficult to handle, yet very useful in dynamic environments. Their love for challenges drew them to the office, eager to tackle the complexities of monster and human relations.

Idiots in love, (possible) friends with benefits. Oblivious to love (Devan).

Lucian/Leah (he/him or she/her) • THE MERMAID • 25 years old

L's calm and observant personality brings a tranquil presence to the office. As a Mermaid, they contribute a unique perspective on the challenges of both land and sea. L joined to explore new horizons and bridge the gap between underwater and terrestrial life.

Rivals to lovers, (possible) rivals with benefits, pining (one-sided, mostly MC's).

Cyrus (he/him or she/her) • THE ZOMBIE • 30 years old

Cyrus defies zombie stereotypes. Their ability to empathize and understand others' emotions makes them an excellent counselor. Cyrus joined the office seeking redemption and a chance to demonstrate that even the undead can contribute positively to society.

Everyone can see it, Girl/Boy next door, Soft love.

??? (he/him or she/her) • ??? • ???

Are you sure about that?

Enemies to lovers. Red flag RO. “I can fix them.”

While we support, Human-Monster relationships, dating a coworker is prohibited. If you suspect anyone in your work environment of engaging in such behavior, contact your boss and supervisor Arion/Arianne (a proud gorgon).

We hope your time with us is fruitful, human.

[puckluckfest]

Puck Luck Fest 2024 — a hrpf magical realism prompt meme!

let your characters live in a world where wishes made on the stanley cup come true! stick 'em in a time loop! make the hockey gods real, and have them curse some guys for real! we are using the hrpf fandom's interpretation of magical realism for this fest, where most things about characters' lives are the same. except ... there's a truth curse, or soulbonds, or a wishbaby, or someone transforms into an animal, etc. fic with a more urban fantasy flavor (everything's the same except that werewolves or vampires or witches, etc. are real) is also totally welcome in this fest. basically — any prompt or fic where the premise is 'hockey + some brand of magic' is welcome here! you can get as high concept as you want and develop lore and rules for magic to tell your story. or you can also keep things lowkey, and let your characters be completely shocked to find out they live in a world where their captain gets de-aged after a bad game.

ao3 collection  —  HERE!

faq  —  HERE!

rules  —  HERE!

Schedule 

Prompts & Sign-Ups Open: March 22, 2024

Prompts & Sign-Ups Close: April 12, 2024

Fics due: July 22, 2024

Fics go live: July 24, 2024

Authors revealed: July 26, 2024

[soaps-mohawk]

Cherry Red, Crimson Blood Lore Posts Masterlist

Here is a semi-organized list of lore and world building posts for my Cherry Red, Crimson Blood series to clear things up, add detail, answer any questions, etc.

You can search #crcb lore on my blog if you'd like to just scroll through all of these for funsies.

Lore Masterlist Part 2 Other Fun Ideas Masterlist CRCB Barracks Sims Build Screenshots Fic Masterlist

FAQ

When are new chapters posted? How long is the story going to be? What pairings are in this fic? How old is everyone Who all is in the story? Are there deltas or gammas in the fic? What is the "42" reference in Chapter 3? Will there be pregnancy in the fic?

General Omegaverse Questions

Werewolves vs omegaverse How I pick characters' statuses Female Alpha/Male Omega pairings

Heats

What is a heat and how do they work? What happens when the guys are deployed? Is Price the only one that can help with reader's heats? Can betas help with heats? Heat Sickness Can omegas get heat sickness more than once? How alphas act during heats Are heats different with purebred alphas and omegas? Do omegas go into heat when they're pregnant?

Kneeling

How does kneeling work? Do betas kneel? Where do they kneel? Positioning during kneeling Could kneeling happen while giving head? The kneeling incident at the institute

Scenting

How do scents work? How does scenting work? Johnny passed out during scenting

Presentation

What is the presentation process like? Genetics behind presentation How statuses know who's who

Institutes

What do average alphas and betas know about institutes What was the institute like? Omega relationships in the institute How do omegas get sent to institutes Were domestic tasks taught at institutes?

Bonding and Claiming

What is bonding? Is a claiming bite permanent? How many alphas can an omega be claimed by?

Relationships

Omega and alpha relationships Classism and relationships Can alpha/alpha pairings work?

