#bacc through time

[glowyjellyfish]

I saw one post this morning talking about some sort of BaCC through time, and now that’s all I can think about. Despite the fact that I am still struggling to get my medieval CC working, and was trying to avoid building a new total conversion CC folder until I get that finished.

Sims 2 through the decades/time BaCC:

Played in conjunction with proportionate aging, time either advances one year for each sim year (making it 5 years for each seasonal year), or one decade for each seasonal year (one decade every 20 days). The former probably fits the aging system better, but will take forever so…

I want to make a settlement of pilgrims. Probably Peteran separatists as vaguely Puritan, with Jacobean being roughly Catholic. I don’t want to simulate every possible religious angle, but there will also be an indigenous religion and a pagan cult brought in by one settler family that I might be naming James and Mary Shepherd.

Full Sun&Moon is required to start. Each settling family brings one product to start with, which is that family’s occupation. We will also require wood and stone to build with. Plumbing and electricity require the appropriate decade before they can even think about unlocking.

Let’s say for example I start in 1690 using the aging year method. It’s 1691.25 at the end of round one, 1695 at the end of the seasonal year, and will take… twenty seasonal years to advance as far as 1795? jesus christ. And I have now realized that advancing the decade each seasonal year is actually still quite slow, because that is four rounds to advance by a decade. I like this idea less, but if I advanced a decade for each season, that would be the fastest. Hmmmmmm I will have to think about this, and whether it will even work as well as I want with proportionate aging.

I am planning to have an indigenous population, perhaps in their own little village, and the settlers can come in any skin color and we will not be simulating slavery or genocide. There may be conflict between the settlers and the natives, and I will have to come up with some rules or ROS stuff, but I flat-out do not want anybody to be systematically wiped out or any of that shit. Discrimination will be mainly religious, and perhaps against supernaturals.

Supernaturals: Peterans feel all supernaturals are unnatural. Jacobans feel mostly the same, but will tolerate supernaturals who give to the church and perform proper penance (which generally cuts out vampires and witches). The indigenous religion venerates plantsims, werewolves, and witches, tolerates aliens if they behave themselves, and shuns vampires, zombies, and robots. Cultists believe supernaturals are sacred, and embrace anyone who joins the cult. I… guess I need to use a religion mod for this?

The indigenous village is highly communal, with the villagers sharing resources. Villagers cannot open businesses, but their resources can and must be sold to the catalog if a purchase is required. They are allowed to sell directly to other sims, particularly if trading with settlers.

This is all I want to do with my life now

[generalsdiary]

the spice will warm me from the inside

Jiaoqiu x Moze

warnings: description of injuries, mentions of the 2.5 events, Jiaoqiu’s history, Moze’s history, nightmares, anxiety, breakdowns, knives/weapons mentioned, one swear word, assassination attempt (dw)

word count: 5.5k

description: a hurt/comfort fic, angst & fluff, life after the events of 2.5, kinda found family trope as well. Jiaoqiu's life with his newfound trauma and disability, Jiaoqiu and Moze living life and communicating in healthy ways. As much as it goes over their "angsty" pasts and traumas it is very healing and focused on moving forward and learning to find a way to go on even when all has gone dark (pun not intended). Feixiao shows up a few times, Sushang comes to visit. As much as it is hurt/comfort, dw as soon as it hurts you, you will be comforted. One has to process through their past traumas and everything they have been through in order to start moving on. A realistic approach.

Jiaoqiu's fingers pressed against the smooth surface of the window. Cold, smooth, glossy. Traveling between the ships of the Luofu wasn't something new to him, but the experience felt different. The darkness, the shadow didn't move no matter how wide he opened his eyes, hoping for light to seep in, for a picture to form. It was hopeless, the poison took its toll.

“Moze.” his voice was gentle as ever, trying his best to hide the tremble in it. The fear as every space feels unfamiliar. The small tremor in his hands that hasn't left since he was... rescued.

“Yes?” a deep-toned voice beside him makes his ears perk up, trying to pinpoint the location, to naturally turn to the man as he usually would. With the way he could before. He turns, hopefully towards Moze. A small crinkle in his eyes as he recalls how March corrected him twice because he wasn't facing her nor the others. Jiaoqiu expected his hearing to be better, to be a better aid, especially as a foxian.

“Describe the room for me. Please.” there's a small pause. A silence. The shadow guard was incredibly quiet, not even a rustle of his clothes.

“It is the same as the last time. Small room, red velvet seats, three across three, sliding glass door, warm light from the headlight, grey floors. The regular transportation.”

Jiaoqiu nods, bringing his fan out, hiding half his face and gently moving it creating a small whiff of air. He remembers some of it... such a mundane thing, he never paid it too much attention. It hurts. Leaning his head back against the soft seat he closes his eyes. They are straining him. an unfamiliar feeling this early in the day.

“Mhm, thank you, Moze... and. General Feixiao, where is she?”

“Arranging a private port for us three to exit at. to avoid crowds.” Moze keeps his answer concise.

The trio is still greeted by guards and some of the general’s usual caretakers. They have received the news, and a man eagerly approaches the trio. His hand is quickly gripping Jiaoqiu’s forearm, making him lose his balance, making him stumble. He desperately uses his tail to balance and tug his arm back. The irritation barely hidden in his voice, “You do not take my arm- one does not simply drag a blind man with them.”

Commotion. Calming words of the general. And a voice that cuts through the multiple voices talking. A low tone, beside him. “I’m on your right, half a step in front of you.” being taller than Jiaoqiu, Moze’s soothing voice is heard easily, mouth so near the foxian’s fluffy ears.

Jiaoqiu takes a calming breath. Another one. This is fine. No. It is not fine. He just has to get home. Home. Yes. Everything will be fine when he gets home.

His hand reaches out into the unknown, the rough fabric meets his fingertips, he gently rests his arm tucked into Moze’s and then grips his forearm. “Thank you. Please. ..Slowly. I can’t.-“ Jiaoqiu’s voice breaks, why did it- no he is fine. He is not breaking down in public. It has been years since has was able to cry. Not after he served in the military. Those tears have long dried up.

You don’t need to cry to break down. To feel the pain engulfing you. The war took most of his ability to taste away. The once lover of subtle, bland flavors, now chased the spiciest, hottest meals- no matter how much it burned his tongue or hurt his throat. It made him feel alive. The spice burned inside him, warming him up when all he could feel was an icy cold throughout his bones.

The familiar crack of the wooden floor beneath his feet lets him know he is finally home. Jiaoqiu immediately took his shoes off and let go of Moze. Stretching out his arms, feeling the smooth texture of the walls in his home. Navigating to his bedroom. Through many dark nights, he could move around his house effortlessly- but this wasn’t a dark night. No moonlight. No lamp. No candle. No soft lights coming off the electronics. He bumps into the couch, and a cabinet, until he finally sits down on the soft bed. Opening his eyes. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing nothing nothing. Nothing? Jiaoqiu wants to rage, to throw furniture around. Hasn’t he done enough? Given enough? Deep breaths. He will not succumb to the anger that wants to drown him. Mindlessly caressing the cotton sheets beneath him.

“G-give me a scarf.”

Silence. Jiaoqiu cannot hear him. Moze was always someone he could see, even in his shadow form, he could always SEE him. he could not even smell him. the clean man. Not a single scent.

A fabric touches his hands, soft, strange patterns swirling on it. He drags his fingers across it. Deep breaths. Calm down. He folds it neatly and brings it over his eyes. Tying it up around his head.

“Why?” Moze asked quietly. The sound seems to be coming from below. He is… kneeling beside the bed?

“Every time I open my eyes I hope they will heal. That… that something maybe changed. And every single fucking time that hope is crushed. And I-“ his voice wavers, “I cannot deal with that. I cannot bear another time of my heart getting broken by my inability to see. … with this, I won’t be able to open them. Just. Just… until I get used to… things.”

