#and ties in with the new expansion pack as well

[chilfucked]

i think i’m gonna take a brake before processing all the other ones man that was a way bigger project than i thought lol

[queenendless]

🚚Moving Day (Adult!SatoSugu x Fem!Reader)🚚

A/N: Also from my Curses Love book on Wattpad.

This AU has them both as teachers at Tokyo JJ High, you can see curses, you're in a poly relationship with them. IMPLIED MATURE THEMES INSIDE!

For those that have been reading and liking these shorts, thank you. S2 is back and of course I'm a wreck. Also want a Gojo, Geto, Nanami, Toji, Sukuna x Reader gang bang ... idk how I'll write one cause drawing in general is hard for me now.

Credit for the characters/series goes to Gege sensei. I own nada but this show and these two own my soul!😫😭🤧

* Please DON'T plagarize, translate, repost my FANFIC content. Reblog, like, and follow instead.

I hope you enjoy.

"Uh, Y/n-chan, you're certain you can carry all that by yourself?"

"My stuff. My concern." You struggled speaking as your form struggled carrying those big boxes of yours in your arms; breathing deeply through your nostrils to keep your focus despite your knees quivering. '"I - I'm fine!"

Suguru sighed before snapping his fingers. Several of his curses floated amok and carried the boxes right out of your arms in time before you plopped forward from the imbalance, only to be pulled back flushing your back against Geto's front.

"Honey, it's alright. Satoru and I can handle the rest of your things. You shouldn't be pushing yourself too hard on your first day here."

"I'm sorry. I'm just ... nervous. This is all new to me ... but I still want to help at least."

Geto hummed, nodding in understanding, before kissing you tenderly on the forehead, smiling calmly. "Well thank you love. Having you living with us now is worth all the effort."

"In that case," You grabbed your duffle bag of stuff with ease, smiling, "I'll handle this."

The giddy stride of the oldest of you three popped up in the living room archway, swaying his smart phone about. "Suguru~! I was thinking we get sushi to celebrate Y/n-chan living with us now~! Sushi Go is my top choice, of course! Ginza, here we come – !"

"Satoru. Unpacking first. Eat later. Remember?" Suguru groaned.

"Eh?! Who paid to have all Y/n-chan's stuff packed and moved here in the first place? At least my family's fortune has some good use in this case." Gojo wearily spoke when his family gets brought up. "Anyhow ..."

Gojo swept Geto in one arm and you in the other with such ease, cheeriness immediately taking over. "House tour time~!!!"

Geto's exasperated smile and your giggling self at Gojo's boundless energy gave him that extra burst in his step while giving you the tour of every place in your shared private home nestled in suburbia. "Living room for binge time and cuddles, kitchen where Suguru will stuff our faces with such goodness, pool for soaking antics, hot tub for burning passion –!"

"We get the picture, Satoru." Geto's flushed, smug grinning face at the commentary had Gojo snickering, nodding his head in your direction.

"I don't know~ Looks to me our darling Y/n-chan is tongue tied right now~" Gojo chuckled lightly as you couldn't look at either of them at the moment.

"Not because of you, for sure." Geto snorted.

"Eh?" Gojo's smug ass bubble popped, following Geto's finger pointing at what enraptured you.

Setting you down gently, letting you slip away from his grasp, both men watched with affectionate smiles as you slid the glass doors aside to step out onto the back patio to see up close.

Your eyes sparkled in childlike wonder at seeing how expansive the back yards were. Lots of stone pathways, different oriented trees planted all over, rolling hills teeming with so many blooming flowers, and a view of the mountains in the distance. "Wow," You breathed out in mesmerized wonderment.

Feeling an arm drape around you, you were pulled flush against Geto's side. "This is yours, love."

"That's right. It's all ours." You both yelped as you were both now carried easily under Gojo's arms; wrapped around your waists and hanging like luggage. "And finally, last but far from least~!"

"Satoru, we can walk just fine, you know." Geto sighed, a bit peeved but mostly willing to let his lover's antics continue.

"The best room of them all!" Him kicking down the door helped enunciate the importance of this room; startling you and furthering Geto's bewildered amusement, "Our love making suite~!"

You squealed as he threw you to the bed, springing up at the bouncy, comfy master bed that was quite big for you three. Geto was thrown in after you on one side before Gojo belly flopped to the other, entrapping you in a cocoon of their arms, their enriching laughter mingling with their beautifully smiling faces turned you on hard.

The burning realization had you hiding your flustered self against the sheets.

"See~?! Now that's hot and bothered if I ever saw it~!" Gojo swooned, turning to his side as he one armed you from behind. "Makes me wanna kiss you so bad~" He heatedly breathed in your ear, cheekily grinning at your soft pleased mewl.

Geto smirked knowingly, laying on his side with his cheek resting in the palm of his propped-up arm, singing, "Toru~ About that lesson plan for the first years you said you'd draft up by today?"

"Ehhh~? Hands on practice will do just fine, Sugu~ Kinda like what we'll all be doing later tonight ... or right now~ Whaddaya say, sweetie~?" Gojo hummed as he gently grabbed your shoulder and flipped you to lay on your back.

"Can I at least unpack my duffle bag first?" You had to ask, hugging said bag to your chest. Geto's snorting face and Gojo's jaw slacked expression made you feel so dumbfounded as you tried sitting up while unzipping your bag. "And what about sushi~?" You whined, pouting.

Geto chuckled lightly, kissing you to cheer you up, winking at you both. "Unpack, eat, then smash. Kay, Toru~?"

Gojo dramatically sighed, collapsing in mock defeat. "Fine~! You're lucky I love you both." His own pout was wiped away instantly as you leaned down to peck his lips, too quick and short to his liking, as he sat up and watched you putting away the rest of your things around the room with Geto cuddling up beside him as he watched right along.

They wouldn't admit it out loud but they were both feeling grateful to share their personal private lives not just with each other, but also with you; their third partner.

A regular turned recent curse seer that just happened to work as a Window at Jujutsu Tech; their turf, only to bump into them both in passing ... the rest is history.

Seeing you finally put your bag away in your shared giant closet had them both glomp you from behind, smirking widely as they both had their own cheek to chew on and smooch to their liking and your giggling self.

Yep, living with the strongest sorcerer pair will be quite the treat.

[kattsmuse]

Wholesome Activities with TF141 pt 2

It's cold and rainy today and I miss the sun, so I'm in the mood for some beachy fluff. (Maybe some not so wholesome beach day activities coming soon?) Possible expansions on these thoughts later as well.

Part 1: Staying in

Part 2: Beach Day

John Price

It doesn't take much convincing for John to go to the beach with you. He doesn't mind some time relaxing. Before you go, you make sure you're both ready. You've washed your favorite beach towels, gathered up sunnies for both of you, made sure you had plenty of hair ties for yourself, and packed up both of your books. You've triple checked that you have sunscreen and your little emergency first aid kit (you always have one). You're over prepared to stay the least. John and you made lunches and put them in a cooler with some drinks. Of course, John can't go to the beach without his tackle box, a fishing pole, and some bait.

You wade out to the water with him. The gentle ripples sit at his hips and your waist, and you just stand beside him. It's calm, and you've never understood why he loves fishing so much. That's until he puts the rod in your hand and stands behind you, showing you how to do it. His body shielding your back from the sun as he whispers in your ear when to jig the line. You simply feel safe in his arms as he teaches you how to be patient enough to wait for the bite.

Once on the sand, you're enjoying the sun (after John frets over your use of sunscreen, he wants to make sure you won't burn) and watching John wade out to his hips, casting his line out. You always make sure to get an area on the sand closer to the 'border' of the beach, or where the sand gets a bit marshy. That way John can fish while you swim, and he doesn't disturb other people. You love seeing him do what he enjoys, but you also acknowledge that you should spend a bit of time together.

Kyle Garrick

Going to the beach together was actually his idea. He adores the sand on his skin and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. When packing up, you make lunches while he grabs some things for you to do while you're there. Your beach dates are usually consistent. You both lie on the large blanket Kyle had brought, soaking up some sun. You want to get a tan, but Kyle insists on lathering you both in sunscreen first. At least an SPF 15.

After an hour or so of tanning, you slide into the water and splash around. At some point, Kyle lifts you up and tosses you into deeper water, only for you to crawl back onto his back to drag you back down. It's so chaotic every time but you'd have it no other way.

When you're done swimming you have lunch, then probably toss a Frisbee or join another group's game of beach volleyball. You stay until it's nearly dinner time, just repeating these activities and enjoying being in each other's company. You don't get to do this often, and even though when you do it's the same general agenda, it's special every single time.

Simon Riley

Straight up, Simon greatly dislikes going to the beach. The sand is scratchy, there are too many people, and he usually walks away with a burn, no matter how much sunscreen he puts on. It's rarely fun for him. But when you casually mentioned that it would be nice to just go relax on the beach sometime, though he disagrees, he would plan it. You come home for work and one of your bags are already filled with sunglasses, hair ties, sunscreen, snacks, drinks, all kinds of things. You even see a brand new swimsuit sitting beside it.

You question it but he insists because it'll make you happy. You get there and because it's the afternoon, you struggle to find a place to put your things. This is a nightmare for Simon. But, thankfully for him, you're not there long before it starts to clear out. The sun isn't so blazing and people who've been there all day begin to go home.

You two end up lying on a blanket watching the clouds pass for a while before you take a swim. He didn't want to stay all day, but you do stay long enough to see the sun begin to set over the water. You didn't even get there until almost 6 p.m. because of work, anyway.

He's standing beside you, his arm wrapped around your body as you lean into him, the water gently waving up your torso as the singer paints the sky in magenta, navy and amber colors. At this moment... The beach is quiet, you're in his arms, and he's got the most beautiful views before him. Maybe it's not so bad after all. He presses a kiss to your temple, your faces bathed in the golden light.

Johnny MacTavish

Similar to Kyle, Johnny was pumped at this idea. He took you both shopping the day before to get some new towels and swimsuits just for the occasion. You get all kinds of summery snacks and drinks and you're on your way.

