#gemstone legacy challenge

[arogaba]

The Gemstone Legacy Challenge

It's been a very long time since I last did a challenge, and in the days leading up to my new computer I decided to come up with some ideas for a future legacy challenge to more or less christen this bad boy. This is a 10 generation legacy with a fairly heavy focus on different family dynamics within certain generations.

Tag: 'gemstone legacy challenge' or @ me!

Rules:

✔ There are none! Have fun and follow the generational rules as you see fit!

Generation 1: Rose Quartz

‘You were raised as an only child by a single parent. It was a happy yet lonely life but you always wanted more: you wanted a large, hectic home, a loving spouse, and kids of your own. A surprise inheritance finally gives you that opportunity, and you move from the big city to a small country home, with all the room to grow that you could want!’

Recommended colour: light pink Recommended traits: nurturing, good, family-oriented, natural cook

Move to a small house on a large lot (50x50 or 60x60 is recommended!). This will be your primary legacy home throughout this challenge.

Begin working in the culinary career

Meet the one not long after moving to town. You quickly start dating and soon find yourself expecting your first child.

Get married after you have two children

After you have your third child, you decide to become a stay-at-home parent - you can continue to add to the household funds through various hobbies if you wish!

Have a total of five kids and one must be adopted!

Generation 2: Lapis Lazuli

‘You grew up in a loud, hectic family home. Whilst you didn't hate it, you always preferred the quiet, keeping your head down to focus on schoolwork and eventually your career. As a young adult, you throw yourself into the law enforcement career, but eventually realise that is not your true passion and decide to follow your dreams as your parent did many years ago.’

Recommended colour: dark blue and/or light blue Recommended traits: workaholic, genius, supernatural sceptic, loner

Finish high school with an ‘A’

Be a part of an after-school club in high school

Optional: Graduate as valedictorian

Join the law enforcement career after graduation

Meet your future partner (can be a work colleague)

Optional: Get married

Have at least two children 

After reaching level 5 of your career or becoming an adult, you decide to change your life and quit to become a ghost hunter

Separate or divorce from your partner but remain on good terms

Generation 3: Ruby

‘You came from a rather unusual family. Your grandparents married young and remained devoted all their lives; your parents divorced as adults, dividing your family. Like your grandparents, you want to find your soulmate, but unfortunately despite having a kind and loving heart, it does not come easy to you. After several failed relationships, you question if you will ever find the one, or whether your parents' failed love has doomed you.’

Recommended colour: red Recommended traits: flirty, irresistible, hopeless romantic, friendly, schmoozer

Have at least seven friends

Work a part-time job as a teenager before becoming a nectar maker as a young adult

Travel at least once to Champs Les Sims

Have three failed relationships before finding the one

Have two children

Throw or attend a party at least once a week

Generation 4: Onyx

‘You grew up in a happy, loving family, but you were always a little different. A quiet, shy thing, you preferred your solitude and books, instead of interacting with others or participating in parties like the rest of your family. As you grow older, the differences between you and the rest of your family cause a wedge to form, and you long to find someone who understands you. A chance encounter with an occult opens up a whole new world to you.’

Recommended colour: black and/or dark grey Recommended traits: bookworm, shy, grumpy, supernatural fan

Be close with your family as a child but start to grow apart as a teenager

Become enemies with your sibling

Become a writer

Meet your future partner at a park

They must be either a vampire or a witch

After two dates, allow yourself to be turned or become a witch

Move into an old, mysterious mansion (up to you as to how this looks!)

Have children

Generation 5: Bloodstone

‘You were born as an occult. Regardless of your opinion on the matter, you were raised to be the best vampire or witch you could be, not to be ashamed of who you were, nor to hide from others. Will you follow what's in your blood or fight to change your destiny?’

Recommended colour: dark green and red Recommended traits: genius, charismatic, virtuoso

Note: This generation can be played in two ways!

Vers. 1

Do not cure yourself and do not buy a cure

If a witch, you will become an alchemist and try to become a zombie master

If a vampire, you will become a fortune teller (scam branch) and will try to turn the town

Get married (partner must be a witch or vampire like yourself)

Have one child

Vers. 2

Do not cure yourself but try to find the cure or make it yourself 

If a witch, follow the alchemy artisan LTW

If a vampire, join the music career (symphonic branch)

If playing as a witch, you can only use positive spells/charms and potions

If playing as a vampire, you cannot drink from anyone (save for your partner, if you wish) and must feed yourself by plasmafruit

Get married (partner must be a witch or vampire like yourself)

Have one child

Make or purchase the cure for your condition, but do not use it on yourself 

Generation 6: Pearl

‘Your parent may or may not have been able to cure themselves, but you will not fail. You hear of a cure being advertised at the local laboratory. It seems too good to be true but you take a chance and are rewarded for your efforts. Congratulations, you are now a human. A new life reveals itself in front of you and you can live as you see fit. You've always been a compassionate soul and decide to join the medical career to help and heal others.’

Recommended colour: white or pale grey Recommended traits: socially awkward, genius, workaholic, heavy sleeper, nurturing

Become human (use either the cure from your parent, or go to the science lab)

Join the medical career

Master the logic skill

Move back to the old legacy home

Never get married, you may date and have a partner, but you cannot marry them

Have your first and only child as an adult

Move the other parent of your child into the family (up to you whether you live as a couple or not)

Generation 7: Citrine

‘You have a rather unconventional family and an upbringing that's different from most. You love your parents but find their lives too neat and too clinical. With or without their approval, you decide to become a performer, it's less stable than their careers but it brings you joy, and perhaps you can bring others joy along the way too!'

Recommended colour: pale orange, yellow, and/or white Recommended traits: charismatic, natural born performer, friendly

Join one of the ‘performer’ careers as a YA (in this case it is counting as singer, magician, or acrobat)

Master at least one instrument

Have ten friends

Have children with at least two different sims

Get married 

Become a celebrity 

Generation 8: Moss Agate

‘As a child, you loved living the high life thanks to your famous parent. However, as you grew older, you began to resent that lifestyle, hating the paparazzi and the lack of privacy. People always speculated you might follow in their footsteps, but as a teenager you discover your green thumb, before taking a leap and deciding to live as a farmer as an adult.’

Recommended colour: pale green, dark green, and/or white Recommended traits: green thumb, animal lover, gatherer

As a child, focus on either painting or the violin skill, before dropping it in high school

Start building your gardening skill in high school

After graduating, make a sudden purchase of a farm

Work as a ‘farmer’ with most of your income coming from selling your produce

Own a large pet (dog, cat, or horse)

Optional: raise said pet from their youngest lifestage

Get married 

Have kids

Generation 9: Aquamarine

‘Born on a farm, you understood  and appreciated the value of hard work from a young age. Despite your love for your home, you have other dreams, and from a young age have a passion for swimming. As an adult, you decide to become a lifeguard, spending time by the water, and saving lives at the same time.’

Recommended colour: pale turquoise Recommended traits: loves to swim, angler, athletic, disciplined

Join the lifeguard career as a YA

Master the athletic and fishing skills

Meet a mermaid

Get married

Have two kids

Generation 10: Moonstone 

‘You were always a little different from the rest of your family. An eccentric dreamer amongst a family of grounded rationalists. You love painting and exploring the mysteries of the world. One night, a chance encounter with a mysterious sim turns you into an occult, and suddenly your life is flipped upside down.’

Recommended colour: pastel colours and white Recommended traits: eccentric, good, childish, artistic

Become a painter or a sculptor as a YA

Master painting, sculpting, and writing

Meet either a fairy or werewolf at night and become one

After becoming a fairy or werewolf, change your lifetime wish to either: leader of the pack (if a werewolf), or greener gardens/magic makeover (if a fairy)

Optional: travel and live in the future 

Optional: get married and have kids

[collectorofsims]

The Gemstone Legacy Challenge

Enjoy drama filled game play? Ready to help your Sim through generational trauma? Enjoy The Not So Berry Challenge? Well then welcome to The Gemstone Legacy Challenge!

Think of it as the Not So Berry Challenge, but with less packs required to complete it. Before we start with the requirements of each generation, we should probably go over some of the rules first!

Much like The Not So Berry Challenge, each heir/heiress must represent the color of each gemstone. You do not have to make the skin match if you choose not to, but you must do it in another way (ex: hair, clothes, makeup, etc.)

Spouses' colors aren't a big deal. If you want to make them match, more power to you, but it's not required.