“I can order a cane for you.”

“No,” Jiaoqiu says a bit too harshly. “I will not. I can’t. I… just. Please, I.” he stumbles over his words like he is falling down the stairs. Shaking his head. Hands trembling. Moze’s habit of not speaking is upsetting at this moment. The bed squeaks under the weight of the other man, strong arms encircle him. Firm chest pressed against the foxian’s back. Calm breathing on his shoulder and a strong steady heart beating against his own works wonders. Making him ground his own breathing in the pace he feels the other’s ribs expand and contract. Heartbeat soon enough coming into sync with Moze’s. A comfortable silence. Although to Jiaoqiu it isn’t a silence. The inhale, exhale, a reassuring sound in this abyss.

Jiaoqiu’s fingers gripped the peeled onion a bit too roughly. He worried it might roll away. Just have to tuck in his fingers, and it is okay. Chop, chop, chop.

Cooking is a big part of him. and his situation will not take it away from him. The last thing that makes him feel like himself. His hand hovers above the deep pan, warmth seeping in. It is hot enough. He chops more veggies and meat and puts it all on a low simmer. Doors open and close, and as per usual he turns towards the sound. It has to be Moze or Feixiao. A burglar wouldn’t enter that casually, right? These thoughts don’t ease his life. The constant worrying and anxiety-

“It’s me.” he doubts he is able to recognize everyone’s voice. Humanoid hearing is simply not suited for it. Expect that it is Moze. Jiaoqiu can recognize his voice. “I have brought you something” With a quick step he is beside him, warm hands holding his and handing him something… smooth. “You said no cane. This is a walking stick. Older people use it- I know, you maybe don’t want it, and it may cause more trouble. Simply put, at least it’s here to help you not fall. okay?”

That’s a lot of words for the shadow guard who prefers to stay silent. Jiaoqiu feels out the walking stick, tapping the ground with it a bit. “I appreciate the thought, I will. I will keep it near.” With that, he sets it against the kitchen counter and stirs the food. Sour and spicy notes hit his nose. Home. Breathing it in like smoke. Wishing it could take him back.

“Why are there green peppers in the trash? They appear fine.” Moze questions. Jiaoqiu exhales, his throat tightens. Opening his mouth to explain but the strain stops him from voicing anything. Why are they in the trash can? A perfectly good ingredient, still fresh, he is never wasteful. The everpresent tremble is his new companion, his imagination makes him feel the finger that pressed against his back causing immense pain so he may give away secrets about Feixiao. The claws that ripped his clothes apart and left rough textured scars- still wounds, they have yet to heal to become scars. The makeup that ran down his face. The tugged hair. Flashes of scent induced fear. The last thing he ever saw was that monster. Hoolay. Green peppers. No. It isn’t something he can see- … it isn’t something he can smell, eat, or feel again.

Moze quietly observes the way Jiaoqiu grips the counter, the way his breathing becomes shallow, the silence piercing his ears, worry coloring Moze’s face now that he doesn’t have to conceal his expressions anymore. “I will take the trash out.”

“Please, thank you.” Jiaoqiu answers in a shaky, broken voice. The voice one sounds like right before they will break down. With swift movements, Moze ties the bag and takes the trash out.

With a slow step and one hand on the walking stick, he carries the food to the table. Plate by plate. Chopsticks, spoons. Beverages. If it were any other normal day he’d carry the pan to the table. But it isn’t any other normal day. This is the new normal. And carrying a heavy, soup-filled pan is risky. Finally satisfied, he sits down and smiles gently. Like he used to. Small wins, little joys.

Moze returns and wishes to say how he could’ve helped. Those words die down in his throat. Would it be more condescending than helpful? Would he even care for his words? Moze lost his voice, his will to speak, from his “second family”. Where no one cared for what he said. He convinces himself that this time he isn’t speaking because it might be rude.

“Would you text the trailblazer for me?” Jiaoqiu inquires during the meal, once Moze returns from washing his hands.

“Now?”

“No, no. after we eat. And could you switch the settings to voice commands and audio-specific notifications?”

“Consider it done.”

Technology is another thing Moze has a great understanding of. Updating the phone and other digital items in their home poses no issue. “When I call you in the future, or anyone whose number you have saved this is how it will sound” Moze calls Jiaoqiu’s phone, and instead of making a pleasant melody, a robotic voice starts talking ‘Moze Moze Moze Moze…’ Jiaoqiu nods with a small smile. “That is helpful, I appreciate it.” “And you can text the trailblazer by giving voice commands to the phone. You don’t need my assistance.” Moze sounds proud, showing Jiaoqiu that he is perfectly capable of doing it alone, just a bit differently than what he is used to.

“I’m going to meet Suyi. You can take the time to clean, Moze” Jiaoqiu takes his cane and exits their home. Hopefully, by giving him obligations and keeping clear of the area, it will make Moze not follow him.

It has been a few weeks. He took an orientation and mobility class. Learning how to use an actual cane. It felt easier to exist. Jiaoqiu was once again mobile, he could go to the market, buy fresh produce, and go out to meet old friends. Tap tap taping his way to the café. Jiaoqiu had a preference for a nonfoldable cane. The subtle vibrations carried through much better. And concrete felt like hell so he tried to stick to the pavement the best he could. The Yaoqing, sadly, had no pathways adjusted to those with impaired vision. Tap tap tap. Jiaoqiu made do with what he had. Walking in public with his cane made him feel free again, akin to feeling in control again. There is a lingering hope in it. Reminiscent of a small candle’s light, not too strong, yet it may illuminate a whole room.

Another assassination attempt failed. Moze groans. The general suggested asking for advice from others, and the trailblazer, the first person he asked, had nothing useful to say in that regard. The silver shine of the knife glistened in the artificial sun. Like sharpening it will make the attempts successful. Feixiao killed his entire family. His family. His close ones, they healed him, gave him a roof over his head, they fed him… poisons under the claim he will live forever with it, his words ever only falling on deaf ears, mantras shoved down his throat like rose spikes. Intoxicating his insides even after he knew of the evil those same words caused. Not to mention the first family that abandoned him, the village that left him to die.

Is this what you call a family? Moze asks himself as the sharp blade lingers above Feixiao’s throat. There he stands. About to succeed. To win his freedom. Is he not already free tho? No, no, she killed his family. This was the agreement and the rightful vengeance. Moze outdid her. Snuck into her home, he won. Yet his hand is frozen. It stands still in the dead of the night. Unmoving. Static. Immobile. Eyes observing the resting face of the woman who saved him. Educated him, showed him kindness, and actual warmth. And in his adult years, she is the one who introduced him to his current partner. Be that as it may, what becomes of him if he let go of it all now? What is his worth? This was his goal, all this time. The driving force of his medically adjusted body. Is this what you call a family? Is this who has been his family all along? The general and the healer? The borisin and the foxian. The air is deathly still. His hand is calm, free from tremors. His brow furrows deeper, thinking through all of it. Until he comes to a decision.

“Feixiao.” Moze says in a normal tone. The knife was still against her neck. The general stirs awake, eyes widening at the surprise, however she makes no move to shove him away. Feixiao knows if he wanted to do something, it would have been done.

“I have won. … I shall remain your guard, General. Death will have to walk through me to get you.” in the blink of an eye he is gone. Feixiao exhales and returns to her sleep with a smile on his face. Moze finally, slowly, started to move on. Decades later, he managed to take small steps toward acceptance.

A few minutes later he is holding his partner in his arms. “Jiaoqiu” Moze whispers into the soft ear. The foxian stirs, “hm?” “I have succeeded in my revenge.” Small shuffle and a sharp inhale, Jiaoqiu turns towards him, “Hm?” sleep-driven hum. “I couldn’t bring myself to kill her. She is my family. I cannot. I would never bring harm upon the ones I care about. Never.” Moze speaks his vow aloud and nuzzles his head into Jiaoqiu’s neck. Nothing more had to be said, in his opinion, time to sleep. A gentle hand caresses his hair, “Good.” Jiaoqiu leaves a feathery kiss on the grey hair after which he continues sleeping.

