tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66202731042299866132024-03-08T14:15:08.861-08:00Vexed SimsVexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-64755682766903974022012-09-06T23:30:00.001-07:002012-09-06T23:40:37.237-07:00Fallview Farm. Or: "Hey Look! I Got Supernatural!"<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yay! Supernatural's here! Since my tastes run toward the gothic and mystic, the new build toys had me like a kid in a candy store.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here is this thing I made.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's a fancy, expensive horse property with oodles of pasture space for the sim who likes to keep a herd. And true to many of my builds, the house itself emphasizes quality over quantity - a 2 bedroom, 2 bath farm house in the Gothic Revival style that's just perfect for a family of 3 or 4 whose tastes run toward darkness and magic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's the bullet list.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sits on a 64 x 64 lot.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 bedrooms, furnished for a couple and 2 children. The play area includes a crib and could be walled off to create a third bedroom if needed.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 full baths. One on each floor.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">A basement with nectar cellar and magical laboratory, the stairs to which are concealed behind a bookcase in the library.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Outer buildings include a large greenhouse bursting with exotic (and dangerous) flora, a run-in barn with hay loft, and old potting shed converted into a sauna.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Parking for 2 cars.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fenced-off garden space with kitchen harvestables, mushrooms, beehive, and fairy house.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pea-shooter zombie defense system.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Final price tag: $195k after playtesting.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As always, NO CC was used on this lot. Store and Expansion items, however, were used willy-nilly</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=6368712" target="_blank">Exchange Download</a></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?67lvn5ipi2b5nbg" target="_blank">Mediafire Download</a></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Full picture set below the cut:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Run-in barn, sized to easily add box stalls if you wish (personally, they annoy me.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Pond. No really. Just a pond.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Entryway foyer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Living room.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Library.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dining room.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kitchen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Upper landing and childrens' play area.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Master bedroom.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Children's bedroom.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Magical Workshop:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kitchen garden. All plants are just the "Common" varieties. If you're interested in getting your hands on more exotic produce, check out my <a href="http://vexingsims.blogspot.com/2011/08/simple-useful-perfect.html" target="_blank">Perfect Little Garden</a> lot.</span><br />
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Greenhouse.<br />
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Sauna.<br />
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First floor layout.<br />
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Second floor layout.<br />
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<br />Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-21396879257199548152012-08-13T20:57:00.000-07:002012-08-14T12:15:43.917-07:00Trouble in Paradise - Chapter 2<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This chapter is behind a cut, as i</span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">t contains brief amounts of boob.</span></span></b><br />
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.6892923216801137" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Wendy? There you are, finally! So what’s my favorite ginger been up to while I’ve been busy entertaining the locals?” Mary leaned against the rough stucco wall of her vacation house, grateful that the third call finally picked up.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Sorry about that. I was, getting to know some of the local authorities.” The voice on the other end drawled, halfway to laughing.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You’re not in jail, are you?”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The tone of amusement on the other end of the line just grew. “No, but I was in restraints for a little while. Y’know. For sport.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Who’s that?” The police officer turned his head to look up at Wendy on the phone. Or, at least, he </span><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a police officer, before his uniform ended up scattered in pieces around the room and he ended up in a contented heap with a red-haired foreign lady of questionable motives. Motives he decided to continue not to question as long as she let him use her as a pillow.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wendy grinned down at him, eyes half-closed as she stroked his hair.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Would you excuse me a moment, handsome?” she whispered softly, planting a quick kiss on his forehead before extricating herself from their tangle and scooped up what bits of her clothes she could reach as she wandered into the next room.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I didn’t even know you played that way. Well, at least one of us had a good time tonight.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Oh? How’d things go with the dealers?” Wendy kept her voice hushed, as she half-heartedly tried to get dressed at the same time.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“A little skittish, but they came around in the end. They threw a condition at me though.” Mary tried her best to ignore the commotion on the other end. Wendy was always up to no good. But usually that ‘no good’ worked to her advantage.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Shoot.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“They want someone they can actually sell relics to.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A look of confusion crossed Wendy’s face as she nearly tripped over her own underwear. “What use’ve we got for relics?”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“None at all. But I’m sure we can find someone who does. I was thinking about tracking down Madame Delacroix. I’ve been meaning to meet her sometime anyway. She deals in ancient artifacts, am I right?”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Delacroix? Oh yeah, she deals in anything and everything art-related. Deals even better in fakes if memory serves.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary smiled, the grin carrying through her voice down the line. “Well then, it sounds like these two will be perfect for each other. Now we just need to find her.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You leave that to me. I know some people who move in her circles.” Wendy turned around and hung up the phone as she heard the door creak open behind her. The handsome young officer smiled bashfully, holding her pants in one hand.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She took them in exchange for a smooch. “Thank you, sweet thing. I’m afraid I’m going to need to be running along, now.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----------</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hardly another word did Mary hear from Wendy until almost 2 days later, when, just as the first bits of morning light started creeping through her bedroom window, Wendy creeped through her door and plopped down on the bed beside her, nearly meeting with an elbow to the ribs.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“What time is it?” Mary mumbled groggily.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Somewhere around the ass crack of dawn.” Wendy beamed.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I hate you.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I know” Wendy purred affectionately. “And you’ll hate me even more now, because I got in touch with Madame Delacroix and she’s interested in having a look at what you’ve got to offer. We’re headed to this little town on the southern coast of France to meet with her. I’ve heard it’s pretty plush.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course, when Wendy spoke of ‘pretty plush’, she usually meant silk sheets and lounging by the pool while cabana boys serve you fruity umbrella drinks. Which sounded pretty nice right about now.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Okay, I hate you slightly less.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Darn.” Wendy snapped her fingers.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----------</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“That view!” Mary leaned against the fence, staring out over the perfect crystal waters, quiet seaside town, and green hills in the distance. After being sandblasted for the better part of a week, she was in heaven. “How did you manage to win us this guest house on such short notice?”</span><br /><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wendy shrugged. “Oh, it was at Delacroix’s insistence. She said she likes to make sure her guests are well-accommodated. Especially the new business acquaintances.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Really?” Mary stepped back, immediately more suspicious.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wendy grinned widely. “Welcome to my world, darlin’. Yachts, Private Jets, garden apartments, and drinking bourbon with sleazy old men for personal gain.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary circled the pool’s edge, heading back inside, thoughtful. “And lime green walls.” She noted, making a face.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It’s avant-garde!” Wendy followed her inside. Her drawl completely ruined that word.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And possibly bugged.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You think so?”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary nodded, studying the cluttered room. “Think about it, Wendy. Madame Delacroix works with anyone and everyone, as long as they have more money than scruples. If there were one person in the world in the perfect position to profit off information, it’s her.” She spun around to face Wendy, with a pointed look that said what she dared not speak out loud.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You got yerself a point.” Wendy conceded, making a note to herself to mention nothing telling while they’re in the house. Or in the car. Or in Madame Delacroix’s house.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I would do it if I were her.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----------</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ll confess, as much as I am hoping she will take an interest in these relics I’m selling her, there’s another reason I’ve been wanting to get in with Madame Delacroix.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She’s connected. Well connected. Legitimate art, smuggled art, stolen, plundered, counterfeit, she buys and sells it all the same. Anyone with a taste for the exotic and expensive knows of her. Many of us whose pastimes run outside the law eventually turn to her to help us move goods, which she’s always happy to do.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And there’s one person in particular I am counting on her having a working relationship with. If I am lucky, he even attends her parties. Granted, it’d be bad form to knife him in the back in her study, but still, I’m sure there’ll be a day I want to know which people are his favorites. To have an excuse to be in the same room as he is. Perhaps even to arrange a rendezvous in my own study.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But I’m getting ahead of myself. First, I need to get on Delacroix’s good side.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-----------</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Ahh! There are my new associates!” Margeaux Delacroix beamed with a deliberate enthusiasm as she strode across the room and planted kisses on Mary and Wendy’s cheeks in turn. “How has your stay treated you thus far? Are the accommodations to your liking?”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Do you always host your gatherings in paradise?” Mary looked around the foyer of Margeaux’s mansion with an equally deliberate admiration.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I insist in only the best in all things, dear. Be that in locale, wares, or company.” Madame Delacroix grinned, a smile that suggested a hidden weight to her words. “And by the way, it is so nice to work with people who have gracious manners, but are not fools.” she remarked, knowingly.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A moment of ‘ah ha’ passed between the three women, but before anyone could make a comment, Margeaux continued. “But! That is not why we are here, no? I have been spending some time studying these treasures you’ve bought for me.” With a gesture, she led the two of them toward the stairs and into a small gallery room, where the relics Mary brought her sat perched and waiting.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I hope you’ve found them to be of interest?” Mary suggested hopefully.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Actually...” She turned around to face the trio of statues sitting on a shelf, stroking her chin thoughtfully “They’re lovely enough, but I must know: what makes them better than the ones in Setra?”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary expected this question. “Well, there’s a certain allure in having something others do not.” she began. “Everyone already has access to what’s from Setra. Everyone knows about them. Your aunt has one on her shelf as a conversation piece. Teenagers pretend to worship statues of Isis to feel different and shock their parents-”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Yes,” Margeaux interrupted, in a way that showed she clearly rated what she had to say about a subject above anyone else’s opinion, “Egypt is starting to get a bit overdone.