You can use the freerealestate cheat when getting a home, but it can only be used once for each generation. You may also use a money cheat, but only if it's going towards something that is part of the challenge (ex:buying a required item)

Unless it's required of the generation rule, you can choose where to live.

Lifespan has to be on normal settings, otherwise it's not really a challenge.

There's no specific gender you have to start with, but the first generation has to be able to reproduce.

Each name must match the gemstone the generation is signed to (you can name them that particular gemstone as well if you so desire)

Every aspiration must be completed before you can start playing as the next generation. Careers only get fully completed if it's stated in the generation's rules.

Generation One: Amber- Orange

You're new in town, which means you're pretty lonely. But that's all to change once you start going out and meeting new people! You just want to take life one step at a time, not feeling any kind of rush. You go at your own pace and march to the beat of your own drum.

Career: Freelancer (any of your choosing)

Traits: Self-Assured, Cheerful, Lazy

Aspiration: Friend Of The World

Rules:

Must have at least one child as an Adult (though the child can be born while you're a Young Adult)

Collect all 24 Gemstones

Master the Charisma skill

Throw birthday parties each life stage for self and child(ren)

Generation Two: Amethyst- Purple

You grew up with a parent who was well known, but was never well off due to laziness. You feel like you missed out on having the finer things in life, but certainly don't plan on continuing to do so. You may be a parent, but your child(ren) are an afterthought sometimes.

Career: Style Infulencer

Traits: Creative, Materialistic, Self-Absorbed

Aspiration: Fabulously Wealthy

Rules:

Must marry into money (ex: one of the Landgraabs or Goths)

Transfer all the money from the spouse's original household when moving them in to yours

Master the photography skill

Master The Style Influencer career

Start having child(ren) as an Adult

Have at least one affair after you're married (could be a short one or years long one, you choose)

Generation Three: Beryl- Teal

Growing up, you weren't noticed much, making you resent children (even though it's your parent(s) you should probably be mad at). You were practically raised on computers and gaming and have made them your whole life. Even though you have no desire for children, your spouse does and because you love them so much, you agree to have one, though you'll ignore them anyways by throwing yourself into your work.

Career: Tech Guru

Traits: Hates Children, Genius, Geek

Aspiration: Computer Whiz

Rules:

Marry a Family Oriented Sim

Only have one child

Master the Tech Guru career

Have a low relationship with your child (you may use cheats if need be)

Master the Logic skill

Be Best Friends with your spouse

Generation Four: Diamond- Gray

You've worked so hard to earn your parent's love, but they avoided you like the plague. To make up for it, you worked your way to the top to become a beloved actor/actress, which is how you met your spouse. As soon as you hit it big, you only associate with others like yourself, forgetting all your childhood friends and even your parent who's love you wanted the most. Perhaps you're better off without them?

Career: Actor/Actress

Traits: Ambitious, Outgoing, Snob

Aspiration: Aspiring Star

Rules:

Marry another Actor/Actress

Master the Acting Career and skill

Master the guitar skill

Have triplets (you can use cheat for this)

Stop contact with generation 3 at career rank 3

Move to Del Sol Valley as a Young Adult

Generation Five: Jade- Green

Being in a set of triplets and having famous parents, not only were you never bored, but you were also never alone and now all you want is peace and quiet as you practice your secret love of baking. You leave your old town and move to Oasis Springs because SimsGod knows nobody wants to go there.

Career: Astronaut

Traits: Loner, Neat, Gloomy

Aspiration: Nerd Brain

Rules:

Master the Astronaut Career

Have a failed marriage to a Sim with the Slob Trait and 2 failed relationships before that

Master the Baking skill

Have woohoo with an alien resulting in a pregnancy

Generation Six: Onyx- Black

If the dictionary had pictures, yours would be in there next to “Black Sheep”. You never really fit in with the rest of your family. Maybe because you're half alien, or maybe because unlike your parents, you want nothing to do with space. You like Earth and everything it has to offer and don't understand why your parent wants an escape so badly.

Career: Politician

Traits:Clumsy, Loves Outdoors, Dog Lover

Aspiration: Friend Of The Animals

Rules:

Have one of each pet (varies on the packs you own)

Master the gardening and pet training skills

Join the Speak For The Trees cause

Marry a Cat Lover

Master the Politician career

Generation Seven: Pearl- White

Despite your parent being super busy running the country, they never forgot to value their time with you and your pets. For that, you value family and love and all around togetherness, which inspired you to want to protect and serve the local families like yours, but sometimes your passion can make you a little hot under the collar.

Career: Detective

Traits: Active, Childish, Hot-Headed

Aspiration: City Native

Rules:

Move to San Myshuno

Master the Detective career

Master the Fitness and Logic skills

Marry a neighbor in your apartment complex

Conceive a child in a closet or observatory

Generation Eight: Ruby- Red

Your parents were never shy about showing each other affection as you grew up, but something about that made you uncomfortable in flirty situations, making it hard for you to find love despite wanting to find someone to spend your life with so you fill the void with food.

Career: Culinary

Traits: Foodie, Unflirty, Glutton

Aspiration: Master Chef

Rules:

Master The Culinary career (Chef branch only)

Have one science baby with your best friend

Never get married until your child is a Young Adult

Master the Cooking and Gourmet Cooking skills

Generation Nine: Sapphire- Blue

Being raised by a single parent made you tougher than what people expected. Unlike your parent, you have no problems in the romance department and thrive in any romantic setting. You're not sure who your child's parent is, but all you know is you love them unconditionally and would do anything for them.

Career: Secret Agent

Traits: Romantic, Erratic, Noncommittal

Aspiration: Villainous Valentine

Rules:

Get married 3 times before you're an elder that isn't from where you grew up

Master the Singing skill

Have an affair during each marriage that results in a pregnancy

Leave someone at the altar twice

Be Best Friends with your next heir/heiress (you choose who it is)

Generation Ten: Topaz- Pink

You and your parent are best friends. Growing up you wanted to be just like them, however you are nothing like them and realize that pretty quick. So you move away to find yourself and start anew. As you find yourself, you reconnect with your highschool sweetheart who never stopped loving you, picking up exactly where you left off.

Career: Writer

Traits: Bookworm, Family-Oriented, Perfectionist

Aspiration: Big Happy Family

Rules:

Ghost your highschool sweetheart as soon as you become a Young Adult

Leave someone at the altar as a Young Adult

Master the Writer career

Master the writing skill

Move to a different place from where you grew up

Marry your highschool sweetheart after you reconnect

Adopt an infant

[jemmaplaysthesims]

Jemma’s Gemstone Legacy Challenge

Hi Sparkles! Welcome to my Gemstone Legacy Challenge, a ten generation legacy where you are free to play as you choose <3

Do you like sparkly things? Do you enjoy playing colourful legacies, but hate strict rules? Do you want to discover new gameplay ideas? Well, look no further…

Basic Rules:

Each heir represents a generational colour with their clothes and hairstyles (you can have fun with eye colours too – I like to play where the eye colours are passed down from the previous generation)

Try not to use cheats too much (depending on your gameplay style)

Follow the rules of each generation, but please add your own creative flair! (also feel free to adapt the rules for packs that you have)

I suggest to play with normal or short lifespan, but this is up to you

Use the hashtag #gemstonelegacy, or tag me in your posts :)

Optional Cats and Dogs add-on: have a pet for each generation!

*

I’ve always wanted to create my own legacy challenge, so this has been a while in the making. I love exploring new parts of the game, and I hope this challenge helps with that. We’ll have to see how it turns out. Feel free to follow along with the playthrough on my YouTube channel! :)

Generation One: Ruby (red)

You are a sociable doctor who really loves the colour red. You work hard in your career, and party hard with your friends. You’re a Sim with a taste for the finer things in life, and have a small circle of the bestest friends. I guess you could say you like to follow your heart.

Traits: Glutton, Loyal, Snob

Aspiration: Mixologist

Career: Doctor

Rules

Master Doctor career

Master mixology and fitness skills

Complete space prints collection

*

Generation Two: Quartz (pale pink)

Growing up, your parents were always busy. As an adult, you dream of finding ‘the one’ and distract yourself with your career until you find them. You’re always daydreaming, and can’t wait to be a parent yourself one day.

