The Matriarchal Legasea - Chapter 1By thinmintsim (originally posted on the Exchange)

This is a joint project between me and fraulineTaube. Watch generation 1 of the Legaseas begin!

Welcome to the first chapter of the Matriarchal Legasea, a joint project between Taube (fraulinetaube) and me (thinmintsim). As the name implies, this is a matriarchal legacy challenge, with an underwater theme. For those of you that haven't tried this challenge out yet, you should give it a whirl! It was created by Mitinkitten, who writes the fabulous Miyazaki's Art Legacy. The full rules can be found at www.boolprop.com, but basically, the challenge means that sims who aren't blood related to the founder can't live in the legacy house. That means no husbands, no weddings and no roomies. Sounds fun, huh?

In this legacy, each chapter will be told by the founder/heir(ess)es themselves. If I have anything to add to their commentary I will insert it in an author's note at the bottom of the slide. There is already a short introduction to this legacy uploaded on fraulinetaube's sim page. You should check that out to see the background of our founder. Now, let's get on with the show!

"Is the camera on Caspian? Is it recording?"

*Sigh* "Yes Mom, go ahead."

"Don't roll your eyes young man! You might be doing this *very* same thing in the *very* near future you know."

"Yes Mom, I know. Could you hurry up a little though? I have a date with Lyndsay in an hour and I don't want to be late."

"Well Caspian, I can't make any promises, telling one's personal history does take time you know . . ."

"Like almost any other story, mine is best told from the beginning. My name is Oceania Legasea and my legacy started when I first clambered up out of the sea that had been my home from birth and set fin onto the islands of Sirenum Scopuli. I was such a young mermaid then. So young and naive.

My quest to be independent from the archaic traditions of my family had led me to quite a strange and dry place. In order to put down roots I bought a piece of land that was far too large and expensive for my meager savings. I was forced to part with most of my pearl and coral jewlery to afford basic living expenses. The only pieces I was able to keep were the sea gem necklace and earing set given to me by my father for my sixteenth birthday. I hoped to pass these treasures onto my decendents one day."

"I wasn't able to afford very much furniture in the beginning. I was lucky to have a bed, toilet and shower. I admit that I was a little bewildered in those first few days I spent ashore in my new home. I had so much to learn about the culture of those who lived on land! Their food was different, their clothing was strange and their way of locomotion was quite bizarre. Thankfully, after several days of flopping around akwardly, I did manage to master walking on land."

"But there was much more to discover about land living than walking. Fortunately, I have always been interested in learning as much as possible. I found all the things that I learned about my new home in my book fascinating.

_______________Oceania is a knowledge sim with a LTW of becoming chief of staff.

"After a few days had passed, I learned that a job opening had become available at Sirenum Scopuli's local hospital. I had always been passionate about helping those in need, so I took the job as an EMT. I knew that I had a long way to go before I could be more involved in the medical care process, but this was a good start."

"It wasn't long before the residents of the islands began to drop by and introduce themselves. The very first person that I met here was a beautiful water sprite named Song Del Mar*. She was quite an interesting character too. I had heard of water sprites before when I lived in the Mer Kingdom, but I had never met one in person before."

_______________Song Del Mar is actually a aquafied version of boolprop's own Songsmith (but that's Songsmith2003 to you!). She writes the Grow Where You're Planted Legacy and Shakespeare's Alphabet Legacy.

"She had such interesting skin. Instantly, I become transfixed by it. It was smooth and glassy, much like water itself. When I attempted to touch it to see if it felt like water too, my actions didn't go over so well. Song wasn't too impressed by me that first day, but she did promise to drop by and check on me again, so I guess I didn't totally drive her away. Curse me and my incessant curiosity!"

"Before long, I got a little lonely hanging out at my barren home all the time. Things were going great at work (I got a promotion!) and I was learning new skills all the time. The one area of my life that remained unfufilled was the social arena. I heard from some friends at work that there was a nice park right around the corner from where I lived. They said that all of Sirenum Scopuli's residents went there to drink the awesome coffee and hang out. So, I decided to go and check it out on my next day off."