Misty rain soaked his clothes and the small boat rocked along the smooth surface of the Rainsoar lake. Jiaoqiu used to come here often. Alone he’d collect herbs and fruit in the herbal basket on his back.

“You didn’t have to come with me, one of the locals could’ve taken me.”

“It is not a problem for me, Jiaoqiu. I’m glad to be in your company, we see each other less… and it brings me joy to be beside you.” Feixiao answers, slowly rowing the boat through the lake covered with heart-shaped foliage, blossoms, water chestnuts, and the occasional fish jumping out. A beautiful sight, a tranquil atmosphere surrounding the two.

Jiaoqiu reaches out beyond the small boat, dipping his fingers into the icy cold water to collect the lotus flowers and floating heart plants. An old tradition for him, one he did even before he joined the army as a doctor. The cold fingers pluck a wild rice stem and open it up. Bringing the fresh rice to his mouth.

Years before it had a wonderful sweet and refreshing taste. His taste changed after he came back from war. Jiaoqiu’s taste buds were the price he paid in the war. A renowned chef, and healer, lost his delicate sense of taste. The gaze of an Aeon who looked down upon the thousand-year war, and their choice to end it, burned everyone involved. Jiaoqiu’s tongue was the price he paid for running into the white light to save the young kid. Feixiao. The cold region was something he got accustomed to. Nonetheless, when the almighty power sliced down the battlefield, Jiaoqiu felt a cold unlike any other. Freezing him from the inside. With the leftover survivors, he decided to cook a stew. A warm flame. Some spice. More spice. Chili peppers. Not enough. All the spice he had in his pouch. Until he finally felt a taste on his tongue. A burning sensation. The last flavor he can actually taste. For it made him feel alive despite everything that happened, everything around him, the cold air, the cold insides, the tasteless tongue. And the heat… it sent a jitter down his body. So alive. … the sensation bordered on pain. As spice tolerance grows, surely his grew as well. And he might today very well be dancing with pain every bite. After he returned from the war the rice stems tasted too bland. No flavor to them. He reaped the consequences of his actions. Of choosing to save the girl. His scars from the war.

Years later, at the same lake, with the woman he saved during the war, the boat rocks with her movements. The second time he saved her he paid with his sight. Jiaoqiu never blamed her, why would he? It was his choice the whole way and his goal. The jump to save her from the Aeon. To drink… Tumbledust. To give everyone a fighting chance and to heal Feixiao’s moon rage. Jiaoqiu is an adult and he made his decisions to the best of his judgment in the circumstances that were given to him.

The wild rice lands on his tongue. For a sacred moment, he feels a tinge of sweetness, however, it is only for one moment. And gone with the wind. Even so, for one moment it was there. Is it because he lost his vision that his other senses have enhanced the tiniest bit giving him a single second, less than a second of something that used to bring him joy? The foxian could cry at that moment if his eyes had not dried from any tears while he was still in the army. A moment is still a moment. It is enough. Enough to give him more hope. To keep him moving forward. To have faith in the future. To even dare to look into the future.

For a man to willingly drink poison, deadly poison, he had to give up all hope. Any faith toward the future, any life he thought he had left. Jiaoqiu had to make peace with the fact that no one was coming to recuse him- that he would not be saved. So what was the last thing he could do? After Hoolay drained him of any secrets about the general, humiliated him, treated him less than the ground they walk on, and broke his ego and pride by allowing him to walk around knowing he will “always return to his master”. The only thing he could do was give the others a fighting chance, somehow use the knowledge he acquired; to save Feixiao and sacrifice himself.

The sweet flavor of rice on his tongue. A small flame of a candle, a hope. Hope for the future, he gets to live in. as he slowly finds his self-worth again, his self-respect, and his hopefulness for the oncoming days.

“We may return. I got what I came for.”

“Hm- I’m still-“ Feixiao speaks with her mouth full and Jiaoqiu angles his head a bit analyzing the sound, and a chuckle is ready to part his lips. “You are eating?”

“-mh, hey the water chestnuts are really good!” Feixiao probably has her mouth full of food. The general likely got bored and hungry. Jiaoqiu’s warm laugh cuts the silence of the lake. He hasn’t laughed in a long time. It makes his tummy hurt and he has to stop to not make the boat flip over. Feixiao laughs with him… after she chews down the food in her mouth.

How does one make noise when one walks? A question Moze never thought he’d ask himself. Hence, doing his best, it sounds like a child purposefully stomping the heel of their feet onto the floor. Heavy steps. It is ridiculous. Moze finds himself hilarious, ironic even. His stoic front breaks down when he hears his partner laughing from the couch. The sole reason why he is doing this. To fill the void Jiaoqiu sees. Moze will not move like a shadow in their home. He shall make noise. Even if it sounds like an overgrown toddler throwing a tantrum.

“I’m trying!” Moze voices between bursts of laughter.

“Ooh, I can hear that indeed~” Jiaoqiu nods and giggles.

A knock on the door interrupts their conversation. Jiaoqiu stands up, slowly making his way to the door, while Moze opens it.

A girl with a cloud knight uniform on and long dark brown hair with a big bright smile stands in the doorway. “Hello!” she says cheerfully, “It has been so long, I thought I’d come to visit, how are you, Uncle J?”

Jiaoqiu angles his head a bit, the voice not ringing any bells. “I’m sorry, you-“ Moze quickly buts in, “It is Sushang.” “Yeah, and I brought a gift!” Sushang happily stretches out her hands, handing Jiaoqiu a small box. There’s a few seconds of silence. Moze once again says, “She is handing you a small box, approximately the size of a human head, and by the looks of it not too heavy.”

“Ah, thank you, Sushang. Your presence is unexpected but I’m glad you came over, are you hungry?” Jiaoqiu carefully takes the gift in his hands and smiles. “I mean, I could never say no to your cooking Uncle J! Also... I’m sorry, you are..?” Moze sighs. This is the third time he has seen her and she fails to remember him. The shadow guard, proficient in remaining hidden, wonders why she never remembers him. Jiaoqiu speaks in his stead as he slowly walks to the kitchen, “This is Moze, my partner.” “oh! Hi there, Uncle Moze!” Sushang flashes him a bright smile and moves past him to sit at the kitchen island, ready to yap a whole storm about her life and catch her uncle up with it all. Starting with her best friend, Guinaifen. Once she finishes her stories, Sushang is more than happy to sit in a slump position, stuff her face full of dumplings while Jiaoqiu shares some new stories of his life (the happy ones). In her eyes, he tells them better than the storyteller at Sleepless Earl.

“You know I care about your thoughts, opinions, even random comments with not a single thought behind them, right?” Jiaoqiu’s hand effortlessly treaded through Moze’s silver hair, facing him on the couch. “I will try. I have learned differently and… despite it being a bad habit, those are even harder to let go of.” Moze’s eyes are closed, melting under his lover’s touch. Jiaoqiu’s voice is smooth like butter, continuing, “I know, Moze. When it gets hard, just remember that I care about you and what you have to say. I always have. I love you.” Moze leans forward, pressing his forehead against Jiaoqiu’s, “I love you too. I will do my best.” Moze softly kisses the bridge of his nose, where the cotton scarf lays across his eyes.