Traits: Genius, Outgoing, Erratic

Aspiration: Soulmate

Career: Social Media

Rules

Have 3 children

Master the Social Media career and complete Soulmate aspiration

Master comedy skill

Get married as a young adult

Renew your vows with your spouse as an elder (an interaction available with the wedding arch)

*

Generation Three: Onyx (black)

You had everything you ever wanted as a child, and can’t wait to use your skills for good – as a secret agent. The idea of a double life excites you, and you’ll do whatever it takes to get to the top.

Traits: Childish, Hot Headed, Good

Aspiration: Friend of the World

Career: Secret Agent

Rules

Master charisma and logic skills

Master Secret Agent career and complete Friend of the World aspiration

Have a holiday in Sulani

Visit the secret lot in Willow Creek (talk to the Sylvan Tree in Foundry Cove)

Make a BFF as a child and remain best friends until elderhood

Have at least two children

Optional extra: complete the microscope prints collection

*

Generation Four: Turquoise (light blue / light green)

In your family, you always felt like you didn’t fit in. You never had a close relationship with your busy parents, and you preferred to spend your time painting alone. You love art, and dream of becoming a famous painter. Plus, you are also obsessed with knitting and meditating.

Traits: Perfectionist, Active, Art Lover

Aspiration: Painter Extraordinaire

Career: Painter

Rules

Master wellness, knitting and painting skills

Master painter career and complete Painter Extraordinaire aspiration

Marry a lazy Sim, and have twins

Become enemies with one of your siblings

Go to the park every weekend with your family

*

Generation Five: Amber (yellow)

You’ve always found it hard to make decisions. You love all your hobbies, and don’t want to let a single one go. You work in the tech career for most of your life, but as an adult, you decide you want to be a professional fashionista. You quit your job and join the style influencer career. But maybe you’re starting to realise that the grass is always greener on the other side…

Traits: Ambitious, Jealous, Music Lover

Aspiration: Computer Whiz

Careers: Barista, Tech Guru, Style Influencer

Rules

Master violin, photography and programming skills

Complete the Computer Whiz aspiration

Never get married, and date at least 3 Sims

Live in the same world your whole life

*

Generation Six: Sapphire (dark blue)

You grew up in a chaotic household, but you’ve always felt like you were destined for greatness. You’ve always wanted to be an Olympic swimmer, and sometimes feel like a fish out of water. You enjoy exercising outdoors and spending time in nature. You really love gardening and spend the majority of your spare time talking to your plants.

Traits: Bro, Gloomy, Vegetarian

Aspiration: Fabulously Wealthy

Career: Athlete

Rules

Master gardening and charisma skills

Master athlete career and complete Fabulously Wealthy aspiration

Have the Reduce and Recycle lot challenge on your lot

Adopt at least one child (or optionally, adopt all your children)

Go swimming every week

*

Generation Seven: Diamond (white)

Although you grew up in a wealthy household, your parents taught you the value of hard work. But why work harder when you can work smarter? You want to escape to space and you’ll do anything to get there. But you also love simoleons. You can’t seem to keep any steady relationships on Earth, but on your rocket ship, everyone loves you.

Traits: Slob, Romantic, Self-Assured

Aspiration: Nerd Brain

Career: Astronaut (Interstellar Smuggler branch)

Rules

Complete the base game fossils collection

Master handiness and snowboarding skills

Master astronaut career and complete Nerd Brain aspiration

Either marry a co-worker or an alien

*

Generation Eight: Amythest (purple)

Your parents always had their heads in the clouds, but your feet are planted firmly on the ground. You are a scientist who loves fishing in your spare time. Oh, and you are obsessed with reading and want to write an epic novel of your own!

Traits: Bookworm, Neat, Squeamish

Aspiration: Angling Ace

Career: Scientist

Rules

Get divorced from your spouse

Use an outdoor grill for all your home-cooked meals

Master fishing and writing skills (optionally write a book in a genre of your choice)

Master scientist career and complete Angling Ace aspiration

Live in 4 different worlds over your lifetime

*

Generation Nine: Topaz (brown / orange)

You met a CEO at karaoke one night and the next day they offered you a job! You feel like you’ve tripped and fallen into an episode of Suits or Succession. You have fun at work, but sometimes you just want to hide from everyone in the basement. You love playing pranks on people, but are scared they will find out the truth.

Traits: Clumsy, Dance Machine, Paranoid

Aspiration: Party Animal

Career: Business

Rules

Master mischief, singing and comedy skills

Master business career and complete Party Animal aspiration

Only have one child

Become best friends with your boss

*

Generation Ten: Emerald (dark green)

Whilst everyone around you is all loved up, you think relationships are silly. Your significant other desperately wants to get married, but you are putting it off to focus on your career. You love expensive things, so saving up for a wedding seems pointless. You dedicate your time to filling your home with fun luxuries, but once you become an elder, you have a change of heart.

Traits: Cheerful, Materialistic, Unflirty

Aspiration: Mansion Baron

Career: Politician (Charity Organiser branch)

Rules

Have a sworn enemy

Master baking, charisma and research & debate skills

Master politician career and complete Mansion Baron aspiration

Fall in love, but don’t get married until you are an elder

Purchase the most expensive painting in your game

*

So excited to share this challenge with you :)

Hope you have fun!

Love,

Jemma x

[aria-bun]

The Sims 4 Gemstone Legacy Challenge

This sims 4 legacy challenge is inspired by the Not So Berry challenge made by Lilsimsie and AlwaySimming. You are allowed to start with 1800 simoleons if you want it to be a bit easier. The sims must resemble the color of their gen in some way, whether its hair, eyes, or clothes.

Generation 1: Ruby

You have always been sheltered by your parents when you were younger, having no clue what is out there for you. But here you are, grown up and ready to take on what the world throws at you. You never really knew anything about who you really are, since you didn't really get to experience any wild things, but there was one thing for sure: you loved music. All types of music.

Requirements:

Sim must be Ya to start the challenge

Must have the traits Clumsy, Ambitious, and Cheerful

Must have and complete the Musical Genius Aspiration

Must be in the Entertainer Career and max the Musician Branch

Max one instrument-related skill (Violin, Guitar, Organ, Piano, Singing, etc.)

Must have two children minimum

Generation 2: Jasper

You were really close with your parents growing up, and it was hard to move away from them, once you ended up doing so, you quit your job mowing lawns for your neighbor and got into Sports.

Requirements:

Have the traits Gloomy, Active, and Neat

Must have and Complete the Bodybuilder Asipration

Max the Athleete Career in the bodybuilder branch

Max the Fitness and Charisma skill

Generation 3: Jade

Your Parents were busy. One was a full-time athlete out, and the other was a workaholic, always working 9-5. You usually spent time alone on your computer and with your aunt/uncle. That introduced you to the world of Hacking.

Requirements:

Have the traits Geek, Loner, and Bookworm

Must have and complete the Computer Whiz aspiration

Max The Tech Guru Career

Max the Programming skill and the Logic Skill

Generation 4: Onyx

You heard how your grandparents weren’t close with the family when they were younger, but now they are a part of your everyday life. When the rare time your parents were at work, your grandparents were there to stay. Soon enough, you moved out into an apartment in San Myshuno.

Requirements:

Have the traits Loves the Outdoors, Creative, and Erratic

Must have and Complete the Painter Extraordinaire Aspiration

Max the Painter Career

Max the Painting Skill

Must get married and have 3 kids at a very young age

Generation 5: Quartz

You were constantly tired of being outshone by your 2 older siblings, the oldest being a great academic, and the middle child being an amazing artist. Where did that leave you?

Requirements:

Must be the youngest of three siblings

Have the traits Self-absorbed, Perfectionist, Dog Lover

Must have and complete the Freind of the World aspiration

Get 5-star odd job rating

Get to level 5 of 4 skills

Cannot get married, but can have a boyfriend/girlfriend until next gen is born

Generation 6: Sapphire

You grew up an only child, with your single parent, dog, and cat, along with a few friends from school. You weren’t around your Aunts and Uncles, since your parent wasn’t close to their siblings. When you were a teenager, you decided to move out early to get a head start on life.

Requirements:

Must move out as a teenager

Must have the traits Cat Lover, Self-Assured, and Romantic

Must have and complete the Soulmate aspiration

Max the Style Influencer career in the Stylist Branch

Max the Charisma skill

Must have 4 kids, your sim wanting more kids since they were an only child (Adopting is allowed, but the chosen heir must be related to previous gen)

Generation 7: Yellow Topaz

You are the second oldest of 4 siblings, and can never be alone. The only escape you really have is the garden in the backyard. You grew all types of flowers and plants. Moving out was a struggle, mostly because your siblings kept barging in and bothering everything you do.

