Odyssey: Garden of Eden, Chapter 1

This challenge is so unique and so different that you’d be hard pressed to find any one like it. The challenge is what you make it, you pick your rules and limitations through mini challenges and then, halfway through the challenge you choose your own path. How do you want your family to go? Towards the light…or towards the dark? Remember though, it all comes full circle.  Have you ever wanted to try an apocalypse challenge but found the rules too restricting? (And there are so many of them!) This challenge is for you! It’s kind of a mix between an apocalypse and a choose-your-own-adventure book. (Does anyone remember those besides me?) It’s also perfect for those who crave a challenge that begins in the past, and becomes more modern with each generation. It’s fantastic for story-telling, but would work well for a commentary-type story as well.

This is how the rules for the EPIC challenge start off and it sounds great.  Let’s see how this starts, who our founder is, and how far we get.

General Rules

• Homes are limited to one room in the house per occupant.
• There can only be one baby (pregnancy) per generation, unless you randomly get twins/triplets (Fertile trait and On Ley Line lot traits are not allowed).
  • I am turning risky woohoo off so there will be no accidents.

Generation 1

• Must plant a garden on the lot. Founder should choose a lot with easy access to a fishing hole.
• House may only be wood or stone, with a dirt, stone, or wood floor. Wooden windows are allowed.
• Electricity has not yet been invented, so NO lights (except candles/torches) or electronics.
• Toilet must be placed outside, outhouse-style (except without the “house” part…so no walls enclosing it).
• No showers allowed, and the tub must be placed outside (I.E. filled with pond water).
• Since there is no running water, sprinklers may not be used.
• Only the cheapest washing machine is allowed, and no dryer (just the clothes line). **use the wash tub if available
• A female founder or female spouse must enroll in the culinary or gardening career.  Male founder or male spouse must enroll in the astronaut or gardening career.
• Women must have babies at home – NO hospital.
• No vacation travel (planes haven’t been invented yet).
• Can only gain athletic skill from the weight bench, jogging or swimming. **punching bag is also allowed
• 2nd generation heir must get to level 5 skill of two of the following before he/she becomes a YA: gardening, fishing, cooking. **as a teen
• No phone use (they haven’t been invented yet). Must go to others’ houses to visit/meet someone. May travel within the town (through loading screens but not on vacation). **phone is allowed for travel; can also click on the road to travel without using the phone

Gen 1 Mini Challenge:

• NO fridge allowed until the founder or spouse reaches level 10 of his/her chosen career. Sims must eat from their own garden. Before their garden is providing food, they will have to find others’ gardens from which to eat. +3 points

Mini Challenges:

Roll the Dice: Give yourself 5 extra points if you randomize traits of all children for the whole challenge (minus the required traits following the crossroads). **random trait mod 

“Every family has one…”: This mini challenge is in addition to the Roll the Dice challenge. Give yourself 1 point for each sim who rolls the Erratic trait.

“No well-behaved woman ever made history.”: Can you make your challenge into a Matriarchy? 10 points **will plant and eat strawberries during each pregnancy

Gnome Mania: Give yourself one point for each gnome on the family lot by the end of the challenge. Additionally, give yourself one point for each TYPE of gnome the family has collected. **these are the gnomes from the gnome holiday tradition – do not purchase them from buy mode.

Hoarder: An extra 10 points for each completed collection the family has ON the lot at the end of the challenge.

Creature Comforts: 3 points for each type of creature which joins your family’s household at any point in the challenge (Ghost, Vampire, Alien). **one time points

DIY: No handyman may be called at any time during the challenge; all broken appliances, plumbing, and electronics must be fixed by someone in the household. No maid or butler may be hired. Nannies are not allowed, but daycare is – you have to work, after all. 5 points

Love the One You’re With: 5 points if all spouses are found within the town and not created in CAS.

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree. ~Martin Luther

Founder: Marilyn Odyssey

• Traits: Loves Outdoors, Vegetarian, Cheerful
• Aspiration: Freelance Botanist
• Career: Gardener

Marilyn is named after Marilyn Monroe, American actress, singer, and model.

Odyssey Homestead

Marilyn begins her life standing on her new property with a simple house, no running water and no electricity.  At least she has a roof over her head and the simple basics to get her started.  She takes a job as a Dirt-Digger (level 1) and her first task is to purchase some seeds.  Done.

Now she has to raise her skill in gardening to level 2 and there is only one good way to do that.  She needs a garden to feed herself and there is no time like the present.

Scattering her seeds out behind the house, she begins the process of planting them.  Not all of them are spring plants, but she will build skill when she plants them and she needs that right now.  Later she will straighten the garden up, but for now, they are scattered everywhere.  I would send her fishing, but she is a vegetarian so she doesn’t like fish.  That might not have been well thought out, but at least she doesn’t have to do fishing this generation.  She will just eat her produce.

She can also roast veggie dogs and marshmallows on her fire which will give her some options.

She builds two separate gardens, one for the edibles and one for the ornamentals.  Both are still setup haphazardly, but eventually they will be organized a little better.  She has to start somewhere.

She decides to roast hot dogs, and she will regret that because she is a vegetarian but she was bored and looking for something fun to do.  All of the sims walking by are teens.  She was hoping to not have to leave the area to meet someone new, but she might have to with the current choices.

Marilyn is saved from the upset of eating meat when her chair catches on fire.

Then in a random bit of failure, she is unable to put out the fire until the chairs and lamp burn to a crisp.  Eventually the fire burned itself out and Marilyn replaced the chairs and lamp and called it a day.  The remain hot dog was charred beyond saving so she tossed it on the trash.  Tomorrow is a new day.

Simmers!

If you’re interested in writing and/or reading sims stories, participating in fun competitions and events, joining a friendly and welcoming community, completing legacies and challenge and earning medals, or just having a great place to discuss Sims 2, Sims 3, or Sims 4, then there is a place for you at the