Immediately after setting up, Johnny picks you up over your shoulder and laughs as he runs to the water. You're screaming but there's a very clear jovial tone in the pretend terror. Once he's in, nearly to the drop off he flops back into the water, pulling you in. You come up and splash him laughing, before you jump onto his side, dunking him. Neither of you hold the other under long, just playfully dipping one another in. At some point, you end up on his shoulders, playing chicken with another couple (if Kyle is there, it's definitely him and his girl).

Once you're both worn out, you lie on the sand, soaking up the sun. He pats your bottom to see the sand ripple off it just for fun before he leads you to the concessions stand to get some ice cream.

You were both so excited and giddy to go, you didn't put sunscreen on at home. And because Johnny kidnapped you from the safety of the sand before you could apply any, you both burn. Once you're home and indoors, you see how red you both are and spend the night in the living room gingerly applying aloe to your bodies.

[rockethorse]

My scheduled bi-yearly rant about the absolute state of Sims money-gouging

Not to moan about everything all the time and at the end of the day I do enjoy parts of TS4, but I remember when TS3 came out I felt like many of those packs were a rip-off. TS3 Seasons in particular I considered a money-grab and that those features should have been rolled into the base game, since the only reason they weren't a part of TS2's basegame was for technical limitations. I cannot believe that I now look at the TS3 expansion packs and consider them good value.

There was no reason for Seasons to have been an expansion pack in TS4. The only reason "weather" was locked behind DLC is because 1) they were taking advantage of a precedence set when there actually were significant barriers to implementing weather, and 2) they know players will pay money for it because unsurprisingly having weather in a LIFE SIMULATOR completely changes the feel and play of the game.

I can't believe how blatant TS4 is about it. TS1 Unleashed introduced cats, dogs, and small animals. TS2 Pets expanded the customisation features and introduced big dogs. TS3 Pets continued all of that and introduced horses, a completely baller move I really respect. What did TS4 Pets include? Well, you see, there was no TS4 Pets, because they understood that carried a certain expectation about quality and building on previous installments. So that's why you can buy TS4 Cats and Dogs for cats and dogs, TS4 My First Pet Stuff for womrats, and then TS4 Horse Ranch for horses. They took the contents of one legacy pack and split it into three separate packs.

I just can't believe that I'm retroactively looking back on post-EA Sims 2 EPs and TS3 EPs and thinking "wow you actually got a lot of value for money". I remember thinking it was ridiculous and lazy how little CAS content you got with new EPs in TS3 - because they wanted you to buy store content - but I never thought they would do the same thing with gameplay. Sure, you were lucky to get a couple of hairstyles and a new shirt with World Adventures, but that's because they were focusing so hard on giving you three new worlds with completely different music and languages and foods and local myths & legends and tombs and money-making avenues like nectar and jewels etc. There is no equivalent to Vacation, Bon Voyage, or World Adventures for TS4. To get the same experience as just one of those packs, you'd have to buy like... Snowy Escape (AU$49.95), Jungle Adventure (AU$29.95), Outdoor Retreat (AU$29.95), and Island Living (AU$49.95).

I frequently see this being defended as TS4 taking inspiration from/"returning to" the simplicity of TS1, but not only is that kind of a terrible justification, since games should evolve as they grow, but it's not even true. TS1 Expansion Packs were often more streamlined compared to TS2 or TS3 which were more (if you'll pardon the expression) expansive, but that didn't mean the content wasn't there. TS2 BV and TS3 WA both offer three separate travel destinations, while TS1 Vacation only had Vacation Island, true. But that was just for player convenience. There were three distinct areas within that island that provided very different experiences, and TS4 basically split those areas up into separate expansion packs and made you pay for all of them separately. And because of that, the core gameplay that tied the original packs together often gets lost. If I'm not mistaken, there aren't hotels in TS4? If you want to "go on holiday", you have to rent out an entire house. I can't wait for them to introduce hotels and hotels alone in The Sims 4: Checking In (AU$59.95).

I know I'm beating a dead The Sims 4 Horse Ranch Expansion Pack (AU$59.95) by saying all of this. "TS4 is money-hungry and is charging more for less content!" is common knowledge at this point, but oh my God, it's so blatant. And there's no reason for it!! None!!! The only way forward would be if TS4 players all just agreed to stop paying any money for expansion packs but it's maddening how that just won't happen and people will continue to let themselves be taken advantage of. The people I'm most sad for are the people who actually like working on The Sims and who have so much creativity in them that gets squeezed to death by EA. There's literally no reason why they can't just be allowed to cram as much content as they can finish into expansion packs before they're released, because I promise you, the ideas are there, even if they're firing all the actual creative people at a breakneck speed. It's literally just some guy at the top crunching numbers in a calculator to see where he can save investors $0.53 cents a year to justify his six figure salary, and his math isn't even right.

I know I'm a TS2 blog so it might be surprising that I pay attention to/care about this but I've played and found ways to enjoy every installment of The Sims franchise that I could get my hands on. And I guess now it's coming back around with the re-release of TS1 and TS2. To be clear, I'm not even mad that they're charging money for them again. That's kind of expected. They never really technically gave them away in the first place, Ultimate Collection etc. was basically operating on the honour system ("I prommy I already own all these disks"), they just didn't care about enforcing it. But I can't believe the state they've released these games in. They had the opportunity AND THE ABILITY to actually make TS1 and TS2 Just Work on modern systems and they blew it. I think many of us would put money down simply for a stress-free installation and nothing else, and they couldn't even do that. And like... this isn't impossible. This is literally what their company does. Sure they're firing people for no reason wherever they can, but the people they do still have are capable of doing this. I just doubt they were given the time, resources, support, or even communication to make it happen.

I hope I meet the guy in charge some day because good lordt. anyway alright time to dive back into the pink soup

[sad-sweet-cowboah]

The Heart of Your Home Pt 1

Summary: Arthur comes across a woman in need. What he thought was a simple good deed would take him down a much further path than anticipated.

Warnings: Cursing in this chapter, eventual canon-typical violence, eventual smut.

Word Count: 6,250

A/N: I have been working on this on the wayside for the past few months. I'm excited to continue working on this, so please sit tight!

The steady trot of the beast was all that filled Arthur’s ears. Bright sunshine warmed the otherwise cool air that blanketed northern New Hanover. His stallion’s hooves kicked up slight clouds of dust as they traveled the well-beaten path stretching out before them. The swaying trees of Cumberland Forest waited up ahead, teeming with life. 

It’d been a few weeks since he’d last come up here; originally traveling up this way to clear out a group of O’Driscolls, like flushing foxes out of a den. He intentionally kept away in case any stragglers decided to return in revenge of their fallen brethren. Not that a man like him would have trouble disposing them just as well as the former assault, however, his goal was different today. Pearson needed meat, and the northern forest was rich with elk. 

A strong gust of wind swirled around him, sending a chill down his spine and reminding him of those bitter weeks in Colter. God forbid they’d be driven into the snow again. 

As the wind calmed, a different sound carried across the terrain. An unmistakable chorus of wolves howled. Arthur tensed, knowing that was their signal of easy prey, and he glanced around while his horse’s head shot up and began to squirm apprehensively. 

No pack in sight, the haunting melody seemingly originating from the plateau to his right. It would take any man or animal more effort than it was worth to stagger down the jagged path to even reach him. He was safe, sliding his gloved hand along the stallion’s neck to soothe. 

“Easy, boy,” he cooed. “You’re alright.” 

No sooner did those words leave his mouth, a shrill scream pierced the otherwise still air. A scream of pure, utter terror. The scream of a woman. The desperate cry for help. 

He knew better than to meddle in other’s affairs. Why should he care if some stranger became a predator’s next meal? 

Perhaps he cared more than he liked to admit. 

Turning his horse toward the nearest pathway up, he snapped out a command to go, his steed jolting forward despite its previous anxiety. The stallion expertly navigated the steep, rocky terrain until the land smoothed out, peaking to a flat expanse that seemingly went for miles with the cloudless azure sky. 

Another sharp wail. His head turned, spotting the culprit just a few yards away. A pack of three timber wolves, all facing away and slowly stalking toward their prey beneath a large tree. 

Arthur had no time to waste. He whistled loudly, catching the attention of the closest. It spun around and stared at Arthur with fierce amber eyes, lips curled back to bear a hungry, toothy grin. 

A deft hand was on his revolver in a split second, drawing it from his holster and landed a bullet right between its eyes. The gunshot alerted the other two, turning away from their original prey to now target him as well. 

He didn’t give them a chance. Expertly wielding his firearm to dispatch them, their now lifeless bodies falling limp to the grass, the surrounding forage painted a deep scarlet. The gun slotted back to its home. 

The air was silenced again, barren of songbirds and woodland creatures, undoubtedly frightened by his interception. His eyes shifted, scanning the open area for any additional threats. 

There was a squeak, as timid and frightened as a mouse. His gaze settled upon its origin, the woman that was just seconds away from being mauled to death.  

Dressed in a simple button-up blouse and a vibrant skirt and hair tied back into a neat bun, you were more out of place than a rancher was in the city. Your eyes were wide with terror, hands up in attempt to defend yourself, though one fist clenched and full of what appeared to be leafy sprigs. 

“Are you okay, miss?” Arthur quietly asked. 

He watched as you slowly lowered your hands, your gaze fixated on the dead wolves. “I...” you started, before taking a shaky breath and looking to him directly. “I-I'm okay...thank you.” 

He nodded in response. With the deed done, he should be on his way, but the curiosity was beginning to gnaw. It wasn't his business why you were out here, and he should just leave it at that. He should turn and continue along his path. 

However, the thought of a woman alone and defenseless out in the wilderness didn’t exactly sit right with him. “This ain’t exactly the safest place to be,” he commented. “Why’re you out here?” 

Your eyes averted immediately, and your head hung, reminding him of a child being scolded. “Looking for herbs,” you say rather quietly, your left fist opening to reveal more of the leafy stems laden in your palm, before tucking them into a small leather satchel attached around your waist. “I don’t normally venture so far from home, but—” 

The glint of a silver ring on your finger caught Arthur’s attention. “Your husband don’t help?” he guessed, leaning onto the horn of his saddle. 

“My husband? Hah!” your demeanor changed immediately, tilting your head back in a scoff. “Please, my husband doesn’t know a dandelion from a daffodil! No,” you sighed, shaking your head in disappointment. “As the dutiful wife, I keep the house clean and our bellies full.” 