Requirements:Must have the traits Jealous, Vegetarian, and Childish

Max the Freelance Botanist aspiration

Max the Gardener Career in the Floral Designer Branch

Max the Gardening skill and the Flower Arranging Skill

Must get married as an adult

Generation 8: Emerald

Your parent was a gardener, and with that, you were in the kitchen a lot, making many different creations out of the things they harvested. After a while, you decided that this was what you wanted to do for a living.

Requirements:

Have the traits Foodie, Unflirty, and Hot-Headed

Max the Master Chef aspiration

Max the Cooking and Gourmet cooking skill

max the culinary Career in the Chef branch

Must only have two romantic relationships, and never get married

Must have a lot of romance novels

Generation 9: Pearl

You knew your parent never found much luck in the love department, and supplemented that with a ton of romance novels. Growing up while reading those novels made you fantasize about what the real thing is like, as well as sparking ideas for stories of your own.

Have the traits Romantic, Family Oriented, and Goofball

Max the Soulmate Aspiration

Max the Creative skill as a child and the writing skill later on in life

Max the Writing career in the Author Branch

Spouse must be apart of the Education Career either before or after marriage

Generation 10: Opal

Your parents were very well known in the area, especially since one of them was one of your teachers and was always shadowing you, trying to get you very well-rounded and around good influences. Lets just say, It both did and didn’t work. . .

Generation Requirements:

Have the traits Kleptomaniac, Geek, and Mean

Max 2 Toddler Skills and 3 Child Skills

Max The mischief skill

Get to level 5 in Photography, Logic, Research and Debate, Piano, and Gardening

Complete the Whiz Kid Aspiration and The Cheif of Mischief aspiration

Complete all scout badges

Cannot have a job, but main source of income must be from stealing.

I hope you guys enjoy this challenge, and tag me in updates on how it goes!

[goldsilversales]

"Discover top local gold and silver buying spots in 2023! Find trusted buyers for your precious metals. Visit the blog now for valuable insights."

[sarahmeeps]

Been making up my own little legacy challenge where each gen is the next color of the rainbow and everyone is named after gemstones.

This is my teenage dirtbag, Jasper. He's my favorite (don't tell the others). He's sneaking out to a college party to escape his little sisters' sleepover.

[iridescentissims]

It has been a LONG time since I have updated on the Fatal Flaws legacy so we have a lot of progress to get through!

I didn't get great screenshots but all of gen four have left us :'( To be fair, they were reasonably older when they started had kids so it's not a surprise, however...

They got to meet the next gen! Unfortunately not the heir, as this was a teen pregnancy curtesy of the RPO mod, but her name is Rose and I adore her <3

This is guy, Ezequiel, is the relationship of gen five, so he does stick around, for a bit at least

In fact, here is the promise rings exchange! Yeah that definitely lasted...

Safe to say cohabitating was not going well! Neither of them wanted kids, as expected, so the relationship was rough, especially since they moved to San Sequoia of all places (I thought that would twist the knife more). The dollhouse certainly got caught in the crossfire

Harvestfest! Citrine was actually pregnant during the whole event and ended up dropping that bomb the next day so the face Rose is pulling here is fully justified

I totally forgot to take screenshots of the breakup happening but it did, and they moved out to a little cottage in their hometown, with the resultant child! Meet Quartz, the gen six heir!

Sienna is of course still around and a firm member of the family! In fact...

She got engaged! To her high school girlfriend Blakely! They have a child called Carmelo but again I forgot to get pictures

Here's the beautiful Rose now a teen, she's working hard to provide for the struggling family (yeah I didn't realise how hard it is to have a career with the Irresponsible trait, Citrine is a suffering comedian right now)

And the one think you might have noticed, Citrine looks very different! That's because he has almost fully transitioned as a trans man! I adore Lumpinou's LGBTQIA+ mod and I found it just in time for this gen so it fit perfectly! He can't quite afford bottom surgery just yet but soon! Honestly this gen is rough in terms of struggles and especially financially but I love Citrine so much and I'm excited to see where this goes!

[dailyadventureprompts]

Settlement: Kaelvalon, Throne of the Once and Never King

Artsource 1 Artsource 2

Despite it’s dusty summers, muddy winters, and reputation for being a brutish backwater among other inhabitants of the kingdom, the rugged province of Drigveria holds a beauty and dignity all its own. This is no better exemplified by the province’s capital of Kaelvalon, which presides over the surrounding wilderness like a gemstone emerging from course rock.

Built as a safehold during an age of monsters and warlords by the hero Kaelrik, this sturdy bastion and the town that surrounds it is the best place in the badlands for a group of adventurers to find work, shelter, and a few homey comforts before setting out on their next expedition.

Who’s Hiring: 

Increasing dangers on the road lead a pair of ambitious merchants to hire the party as escorts, bringing them into conflict with the corrupt soldiers who’re supposed to be in charge of keeping the roads safe. 

Early in their travels the party will meet a royal surveyor looking to explore the rugged terrain of the province’s wilds. A good friend to have, if you don’t mind the espionage he’s doing on the side. 

An ambitious noble wants the party to search the skeleton of a titanic dragon to find the fabled weapon that killed it. He’ll pay well, and absolutely won’t betray them. 

While visiting the market the party see an acolyte of the goddess Istus telling fortunes, when she divines for them, she demands they make pilgrimage to a temple in the mountains, a temple it’s rumoured to be impossible to reach. 

Rumours of arcane artifacts lead the party to an isolated orcish village built in a crumbled wizard’s tower. To win their favour, the party must investigate why one of their traders has gone missing in human lands. 

The ruler of Kaelvalon, the Marquess Talmis Younge, has a problem. Or rather, three problems that are going to make eachother infinitely worse. The first is that she’s trapped in a loveless marriage to a man named Selvin who she dare not divorce for fear of angering some of her most vital bannermen. The second is that she’s having an affair with an orc named Irgyr, who happens to be one of the clan leaders of her people’s traditional enemies. The third is that after years of “diplomatic meetings” with the clan leader, she’s fallen pregnant with her lover’s child, and the due date is approaching. She doesn’t want to give up the child, but giving birth to a halforc out of wedlock will be all the fodder Selvin needs to raise support and oust her from power.   Perhaps the party could be convinced to look into her husband’s dealings, if they can expose or fabricate his involvement in some kind of treason or illegality, she’ll be able to break from him before shit hits the fan.  

From the statue in the town square to the toasts still raised in his name, the legacy of the hero  Kaelrik’s looms large in the heart of Drigveria’s people even centuries after his death. Once merely a wandering adventuer, Kaelrik’s dauntless defence of the innocent in an age of war saw him hailed as a hero and later crowned as king of a fledgeling realm. 

All legends must end though, and after defeating warlords, wizards, and the challenges of the wilderness itself, Kaelrik gave his life plunging into an ancient dragon’s maw to impale its heart upon his blade. 

Or at least, this time he did. 

Beyond his own bravery and skill, one of the keys to Kaelrik’s success was his relationship with a woman named Nyramie, an oracle of Istus: goddess of fate. What began with duty and fellowship blossomed into love, and each time Kaelrik went into battle he would act upon Nyramie’s divinations, however impossible they might seem, to seek the best outcome for the people they protected. 

The last time he came to her, Nyramie wept. The goddess had revealed to her Kaelrik’s ultimate fate and the oracle broke, at once faithful to her patron’s plan and raging at the betrayal, the years of hardship and sacrifice and the future they had hoped to share all snatched away by divine edict. Contradiciton met miraculous power and Nyramie’s heartbreak fractured time; one outcome where she stayed silent and left Kaelrik to his fate, and another where she forged a destiny defying artifact in the form of a jagged red crystal. While holding it Kaelrik would be able to see all possibilities that led toward his victory, and would be able to survive his clash with the otherwise invincible wyrm. 

What Nyramine could have never predicted was what would happen to Kaelrik once untethered from his fate and given a tool that would provide such easy answers. His victories mounted and his kingdom spread, as he became a warlord to rival and then exceed any of those he’d fought. A desperate fight for survival turned into a quest for supremacy, and when the borders of his dominion were secure, Kaelrik’s ambitions turned intward. He was as fearsome a king as he was a hero, and he ruled for centuries thanks to his elven blood and Nyramie’s gift, becoming crueler as time and necessity hardened his heart. 