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As politely as she could manage, Mary disagreed. “Egypt has been a source of fascination for thousands of years, Madame. It’ll never be ‘overdone,’ though certain parts of it may fall in and out of fashion. But Al Simhara, that’s something new. A distant valley, still filled with the mystique of unexplored tombs.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Madame Delacroix pondered this quietly, looking between Mary and the statues, and doing her best to look as if she was about to argue that point.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After a moment to let Mary’s pitch sink in, Wendy turned her attention away from a painting on the wall and added, “Besides, it’s hard to get admiration for your impeccable tastes unless a lesser version is already popular. If it’s not, then your tastes are just strange.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With a gesture, Margeaux conceded Wendy’s point. “Yes. All right. I’ll tell you what. I will take these pieces and include them in the auction at my party tomorrow, and see how they do.” </span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then she gave them both her most gracious smile. “You both are quite welcome to attend, of course.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----------</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You sure you’re ready to make a show at one of Madame Delacroix’s parties?” Wendy half-joked as she zipped up Mary’s dress. “I know you’ve got a lot of money, but half the folks here had hundred-dollar bills used for their baby wipes.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary took a moment to tug and adjust at all the little straps and gauzy bits, then studied herself in the mirror with a satisfied nod. “Absolutely. Just because I wasn’t born into high society doesn’t mean I haven’t learned to schmooze. Besides, much of what’s sold at these parties is illegal on the open market, and I know at least some of it is stolen. I have a sneaking suspicion I’ll be among my own kind here. I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to do a little networking.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I guess that’s true.” Wendy leaned in to give her hair one last preen. “And besides, you’ve had a mighty fine teacher in the arts of being a respectable lady.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Of </span><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">acting</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> like a respectable lady. When the situation demands it.” Mary corrected with a sideways glance shot Wendy’s way.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wendy giggled. There was no denying the truth, but there was a slap given to Mary’s pearl-studded back.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As if on cue, the bedroom door opened, and Simon ducked into the room, dressed to the nines and bowed to the women graciously.</span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Ladies, your chariot awaits.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----------</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A couple hours later, Mary found herself standing in Margeaux’s parlor - well, one of them anyway - with a party drink in one hand and Simon hovering nearby, staring into the stern but impassioned face of a man who introduced himself only as Carranza, who’d pinned her against the window with a tale of his efforts against the Peruvian authorities.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“So you see my trouble, Ms. Downing. The very government that cries all day about freedom, cannot appreciate that very same freedom when exercised by their people.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Freedom to live in the manner </span><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">they</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> approve of.” Mary agreed. “But those of us with a greater vision, they can’t handle the likes of us, can they?” She leaned in close, her tone hushing to a whisper. She looked up into his eyes as he hooked himself on her every word. “I think what you need, Mr. Carranza, is more friends who understand, and are in a position to help.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“But you say you’re all the way out in the Pacific.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary shrugged, smiled, and sipped her drink. “There is much freedom out there at sea. Freedom to explore whatever revolutionary ideas inspire you. And the freedom to develop whatever technologies you deem necessary to protect them.”</span></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7263/7778144328_912b8e339e_o.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7263/7778144328_ea3eb54dcc_z.jpg" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her newfound friend took the bait. “And just what sort of technologies may that be, Ms. Downing?”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Ones that would make sure no government dogs would have the courage to set foot on your fields again.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Monopolizing the newcomers again, Emilio?” came a man’s voice from behind Carranza. Gentle, and smooth as silk.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Carranza grinned widely and stepped aside, letting his friend into the conversation. “This one, ehh, she is like us I think. My dear lady, I’d like to introduce my old friend, Shen Hui Qiang. Hui Quiang, this is Mary Downing.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Charmed.” Mary and Hui Qiang exchanged polite bows. “So what is it that you do, Mr. Shen?”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I head an organization called the Guan Jin.” He did his best to look modest about it, but was not entirely successful.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Guan Jin?” Mary mulled this over a moment. A familiar name. “I believe I’ve heard of them. Zhejiang province, am I right?” </span><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A triad leader</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Mary noted to herself. </span><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I really am in the company of my own kind tonight.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Indeed.” He seemed to pick up on Mary’s appreciative look. “I like a worldly woman. Do you travel often, Miss Downing?”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Very. I’m based in the Pacific, but find myself venturing Eastward on a regular basis.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Well.” Hui Qiang’s face took on a look of polite, but pleased surprise. “If that’s the case and you’re Mr. Carranza’s type of lady, it’s a wonder we haven’t run across one another before.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’m a bit new on the scene. But tonight may be a perfect night to do something to remedy this.” Mary found herself forgetting about Carranza and Simon both standing beside her, and staring into Mr. Shen’s eyes for perhaps a few seconds longer than she should. Charming man. She couldn’t help but wonder if that charm was intentional, but enjoyed it nonetheless.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gently, Mr. Shen took Mary’s hand and led her away from the crowd. “Every new face is a new opportunity. Well then, Miss Downing, you should tell me about yourself.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simon and Carranza passed each other knowing glances, before Simon silently excused himself to go figure out where Wendy wandered off to.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He found her across the house, at the edge of the indoor pool, surrounded by a trio of aging jet-setters, recalling in her fondest possible words the way the sun bounces off the coral reefs of their island home.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Well, if I’m ever out that way, I’ll have to look you up.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You should. I’ll give you the grand tour. Introduce you to some of the locals. Make sure you have a wonderful time.” Wendy said with a wiggle of her eyebrows and a tone just suggestive enough to make the two older men laugh.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quietly, Simon sidled up beside her and slipped a fresh drink into her hands.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You again!” Wendy grinned and wrapped one arm around his shoulders. “Mary run away from you?”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I thought it was best to give her a little time alone.” Simon answered as tactfully as possible.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Oh? Who’s she met?” Wendy turned to scan the main hall, just beyond the pool’s glass doors, catching not a glimpse of Mary, but another highly interesting trio of figures making their way down the stairs. Without mentioning this, she handed the drink back to Simon and quickly excused herself from the group. “Maybe she can introduce us.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I-” Simon began to protest, but found himself standing alone with a cocktail in one hand as Wendy’s new friends wandered off in another direction. Shrugging to himself, he drank it and resolved to leave the girls to their mischief.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rounding a corner, Wendy spotted Mary and her newfound friend in one of the house’s studies, completely engrossed in a conversation about, what she could guess from catching a couple sentences, the merging of mysticism and scientific procedure.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A subject she knew Mary could go on about for hours if given half a chance, so she got right to the point and clapped her on the shoulder to get her attention. “Hey, Mary, I hate to interrupt but there is someone here you simply </span><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">must</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> meet.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She ignored the looks they both gave her as she pulled Mary aside and pointed down the hall.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Isn’t that gentleman your friend, there?”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary narrowed her eyes as she spotted the pair in the foyer. “Yes.” she said simply, negating to add the bits about ruining her life, or wanting to see him go up in flames. “Have they been upstairs with Delacroix this entire time? I guess they must have some special business going on between them.”</span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wendy studied the pair for a moment herself, before adding her own conclusion. “That’s one classy-looking lady he has on his arm there. I wonder how much she charges per hour?”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hui Qiang, not to be pulled away from a good conversation so casually, made his way back over to the pair, pulling Mary’s attention back by running a finger down one of her strands of pearls. “That one? He’s a very dangerous man to work with. But I gather you two knew that already.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“So, are you going to talk to him?” Wendy dared.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary shot Wendy a look filled with enough venom to kill an elephant, then, inexplicably, smiled and shook her head.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Not yet.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ringing of a bell interrupted them, as well as everyone else in the house, as previously-invisible servants stepped away from their posts and set down their drinks trays to usher the crowd toward the foyer to hear Margeaux speak.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I would like to thank you all for attending tonight.” She began. “Nothing pleases me more than to spend such a perfect evening in the presence of such fine company. Except, perhaps, to invite them to attend the highlight of the event: an auction of the most exquisite art and antiques that money only has the rare chance to buy.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With a flourish, a pair of valets opened a set of double doors at the far side of the parlour, and everyone made their way into toward the auction room.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----------</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary didn’t care much for spending all her money on rare art. But she sat through it quietly, putting in a few token bids and letting Wendy get into some very enthusiastic attempts to blow away her savings on some expensive nicknacks.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While always a woman of some wealth, she never entirely understood the motives of the idle rich. Much more fun, really, to arrange the theft of something rare and sought-after than fight for the privilege of paying for it.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Granted, it would be bad for business to attempt to steal from Margeaux herself.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Much better for business, however, was her own collection of Egyptian antiques selling for a decent price. And she spent the rest of the auction in quiet contemplation about her plans for all that tiberium she’d soon be bringing home.</span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Well, it is a start.” Margeaux remarked at the end of the evening, approaching Mary as she made her rounds through the clumps of party-goers. “I think with the right marketing, there could be a nice niche for these.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Excellent. I believe you already have the contact information for the Sahrawis?”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I do. But I must ask something, Mary, dear.” She gave her new associate a questioning look. “What’s in it for you to be playing matchmaker in this relationship?”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I scratch his back, he scratches mine.” Mary answered vaguely.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Ah!” Madame Delacroix knew an under-the-table deal when she saw it. “Pehraps it is best left between the two of you, then. And perhaps you and I should keep in touch as well.” She leaned in close, with a smile that suggested a hundred shady deals in the future.</span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary matched her grin. “I plan on it.”</span></span></b>
Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-79921968465849444592012-08-04T21:57:00.000-07:002012-08-05T09:27:36.807-07:00Trouble in Paradise - Chapter 1, Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"And <i>that</i>, Miss Downing, was the last time I opened a sarcophagus without knocking first.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary laughed, mostly politely, while simon slipped in beside Hammad with a platter of wine glasses. The evening, so far, was going perfectly. The sun setting behind the hills took the edge off the brutal heat, and the four of them traded stories over dinner (really more a case of everyone else listening to Hammad as he rambled) on the rooftop like old friends.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The next thing Hammad knew, his plate disappeared and a glass of wine appeared in its place. His amusement at his own punchline turned to delight.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I like this manservant of yours, Miss Downing. I may have to get one for myself.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Well, if I have anything to do with it, soon you may be wealthy enough for a dozen of him.” Mary accepted her own glass from Simon, lifting it toward her guests.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Oh yes, that’s right,” Karida interjected before her husband could begin another story. “We had business to discuss tonight, didn’t we?”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary shrugged, “Eventually. But I think it’s good for any prospective partners to spend some time getting to know each other.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Speaking of, I can’t say we know too much about our mysterious hostess. Tell me, Miss Downing, how did you come to hear about our operation if you are not in the business of relic collecting.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Ah” Mary looked thoughtfully down at her glass and took a sip. She knew she’d have to word this reply carefully.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Some years ago, I was involved with a certain organization whose many branches included a company called OCC Imports.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“OCC?” The good cheer immediately left the faces of her guests. For a moment, they both found the surface of the table very interesting before Karida spoke up first. “I see. We used to supply them. Some years ago, as you say. The way they severed their contracts so abruptly left a bitter taste, for both of us.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Oh, many changes happened in that company several years ago that I do not approve of. I can tell you they’re no friends of mine anymore either.” The sharpening of Mary’s deliberately polite tone, and the way she glanced out over her rooftop and toward the sea, betrayed the depth of her understatement. “But, since you asked, that is where I came to hear about you. And to know that you were always reliable in your work.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Then, perhaps we are still potential good friends after all.” The smile cautiously returned to Karida’s face, and she lifted her wine glass in Mary’s direction.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I take it you work for another company now, then, Miss Downing?” Hammad spoke up as he looked up, his interest returning.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I have founded my own organization, yes. We call ourselves Pacific Sun.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Pacific Sun?” Karida is not a fool. She knew fully well that any group that referred to itself as an organization and </span><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">called itself</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> something was most likely a front. OCC Imports was a front. They’d figured that out not long into their dealing with them. But, at the same time, she also knew that any less-than-legitimate company with the resources to make an offer under such plush circumstances could potentially be quite lucrative.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She glanced to her husband beside her, who gave her a look that said he had exactly the same thoughts.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary watched the gears spinning in the heads of her guests, before both of them turned to her, intrigued.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And what business, exactly, does Pacific Sun have with an excavator of ancient relics? That is, according to what you said earlier, not the relics themselves?”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary glanced over her shoulder at Simon, hovering quietly out of sight. “Simon, dear, could you bring me the metal box sitting on my dresser?”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As Simon turned and slipped down the stairs, Mary returned her attention to her guests. “When excavating ancient burial sites, as you both well know, one has a tendency to uncover more than just art pieces and grave goods. There are ancient texts, often containing knowledge dead and forgotten for centuries. The remains of the dead themselves. Items rumored to be imbued with mystic powers...”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wordlessly, Simon stepped up behind Mary and set the box down in front of her. She produced a small key from inside her jacket and opened it.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“.. And this.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The green crystal glowed with a sickly radiance. Hammad and Karida reeled back as if she’d just dropped a live cobra on the table.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Tiberium! Do you have any idea what.. that </span><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rock</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> can do to a man?!”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary remained calm, unfazed even as crystal emitted a small burst of glowing green sparks, which bounced on the table’s surface before winking out in tiny puffs of black smoke. “Keenly aware, Mr. And Mrs. Sahrawi. I am also aware that with proper handling, it is extremely useful - indeed, essential - for a variety of highly specialized applications.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Which is why it can only be purchased by specially licensed companies.” Hammad clarified.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Generally with the endorsement of a major world government.” Karida felt compelled to add.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary half-shrugged. “You’re right in that. But the truth is, the number of government-endorsed buyers for Tiberium has declined significantly in the past decade. And in the meantime, it still keeps turning up these ancient sites regardless. The paperwork for its disposal is much easier to come by. Which is what you two have been doing with it all along, yes?” She closed the box in front of her, watching her guests with that same conspirational look Hammad recognized from their tour of the storehouse.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“That’s right, Miss Downing. We have a Tiberium disposal site some miles outside of town.” Hammad answered, still staring at the metal box as Mary locked it again.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Part of Hammad and Karida both wanted to get up and leave the table. But, at the same time, something about the look on Mary’s face told them they would be passing up a great opportunity if they did.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Such a shame to let such a valuable mineral go to waste.” Mary passed the box back to Simon, who quietly carried it away, much to her guests’ relief. “I mean, it’s so unstable. Without proper long-term storage under specialized conditions, it loses potency and becomes nothing more than a pile of old quartz after just a couple years. Which is what any disposal site hopes it’ll do, yes?”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“That, too, is right. If we can do anything to avoid having a big pile of hazardous material laying around, we will.” Hammad did his best to follow along, curious where Mary’s line of reasoning would take them.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Karida did not have the same confidence, however. “You know I’m surprised you don’t just work directly with the disposal site, if that’s all you’re after.” she nearly snapped.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The remark earned her a sharp look from her husband, but Mary accepted it with good grace.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I considered it, initially. But I like to be a little more proactive than that. Why scoop up the discarded scraps of other peoples’ work when I could, instead, be creating an opportunity that would grow with time? Both for myself, and for the people I worked with.” Mary leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table as she smiled at her guests. Her potential suppliers.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Excuse us a moment, would you?”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary waved one hand “Take your time.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hammad and Karida stepped away from the table, finding a far corner to debate quietly between themselves. In the meantime, Simon leaned in beside Mary and whispered, “They seem a bit more reluctant than we thought they'd be.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“If they aren’t willing to work with me, I have some other options in mind.” Mary sighed, watching her guests as their discussion moved to a very quiet argument. “The question is whether or not I’ll let them leave if they say no.”
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’m not sure if I like this idea of..” Karida hunted for the words “Smuggling Tiberium. Or enabling the smuggling of tiberium.”</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You didn’t mind selling relics to OCC.” Hammad pointed out.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Those were just relics!” she protested.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Ancient texts. Fragments of murals depicting old rituals. And shady about it the whole way. They were up to something too and we both knew it.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Karida opened her mouth, but no words came out. That she could not protest. She took a few seconds to collect her thoughts. “I guess it was easier to not think about it then. With them. This is... different.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“So Miss Downing is just more honest about what she’s up to. I think I like that about her, actually.” Hammad tried his best to be reassuring. He knew what Tiberium was worth, and the more he thought about it, the more the money tempted him.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So did Karida. She glanced back at Mary and Simon as they had their own conversation. “Fine. But I want some assurance from her that we aren’t going to be getting caught. It would be hard to escape suspicion if we’re digging up the desert but not selling anything.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You’re right, my dear.” Hammad nodded slowly, the wheels turning in his head. “You know, I think we might be able to make this deal one step better for us. If she really does want our tiberium, that is.”</span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the pair headed back to the table, Mary looked back up at them with her conspiring smile, but perhaps a little more predatory than before. They tried not to let it put them off.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Well, we talked it over.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And?” Mary did her best to look hopeful and encouraging.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We would love to help you, Miss Downing. But there’s just not much business in excavating relics around here anymore. It’d be hard, given the present circumstances, to find a legitimate reason to scale up operations again enough to meet any significant tiberium demand on the side.” Hammad trailed off, intentionally leaving his statement open for interpretation. Or suggestion.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Karida backed up her husband’s story by putting on her best quietly forlorn look. Which in truth, she was.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not a yes. Not a no. Mary hmmed to herself, rising from her seat and stepping over to the railing. She looked out over the landscape beyond her hilltop home as she considered their answer.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Far in the distance, through the last shimmers of heat from the sand, alabaster statues of ancient gods lurked among the pillars of their crumbling temples. And the pyramids, monolithic graves to forgotten kings, stood guard over the fortunes concealed in their walls. Directly below her, a turquoise river wound its way through the barren dunes.</span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The answer came to her. One so simple, she almost laughed at it. “Oh, the mystique of this land will never die. After all, everything the ancient people built here was aimed at finding immortality. The interest is out there. It’s just not aimed here, in this specific valley. All it would take is making the right connections.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Karida’s answer came from behind her, softly encouraging. “Miss Downing, you strike me as something of an expert in making connections.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary smiled. “Indeed I am,” and spun around to face them both. “In fact, I may have just the person in mind already. I think you’ll be hearing from one of my associates very soon, Mr. and Mrs. Sahrawi.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We will be looking forward to it.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----------</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After bidding goodbyes and seeing Hammad and Karida to the door, Simon returned to the rooftop, where he found Mary still watching the landscape, ponderous.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“So, I have to know,” he interrupted cautiously. “Is Tiberium really that dangerous?”</span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Yes.” she answered simply.