Chapter 43: Volcano Bombs, Robots, and a Royal Rendezvous

Ah the curse of the flying stinky popcorn bowls. As if the dungeon couldn’t get any more inviting.

Nina: Where is that smell coming from?

It’s all in your head Nina – I mean, above you head.

Cecelia became a child.

Isaac: It’s not fair, I want to age up too!

If you’re going to behave like that Isaac then I might just leave you down there… If I weren’t anxious to finish this challenge, that is.

Isaac became a child next.

Vlad shared vampire knowledge with Cecelia.

Isaac was a nice well behaved child and did his homework…

… While Cecelia insulted Vlad.

Cecelia: With all your sleeping around, I wouldn’t be surprised if you have crabs!

Vlad: How dare you speak to your father like that, young lady! I will deal with you in a moment. Just wait here while I go and er… Check some things.

Yikes.

Cecelia got started on her homework, looking rather smug.

Vlad shared vampire knowledge with Isaac.

Cecelia and Isaac both have the Sulani Mana trait because their mother is an elemental. One of their abilities is increasing the quality of plants, so I made Cecelia bestow the ‘gift of Sulani’ on our second money tree.

Isaac also used his powers on the money tree.

With those two gifts of Sulani, the money tree went from normal to magnificent quality so it will produce even more money. Vlad must have compelled Cecelia and Isaac to use their powers on it since I would assume that after his treatment of them the last thing that they would want to do would be to help him get rich.

The other special thing which sims with the Sulani Mana trait can do is to summon volcano bombs, which I tested out with Cecelia. I thought this looked really cool so I probably took too many screenshots.

The volcano bomb landed in the front garden and Vlad rushed over to put out the fire whilst glaring at Cecelia, who was trying to stroll nonchalantly past as though none of it had anything to do with her.

Cecelia (glancing at Vlad and muttering under her breath): Darn, I missed.

Vlad: Have children you said, they can be your army, you said. No one mentioned anything about them bombing my own house!

Cecelia (turning and pretending to see the volcano bomb for the first time): AHHHH A FIRE! A FIRE!

Give it up Cecelia, you aren’t fooling anyone.

Isaac and Cecelia worked on school projects while Vlad helped…

I said while Vlad helped, not while Vlad played with the clay! Put it down, Vlad!

Vlad: But it’s so mesmerising!

Sterling got an A and became a YA. Sterling’s normal form:

Sterling’s dark form:

I suppose that Sterling is relatively good looking for a Straud child… Except his flat face and downturned mouth.

The next donor on my list was Princess Cordelia, who is living with Ramona.

Ramona: Just know that you’re making a grave mistake, Vlad. You are a fool to go after that silly little chit when you could have had a real woman, like me!

Ramona turned her back and pretended not to see as her ex-lover seduced her treacherous new housemate.

First kiss!

Vlad and a Princess Cordelia tried for a baby.

Vlad laughed maniacally over Phoenix and Karen. I think this challenge may be sending him just a little loopy… Nah, he must have been mad already to start it. Come to that, I must have been mad too. Never again!

Phoenix became a toddler.

And Karen became a toddler.

Welcome to your new abode, kiddies!

Isaac dreamed of his father meeting an untimely demise at the hands (talons?) of a dragon. Sorry, not going to happen, Isaac. We don’t have proper dragons in TS4 yet sadly.

Eliza begged Bearcula for help. Sorry Eliza but you’re on your own.

I haven’t made a servo yet and I thought it would be fun to have Vlad put together one so I had him get started crafting the necessary mechanisms and computer chips.

Karen, why are you dancing around so happily?

Ha, that’s what you think!

Cecelia and Isaac did their homework together.

Then it was school project time for the both of them.

Phoenix has a face just made for scowling.

Isaac performed another ‘gift of Sulani’ interaction on the money tree.

And with that gift, the second money tree became perfect quality!

Karen had a tantrum.

Karen: The service in this hotel is appalling, the food is disgusting and everything is filthy. I demand to speak to the manager!

Oh, shut up, Karen.

Nina played with a frying pan. Ah what a safe environment Vlad provides for his toddlers.