Eventually his subjects had enough, the outer reaches of his kingdom rising in rebelion and descending upon his capital of Kaelvalon with such force that there was no possibility for Kaelrik or his loyalists could fight his way out. No possibility, save the one the crystal showed him where he used its power to pass across the divide of time, to the fork where he had never established his kingdom. It required great and terrible sacrifice, but he managed it… and at some pivotal moment, Kaelrik the once and never king will emerge into the province of Drigveria through a crimson gate along with his legion, and will set about building his kingdom anew. 

Future Adventures: 

Chronal anomalies will begin popping up in the prelude to Kaelrik’s arrival. Strange red lighting storms, artifacts from the other timeline drifting through, to say nothing of the various extraplanear entities that might be attracted by such disturbances. 

Kaelrik’s emergence happens shortly after Talmis has given birth to her child, posing a direct threat to her legitimacy as a ruler and giving her detractors one HELL of a symbol to rally around. The once and never king is all too happy to embrace these new supporters, overjoyed to find a populace that adores him the same way they adored his younger self. Add to this his distrust of the orcs of Felstar’s Faultering, who turned out to be one of the factions that rebelled against him first. 

To defeat Kaelrik, the party will need to lay their hands on the presentworld mirror of his objects of power: his crown ( in Talmis’s possession), his sword (lost in the dragon’s skeleton), and his crystal (buried in the heart of the impossible to reach temple of Istus). When these items are assembled not only will they give the party an edge in combat against him, but they will also (at the right hour, we’re in full prophecy territory here) summon the ghost of Sydagul, the dragon that was to be Kaelrik’s doom in the first place. Queue the party fighting on top of a castle against an extratemporal tyrant while a skeletal dragon the size of a mountain bears down on them. 

If you’re considering what to do for your next adventure arc, consider having all the temporal shenanigans unleashed by Kaelrik’s meddling attract the cannibalistic god of entropy, who’s cult is liable to start popping up in those continuity-orphaned soldiers who’ll flee to the hinterlands when their boss bites the dust. 

[simphoraa]

Rags to Riches Challenge (Revised) - Sims 3

Created by HedvigsUnicorn & Revised by Simphora

Hey guys! A while ago, I told myself that I wouldn’t attempt to do another challenge until I completed the Sweet & Sour Legacy Challenge, but I lied. As of lately, I have been in the mood to do the Sims 3 Rags to Riches Challenge, but I noticed that it was a lil’ outdated. Sooo, I decided to add and change some of the rules to the Rags to Riches Challenge because I wanted to enhance and toughen the gameplay.

Disclaimer: I did not create the Rags to Riches Challenge. It was created by HedvigsUnicorn. I only revised it.

If you’re interested in doing this challenge, please feel free to tag me: @simphoraa or #ragstorichesrevised. I would love to see your progress and gameplay!

S T O R Y L I N E:

You’ll start with a blank slate—a single Sim with zero Simoleons. Your Sim has been dealt a rough hand in life and is now starting from the absolute bottom of society. They have nothing, but a will to survive and succeed. Will your Sim rise to the challenge? Or, will the weight of their past keep them from reaching the heights they dream of?

The choice is yours—but one thing is certain: success will come at a cost.

T H E U L T I M A T E G O A L:

In this challenge, you struggle your way from homelessness to a rich life! The goal of this challenge is to earn §100,000 in household funds, and fulfill your Sims Lifetime Wish.

R U L E S:

Create a Sim or select a Sim from a household. The Sim can be female or male, but they must be a Young Adult. 

Style your Sim in a worn-out look to reflect a more rugged, carefree style.

Give your Sim the traits of your own choice, but you need to give them the ‘Living in the Lap of Luxury’ Lifetime Wish.

Have your Sim move into an EMPTY LOT of any size, and then build/upgrade your Sims house as you progress in earning Simoleons (Remember: your Sim has to live on the same lot the entire time, they cannot move until their Lifetime Wish is completed).

Feeling extreme? You are not allowed to buy a bed, toilet, shower, and a fridge until you have enough Simoleons to build a house. (OPTIONAL)

Change the household funds to §0. (Open the cheat window (CTRL, Shift, C), and type in "familyfunds ________ 0". Replace the lines with the last name of your Sim). 

Visit friends'/partner houses or community lots for your Sims needs, if needed.

Relationships and marriages are allowed, but your Sims partner or spouse must be unemployed. And if they move in, deduct ALL of the Simoleons that your partner or spouse brings in.

Lifetime points can be used, but you cannot use inheritance or the Dusty Old Lamp.

No public transportation (ex: taxis and subways).

No stealing objects.

No engaging in real estate or growing money trees.

No purchasing any lottery tickets or traveling to the future to cheat the lottery.

Once your Sim has earned at least §10,000 in household funds, they are allowed to travel to other worlds.

Do NOT get a part-time/full-time job or profession. It will defeat the purpose of the challenge.

Do NOT use any money cheat codes (ex: motherload, kaching, or rosebud).

U S E F U L W A Y S O N E A R N I N G S I M O L E O N S:

Collecting (ex: flowers, gemstones, rocks, seeds, insects, etc)

Crafting

Creating potions

Experimental Subject

Dumpster diving

Fishing

Gambling

Gardening

Inventing

Moonlighting

Martial Arts

Nectar Making

Painting

Photography

Playing an instrument for tips

Sculpting

Search the galaxy

Social Networking

Training a pet to hunt

Treasure hunting

Writing

If you have made it to the end of this challenge, I would like to thank you for participating. And, let me know what you think!

[anaszpan]

[ IMAGINE ] : Imagine what you feel when you discover that you are pregnant with Fili's child.

[ A/N ] : The photos do not belong to me. I do not own any copyrights to them. English is not my native language. Don't hesitate to use this idea in your story.

[ ( ´ ꒳ ` ) ♡ ] : As I gaze down at the delicate curve of my abdomen, a rush of emotions floods through me — joy, fear, and an overwhelming sense of responsibility. The realization that I am carrying Fili's child, the prince or princess and heir to the storied legacy of Durin's line, fills me with both pride and trepidation. I feel it will be a son. I will give birth to a strong boy.

Joy swells in my chest like the first light of dawn breaking over the misty peaks of the Lonely Mountain. I am carrying a life, a future, a continuation of a proud lineage that has weathered centuries of trials and triumphs. The thought that my child will have the strength of dwarven ancestors coursing through his veins fills me with an unshakable warmth. I can already envision his laughter echoing through the stone halls of Erebor, as vibrant and resilient as the gemstones that adorn our mountain home.

Yet beneath that joy lies a deep well of fear. I am acutely aware of the challenges that will come with raising the heir to the throne. Will I be strong enough to guide him, to prepare him for a world that demands courage and wisdom? What if the weight of expectation stifles his spirit? The thought of him facing the burdens of leadership sends a shiver through me.

Alongside this fear is an immense sense of responsibility. I am not only nurturing a child; I am shaping the next guardian of our history, a leader who will carry the hopes and dreams of our people. The legacy of Erebor, the stories of valor and sacrifice, will be woven into the very fabric of my child's being. I am aware that every choice I make, every lesson I impart, will influence the path he follow.

In quiet moments, I find myself talking to the embryo, sharing my dreams for him amidst the sounds of the mountain—the whisper of the wind through the stone crevices, the rhythmic pounding of hammers in the forges. I sing him lullabies steeped in our culture, tales of bravery that have been passed down through generations. I promise him that he will know the love of his people and the strength of his heritage.

Ultimately, I am filled with a profound sense of hope. The world may be fraught with uncertainty, but within me stirs the promise of a new beginning, a chance to continue the legacy of dwarven resilience and courage. Fili is my heart, my hope, and as I stroke my belly I realize that I am not just a mother; I am a guardian of the future, and together, we will forge a path worthy of Durin's line.

[arogaba]

Eddie invited a friend around after school - this is Elma Ravenwood from @poisonfireleafs

[collectorofsims]

After careful consideration, I have decided to make my own Legacy Challenge!

Inspired by @lilsimsie with her Not So Berry Challenge, I have created a Gemstone Legacy Challenge!

I shall be posting it within the next couple of hours for anyone who may be interested in giving it a try! 😁🔮💎🧬

[that-foul-legacy-lover]

Dragon/part dragon reader?

You casually take FL to your hoard, something seen as extremely personal and a great honor among dragons, only for him to discover you hoard soft things. The rest of the day is spent cuddling and napping in your hoard, you playing with his fluff while he admires your horns and tail. You snuggle up, purring together as you basically become his little furnace.