"Oceanview park was definitely the local hotspot that my coworkers had made it out to be. It overlooked the ocean and had things like grills, chess, a photo booth and, of course, the hottest coffee this side of the EAC*!

It was here that I made a lot of friends and met a lot of different types of people. It turns out that I wasn't alone in my ousider status here on the islands. A lot of other "misfits" made their homes here as well. It's almost like Sirenum Scopuli is a place for those who are too different to belong anywhere else."_______________EAC= East Austrailian Current. Haven't you ever seen Finding Nemo?

"To break the ice on my first visit there, I served everyone hotdogs. They were a big hit with glacier spirits and kelpies alike!

The fact that I had yet to find a mate to carry on my legacy with hadn't escaped me. I just assumed that when the right person came along, I would know it right away. It turns out that love isn't always that simple. I was looking for someone to continue the legacy with, but my career had to come first for the time being. I was adamant about having a roof over my head before I brought any little legaseas into the world. They deserved at least that."

"It tuns out that Kirsty Scuttle* wasn't a big fan of my hotdogs, but she was very nice besides. To tell you the truth, I don't know how she managed to eat anything at all when she had those claws to deal with!

I briefly toyed with the idea of starting a relationship with her, but it turns out that we made better friends than romantic partners. I was still on the hunt for the love of my life."

_______________Kirsty Scuttle is a slightly crabbier version of Kaylynnlangerak. She writes the Random Legacy and the Children's Classics Legacy.

"I may have been a paramedic by this time, but I was still severely strapped for cash. I needed enough money to build a house, and fast! I began to work as a barista at Oceanview Park on the weekends to earn the extra money I needed. It was really awkward to fit the apron and shirt the job required on over my fins, but I made the best of it."

"The best part of the new weekend job was that I allowed me to strenthen my relationships with my friends, especially Song. We had come a long way from our first awkward meeting at my home, and we were now the closest of friends.

In fact, I soon felt more than friendship in my heart for the beautiful sprite. I came to the realization that Song was the only one to carry on my legacy of independant, strong children. I just hoped she felt the same way."

"It turned out that she did. I was so happy that I had finally found the love of my life! Unfortunately, I still hadn't earned enough money to build any kind of permanent home, so children would have to wait a little longer."

"With the right person by my side, I was really anxious to begin my family. I started to buckle down and concentrate harder than ever before at work. I made sure I was in an excellent mood every day, studied much more than was necessary and improved my network of social connections. Pretty soon I became a nurse."

"I was gradually able to improve my possessions. I soon added a refrigerator and a phone to my collection of furnishings. I ws very careful not to spend any more than was necessary for me to live. The rest of my money was put into a savings account for the eventual construction of my first real home."

"As the months turned to years, my relationship with Song grew as fast as my bank acocunt. We were both deeply in love with one another."

"As soon as I became a resident, I was given a dummy to practice my medical techniques on. My skills increased at a faster rate when I practiced with "Buddy," as I named him. I spent so much time with him that he became like a member of the family!"

"As more time passed, my career took some amazing leaps. It was hard to believe that only ten years ago I was a bumbling mermaid who knew nothing of living on land. Now I was a surgeon, and a limo was my regular ride to work. I knew that my job performance was especially good as of late, and a cushy job as a researcher couldn't be far away."

"I eventually did get that promotion that I was after. I was a medical researcher and nearly at the top of my chosen career. I had worked hard and saved a lot of money in the process. I decided that the time to start my family was now. My age wouldn't permit me to wait much longer as it was."

"It wasn't long after my decision that I became pregnant with my first child. I was nearly always sick and hungry, but I was happy too. I started the construction of my house, with the promise of the contractors that it would be finished by the time the baby arrived."

"Of course, while I waited for construction to be complete, Song kept me company. She was happy about the baby, and glad that I didn't want her to make any lasting committments. Like me, she was on a quest for knowledge, and was content to simply visit the baby after it was born. She didn't even mind the horrible old clothes I had to wear as by body grew bigger and bigger. At least the shirt fit over my fins."

