Veridia Round 2: Hill Farm

[eulalia]

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Calm the fuck down, Elmet.
Actually, you know what, I finally found the one thing he and Eisu have in common:



His wants panel just looks like that, like, all the time.




Anyway, while Eisu is sleeping in, the rest of the household is taking care of things. Elmet may have made fish for breakfast, but he did make breakfast. No one said you have to break your fast with porridge or bread.

Drustan: Glamaer thinks babies are made by kissing.

Elmet: Uhhh, yeah, that’s definitely how it works. That’s why you gotta carefully choose who you wanna kiss when you’re a grown-up.




Xiang: Are you filling my child’s head with nonsense again, Elmet?

Elmet: Hey, you can explain it to him. This is so not in my job description as uncle. I’m supposed to give him obnoxious toys and teach him how to drink, not do the birds and the bees thing.

Drustan: Bees?!






After a not-at-all awkward breakfast, Xiang, Drustan, and Elmet headed over to the pond to go fishing, something Elmet quickly loses interest in, since he does it every dang night. Okay, maybe a little less often now that he visits Helenet at night...
There’s a lot more people here during the day when I change the visitor controller restrictions!






One free therapy session for Elmet was quite enough for Norweni, thank you. This is so not in her job description either.






Looking badass while practicing archery, tho? Definitely in her job description.




After nightfall and his subsequent wolfing out, Elmet returns to the woods, which thankfully are a lot emptier. At least he’s easily entertained.






Arturo: I take it you are the werewolf the little mortal was talking about.

Elmet: Ah! Jeez, don’t sneak up on people like that! Wait, how did I not hear you? Wait—ooooooh, that’s what Helenet was talking about. Huh.








Now that he’s actually met Helenet’s mysterious woods-dweller, Elmet can’t help but be fascinated. Unfortunately, the man—Arturo—is less than forthcoming. He’s also very insistent that he’s not anything. Not a god, not fae, not a spirit, not human. Elmet is doubtful of some of those, but has to let it go.

Elmet: So how long have you lived here?

Arturo: I am uncertain. I stayed here for a while. Then, for a time, I didn’t. Now I am back.

Elmet: Okay... and you don’t leave the woods or talk to anybody except, for some reason, Helenet?

Arturo: I grew weary of concealing my nature, and of watching the world move ever onward past me.




Elmet: Wow, and I thought my thing sucked.

Arturo: As for the little mortal, that was not intentional. She stumbled past my wards and into the grove I have made my home all on her own. Now I am instructing her how to use her magic properly.

Elmet: Oh, I bet she just loves when you call her that—wait, magic?

Arturo: That is what I said, yes.

Elmet: She’s a witch?




Arturo: I understand that she, too, conceals her nature, but out of fear of disappointing others. She was poorly instructed by, I gather, a family otherwise well-known for their talent.

Elmet: I knew she’s on poor terms with her family, but not that part. Huh. We’ve, uh, gotten pretty close too.






Arturo speaks very precisely and seriously, in a deliberate way that reminds Elmet a little of the way his brother-in-law talks (in Xiang’s case, because this tongue is his third or fourth language). But he also doubles over and guffaws when Elmet tells him a dirty joke. The contrast doesn’t exactly convince Elmet that he’s not part of the fae. It’s a very fae-like way to act.






Elmet: I have to ask. You’re magic, right? Can you cure me? Of the lycanthropy?

Arturo: Why would I do that?




Elmet: Uh, because it sucks! I have to run home at sunset to make sure no one finds out and tries to chase me out of the village! I’m starving every night and I have to sweep up loose fur every morning! My brother’s cat keeps hissing at me!

Arturo: There are limits to my magic, and regardless, it is not something to be cured. It’s a part of you now.

Elmet: Then what good is magic! I thought you might understand, but obviously not.





* * *










Helenet is here! Baby impending!










Oh no, that joke was so good that the baby decided they need to come hear it for real.






Welcome to Veridia, Jia! She has Xiang’s dark gray eyes and a tan complexion passed down from Eisu's mother.




Okay, Drustan’s over it.




I have bad news for you about babies, then, Eisu.




I love this default.






Xiang makes sure to leave an offering and thanks to his own spirits for their new daughter. He keeps a small shrine for the spirits and his ancestors; he’s not sure if they can hear him from so far away, but it can’t hurt.




Elmet manages to convince Helenet to go out with him after everything with Eisu and baby Jia is settled.

Helenet: Oh, alright. You’re a bad influence. Let me get this apron off first.












Kinet: Da, noooo.

It’s his job to embarrass you sometimes, Kinet!






After they eat, they decide to take a stroll by the pond near Helenet’s house, and Elmet decides now is as good a time as any to ask.

Elmet: Helenet... do you think... would you be willing to do me the honor of wedding me?

Helenet: Oh, yes!

Elmet: It doesn’t have to be right away, but even someda—you said yes!

Helenet: I did! Yes!








Helenet: You know, no one’s using the hunter’s shelter right now...

Elmet: You always have such good ideas.






Helenet falls asleep afterward, and Elmet isn’t about to wake her from her rest; she works so hard. Luckily he’s used to entertaining himself here, and he has some apples shoved in his inventory pocket to eat when he wolfs out.







Helenet: You should’ve woken me!

Elmet: You looked like you needed sleep. You want some burnt fish or should I walk you home?

Helenet: Hm, burnt fish does sound appealing, but it is getting late for us non-wolves.




Jia is adorable.




Also loud. She did not like this bassinet... cradle... thing.




The new ram ran off too. 😩 But he did his job first and both the ewes are expecting now, so hopefully their flock will continue to slowly grow.




Thanks, girl, I’m gonna sell that to buy wedding clothes.