“So...you came out here jus’ to look for ingredients?” Arthur asked. “With no proper protection?” 

Your brow furrowed into a scowl, the corners of your lips wrinkling. “Had I known there were wolves out here, I wouldn’t have bothered. Like I said, I don’t usually venture from home. But our herb garden died after last week’s frost.” 

“There's supplies right in Valentine,” Arthur pointed out. “Would be much less dangerous than bein’ out here.” 

“Ah yes, that muddy little farming town,” your nose wrinkled in disgust. “We arrived there by train when we first moved out here...” you shook your head and sighed, turning to gaze across the plateau. “Guess I have no choice now...” you glanced around wildly and frowned. “Those damn wolves scared away my horse!” 

Arthur held back a sigh. The last thing he wanted to do was to traipse around New Hanover in search of a frightened steed. Poor thing is probably halfway to Ambarino by now or got cornered by something else.  

That didn’t solve the matter at hand, however. To leave you alone even after killing those mongrels would fill him with unnecessary guilt. He didn’t have to continue, but that small part of his conscience convinced him otherwise. “Would you, uh, like a ride back to town?” he offered. 

Your gaze fell to him immediately, your expression brightening. “If you would, please.” 

Arthur nodded and held his hand out, and you stepped forward to grab it, using the freed stirrup to hoist yourself onto the back of his Andalusian. As you settled behind him, Arthur took a glance at the wolf carcasses, making a mental note to return here later. Pearson surely would appreciate having some extra pelts on hand. 

He turned the horse around, spurring it into an easy lope back toward the pathway. 

“I can’t tell you how grateful I am for this, mister,” you say. “I can’t imagine the thought of having to hoof it to Valentine on foot after that ordeal. My poor horse…I hope she’s okay.” 

“Jus’ don’t make it a habit of makin’ trips out here, at least without somethin’ to protect yourself with,” Arthur pointed out. “It’s more dangerous than you’d think.” 

“I think I got plenty of that in one day,” you sighed. “You might see me as some foolish woman, and I know I am. My husband and I have been out here for two months, and I still haven’t completely adjusted,” you laughed dryly. “See, we’re from out East, him and I.” 

Arthur didn’t respond. Easterners, civilized folk that had no business being out here. Businessmen led out West with the promise of opportunities, reaping the land of its riches. 

“Was all his idea to move out this way,” you continued over his silence. “I tried to make the best of it. It’s not like back at home, some days I do miss my cozy apartment...but as my husband said, there’s no point in returning when there’s something better out here for us.” 

From the tone of your voice, Arthur could tell you rolled your eyes. “That’s what a lot of folk say,” Arthur mumbled. “In the end, it don’t always work out and they go back, tails tucked between their legs.” 

“You don’t know my husband then,” you respond with a dry laugh. “Ambition is his game, and he’s one smart gambler.” 

“For your sake, I’d hope so,” Arthur said, peering ahead to see Valentine’s rooftops appear in the distance. 

The remainder of the trip fell silent. Arthur was thankful you hadn’t strayed too far from town, since this minor detour would still allow him ample time to return to his original trip. 

The offending scent of the stockyards was the first to hit his nose to announce their arrival into Valentine. Mud slopped around the horse’s hooves as they trotted further into town, sidling along the edge to clear the path for the stagecoaches rolling past. He turned right, facing the bustling street. He stopped at the nearest post, avoiding the rest of the traffic. 

You slid off and landed delicately, smoothing your skirt out before looking back up to him. “Thank you, mister,” you say with a smile. “Um...would you mind if you took me home too? I don’t live too far from here.” 

Well, shit. Seems like this detour would take longer than he’d anticipated. He’d already done enough and removed you from any immediate danger. “Sure,” he answered, waving his hand with a half-hearted flourish. 

Your smile only widened. “Thank you again, I won’t be long!” You hurried along, excitedly popping up onto the wooden walkway and disappeared into one of the shops. 

Arthur sighed, dragging a palm across his face. He truly had no business escorting folk, especially someone who seemed so out of her element. However, he felt the need to at least carry through, provide you with safe passage home to your foolish husband. Perhaps today may be a lesson for you to stay safer, or even compel the two of you to move back East. 

Just as you promised, your venture into the shop did not take long at all. A mere five minutes passed before the door creaked open and you reappeared, making a beeline toward him. The relief was plain on your face. 

“Find what you needed?” Arthur asked. 

“And much more!” You exclaim. “I think I’ll be set for the week.” 

Arthur nodded in approval and held his hand out for you to take. Instead, you placed your hands along his horse’s rump and hoisted yourself up with one smooth motion. 

You settled behind him once again and pointed westward. “We live that way, couple miles out of town.” 

He didn’t hesitate to follow your direction, wasting no time to leave Valentine in his wake. The buildings gave way to an open field with trees in the distance, leading off to the mountains of West Elizabeth further out. It’d only taken an extra twenty minutes at a steady trot along the path until you instructed him to veer off into the trees, following a much narrower path. Up ahead, the forage began to thin out to a small field with what appeared to be a small house, and an even smaller barn sitting quaintly behind it. 

He emerged from the tree line, allowing full sight of what he presumed was your home. The outside seemed to be kept neat and orderly, with an immaculate fence offset from the porch full of greenery. As he approached closer, he realized they were half-wilted. 

“Home sweet home,” you sighed as you slid off the horse, stepping toward the house. Only to pause and look back at him. “Thank you so much, again. You’re the kindest person I’ve met out here so far.” 

Arthur chuckled humorlessly at your comment. “Ah, I don’t know about that, ma’am.” 

“Nonsense,” you brush away his refute. “You showed up at just the right time, I’m sure anyone else would have left me to the wolves, all for some stupid plants...” you glanced back toward the garden with a grimace before turning your attention back to him. “Hey, won’t you join me for dinner? I’d like to repay you.” 

Arthur hadn’t expected that. Heading back out would be ideal, at least to try and hunt before evening settled in. He also hadn’t eaten since breakfast back at camp. Even though he had some fruit in his back, it would not be enough to satiate him for the next few hours. 

Another thought crossed his mind. “Your husband won’t mind the company?” he carefully asked, knowing a face like his appearing in a comfortable homestead may be unsettling. 

“Oh, he’s not home tonight, out doing business as usual,” you sighed. “I always make more than enough, just in case, but I’m tired of letting some of my hard work go to waste.” 

Something about that statement irked Arthur. From the information you’ve told him so far, it seemed your husband was painfully oblivious to what life really was like out here, most likely having no inkling of his wife ignorantly exploring the wilderness just to make a tasty meal. 

The rumble of his stomach cut his thoughts short, and he pressed a hand to his abdomen. It’d been at least a half-day since breakfast, and with the past hour or so spent on a detour, the opportunity for a hot meal was difficult to pass. 

“Sure, why not?” he finally said. “I’ll have a plate.” 

You flashed a beaming smile at him. “Excellent. Here...” You pointed to the small barn behind the house. “You can put your horse in there for a bit, I’m sure he’s just as hungry as you are. You can come in when you’re done.” 

You turned on your heel, bounding up the porch steps to disappear behind a door. Arthur did as he was told, dismounting his horse and leading him toward the barn. He shoved the door open, peering into the tiny, two-stall building. One stall stood completely clean, devoid of any sign of use, while the other had a mess of half-eaten hay, most likely from the horse you’d claimed ran off earlier. He led the stallion into this stall, and the horse immediately dove into the hay. 

Arthur patted the horse’s neck with a small smile. It wasn’t too often that a stranger’s hospitality also extended toward his steed as well. He left the stallion to enjoy the hay, stepping back out and heading toward the house. 

He stepped onto the porch, panels creaking beneath his weight. The door opened easily, and he stepped inside, greeted by the cozy, bright interior. It was almost as if he stepped inside a dollhouse. 

You were at the stove directly opposite him, leaning over a large pot, sprinkling a few leaves into what seemed to be a sort of stew. Upon his entrance, you turned and gave him another smile. “Won’t be much longer. If you’d like to wash up, there’s a wash basin in the next room,” you gestured with a flick of your head towards the right. 

Arthur once again wordlessly followed your direction, setting his sights toward a door standing ajar in the corner. He absorbed the scenery before him as he moved. If he hadn’t known you were in the middle of the woods, he would have guessed he was somewhere like Blackwater. It was evident you were not ready to transition from your previous life, as almost every surface seemed to be meticulously kept and covered with décor. 

He pushed the door open to reveal a bedroom that was oddly plain compared to what he’d just witnessed in the kitchen. The bed was neatly made, an oak armoire sitting directly across from it. In the corner next to him sat a small porcelain and golden wash basin, already filled with water. 

He took caution when washing up, not to spill any dirty water upon the swept floors. Though he supposed it didn’t matter, given how much dust coated his worn leather boots. Once finished he made his way back into the kitchen, just in time to witness you ladle stew into two bowls. The small table was the only thing separating the two of you, and Arthur took a seat. 

Placing a bowl in front of him, you moved to sit opposite. “It’s not much, but I hope you enjoy it.” 

The savory aroma only made his stomach gurgle again. He peered down to observe the dish. The browned liquid swimming with a medley of vegetables and meat, with speckles of whichever herbs you’d added. He took a spoonful and placed it in his mouth, his tongue delightfully greeted with rich flavor. 

Enjoying it was an understatement. He would have shoveled the whole damn thing into his mouth if maintaining politeness wasn’t a factor. “No complaints here, ma’am,” he said after swallowing. “This may be the best stew I’ve ever had.” 

Your smile was bashful, but the light in your eyes told him how you appreciated the praise. “Glad to know my husband doesn’t lie to me when he says he likes my cooking,” you giggled lightly. “I appreciate it, Mister...” you trailed off, giving him a hopeful look for a proper introduction. 

“Arthur,” he answered. 

You nodded and gave him your name in response. “Thank you for not letting this go to waste.” 

Offering a small smile, Arthur then took another bite. It was tempting to ask for the recipe to pass along to Pearson for ideas. “It’d be a shame, especially after almost gettin’ eaten.” 

You giggled again, your voice ringing melodically. “Well Arthur, I’m glad you could join me for dinner after that nonsense. It gets quite lonely living out here sometimes.” 