Jiaoqiu reached behind his head, untangling the scarf. Weeks, months have passed since he started wearing it. Taking it off only when he bathes or sleeps. He opens his eyes. “I missed seeing them. Such beautiful golden glow, Jiaoqiu.” Moze muses, enjoying the view of bright orange eyes. “Thank you. I feel finally… strong enough mentally to exist and move without it. I have gathered… hope and mental strength.” Jiaoqiu nods, the darkness beyond his eyes unchanged. “They still look beautiful to you, Tumbledust didn’t affect them?” “Even if it did, the fact would not change. To answer your question your eyes are unchanged. They cannot meet mine, but I was never big on eye contact.” The simplicity and honesty in his answer made Jiaoqiu feel secure and loved. The foxian smiles, and their home feels warm. So warm with them together, kind, loving, patient. Healing through their traumas and pain. One thoughtful word at a time.

In the peaceful moment, Jiaoqiu caresses Moze’s cheek and leans in to kiss him. One of the moments where darkness is welcomed… because of the way Moze makes him feel during the kiss, it makes Jiaoqiu feel like he can taste colors.

 “The divine traces of Abundance shall heal your body... quick. Drink this...” Moze’s body was covered with sweat, his breathing was shallow. Hooded figures surrounded him.

“I don’t… don’t make drink… no…no” he mumbles helplessly, the thick liquid forced down his throat again. Goosebumps rose on his skin, “Drink child. You will… immortal… save… others…” Moze’s throat closed up, drowning on dry land and his mind disconnected from his body in an all too familiar way. Dying and fighting in the same breath. Half a second away from a silent scream or spitting the medicine back out. “Please… please… I…” his voice trembled, powerless against any of them. Once more his voice is ignored. His yelps and pleading for help, his begging for mercy shushed, ignored… put aside. Nothing more than a good test subject, convinced this is what family does. This is how it must be. Others live like this too, right? This is completely normal, right? He is cared for and nourished here, right? He will survive this, right? I will survive this…right?

A hushed voice hummed in the distance. The worn down building, cold and exposed cement his everyday environment, and the sound he didn’t recognize. “shh, shh, shh.” Rhythmical, paced… soothing? No one ever soothed him. Then he feels it. A delicate tender touch. Fingers brushing his hair. Moze’s breathing sped up as his surroundings changed, he inhaled sharply, his vision going black, all sound stopping into a painful echo of silence, a deafening sound, his lungs moving up and down with irregular breathing until there was none of him left. Abyss. Darkness. Black dots of midnight oil. A window. A window? Moonlight vaguely illuminated the space. A bed. And… “shh, shh, shh. There you go… back with me.”

Moze’s face felt wet, his vision blurry and his eyelashes stuck together, a salty taste on his lips. The sight of his partner holding him so carefully, gingerly, and taking care of him… Moze had no words. The nightmare swallowed him up again. He hated the feeling. Immediately he turns to press himself fully into his partner, to hide his face away from the shadows in the room, “Jiaoqiu” he whispers. “Yes, my precious. I’m here. You’re here. In our home. In our bed. Safe. With me.” For the next few minutes, Jiaoqiu keeps murmuring comforting words and hushed hums until Moze grounds himself in the present moment.

“I hate them. I hate my nightmares.”

“May I offer my healing abilities? A nine-squared grid hotpot will surely have a pleasurable effect on this, and help out.”

“I… that sounds good. If you say it will help, then I’ll take it.”

Jiaoqiu starts sitting up, “Very well.”

“Wait,” Moze utters, squinting his eyes to look at the clock, “it is 3 am, you don’t have to cook now.”

“Then when am I supposed to cook, Moze?” Jiaoqiu replies with a smile, “It isn’t hard. It doesn’t bother me.” He stands up and faces somewhat in the direction of the bed. “I’m happy to take care of you, Moze.” Jiaoqiu sits back on the bed and finds his partner’s face, cupping it in his hands. The texture of Moze’s unshaven face against his fingers feels rough but familiar, and in that familiarity, he feels safe. His home. He presses his lips against the younger man’s forehead and stands back up, already on his way to the kitchen.

Approximately half an hour later, a freshly bathed Moze sits across Jiaoqiu for a late night or an early morning meal. The warm liquid filled with various vegetables and spices feels good as it goes down his throat. It isn’t poison. It doesn’t hurt. It isn’t a threat.

“Thank you, Jiaoqiu. It tastes amazing.”

“Always a pleasure.” He answers with an all-knowing smile. “I could add a little more chili oil next time…”

“eh- I… it is spicy enough, darling.” Moze voices his thoughts hesitantly, which makes Jiaoqiu softly laugh and add a few drops of chili pepper flakes to his own bowl.

On the other hand, Jiaoqiu’s nightmares didn’t stop. Many nights he wakes up in fear of where he is. Is he still captive? Still kidnapped? Still surrounded by borisin and under the effect of lupitoxin? Jiaoqiu wakes up with heavy breathing every time, sitting up quickly, feeling the space around him- more often than not, waking Moze in his desperate attempt to gather where he is whether he is home or there. There’s a phantom pain where Hoolay pressed his finger onto his back to drain information from him. An itch on his chest where the wounds will form into dark pink scar tissue. In the beginning, it was every night. Every night for weeks, months. Jiaoqiu started relying on afternoon naps. Time has passed but his nightmares are still often. On the rare nights when Moze isn’t in bed, he has a good sleep schedule- most likely went to drink some water, Jiaoqiu is quick to spiral and clumsily get out of bed. Moze usually finds him kneeling on the floor, hanging onto the wall, mumbling, “No, no, no, no, no, no. I am not. This is home. This is home. It is. My walls. M-moze…Moze”

The curse of a doctor, a healer, they cannot heal themselves. The trauma he has been through, the scars from it that he carries still with him, most of them not even visible, it isn’t something that passes overnight. Healing is a long and slow process. It will take time. Sometimes he has no nightmares for weeks, only for them to torment his peaceful night’s rest for days on end. Some days, Jiaoqiu will have a bit more anxiety while walking around. What if everyone and anyone he talks to once again is under a guarantee of a death filled with fangs and claws?

Hence, he takes it slowly. When the world feels like it is crushing him, he takes a deep breath and eats spicy food. He grounds himself in his environment. Reminds himself that he is safe, Hoolay is dead, the borisin are under control, he isn’t being targeted, and everything is fine. Everything is fine. He will be fine. With time. One deep breath at a time.

The tremor in his hands never left him.

A breeze rustled various branches and leaves, providing a lovely melody of an artificial autumn on the Yaoqing. The scent of cooked apples dipped in caramel and baked cinnamon rolls filled the air.

“I see no threat in my retainers. The man you cannot see is my guard, and the foxian is my personal doctor. Surely, we don’t pose a problem?” Feixiao questioned the men in front of her, attempting to enter a highly secure space, on a very important and very secret mission.

Moze appears by her side, “I shall leave all my weapons with you.” he takes his time to slowly strip himself of his hidden knives and make a full scene out of it.

Jiaoqiu stands still with a small smile and his cane in his hands. “I do not carry weapons. I am a healer, I wouldn’t hurt a fly.” If at all possible, his smile widens subtly with the honey-dripped words that coat the actual truth. “Moreover, I am retired. I’m here on the general’s command to accompany her to this… wonderful occasion.”

Rustling, murmuring, quiet chats, “…what could a blind man do…” “…the guard left all of his weapons…” “….yeah, we can let them through..” “You may come.”

Feixiao slowly walks towards the entrance with a confident stride, Jiaoqiu steadily taps his cane following her with the same smirk on his face, Moze soundlessly steps last, with at least, still 32 weapons on him.

[clouseplayssims]

Whenever I get the urge to build a new neighborhood:

[esotheria-sims]

Long Overdue Life Update

Whew, the title sounds kinda ominous, doesn't it?

Lemme say right off the bat that this isn't some Big PSA post or anything to that effect. I'm only checking in because I've been quiet for a while and figured an update is the least I can do. 🙂

Nothing major or life-changing is happening on my end; I've just been shitty at finding the time for sim-blogging these past months due to work and other day-to-day rl stuff, though I have been simming a bit in the background. Mostly going on download sprees and sorting cc, but I'm also about two-thirds through my next BaCC rotation and have a few new hair and handswap wips that are share-ready save for previews.