Omegas

Distressing What happens when the omega takes over? Hunting Omega rights Could omegas have side hustles? Could reader mark the others? Can betas and omegas have pups? Can only omegas get pregnant? Scruffing

Alphas

Do alphas rut on their own? Alpha urges What makes purebred alphas different Do alphas mark each other?

Betas

Do betas nest? Beta possessiveness Beta aggression Purebred betas Do betas feel left out emotionally?

Packs

Can packs split? Soulmates Fraternizing Can Jealousy Happen in Packs? Accidental Pregnancies What kind of housing do large packs live in?

Other Characters

Laswell Other characters and their statuses Dr. Keller's brother

Other Questions

Why did Laswell choose the reader?

[jaystephevents]

JaySteph Halloween

One-Day Event - October 31, 2023

Official Prompts List

For maximum flexibility, our prompts this year are 3 categories. You can choose any of the suggested fills under a category or create your own fill that fits within a category. (Ask if you’re not sure!)

Our 3 prompt categories are: Halloween Tropes, Spooky Locations, and Supernatural Characters

You can use a single category for your work, or combine categories. Your work only needs one fill from one category, but you’re free to use more!

Your work DOES NOT have to be about Halloween, or be spooky in anyway! You can write a non-spooky prompt fill using “disguises” for a mission fic, for example, or write a fic about grief using a graveyard as the setting.

Your work must be JaySteph-centric and brand new

Your JaySteph can be platonic, romantic, or NSFW

We don’t allow JaySteph-poly ships to keep the focus solely on JaySteph as a duo, but side poly ships are fine.

You can co-create for any other event (Whumptober, BATober, Year of the OTP) but you can’t drop your JaySteph work early

Please read the Rules and FAQs

Send an Ask with any questions!

Please reblog to help spread the word!

💜❤️🎃💜❤️🎃💜❤️🎃💜❤️🎃💜❤️🎃💜❤️🎃

@dc-fandom-events

Thanks to @skylarkblue for the awesome event banner!

Alt-text for graphic:

Category 1 - Halloween Tropes

Examples: Pranks, Disguises, Fear (Toxin), Trick-or-Treat, Gothic (Horror), etc.

Category 2 - Spooky Locations

Examples: Attic, Graveyard, Abandoned Theatre, Amusement Mile, etc.

Category 3 - Supernatural Characters

Examples: Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies, Ghosts, etc.

How to Post

We will do a more detailed how-to post closer to the event, but basically you can post on either Tumblr or AO3 (not until the event day, tho!) We will have an AO3 collection for the event works. We’ll post the specific instructions the week of the event.

This is a censorship-free, ship-friendly event open to all. We will have blog tags in place for those who need to filter out certain content so that the event can be accessible to all regardless of triggers.

[lunarcovehq]

Hello wonderful admins!! Could you talk a bit about what the "change" is after a werewolf is bitten and what that first month is like after the bite, before their first shift?

Hello Little Wolf! It appears you have been recently bitten. Now, your body is about to begin undergoing changes that may seem scary at first, but we are here to help you. When you are initially bitten, you will feel a great deal of pain, likely more pain than you would if you had been bitten by an animal instead of a supernatural being. There will be a tingling (some may describe as a burning) sensation that will span up the length of the area of the bite mark and you may begin to experiences symptoms such as, but not limited to- dizziness, fatigue, lightheadedness, drowsiness, fever, chills, nausea, headaches etc.

If the "change" takes, then you will likely pass out within the first thirty minutes, before waking up feeling a bit groggy, but likely okay, that is until you undergo your first shift during the next full moon. If the "change" doesn't take, however, in those first thirty minutes, you will begin feeling as if your body is burning from the inside out before you eventually kick the bucket, so to speak. But, hoping that you are the former and not the latter, you should be fine and enjoy all of exciting life changes and bodily changes of being a werewolf to come!

(Disclaimer: the town will not be held liable for any wolf bites that do not take. Turning into a werewolf can be dangerous which is we advise you do so with extreme caution.)

[thethiefandtheairbender]

also for newer followers who might not know

i'm writing a book! and it's getting published!

if you just want the immediate details you can click the read and read a short FAQ! if you need more to get sold on it, stick around and check it out!