“Your husband often leaves you alone like this?” Arthur asked.��

There was a pause. The open and friendly demeanor you possessed suddenly vanished as you sat up straight, giving him a cautious stare. “Don’t mistake my hospitality as vulnerability, Arthur. My husband may be away, but I promise you my intentions are not what you're assuming.” 

Arthur was taken aback by this, having not realized his words might’ve had another meaning. “Oh no, ma’am!” He dropped his spoon and held his hands up defensively. “That ain’t what I meant at all, believe me. My intentions ain’t nothin’ of the sort.” 

You seemed to be satisfied by his answer as the rigidity of your body eased, though the look of caution remained. “I’m no fool to the desires of men,” you say. “Doesn’t matter where I am, they’re almost always the same.” 

As unfortunate as the statement was, Arthur had to agree with you. He’d witnessed it more times than he’d cared, though never taking part for himself. It was often those who held a position of power, abusing it as such to have their ways. He despised men of the sort. “You don’t have to worry, I swear I ain’t like that,” he responded. 

The gaze you held on him was steady and scrutinizing, as if searching his face for any tale of a lie. Soon the lines of worry began to soften, your lips hinting the ghost of a smile. “I suppose I should believe you, otherwise you would’ve had me after taking care of the wolves. You’re a man of honor, Arthur.” 

A dejected chuckle left his throat as he shook his head. He cared little to argue, as you’d only seen just a fraction of what he truly was. Had you known he was a wanted outlaw, your perspective would change in a heartbeat. 

Still, he’d come across a myriad of people from different walks on his travels. Those who either welcomed him with open arms or pointed a gun to his face, most of which didn’t know his true identity, and they never had to, to determine what sort of person he was. 

Without a reply, he settled into a comfortable silence to finish his meal. You simply followed suit, leaving the conversation to rest. 

Arthur took his time with the stew, savoring every bite knowing he may not receive another one just as delicious. The sun settling through the west-facing window indicated just how much time has passed since this initial diversion. It had to be late afternoon now, had those last few hours flown by that quickly? 

With the bowl empty and his once withering stomach now satisfyingly full, Arthur leaned back in his seat and gave a content sigh. “I suppose I should be gettin' back on the road,” he said to catch your attention. 

You looked back up, and Arthur caught a flicker of emotion on your face, but you smiled before he could determine what it was exactly. “Of course, seems to be getting late,” you glanced at the window. “I hope I didn’t keep you from anything important.” 

While it certainly took away a few hours' worth of hunting, he couldn’t readily admit that. You were kind enough to offer hospitality in return to his decided kindness, much different than a few billfolds or a piece of jewelry that would normally accompany these rare occasions. A full stomach and a rested horse, however, that was rare. 

“Nothin’ too important,” Arthur assured you. While the camp’s coffer was low, there was no immediate need for fresh kill that same day. He could attempt to make it back up to Cumberland before nightfall and set up camp for a fresh start tomorrow.  

You escorted him back to the barn where his horse was still working through the remnants of hay. The stallion left it rather reluctantly as Arthur pulled him back out into the open. As he mounted and glanced up at the sky, making a note of the time. It wasn’t quite sunset just yet; the bright blues were beginning to fade into a fiery orange. 

“Thank you, again, Arthur,” your voice drew his attention. “Not just for helping me, but providing me with some company as well.” 

Arthur nodded to you. “Try to stay outta trouble, miss.” 

You giggled and shook your head bashfully. “I think today was enough trouble for a lifetime, I’ll be sticking to the safety of stores from now on.” 

Arthur offered you a half-smile. “Good luck to you.” He bid his farewells and turned his horse away from the homestead, making his way back to the worn path. 

--- 

The wooden shops and stands of Valentine were bathed in a slight golden glow, tale of the sunset to Arthur’s back by the time he’d reached the town again. He could travel just a little bit further and set up camp for the night for a fresh start tomorrow morning, but his mind had been elsewhere since he left your house. 

The idea of a woman out of her element living away from civilization without protection didn’t sit right with him. He wondered how long it’d been since you settled out here, and how often your husband left you to your own devices. Had he not been there to rescue you today, how much time would have passed until your husband came home to an empty house, without a clue what happened? 

How could that damn fool not know what he was getting himself into? A businessman had no business trying to adapt to the ways of the rugged.  

Arthur shook his head to himself. The vulnerability you presented yourself with today would hopefully harden with more time spent out here, and preferably before you landed yourself into trouble again. 

He sighed, skirting around the town rather than subjecting his horse to trot through that muck a second time. It was best to not worry about the affairs of strangers, especially those he may never even see again. 

His thoughts occupied most of the remaining journey. The sky steadily darkened as the hour grew later, and the familiar reaches of the emerald pines that outlined Cumberland once again came into view. He considered taking the path back to those wolves, if scavengers hadn’t already begun to pick. 

A yawn stopped that thought in his tracks. The day stretched longer than he intended, and the stew still sat heavy in his belly. It would be best to set up camp now. 

He pulled away from the main path to disappear beneath the canopy of pine, locating just a clearing just large enough to hold a tent. He dismounted and immediately got to work, having his campsite completed just as the last of the daylight was swallowed by the mountains further West. 

With his small tent set up and a meager campfire a striking amber against the inky landscape, fatigue began to settle in. The vestiges of stew finally departed his stomach, announcing its emptiness with a slight grumble. He wished he could have another bowl, but instead helped himself to a can of beans dug out of his satchel. 

It was nowhere near as filling, but it was enough to draw out the tendrils of fatigue, and he turned in soon after to be lulled by nature’s melodies. 

—- 

Arthur awoke with an early start; the sky a pale gray with the hint of dawn. A perfect time for hunting, he thought, and with a quick helping of coffee, he grabbed his bow off his horse and set deeper into the woods. 

He thanked Charles for the lessons in tracking; broken twigs and overturned leaf litter would have gone unnoticed by someone with an untrained eye. The trail was fairly fresh, and the wind carried the distinct echo of an elk’s call. He continued onward, ensuring his footfalls were light and as soundless as possible. It wasn’t much longer until he came upon a small clearing, a small herd of elk peacefully grazing and unaware of his presence. 

Carefully removing the bow and an arrow from his back, he set it in place and drew the bowstring back, aiming for the closest. He had a clear shot straight to the head, and— 

The elks’ heads suddenly shot up, ears pricked and eyes wide. At first Arthur thought he’d somehow startled them, but their attention was drawn in another direction. Within a heartbeat they turned and ran, heading deeper into the forest. 

“Shit,” he hissed, standing up with frustration and regretted leaving his horse behind. He wondered if he could head back quickly to grab his stallion, perhaps he could pick up the trail again without the herd wandering too far ahead. 

A flicker a movement in the corner of his eye caused him to turn his head, opposite where the elk ran. With a start he expected a predator. Instead, it was a horse. 

Wild horses were not an uncommon sighting, especially further away from civilization. As the beast trotted into the clearing, its head held high, and ears pricked forward in alert. Arthur spotted a saddle on its back, a bridle with broken reins dragging through the brush. Its black and white coat stained a cool brown with mud. 

He wondered what happened, and what poor soul was out there looking for their steed, if they were even still alive. As the horse slowed to a stop and dipped its head to graze, Arthur caught a glimpse of what looked like bundles of drying plants hanging from each side. 

Something pricked in his mind. It was a sense of familiarity about it, even though he’d never seen this horse before. Something about the plants it carried... 

And then it hit him. His encounter with you yesterday, you were gathering herbs and you mentioned your horse ran off, frightened by the pack of wolves. The chance of it belonging to someone else would be slim. 

It made sense to find the steed out here, but he was surprised it hadn’t been cornered by other predators. It’d only been a day, though it would not last much longer with the weight of the saddle and the reins dangling so dangerously low. 

He sighed, silently cursing himself for what he was about to do. He should just ignore the thing and continue hunting, but a tiny voice in the back of his mind told him otherwise. Securing the bow to his torso, he slowly stepped into the open. 

The horse must’ve sensed him, as its head shot back up, its wide blue eyes directly onto him. Nostrils flared, expelling a loud snort, almost as if it were a dragon from a story book. 

“Easy there,” Arthur cooed, his voice low and even. He watched as every muscle tensed, ready to turn and sprint off. “Easy...” he repeated. 

The horse stared unblinkingly as he approached, inch by inch, hands reaching up slowly. Arthur silently willed it not to run. He was just a few feet away, and he went to reach for one of the reins still on the ground. 

The horse flinched, and Arthur froze, holding his breath. Thankfully, it didn’t take off. 

“You’re alright...” he said softly, waiting for another second before moving again. With a stroke of luck, he swiftly grabbed the broken rein. The horse didn’t offer another reaction, though still watched with wide eyes as Arthur patted its sweaty neck. He took a cursory glance underneath, and said, “Good girl.” 

The mare seemed to relax at his touch, and Arthur finally noted the sheen of sweat against her dirty coat. A layer of foam outlined the breast collar and the girth. It seemed the poor girl was running for a while and had only stopped just at the right moment. 

He ran his fingers against her velvet muzzle, feeling her hot breath as she attempted to sniff him. “Why don’t I take you home?” he said to her. “I’m sure there’s someone that misses ya.” 

—- 

A gentle breeze stirred the surrounding treetops, filling the air with a soft rustle of leaves and branches. It was a crisp wind; something you had yet to get used to. The grip on the shawl upon your shoulders tightened. As beautiful as your home was, you wished it would just be a little warmer. 

You stood up from the rocking chair perched upon your porch, itching for something to do. Boredom occupied most of your time since moving out here, between washing windowpanes and cooking with the same ingredients day in and day out. You insisted on possibly finding a job, a seamstress or a maid perhaps, but your husband Frederick detested this, adamantly reminding you he would earn more than enough to support the two of you. 

Oftentimes you would cure your restlessness by taking a short ride with your mare, but even that was ripped away by yesterday’s escapades. Frederick paid a pretty penny for that Criollo coming from the beautiful livery in Saint Denis, stopping when only learning she was imported straight from South America. That mare had quickly bonded with you and became your only friend since the move. 

But now she was gone, most likely enjoying her sudden freedom, or worse— 

Slamming your hand onto a pillar severed that train of thought. You instead focused on the meager herb garden, once leafy green stalks now an ugly brown and wilted. You sighed; gardening was never your forte and prior to last week, you were quite proud of your crop. The adjustment from comfortable civilization to a homestead in the middle of the wilderness wasn’t a smooth transition. You longed for your old home, your old town, and your mundane yet comfortable life. 