Oh and also: I got a new puppy! She's a 3-and-a-half-months-old Jack Russel mix and the main culprit for the abovementioned lack-of-time for simming. The cute lil' attention hog wants ALL the cuddles! "PC time? What PC time? Pet me instead, hooman!"

Everyone, this is Lucy!

Other things of note in my life, in no particular order:

We've had relatives from Croatia visiting last week with their kids. The kids are super smart and super cute but with the energy levels of a medium-sized nuclear reactor. It's been fun.

I finally went to see a Rammstein concert!!! 🤯 The experience of a lifetime, holy shit. I literally have no words to describe how mesmerizing that stage was. Like, I shit you not, I have 3 GBs worth of concert footage.

Speaking of metal: Gojira KILLED IT at the Olympics Opening! Also: Turkish Shooter Guy and Norwegian Muffin Man are living rent-free in my head. I'm the worst, I only follow professional sports for the memes.😆

I've been moved to a new division at work and am currently sitting in a small office with the two biggest goobers in the entire institution. Between that and me finally having accumulated enough knowledge + experience to have a clue what I'm doing, work's been pretty stress-free for once.

Conversely, my colleagues from the old division are struggling due to lack of staff, too much work, mismanagement, internal strife, and pressure from both within and outside the institution. I feel so bad for them, but at the same time, a selfish part of me is grateful that I'm not there to suffer the shitshow on my own hide.

I have unanswered asks from (probably) months ago and am Very Ashamed of the fact. I'll get back to you guys, I promise! 😰

[melsie-sims]

Sharing Some Simblr Love! 😍💜

Since my queue is a bit lacking right now I thought it'd be fun to share some of my favorite Simblrs to binge-read at the moment, in no particular order!

@payte // Princess Legacy Challenge & Ryan's Legacy. I'm a bit behind but I will catch up soon on both!

@pixel-bloom // Their Postcard Legacy is amazing! I'm particularly fond of stories/gameplay posts with lots of dialogue!

@eurosimmer // Bloom Legacy! The gameplay and storytelling style is just totally up my alley.

@cyazurai // Also really invested in her Princess Legacy and her newest BACC over on her other blog (The next @).

@etherealedensims // Cyan's new occult BACC!

@samssims // I'm just a HUGE fan of Princess Legacies right now, okay?

@pixelnrd // I'm so fond of her Decades! I've been following her for a really long time! There's so much diversity in her characters!

@aheathen-conceivably // Another Decades that I'm obsessed with! I'm not completely caught up but it's on my to-do list!

@nitrozem // Cute, quirky sims and really aesthetically pleasing screenshots! Really love their builds/decorating style!

@keoni-chan // I'm so thrilled that Angler's Bay (Sims 2) is back! Definitely worth checking out!

@the-hippiesimmer // I think we discovered each other during Boop, correct me if I'm wrong. I love Sims 2 Pleasantview gameplay and this one is brand freakin' new!

@iolesims Her Sims 2 Stornaway BACC definitely inspires me with my Sims 2 gameplay! I'm obsessed!

@rena-sims // I've definitely shouted out Rena before but her Sims 2 BACC is definitely one of my faves to read through!

I could literally go on forever! I love so many of you! 😍🥰

Boopity boop! 🐾

[pixeldolly]

Walden BACC

As Julius slipped into bed, Imogen was already asleep. His mind kept churning and churning, and it was a long time before he was able to drift off.

Come the morning, they would discuss what came next.

Imogen had expected to wake up alone, and it was with some trepidation that she met her husband's gaze. The hurt was still there, but it seemed...attenuated, somehow. Her heart quickened with hope.

Imogen: "Listen...Julius. I messed up, and then I hid that fact for nearly 20 years. I understand if you're angry, or you want me gone, but -"

Julius: "I am angry, but not at you. Not really. Few people could experience the charms of a fae as ancient and powerful as Larkin Meade and walk away unscathed. You are fortunate this...lingering affinity is the only hold she has on you."

Imogen didn't feel particularly fortunate, but if Julius was willing to forgive her transgression, she wasn't going to argue.

Julius: "Besides, we still have our family to think of. Rowan is nearly grown but Lucas is still a boy, and he needs his parents."

Imogen: "So, that means...we're okay?"

Julius; "That we are, my sweet. We'll get through this, together."

Relief coursing through him, Julius embraced his wife. It was going to be alright, he would not let that fae ruin their lives more than she already had. There was a certain feeling of triumph in it - of having defied her.

At the back of his mind, lingered the memory of his own indiscretion. In the spirit of honesty, Julius had almost confessed, but thought better of it.

It wouldn't have been fair on Tess to open that particular can of worms, so long after the fact.

[persimmonsimmer]

Confession: I’ve had two households’ worth of Panorama posts sitting in my drafts, mostly written, for a few months now.

I’ve hesitated to post them purely out of insecurity. I was rusty when I actually played both households and took these screenshots somewhere around 8-9 months ago, and I was rusty when I finally got around to writing up the posts several months after that. There are a lot of story beats that I wish I’d set up better (or at least not forgotten about altogether), but at the same time, I don’t have the energy or will to reset and replay each of these households in order to do things “right,” so I’m stuck with what I have.

What a negative note to start on, lol! But I felt the need to put out some kind of disclaimer because, although I’m playing and posting about Panorama for my own enjoyment, I do worry about disappointing the few loyal readers I’ve amassed, whose comments always mean so much to me. ❤️

So that’s the disclaimer! It’s going to be a rough return, but Panorama is coming back. And I am truly glad to be back to telling this story after so long.

As I wrote above, I have two households’ worth of posts queued up. After that, who knows? I probably won’t be able to stick to a consistent schedule, but I’m hoping that forcing myself to post these will help get me back into the playing and writing groove.

To all who’ve followed me since I started posting Barge Harbor builds (👋), never fear: I plan to continue sharing new builds as I complete them. If you have no interest in story-heavy BACCs, feel free to block the tag “panorama bacc.”

The next posts pick up in media res, so if you’d like a refresher on recent events, I recommend scrolling through the panorama round 5 tag.

[sgdlr-asdfghjkl]

Link Click Musical content part 92

(Wu Yihan is bacc ^^)

the lineup was: Bai Zhuoming, Wu Yihan, Xian Anqi, Zhang Jiahao, Zhu Jiayan

It was quite chaotic performance, so let's go through all the little mishaps (it's better to see them on video, so I'll link it in replies)

During 'the guiding light' song first CXS messed up some lyrics, hence the facepalm:

Then, while singing the finishing high note LG started giggling (it's such a cute little laugh, go watch it im serious :'). They gave up atp.

Onto the sofa song, CXS forgot to sing his first line (that's why LG is laughing at him) ><

lastly (from things I've noticed ><) during the quarrel song LG missed the step:

Enough of low quality screenshots, it's time for hd ✨

⬇from Zhu Jiayan weibo (she made a few posts, one was a 2023 summary, that's why there's a throwback to her birthday and different cast lineups)

⬇ sum Zhang Jiahao bc I like him, he's funny and i like his singing voice

and more of LG:

I wasn't expecting him to come back so soon, after twisting an ankle, but heyy he seems to be doing better 💪🙏

[lurking-lilibeth]

Not a legacy, not a BACC, but a secret third thing

Or - I started a custom neigborhood.

My uberhood didn't go anywhere, it's not broken or lost - but it has become too heavy for my current laptop to handle. I can still play it in short sessions, but the constant game of Flash or Crash?!! has been sucking all joy out of it for a pretty long time. So, with a somewhat heavy heart, I decided to pause it until I can afford a machine with more RAM (or until I miss it too much). I've played it for 10 years! I say, it was a good run.