Just dumping my thoughts here. Idk I'm tired

-Awakward anon

hhehehehehhe dragons are so much fun they're like big scaly cats :)

unlike your fellow dragons and vishaps, who often spend their time collecting glimmering gemstones and piles of coins, you prefer to fill your little cavern with soft blankets and quilts, various pillows and a few plushies dotting the ground in colorful splotches. it's a bit of a challenge at times, with your ability to control fire and fabric's unfortunate habit of being very, very flammable, but you've still managed to accrue a sizable hoard of soft, comfortable objects for you to nest in. at least you don't have to fight off others of your kind to scrounge a few chunks of crystal- although, you'll admit that even you have a few sparkly trinkets peeking out here and there between the cotton and wool, mostly old chains and glittery rocks you've come across whenever you travel

your tail flicks happily back and forth when you show Foul Legacy your collection, eyes wide and pupils dilated as you await his approval, like any dragon would do for their beloved. Legacy chitters in utter delight making a beeline for a soft, fluffy blanket and carefully kneading his claws against it, curling up with a satisfied trill. you quickly join him, tail wrapping tightly around his body and wings folding against your back- you always preferred your humanoid form for snuggles, it's softer and warm and the perfect size for hugging. Legacy's rumble joins yours as you bump your foreheads together- tomorrow you'll make a nest together, full of comfy cushions and blankets and a few shiny objects for you to cuddle in, side by side, an Abyssal monster and a fierce dragon

[amelias-calamity-quintet]

My card progress and TBR for @expanding-hyrule's TBR BINGO challenge! I'm not actually entering because I'm running the challenge, but including this here to spotlight the works I've done so far.

Because all of these I have already left reviews for, I won't be rehashing my notes, but I enjoyed all of them, and I'll be doing my best to keep this updated until I get that full card.

Card Challenges

The Sea's Prophecy by @cherrysalsa - Recommended by a friend

The King's Lament by @transmascgerudo (A genre I don't normally read)

Divine Gemstones by @divine-gemstones (Caught up on a work)

Cycle of the Stars by @daeyumi (An incomplete project)

A5 - I made an Original Legends work!

I did, multiple! Goddess of Secrecy is complete on Wattpad and currently importing to AO3. Mark of a Hero is wrapping up book 1 on Wattpad & AO3. My other three projects are currently on hiatus, but they will eventually be imported and continued on AO3 as well and are currently on Wattpad.

The Triforce Awakens by @sillylildude - Updated this year

The Hero & The Princess by @mistresslrigtar (Less than 5000 hits or 500 notes)

All That Hurts Us by @karama9 (Picked because of the synopsis)

Alternate Triforce by @alternate-triforce (A comic)

The Mage's Lantern by @loz-untold-myths (Subscribed to an ongoing work)

Hero by @karama9 (A familiar creator)

KeyChain AU by @mirensiart (An Original Legends work not in the archives*)

*was not yet in the archives when I read it

C3 - Show Us Your EH TBR (See below!)

Uneasy Lies the Chosen of Farore by @drsteggy (By a mutual or someone I'd like to be a mutual)

C5 - Multiple POVs (Not yet done)

The Princess's Heart by @loz-untold-myths (A new favorite)

D2 - A reread (Not yet done)

No More. Not One Single Time More by @karama9 (A fic)

On My Honor by @pelicanpig (A genre I love)

Captain Link Araki & the Harbinger of Destiny by @mistresslrigtar (Picked because of the title)

Too Old To Keep by @ladyhoneydee (A compete project)

Stone Fate (both parts) by @loz-untold-myths (Last updated more than a year ago)

Void's Grasp by @the--voided (A new creator)

Remnants of the Past by @justapixelthing (Less than 1000 hits or 100 notes)

Guarding Zelda by @railtracer30 (Left a review in EH's Story Spotlights)

Fic TBR

The Hero of the Dunes

A Crossing of the Stars

Princess Link

The Golden Chain

ALTTS

Unbroken

Legacies and Bloodlines

Make a Wish, Make it Count

Break The Wheel

Path of the Infinite

Song of the City

Blooming in Adversity

The Promise

The Hunt

And the Clouds Parted

Depth of Darkness

In the Blood

Comic/Art TBR

DadLink

Triforce of Power

The Curse of Demise

Untold Myths

Strings of Fate

[ringa-starr]

Hi all! I've decided to start posting my Sims 4 gameplay screenshots to my Tumblr. Why not? :)

This is the beginning of the My Little Pony Legacy challenge (I'll put the link to the challenge rules when I find them and give proper credit to the creator)

The founder of this legacy is Francis Gemstone, a Righteous Gemstones OC who is the daughter of Judy and BJ, created by my friend, the awesome @sleepylesbianfish.

I'll also be randomizing the generations or letting my friend choose each generation, I don't care either one. :)

The first generation's theme is Ms. Twilight Sparkle!

I've decided to move Francis into Twilight Sparkle's tree house I found on the gallery and downloaded some MLP cc posters to decorate it with.

BTW the green, upstairs bedroom was for Spike but I keep it as a guest room which will come in handy later.

[coffehbeans]

Sinking Chips Chapter 1

Okay I'm done editing, new story aaaaaahh

This is the story written after the result of this poll! Thanks sm for voting and for your patience! It took a looong while aaaaah

These two characters are very dear to me. They're one of my oldest g/t ocs alongside Juhren and Sunflower, and I've even made art for them years ago. (funny how I said back then that I'd write about them soon and it took me SIX FREAKING YEARS)

Anyway, I'm very happy to finally share a snippet of their story! Enjoy! <3

Summary: Caytlin Brooke, a sophomore marine biologist student gets stranded in the middle of the sea, with no hopes of rescue. But a chance encounter challenges all she knew about marine life, and a bond is formed in the proccess.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The whales’ singing blasted like trumpets in the cave, a sign that a new Heir was about to be announced. With King Freyr’s last breath on the day before, it was a matter of time until the Ocean declared a new protector for the North Atlantic.

Merfolk swam and gathered at the center of the plaza; a large outdoors space made of polished stone. Bioluminescent creatures illuminated their path in a spiral shape, and a large crowd formed as they cheered with clicks and whistles. In front of them laid a magnificent castle, bigger than the length of two blue whales, and with towering, pointy towers. It was made of the same dark blue stone material as the vast cave, and if it wasn’t for the glowing plankton and the blue gemstones decorating the walls in spiral patterns, the intricate carvings of the castle would merge with the walls of the cavern.

Inside the palace, Queen Haliae watched her tears float upwards, the pain of losing her King like a fresh wound in her heart. On each arm, she held a baby, non-identical twins that would never meet their father. One had pale blue skin, as light as the sand on the seabed at night, and dark turquoise hair that flowed like the ocean waves. His tail was a greyish shade of blue, mimicking the pattern of a blue whale, just like his mother’s. The baby cried as the light of the Ocean’s Oracle shone like a chandelier on the ceiling, a ball-shaped crystal filled with flowing, glowing water. It was too bright for the little mer’s small, fragile eyes. The other twin on Haliae’s arm had shorter, unrulier hair as light as the sand with a distinct turquoise undertone, and his skin was a darker shade of blue. His tail was a deep blue like his father’s, mimicking a humpback whale. Unlike his brother, this baby was transfixed by the glowing orb over his head, giggling every time light pulsated from it.

The mother swam up to that crystal with unwavering determination in her eyes, eliciting a prayer to the Ocean, which flowed as easy as a whale’s call. She finished it with a personal supplication, one she whispered so only Mother Ocean would hear.

“May whoever you choose be a beacon of guidance in this kingdom, much like their father were... And may the other find his footing as the New Heir’s shadow.”

As if answering her, the Ocean’s Oracle shone a light as bright as the sun, blinding the mother, her children, and all merfolk gathered inside the palace. The crowd waiting outside whistled and twirled, knowing that the time for a new Heir was soon to come.

When the light dimmed and the Queen opened her eyes, one of her kids was glowing.

It was not the giggling child, no, for Mother Ocean chose the crying, screaming child, who now sobbed louder while glowing a vivid blue. The teardrop-shaped necklace he wore filled with cerulean, fluorescent water, a sign that he was now the New Chosen Heir.

The mother smiled, melancholy shining in her features. So, this was the one that would carry her husband’s legacy. She kissed the unchosen child on the forehead, giving him to one of the servants so she could present the chosen child to the people.