A shudder rocked through your body. Until recently, you’d been immune and willfully ignorant of the dangers lurking in the shadows, stalking in the trees, waiting for the opportune moment to pounce. Though you often wished for something exciting to break the otherwise monotonous day-to-day, having nearly died at the salivating fangs of those wolves was enough excitement for a lifetime. 

You were beyond thankful for that man, Arthur, for coming to your rescue. He had no business helping you the way he did, and you weren’t ignorant of that. You caught the hesitation in his voice, the flicker in his eyes, the judgmental tone he held when you explained the situation. He most likely saw you as an inconvenience. Regardless, the pity he bestowed on you was enough to ensure you were safe.  

Although unlikely, you hoped you would see him again at least once. He was the first person to show you true kindness and didn’t dare to take advantage of yours. It was a true rarity to come across someone to possess such redeeming qualities. 

The faint rustle of bushes caught your attention, but only for a brief second. Wildlife was plentiful around here, usually in the form of squirrels, rabbits, and the occasional deer or Pronghorn. The coyote yips and yowls often sounded off in the distance during the night, but you never once saw them cross the threshold of your property while you or Frederick were outside. 

A flicker of movement swept your gaze to the side. Too large for a coyote or even a deer, your heart skipped a beat in apprehension. Was your husband home? Or worse, more wolves somehow tracked your scent? 

From the tree line stepped out a horse, its dappled gray coat standing stark against the emerald shrubbery. Its rider was an unexpectedly welcome sight. 

“Arthur?” you said in surprise, allowing yourself to relax. He seemed to have something in his hand, and what followed surprised you even more. 

Your horse. 

Your mouth fell open in pure shock. You blinked multiple times, as if the sight before you were a hallucination. But surely enough, Arthur gave you a small smile and stopped just a few feet before your porch steps. 

“Hope you don't mind the intrusion,” he said. “Found this girl up in Cumberland Forest.” 

You bounded down the steps wordlessly, your mouth still gaped. “What—” you took a sharp breath. “How did you know...” That was my horse? You finished the question without speaking. 

Arthur shrugged, turning to look at the mare. “I saw her lookin’ a little distressed, like she’d been runnin’ all night. Then I saw the bundles of herbs on the saddle, could only guess who she belonged to,” he held out one of the leather reins, which you took instantly, running your shaking free hand along the mare’s painted coat. 

You truly thought the worst for this poor creature, and if it hadn't yet again been for this kind stranger, your fears might as well have manifested one way or another. “T-thank you Arthur, thank you!” You gave him a wide smile. How could you repay him this time? The remaining stew from yesterday had been almost completely diminished throughout the bitterly cold night following, and you were sure he wasn't going to wait around for another batch, as much as you saw that he enjoyed the first. 

Your eyes wandered to the now dried bundles of leaves still strapped on either side of your saddle. While the shop trip from yesterday was enough to replenish your pantry, this addition would keep you from venturing out again for a while. Yesterday’s events definitely gave you a more wary eye. 

Eyes on him again, quickly observing the faded tan jacket and the even more worn hat concealing his gaze. A bow was strapped across his back, and the gleam of a silver revolver shone from the holster adorning his waist. This was a man well-traveled, well versed and not afraid of life’s dangers. A spike of envy roiled in your stomach, wishing you had half the nerve he did. 

It then occurred to you that it’d been a moment since you last spoke, and as if Arthur read your mind, he cleared his throat and glanced over his shoulder. 

“I oughta start—” 

“Wait!” 

Arthur froze, turning to look at you again. You surprised yourself, having uttered this word without even thinking. Quickly, you composed yourself and continued, “Thank you again, Arthur. You’ve done more than you realize...” you paused as your mare nudged you gently, as if pressing you on. “I...I don’t have any stew prepared, but you’re welcome to stop by anytime if you’re hungry. I can whip up something.” 

His hand raised as if to wave away the offer, but you continued before he had the chance. “I insist,” you add. “Between saving my life and my horse’s, it’s the least I can do! And your horse...” you reached over to pat the gorgeous Andalusian. “Is welcome to take a rest in the barn as well. I don’t mind.” 

Arthur looked as if he were going to argue, mouth opening, but paused. For a few long seconds he seemed thoughtful, and finally said, “That’s real kind of ya, thank you.” 

You smiled widely at him. Shortly after he bid his goodbyes and turned around, you watching until the silvery swishing tail of his horse disappeared into the trees once again. You turned to your mare, relieved to have her back and simultaneously avoiding that awkward conversation for once your husband came back home as to why she was missing. 

“We’re lucky Arthur came to our rescue, huh?” you say to her, running your hand along her velvet muzzle. 

[miloscat]

[Review] Freedom Planet 2 (PS5)

A triumphant sequel.

After the original Freedom Planet, Sabrina DiDuro and the team at GalaxyTrail spent seven years crafting a sequel. I had quibbles about the first game, so I was pleased to find many tweaks that addressed these; not to mention all the other improvements and expansions that make this indie platformer a triumphant sequel.

It's been three years in-world and the main characters have had overhauls to their designs, plus the underdeveloped Milla getting a character development boost off-screen. Turns out the destruction of the MacGuffin Orb in the last game has caused an ancient evil to be awakened, as you do. From there the plot unfolds satisfyingly, with a new team of charismatic villains and some nice twists and turns leading to a climactic showdown on a dragon-shaped spaceship, while doing a good job giving personal stakes to each of the main characters.

The adventure takes our three returning heroines plus the newly playable Neera (a buttoned-up sourpuss with ice powers) across the East Asian-inspired world of Avalice. Only this time, there's map screens that help give much-needed context to the world, as well as hub areas where you can chat to NPCs to further flesh out the story and universe. These are populated by dozens of adorable and unique animal-person NPCs, who have interesting things to say. It all adds up to a much improved sense of place, the worldbuilding now evident on the screen rather than squirreled away in the writers' heads. The storytelling still throws you in the deep end and there's lots of callbacks, so experience of the first game's story helps, but it feels better paced and better explained this time.

Another needed addition is the tutorial level that explains the controls and each character's unique powers. The three returning champs have gotten buffed, with smoother and faster combat with more varied attacks. There's also a new dodge move that adds dynamism to the fight encounters. Energy bars refill faster, and Lilac's spin/double jump doesn't consume any; her dash is thus more useful and can even be interrupted at will, so she's a lot more fun to use as a result. Carol still has her wall climb and motorcycle (still sadly tied to a rare item pickup, but you can now force one to spawn with the equipment system and it doesn't explode when taking damage) plus a cool new throwable disc that you can zip to. Milla has quick access to shields and projectiles, and her big blast is now recharged by dodging which makes for good flow; she now also has a full health bar and her ear-flapping flutter jump is governed by a generous meter.

Less of a success is the new character, Neera. While the others have been rethought and improved since their first appearance, she comes in feeling like a first draft... or like a FP1 character. Her energy meter feels slow to recharge, since it drains to put her in an enhanced state when dodging, and her cool ice powers rely on a fully charged bar. She feels slow and clunky to use effectively, which is a shame for what should be an exciting addition to the roster. She also is the least fun character in terms of story and personality, although she gets a few good moments and some unique dialogue.

All four are available from the start which is nice, although the campaign plays out the same whichever you choose. There's occasionally a different cutscene or line of dialogue, but aside from Carol's Act 2, it's not the different perspective on the story that you get with some Sonic games. This sequel has a whopping 24 levels compared to the 12 or so in the first game, and as far as I'm concerned they're designed very well with some fun gimmicks, although certain ones can drag after playing through them four times. They're still quite expansive and packed, but this time around I didn't mind their length as much; I was enjoying the basic gameplay that much more, and they flowed well enough, that it didn't matter to me.

The combat was more engaging, getting much closer to rivalling the games such as Mega Man Zero that served as inspiration. Enemies maybe were still a smidge too tanky, but you can boost your damage a bit with the new equipment system. Items and potions can be configured to tailor your experience; for each playthrough I started on the easiest difficulty, which gives two bonus items, then tweaked the individual assist settings from there. The first game's settings helped a lot with not dying during gameplay, while this time they just give you more lenient respawns, which seems less useful for struggling players. To be fair I didn't try the auto-guard option which probably helps. The extra life mechanic has also been reworked in an interesting way, but can be quite punishing on difficult boss fights. As for the item system, it didn't have as big an impact as I was hoping; the potion effects are minor and there's a lot more items that make things harder in exchange for bigger rewards than there are ones that meaningfully adapt your playstyle or give you a boost.

Freedom Planet 2 is everything I wanted out of a sequel. The pixel art is effortlessly gorgeous, so much more detailed and expressive; the story is more coherent and engaging; the gameplay has been smoothed and tweaked in the right places. Everything from the first game that was cool or had potential has gotten the boost it needed here; it's just some of the new additions that now feel like they could use a once-over. Whether that means Freedom Planet 3 is an even bigger step up, or whether GalaxyTrail does something else next, I'll be watching with anticipation!

[lukedanger]

Owlcatober - Day 4 - Aim and Fire

Day four of @owlcatober, shifting to the grim darkness of a future that will hopefully never be...

[Ao3 Link]

===

There were many entertainments for the magnae accessio, especially in the noble reception for those who were ranked high enough within the Rogue Trader’s protectorate. And with the new Rogue Trader a former general of the Imperial Guard along with the Expanse being under threat from all sides, Clementia had suggested martial entertainment to bring it to the minds of the nobility. Tessera had agreed, but with so many other things to worry about had delegated the task.

Though as Tessera looked at the ghastly display, she was not sure that this was something direct attention would have fixed. Prisoners were tied up against a specific wall of the palace gardens, and the nobility were firing lasguns at them. Heretics, pirates, Drukhari captives who hadn’t been executed after their failed attack were used as targets with equal disdain.

As she watched the noble guests miss shot after shot, laughing all the while, Tessera began to wonder if perhaps the next piece of noble entertainment needed to be a hunt. Perhaps with them as the hunted, if this was the best Dargonus could offer.