But I'm not putting away TS2 itself, and being able to play a brand-new, tiny hood (that neither flashes nor crashes because it's only about 100Mb as opposed to... 2 gigs?) has really renewed my interest in the game. So... welcome to Route 24.

It started with a single sim and is already expanding through spares and select family friends made playable. For the main hood, I'm using an extended default townie pool by @letthemplaysims - absolutely loving all those simmies. They have so much character, and I'm very much looking forward to giving more of them their own stories and screen time.

The town itself is just the Strangetown map but green. The play style & rules are whatever seems fun/makes sense. Anddd I think that's all for the introduction. Phew! Now, on to the founder....

[hallows-evening]

I LIVE! :D

HAII SKATERBEETLE FIC PART TWO!!!!! (first part here!) ^^ I'm so sorry for my multiple hiatuses (hiatusi??) but... I return finally with a fic :3 (and hopefully soon finish the art requests I've been getting, don't think ive been ignoring you guys!! I see em and they're gonna get done next hehe >:3 feeling... ✨ motivated ✨)

Bit of a long one, but mostly because I had fun with it (I love their dynamic..) ^w^ enjoy!!

Pest is being anxious and avoidant today, so Infected decides to help cheer him up (and to finally get his revenge)!

⚠️ This is a tickle fic, if that makes you uncomfortable then move on!! <3⚠️

NSFW / PROSHIP / FETISH DNI

🍂 Ler!Infected, Lee!Pest

"Hello :D!" Infected quickly ran into the elevator, almost frantically as he avoids the infected parts and right after he enters, the elevator doors close. He was almost too late! He let out a quick breath of relief, wiping his nose clean. His allergies were acting up today, and it was getting annoying.

He looked around the elevator, his eyes instantly finding themself on his boyfriend across the elevator: Pest. His eyes lit up and he waved his hands, but was greeted with silence. It was like Pest didn't even awknowledge he was there.

Infected cleared his throat loudly, letting out a wet cough because of it and quickly rubbing his throat as if it hurt. He took in Pest's posture and noticed how they were leaning very heavily against the elevator sidebars, and Infected had a bit of worry creep onto him.

He slowly approached and tapped Pest's shoulder, and Pest instantly snapped his head up in surprise, whipping around to look at Infected, who was smiling up at them.

"Are u doin' okay, Pesty?" Infected tilted his head up at him, taking note of how tired and disheveled Pest's appearance looked. It seemed to him like he hadn't slept in days. Which was probably an exaggeration on his part, but still.

Pest responded with a soft grumble, turning away and leaning against the elevator wall again. Infected frowned, the worry, along with frustration, growing the more Pest seemed to avoid him. He hated when they got like this, since it usually meant something was wrong.

Infected huffed. "Well, be a lil grumpbug then." He crossed his arms and pouted, moving back across the elevator and leaning up against the wall, keeping his eyes on Pest.

They stayed quiet the entire ride, and after around 20 minutes the elevator dinged once again, but this time Pest quickly got off, leaving with such haste that Infected barely even registered they left.

He ran after Pest, letting out a surprised "H3Y!". Pest stopped and turned around, growling at Infected, making him stop in his tracks.

"Leave me alone, will you? I have things I need to do." they chittered, his red eyes glaring at Infected. He took note of the small wince he made, and felt a tiny bit of guilt, but it was instantly brushed off.

Infected backed away, intertwining his fingers together nervously. "O-okay. Meet bacc up at ur place l8r, then?" He sneezed weakly, a bit of glitchy snot coming out of his nose, which he quickly went to wipe up before it got too messy.

Pest watched him wipe the snot away, his eyes narrowing. They turned away and waved their hand dismissively, letting out a quiet "I do not care." before walking off.

Infected stood there for a minute, before turning back. The elevator was gone. He was quiet for a second before stomping his foot and yelling "G0D ######!"

A few hours later...

Pest entered through his home's door, hissing as his horns got snagged on the door frame because of his haste. Infected heard the noise and peeked up over the back of Pest's couch, letting out a quick sneeze as the dust kicked back up from the door.

"Look who is fiiiiinally bacc!" Infected let out a quiet giggle as he watched Pest walk towards him, not caring about the pissed off look he was receiving. He heard a small grumble escape Pest, before their eyes softened, their face now looking exhausted, all traces of anger gone.

Infected's smile disappeared at that sudden change and he got up, arms extended as if he were about to hug Pest, but not going any further in fear he would upset them more. "How's meh buggy doin'?"

A growl in response. Pest went past Infected and went to his bedroom, leaving Infected with his arms wide. Infected huffed and lowered them, thoughts running through his head about what to do to make Pest feel better.

Baking? They looked too tired for that, might set the kitchen on fire. Snuggling? Infected would like that, Pest might not if they're this upset. Then a memory popped up in his head, which gave him an idea. He'd probably get a few bites and claws for this little plan, but honestly, he'd been meaning to get his revenge anyways, regardless of the price.

Infected quietly followed in Pest's footsteps to the bedroom, peeking in. Pest was laying on the bed, eyes staring up at the ceiling. He had nothing but shorts and a t-shirt on, his hoodie and pants thrown in random spots as if he didn't care where they would end up after taking them off.

Infected knocked on the door, Pest didn't respond, so he used that opportunity to walk in, closing the door behind him. He scooted over to the bed and got on it next to Pest, looking down at him. "...Bad day?"

Pest looked up at him, letting out a small grunt in response. Infected smiled and got closer, wrapping Pest into a tight embrace. Pest sighed and leaned into Infected. Which that simple gesture told him it was safe to do his plan.

Infected quietly trailed his fingers across Pest's arms, almost basically massaging them as he used his nails to get into the small grooves. Pest sighed softly, relaxing against him, stretching their arms out so Infected could get to them easier.

Then he struck. Infected's fingers the moment Pest stretched his arms out went to scribble in the small space right between both sets of his arms, knowing that was a weak point. And it instantly got Pest going.

They squirmed frantically, grabbing at Infected's hands as they scrunched their face up, mandibles clicking together rapidly. They were struggling not to laugh, which made Infected want to try more.

"I'm gonna getchu!" Infected teased playfully, moving down to scratch his fingers across Pest's belly, even moving his shirt out of the way to get to his skin easier. Pest let out a high-pitched snort and kicked his legs in response, bringing them up in a vain attempt to protect himself.

Infected instantly took notice of this and adjusted himself to sit on Pest's legs. "Oooh no u don't!" He smirked at Pest's semi-shocked face as he went back to Pest's sides, earning a few small giggles as they slipped out of Pest against his will.

Pest was squirming around frantically underneath Infected, the bedsheets scrunching up in his struggles. "Infected!" He hissed out, more giggles escaping his mouth as he glared up at him, a goofy smile stuck on his face.

Infected tilted his head, cooing and moving his hands away from Pest's sides to cup his face, smiling at him as Pest's cheeks turned a deep crimson. "I'm just gettin' a little revenge!" He grinned. "U hav been a pain in da [Content Deleted] aaall day, I'm just helping out a bit!"

He giggled as Pest let out a growl at that, and he pushed Pest up into a sitting position. Infected started placing quick little kisses across Pest's neck, letting out a couple laughs along with Pest as they jerked away, laughing like crazy. "DOHOHON'T!!"

Infected shook his head, chuckling as he used his weight to pin Pest down as he brought his hands up to gently claw at the sides of their neck, being rewarded with a loud snort, a yell, and quite a lot of hysteric laughter.

Pest shook his head, pushing his shoulders up like it would do anything to deter Infected (which it didn't.) Instead, Infected blew a raspberry against their neck, flinching slightly when a shriek erupted from Pest and they pushed forward, nearly knocking Infected off.