"Finally, as I entered my second trimester, construction on the house became complete. It was small, but cozy*. I couldn't afford the siding or any landscaping yet, but the inside was beautiful."

_______________*I can't take credit for the design of this house. Special thanks go out to the talented artist at modthesims2.com who created it.

"While I waited for the baby to arrive, I enjoyed my maternity leave by studying up on the remaining skills I needed to master for my final promotion. This was the first time I had off for quite a while, and I greatly enjoyed it."

"As the days went by, the time for the new baby to arrive crept closer and closer. I was so excited to see what the baby woud look like. Would it have fins like me, or the smooth watery skin of Song? Would it have my eyes and features, or would it look more like its other mommy? I couldn't wait to find out."

"And as it turns out, I didn't have long to wait. I was in the kitchen finishing up a salad when the first labor pains struck. At first I felt scared and alone. I wished Song was there to help me! But I soon remembered that I was a doctor after all. This was nothing I hadn't assisted in a million times before. Pretty soon, I welcomed a new family member into my home."

"It was a beautiful baby boy! I named him Caspian, after the sea between Asia and Europe."

"He took after his mother with dark hair and her watery blue eyes and skin. He quickly became the light of my life."

"I was glad to be able to spend so much time at home with him. The hospital directors were very understanding and gave me additional time off to spend with the little tyke. I admit that I spoiled him as much as possible. The time soon came, however, for me to go back to work."

"When the nanny service first sent over Nanny Autumn, I was a bit alarmed. Her wild hairstyle led be to believe that she was some sort of rocker punk! However, it turned out that she was an absolutely brilliant nanny. Caspian flourished under her care."

"My friends also periodically stopped by to check up on Caspian for me and make sure that Nanny Autumn was on the up and up. It turns out that I definitely had nothing to worry about.

My friend Ray Sashimi* became especially attached to the little guy. Between him and Autumn, I don't think Caspian missed me at all!"

_______________Ray Sashimi is a fishier version of SGSimfan, who writes the CSI Legacy.

"Of course, Song dropped by from time to time to check up on the baby and see me. She always seemed to have something else on her mind though. Maybe she missed being around Caspian more than she thought she would. Maybe if circumstances had been different, we could have been married. Independence is the most important thing to me now though, so a dream like that can never be."

"Soon after Song's last visit, I discovered I was pregnant again. This time, I felt much sicker than before. I was thankful for the maternity leave with this pregnancy even more than the first one. I needed to be on bed rest practically the whole time."

"I did find time to celebrate Caspian's birthday though. Songsmith attended this one, so she could see our first baby grow up."

"As a toddler, I could see a lot of Song's facial structure in him. He was simply adorable, and a fast learner too! He sure liked to chatter away in his baby language, and was very sweet*."

_______________*2/8/6/4/7

"It was a good thing he was an easygoing little guy too, because my next baby was quickly approaching. I was in my second trimester already!"

"Through teaching Caspian to walk, I became a little envious of his legs. Getting around was so much easier for him!

I also taught him how to talk, in both mermish and simlish. I didn't want him to forget the tongue of his ancestors. Keeping some of the old traditions of my kingdom alive was very important to me."

"As the birth of Caspian's sibling grew closer, I could tell that he was antsy for attention. Thankfully, he didn't suffer from the terrible tooth-through-chin disease that had plagued sim toddlers for centuries. I had seen plenty of cases of it through my work at the hospital, and was suprised Caspian wasn't infected too. Maybe it was because the disease didn't affect water sprites in the same was it did humans."

"Song also left an unexpected present for Caspian and me. I had told her time and time again that I didn't want any money from her, but she managed to sneak away before I noticed the gift. I kept it for the kids, since I knew I would never be able to afford a television like this on my own."

"As I entered my third trimester, I again began to wonder about what the baby would look like. I secretly hoped for a girl this time around. I would love to have the heir to the legacy be another strong female like myself. It wasn't that I didn't think Caspian coud get the job done, it's just a bit more difficult for a male to carry a baby by himself."

