Hope Terra - se 1 - ch 0: Introduction

Welcome to my brand new The Sims 3 story, taking place in my new world, Hope Terra.

This is the Mersea. Water as far as you can see in all directions, only a small cluster of rocks where the locals can escape from their worries and rest their fins.

The small group of the Mer People who reigns these waters, counts only five families and are referred to as the Mersea group. Long ago they lived farther north, but the Mudder group forced them to give up their waters. The Mudder group was stronger and also into the darker powers. Mersea ain't a safe haven, though, something is affecting the sea ground in bad ways, and the Mersea group already had to move once, farther south.

One of the families of the Mersea group is the Merez family. Merman Aquatore and Mermaid Shimmere are both elderly, and the two beautiful young daughters, Myrnah and Hope, grew up to young adults not so long ago.

This family often comes up to the surface. It feels much safer up there, high above the sea ground. Hope is the redhaired, she is probably the best swimmer of the entire group.

The Mer People never counted lives in years, they just live for a time which is often much longer than a human life. Only occasionally one of them might get wounded by a ship, or even killed by a cave monster. Most Mer People die from very old age when their scales start falling off and their fins no longer function well. At this time the old member will simply swim away from the group, as far as they last.

Aquator, Shimmere, Myrnah and Hope also like it at their new home, called Mersea south. The other four families lives in this hood, too, just not on the same spot. They were forced to leave Mersea North when the grounds were infiltered with poisons, and the Mudder group claimed the remaining values of the area.

Shimmere's first husband was killed by a ship long ago, she remarried Aquator Merez. She carries the orange ring that requires some introduction.

There exists many rings owned by the Mer People, maybe as many as fifty. Each ring holds a unique power, leading to one or two benefits - good or bad. Only 3 rings are known to hold damaging powers, those rings are said to be black, very dark green or dark brown.

Shimmere's orange ring gives them power of growth, leading to food and control. Much more useful on land than underwaters, although Aquator used to be quite successful at growing Kelp. There exists a couple more rings within the Mersea group, all with good to neutral powers.

There is a well known rule; that two rings shall never blend on one hand, no matter qualities. That's why each family never owned more than one ring. Separated the rings have clear effects, but combined their powers will cause extreme grades of insanity, depending on what powers are blended!

Tradition says a family ring shall be carried by the bride on her wedding day to bring the family's power onward to the next generation. Then the ring will rest until her elderly life stage when she will carry it until she dies, or until the ring was inherited by the bride of a new generation. Therefore, if you meet any adult mermaid with no ring, you stll can't tell for sure whether she holds a power or not.

Shimmere and Aquator have not yet decided who shall have the orange ring, Myrnah or Hope. Traditionally the oldest and most promising heir would marry first and thereby get the ring. But while Myrnah is Shimmere's oldest, Hope is Aquator's only child. The young mermaids are half sisters being equally skilled and successful.

These days Aquator has bigger worries on his mind than the orange ring. Although the Mersea group moved farther south, the poisons on the sea ground seems to spread! Some thinks the heavy poison is caused by human industrial activity, perhaps a ship dumped some wastes in the ocean? Wastes that magically came to life and started to spread?

Because the Sea People often rests onto or very near sea ground, the poison is a big problem to them. Some were already infected and died before they reached the end of their time, and Aquatore realizes that his group will die shortly. There is no better waters around that is not already occupied by the Mudder group, the carriers of at least one of the darker powers. The Mersea group is trapped - if there was only a way out of this! If they can't stay in the waters, they will need to climb onto Terra, but how?

First real chapter - introducing the stranded Sailor - will be posted January 20!

Below is some more information on each individual of this little family. Note that the latest cards of the current main family is always available on the story's main page.

Note that in order to simplify the traits system, each character has 3 dominant traits and 2 supporting. Their personality will mostly reflect the first 3.

 Also note the number on the circle right above the traits, it's the character's status value. I used this system for all my legacies; a child will have parents' average status, but depending on other matters the number can raise or drop by 1. This way there will normally be a clear difference between families, as the factor affects such as wealth and success. When children within a family might have varying numbers, it's it easier to pick the heir. The number can be as low as 1 and as high as 6.

Shimmere is of slightly higher status than Aquator, and Myrnah and Hope are of equal status, actually higher than Aquator but I'll not bother you with decimal numbers :).