This picture of Phoenix grimacing in anguish while a filthy and exhausted Karen drags herself up off the floor is too funny.

Oh you’re having a tantrum too, Eliza? Well well, see if I care.

Now that Vlad has two money trees of perfect quality, they yield a combined harvest of over 44,000 simoleons per day!

It was Winterfest and I let Cecelia put the baubles on the tree. It did not go well.

She was embarrassed about it, poor girl.

Once the kids had gone to school (yes on Winterfest), I had a Vlad finish decorating.

Then he opened presents by himself.

Vlad: I’m the only one in this house who deserves gifts, after all.

The toddlers were also having a very merry Winterfest…

Karen: Maybe we could bribe our way out of the dungeon!

Eliza: Great plan except for one minor hitch: we don’t have any money so what can we use as a bribe? Popcorn?

Of course Nina isn’t crying – she is merely singing a festive song.

Cecelia and Isaac returned home from school looking just a little the worse for wear. Good Winterfest, kids? Never mind, you both got As and that’s all that really matters.

Cecelia became a teen.

And Isaac became a teen.

Since Isaac was a disappointment born human, it was necessary for Vlad to turn him into a vampire. I have to say that Isaac looked a little unsure about the whole thing.

Isaac: But Dad, what if I don’t want to be a vampire?

Vlad: What’s that? You say you want to spend the rest of your days in the dungeon?

Cecelia did her homework.

And Isaac did his.

Father Winter arrived and Vlad made sure to get a present off him. Poor Clement, he looks as though he’s hoping that gift will buy back Vlad’s affections. Vlad has no affections to win, Clement.

Clement: So, what do you kids want for Winterfest? A new phone? Video games? A bike?

Cecelia and Isaac were both desperate to get As at school the next day (and besides, Vlad had probably forbade them from squandering their precious time on frivolous things like opening gifts) so they both asked Father Winter for help with their school projects.

Clement: Help with schoolwork…. Well, that’s a new one.

Clement first assisted Cecelia with her project.

He next moved on to helping Isaac.

Since he now had all the pieces needed to make a servo, I had Vlad get to work building one.

Meanwhile, Isaac had got too tired to continue working and left Clement to do his school project alone.

Sorry Nina, not going to happen. Maybe pretend a bowl of popcorn is a present?

Father Winter had to leave before Isaac’s project was done, but Cecelia helped him complete it before school.

And Vlad finished building his servo! It turns out that if you activate it then it takes up a household slot which is annoying. I had hoped we could have it around as an NPC like a butler. Oh well, maybe Vlad can activate it once the challenge is over and all the kids are aged up and moved out.

You should have just made an army of servos, Vlad. It would have been much less effort.

Vlad: You’re telling me this now, 90 kids into the challenge? I hate you.

Both Cecelia and Isaac got their A grades and consequently became YAs.

Cecelia’s normal form:

Cecelia is actually really pretty… But that chin! Why do all Vlad’s half-way decent looking daughters get his chin?

Cecelia’s dark form:

Isaac’s normal form:

Is it weird that, despite his nose, chin and general resemblance to Vlad, I think Isaac is actually kind of attractive? That’s it, this challenge really has disturbed my mind!

No dark form to show for Isaac yet since he becomes a vampire later in the chapter.

Here is a picture of stinky miserable Nina, just because.

And one of stinky miserable Phoenix.

Vlad gave birth to babies 91 and 92: twin girls called Shelby and Nevaeh. Does the fact that their mother is a Princess Cordelia make them princesses?

Couldn’t skip this picture of a stinky miserable Eliza!

Since Cecelia and Isaac had moved out, Vlad invited round Leslie Holland, his next donor.

Vlad: I saved Strangerville, didn’t I? So, vote for me. It’s the least you can do! [honestly I don’t know why Vlad still needs to win votes now that he is National Leader. Surely he has abolished anything resembling democracy by this point]

Leslie: Of course, anything you need!

Vlad: Well actually I do need one other small thing.

Leslie: What?

Vlad: Your genes.

Leslie: My… jeans? These ones? Um ok where should I take them off?

Vlad: How about in my room?

Sorry that whole interchange was totally creepy and cringey.

Vlad tried for a baby with Leslie.