"I spent the rest of my maternity leave giving Caspian the attention he craved."

"I also reconnected with some friends that I had been neglecting since I had gone back to work. Ray was always happy to come around and play with Caspian and hang out. I soon realised how lucky I was to have such good friends.

I also finally made enough money to brick the outside of the house. It came out gorgeous."

"Soon the day for the birth of the new baby arrived. I was a little afraid again when the labor pains started, but I fought through the contractions and gave birth to another member of the family."

"A girl this time! I named her Atlantica after the Atlantic ocean. She took after me with my eyes and skin. I didn't have much time to get to know her before something very curious happened."

"I was seized by labor pains once again! I was having twins!"

"It was another girl! I named the second baby Marmara, after the sea that connects the Black Sea to the Agean Sea. She took after Song, with her skin and eyes."

"The time that I spent with the girls when they were babies is nice to look back on, but was quite difficult to live through. Having two babies and a toddler to look after all on your own is quite difficult you know! Atlantica was quite the little chatterbox, and constantly craved my attention."

"Marmara was definitely the quieter of the two. Even when she was hungry, or had a wet diaper, she didn't scream and carry on like her sister. Both girls were still too young to grow in their fins, if they were to have them at all. I admit that I really hoped both of them would sprout some beautiful tails when they became toddlers. It wasn't that they weren't absolutely perfect the way they were, it was that I wanted to see some of my mer genetics pass down."

"Of course Caspian stayed as sweet and merry as ever. Since all of his important toddler skills had been mastered, he had a lot of time to play."

"Soon, it was time for his birthday. I couldn't believe how fast the time had gone by. It seemed like just yesterday that he was a helpless little infant, curled up in his crib."

"He grew into a fine young man too. He seemed especially pleased to discover his watery skin that day."

"He was not, however, pleased with the stink that his sister's wet diaper created. How I will laugh when he has to change his own children's diapers one day!"

"One thing that I was very glad to see was Caspian's desire to get to know Song. She would often come over for a game of chess and a good conversation with the little guy. This also helped me out tremendously. With Caspian occupied, I could spend more time caring for the girls."

"Soon it was time for them to celebrate a birthday too. Song was in attendence, along with Caspian. First to blow out her candles was Atlantica, since she was born first."

"She grew into an adorable toddler! She took after Song in genetics and me in hair and fins. That's right! Atlantica finally grew in her tail! She continued to be a little rambunctious, chatty baby of course."

_______________10/7/6/4/5

"Next to blow out her candles was Marmara."

"Like her sister, she grew into an adorable toddler too! Again, she took after me in hair and fins. Marmara proved to be the best blending of me and Song possible. Her features showed some of my softness, and the combination of Song's beautiful skin and my tail was amazing. She stayed a shy little girl, like she had been as a baby."

_______________6/3/7/4/6

"The next few days of my life revolved around teaching the girls the skills they would need in their later years. It took extra patience to teach them the art of getting around on land with fins, but we managed. Atlantica got the hang of it quicker than Marmara did, but Marmara beat her older sis in the potty department. Of course, both learned to speak in both Simlish and Mermish."

"As the girls began growing and learning, Caspian embarked on some new learning of his own. He had his first day of school! Song and me were there to wave him off, but I think he was a little embarassed of us."

"I was finally able to get back to work. My final promotion had been eluding me, and I was anxious to get back and show off my skills some more. I was so close to attaining my dream job that I couldn't stay home any longer. Marmara had a bit of a hard time with my leaving, but she eventually settled down."

"Besides, under the care of the excellent Nanny Autumn, she didn't miss me at all."

"Finally, I brought home that promotion I had been longing for. I was officially chief of staff at Sirenum Scopuli General Hospital. I was so happy that I was able to accomplish this feat for my family. I had successfully proven that I didn't need a husband to have a good life, as my father had insisted. I had proven everyone wrong, and would make sure that this lesson was passed on to my children."

"I was suprised at how much homework that kids get in school these days! I helped Caspian out by teaching him some good ways to study and memorize information for his new classes. That boy is smart as a whip! He learns things much faster than I did at his age."

