High Nobility Houses and their Crowns

(Year 235, Spring) This Spring all high nobility nobles were directed to renew the portraits showing their High Nobility Crowns, both Peer and Consort versions. The crowns are quite valuable desbite their relatively young age (crafted in Year 151), they are owned by the regional trusts and the portraits are used to illustrate the online Heirloom index (link to each House's heirlooms below).

Because they all (bar one) did visit the Photographer, it's a great opportunity for us all to take a quick look at those fresh portraits! Who are the current top nobles of Mazaloom kingdom?

New Dynasty emblems for Dukedoms

(Year 234, Winter) Today there was another ceremonial event taking place at the Royal Palace of Mazaloom. It was time to hand the framed new crest emblems to the first nobles, this time all five dukedoms were present.

The event took place in Mazaloom Great Hall, which is the entrance area of the palace, regularly used for smaller exhibitions and concerts etc. The press was there, and a few curious commoners had arrived, to witness the whole thing.

One by one the five dukes stepped forward to get their new framing. The crest will identify their brand new dynasties, as Mazaloom had no such thing in the past. Someone might need to make a few adjustments to get the symbolic deco object up on the wall...

Prime Minister House Opened

(Year 234, Winter) Mazaloom kingdom got its own Prime Minister House! It was debated a couple years ago, and now the building is ready, just in time for the upcoming election.

Current Prime Minister, Mr Wilder, is too old for re-election, and he will not move in. But our future PM will stay here for as long as holding the PM position. The building is not exactly a castle, but provides good standard facilities for a Prime Minister's many working tasks, like meetings and receptions, and upstairs there is enough space for a small family to reside. Private needs will vary from period to period, and because most top politicians are quite old, children might have left the nest already.

This week there was a formal opening of Prime Minister House, that is located at Willow Field in Gloomville (Region Gloom).

Do You Descend from King Baltazar II? (Part 4 of 5 - Advorton and Gloom)

Mazaloom kingdom is nearly 235 years old. The many monarchs left a wide set of descendants, located all over the kingdom. In this series we're learning what current residents do descend from the greatest king of them all; King Baltazar II, reigning Y2-Y48.

Back in the Medieval era his household resided at Heighwood Castle (Britechester), but his children and grandchildren spread widely, mostly through the well established aristocracy.

This is the last chapter, covering regions that include districts like Ciudad Enamorada, Chestnut Ridge, Oasis Springs, StrangerVille, Gloomville, Newcrest, Brindleton Bay and Evergreen Harbor. Only one more chapter remains, the abroad descendants.

Winner announced: Mazaloom Achievement Award Year 233

(Year 233, Winter) They say that it takes three times to make a new tradition, and this week a tradition was sealed! The annual Mazaloom Achievement Reward for maxing a skill was handed out for the third time. The committee, lead by HRH Crown Princess Emireza, searched high and low for this year's awarded resident. She was found in Brindleton Bay and her great achievement is maxing the Cooking skill.

HRH Crown Princess Emireza (22) and Emma Sherwood (87).

Emma Sherwood (87) served House de Cavalier for decades, cooking their daily meals. But she also prepared food for large parties, and she was a trusted support for the duke's three children - today all grown up. When Emma retired, she was offered to move in at Hindquarter Manor, an estate owneed privately by the duke. She would stay there for as long as she wanted, and without serving the household - unless she felt like occasionally giving a hand.

Royal Court - Investitures

(Year 233, Winter) First day of Winter is Investiture Day, also known as the annual Royal Court. On this day HRM King Tarriot, or a member of the royal family in his place, will knight new members of the high orders of the kingdom, or confirm a new Peerage holder. In addition other members of the large peerage will be officially announced. It is a day with long treaditions, including a gala dinner in the evening.

This year four persons got the main attention. Houses of Kaching, Cavalier, Croismare and Crumplebottom, all entered the Throne Room podium to receive their royal blessing.

Gossips #14

(Year 232, Winter) I'm back with he 14th issue of my wonderful gossips column! Welcome!