The glow dimmed from her son as Queen Haliae swam towards the outskirts of the castle, and the crowd praised their Majesty with louder cheering. She raised her kid up high, swimming further above her kingdom, and the whistling of merfolk and sea creatures alike shook the foundations of their cave. She cradled her small son in her arms, who was looking at her with pure, round eyes, unaware of the reason for the commotion around him. It was customary for the royal merfolk of the North Atlantic to name their children after the Heir was chosen, and so she thought of a name much fitting for him:

“Your name will be Aegir Sonhavet.” She whispered to his tiny ears.

…

Warm temperature of 77 degrees Fahrenheit. A soft breeze by the sea, no sign of storm in sight. No prediction of wild waves today either.

Today, Caytlin would go cruising.

She shot up from her seat at yet another cell development class, huffing as she shoved things inside her bag before waving bye to her friends and hurrying outside. Pushing her strands of light brown, shoulder-length wavy hair aside and fixing the collar of her white and blue stripped shirt, Caytlin searched for her house’s keys in her jean shorts pockets. Her hand curled around a cute dolphin keychan and she sighed in relief. Putting her keys away safely in her pocket, Caytlin walked out of the university with wide steps.

She walked, no, dashed away from the building, saying hello here and there to the people she knew in her hurried way, until arriving at the bus stop. She recovered her breath as she waited anxiously, pacing left and right, and celebrated when her bus finally arrived.

A few minutes later and Caytlin was close to her home by the harbor. She walked on the sidewalk, glancing to the calming sea to her right, the view of its gentle waves and its deep blue color filling her excitable heart with absolute joy. There it was, in the distance, anchored by the harbor: her, oops- their, well-kept cabin cruiser.

‘Dad is definitely not home today. Soo, I will definitely come back before he arrives!’ She thought, a mischievous smile on her face.

Caytlin checked the inside of her house, which was on the way to the port, to confirm her suspicions. Yep, he wasn’t home. The winds were sure favorable today.

Passing by her house to pick some lost supplies, which she piled on her arms with hurry, Caytlin strode towards the awaiting ship she and her father had for over ten years already. He had taught her everything about the ocean, from how to maneuver the cruiser to curious facts about sea animals, all of which cultivated her deep passion for marine life to begin with.

Loading the ship with supplies, Caytlin boarded it and steered out of the port, giggling with excitement.

And off she went, towards the open sea.

…

It’s jammed.

The engine is jammed.

Caytlin pushed the lever again. Nothing. She tried kicking the engine. No results. She tried opening it with a screwdriver and seeing the inside, and her body ran cold.

The wires were burnt. Completely burnt.

And she had forgotten to bring the reserve components.

“W-well, it was an old boat, after all…”

Caytlin’s heart hammered full swing. She’s in the middle of nowhere, for she cruised too far away from shore, way ahead of the safety margin she and her father had stablished. There’s no land in sight, no signal on her phone and no way of returning back safely.

“I-it’s fine! I-I’ll find a way. Dad will notice I went to the sea. Yeah.”— She said in-between panting breaths.

She’d be rescued safely, that’s it. She’ll just have to wait out in her pretty little ship until help arrives.

That is, if the ship doesn’t topple over or break down when that huge, dark cloud in the sky reaches her.

Caytlin gasped and dashed outside of the cabin to look at the storm that was nearing her location. She gripped the railing tightly.

“No way! The weather forecast said there was no rain today!”

‘But the weather isn’t always predictable’, her father had said once.

Caytlin groaned and clutched at her hair, sucking in a breath. She had to find a way out. She had to.

‘The radio! Maybe the radio would work!’ She ran back inside the cabin and pressed a number she memorized all too well – her father’s.

“No signal. Why there’s no signal?!” – Caytlin flailed her free hand while bouncing on her feet and begging under her breath, as the phone ringed in her ear. – “Please work please work please work plea – “

A heavy slamming of something against the bottom of the ship sent Caytlin flying to the ground with a scream.

“AAH! What was that?! —”

The perturbation made the ship swing side to side, as the ocean waves rolled under it. Caytlin got up, clutching her head, and left the cabin, looking for the source of the sound.

What she saw underneath sent shivers down her spine.

There was a huge shadow under the water. Bigger than two to three times her cabin cruiser, and it was moving.

Despite being knowledgeable of marine life, Caytlin’s heart still hammered against her chest.

“Must be a curious whale. Yeah! Just a whale… But…”

Realization set deep within her, heartbeat rocking inside her ribcage.

“But whale season hasn’t arrived yet –”

The shadow hit the ship in the bottom and Caytlin fell with a shriek. Supporting herself on her hands and knees, she turned around, out of breath as she feared the ship toppling over and making her fall into the cold depths below.

Just as she was reaching for the railing, a shadow covered her frame.

Caytlin hugged the metal bar and closed her eyes shut, preparing herself for the splash of a humpback whale but, nothing came.

Instead, all she heard was breathing, like the creature was right by the crook of her neck.

With wheezing breaths, Caytlin clutched the railing with clammy hands. A huge droplet of water fell to her right, hot, humid air blew on her back, making the hairs on her skin turn up to their end.

She turned around.

The visage confused her. Something light blue covered her field of vision everywhere, but it moved, no, it contracted like muscle tissue. Adorning it were dots of bright blue and teal-colored spots, trailing up the fleshy surface and towards a –

A face. There was a billboard-sized face right over her. White, round eyes covered her field of vision, the cerulean blue irises staring down at her. Its unnaturally grey pupils alone must be bigger than a basketball, massive eyelids covered them. A blink.

Caytlin screamed from the top of her lungs and tried to get up, only to slip and fall hard against the floor. A clicking sound reverberated above her and the ship swung under the creature’s blunt force. She scrambled back with wide eyes until she hit something soft and wet and – Oh gosh, it was the creature’s hand, a gigantic hand brushed against her back, claws longer than her head hovering above her.

Caytlin screamed until her throat went hoarse and the creature backed away, rocking her ship with it. She skidded over the slippery surface until she managed to stabilize long enough to sit still and stare at whatever was staring back at her, a few feet away.

The creature was more distant than before, but very much there and not going anywhere. Only when her screams subsided did Caytlin manage to try and process what the hell was going on with panting breaths.

The ocean got eerily silent, the only sound being the ripples on the sea, the huge creature’s breathing, and Caytlin gasping for air. She attempted to calm her racing heartbeat with deep breaths, one after the other, to process whatever was it that was floating right in front of her, glancing at her small frame with widened eyes.

Directly in front of her field of vision, there was a human-looking chest wider than her boat’s length. Three slits laid on top of its torso on each side, which looked like gills, as they opened and closed under the water. She looked up, and up, at something that resembled very much a male chest, blue in color, with those same splotches of bright blue adorning its – his, vast shoulders and —

That face again. Human-looking, too human and not human at the same time, with almond eyes, no visible crease on its eyelids, blue irises and translucent pupils. There were two thin lines over the eyes in the shape of eyebrows. A flat nose that resembled nothing that could be found in a human, as its nostrils opened and closed like the blowhole of a whale. The spots on his face were like freckles, a darker shade of blue than the blotches on his shoulder.

Despite the foreign appearance, he looked… Beautiful, Caytlin exhaled, lost in wonder. Wavy hair flowed from his head like waterfalls, a dark teal color with light blue tips, which curled at its ends just like waves that crashed on the beach. On one of his pointy ears, which tapered on their ends like a fin, adorned three purple jewels, made of a crystal she couldn't recognize. Around his neck there was a glowing, teardrop-shaped necklace with purple beads, while one arm had a silver-colored arm ring. His arms had dark blue spots and stripes scattered in a random fashion, and Caytlin wondered if they were natural markings or painted on.

He looked like a mermaid out of a fairytale. Except the 80-something-feet in height.

“I-I… Am I dreaming?” – Caytlin whispered.

The creature chirped in return in what sounded like a very loud whale call over the water, way louder than any whale she has heard. Caytlin yelped and covered her ears.

The creature sank itself lower in the water, sending ripples through the ocean, but not taking its huge eyes off her.

Such a creature shouldn’t exist. She must be hallucinating. Yup. That must be it. And yet, why did it look so real? Caytlin looked up at him with widened eyes.

“Y-you’re not gonna eat me, are you?”

She only received a confused noise in return. The creature didn’t open its mouth, yet the sound coming from its throat was just as loud as if it was from a speaker. It must be its way of communication, similar to that of whales and dolphins. That was…

Fascinating.