"Finally, it was time for the girls to grow up and out of their baby years. I had mixed feelings at their birthdays. I was glad to be done with bottles and diapers, but I would miss watching them toddle around the house!"

"Atlantica grew into a beautiful young lady. I think that the older she gets, the prettier she gets. Her eyes are particularly striking. She is my only child to inherit my family's eyes."

"Of course, next up was Marmara. My quiet little one would be a baby no more."

"She also aged into a beautiful young lady. Her watery skin and tail are an interesting match."

"The girls became best friends right away. I loved how Atlantica always encouraged her sister to be more outgoing and show off her talents. I could often find Marmara doing some acrobatics with her big sister cheering her on."

"Actually, all of my children got along very well. They didn't even complain about having to share a room. I may have been chief of staff, but I still didn't have a lot of money for major renovations. That will come in time, as my legacy grows."

"The girls also joined Caspian at school. I was a bit worried about how the other children would react to Atlantica and Marmara's fins, but everything seemed to go fine."

"Atlantica, however, struggled with the academic portion of school. She is a very smart girl, but she tends to talk with her friends more than she listens to her teachers. She even managed to skip school and stay at home one day without my noticing! A stern lecture from me sent her flying from the television to her books. She had a lot of catching up to do."

"Marmara had an easier time at school. The quiet ones usually do. She never brought home report cards like Atlantica did."

"My children's childhood years passed quickly, and for the most part, quietly. One event that had a profound impact on the family was the night our home was burglarized. A local crook named Marisa Fairchild set her sights on my family and broke into our house in the middle of the night."

"We had a burglar alarm, but before the authorities were able to arrive she managed to snag our couch and the big screen television set that Song left on the doorstep for me and Caspian long ago."

"She was finally apprehended, but the damage had been done. My children were terrified and I was quite unsettled too.

We did get a small reward check for helping to apprehend Marisa, but it didn't come close to covering what we lost. It broke my heart, but I couldn't replace the TV for the kids."

"Caspian bravely tried to defend our family, but coming face to face with Marisa was too much for the little guy and he ended up fleeing to the kitchen with me and the girls."

"Poor Marmara was so frightened by the incident that she slept in my bed with me for weeks, and was plagued with nightmares."

"The terror from that night eventually passed, but the anger my children had did not. They all confessed to me that they wanted to see the ghost of Marisa*. It was sad that such a shadow had been cast over my family, especially at the time of Caspian's birthday. Life moved on though, and Caspian made the transition to his teen years."

_______________All of the children really did roll the want to see Marisa's ghost. How vengeful!

"He became a handsome man that day. It was then that he decided he wanted to make many friends, and become the most popular guy on the island. I just wanted him to be happy, so I didn't mind this goal."

_______________Caspian rolled popularity with the LTW to become general.

"The one thing that did bother me was how his manners had evolved. He became such a sloppy man! Atlantica was extremely neat, so this irked her even more than it did me!"

"I spent some of my savings to buy him a new wardrobe. He did like the clothes, he was just still so angry at Marisa that it was hard to catch him smiling. He DID really like that TV after all."

"I soon discovered that having a teen in the house was great! He could help with getting the girls ready in the mornings and watching them after school. Of course he would rather be out socializing, but he understood to importance of our legacy and was always ready to lend a hand in the household duties."

"The girls continued to be the best of friends and spent a lot of time hanging out with each other after their homework was done. Their birthdays were drawing near, and I was very excited to see what they would look like as teenagers."

"Caspian took up painting in his free time. I had him at home so much watching the girls that he decided to take up a hobby. He told me that one of his dreams is to sell a masterpiece one day. If the portrait that he painted of me is any indication, he is sure to fufill that dream soon."

"I was very pleased when Atlantica expressed an interest in medicine. I showed her some of my signature moves on my old practice dummy, Buddy. It was rare to catch her being happy about something academic, so I took this opportunity to sneak in some training in logic."

"Before the girls could have their birthdays, it was time for mine. I couldn't believe how it had snuck up on me! All of that time I spent when I first moved here to build my career and home had made me into an older mom. I wasn't wild about getting old, but my kids were awesome and cheered me on."