Pest's entire body felt like it was being shocked with every touch Infected gave his neck, and he could feel his energy leaving rapidly as he let out all his laughter. He didn't want to admit it, but he was having fun, even enjoying it as he could feel Infected's affection through his tickling. It was definitely taking away all his stress, that's for sure.

After a few more minutes, Pest's laughter started getting wheezier and weaker, to which Infected instantly noticed and stopped his tickling, placing one last little kiss against Pest's neck before pulling away and flopping down on the bed next to him.

"Feel any better?" Infected moved himself underneath one of Pest's arms and snuggled up to them, moving their (now messy) hair out of the way. Pest breathed heavily, not responding in any way for a solid minute before gulping and nodding their head, snuggling Infected back.

Infected smiled at that and lifted his head up, placing a gentle kiss on Pest's cheek, closing his eyes as he laid his head against Pest's shoulder. Pest exhaled softly and closed his eyes as well, exhaustion finally overtaking him, feeling warm and safe as Infected held him in an embrace.

After a good while, Infected heard soft snores coming from Pest, and he smiled, letting himself try to get some rest with him, in which he finally did.

[eulaliasims]

Get to know you: Sims Style

Ty for the tag @executables-sims. ^^

What’s your favorite Sims death?

idk this time, whoops. I haven't had a sim die in my game except by old age for a while. 🤔

Alpha CC or Maxis Match?

Both? Is that an option? Both. Really, I like aspects of both and so I blend both in my game. Alpha hair and clay hair, maxis match objects and realistic objects, whatever, if it fits in my game I'll use it.

Do you cheat your sims weight?

I used the SimBlender to change some of the models fit states on my last download post; otherwise, no.

Do you move objects?

I move so many objects, baby 😎

Favorite Mod?

My enormous hacks folder makes this hard to answer, lol. I'll shout out Epi's Baby Personality mod, b/c finally I'm getting some sims with more than 0 to 1 nice points born in Middleground again.

First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack?

It was Pets. Because I've always been an animal lover and it came out right after I started playing.

Do you pronounce live mode like aLIVE or LIVing?

It's still LIV mode and I'll still die on this hill.

Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made?

Made? Idk, I don't often make sims to play (I think I picked Jackie from Far Valley last time), so I'll show you my favorite born in-game sim!

is anyone surprised (if you're new here, that's Clara Blanch)

Have you made a simself?

Yeah, but she no longer exists in my sim bin and no one gets to see her.

Which is your favorite EA hair color?

Black? I guess? Idk, I don't really have a favorite hair color.

Favorite EA hair?

Hmm, I don't remember what I answered last time I did this one. I think the little half-up ponytail from Seasons.

Favorite life stage?

Is it a cop-out if I say everything besides the infant stage? (Does that one even count? They're basically potatoes.) Playing this hood for so long, I've come to enjoy playing sims through each of their life stages. Toddler and kid are cute; teen stage is fun because I get to explore their personality and interests more, and ofc there's budding romances for sims who are into that; adult stage, I get to build their lives and see what their own family turns out like; and elders in my game usually get to relax and savor things once they retire, and spend a lot of time with their family and friends and hobbies, which can be a nice change of pace.

Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay?

insert both is good gif from @executables-sims's post here

Are you a CC creator?

Sometimes!

Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad?

Yeah, though the concept of a sim squad is so funny to me for some reason.

Do you have any sims merch?

Nope

Do you have a YouTube for sims?

Nooooope. I like to watch some simmers, especially speedbuilds (shout out to @kayleigh-83 and @nervosims for their great speedbuild vids!), but no one would enjoy me flitting back and forth between seven different things at once, lmao

How has your “Sims style” changed throughout your years of playing?

Play style or aesthetic style? They've both changed over time. Gameplay wise, I really only stick with Middleground and my rotational play now, whereas I used to start (and abandon) a lot of legacies, tried at least one BACC, just random sims that were fun to play. Aesthetically... hmm, you know, I'm not sure this has changed *that* much. Here's Clara circa 2011:

I use more matte skins now, and the style of clothing I download has probably changed the most, but I could absolutely recreate this pic without downloading anything new, including the CC stuff in the background.

Who’s your favorite CC creator?

Don't make me pick one!! If you're really interested, check my sims pinterest in my pinned post, I'm sure there's patterns there.

How long have you had Simblr?

*checks archive* ...Ten years next May, yikes!

What expansion/gamepack is your favorite?

Hmmm, I'm going to say Apartment Life this time. I've really been enjoying playing witches lately, and it added a lot of buy/build items I like. Or maybe Uni??? No, AL it is.

Tagging, uhhh, I'm a little late so sorry if you already did this and I missed it!: @isimchi, @tvickiesims, @episims, @anachronisims, @sushigal007

[glowyjellyfish]

I am a little worried that by starting with a massive mutant collection of old cc, I may be making the same mistakes I made with the Megakingdom (not abandoned, I just got exhausted by the never ending crashing and testing. Will come back to it… later.). However, although this method is slow, it’s going okay, I have culled all the duplicates I can find, and anything obviously not era-appropriate. I went through all the hair I already have installed, and did not use the in-game delete, instead choosing to take pictures with tooltips so I can delete stuff properly. And there’s a lot of stuff that doesn’t suit an 18th century game! My plan is to go through each CC section, use the tooltip renamer so I can identify them, and carefully cull stuff this way. Also, unlike with my medieval CC, I am tentatively planning to remove anything that I can’t identify as part of a set or something, unless it is spectacularly useful. I think with clothing and objects, instead of taking pictures of what to delete, I might take pictures of what to keep, and ruthlessly cull the rest. Which, again, should be easier than medieval CC, as there is much much less of it, and much less that can pass as era-appropriate.

And I have a loose plan for objects, too. I want to have the medieval wood set and maybe the 9 archers mead hall, for my poorer sims; Sunni’s inn and cottage sets; the Gustav set, WFS barn and winery sets, the Plain Jane set from the Medieval Smithy, and a modest assortment of other medieval content that might apply. Everything else is strictly off the Historic Sims Wiki Rococo page, Simbury CC that I decided can pass for a few decades earlier, at least for my wealthier sims, and anything else I found actually designed for the 18th century. I’ll be centering a whole Sun&Moon collection, too—minus dragons and griffins and extra magic, this BaCC is pretending to be historical. My custom plant collection is very messy, and I am thinking about throwing it all out, and just doing Sun&Moon for trees and herbs and bushes, and finding one good collection of assorted decorative plants that go together and are nicely named, instead of “these random plants I got from CC-laden lots I download fifteen years ago, named in alphabet soup for my inconvenience”.

In any case, when I finish I am going to carefully save this Downloads folder as my Colonial/Enlightenment/Pirate collection, which can be applied to future hoods, and later when I have played this hood and am ready to advance to Regency I’ll build a Regency downloads collection to save, and add that to this downloads folder. In an ideal world, I would have several total conversion EA Games folders, and a bunch of carefully themed Downloads folders saved that I can just copy in a new EA Games folder whenever I want to set up a new Steampunk or Ancient Rome or Fallout-like Vintage Apocalypse hood or whatever. Not there yet, but making progress on this set at least!

Did I mention I started planning out rules for my BaCC Through Time hood involving regular ships only arriving in spring and fall, and therefore only then can new sims arrive or new catalogue goods be purchased? Although there probably ought to eventually be a shop owner or two who stocks up on catalogue goods at those times and sells to local sims. I think I will also make it so that sims leaving for college in the old country will have to leave at that time, too—I plan to keep careful track of their true ages, so I’ll know if a sim goes to college at age 16 and graduates at 20 instead of the usual 18-22, and adjust their time as an adult accordingly. Not that I’ll get up to this particularly soon, I have my fingers crossed that I can start some fun parts on my upcoming holiday weekend.

It’s nice to log my plans and progress periodically. Makes it feel more like a Project and less like random stuff I’m doing.

[thementalshawty]

Weekly & Monthly Report!

