#townsend family

[townsenddecades]

All You Want To Know And More

Why, hello there! Glad you made it to my corner of the internet.

This blog is meant to chronicle my most recent playthrough of Morbid Gamer’s Ultimate Decades Challenge, following a family of sims for many generations from the 1300s onwards. I started my first playthrough sometime in the first half of 2023 and had got to the end of the 15th century before the urge struck me to start another one in a more medieval world.

This is the challenge you’ll be seeing on this blog. More infos under the cut.

A note on my posting habits: I have a queue that puts out one post per day. Initially, I wanted to refill that queue after every five years played, but I'll probably switch that to after every year played so it isn't so much work at once.

I am also currently playing a supernatural 1800s UDC over at my side blog @moonlightfallsdiaries

Current Households:

Townsend Branches | Junior Branches (spoilers if you aren't caught up, obviously)

Family Tree (spoilers up to 1333)

Navigation:

Introducing the Challenge

Gen 0: Benedict & Anne Townsend | 1300 | 1305 | Recap 1300 - 1309

Gen 1: Benjamin & Malika Townsend | 1312 | Recap 1310 - 1319 | 1325 | Recap 1320 - 1329

Gen 2: Malcolm & Hawise Townsend | 1330

Links:

Morbid Gamer’s Ultimate Decades Challenge

Plumbob’s and the Past’s UDC

My Mods and CC

If anyone is interested, I could upload my spread sheet as well, but I currently don't have it online.

Some technical details

I’ll be playing this challenge in The Sims 3, which means no Ye Olde Cookbook, Royalty Mod, Simple Living Lot Trait or the like, but I’ve heavily modded my game to achieve a more immersive gameplay.  This challenge will start – but likely not remain in -  the gorgeous custom world of Praaven, which is both medieval and completely roadless.

A link to a post with the mods I use can be found above.

This challenge will be more historically inspired than historically authentic, both because the game has its limitations and because my scant historical expertise lies more in the early 20th century.

For the most part, I’ll be following the rules defined by Morbid Gamer, with some deviations:

I’ll take some inspiration from Plumbobs and the Past’s ideas to make the challenge a bit more interesting. For example, when my sims go fishing, I’ll have them pay a fee, I’ll deduct 10% of the proceeds for whatever they harvest or sell from household funds, I will use PATP's dowry rules, and probably more.

Instead of starting with three teenagers, I decided to start with two young adults that have already been married for a bit and have two children and a toddler. I had a bit of a story in mind involving the proverbial lady of the house and the local Earl, so I wanted to jump right into the action.

As Sims 3 has no option to plead with the Grim Reaper (although you can play a match of chess with him or be saved by your pet, but you would have to have a pet that likes you for that to work, or both a chess table and enough skill points) I substitute that action with rolling a d4 when a Sim I’d like to live rolls to die. If it’s a 4, they survive.

Since I think it’s boring if most sims (barring historical events) die at exactly 6/13/20/30, I’ll sometimes roll a die to see how many years of life a sim has left. Those years can never be more than the sim would have to live until the next life stage. If, for example, a sim fails their young adult roll, I’ll roll a d10. 10 means the sim dies immediately, 5 means they live to be 25, etc. A teenager or a child, accordingly, can only roll a d7.

Illegitimate children are not automatically out of the running, they just rank after all their legitimate siblings in the succession. So it's legitimate sons, then legitimate daughters, then illegitimate sons, then illegitimate daughters, and after that the nearest-related side household. Rule may be taken liberty with as is dramatically convenient.

For the most part, no re-marriages for side households. The heir, however, can and will remarry as necessary.

I’ll be starting with a family of farmers, the Townsends, but just for the fun of it, I’ll also be rolling for the two resident noble families, that of the Earl of Petersmarch, who resides in the city of Praaven, and that of Baron Elbenhawke, whose family seat is in the hills just above the Townsend’s village. As they are not even proper side households, I’ll only mention the nobles’ fates on the side, mostly as a little info text at the end or mentioned in the story as relevant.

Honestly, I’m just curious about how long their lines will last.

I've taken some heavy inspiration for the layout of this info page from @lilabella12, whose wonderful Decades Challenge you should really go check out.

Trigger Warnings:

Death (even of children, toddlers and infants) due to a plethora of causes

War

Epi- and pandemics,

Maternal death

Stillbirths

Likely at least mentions of miscarriages

Mentions or depictions of various substance abuses

References to sexual assault/coercion

Religion

Adultery

The sims featured in this likely often just won’t have a good time

[joansiesbeloved]

Today, Mummy was laid to rest next to Daddy at Arlington National Cemetery. Her extraordinary life and enduring legacy will continue to guide and inspire us. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support during this time. - Kerry Kennedy on her Instagram.