“A little better, and they’ll make a guardsman out of you yet!” one noble taunted, watching his wife (Sister? Both?) in a fancy red dress large enough to serve as concealment for a soldier nearly lose her grip on her lasgun. The shot had gone well overhead of her target.

Another noble, a young man with a cybernetic eye and a cocksure grin, casually picked up a las-pistol and tried to shoot the Drukhari, only for the burst to spray everywhere. Pity the machine spirit grafted to a man whom ignored its advice.

So it went on - the nobles having a laugh and occasionally getting lucky to great cheers as another life ended. Tessera watched, hoping for an at least somewhat practical use of this spectacle. A young heir being blooded in a safe condition by their mentors so they would be ready for the hell that was the galaxy. An attempt to educate on weak spots (particularly as they left the current Drukhari target in her armor when tying her up) or the most efficient way to dispatch a target. Even just trying to get some range time in with a live target, anything.

The range master, to his credit, seemed embarrassed as Tessera turned her attention to him. His face turned red under her gaze, especially as one noble almost burned himself ejecting a spent power pack without keeping his hand clear. And as soon as he moved to try and call a halt for the sake of range safety when another put their hand near the barrel, the watching crowd jeered for him to leave them to their fun.

Tessera had enough. She strode to the range, grabbed the long-las when she reached the table, checked the power pack, disengaged the safety (unnecessarily, as the fools left it off), and took aim at the center victim, calculations running through her neural augments. She pulled the trigger once, then aimed for the heretic on the right. Fire. Finally, she aimed for the drukari raider, and put her down.

Three times she aimed. Three times she fired. Three times enemies of humanity died.

And as her awareness shifted back to her audience, she could hear the cheering of the fools who celebrated their master and protector.

“Excellent shots, your grace!” greeted one noble wearing a voluminous dress to obscure his mass, “Truly, you are blessed by the Emperor for your aim!”

Tessera inhaled, looking at them. Wastrels. “The Emperor indeed blesses us, for your talents are not wasted among the Astra Militarum. Such targets are rare, noble peers, and should be used as an opportunity to learn.”

The sycophants all politely clapped as if she had just given them some grand compliment and hidden wisdom. Tessera looked at the range master, who gave her a sad shake of his head, and she turned away.

At least now she knew where she would not look for new officers for the Protectorate’s armsmen.

[damienf519]

$ LOST WAGES $ WIP - NEW LAS VEGAS INSPIRED SIMS 3 WORLD - BETA AVAILABLE

Turns out the Sims Forum is shutting down, so I'm going to repost this here in it's entirety

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$ Lost Wages $ is a beautiful city in the middle of the desert where sims can gamble away their life savings! Here are some early screenshots. I really hope you guys enjoy this. Its been a long time since I made a desert themed world, and If I was going to build a Sims 3 world around gambling, of course it was going to have to be inspired by Las Vegas. Here are some early screenshots. Keep in mind this is still a work in progress. The link to the first Beta is located in the first reply below. ( Only if we're talking about the SimsForum, otherwise it's right here ) The final version will also include a saved game file and some additional lots by CJplays.

Here's a link to the first Beta. Before you download the world it requires, all expansion packs, plus the vanilla version of Lucky Palms, Let it Ride Roulette Table, The Dead Man's Hand Poker Table, and the Triple Rich Slot O' Jackpot's Slot Machine. One of the lots also uses the Boardwalk and World of Wonders sets.

The world also uses the following free store content. 1) Annie's Well Organized Shelf 2) Weba Yayfoo 3) In The Dawn of Sims 4) The Sims Strike Back 5) Let There Be Sims 6) Happy ST. Patrick's Day 7) Harvest Bounty 8) Fall Frultion 9) Modern HDTV by Websta Industries 10) Happy Valentines Day 11) Gifts for the Holidays 12) Honeycomb Bookshelf 13) Tis The Season for Gift Giving 14) Earth Day 15) Explorers' Loot 16) No Tricks Just Treats 17) Halloween Treats 18) Happy Halloween Gory Goodies 19) More Halloween Treats 20) Eye of the Bolder '10 21) More Holiday Presents 22) Kalliopi's Gifts

You can download it here $ Lost Wages $ Beta A https://www.mediafire.com/file/c7j3nkt1madnti0/%24_Lost_Wages_%24_Beta_A.zip/file

[thebramblewood]

Thank you to @venriliz for tagging me! I'll tag @thecrumblingisle, @sweetbeagaming, @cactusblossom, @simatomica, @10000dreams, @solarlemonade, @lotuso3o, @cinnamonferns but feel free to ignore! I know it's a long one.

1. What’s your favorite sims death? Oh my god, I forgot the running with scissors death in TS2 existed until @venriliz mentioned it, but that made me remember I once killed off an unwanted legacy heir using that method. :/ Don't ask me why I couldn't just move him out and leave him to his own devices. Anyway, I think death by cowplant is pretty classic.

My LEAST favorite Sims death is freezing because I had a really traumatic experience in the second generation of my legacy where my Sim Phoebe made the bright decision to host a birthday party for one of her housemates at the Bluffs in Windenburg in the dead of winter and everyone decided to start swimming and like three people froze to death, including the birthday girl. It remains a horrifically vivid memory to this day, lmao.

Putting the rest under a cut!

2. Alpha CC or Maxis Match? Maxis Match for the most part. I find that anything alpha just ends up looking too out of place unless it's closer to the Maxis side of the spectrum.

3. Do you cheat when your sims gain weight? If it fits their lifestyle, I'll have them work out/eat healthier, but I try not to interfere otherwise.

4. Do you use move objects? Absolutely, it's permanently activated!

5. Favorite mod? MCCC is obviously essential, as well as anything that makes CAS better looking and more efficient. I also wouldn't play without Sunblind these days! I can't get enough of those gorgeous sunrises and sunsets.

6. First expansion/game/stuff pack you got? I think I got City Living and Seasons at the same time. I was kind of a late adapter to TS4 but fell very quickly down the rabbit hole.

7. Do you pronounce “live mode” like aLIVE or LIVing? I want to think I pronounce it like LIVing because I know that's technically correct, but I think half the time I still pronounce it like aLIVE in my head.

8. Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made? Oh, this is so hard... If we're going solely on Sims who originated in CAS, there aren't really many options! Most of my Sims have been born in-game. I am really proud of Helena, and I think everyone can tell how attached I've become to her. Hmm, I need to make more Sims, I guess.

9. Have you made a simself? Noooooooooo. The Sims for me is very much an escape from myself, so I don't think I ever will.

10. What sim traits did you give yourself? I would probably give myself music lover, perfectionist, and socially awkward.

11. What is your favorite EA hair color? The lightest blond, I think? The one that looks almost platinum and isn't quite as yellowy as some of the others.

12. Favorite EA hair? That short choppy hair from Cottage Living (the one the Creature Keeper has). For a while, I was absolutely eating up every single variation I could find.

13. Favorite life stage? If I'm being honest, young adult. I find that my gameplay is most varied and interesting when my Sims are in that stage because they're traveling, meeting a lot of people, trying new things, etc. Once my Sims settle down and start a family, it's easy for me to forget places and people outside their home lot exist and everything becomes more routine.

14. Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay? Me, a builder? That's a funny joke. I'm definitely more in it for gameplay and storytelling. I'll do everything I can to avoid building a lot myself. I don't mind redoing interiors, but it takes me forever, so I try to limit how often I do that, too.

15. Are you a CC creator? No. I've done a couple very basic recolors/edits for myself. We're talking kindergarten level stuff. I don't really have the willpower for learning anything more complex right now.

16. Do you have any simblr friends/a sim squad? Sim squad is such a weird term to me. I do still feel like a bit of an outsider in the Simblr community at times, but I also have a handful of mutuals who I've enjoyed connecting with, and it always makes me happy to see them in my notes and on my dash!

17. What’s your favorite game? The only games I've ever been heavily into are The Sims and those Nancy Drew computer games... I think you can guess which one is my favorite. But if we narrow down the franchise, The Sims 2 has a very special place in my heart.

18. Do you have any Sims merch? No.

19. Do you have a YouTube for sims? No, and as someone who can't stand hearing or seeing recordings of myself, it would be a nightmare.

20. How has your “sim style” changed throughout your years of playing? I've honestly wondered about this myself! I don't think it's really changed so much as become more refined. I don't make a ton of Sims, so I don't think I have an obvious aesthetic style. But my play style has definitely changed in that it's more storytelling-geared, which does mean I spend less time actually using gameplay mechanisms and more time setting up. My visual style (e.g. composition, editing, etc.) has definitely evolved a lot even over the past few months.

21. What’s your Origin ID? Going to pass on this one! My sister and I share an account, and I don't upload anything on the gallery anyway.

22. Who’s your favorite CC creator? Oh, so many! I will download basically anything that sforzcc or softerhaze upload. My absolute favorite hair creators are simstrouble and okruee. And I've been using a ton of stuff from awingedllama and leaf-motif when decorating lately. But those are just a few that come to mind.

23. How long have you had a simblr? I only just started my Simblr back in January or February. But I've been on Tumblr itself way too long to admit out loud.

24. How do you edit your pictures? I try to let Reshade do the heavy lifting, but I also like using a few of these actions in Photoshop to make them pop a bit more.

25. What expansion/game/stuff pack is your favorite so far? City Living because San Myshuno is one of the only worlds that really feels "alive" to me and I think it does festivals best, and Cottage Living because it's the complete opposite but the slowed down, quiet, countryside aesthetic is so serene and relaxing.

26. What expansion/game/stuff pack do you want next? I don't trust EA to do it right, but all I want is bands and another super dense and populated urban world and more apartments! I would also never like to see another world inspired by an American suburb again.

[balladofthewhitehorse]

Hi! Tell us more about The History of Romance, A Cat Named Hilda and The Longow please!

Of course!