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Glancing back at Simon and noting the confusion on his face, she elaborated. “Tiberium is essentially quartz crystal, irradiated by thanatonic energy. Which is why you only find it in places, well, filled with death. Tomb complexes, charnel houses, the sites of massive battles that nobody fully cleaned up after. Or anywhere else large numbers of people were laid to rest. And it does a real number on living tissue. A person subjected to prolonged exposure will literally begin to rot away while still alive. And they tend to lose their minds in the worst possible way in the process.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Oh wow.” Simon blinked. “No wonder it’s illegal to trade in.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary laughed softly. Half a cackle. “Oh you have no idea. You get your hands on enough of that crystal, you can build all sorts of interesting devices. Teleporters. Weaponry. Certain types of aetheric manipulators that can give you control over the dead, as well as the living. And those are just the currently-known, legal uses. I mean we are talking about the raw essence of death, after all.” </span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“So what are you planning for it?”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The question came out with more curiosity than caution. Simon was not an evil man, really, but every now and then in the face of his mistress’s plots, he couldn’t help but be intrigued.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary took one of her servant-plaything’s hands, and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Simon, my dear, while you are my favorite traveling companion and one of my most trusted minions, I’m afraid that would be telling.”</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then she leaned in close and whispered in his ear.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’ll just say it’s something terrible, that the world has never seen before.”</span></span></b>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-75711972633591768232012-07-28T19:58:00.002-07:002012-07-28T21:23:55.282-07:00Trouble In Paradise - Chapter 1, Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8001/7665715796_3ed0ca1446_o.jpg"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8001/7665715796_c10e315d3d_z.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.15663555427454412" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another day just watching the heat lift off the dunes,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> thought Karida to herself.</span></span></b>
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<b style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Outside the walls of her market stall, past the archways inviting any passers-by to slip in and enjoy a little shade while they browse, the locals milled past on their way to shop for other things, for day-to-day supplies, for a bite to eat, but not for the relics that lined her shelves. When looking for a fancy ancient nicknack to decorate one’s home with, people seldom pick from those dug up in their own town.</span></b>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This fact was not lost on Karida as she brushed a bit of windswept sand out of the ears of an Anubis staring her down from the other end of the counter. She thought back to the days not too long ago when, thanks to a foreign interest she never quite trusted but blessed with deep pockets, business was brisk. The shop at the time stood merely as a decoration to keep the small trickle of adventurous tourists amused with whatever baubles she had left over after making the real sales. That interest dried up overnight a few years ago, though. New management, they said. A shift in company focus. Now that small trickle of tourists made the whole of her business, and in her little decoration of a shop the dozens of little decorative statues looked as bored as she felt.</span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So when one of the figures milling past in the market square paused, regarded her, and stepped inside, she almost forgot to contain her look of surprise.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Is this Simhara Antiques and Curios?” The sharply-dressed foreign woman greeted her with a smile.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It is” Karida offered her hand across the counter, flashing her best saleswoman’s grin. “You must be well-travelled indeed, madam to know us by name. Welcome. What can I interest you in today?”</span></span></b>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’m looking for a couple by the name of Hammad and Karida Sahrawi. They owned this place once.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Karida brightened. “Well then you’re in luck! We still do, and I am Mrs. Sahrawi. And who is it I have the pleasure of meeting today?”</span></b> <b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Mary Downing. And the pleasure is all mine, I assure you.” Mary took a moment to scan the shelves around her. A few of the trinkets had the look of the real thing, but overshadowing them were gilded statues and gem-encrusted amulets not quite scuffed and crumbling enough for the age they claimed. A realization she decided against pointing out.</span></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’ve heard the two of you are best source for all things ancient and mysterious this side of Setra."</span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“A flattering claim, though I would not dispute it.” Karida replied with well-feigned modesty. But she did not fail to notice Mary’s tactful indifference as she browsed the wares around them. Clearly, her new customer was no mere foolish tourist. “And if it’s rare relics you are after, we have an extensive collection. Much moreso than we can display in this small space.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Actually...” Mary considered her answer a moment. “I would love to see what you have to offer. As you seem to have gathered already, I’m not your everyday collector. I’m here after something very specific and special.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Then you’ve come to the right place, madam. My husband is upstairs. Let me fetch him and he’ll be happy to show you the rest of our collection. I am sure we can find exactly what you’re looking for.”</span></b></span>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----------</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It may not look like much from the outside, but this building is where we keep some of our finest merchandise.” Hammad led Mary through a heavy set of wooden doors. Rows of lights hummed to life, but the thick veil of dust in the air and sand on the old stone floor muffled their footsteps as Hammad led his guest on a tour. Rows of shelves covered in ancient bits of stoneware and trinkets slowly gathered dust, while sarcophagi and more substantial statues lurked in out-of-the-way corners and at the ends of each hall.</span></span></b>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary browsed them all with a critical eye while Hammad hovered quietly beside her. While most of the items in their shop had the mark of fakes to an educated buyer (and indeed, a work table tucked in a far corner gave away their likely source), the contents of the storehouse shelves were all quite genuine. She half expected to find a mummy waiting in some of the sarcophagi wedged into shadowy corners. She made a point to take her time inspecting the wares, though, letting the silence settle in between herself and Hammad. Giving him time to really begin to wonder what she was looking for.</span></span></b>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As his expression gradually transitioned from pride to hopeful curiosity, she finally spoke up. “Your collection is impressive. It’s good to see you’re still in the business of serious excavation, because it’s that which I really after.”</span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Oh! You are looking for not one specific relic but, ah, a supplier then?” She could almost see the stacks of money filling Hammad’s imagination as he turned around smiled broadly at her.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She turned her attention away from a shelf of gold figurines and could not help but give him a conspiring look. “Oh, not of the relics themselves, but something far more valuable that’s out there in the sand alongside them. It should be right up your alley, though.”</span></span></b>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hammad raised one eyebrow, his mind spinning with the possibilities. The desert hid many treasures, of which the fragments left behind by ancient civilizations were simply among the prettiest. He had no idea what business Mary was interested in, but he knew the look of ulterior motives when he saw it, and he also knew that the sort of lucrative deals that often come with ulterior motives are rarely discussed over a desk in the main office. “I must admit, I am intrigued. Perhaps Karida and I can both meet with you sometime soon to discuss the matter further. After market hours?”</span></span></span></b>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span>“My thoughts exactly. Would you and your wife like to join me for dinner tonight?” Mary’s conspiring look grew into a grin. Hammad had given her exactly the answer she wanted.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We would be delighted, Miss Downing.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It will be a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Sahrawi.”</span></b>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----------</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By the time Mary made it back up the winding road to her hilltop villa, it was nearly noon, and the sun beat down with a vengeance. A brisk breeze blew down from the mountain and offered no relief, only blasting hot sand into her face and doing its best to try and sour her mood before she made it to the front door.</span></span></b>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“A curse on whoever decided on a modest dress code inside this oven.” she muttered to herself once safely indoors, unbuttoning her jacket and draping it over the back of the nearest available chair.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I think whoever it was must’ve known how good you looked in a suit.” A nonchalant voice replied from the kitchen.</span></span></b>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary turned around and took a moment to admire the view of the fair-haired man standing with his back to her, busily chopping vegetables. Immediately, she forgot all about the roasting desert sun and the mood it’d gotten her in. “Speaking of looking good,” she purred, stepping up behind him and winding her fingers in the weave of his fishnet shirt, “is this for me?”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simon looked up from the chopping block, glancing back at Mary out of the corner of his eye with the smallest flirtatious smile while gesturing toward his cooking. “And so is this. I think I’ve figured out how to get it perfect with a home kitchen.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary stood up on tiptoe and looked down over Simon’s shoulder. “Fishnet and Shawarma? Oh, you tempting creature.”</span></span></b>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simon played coy, returning to his prep work as Mary rolled away to lean against the counter beside him. “I take it things went well with the Sahrawis?”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“So far? Just as planned. I’ve got Mr. And Mrs. Sahrawi coming over for dinner tonight to discuss my little proposal. They’re about as honest as I expected them to be, so I imagine they’ll be up for it.” Mary casually swiped a sliver of cucumber to nibble off Simon’s cutting board. “But it can’t hurt to butter them up a bit first. I picked up a nice-looking bottle of pomegranate wine while I was out. Maybe you could make something to pair with it tonight?”</span></span></b>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Oh, I do like a challenge. I think...” he mused on it a moment. “Yes, I know just the thing! The three of you are going to love it. Promise.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And that’s why I bring you with me whenever I leave the island. Always up for anything, and full of surprises.” Mary’s tone softened, and she leaned over to plant a kiss on the man’s mesh-covered shoulder, lingering there a moment to enjoy his scent. “Well, I’ll leave that up to your expertise. After a morning of getting sandblasted and cooked alive, I am in need of a shower.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simon watched Mary walk away, letting her get halfway to the stairs before casually suggesting, “Need any help with the hard-to-reach places?”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary paused mid-step and turned around, mulling over the possibilities while a growing smile got the best of her and she beckoned Simon toward her with one finger. “I think lunch can wait.”</span></span></b>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-20991675054179302612012-07-25T16:28:00.000-07:002012-07-25T17:04:12.602-07:00The Lady Ann and Her FamilyHere's a first for me - offering both a house and the family I built to go with the house. Handy if you're looking for townies to fill an empty town with! The two are separate downloads, though, in case you just want the house all to yourself.<br />
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This is a large family house - already furnished for a family of 2 adults, 5 children, a baby, and several pets. <br />
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It's a little weathered on the outside and a little old-fashioned on the inside, but it's comfortable and full of things to do around every corner. Send the kids to play hopscotch out on the porch while you entertain guests with music and drinks, but you'll find the place notably lacking in newfangled technological gizmos. It's also a perfect living space for Eco-Friendly sims, with bicycle parking, recycle bins, a kitchen garden, and energy-efficient appliances.<br />
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The household that I built to go with it is, as expected, both large and earth-loving. A pair of earth-mamas and their menagerie of adopted children and pets. And for their portrait, I embraced the fact that sims always wiggle a bit for their photo-shoot:<br />
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The plant is part of the family too! His name is George and you are to treat him with <i>respect</i>!<br />
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Heh. Anyway.