Photographer: @davidhumekennerly

[shinyboomboom]

Imagining Dean with Laurel makes me heart sick because I know Dean loves kids, he's that guy who wants to pack up a minivan and go camping with his kids. OR AT LEAST HE WOULD BE. But I just know deep in my soul he absolutely does not trust himself around them. He is absolutely terrified of hurting people in general but a kid? Anyways he makes me sob.

But then I imagine Cassie with Laurel and it gets ten times worse because I know how much Cassie sacrificed for her. Like that line in twelve were she says she can't do the FBI training program because she'd be away from Laurel to long? DIABOLICAL! I know that's not the only reason but God the parentification that she was forced into was crazy. Add that with the guilt she must feel for how Laurel grew up combined with everything that happened in Bad Blood? Heartbreaking.

And then I imagine Laurel. Laurel who never had the mom Cassie had and certainly didn't have the same childhood. Laurel who looks at swings and sees the chains her mother used to be bound with. I see her looking at Cassie and seeing her mom, seeing the woman who always tried to protect her and recognizing that same quality in Cassie. I see her looking at Dean and recognizing that the same part of her that feels like a monster, that sees things she's not supposed to that isn't normal for girls her age and seeing that Dean sees those things to. Dean who reassures her that she isn't a monster, that she couldn't control how she grew up or what anyone in the cult did. Laurel who knows both these people love her because even though it's hard for them they say it to her. Even when she doesn't say it back. I see her escaping to their house where she has a special room just for her. Where she's always welcome when staying at Nonna's is to much. When everything there is far to normal and far to loud.

Then I imagine the Cassie and Dean healing in ways they never thought they could because of Laurel. Cassie taking her on sister dates every month to go get icecream, just like her mom used to do with her. Teaching Laurel the BPD's along the way. Dean eventually getting to do a camping extravaganza with her and all the naturals and he teaches Laurel how to make smores and doesn't judge her when she makes comments about fire she probably shouldn't. Then slowly but surely they all start to trust eachother until Laurel has Cassie, Dean, and Nonna with her for parent teacher confrences and suddenly they look around and realize maybe they've become a family along the way.

[dreamofstarlight]

Robert and Ethel Kennedy with their seven children in 1961

[paintedwingz]

something something, their lantern being left in hell symbolising that this is the last time either of them will be left in the dark with no hope of making it out. something something maybe this symbolises the end of the pain and suffering that comes with dying

[queen-daya]

Every KC Cooper Outfit (22/?)

“Do women not get a chance to bid around here? Cause if not, I'm gonna be madder than a sack of cats.”

[roki-roki-roll]

"...Diggory, who at this particular moment was hugging their way through the six other Mendies. Each one whispered a little warning or an omen or something." -Ep. 106

Diggory Graves Week | Day 3: PROD/MENDIES

[george-the-good]

On a Sunday near Ebb and Flow, Cape Province, the King and his family had another of their rare ‘whole holidays’. Matins were held, with all of us sitting round a long table, in a shaded grove, (which had been previously cleared of a dozen deadly puff-adders). Afterwards, the King and his family embarked in a small boat; they were accompanied by the Minister of Transport and his wife, whose combined weight - no mean one - gave the royal boat a decided list as it navigated towards the place where a braaivleis (barbecue) had been arranged. The braaivleis over, the Royal Family and everyone else stretched out on the grass and dozed off.

Not long afterwards, a loud snoring woke me; it was the King, who lay on his back, dead to the world, affectionately watched by his elder daughter. He slept on another ten minutes, while, one by one, people around him stirred and sat up. Then he himself awoke, with that shy, boyish look he always had when slightly embarrassed. In a moment he was on his feet and striding off on a walk through the bush, leaving his youngest daughter, Margaret, still fast asleep.

PETER TOWNSEND - Time and Chance (1978)

[this incident took place during the 1947 tour of South Africa]

[jt1674]

[kennedy-family-library]

Robert F. Kennedy's Funeral, June 8, 1968.

[queenpiranhadon]

Lmao just finished The Naturals

⚠️SPOILERS BELOW⚠️

Why in the world is my brain connecting certain elements of the story to other fandoms???

Like for example- Cassie’s little romance predicament.

In Kotlc, you’ve got Sophie, Keefe and Fitz right. Cassie is someone with the ability to get inside of people’s heads. Y’know who else can do that? Sophie Elizabeth Foster ladies and gentlemen.

And Sophie was in love with two others during the course of the story.

One of them being another person gifted with the talent to get inside other people’s heads. This being serious and experienced Dean Redding. Who else matches the description? Fitz Avery Vacker.