This time I tried to restrict myself, but you get a lengthy read anyway! Rest assured there is juicy stuff waiting - including the nude photo of a mature princess! You might notice that I will no longer use each district name for the heading graphics, instead we'll just have one graphical heading for each region. And - if you are like me, you are quite fed up with those eight regional numbers, so in the future I'll just stick with the regions' names. This issue will be the last where those numbers are included in the text - we got so much more important stuff to focus on than numbers, right!

Cavalier dukedom: Heir birth announced

(Year 232, Winter) The Cavalier dukedom, located in Brindleton Bay, Region 8 (formerly Region 12), has announced the birth of their heir! The little boy was born last week, and will be named Lord Merquess Bendel Leophold de Cavalier.

Few years ago the proud parents, Duke Charlopold and Duchess Luna de Cavalier had a daughter, Lady Cloudetta, but dukedoms can only be succeeded by sons. The family resides at Chateau Cavalier, at Cavalier Cove. They have been very restrictive not showing the face of their children, but as they grow a bit older it might get harder to avoid at least some regional exposure.

Mazaloom Basketball Cup Year 232

(Year 232, Fall) The popular Mazaloom Basketball Club arranges a club Cup every other year in Fall. The club has many members, but - as for many sports organizations - only the so-called elite members can enter the Mazaloom Basketball Cup. Contestants are aged 20-50, and Elite members have minimum 5 Fitness skills and 2 Handiness skills. The higher skills, the better chance to win anything, being this national contest or something international like the Simlympics, that is only every 6th year.

This year's national arrangement was a great event with perfect weather and a good cheering crowd. These cups are played outdoor, so bad weather will make it harder to everyone involved. Two years ago it was all cancelled - first delayed one week, but the rainstorm continued.

Current Head of the club is Stig Pratt-Anderson, and he says they really hope for a modern indoor arena soon.

Exhibition: My Estate is my Palace

(Year 232, Summer) We already heard about the adjustments of the large peerage, where 12 high nobility peers were reduced to 8. A final confirmation of these changes is expected this Fall. The Royal Chamber, which is overseeing the large peerage as well as initiating these changes, now wants to focus more on the 8 high nobility peers that are still considered high nobility. And why not do so through a mini exhibition?

A dedicated crowd attended the exhibition opening of «My Estate is my Palace».

This weekend the exhibition «My Estate is my Palace» opened at the Casbah Gallery at Arts Quarter in San Myshuno.

Nobility Descending from Kings

(Year 232, Summer) Mazaloom kingdom has a wide aristocracy including a level of high nobility. Today this level includes 12 Houses, but come the Regional Reform Y233 the exclusive list shall count only 8 high nobility Houses, one for each region. Let's have a look at the current 12 Peers; Who can track their lines back to our kings? And, will those royal lines affect what 4 Houses that will shortly drop to regular nobility (often referred to as low nobility)?

Let's check the House by House. There are 5 dukedoms, 4 counties and 3 baronies. Only the dukedoms are secured a position as high nobility. Here is how they rank by royal heritage:

Brindleton mourns: Old-Duchess Claudine dies at 82

(Year 232, Spring) Silence was all that could be heard in Brindleton Bay this morning, after it was announced that the highly beloved Old-Duchess Claudine de Cavalier is no more. The popular lady died this morning after being sick for a short time.

Her full name was Claudine Beatrix (Roxenfox) de Cavalier, born as the oldest of three daughters to the Baron Bendel of Lunderclam in Year 150. Aged 39 she married to Duke Aquess de Cavalier and moved to Cavalier Cove in Brindleton Bay.

Plants and Climate Zones

(Year 231, Spring) Our kingdom covers 8 regions that represent numerous climate zones. It makes sense that some plants can not be grown in just any zone with the same good result. Today info on climate zone was added to the already existing "The Duchess' Botanical Table".

CEO Malcolm Landgraab looked a bit skeptical - will the climate zones interfere with his business plans?

Because we already knew what plants thrive in our own region, many would see this is a minor thing. But the project team found it worthy of a full scale press conference at Landgraab Science Institute in Oasis Springs. The results were presented and a few details regarding future focus revealed, because the job is far from completed! The project is a cooperate effort involving the Health & Welfare Dept., the Science & Education Dept., and the institute. Rebekah Starks (MIDDLE party), Leader of the Health & Welfare Dept. stated that the work includes environmental facts, that are not always accurate because each district can span multiple zones.