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So here's the bullet list for the house:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Sits on a 20 x 30, facing the short side. Would look great on a 30 x 30 as well.</li>
<li>4 bedrooms. Presently furnished for a couple, 5 children, and a baby</li>
<li>Pet items included for both cats and large-breed dogs.</li>
<li>3 full baths</li>
<li>Yard and wrap-around porch are full of outdoor play equipment for the kids, as well as a garden fenced safely away from interloping wildlife.</li>
<li>Common areas have an autumn-themed color scheme, and reflect a general dislike of technology.</li>
<li>Parking for 2 bicycles, and no cars.</li>
<li>No CC. Was aiming for free store items only but a single lamp managed to sneak in. Stupid lamp.</li>
<li>Final pricetag: $97k</li>
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And for the family:<br />
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<ul>
<li>The older of the two moms is Autumn Gail. She's an early Adult, employed as a Trauma Surgeon, with the Lifetime Wish to reach the top of the medical field. Traits are: Friendly, Green Thumb, Eco-Friendly, Frugal, Technophobe</li>
<li>And then there's her wife, Heather. She's a late Young Adult, employed as an Ingredient Taster, with the Lifetime Wish to become a Five-Star Chef. Traits are: Natural Cook, Good, Eco-Friendly, Family Oriented, Easily Impressed</li>
<li>The oldest of the three kids is Teen son Marcus. Traits: Good Sense of Humor, Loves the Outdoors, Flirty, Dog Person</li>
<li>Then comes daughter Shauna. Traits: Excitable, Bookworm, Ambitious</li>
<li>And finally the younger boy Mateo. Traits: Neat, Artistic, Over-Emotional</li>
<li>But wait! There's more! A trio of pets: Astro the dog (Neat, Loyal, Likes Swimming), Cinder the floofy white cat (Genius, Proud, Noisy), and Dandelion the marbled tabby (Adventurous, Indepedent, Hyper)</li>
<li>Nobody uses any CC or Store content.</li>
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Download Links.</div>
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<b>The House: <a href="http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=6150159">http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=6150159</a></b></div>
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<b>The Family: <a href="http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=6150199">http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=6150199</a></b></div>
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<br /></div>Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-41689434685584304692012-07-24T11:32:00.000-07:002012-07-24T12:24:01.483-07:00Tiny EmpireMy downloads list on this blog has been woefully neglected. I'd been in the habit of posting threads on the Official forums, but to be honest, their creative section is now overrun with the myriad threads of various "request teams". Meh. So I'm resolving now to post all my downloads here first from now on. So today and tomorrow, I'll be adding some new goodies to my Downloads page.<br />
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First houses' first: This very tiniest of Victorian homes. Space for a family of 3 (4, if you have a baby in the crib) on a 10 x 10 lot. Just the thing for your mini-towns, or if you want something fast-loading and low lag.<br />
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Here's the bullet list:<br />
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- Sits on a 10 x 10 lot (didn't I just say that?)<br />
- 2 bedrooms, furnished for parents, 1 child, and one baby.<br />
- 1 full bath<br />
- A small computer den on the first floor.<br />
- An unfurnished cellar for any space-consuming hobbies your sims may have.<br />
- A parking space in the attic. Why not?<br />
- No CC. No Store content. You will need WA/AMB/OLS and Generations.<br />
- Budget-friendly price tag: $30,300<br />
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The lot has been play-tested with a family of 3, and run through CUSTARD to be safe.<br />
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Download Links here:<br />
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<b>Exchange: <a href="http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=5831795">http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=5831795</a></b><br />
<b>Mediafire: <a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?i5z4cgvvca9tc3k">http://www.mediafire.com/?i5z4cgvvca9tc3k</a></b><br />
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More pictures after the cut.<br />
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<br />Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-1465574290805408032012-07-21T20:29:00.000-07:002012-07-21T20:29:58.885-07:00Trouble in Paradise - Prologue<br />
My name is not Mary Downing, but it will do for now.<br />
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Five years ago, I would never have imagined I would be where I am today. But isn’t that the case with most young women out finding their place in the world? One day, we’re laying out a predictable progression toward our life’s dreams. Then, without warning, the Fates change their tune and it all burns to the ground.<br />
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The woman I was before is dead. But thankfully, I know who struck the match that ended her life.<br />
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Now, I am a woman on a mission. Two missions, in fact. First, a mission of revenge - for my home, my family, and my life as I knew it. I will stop at nothing to accomplish this goal.<br />
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But as they say, there’s no revenge like unparalleled success. Which is my second mission - to become the greatest, and most feared force in in the underworld. It’s all I ever really wanted anyway - power, wealth, and a glamorous life of what most would call villainy. To have an empire at my feet with which I can bring the Powers That Be among mankind to heel.<br />
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I know if I accomplish this, I will surely have had my revenge as just deserts, so it is on this goal I focus now.<br />
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I have a long way to go, but the sky is bright, and I have plans. If I play my cards just so, the world won’t ever know what hit them.<br />
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<br />Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-46211867079822830732012-07-17T21:55:00.003-07:002012-07-21T20:07:20.560-07:00Hey Look, a Shiny!So I got dragged kicking and screaming onto Tumblr, and immediately got hooked.<br />
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Random goofiness is likely to happen there, while I reserve this blog for the more serious business of posting story updates and downloads.<br />
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<a href="http://vexingquery.tumblr.com/">http://vexingquery.tumblr.com/</a>Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-69005894775913605762012-06-19T20:07:00.001-07:002012-06-19T20:07:13.737-07:00Just for You, VV and I have something of an... "It's Complicated" going on between our sims.<br />
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In Grey Meadow, Gabriel invited Saphiana to his house party. My girls showed up, realized they were the only ones to show up, and so proceeded to amuse themselves right on his front lawn.<br />
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Gabriel didn't seem to mind.<br />
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No, you can't have any. Ladies only.<br />
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A little while later, Lorelei wandered back downstairs and approached Gabriel with only one thing on her mind..<br />
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I mean, if you're going to invite people to a party, it's only reasonable to <i>feed</i> them, right?<br />
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Now that wasn't so bad, was it?<br />
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<br />Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-26680058764461146612012-06-17T08:32:00.004-07:002012-06-17T08:32:43.197-07:00Delicious CakeYou know you want it...<br />
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<br />Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-22038579388175125822012-06-15T13:11:00.001-07:002012-06-15T13:12:26.698-07:00Matchmaker, Matchmaker...I dunno how my sims' lives became so focused around finding mates. Maybe it's because I had two children growing up at about the same time I was tiring of their mother's spouse.<br />
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Since I've never been the type of simmer to simply run up to the first good-looking sim I see and pin them down with interactions until they marry me, it tends to be a long, drawn-out process of meeting and dating which leaves plenty of room for hijinks. Because the hijinks are what make the game worth playing.<br />
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Now that mother and older brother are out of the house, the time's come to find somebody for young Lorelei. Evil, mad, yet somehow strangely charming Lorelei.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>After visiting the town's matchmaker (Woohooer mod feature tied to the spa. Try it!) I determined that <i>none</i> of the available men in town were worth her time. But there were a few girls worth chasing.<br />
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So I picked out the topmost-listed girl who wasn't a service NPC - a girl named Lisa that Lorelei'd known since grade school, and commenced wooing.<br />
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She's a cute, punky little thing. The matchmaker was right, and Lorelei found herself quickly smitten.<br />
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She's fun to nibble on, too.<br />
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Unfortunately, the matchmaker doesn't know the difference between "attractive" and "a good idea."<br />
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Turns out Lisa's a real firecracker, and not in a good way.<br />
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Hot-headed thing would turn around out of nowhere and commence with screaming. Dates were ruined by this, because she'd throw a temper tantrum over nothing and then storm away in a huff.<br />
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Worse still, she'd flake on dates entirely. Over and over she "didn't feel like it right now", and I'd look at the map and find she was just hanging out in the park doing nothing in particular.<br />
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So I went out to the park where she was doing nothing in particular to see what's up.<br />
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Yep, another shouting match.<br />
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Clearly this isn't going to work. It is not worth going outside during the day for this nonsense.<br />
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(Cue more shouting.)<br />
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Okay, you know what? Nobody treats a member of my family like that and gets away with it. Time to try out a little toy I've been saving for just such an occasion...<br />
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Lisa tried to run away, but it was too late.<br />
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Let's see what happens when I....<br />
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Oh, very nice!<br />
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And what about... <i>this</i>?<br />
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Perrrrfect.<br />
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I think I have a new favorite toy.<br />
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And the best part is, using it doesn't decrease their relationship one bit. Lisa was still up for a quick bite after her ordeal.<br />
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Muahaha! Who's awesome?<br />
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But it didn't solve the fact that a life without someone special to woo and woohoo is no fun at all.<br />
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Since the matchmaker's suggestion didn't pan out, it was time to employ a little research and common sense.<br />
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Research is Lorelei's specialty, after all. She's an up-and-coming young scientist destined for great and terrible things.<br />
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Common sense, however, is not really her thing. She prefers madness. Hey! There's an idea. Lorelei's cowoker there is also as mad as hatter. ..And also has fantastic taste in hats.<br />
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And, according to Story Progression, is into girls.<br />
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I wonder how this would go...<br />
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(Rflong, please don't hate me... You have to admit... <b>The HATS!</b>)<br />
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Goes pretty well, actually.<br />
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Really well.<br />
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I think this one might be a keeper.<br />
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You invite me to your house party and I'm the only guest? I see how it is, then...<br />
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This one's perfect. No snubbing on dates, no surprise temper tantrums. They're both Insane - they can talk madness and conspiracy theories all day long.<br />