And last but not least, a boy gifted with the ability to read emotions. He’s sarcastic and witty, and is willing to wait for our darling female lead to love him back. Micheal Townsend and Keefe Sencen anyone?

It’s also hilariously ironic that the girl is the one with blue eyes and the boys both have brown in the Naturals.

My how the turns have tabled.

Moving right along to the Inheritance Games-

The descriptions for Locke and Toby’s handwriting are exactly the same like WHAT. Part cursive, part print hello??

Not to mention swimming therapy XD

And not to mention Locke- am I the only one who pictured her to look like Handler from Spy x Family??

Like:

In all seriousness through, I really like this series- finished it in less than 24 hours soooo yep

Thanks for reading my ramble hsbjkwlaksbwj

[townsenddecades]

1329 – Day 2 – Chevalier Home

Robert wants to weep when they find their boy unmoving and cold one morning. They hadn’t  even noticed he was sick. Hawise is in tears, certain that it is her fault and that she will lose her position at once, which doesn’t help the situation. Reassuring her gives Robert something to focus on, but it also draws his attention away from his wife, who has gone utterly still with their lifeless son cradled in her arms.

Robert sends Hawise away to prepare breakfast, just to get her out of the way, and then walks over to where Elisaria is sitting on the bed.

“My dearest?”, he questions carefully. She doesn’t respond.

He sits down next to her, unsure what to do, what to say, only now truly realizing that their son, their third son, is dead. The Watcher has once again snatched one of their children away. Rage fills him, swiftly followed by desperate grief. Why their sons? Why all of them? They were so careful to keep Landon away from everything that could cause him to sicken. And he still died. It isn’t just.

He was only three months old.

Three months.

He closes his eyes tightly, desperate to keep his own rising tears down.

They bury their boy next to his brothers, to ascertain that at least his body won’t rest alone. His soul, they hope, will be safe with the Watcher. It would be cruel of Her to not only take him away, but to then neglect him.

Even before this, they visited their sons’ graves often, but now, there is hardly a day where Robert returns from town and doesn’t find Elisaria there. Every occasion makes him more reluctant to leave her alone, but he can’t neglect his duties to the earl.

Once, when he approaches her, he hears her angrily muttering. And he catches enough of her curses of the Watcher’s name to grow concerned.

“You shouldn’t say such things, my love. It’s blasphemous.”

“What of it?”, she snaps, whirling around so fast that the veil of her headdress hangs still in the air for a moment. “If the Watcher does not wish for my criticism, She shouldn’t take my sons away from me.”

Never in his life has he seen his gentle wife this angry. His heart goes cold at her words, and he looks around quickly, but the road and fields abutting their lands are, blessedly, empty of listeners. He takes Elisaria’s hands in his. “I feel the same, my love, but our sons wouldn’t want their mother to incriminate herself like this. If someone were to hear you-”

“They can’t want anything! She took them from us before they learned how to want!”, she shouts and yanks her hands out of his grasps. “I can’t understand how you accept this so calmly! They were our children, Robert!”

“And I mourn them.” He takes to step forward her but stills when she raises her hands and steps back. “Mon cœur, do you think the Watcher’s capriciousness doesn’t affect me? I lost my mother when I was just a boy, I lost siblings, I watched my brother the earl and Lady Petersmarch lose most of their children. My heart bled not only for our boys at their loss, but for you. But I have to believe that She has a plan. That She wants to protect them from the wickedness of the world. I’d go mad otherwise.”

“We could protect them. And what about our girls? Aren’t they worthy of protection?”

“Maybe She knows what fate would have befallen our boys and wanted to protect them from it”, he suggests. He doesn’t know if he believes that. He is angry too, although he knows it is blasphemy. But he has too much experience in pulling himself together and burying his emotions.

His words don’t make Elisaria any happier. She merely looks away. “If She took them to protect them, I don’t know that I want to know what Her plan for the rest of us is”, she whispers. She doesn’t resist when he pulls her into his arms, and she doesn’t expect him to answer.

Which is all the better, because he doesn’t know what to say to that. But it makes him horribly afraid for what is to come.

Previous: 1329, Day 2, Part 1/3 <--> Next: 1329, Day 2, Part 3/3

[joansiesbeloved]

Tribute to Ethel Kennedy shared by Kerry Kennedy on her Instagram. ♡

[hoyt-and-cavanaugh]

[dreamofstarlight]

Kathleen, Courtney, Kerry, Chris, and Rory Kennedy release a statement after RFK Jr’s endorsement of Trump

[unnoodles]

This is the first edit I made so beware it's probably not that good.

These characters are so dear to my heart. I need everyone who hasn't read the naturals to do it right now. <3