The History Of Romance

Okay so, this idea came to me when I was reading about the invention of the telephone if I remember correctly. One thing led to another and I was wondering how people would send messages to one another over long distances. I love England and Portugal, and how their relationship is tied together with their alliance; I also think that their personalities - while sometimes clashing, mesh well together, and therefore I was like: 'How does this effect how they talk to each other?' So essentially, I'm thinking that it'll go from things like portraiture (which appearantly the big thing to do for nobles in love was to commission and send paintings of *yourself* to the person you loved, which is. wild to me. it's like the old version of the dick pic). To letters and poems. To telephone calls and telegrams. To the *text message.* Plus, I think England and his attitude towards technology is something I need to desperately write more of - cos essentially, I think he bemoans the invention of the mobile phone and signs them off like he's writing a letter. like 'Dear Portugal, I love you. I am hoping you're looking forward to the resturant this weekend and I have brought a new shirt for the evening. Miss you, *please* reply as soon as you see this and *not* a few days later. Sincerely and best wishes, Kingdom Of England' (Kingdom of England being the full name of the country in *technicality*, England's strange like that.) While Portugal replies 'ILY2' (not to say that Portugal doesn't love England! In this situation, it's more likely Portugal was the one who came up with the idea of going to a resturant *and* Portugal will turn up with lots of love to give! He's just not very talkative over text and I think he fell hard for those wonderful acronyms <3)

A Cat Named Hilda

I have the Sims 4 and the only expansion I got with it was the cats and dogs expansion pack. I decided to make England in the game (his human name is Edmund Sharpe - I do not like the name Arthur Kirkland, it's a personal opinion thing) and he adopted a cat while in the park. The cat was called Hilda and looked to be a point of some kind, and was described as 'troublesome, affectionate and curious'. Oh, and she was scared of the TV for some reason. Wonderful <3 England in the game, by the way, had anger issues. He would vent so angrily and stomp around the house - but kept stopping to randomly pet the cat. So you had this angry man, grumbling and having literal *steam* coming out of his ears, stopping to *tenderly* pick up his cat and cuddle it. He would also talk to the cat, gesticulating wildly. As you can imagine, I was inspired. The idea of this moody, stormy and quite frankly - arsehole, of an immortal being - being so gentle and kind to a random stray cat was so endearing to me. I might change the cat's name to something else (as in the game, she was already Hilda - but I'm not sure *why* England would name her that? I want it to be something that makes sense for the guy - so suggestions would be appreciated <3)

The Longbow

This behemoth I've rewritten already. I actually had a chapter 1 of it posted on my blog (I *think* I deleted it - I can't remember) as well as AO3; But, my HCs changed a lot since that chapt so I decided to scrap it and try again. Each chapter is going to start with some information on *longbows* - which, while you've likely heard of *English* Longbowmen, the actual invention of the longbow goes to the *Welsh.* The Welsh were already famous archers and they were used during the Hundred Years War, where the English started to use the longbow - and then the English obsession with them cranked up a notch. For a while, every Englishman was required to know how to draw a bow and it was *strictly* enforced to the point where the bones of English archers began to change! Hell, we almost ran out of yew-trees cos of HOW many we needed to make the longbows themselves! So I thought it was an apt weapon as a connection between England and Wales - a Welsh creation that was taken up by England. Wales teaching England to draw a bow - something that would *save his life in many situations.* Here's a snippet:

‘’What are you apologising for?’’ Cymru murmured as they stepped into the threshold of their small, hunting shelter; Beams of yew and oak criss-crossed the ceiling, herbs hung in aromatic bundles as tools and weapons were tucked far above prying, juvenile hands (she had not forgotten the day that England had cut the tip of his finger off, grasping at an axe that he was never meant to get his hands on). ‘’Is it about the rabbit?’’ She breathed out, tilting her head inquiringly as she set herself before the firepit; Arms opened to receive him - teary eyes and all. ‘’For God’s sake, I was just-’’ Cymru shook her head, hugging the boy close. ‘’Eng…’’

England slumped against Wales, sniffling noisily as he shook his head. ‘’N-nothing to do with the rabbit.’’ Honestly, he’d forgotten that they had been hunting at all on the way back home. It was hard to bite back the tears, budding forth like a spring meadow. Rubbing his eyes furiously, England looked up hopefully at Wales - dredging up what little courage he had, words heavy in his throat as he shook his head furiously in the end. Wales was the one with the beautiful voice, always braver with words than he ever dared to be - and England felt sheepish at once, a red-hot flush travelling up his neck as he swallowed a lump in his throat. 

He grasped the edge of his tunic, the rough wool rubbing against the palm of his hands. ‘’Let's talk about something else.’’ England mumbled softly, guilt laden like a stone (like a sword, heavy at his hip). There was a soft crack, the first embers taking hold in the firepit as the shelter grew a little lighter - chasing shadows into spidery corners. ‘’I-I forgot what it was.’’ England murmured lamely, pushing his forehead against Wales chest and sighing. ‘’Sorry.’’

Cymru knew at once what England had meant. She sighed, feeling her heart get a little heavier and sink to the pit of her belly, shadows drawn into deep furrows as she frowned. He felt light in her arms as she drew him closer, gaze trawling to the dark corners of their little shelter - as if she saw Wessex, propped up by a bloodied sword. ‘’Hm, fine.’’ She replied tersely, stroking England’s hair gently. ‘’Let’s talk about how you missed that rabbit then.’’ He squirmed in her arms, grumbling something or other about how she’d put him under pressure and made him muck it up, bottom lip pushed out moodily. ‘’Stop grumbling. This is the third time…I can’t possibly be distracting you that much-’’ 

‘’-But you are!’’ England bleated defensively. Cymru sighed, frustration clawing at her ribs as she felt her cheeks pink. ‘’Do you ever practise?’’ She retorted, glaring at him. ‘’Wessex should be teaching you these things-’’ Why on Earth she was the one saddled with England was lost on Cymru, who found herself equal-parts enamoured and enraged towards the small boy in her lap. It was never simple, a mantra that Cymru found herself repeating over and over, a mantra that Gwynedd had taught her a long, long time ago. A mantra that Cymru found herself repeating more often. 

‘’Hey-!’’ England squeaked, whirling around to grasp Wales’ hands as she snagged his hair. ‘’I do practise-!’’ Cheeks ruddied with embarrassment, he slowly pulled himself upright and crossed his arms - chest puffed and bold. ‘’And Wessex teaches me loads-!’’ England insisted, watching as Wales slowly stood up - and suddenly, England felt very small indeed.

‘’Right,’’ Cymru snorted, eyes narrowing as molten iron poured through her veins; Liquid malice as she looked at the boy and saw Wessex’s eyes staring back at her. Mercia, Kent, Northumbria…how many were there again? Too many, Cymru thought resentfully, and he was just one more trouble piled atop many - and so young too, not even a true country yet. It wasn’t too late, the warrior mused, he could still be defeated - and the firepit was so hot. ‘’Like what? How to fail at catching rabbits?’’ Cymru ground out, hands balling into fists as she drew in a deep breath, shaking her head gravely. Someday, he’ll catch one and it’ll be too late. His people still quarrelled, Cymru knew that - From across the border, just past Offa’s Dyke were whispers of conflict and complex politics (all of whom she doubted England understood). They rallied like quivering spears, liable to be knocked down by a gale - and if she was to be that errant wind, then so be it; Better him, than her.

[misssimreno]

*cOnifer was packed that evening, but thankfully Finnan was able to snag a table in the main dining room before the evening dinner rush 🍴 Lot by @/paszerine.

Finnan: Lin, you look incredible. Is that dress new?

Linsha: In fact it came with the Horse Ranch Expansion Pack. I felt it fit my style pretty well. Thanks, bubs. Okay, come on tell me all about the audition and the role!! I'm dying here!

Finnan: It's called Treachery of the Heart, it's a hospital drama, and I play Dr. Cadette, a surgeon who frequently gets tied up in life or death situations with patients, hence the drama. It's still a supporting role, but it's going to be on SimNetwork not just a local station. It's big, Lin. I mean, hopefully...

Linsha: Finnan, I'm so proud of you. This is amazing. I--I don't even know what to say I'm just so proud of you for going after it!

Finnan: It's so funny, I ran into Thorne Bailey again. He's actually producing it and he said something similar to what you told me about comedy and drama.

Linsha: Told you so.

Finnan: LOL. You did, beautiful, you did...alright, let's get our nectar.

[sesame-sim]

Cottage Living vs Horse Ranch comparison

Horse Ranch deemed by many to be merely a good game pack. Meanwhile, Cottage Living is one of the expansion packs most lauded for being expansion pack worthy. But is Horse Ranch really so much worse?

Let’s compare.

Cottage Living has 12 lots.

Horse Ranch has 13 lots

Cottage Living animals = rabbits and foxes which can not be owned. Chickens and cows and llamas that can be owned but are tied to their housing object. Also, chickens can breed.

Horse Ranch = horses, goats, sheep that can be owned and are not tied to housing object. Horses not only can be bred but pass on traits and have special traits which can only be achieved from breeding.

Cottage Living has neighborhood missions

Horse Ranch has neighborhood missions

Cottage Living has competitions for things like best crops/pies

Horse Ranch has horse-related competitions of various levels

Cottage Living has Agnes and Agatha Crumplebottom

Horse Ranch has Robert Crinkletop

Cottage Living has a lot of farming gameplay and lot challenge of simple living and foxes

Horse Ranch has nectar making gameplay and lot challenge of wild prairie grass which can be harvested and horses can freely graze on it. Also, manure can be harvested and used. 

Cottage Living has a town center area with bar, 2 stall shops, and also shell shop which can only be clicked on

Horse Ranch has a town center area with nectar bar and shell shops which can only be clicked on

Cottage Living has grocery delivery service

Horse Ranch has ranch hand service

Cottage Living has gameplay for child sims such as interacting with the animals

Horse Ranch allows horse riding for child sims as well as interacting with the other animals

Cottage Living has cross-stitching

Horse Ranch has a new type of dancing

Cottage Living does not have a new event type

Horse Ranch has 2 new event types

Cottage Living has Lactose Intolerant and Animal Enthusiast traits

Horse Ranch has Rancher and Horse Lover traits but also an entire set of traits for the horses

Cottage Living had 1 new aspiration: Country Caretaker

Horse Ranch has 2 new aspirations: Championship Rider and Expert Nectar Maker

Cottage Living has swimmable area

Horse Ranch has swimmable area

These are the ones I've thought of. I did not go so far as to check the exact number of build/buy or CAS items. But I don't think Horse Ranch is faring as badly as people would think in head-to-head comparison.