My YA SFF fantasy debut, ALVOSKIA: Call of the Infrans, follows an Unchosen one named Ally who is struggling to find where she belongs amidst her chosen one found family family when violence arrives at their doorstep, and they're forced to fulfil their duties earlier than expected. There's dragons and child soldiers and subverted fantasy tropes, some tone consistent werewolves, an almost entirely queer main cast with the majority also being characters of colour, and if you've been following my blog for any amount of time, it probably has something for you.

If you like ATLA: "what if there were multiple Avatars running around, and what if they weren't all automatically good people?" + past lives and reincarnation cycles

If you like Derry Girls: hot mess of teenagers getting in and out of trouble together while being ridiculous (and sometimes very sad)

If you like PJO: young teenagers with cool powers going on quests together and coming-of-age. And snark. Lots of snark

If you like Six of Crows: morally dubious collection of protagonists, some heisting may or may not happen, outsiders working together

If you like TDP: elves and dragons and long standing grudges and politics

If you like Star Wars: y'know how the Force like consumes you the farther you wander in? yeah that's the magic system here. + some shadow, death, and shapeshifter stuff

If you like HTTYD: you're here for the found family and fun fantasy aesthetic aren't you

Rep: queer (aro, ace, bi, pan, trans, lesbian, nonbinary, genderfluid, gay main characters, often times overlapping); Asian (Indonesian), Black, Sri Lankan and Pakistani (coded) rep; hijabi rep; one character is an amputee and one main character is Autistic.

The debut month is March 2026! Sometimes there is even very pretty (commissioned or friends) art for it:

If you want more info in the meantime you can shoot me an ask or you can follow this sideblog for it. If you want a taste of my fandom writing first you can check out my AO3 or writing snippets on said side blog, like this one:

Likes and reblogs mean a lot and I hope you enjoy!

[bg3-aita]

AITA for killing a powerful vampire lord so that my vampire friend wouldn't ascend and become an AH?

I (101f, high elf) have been traveling with this guy (259m, high elf vampire) for a while now (let's call him Ash), listening to him talk about his old vampire master (I'm calling him Carl) and how much he wants to kill him and something about a ritual for days now. DAYS.

It all sounded like it was going to be a very bad idea for basically everyone involved. Either we were going to have a super powerful vampire ascendant on our hands or we were going to have to fight a tough battle to stop him. Ash made me promise to have his back and put a stop to his master's ritual and I agreed.

Except things went fucking sideways. Ash got pulled into the ritual, there were bats everywhere, Carl kept turning into fucking mist, ghouls kept attacking us, there were werewolves, the only time I managed to yeet Carl's ass down into the chasm below he fucking popped back up like the world's ugliest jack-in-the-box, like everything that could have possibly gone wrong DID go wrong. Half my team died in that fight and had to get rezzed. I almost died in that fight.

And then THIS asshole, Ash, had the au-damn-dacity to want to ascend instead of Carl. Didn't we do all that work to kill Carl? Why are we not killing Carl right now?

I'll admit, I was running on fumes, bleeding faster than I could think, so when he asked me to help him, I just sort of went with it until he asked to link our minds so that he could carve ritual runes into Carl's back. That's when it clicked. This bitch didn't want revenge, he wanted to become an all-powerful vampire. And that, dear readers, seemed like a really bad fucking idea.

So I did the only logical thing and said no. Ash got pissy, but then decided stabbing Carl to death was still on the table, so he did that. And then pitched a damn fit and killed about 7000 other people too, all because I said no.

And then when all THAT was done, he blew up in my face, accused me of ruining everything, and said he hoped I died screaming. Like...what the hell?

So clearly he thinks I'm the asshole. You tell me. AITA?

What are these acronyms?

Click here to submit a post or read our FAQ page!

[aphelionrpbuzz]

werewolves— are we talking giant twilight boys or gangly sometimes two-legged buddies (or a choose your own?)

Hi! Werewolves in Aphelion transform into a natural wolf, so roughly the same size, shapes, and differences among each type of wolf we see out in the wild today.

Think of them as people who are forced to shape-shift every month due to the curse that was placed upon them so long ago. So, no they aren't like the giant twilight boys or even the teen wolf boys lol.