Gossips #9

(Year 231, Spring) Welcome to another gossips edition! This time some fresh Spring gossips, right before we get to this year's Social Season! I'm Antoinette Morck, milk farmer from Henford-on-Bagley, but many years as a city resident brought me pretty close to the celebrities cauldron, *shrug*. This is my 9th edition - hey, someone must have gotten those numbers wrong? It feels like I just got started!

I'm so glad that Region 8 Advorton, including Chestnut Ridge, seems to get more into publicity. I'll be looking out for regional gossips, hopefully there will be some in my next edition. Today I must warn  you there will be very little nobility gossips. I simply had to mash together news from so many other instances, there was no room for nobility!

Baby Boom

(Year 230, Fall) It's baby boom in Mazaloom kingdom, and to celebrate the arrival of numerous new citizens, let's take a quick tour to greet some of them!

Hello Maryann Oswald!

Baby expert Heidi L. Wooblershield says there will normally be a boom when a top celebrity has children, or if royals establish a new generaion. But these days none of these are actual, bar all the recent rumors addressing movie star Judith Ward's sudden family focus.

Royal students visited Exhibition «Rewind: Sim Sessions»

(Year 230, Fall) Not quite recent, but still worth a notice. Late Summer a small group of students got a guided tour of the Sim Session exhibition at Munipical Muse Museum in Gloomville. The teens included HRH Crown Princess Emireza (19) and her brother HRH Prince Bazillimus (17) with two friends.

Left to right: Nancy D. Roxenfox, Crown Princess Emireza, Prince Bazillimus,
Belly "Billy" Bobb and Cornelus Au. Dougham.

Museum curator Nancy D. Roxenfox welcomed the little group from Summerfield Boarding School in Windenburg. The event was off records, and turned out to be a spontaneous idea from the Crown Princess.

Judith Ward's new Movies

(Year 230 Fall) Late Summer there was a film premiere from Simmerville Studio, and this Winter there is yet another one! Both movies feature global star Judith Ward (66).

Added: Now available for download!

At the press meeting in the studio café in Gloomville few weeks ago, that also presented financial overcasts and a line up of future productions, CEO Fritz Mervil (38) more than hinted that the two movies had taken longer than expected thanks to conflicts between crew and cast. When a journalist asked whether the conflict included Judith Ward, Mervil quickly changed subject.

Now Airing: The Bagged Talent - Part 1 of 6

The Bagged Talent has aired! There will be 6 shows all to air on Sundays (morning US time), and voting is possible for 72 hours (Sun-Mon-Tue). I will need the rest of the week to prepare for the next show.

So - grab the popcorn and check out the 8 contenders singing their hearts out in this 1st edition. Voting is open, and you can vote for up to 3 favorites (normally 2, but we need a flying start, right?). Vote by posting those character names in a video comment, or if you don't have a Youtube account, post in the "The Bagged Talent" thread on the official TS4 forum.

Each show lasts 8-12 minutes, obviously a bit shorter as the contenders get fewer.

Host: Khloe Adrian

Panel: Olivia Clump and Lord Leon de Cavalier

Produced by Simmerville Studio

Enjoy :)

Gossips #5

(Year 230, Spring) Her is another issue of gossips from Antoinette Morck!

- Today I'm happy to share tons of gossips with you! Let's (almost) ignore the royal family for now, and rather check rumors from other corners of Mazaloom! His Majesty the King is busy addressing equality, but the announced press conference has not yet taken place and my in-palace contacts keep silence. But don't worry, we've got so much to focus on elsewhere!

The Bagged Talent: Hostess announced!

 Today there was a quick press meeting at Simmerville Studio, regarding the announcement of who shall be hosting the upcoming TV-show "The Bagged Talent". And to everyone's surprise it was not any well known Actress or TV-personality, but the very unexperienced Khloe Adrian (25) from San Myshuno!

The Bagged Talent hostess Khloe Adrian (left) was introduced by CEO Fritz Mervil.

The brief session was held by Simmerville Studio's CEO and talk show celebrity, Fritz Mervil.