[moments777]

Let’s be the Ekklesia 🙏🏻🕊️➕

Rethinking What We've Called "Church Growth"

For too long, we have equated numerical increase with spiritual success. The more seats we fill, the more services we run, the more campuses we open, the more followers we gather online, the more we assume we are advancing the Kingdom of God. But the uncomfortable truth is this: “What we’ve called church growth may just be organizational swelling.”

And swelling, by definition, is not a sign of health. It’s often a symptom of inflammation, infection, or imbalance. It may appear as growth to the untrained eye, but beneath the surface, something is off. And unless we’re willing to confront it, the Body will continue limping rather than advancing.

The reality is, church growth in its current state, is a great illusion. We’ve built ministries that draw crowds, but not necessarily disciples. We’ve packed out auditoriums, but left hearts untouched. We’ve become content with attendance, but neglected transformation. In many cases, we have been measuring the wrong things and calling it, growth, kingdom building, the blessing of God. This is not to say that all large churches are shallow or that small churches are more faithful. It’s not about size, it’s about substance. Because swelling can happen fast, but true growth is slow, steady, and rooted. Swelling is often caused by something foreign to the body. Growth, on the other hand, is internal, organic, and intentional.

True Biblical growth involves maturity. Throughout the New Testament, growth is always tied to maturity, not mere multiplication. “But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ.” Ephesians 4:15. The early church didn’t grow because it had perfect branding or trendy services. It grew because the people were transformed. They walked in power, in holiness, in sacrifice, in generosity, and in community. They were not consumers of a weekly event, but consecrated citizens of a Kingdom. Contrast that with today, where some ministries are known more for their "personalities" than their doctrine, more for their "merchandise" than their mission. We have become managers of religious systems, instead of stewards of eternal truth. “I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, and yet you are dead.” Revelation 3:1. The church in Sardis had a reputation. It had structure. It had motion. But it lacked life. The Spirit called them what they were: dead. That should shake us!

Today, the church has become a well-oiled machine built on the backs of the those craving visibility, acceptance, identity, from those on top of the man-made hierarchal pyramid system. We’ve created churches that function more like corporations than like spiritual families. We praise growth charts and demographic targeting, but rarely ask: Are we growing in Christlikeness? Are we walking in the Spirit? Are we training people to deny themselves and take up their cross? The Apostle Paul warned of this form of religious activity when he said: “...holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these.” 2 Timothy 3:5. A form, but no power. Programs, but no presence. Crowds, but no cross.

Saints, we must stop mistaking movement for momentum and crowds for conviction. It’s time to reform how we measure success in ministry. Are lives being transformed by the Word of God? Is holiness increasing in the people? Are leaders walking in humility, integrity, and servanthood? Is the church living like a Kingdom family or just attending religious events? Is there real accountability, repentance, and Spirit-led discipleship happening regularly? If not, it doesn’t matter how fast the organization grows, it’s not Kingdom expansion. It’s just religious inflation.

Beloved, this is not an attack on the Bride of Christ. It’s a call to return to what Jesus actually built, His ekklesia, His governing, activated, Spirit-filled body. The kind of body that the gates of hell cannot prevail against. The kind of people who don’t just go to a building, but are the ekklesia that Jesus established and the apostles built. We don’t need bigger sanctuaries. We need deeper sanctification. We don’t need to swell. We need to grow and that begins when we stop chasing the applause of men and start prioritizing the approval of God.

Family, the honest truth is, Jesus didn’t die so we could fill buildings. He died to raise up a people. A holy people. A peculiar people. A Kingdom people. A royal priesthood. Living stones. A remnant who live for His glory, not their platform. Who multiply disciples, not fans. Who build people, not just programs. The time for reform is now. If we don’t confront the swelling, it will burst. But if we return to the simplicity and power of the Gospel, true growth will come. The kind that lasts through fire, persecution, and time.

Let’s stop playing church. Let’s be the ekklesia.

David Stacey Santiago 🪶🕊️➕

[crimephox]

GOTHAM'S UNDERGROUND: A STUDY **original character opportunity

THE BLACK MARKET the underground market in gotham is a sprawling network of illegal goods, ranging from weapons, drugs, and high-tech surveillance equipment to stolen art and rare artifacts. everything is for sale in gotham's black market, and its sellers and buyers are as varied as gotham's criminal clientele.

Key Players:

The Black Dog: a legendary figure in gotham’s underworld, **The Black Dog** is known for obtaining rare items, from vintage guns to ancient treasures. they act as the go-between for the most powerful criminal families in the city.

Rina: Rina works as an informant, selling secret information to those who can afford it, all while managing to keep her true loyalties hidden.

UNDERGROUND WEAPONS TRADE this is where the big players, like Vic Maretti, come in. the underground weapons trade is controlled by a variety of smugglers, gunsmiths, and corrupt military officials. Guns, explosives, and all kinds of weaponry flow through gotham's streets without scrutiny.

Notable Locations:

Gotham’s Old Armory: a defunct government building that’s been taken over by arms dealers. It has multiple levels and secret rooms where transactions are carried out. the upper levels are well-guarded, with armed men stationed around the clock. the lower levels are used for testing out weapons, creating new designs, and cleaning guns.

Maretti's Workshop: hidden in the industrial district, vic’s gunsmithing operation is built into an old, abandoned factory. It’s not just a storefront; it’s where he assembles custom weapons for clients, often using materials gathered from other criminal enterprises.

THE CRIME SYNDICATES gotham is divided into several crime syndicates, each fighting for dominance. the traditional mafia families remain strong, but newer, more brutal factions are also emerging, often with ties to international organizations.

Key Families & Syndicates:

The Falcone Family: led by Carmine Falcone, this is the oldest and most powerful family in gotham. while Falcone’s control has waned in recent years, his empire remains a key part of gotham’s underground.

The Maroni Syndicate: rival to the falcones, the maroni family is known for its ruthlessness and ties to drug trade routes.

The "Wolf Pack": a group of rogue mercenaries and ex-military who have begun making a name for themselves in gotham. they specialize in high-risk jobs like heists, assassinations, and weapons smuggling. Their leader, Cassian, has been eyeing expansion into the arms trade. yes, vic was once apart of the group. no, he wont talk about it.

THE HIDDEN BROTHELS the brothels in gotham are often intertwined with the underground. these establishments not only offer illicit pleasures but also serve as fronts for money laundering, gambling, and human trafficking.

Key Establishments:

La Rosa Negra: This is a notorious club where Rina tends bar. while it masquerades as a high-end nightclub catering to gotham’s elite, it’s also a front for illegal arms deals, narcotic sales, and even contract killings. the club's VIP room is a place where the city's most powerful criminals, corrupt politicians, and businessmen can meet in secrecy. Sable sometimes meets clients here.

The Red Lantern: an infamous brothel that caters to the city's most influential figures, it also functions as a secret meeting place for organized crime. **the brothel’s owner** ensures that no one leaves without paying a steep price.

THE STREET GANGS the gangs in gotham’s underground operate outside the traditional criminal families. they are a mix of local thugs, street racers, and rebellious outcasts. some may have ties to larger syndicates, but many operate independently, carving out their own pieces of the city.

Key Gangs:

The Cobras: a gang of street racers and smugglers, they use their skills to bring in illegal goods—primarily drugs and stolen electronics. **the leader**, is known for their speed and temper, making them both a respected and feared figure in gotham’s underworld.

The Bloodhound Crew: a group that operates as enforcers and trackers for hire, often brought in to deal with those who have crossed the wrong people. they specialize in "hunting" down targets with precision, blending their deadly skills with street-level knowledge of gotham’s alleyways.

THE TECH UNDERGROUND gotham is also home to a thriving black market for technology — everything from hacked police radios to advanced surveillance drones. many of gotham’s criminal factions use this tech to maintain power and control over their operations.

Key Players:

Ezra: a tech genius with ties to gotham's criminal underworld, ezra is a hacker and supplier of high-end surveillance systems. he supplies the city’s criminals with gadgets, data, and systems to help them stay one step ahead of the law.

Luca: a former corporate IT specialist who’s now deep in gotham's criminal scene. he’s the go-to person for anyone looking to wiretap or hack into gotham’s most secure systems.

HIDDEN SPEAKEASIES even in a city like gotham, there are places that only those in the know can find. hidden behind unassuming doors, these speakeasies offer a sense of refuge, away from the chaos of gotham’s streets. some are used for secret meetings between criminals; others are simply places to escape the dangers of the city.

THE WHISKEY DEN: A low-profile bar that caters exclusively to Gotham’s underground. run by an **enigmatic figure**, it’s the place to go for anyone in need of information or a brief escape from the chaos.

THE FALLEN ANGEL: a brooding, dimly lit club that caters to high-ranking criminals and shady politicians. the entrance is hidden behind an alleyway, and the entire establishment is run by the mysterious and well-connected figure known only as cassian.

THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD a network of safe houses & secret escape routes, these are used to help criminals, witnesses, & other dangerous individuals disappear or move around gotham without being detected.

[thesims4blogger]

Unofficial Leak: “For Rent” Is the Next TS4 Expansion Pack

Warning: This article gathers leaked information that have not yet confirmed to be true. This is still all speculative at the moment and thing could be proven wrong, or right, at any time.

After a few very quiet weeks for The Sims 4 players, two leaks came around that confirm both theme and release date (or week) for the next expansion pack.

First, Instant Gaming, which has a history of leaking packs earlier, added “The Sims 4 Rental Houses” to their store, with a December 8th release date. Just like in previous leaks made by that store, they used a random placeholder image, title and release date that later was confirmed to be the correct week.

Not long after that leak, Twitter user @anadius shared a different pack title, For Rent, along with a whole pack description (including pre-ordering bonus content) and very low resolution images of the cover art and EP icon.

Although the user cites themselves as a source, simmers who are familiar with how EA announces packs will notice that this all looks very legit. It also ties directly to what people have been speculating from the latest roadmap teaser, with multiple keys (for multiple homes), as well as pad thai and an elephant teapot (which indicates that the new world, which is called Tomarang on the leak, is based in Thailand).

If this leak is true, we’ll be getting the full announcement on November 2nd (the day pre-orders start), and maybe a small teaser on the day before (November 1st). Simmers on Twitter have also noted the similarities between this leaked pack and The Sims 2 Apartment Life, a fan favorite EP released 15 years ago, and its features have been requested by players since before City Living was released in 2016.