"I think I aged pretty well, but I'll leave that to the future generations to decide."

"I didn't lose my spunk though! I may be old and creaky, but I didn't let that get in my way."

"On an extre,ely happy note, Atlantica finally managed to buckle down and bring home a great report card. I was so proud of her! I always knew a smart girl was in there somewhere."

"Finally, the day arrived for my girls to become teens. They enjoyed a few last moments together before their party."

"Caspian and I were so excited to see them grow up! Caspian had done so much babysitting in his time that he felt as emotionally invested in their transition as I was!"

"Marmara certainly came out of her shell on her birthday. She changed her hair, put on *far* too much makeup and expressed an alarming interest in the opposite sex*. I suppose a young mermaid with no want of commitment would make a good heir to the family, but I was afraid she would get a reputation (if you know what I mean)."

_______________Marmara rolled romance with the LTW to become a celebrity chef.

"I admit that Atlantica stunned me the most with her transition. What a beautiful young lady! I have never seen another mermaid with a face like hers. After her party, she expressed a want for a more comfortable life. I supposed she really missed the big screen TV that was stolen from us. She told me that she wants to spend her life making sure her family has all of the possessions they desire*. That sounds like a fine goal to me.

_______________Atlantica rolled fortune, with the LTW to become a business tycoon.

"Despite the girls differing life goals, they still were very close. I am very proud of them both."

"That pretty much sums up the story of my greatest achievements. I have struck a new path by separating from my family and their old ways, coming ashore and establishing a place in the world for me and my descendants. I had three beautiful children, one of which will stay in this house, expand it and create another generation of children. The next time you hear from my family, one of my kids will be telling you their story. I certainly hope you enjoyed mine.

Okay Caspian, you can turn the camera off now."

So that was it! I hope you enjoyed this first chapter of Oceania's life, and will continue to check back for further updates on her family. Remember, Taube will be writing the next chapter of this family, so be sure to check her sim page (fraulinetaube) for the next chapter. Another thing to keep in mind is that each chapter will be told by a different sim with a different personality and goal. Not every installment will be so serious!

For updates on this legacy, and many more, you can also join the boolprop forums at www.boolprop.com. It's fun and free, not to mention friendly.

Oh, and one last thing - as usual, you all will be deciding on the heir to the Legasea throne. Choose your favorite in the legacy polls section of the boolprop forum, or sign my guestbook with your choice. The next few slides remind you of the candidates.

First up is our oldest, Caspian Legasea. We will not be using the tombstone of L+D to impregnate males. If this guy is chosen, we will have to hope and pray for an alien abduction to get our next heir.

Aspiration: PopularityLTW: to become generalNeat: 2Outgoing: 8Active: 6Playful: 4Nice: 7

Pros: We still need to popularity grave, and he has an easy LTW. Cons: He is a male, so the entire legacy would hang on an alien abduction if he is chosen. Also, he has kind of a weird jaw.

Marmara Legacy is your second choice.

Aspiration: romanceLTW: to become a celebrity chefNeat: 6Outgoing: 3Active: 7Playful: 4Nice: 6

Pros: We still need a romance grave, and she has an easy LTW. She's also pretty easy on the eyes if you haven't noticed.Cons: No real glaring ones that I can think of, besides that fact that she is a romance sim.

Lastly we have Atlantica Legasea. I happen to think she is the prettiest sim ever.

Aspiration: fortuneLTW: to become a business tycoonNeat: 10Outgoing: 7Active: 6Playful: 4Nice: 5

Pros: She's gorgeous. We still need her grave. She is extremely neat. She is the only child to keep the legacy eyes.Cons: None really

**As a special note: All of the potential spouses of the heirs have been turned into underwater forms of simselves, and we have some pretty wild stuff left to show you guys. Do not vote for a sim based solely on skintone. It is likely to change every generation anyway. Vote on things like features and aspirations.

So that's it people! Remember to vote for your favorite. Until next time, happy swimming!