With buckling knees, Caytlin got up, maintaining eye contact with the creature while clutching the nearby railing with all her might. The merman stayed on its place, observing Caytlin with what she guessed was mighty curiosity. The expressions looked so human… It was like she could see what it – he – was thinking. He widened his eyes as he watched Caytlin get up, sucking in a breath and closing the gills on the side of his neck.

“H-huh, looks like you aren’t going to eat me. Phew.” She sighed and gave the creature a crooked smile.

The creature, however, looked down at her with a confused, but curious expression.

And then it got closer.

“Oh gosh, no no no –! “

He raised himself more above water, waves crashing as he loomed over her with a long shadow and – yep, definitely bigger than 80 feet – Caytlin made a note inside her head. She had swum next to blue whales before and what was before her was certainly bigger than a blue whale, so pretty much over 100 feet tall. When the creature noticed she was shaking and backing away, it raised its eyebrows and sank a little to the ocean, with only its face at view.

It came closer to her, anyway.

Caytlin gasped and sealed her eyes shut when the merperson got so close she could feel his breath – and oh, he was carnivorous alright – her heart racing as she gritted her teeth, pressing herself so hard against the wall outside the cabin she thought she would merge with it. It seemed to be observing her, looking her up and down with a curious expression, moving closer and leaning his large hand over the boat, which was on the verge of capsizing as the metal groaned under the heavy weight.

His eyes observed her just like she has seen whales do before. Was this creature intelligent? Was it a fish? A mammal? Caytlin had so many questions…

She slowly got up again, not taking her eyes off the creature, and sighed shakily, calming her accelerated heart.

If she wasn’t hallucinating right now, this was the greatest discovery human kind had ever seen. And she was its first witness!

Caytlin took one step closer towards the merperson – ‘Yeah, I’m really going crazy’ –she thought, raising her hand with a nervous expression. She knew she had to be calm but, it was so difficult! His face rose far above her and she had to crane her neck up to meet his eyes. Taking a deep breath and closing her own eyes to disperse her fear, Caytlin reached out with a trembling hand, little by little until –

A gasp echoed from above her and she opened her eyes.

She had touched the creature’s nose and he looked at her tiny hand with widened eyes. Caytlin raised her eyebrows. For that moment, time had stopped, her green eyes lost in his. It felt so…So out of this world. She smiled, noticing how both were so curious about each other.

And soon the creature acted the same way.

Caytlin yelped when a wet appendage – the mer’s finger, she realized – caressed her arm up and down as it peered at her with those glossy, cerulean eyes. A sigh ruffled Caytlin’s hair, and she gulped down her nervousness as the creature touched her arm, claws grazing her, heartbeat rocking loudly in her chest.

Satisfied, the creature backed away from her and started lowering his head back to the ocean, with a frown on his gigantic face. ‘Was he sad…?’

When the creature sunk his face completely, Caytlin realized with sinking dread that it was leaving her alone.

“Wait!” she shouted, reaching out towards the ocean.

The merperson raised his torso up again, surprising Caytlin as she fell on her back towards the floor with a yelp. ‘Ow, I really have to stop falling down.’ – she thought. He sunk his body again, whistling and clicking with an apologetic expression, and left only his eyes visible. Caytlin got up and sighed in relief when the merman returned. An impulsive idea lightened up in her head: She could ask for the merman’s help!

But… How would she do this?

“I’m, um, you see, I need help!” – she said, waving her hands around. The merman only tilted his head in confusion.

“Oh, u-um, how am I going to do this…” – Caytlin looked down pensively until an idea popped up, and pointed to the vast horizon behind her with her hand.

“Um, shore, land! I need to get back there! See?”

She made a motion of sea waves with one arm, while cupping her other hand over it, mimicking the vague shape of a boat.

“Boat, um, crashed!”

She ran to her cabin, which made the merman raise his head above water, and tried to turn the engine back on, which failed with loud noises.

“S-see? It’s not working! And, and –” Caytlin ran back to the railing, where the creature looked down at her with a puzzled expression.

“So I need help! Got it?” she gave him a tentative smile. The merman’s frown got deeper.

Yeah, he didn’t seem to have understood a thing. Caytlin groaned and sat on the floor, holding her face with both hands.

“This won’t work…”

And just as she lowered her head, loud splashes sounded all around her. The merman was probably going back to the ocean. It was better this way. Help would arrive soon, anyway.

But when Caytlin kept hearing the sounds, she opened her eyes and looked around. What resembled a blue whale’s tail appeared in her field of vision, splashing gently around her. The creature was swimming around her boat, looking it over. As if analyzing it. Her eyes widened in wonder. Yeah, there was no way he didn’t have similar human levels of intelligence. His behavioral patterns were unlike any other animal she has seen. The merman swam back to be in front of Caytlin, with his eyes lit up, as if he had understood something. He covered her once again with his shadow, looked down at her and nodded.

That was the only warning Caytlin got.

The creature’s heavy hand collided against the bottom of her boat with a loud thump, sending her sliding backwards with a yell until she hit the wall of her cabin again. The boat moved towards the direction Caytlin had pointed before in her previous attempts to communicate. She got up on shaky knees, supporting herself until she entered the cabin, and looked straight ahead, widening her eyes in realization.

The creature was moving the boat back to shore. It was helping her. It had understood what she meant!

Caytlin giggled, leaning over the front window with a gleeful expression on her face. The boat glided quickly on the ocean with the help of the merman’s hand, and from the distance, loud splashes resounded from the powerful flaps of the creature’s tail. Caytlin walked out of the cabin and looked up to the merman, who blinked down at her.

“It’s working!” she raised her hands in triumph.

And then, just when Caytlin thought she could not be more surprised, the creature glanced back at her, and the corners of his lips tilted up.

He smiled.

Her jaw went slack. She could not believe this. This mermaid-like creature, despite his gigantic and intimidating size, not only was intelligent enough that they managed to communicate somehow, but was also helping her get to shore. Not to mention his many human-like mannerisms. She was so… So mesmerized. She gazed at his focused face.

‘I need to know more about him.’

But the rocking of the boat followed by a complete stop made her leave her blissful moment. The merman had stopped swimming, so Caytlin turned around, realizing why. She could see the shore in the distance, close enough so she could be seen and rescued, but far enough so that the creature could slip back into the ocean unnoticed. She looked back up at him, who answered with a sympathetic frown, as if to say “That’s as far as I’ll go.” Caytlin looked down.

“Right, guess this is it, huh?”

She approached his face once again, capturing every single detail in it, hoping to write it all down on her journal later that day. Caytlin reached out a hand for him, who complied, leaning his face against it, as she felt the wet and smooth texture of his skin.

“Thank you… I just hope I can see you again.”

Caytlin looked up, and backed away, leaving space for the creature to dive deep into the ocean again. It lingered by her company for a few moments, as if to also capture her every detail, and with a nod, he dived back into the ocean.

…

The rescue team didn’t take long to find her, even in the pouring rain of the heavy storm. When she stepped safely onto the beach, soaked from head to toe, her dad Charles hugged her tightly, scolding her right after. He was mad, but that was understandable. She wasn’t a teenager anymore, but she sure acted recklessly like one. Caytlin took her dad’s sermon with a saddened but understanding expression, nodding at everything he said, even if her mind drifted somewhere else, back to that encounter by the sea.

Later at night she wrote everything down, from the moment the engine got jammed to the time the merman swam away, as well as observations regarding the creature’s fascinating behavior and appearance, all in precise detail.

Caytlin plopped into her bed, looking at the ceiling with longing and determination.

‘I’ll definitely find you again.’

…

Looking up at the vast stone ceiling of his room. Aegir’s mind drifted back to that excitable, fearful yet curious human face. He remembered the way her tiny hand touched the tip of his nose, how her dry skin brushed against his fingertip.

Humans were, fascinating. She was fascinating.

‘I want to see her again.’

Aegir raised his body up, and secretly swam out of his room towards the dark of the night ocean. He left the cavern, where his kingdom resided in, with a silent whoosh of his tail, swimming up to the surface. Taking in the moonlight, Aegir closed his eyes, opening his nostrils to breathe in the fresh air, and leaning on his back over the ocean’s surface, letting the relaxing currents drift him away.

Dread sank heavy in his mind.

He had just made a grave, grave mistake.

And he did not want to go back on it.

Aegir looked at the moonlight, lost in the recollection of that human’s face, yearning to find her again.

‘Mother Ocean, what am I going to do now?’