Essentially, the original werewolves used to be a coven of witches whose familiars happened to be wolves, and the coven that cursed them tied their magic to said wolves, thus transforming into a natural wolf versus a magically enhanced/large wolf if that makes sense! Feel free to ask more clarifying questions if you need to! :)

Edit: If you've ever read or are familiar with Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, I pulled a lot of inspiration from her take on werewolves!

[panlight]

anon again! I was looking at Smeyer's FAQ for breaking dawn and say this bit about the chess pieces, "Breaking Dawn‘s cover is a metaphor for Bella’s progression throughout the entire saga. She began as the weakest (at least physically, when compared to vampires and werewolves) player on the board: the pawn. She ended as the strongest: the queen. In the end, it’s Bella that brings about the win for the Cullens."

I don't know that much about chess but that doesn't seem right. Bella's shield helped but she doesn't seem as powerful as Jane or Alec or Kate or whatevs who can really hurt people. Or does Smeyer just mean she's the most powerful piece on the Cullen side?

Okay here's the thing: I was a pre-teen chess champion. I was the first kid in my elementary school to win the school chess tournament both years I was eligible to play (4th and 5th grade) but then I realized that competitive chess stressed me the hell out AND was completely optional and I stopped playing. I mean other than casual games with family or no-stakes online chess with strangers. No tournaments. I'm probably no better than the average adult at this point, idk.

But I have some Chess Experience, is my point. And the thing about the queen is that yes, she's the most powerful piece on the board, but it's more in OFFENSE. She can move in any direction she wants, as many spaces as she wants. She's a powerful attack piece.

Bella's shield, however powerful, is not an offensive weapon. It's defensive. So in that sense, the metaphor doesn't quite work. Bella's value is in how she can protect HER side, not how she can attack the other side. For me, Bella's maybe more like a rook (or the castle if you aren't into chess terms). There's a special move the rook can do to protect the king (called 'castling'), kind of like shielding him. Or maybe Bella's shield is more like the entire row of pawns protecting the other pieces. The point is her gift protects her side, but doesn't attack the other side. She brings about the win because the Volturi decide it's not worth trying to fight with Bella blocking their powers, not because Bella can actually attack them in a special way.

I get what SM's going for here, and it's not a terrible metaphor, it's just not quite right in terms of what the queen can do vs what Bella does. But I get that a pawn becoming a rook or a pawn becoming a whole row of pawns wouldn't be as impressive as a visual metaphor as the queen. I think it would have worked better if she didn't directly compare it to that final non-battle, and rather more generally compared it to like "weak human (pawn) becomes powerful vampire (queen)."

And as an aside, I do lowkey resent the idea that Bella brings about the win. To me, it was a group effort. Yeah, her shield is a big part of it. But who trained her in using the shield (Kate!)? Who willed a victory (Siobhan!)? Whose centuries of friendships and connections brought these forces together in the first place (Carlisle!)? Who brought back Nahuel to give the Volturi the excuse they needed to bail (Alice!)? To reduce it to "yay Bella saved the day!" seems to be an oversimplification but again, I get the metaphor. It's a nice visual.

[sahmandbean]

Inherited Manor Challenge 2024 - A Sims 4 Gameplay and Build Mode Challenge For Only The Most Ambitious

You come from a long line of Occult Sims. Vampires, Mermaids, Werewolves, Spellcasters; all were welcome in your home (and present in your bloodline). You are, naturally, the rebel of the family and preferred the company of Sims and more modern amenities. After high school you decided to rid yourself of your occult ties and moved away from the family manor. This process reset your skills and you lost a few memories, but it was worth it to live the normal Sim life you had been dreaming of. Within a month you hear there was a terrible accident back home and your parents' lives were lost. Your father hadn't written you out of the will as you had expected, so you pack a bag to temporarily move home and decide what to do with the manor. You figure you'll sell it to your Spellcaster cousin. She's been a bit of a hot head, but always dreamed of a big house, and not getting along as kids is no reason to not act like adults. But, wait, why is there a hedge around the property? Why can't you get through it? Why does it smell like smoke? Your cousin and her husband, furious that you were set up to inherit the property, have set a curse on it and destroyed the home in the process. You have two choices: walk away and let them deal with the aftermath they created, or turn back to the lifestyle of your ancestors and reclaim what's yours. Are the suburbs really worth letting her win this way?

Warning: this challenge involves heavy fire damage. Please play responsibly.