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And I've never seen anyone so thrilled to be on an elevator before..<br />
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Though maybe not the best choice in elevators. Exhibitionists, much, ladies?<br />
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Old Lady in the Red Jacket did NOT approve of their public shenanigans, by the way.<br />
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I know just the thing for her...<br />
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Look! Over there! Another couple acting indecently in public!<br />
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HAH! Now, you're mine to contr-<br />
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-oh. <br />
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"Now, look here young missy!"<br />
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It seems Lorelei is figuring out this whole "love" business pretty well, but she still needs a few lessons in successful villainy.<br />
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Oh well! She's young. She'll learn!Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-83390865022866555462012-06-13T21:34:00.000-07:002012-06-13T21:43:05.187-07:00Dat Random!That's enough pseudo-plot.<br />
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Have a pile of random silly things my sims have been up to while all that was going on.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>From back before I killed off Rei: Nommin' Twallan.<br />
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Muahahaha...<br />
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Ugh... what has my brother been <i>looking at</i> on this machine?<br />
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Riding a horse uphill. It does not look comfortable.<br />
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Shade agrees.<br />
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When I send Kali down to the cemetery to collect her money, she stands in front of the gate and does this:<br />
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Unicorn hugs! <3<br />
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While tweaking Kali's look, I briefly tried out, for the first time, a hairstyle with bangs.<br />
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She was not impressed.<br />
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But I did get some entertaining pictures of her before I realized this was a horrible idea and changed it again.<br />
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"Who's awesome? You are!"<br />
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Go into the light...<br />
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NO! Don't go into the light! <b><i>LIGHT BAD!!</i></b><br />
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What horribly un-villainlike behavior from them!<br />
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In the middle of all this, Shade aged up to YA.<br />
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I think he looks pretty good. You can <a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?qzawip0gzcvl2j2">download him here if you want</a>. Comes as a household, complete with family fortune, skill levels, and his beloved unicorn. You'll need <a href="http://www.digitalperversion.net/gardenofshadows/index.php?topic=18297.0">this non-default skin</a>, but that's the only CC on him.<br />
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Being the caring parent I am, I moved in his girlfriend, bought them both a house, and sent them off with hugs, gifts, and plenty of startup money.<br />
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Within 24 hours, the couple had adopted a kitten and a puppy, gotten engaged, and found themselves pregnant with an oops-child. Within 48 hours, they'd broken up.<br />
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I love Story Progression.<br />
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Lorelei hasn't had much more luck in the love department. Some random classmate invited her to the prom, and then asked her to go steady while they were at the dance. It was only after the fact that I discovered he was both a Coward AND Good.<br />
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Nuh-uh. The only wish she ever rolled about the guy was to break up with him, which I gladly obliged.<br />
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The shouting match which followed was delicious to watch.<br />
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Soon afterward...<br />
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Isn't she just a charmer?<br />
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Her first night as a Young Adult, a gentleman caller came sneaking up to her door while she was home alone.<br />
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Sadly, they did not get along very well.<br />
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This pizza guy looks a bit nervous...<br />
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I would be too if I were delivering pizza to a house that looked like this:<br />
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Over there!<br />
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Flowers. Effective vampire repellent?<br />
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Those were offered to him by some townie girl. Actually another one of his underlings!<br />
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Kali and Shade, however, are doing just fine.<br />
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I moved her out of the house and in with him. Last I checked they were happily married and taking turns playing Emperor of Evil.<br />
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I moved out the maid sometime after that. All the appliances are self-cleaning and with no humans in the house to cook for, she was pretty useless.<br />
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All she did all day was play with the snake charming basket.<br />
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Must be a big show coming soon at the movie theater. I've got townies camping in front of the ticket booth!<br />
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Don't the paparazzi have anything better to do at 3 in the morning?<br />
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Or maybe this is a photographer for the Weekly World News. This just in: Ghosts haunting local fishing pond!<br />
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And that's all the random I have for now.Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-8183218320694530312012-06-11T21:03:00.000-07:002012-06-11T21:14:31.505-07:00All's Fair in Love and Villainy (Part 3)I so almost turned this into some one-chapter story, but then I realized it would be way too much Wall-O-Text and not enough casual mayhem.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>It all started one night with a chance encounter with Luther Lee, Grey Meadow's International Super Spy. He'd been in his position for a long time, plenty of time to make himself a thorn in the side of my villains.<br />
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Blindly picking fights with the enemy is for thugs. Kali enjoys the opportunity to spend some quality time with her adversaries. That's how it works, right? The henchmen duke it out in the streets. The leaders size each other up over cocktails.<br />
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Over the course of having dinner together, she hatched a plan, and invited him to join her for the evening.<br />
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You should never accept an invitation for a game of chess with someone whose last name is Reaper.<br />
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But maybe Mr. Lee thought he'd win.<br />
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Or maybe he just didn't understand the way Reapers work.<br />
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Or maybe Kali's just that good at piquing the curiosity, because after she bested him at their game, he followed her willingly when she offered to show him something down at her cemetery.<br />
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Luther Lee is 3 days from retiring, and clearly, the old man has grown complacent.<br />
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Let's leave him there for now. No villain in her right mind would simply off someone while they were knocked out and helpless.<br />
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"Shaw, darling, why don't you swing by? I've got a little surprise for you that I'm sure you'll like."<br />
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Remember that spy who keeps raiding our warehouses and foiling all your wonderful plans?<br />
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From the look on his face, he was maybe expecting these two to still be rivals.<br />
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Now if that's not a romantic gesture between two bad guys, I don't know what is.<br />
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I'm sure the town will bring in a new International Super Spy to try and mess up their plans, but for now, time to enjoy a little victory for the forces of Evil.<br />
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<br />Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-56749075387851922012-06-11T09:39:00.000-07:002012-06-11T09:39:32.480-07:00So Death Walks Into the Park and Sits Down Beside YouMy townies really shouldn't run around town wearing their work uniforms. It can attract unwanted attention.<br />
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He looks slightly worried. And perhaps he should be.<br />
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(Heh... Loner, Perfectionist, No Sense of Humor.. V, this guy reminds me of Gabriel's old mentor. Or what little you told me of the guy.)Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-38572817451539795602012-06-09T13:56:00.002-07:002012-06-09T14:18:25.042-07:00All's Fair in Love and Villainy (Part 2)<br />
So where were we? Oh yes, Kali and Shaw Blightwood, vying for supremacy over their criminal empire.<br />
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The problem is, they've developed something of a thing for each other in the midst of all that rivalry and attempting to gain the upper hand. While ruling together is certainly an option, the Laws of Sim Reality say they can't do this unless they belong in the same household.<br />
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And they're both married. To other people, that is.<br />
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With both of them being evil masterminds, the only proper course of action in this situation is to find a way to get rid of the spouses. Preferably horribly.<br />
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Now, it's no secret that while his wife's off at work, Rei likes to go out on the town and drink, dance, and flirt around.<br />
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And Grey Meadow's poolside club is a perfect place for the first of our two plots to unfold.<br />
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It's near closing time, and he's out on the back patio, relaxing in the hot tub, blissfully unaware.<br />
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All it takes is a quick call to the bouncer.<br />
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... A locked door and a "nope, nobody's back there" as the staff all head home for the day.<br />
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As morning comes, Kali thinks nothing of it. He goes out while she's at work all the time, after all. And with the kids and maid asleep and him out doing gods-know-what, maybe it's nice to enjoy a few hours of peace and quiet.<br />
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He's a grown man. He can take care of himself after all.<br />
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Grey Meadow's low population density is not in his favor here. Nobody actually lives nearby to notice something's amiss.<br />
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By the time he thinks to try and call the family, Kali's asleep and the kids are at school.<br />
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Now, the reason this club is perfect for this plot is because the patio's surrounded by several layers of spiky fence and hedge. Since sims have trouble maneuvering around <i>dinner plates</i>, this presents an inescapable boundary.<br />
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So it's only a matter of time.<br />
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He finally succumbed in the early hours of the afternoon, right before the club staff returned to open the place up again.<br />
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He has a spot out in the graveyard now, next to Kali's other dead ex-spouses.<br />
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Now, Kali's no fool. While everyone else in the house is sobbing and comforting each other...<br />
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... she's hatching a plan. The timing of Rei's untimely demise leaves little room for coincidence, especially given the way her interest had been... wandering as of late, and the direction it'd been wandering toward.<br />
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Well. Two can play at this game.<br />
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(And if it <i>wasn't</i> Mr. Blightwood who gave the order, well, she'd been considering this anyway. One way or another, she gets what she wants.)<br />