What the hell is going on with your arm, Karen? Does a popcorn-only diet really do so much damage to the bones?

Her bribery suggestion having been rebuffed, Karen put forward another ingenious escape plan

Karen: We’ll use a tank to blow apart the walls!

Nina and Eliza looked unimpressed.

Eliza: But Karen, we don’t have a tank.

Karen: You two! Why do you always have to be so pedantic?

Phoenix did his best to ignore the aroma of rotting popcorn which seemed to assault his senses from all angles.

Shelby became a toddler.

Nevaeh became a toddler.

Neither Shelby nor Nevaeh got Princess Cordelia’s purple eyes which I was way too disappointed about.

The two young princesses burst into tears upon finding themselves incarcerated. That really is no way to treat royalty, Vlad. You might end up starting a war with whatever country their mother is a princess of – oh except she was forced to flee from Thebe due to a sloth rebellion or something, wasn’t she?

They comforted one another with a hug.

Nevaeh: It doesn’t matter where we are so long as we’re together!

Nice sentiment Nevaeh, but not strictly true. When you’re in a cold dirty dungeon with only popcorn to eat and no prospects of escape  then I’d say that it matters very much where you are.

Nina became a child.

Before I had a chance to add more candles to the cake in order to age up Eliza, Nevaeh had swiped a piece.

An infuriated Eliza yelled at Nevaeh.

Eliza: How dare you try to rob me of my release date! You think just because your mum’s a Princess that you’re better than us but you’re not. You’ll do your time, just like the rest of us.

Nevaeh: I – I’m sorry. I just got here, I didn’t know we weren’t allowed to eat the cake.

Best watch your back Nevaeh, looks as though you’ve made yourself an enemy already.

Vlad cooked up another cake and Eliza was finally aged up.

I made sure to put candles on the cake before anyone, mentioning no names, could defile it. Aww look at poor Nevaeh gazing longingly at that cake. By the look on Eliza’s face, she is not forgiven.

Vlad shared vampire knowledge with Nina.

He then shared vampire knowledge with Eliza – and possibly some germs too, judging by the look of him! I thought vampires weren’t meant to get sick…

Nevaeh, how on earth did you get on that bed?

Nevaeh: I’m the Queen of the castle!

Your mother might be a a Princess Nevaeh but you’re just an inmate here like everyone else.

Nevaeh: Wait, I’m stuck!

You don’t say?

Nina and Eliza did their homework. No, the confetti doesn’t arise from Eliza’s enthusiasm for studying, but rather from the fact that it was New Year’s Eve.

School projects for both girls.

Nina pretended to shoot her father with a cannon while he wasn’t looking. That doesn’t bode well for her loyalty as his future soldier…

Eliza also played on the pirate ship later, only without the living target.

Vlad, Eliza and Nina watched the countdown to midnight together.

At midnight, Eliza and Nina embraced.

Vlad: Hey, how come no one wants to hug me?

Do I really have to answer that question for you, Vlad?

Obligatory pictures of suffering toddlers coming up:

Oh dear Nevaeh is beginning to look a little unhinged. Isn’t Nevaeh ‘heaven’ spelled backwards? That’s kind of ironic seeing as she couldn’t be further away from heaven right now…Phoenix tantrumming..

Shelby tantrumming.

I think they are home sick – sick of their home (the dungeon), that is.

Eliza and Nina built a snow pal together.

And then bonded with a sisterly hug.

Shelby was unimpressed with life.

Nina talked to the new snow pal who, despite being made of snow, seemed less cold than her absent father.

Nina: You can be my new Daddy! You’ll never leave me will you, Snowy?

No one tell her about what happens in spring…

The camera turned to Isaac who was in the neighbourhood and was turning into a vampire.

Isaac’s dark form:

Phoenix: I just want to see sunlight.

Eliza: Don’t be stupid Phoenix, we can’t eat sunlight. What we need is proper food! Stupid dreams about the sun won’t help us to get that.

Let’s finish this chapter with the birth of baby #93, a little girl called Raina. ANOTHER girl?! Seems like I’ve been getting loads of girls lately. To think I used to think my game was broken because I kept getting boys… I think we may actually have more girls than boys now!