The Goal

Fix up each room in order, meeting all of the requirements. Each room will have a required occult, some required items, and an overall monetary value to hit. You can check the Simoleon value of a room by selecting the room in build mode, then saving it to your library. It will show the cost of the room. Once you have completed a room, you can move on to the next one. Exact requirements, "hard mode" optional gameplay, and some FAQs will follow the rules.

The Setup

First, you have to determine if you are playing with the save file or the gallery upload. If you are playing on PC and have Vampires, Island Living, Werewolves, Realm of Magic, and Paranormal, you can use the save file. However, if you do not play on PC or don't have one of the required packs, you will have to use the gallery version. Missing even one pack will cause the damage on the lot to reset, which kind of defeats the challenge.

Here is a video I made that shows how to get started in the challenge and answers some frequently asked questions.

Save File Setup: 1 - Download the file here: http://www.simfileshare.net/download/4612595/ 2 - Place the save file in your save folder. If you followed a standard install procedure when you got the game (you would know if you didn't) you should find the save folder following this path: This PC > Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Saves. Make sure the save file does not share a name with any other save already in your game before saving to avoid accidentally overwriting an existing save in your game. That would really suck. 3 - Open your game 4 - Click "Load Game" (not "Resume") and select the file named "Inherited Manor Challenge 2024" 5 - If you have Seasons installed, you will have to select a season. Next, load into the Vampires world "Forgotten Hollow". The manor will be at the top of the map by the graveyard. We kicked Vlad out lol. 6 - Move a new Sim into the lot. The Sim must be a single non-occult young adult with no skills or bonus traits. You can set the aspiration, traits, likes, dislikes, gender, etc to whatever you want. You can create a Sim or use one from the gallery. 7 - Use the "freerealestate on" cheat to move your Sim into the Manor. On PC press ctrl+shift+c, on Mac press cmd+shift+c, and on console press all four trigger buttons to open the cheat bar, then type "freerealestate on". You should see a confirmation message. You can now move your Sim into the manor. 8 - Set your household funds to zero. Type "money 0" into the cheat bar. Lock the back door in the kitchen if the lock setting didn't stick. 9 - You can use whatever life span, neighborhood stories, season length, or other gameplay settings you want. I do recommend turning off the dust system if you own Bust the Dust as it becomes a hinderance to gameplay as it accumulates in the rooms you can't access.

Gallery Download Setup: edit: after posting all of this the gallery upload was giving me a ton of issues, so unfortunately I had to remove many of the photos for it to work, just so you're aware. 1 - Open an existing save file or create a new one 2 - Chose any lot that is at least 40x30. The manor was built on Vlad's lot in Forgotten Hollow but if you don't have that world, or don't like it, you can play elsewhere. 3 - Download and place the manor from the gallery. My Gallery ID is sahmandbean and the Lot Title is IMC 2024. 4 - Exit the lot to the map view and proceed from step 6 above.

The Rules

To enter the Manor, you must become a Vampire. Each section has a designated occult. You will begin by transforming your Sim into a Vampire, completing the rooms in order in the Vampire section of the Manor, then reverting back to a normal Sim before transitioning into a Mermaid to fulfill the requirements of the next section of the house, and the same with Werewolf and Spellcaster. (If at any point you don't own the necessary pack for that occult type, just skip to the next occult or stay in your current occult. For example, if you don't have Vampires, you must become a Mermaid to enter the manor, and if you don't have Werewolves you must complete the second floor as a Mermaid or Spellcaster, but not a normal Sim.) Once you have completed your transformation into the designated occult, you may go into build mode and remove the cursed hedge blocking your way.

As you enter each new room, make sure you clean it, replace or remove all of the burned items, and fulfill the requirements listed below. There are maps as well, which will hopefully help. If at any point you have questions or feel stuck, join this discord server to ask and get help from myself and the other challenge players in the community. Standard rules let you live in the full area designated to the occult, but you have to work on one room at a time. For example, as soon as you are a mermaid you can use the pool, but you cannot clean the yard up until after you have completed the other rooms in the area in the order listed below. Hard mode, however... Well, more about that after the normal rules.

Also, if at any point you get stuck and decide to use a cheat to transform your Sim in or out of an Occult life state, it will cost you. First transformation will be $10,000, then the second is $25,000, and it will double from there. Use a calculator and "money [amount]" to settle the balance.