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Kali's always been a bit more hands-on about her murders. Even in cases where it had to look like an accident, she at least, say, makes it look like a tragic house fire while she's standing there watching them burn.<br />
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And she just so happens to own the town's cemetery, and therefore has access to areas of the catacombs that nobody else does.<br />
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That she also just so happens to know are riddled with booby-traps set down by those who don't want their dead messed with.<br />
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It really is the perfect place to drag someone down into and make sure they're never seen again, especially with her extensive tomb-diving experience. It'd be a simple thing to tweak a few jets of fire to only go off on her cue. Seal a hidden door here and there. And Mrs. Blightwood would be just another corpse rotting away in the alcoves.<br />
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Her traps carefully set, she heads out into the evening to wait for the perfect moment. Mrs. Blightwood works nights, so her plan is to catch her on her way home from work. In the meantime, she'll while away her time at a club.<br />
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But the fates, they had other plans.<br />
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Shaw was there. No sense not taking advantage of a chance encounter. And as they were enjoying each other's company a little... <i>she </i>shows up.<br />
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Maybe she was growing suspicious. Or just took the day off work for whatever reason.<br />
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All Kali needed to do was stand back and watch as the woman completely fell apart.<br />
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Later that night, she got word that Mrs. Blightwood packed her things and left him.<br />
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Well, that takes care of that.<br />
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But now who to use all those carefully-rigged traps on?Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-91941107405468192092012-06-08T14:47:00.001-07:002012-06-09T14:15:20.456-07:00All's Fair in Love and Villainy (Part 1)Another day of Playing Just To Play. This is good. I needed a recharge amidst all my building.<br />
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My sims' life dramas all seemed to revolve around love interests (and the inevitable rivalries) these past couple days.<br />
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That teen party the son threw? He managed to find himself a girl there. Someone who wasn't just gonna mock the goth-boy like everyone else, and is even a fellow Animal Lover so understands his need to rant about dogs and cats all day.<br />
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He even let her ride his horse. She seemed suitably terrified about finding herself on the back of a unicorn. Which was <i>adorable</i>.<br />
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But of course, just as he worked up the nerve to make his move...<br />
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BUSTED! (Apparently the teen party he and his crush were ignoring got a little out of hand...)<br />
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While he was off being grounded, I kept getting story progression notices about the new crush getting together with one of the other boys in school. By the time Shade earned his freedom from parental scorn, she and the Rival Guy were going steady.<br />
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Of course there was only one thing I could do about that... invite her out and <i>steal her back</i>.<br />
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Nothing like a rendezvous under the docks to set the mood, eh?<br />
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And then go out and egg the rival guy's house.<br />
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Made himself a nice little enemy, Shade has.<br />
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Totally worth it though. Now he gets to run around putting on gratuitous public displays of affection.<br />
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But that's all teen drama. The real fun is revolving around Rival Boy's uncle, Shaw Blightwood, the guy who usurped Kali as Emperor of Evil in this town.<br />
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I can see why Kali doesn't mind. Hello there, Mr. Blightwood. My, you have a nice... everything...<br />
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Actually, there appear to be a lot of reasons why Kali let him live. Not only is he both evil enough and bold enough for the job, they...<br />
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... well...<br />
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Originally, I thought it a clear-cut case of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer.<br />
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But no, it appears to be genuine. <i>Complicated</i>, but genuine.<br />
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If things were different, it'd be easy enough for them to simply get together and rule the criminal empire side-by-side. But as they are, the rules that govern the Sim Universe say that this can only happen if they're in the same household. And they're both married to other people.<br />
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So what do two criminal masterminds in love do?<br />
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Why, plot against the spouses, of course...Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-47840926791704078002012-06-07T06:49:00.001-07:002012-06-07T06:53:13.913-07:00OwYou know what's a fun way to start your morning?<br />
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Let me tell you "Lying in a dentist chair at 8am while someone drills a titanium screw into your jawbone" is not it.<br />
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There was no building yesterday, because after all that, I really just wanted to chill out and play with some sims instead of smack my anesthetic-filled head against the keyboard over floorplans and color schemes. Since Haunted Valley wasn't working out too well for me anymore, I took my household and moved them to <a href="http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/249858.page">Grey Meadow</a>, which is an awesome world, and into <a href="http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=421966">this house</a>, which is one of my favoritest downloaded houses ever.<br />
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Have a selection of randoms from that:<br />
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The ice cream truck pulled up behind their schoolbus and followed them all the way home from school. Creepy stalker truck...<br />
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... What the heck is wrong with my child?<br />
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I left the little girl alone in the park one afternoon to amuse herself, and came back to check on her to see her getting into a screaming-match with some random dude with an equally random woman bent over in labor behind them.<br />
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I love sims...<br />
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They kept at it, too.<br />
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Completely ignoring the woman behind them, who would really like it if someone just took her to a hospital already...<br />
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Maybe it was one of those "TV Drama" type births where they're all "Oh no, she just had her first contraction in an entirely inappropriate place. But now that she's in labor, she can't be moved, so I guess we'll just have to deliver this baby in the middle of a dangerous test lab..."<br />
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*cough* anyway..<br />
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The Maid eventually got tired of being a stir-crazy shut-in whose life revolves around doing chores and tending the garden. So I let her go out to a club to get her ya-yas out.<br />
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She was <i>fixated</i> on that VIP room. Clearly, it had to have more interesting people (even though nobody was in it) better entertainment (even though it was just a couch and a bar) and better drinks. She <i>had</i> to sneak in.<br />
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It went about as well as you might imagine.<br />
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The older of the two surviving children (... kinda just annihilated the other two...) is a Teen now.<br />
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Loner, Grumpy, Animal Lover, and now Dramatic. All random-rolled. Yeah, go cry, emo kid.<br />
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He tends to get mocked by his classmates a lot.<br />
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Especially by this guy, who's the son of the Supervillain that keeps trying to oust Kali from her position as Empress of Evil.<br />
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Oh well, he's still got his unicorn.<br />
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And they all still came to his party when his parents got whisked away on a "Free Vacation."<br />
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The house is haunted, so of course they spent half their time mourning at the graves. But whatever. In the end, they all called it epic.<br />
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And where are the parents in all this?<br />
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Eh, I'm finding the children more entertaining, and they can keep themselves amused. Rei just can't resist a woman in uniform...<br />
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Sadly, she didn't get to keep it. The Supervillain at this new town? This guy is something else. He managed to oust her from her position as Empress of Evil while she was away on vacation, then invited her out on the town with him, where he promptly took her Scrumptious Nutrients, too.<br />
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Then he walked away cackling to himself.<br />
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You know what? I admire that man's attitude. He gets to live. And he can keep the job, too, as long as he manages to stay one step ahead of Kali.<br />
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<br />Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-84155593870237054862012-06-01T09:05:00.001-07:002012-06-01T09:08:05.877-07:00Some More Works In ProgressThis project is so much fun. My only problem is I keep bouncing from idea to idea and thus have about a half-dozen lots in various stages of completion right now.<br />
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But here's a few more preview shots.<br />
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Technically done, but in need of testing is my town's poolside club, Deep Waters.<br />
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Also technically done, but in need of playtesting, is the first of the available starter homes the town will have to offer.<br />
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A grungy, decaying apartment complex. The sort of place where even the roaches complain about the living conditions.<br />
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Couldn't get a decent photo angle for the apartment's bedroom and bathroom while stuck in Build Mode, so I'll just leave those as surprises.<br />
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And *almost* finished, but not quite, is the town's art museum. Art Galleries rank as possibly the least useful community lot for me, so my challenge with this one was to try to make an art gallery that was actually worth taking my sims to.<br />
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I wanted one that felt like a museum. With neatly-organized wings for the various exhibits. Not just a big building with a bunch of random decor objects thrown around in it.<br />
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The building also has some of the usual accessories to a big city museum - a gift shop, an auditorium for video presentations, and a cafeteria. There'll also be a hidden tomb, because snooping around behind locked doors in a museum basement sounds like fun.<br />
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Come to think of it, I should've built a kids' room... Oh well! I'll use that idea in another public building.<br />
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Speaking of kids, and if all this is starting to be a little too much urbania for you, I've also begun work on the town's suburban homes.<br />
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Still an empty shell inside, but the outside's more or less done. This'll be a nice 4-bedroom house for a large middle-class sim family.<br />
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Yeah, I've been a busy building Vex.<br />
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Up next: In the middle of all this, I took a break from town-building to make a house I could actually upload and share right away. Postings for that will be coming soon.Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-18614291205713099832012-05-25T15:33:00.001-07:002012-05-25T15:37:07.451-07:00Another Down, Lots More to GoMore buildy!<br />
