Week One

Like many founders, Rainbow's first order of business was to find a spouse. I sent her to meet Felipe Marshall.

Now, listen... Felipe's a married man, and I don't relish in breaking up Townie couples, especially the cute ones. But when reviewing the eligible bachelors in Appaloosa Plains, I was at a loss as to who I thought Rainbow would mesh well with. She and Felipe are both Technophobes and Animal Lovers; his lifetime wish is also Renaissance Sim, which is perfect for a founder's spouse. I was almost certain there'd be a spark (and if there was, a dynasty girl has to do what a dynasty girl has to do).

They talked for a little while, but no hearts. I was kind of stunned. I didn't really have a backup spouse in mind; I had thought, for sure, their two matching traits would inspire attraction! Obviously, she could've gone for him anyways, but I didn't feel right about breaking up a marriage without even an attraction to justify it.

On a hunch, I sent Rainbow to the dog park to meet Benjamin Schmidt, who I was already thinking of moving in as a dynasty artist. And look what happened!

They share no traits, nor a career, nor any skills. I'm not sure what factors influence attraction, but I wouldn't have guessed this outcome. Benjamin is slated as town heartthrob and heartbreaker, which is also his lifetime wish; I guess he'll have to find a different calling.

He's Friendly, Charismatic, a Great Kisser, Brave, and Handy. I hope he's handy with a chainsaw, because that's the only thing he's going to be seeing for the next two weeks.

He drove them to the lot in his truck...

...which just wouldn't do, for a cash-strapped (and emissions-conscious) dynasty founder like Rainbow. The truck and some items in his inventory immediately got sold off, bringing the household to about §10,000. I thought this would go significantly farther than it ended up going. Whoops! They were at almost §0 by the time I finished building this shell of a starter home.

They spent their first two nights at the fire department instead, doing odd jobs during the day until we could afford furnishings. Benjamin was working at Doo Peas, or whatever the Appaloosa Plains equivalent is, but he quit immediately to focus on the dynasty. I might have him pick up a career later, to hopefully keep some Townies around; Trip gave me the tip that the game will not cull any of your active Sim's coworkers.

I had Rainbow collect scrap at the junkyard. I have no idea why I thought this would be an efficient way to make money. She got very dirty, and all those reeds up her dress can't have been comfortable, and in the end, the sale of scrap from all her toiling might not have broken §100. 

This is Benjamin's german shepherd, Ralston. He started training her to hunt immediately.

For my previous Immortal Dynasty attempt, I didn't allow myself to exploit dog hunting for Tiberium, but... it's just too good! It's too satisfying, to take those uncut ore to the Elixir Shop and cut them for free(!), to lay all the gems and gem dust all out on the floor and wait for them to grow... I couldn't resist.

Ralston really put the dynasty on her back, financially. She found a Tiberium her first night hunting, and a second her second night! This set Ben and Rainbow up comfortably for the coming weeks, but they still had to get enough funds up for some basic necessities while waiting for the Tiberium to grow.

Wildflower picking is also just too good to resist. I don't usually play with Seasons, but I took full advantage, though the daisy Rainbow is so prettily sniffing wasn't worth much. Ben's Sweet William (§200) and Cosmos (§600) were much more profitable.

Rainbow cutting the Tiberium:

And taking advantage of the fire station's amenities (which include organic quick meals!):

Ben sculpting:

The sculptor's station was the first item purchased once they had enough funds. I've attempted the Immortal Dynasty many, many times, and I always find the ice sculpture turnaround for the first generation so tight. We'll see if he can get there before Rainbow's adult birthday. She started the game with only 14 days left as a young adult, which feels like a lot less than usual.

The Tiberium. Once we had a grown one, I was able to furnish and fill out the house. The others will keep the family funded until Rainbow's garden starts to make a good income. I think the house turned out really cute. I took these pictures after a rain. Part of the reason I don't play with Seasons, at least for these challenges, is because all it seems to do is rain.

Overhead shot:

It's just enough room for the two of them. I'm really happy with how it turned out. I completely freestyled. I find it quite idyllic.

The clothesline and chicken coop in the backyard just felt right.

Rainbow tends to the coop in the morning before working on her garden. She's much happier here. Not many apartments in Bridgeport are zoned for chicken coops.

She also paints, and cooks, and is developing a friendship with Ralston. 

She has a wish to get another dog that I saved and am going to fulfill, at some point. I find it so difficult to keep a single pet's social need high when the Sims in the household are all busy. I'm always getting threats from the adoption worker that they'll come confiscate my dogs.

Rainbow's SuperMax skill is going to be gardening. She's also going to do portraits and cook ambrosia for the rest of the dynasty. So far, she's completed three gardening opportunities, and is at level five. She's been selling the produce she's been growing, but the real money won't come in until she gets to level seven, when she can plant Glow Orbs. If I'm remembering right for the last dynasty, they can sell for something crazy like several hundred Simoleans apiece at the consignment store. It won't be difficult for her to max her career (self-employed gardener). She managed to snag one Glow Orb from the Elixir Shop, which will be used to propagate the rest of her garden.

The Super Sleeper is the only electronic in the house (apart from a stereo). Rainbow has to share a bedroom with it, and finds it unbelievably obtrusive. She likes to try and sabotage it.

Some gems that Ralston has gathered, including a rainbow gem at the forefront:

The only gems I plan on selling are the Tiberiums. I love collecting the other ones. And it gives all the rooms in the house a "Beautifully Decorated (+40)" moodlet.

Ben working on an ice sculpture:

He's currently at level nine, and has done about ten of them. All he does is sculpt and use the Super Sleeper. He's stir crazy because I won't even let him step off the lot until he gets the skill challenge for 25 ice sculptures.

Things are going well. I didn't want them to have their first child too soon, because that put me in such a crunch for second generation museum pieces with my previous attempt. But I think they'll be ready soon. It seems like they're ready, too... ahem, Ben, I thought you said you were fixing the shower!