I knew cats chase butterflies, but I didn’t realize they did the same with fireflies!










Sent Elmet to the market to buy a piece of jewelry for Helenet. Maybe once we get rid of him, the rest of the household will get some focus, lmao.




Gytha. Gytha, no. Also, where are your eyebrows???






Drustan: Aunt Fial! Do you know how babies are made? Bàba and Da told me, because they said Uncle Elmet was ‘lying irresponsibly’ to me! I didn’t know you could lie responsibly.

Elmet: Dunk, no. For the love of the spirits.

Fial: *barely contained laughter* No, that’s okay, thank you, Drustan.








These two love to fish now. This is going much better than Xiang’s bee-related lessons.




Speaking of, I bought Drustan a hive as per @moocha-muses’s suggestion, but forgot to stock it. We’ll just have to remember to drag Shep around to give him a lesson when autumn comes.






Hey, were you wondering if Elmet has gotten any better at talking to people now that he’s made some friends and even gotten engaged?

No. No, he hasn’t.




These two have a really cute friendship. :) Drustan actually wants to be friends with Glamaer’s sister, Gytha, too, but Gytha doesn’t seem to like him.








Now that they’ve finally met, Arturo usually shows up shortly after Elmet arrives at the pond at night. Helenet’s right; once you get him talking, he seems starved for company.






Elmet: So if you’re not a god, and you’re not fae... are you a witch? Something else? Cuz I gotta say, the green tattoos and the antlers aren’t exactly screaming ’not part of the fae’.

Arturo: No. And they are not tattoos. It is a curse of some kind, I was told. I slept in the forest once, and the forest left its mark on me.

Elmet: Yikes.

Arturo: I have no word in this language for whatever I am besides that. A long time ago, I traveled very far and met both talented scientists and magicians, but none could elaborate beyond that, nor tell if it’s breakable.

Elmet: That sucks. You know what, c'mere—






Arturo seems surprised by the hug Elmet gives him, but after a moment his arms go around Elmet in turn, and his hand lingers on Elmet’s shoulder like he doesn’t want to let go.




Where’s the ‘it’s all coming together’ Emperor’s New Groove meme when I need it.










There are things Xiang misses from home sometimes: tea (real tea, not those herbal concoctions Helenet makes), his mother’s soup, but reading most of all. Poetry, philosophy, natural texts... when he left home, space in his knapsack was limited, and over the years he bartered away the few scrolls he did bring.




At least he’s got that sword?














The garden is growing!! Readers may or may not have noticed that I’ve been swapping the Maxis-style crops for the Sun & Moon ones, which require less care. I think in the future I might use a mixture of the Sun & Moon and the Maxis-style crops. In my regular game, I prefer the Maxis ones since I can just click ‘water many’ and go, but it takes them so damn long to weed these little kitchen gardens.




Since their larder is pretty well-packed, Eisu sells the produce to townie Elphin. I’m vaguely planning to set up a marketplace as an owned business at some point, owned by Elphin (who actually is still living on my test lot). I don’t want to play a giant business lot, I just want my sims to have the benefits of one. >_>




Xiang: Are apples supposed to be this color? I feel like they aren’t supposed to be this color.




Dunk, pls stop. Elmet, I KNOW this is your fault somehow.




Elmet is counting down the days until he can join Helenet’s household, even in his sleep.






Drustan: Bába? Can you teach ME how to do that?

Xiang: Hm—yes, but let’s start with something a little less intense than push-ups.




I can’t believe Drustan is already going to age up at the beginning of fall. I lowkey considered getting a muuuuuch longer age mod for Veridia.








Elmet eventually got around to telling his family about him and Helenet. Eisu immediately wants to know if they’re planning to start their own family after their marriage.

Elmet: Uhhh—

Xiang: I don’t think everyone has baby fever like us, love.

Elmet: I mean, eventually. Give us a minute, Eisu, damn.

Eisu: I’m just saying, it’d be great for Jia to have cousins close in age! And so nearby, too.




Drustan is constantly appalled by his dad and his uncle burping or scarfing their food, poor child.






Hi, Norweni! Norweni, Helenet, and Angus are here to help celebrate Jia’s birthday. Luckily everyone here is in on the wolf secret, so no one’s particularly surprised by Elmet transforming in the middle of the party. (When did Angus learn his future step-father is a werewolf, you ask? Idk, just roll with it.)








Aw, cute! Jia is nice and REALLY active. Looks like her face mostly takes after Eisu (he’s got those chubby cheeks too, just hidden by the beard).




Ugh, fine, ONE more, but you still have to change nappies.




Aw, I thought they might become friends. :(




Eisu: So have you decided a day for the wedding?

Norweni: Not yet. I’m so tired, I haven’t really thought about it. Babies should sleep more at night.

Eisu: They’re pretty notorious for not doing that.

Norweni: Anyway, I figured I can try to bribe Fial into planning things for us instead. She’ll probably agree.

Eisu: Let her know I can help!






Guys, Elmet adores this kid. Endless snuggles and games of peek-a-boo. Jia seems to like his furry ears.










Xiang: ...This is too many wolves.






Elmet: You guys have GOT to stop coming into the village like this. Oh, don’t give me that! People are going to start blaming you for every lamb that gets loose and wanders off.




Elmet: Fine, you can have a piece of bacon.








Not only is Jia adorable, she’s quickly learning her toddler skills.




I have ideas for what the other kids in Veridia will do when they grow up, but not for Drustan yet. Well, we have his whole teenagehood to consider it.






Jia is unfazed by Elmet’s transformation.




Mouse, on the other hand, pounced him and sped off, looking very pleased with himself.

Elmet: Yeah, give me a heart attack, cat, why not.