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I have the art gallery and the poolside club the better part of finished, so I'll probably have those posted up next.<br />
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But right now, I have another little apartment and its resident done.<br />
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It's a shady-looking building on the outskirts of downtown.<br />
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The sort of rundown place where you just pay the rent and nobody asks any questions.<br />
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And down in the decaying basement lives this punky-looking vampire.<br />
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Whose apartment manages to be both dark and loud at the same time. This sort of mismatched style would be questionable to some (maybe even most), but I am sure <b style="font-style: italic;">she</b> likes it.<br />
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There's a second bedroom that's currently being used for her exercise equipment, and of course a closet-sized space where she keeps the obligatory altar-coffin-thing.. And yeah, that bathroom mirror is a store item, but it's a free one. It doesn't count!</div>
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Now, time to go finish the poolside club and the art museum!</div>Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-37931799842116838382012-05-21T13:50:00.000-07:002012-05-21T13:50:31.274-07:00A Little bit of "Done"I've been hopping all over Dark Harbor, tweaking my building shells, placing my rabbitholes, designing a floorplan here and experimenting with a club design there... all well and good, but I decided today I wanted to take at least one small slice of it, and finish that slice.<br />
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There's so many different flavors of goth, and for the sake of variety, I'm going to design for as many of them as I can get away with in this town.<br />
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First up? Corporate goth.<br />
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I built a dreary, soulless apartment building. <br />
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In which you will find a dreary, soulless starter-priced studio apartment.<br />
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In which toils away one quiet little workaholic. I forgot how tricky it is to make a sim look convincingly Asian without the benefit of Asian skins. This entire town will be done without CC or store items.</div>
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Yeah, it's just one guy in a studio apartment, but it's nice to have the first little bit of "finished" out of the way.Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-64148383583516734772012-05-20T19:02:00.000-07:002012-05-20T19:21:05.639-07:00Oh yeah, this thing!<br />
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I got my game working, but in order to do so I had to bite the bullet and (*shudder*) move it over to my Windows partition. Basically, Cider sucks. Same hardware, clean install, same town, same household, same house, same collection of mods, and the game runs 300% better on Windows 7 than on OSX because EA would rather wrap their game in a Windows emulator and call it a day than actually code the game for Mac.<br />
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Since everything runs smoother than it has for me since before World Adventures came out, I've been too busy having a good time building and playing to post.<br />
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Have a few highlights, because if there's one thing I love about simming, it's the pictures!<br />
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So who thought giving Kali a cowplant was a good idea?<br />
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Sending the maid to taste-test my latest cauldron concoction.<br />
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Creepy ice cream truck. I am pretty sure it's actually some sort of spy vehicle sent by the Forces of Justice to keep tabs on my Evil Empress.<br />
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I paired Kali back up with Rei for my reviving of my game, because I felt the guy never really got much of a chance in my for-fun town. He's good pixels. I enabled Risky Woohoo as autonomous (along with the regular variety) and the two immediately proceeded to breed like rabbits.<br />
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Troublemakin'<br />
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Pillowfightin'<br />
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Lucky brat. I wish I had a pet unicorn growing up!<br />
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You just know this one's going to be trouble when she grows up (also: woohooing while under the influence of ghost potions. Fun stuff.)...<br />
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Speaking of trouble...<br />
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Killing a simbot, because I realized I'd never done it before and wanted to make sure I knew how:<br />
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And..<br />
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Four nearly back-to-back pregnancies meant one of Kali's underlings managed to usurp her as Emperor of Evil while she was away on maternity leave.<br />
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So of course I had to do something about him.<br />
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He seems annoyed that the fire interrupted his nap.<br />
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The entire family had to come outside to pretend they had <i>no idea</i> why they couldn't get the door open...<br />
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And that's where I'm at now.<br />
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And all this playing is all well and good, but somewhere along the way I got a wild idea and decided to embark on the biggest project I've ever done. I'm taking Rflong's blank slate <a href="http://myworlds-rflong7.blogspot.com/2012/01/dark-harbor.html">Dark Harbor</a> and build my own town, completely from scratch and in my favorite weathered gothic style.<br />
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So far all I've done is figure out where the 50 or so community lots will be, and place the skyscraper shells for the city center. But it's a start.<br />
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Expect to see a lot of in-progress shots as things progress. And of course it'll all be put up for download (both as a town-save and the individual lots by themselves) once I'm done. It's a huge project, but my motivation to make it happen has only increased since I peeked in CAS the other day to realize that my family's children's classmates all either have terrible traits or are doomed to grow up ugly. They're gonna need a new place to move to if I want the next generation to find a mate.Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-22490901584290771312012-04-29T22:49:00.000-07:002012-04-29T23:51:17.705-07:00Coming Up For AirSo, eventually, venturing out into the wilderness to punch trees while fighting off mutant spiders and self-destructing lizard-things got a bit... meh.<br />
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Started up my Sims game, built a shiny new house in a small but populated town that I've played in before, put a few of my favorite sims in it, and promptly crashed before I could get anything done.<br />
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Went "How could it have gotten WORSE since I played last? Oh, hell," boxed up everything I cared about, and did a nice fresh wipe down and reinstall. Now, sitting on a fresh new game, I'm unable to download more than 3 of the 1000+ Store items I own at a time without crashing (I can't download through the store site at all), and I haven't even tried adding my non-store stuff.<br />
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Nice. <br />
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I'll try fighting with it more tomorrow, because I do kinda miss it, and more relevantly, I miss all the entertaining people I geeked out with while playing Sims. If only I could rescue the poor game from the deck of EA's failboat.<br />
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So, assuming anyone's still out there... what's new? Where do all the interesting simmers hang out? Is Showtime not worth the money like it looks like it's not worth the money?Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-5836540978885477442011-11-29T17:04:00.000-08:002011-11-29T17:04:28.471-08:00Why I'm so QuietWell, yes, it's because I've been playing other video games.<br />
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Here's why I've been playing other video games:<br />
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Ever since installing Pets, my game has become laggy and unstable enough to more or less suck all the fun out of playing it.<br />
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This has been a gradual and measurable decline.<br />
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Before World Adventures, I could do as I liked with the game - play in any town I wanted, have a large CC collection, and live with a family of any size in any lot I fancied. There were still some problems, but overall, not that bad.<br />
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By the time World Adventures rolled into Ambitions, I had to trim my CC collection down, and houses with more than 4-5 people in it, or lots of more than 40 x 40 size, were un-doable.<br />
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By the time Generations came around, to keep my game performing, my CC collection was bare-minimum at just default replacements, a few skins, and a handful of Twallan's mods. I was unable to play in a town with more than 50-70 people in it.<br />
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When I installed Pets, I tried out Appaloosa Plains with a single sim in a starter home, and crashed <i>three times in the first day</i>. I pared down my Twallan mods even more, moved to a small custom world with a population of about 30, kept my lot modest, and even then, by the time my singleton sim had acquired a decent collection of pets - a couple horses, a cat, and a dog - I was back to laggy and unstable.<br />
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So let's go over that again:<br />
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- I cannot play in any EA worlds, or any custom worlds of similar size and population. I will crash.<br />
- I cannot keep a normal custom content collection. No custom hair, clothes, furniture, cars, or the like. I will crash.<br />
- I cannot live on a large lot, no matter how wealthy my sims are. I will crash.<br />
- I cannot have a household of more than 4 playable individuals, including pets. I will crash.<br />
- I could theoretically remove Twallan's StoryProgression to try and ease the load, but before I got SP, no one in my towns married, bred, worked, or did anything but age until death. Boring.<br />
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And this is in addition to all the normal bugs that come and go with each update.<br />
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My computer is NOT crap. I have a proper desktop machine, 2.66ghz quad-core processor, 8GB memory, and a 1024MB graphics card. However, EA cannot code for Mac worth a crap. They just wrap the game in a Windows emulator and call the bloated result OSX compatible.<br />
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So, at this point, I am finding a lot of other things I'd rather be doing than playing Sims 3. I'm not gonna jump on a soapbox and scream at EA for it - they won't listen anyway - but I will find other things to do, and stop giving them my money in the meantime.Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-53724793956567684212011-11-25T22:52:00.000-08:002011-11-25T22:52:36.104-08:00'Scuse me for a Bit... You mean I can build stuff AND battle zombies?<br />
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brb, Minecraft.Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620273104229986613.post-49603860476322128112011-11-12T22:34:00.000-08:002011-11-12T22:35:56.765-08:00Her Name Is SkittlesJust a little treat for you before bedtime...<br />
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I got the idea in my head to make a populated cemetery. The graveyards filled with nondescript "Remains" that most custom worlds boast are <i>boring</i>. This involved killing a LOT of sims in rapid succession.<br />
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Which soon led to the realization that none of my sims have diddled with an active Grim Reaper since before Late Night came out.<br />
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Heh. That strut...<br />
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And with our new critters running around Simsland now, the cemetery just <i>had</i> to have a pets section.<br />
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So, in the interest of collecting victims to fill my graves, I adopted a kitten and threw it into CAS to tweak its appearance.<br />
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... Have you seen what happens when you try to use a preset body shape on a kitten in CAS?<br />
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Isn't she precious?Vexing Queryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654362081363693797noreply@blogger.com2