So I realize that most people didn’t really like the weekly readings and updates so I decided for the ones that do to be quick about it, I shall give a little bullet point reading about certain events that can and may happen this week for those in the collective I shall also do a little sneak peek of this month! It’s a new month my patreon members try to get your questions into me this week! Love ya & if you want the full read and details join my madhouse patreon! Link is below.

For some of you there’s going to be some kind of situation or relationship with some man that’ll be important this week, whether it be your sibling, friend, boss, Co-Worker, SO, etc. some kind of important dealing with this male may or shall take place this week.

This week overall will be filled with peace and harmony I’m seeing lots of the collective feeling relieved or lighthearted and very flowy this week, very go with the flow type of energy this week for the collective yasss. Wind chimes may be a sign of importance this week, maybe some will hear the rest may see, some both I’m hearing.

Some of you will be tempted to lower your standards to make things easier or to accept less than you deserve this week and I’m seeing your guides saying AHT AHT AHT! Let’s not do that! DO NOT SETTLE FOR SHIT THIS WEEK! Only what you want and deserve only! Seeing a flag may be of importance maybe lowering your flag I’m seeing queer flags so my 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️ ⚧️ including myself, LETS NOT LOWER OUR STANDARDS FOR NOBODY!

I’m seeing four leaf clovers 🍀! Good luck and great fortune for the collective this week, some money big or small is coming in for you guys Yass get that mfcn bag Hunny 💋!

Your health is something you guys need to pay attention to this week, be extra cautious some of you may be getting into accidents. Getting sick, feeling down, just be mindful and take care this week. Maybe some of you guys are getting over an illness this week too!

Spiritual love is entering, I’m hearing for some it’s romantic and for others it’s platonic. You’ll feel so connected with this person, like they just get you through and through, this is a soulmate! So gear up, it can even mean spiritual awareness and awakening within your own selves! Giving that spiritual love to yourself.

Something that was done in the past is what will financially come to you this week, idk how it’ll play out for the entire collective, but everyone seems to be having some mula coming in hunny yassssssss 👏🏽

Now it’s time for your monthly energy

Funny this month there’s going to be some kind of dealing or something with a woman with dark hair, eyes, vibe or complexion this month for some of you, I’m not sure if it’s a healthy person, if they’re not all i do know is that some of you will be experiencing the dark vibes.

There will be a loss, and there’ll be some sorrow over it but I’m hearing it’s for the best even tho ain’t nobody wanna be hearing that shit in the moment of thag loss but I’m seeing that there is something that’s ending this month for the collective and I’m seeing some sadness over it. A breakup for some I’m hearing.

Someone will be testing your gangsta this month, someone will be trying to oppose you, and make you back down but I’m seeing that your guides want you to show strength and boldness don’t back down from anyone this month.

For some there’ll be spiritual growth and increase for others its material wealth increase, but again INCREASE this month!

Whatever you’re going through this month, if you persevere you will overcome whatever issues that will come your way this month cos like every month there’s lesson and shit needs to be done in order for you to advance. Just keep swimming I heard.

There’s a rat 🐀 amongst you guys and they’re wishing bad & working against you behind your bacc like always be cautious, move in silence, & protect your energy.

This month you’ll be doing something risky or be faced with a risky move that’ll require you to make a decision and take a chance I’m not the type to tell you guys what to do just trust yourselves!

That is all folks again if you want the full extended report the link to my patreon is here

HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT RESONATED & SOME MO SHIT 😂 LOVE YOU GUYS HAPPY APRIL AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

[rurpleplayssims]

When in doubt...renovate🤣...and record everything in a spreadsheet! 📰📝

Update on Campbell Quay progress, lot reno pictures and spreadsheet-praising under the cut as I have written a bit! 🤣🙈

I have become a much better TS2 builder when I'm imagining my characters using/living in the lots I build. I was an awful builder before I started my BaCC, but seeing as these lots are almost sets/backdrops, I've become a lot better at creating places, or trying to recreate things I've seen in real life, such as this build.

After completing my military subhood, I've loaded back into and - wait for it - I've started a spreadsheet. 🙉🤣 I know, I never thought I'd have the time and energy to input it all in, but I have! It's been quite fun and I used this template, but I did look at a few others, along with adding some things I want to track in my story.

For example, I use the Colour traits mod, along with the Traits Project mod, so I track those, as it might be relevant at some point in the story...possibly. I also track their skills, along with badges and the BV, AL and FT life skills as well. As it's a BaCC, I needed to figure out how many sims had the Fire Safety, which meant that I could unlock a Fire station, for example.

I need to go back and update all the unlocks/who and what unlocked careers and lots. This process has already given my some fresh ideas for the story. For example, going through SimPE and looking at my character's personalities, I was reminded of who and what their interests are. This was especially interesting when I saw what One True Hobbies were for my new babies that have just been born.

I've been building...again. There are a few player-owned businesses that I wanted to tweak and build fresh. Ones of those was this lot here. Try to guess the owners and what the business is!

I've also taken a step back and realised that some of these homes deserve a bit of reno! Briony and Jed's home was extended in the last round (as I ran out of space in the actual house so moved Briony's office above the new garage!).

Seeing as Tyler recently got married to Victoria, I felt their home needed to look more like a young family home for these two executives, and less like a bachelor pad. They both have a lot of money, from their personal bank accounts and they deserved a house remodel. The main goal was to add an upstairs and I tried (not sure I succeeded 🙈👀) to keep the main look of the original home. In the end, I was pleased with the floorplan and how it came out. You can be the judge.

So, this is what it was like when I started (don't mind the random rug, I was moving things around the house randomly)...

...and here's what I finished with!

Downstairs...

and then Upstairs! (Don't mind the unfurnished room, I haven't made up my mind on wallpapers in there yet!)

I've also renovated Althea's home and most of that was the back garden but you'll see it in the screenshots when we get to her round, as it's the Townie household next!

In case you need a recap, this was the latest drama to have happened...🙈

[esotheria-sims]

And while the party guests were leaving the Tanners', lighting struck the air (???) outside their apartment and set it on fire. Their period-inaccurate next-door neighbour Holly Brier got pretty scared (I don't blame her), but the Tanners themselves didn't seem to notice. I was debating whether or not to count this for the BaCC's Fire Count, but my game crashed right after so I figured it'd be cheating if I did.

But then when I booted the game back up (I'm no quitter!!) lighting struck again and this time, it was the tree behind the house that took the hit. Adam even caught sight of the flames through the window and ran outside to panic, so definitely counter-worthy!

Fire Count: 5

Which means we have one (1) open position in the Journalism career, wooooo! (and yes, the rules say the fires need to be Sim-Instigated and something has to actually burn down for them to count, but I'm going to conveniently ignore that fact because it's my game and I Do What I Want)

[melsie-sims]

Once upon a time, there was a magical kingdom. In that kingdom lived countless fairytale characters, all searching for their happily ever after.

One day the darkness came. Villains from every story banded together to change their fate and rewrite their final chapters.

The Fairy Godmother had a plan, although it wasn't without risk.

In need of help, she gathered up as many of the other magical characters of the realm as possible. With a resounding bibbidi-bobbidi-boo, they used every last ounce of their rapidly dwindling magic to open a gateway to another realm, sending as many fairytale characters through as she could muster...

Now all they had to do was build a new home from the ground up....

May the Watcher have mercy on their plumbobs...

Disney BACC Index

📚 BACC Wiki 🍎 Main Challenge Tag (Chrono) ✨ Achievements Unlocked 🌳 Family Trees (WIP) 🍄 Prologue (Chrono) / Year 1 (Chrono) / Year 2 (Chrono) / Year 3 (Chrono) / Year 4 (Chrono) / Year 5 (Chrono) / Year 6 (Chrono) / Year 7 (Chrono) / Year 8 (Chrono) /