You may not at any point sell anything from an area you are not working on for money, or any of the landscaping. You can rework the landscaping after you have completed the Manor but you can't use it as a get rich quick scheme.

Here are the room requirements. Remember, these are just minimums. You can add a bathtub and bed to the entryway if you want, for example, so your Sim can maintain some needs, but if you are not going to leave them there make sure you remove them before calculating the total value of the room. Also if at any point an item in a completed room is broken or lost, whether to the repo man or a fire or some other reason, it must be replaced or repaired before continuing with whatever room you were working on.

As a Vampire Entryway: Simoleons: $25,000 Items: Two Knight of the Octagon Table statues, living chair, rug, accent table, and two wall decorations Coat Closet:  Simoleons: $5000 Items: sofa or loveseat; two “coat closet” like items, like coat racks, umbrellas, or shoes Office:  Simoleons: $15,000 Items: desk, Seance Table with two or more chairs, bookshelf, computer, rug Hallway:  Simoleons: $10,000 Items: four pieces of wall art, rug Big bathroom:  Simoleons: $5000 Items: bath or shower, two sinks, toilet, two mirrors, toilet paper Kitchen:  Simoleons: $25,000 Items: six counters, fridge, stove, sink, dining table, four dining chairs, trash can, bowl of fruit Cupcake Room:  Simoleons: $10,000 Items: cupcake factory, kitchen appliance Dining Room and Vestibule:  Simoleons: $20,000 Items: dining table, six dining chairs, hutch, and keep the big painting in the dining room; living chair and lamp in the vestibule

As a Mermaid Bar: Simoleons: $20,000 Items: bar, seating for six, clock Half Bath: Simoleons: $2000 Items: toilet, sink, mirror, and toilet paper Ballroom: Simoleons: $30,000 Items: stereo, piano or pipe organ, fireplace, mirror, a table that can hold food in the event of a party Yard and Shed: Items: keep the pool; four planters, woodworking table, fountain, wedding arch, grill, telescope, seating for 10, and monkey bars

As a Werewolf Landing: Simoleons: $10,000 Items: couch, chess table Art Gallery: Simoleons: $35,000 Items: seating for four, rug, six pieces created by your sim, twelve pieces of art overall Purple Bedroom:  Simoleons: $40,000 Items: bed space for two, rug, fireplace, two skill and/or activity items in the bedroom; dresser and chair in each closet; two sinks, toilet, toilet paper, and bath or shower in the bathroom  Blue Bedroom: Simoleons: $20,000 Items: bed space for two, one skill or activity item, rug, and one dresser in the bedroom; toilet, sink, mirror, bath or shower, and toilet paper in the bathroom Pink Bedroom: Simoleons: $20,000 Items: bed space for two, rug, one skill or activity item, and one dresser in the bedroom; toilet, sink, mirror, bath or shower, and toilet paper in the bathroom Hall Bathroom:  Simoleons: $3000 Items: bench, toilet, sink

As a Spellcaster Yellow Bedroom: Simoleons: $30,000 Items: bed space for two, rug, one skill or activity item, and one dresser in the bedroom; toilet, sink, mirror, bath or shower, and toilet paper in the bathroom Green Bedroom: Simoleons: $30,000 Items: bed space for two, rug, one skill or activity item, and one dresser in the bedroom; toilet, sink, mirror, bath or shower, and toilet paper in the bathroom Hall and Bathroom: Simoleons: $5000 Items: toilet, sink, mirror, toilet paper, six lights, rug Black Bedroom: Simoleons: $30,000 Items: bed space for two, rug, one skill or activity item, and one dresser in the bedroom; toilet, sink, mirror, bath or shower, and toilet paper in the bathroom Red Bedroom and tower: Simoleons: $50,000 Items: double bed, bar, desk, rug, dresser, fireplace, couch, bookshelf, and armchair in the bedroom; dresser, mirror, chair, and shoe rack in the closet; two sinks, two mirrors, tub, shower, toilet, and toilet paper in the bathroom

Hard Mode Optional Start Rules - Start as a teen (no skills, occult, etc) instead of a young adult and balance High School on top of the manor. - Stay exclusively in the current room. Use more magical hedges if necessary. - There are photos of the pre-destroyed manor scattered about. Identify and replace the exact items in each photo. Some of them are locked behind careers, so it is up to you exactly how hard you want to make that on yourself. "Buying" the item off the gallery is acceptable. - Turn on all lot challenges and remove them randomly as you complete rooms. - Double Simoleon requirements for each room. If you have Get to Work, you must marry and have at least one child with an Alien. - Throw a gold dinner party after completing each individual occult phase before transforming back into a regular Sim. - Max out each occult skill tree.

The end goal of this challenge is for you to have fun! Mix and match the rules a little if you feel stuck, marry Father Winter, have a relative named Rosebud conveniently leave you a small inheritance...

FAQ

If you have a question not answered here, please join the discord and ask in the designated Inherited Manor 2024 channels.

How to I become a...? And how do I turn back into a normal Sim? To become a Vampire, become good friends with a Vampire and ask to be turned. The process takes a few days so be prepared to live at the gym for a bit. The cure can be crafted after reaching Level 15 Vampire Lore skill and gathering the necessary ingredients. To become a Mermaid, eat one Mermadic Kelp. To transform back into a regular Sim, eat two in a row. The kelp can be found diving, fishing, gifted by a dolphin, or purchased with reward points. To become a Werewolf, as a Werewolf to turn you (similar to the Vampire). The cure can be crafted after finding the recipe in "An Insider's Guide to Being a Werewolf", a book found in the underground tunnels. To become a Spellcaster, travel to The Magic Realm and talk to a Sage. They will give you a mini quest. This is by far the easiest one.

Can I get married? Yes, but your spouse (regardless if an occult Sim or not) can only access the areas you have already unlocked. Your spouse must live on the lot with you until death or divorce, and the kids cannot be moved out until they are teens. Your main Sim is the one that counts as far as transformations and unlocking areas goes.

What happens if my Sim dies? Find or create a fresh Sim and pick up where you left off. This can include a spouse or child.

Can I change the room requirements? Can I put a bedroom instead of an office? You can change whatever you want after the challenge is completed, but the required items must be present in the room to count it as done. You can add additional items if you want, of course, but not completely alter the function of the room.

Can I sell stuff in the house already for money if it isn't damaged? You can sell or replace whatever is in the current room. You can't sell a chair from the office to get money for the kitchen, etc. Remember to keep any items specified in the rules above.

How do I know what my save file name is? Each save file follows the same format: the word “save” followed by a period and eight numbers. For example, save.12345678. Make sure those numbers don’t match the numbers of the save file when you download it. If they do match, you can change a number in the challenge save file before you save it, so long as it is still follows the naming convention laid out above.

Your save file is broken! It loaded me into a household! It's not even the right lot/world/etc! If you're not on the right lot, sounds like you answered your own question. Go to the map view and click on Forgotten Hollow, and maybe read the setup instructions again.

Can I change the lifespan, season length, weather, holiday, etc etc? Yup! Change whatever you want so long as it isn't prohibited in the rules.

What counts as a piece of art my Sim made for the galery? Any project that can be started, stopped, and resumed, and/or your Sim is directly involved in the end quality of the item. This includes, but is not limited to, knit objects, paintings, books, woodworking objects, scientist career objects, and photographs. This does not include found items, such as posters or snow globes.

Do I have to hit the Simoleon requirement exactly? That is too much math, even for me. So long as you are at or over, you're good.

Can I add some lot traits or challenges? Absolutely. Remember, though, that you can't build outside your current zone. You can't add solar panels to the yard, for example, until you get to that point as a Mermaid, but you can set your lot to "Off The Grid" whenever.

Can I purchase traits from the reward store? Yes. You just can't have your Sim start with any reward traits or points.

Are there more challenges like this? Yes! This is actually the fourth version of this challenge. You can find more information here on tumblr, or by visiting my website here.

Can I make one of these, or help make the next one? Absolutely! The official Inherited Manor Discord will be the best place to keep up to date on the challenge. I only ping everyone at the start of building the challenge for the year and when it is released, so don't worry about me blowing up your phone. Can't wait to connect with you there!

Huge thanks to chat for all their help during the streams, and a special thanks to my playtesters: Alasmina debs Foxbird kittycatxo miraclesnjoy SRSimmer Tessa Who?