Life After Death, Part 8: Iounn's Conclusion

This is a story that began with death.

All Father Odin was dead before we even began. That is the secret, the rude truth that none of my forebears care to say out loud - we are a family of dead gods. Ragnarok happened. There were no survivors. Hel was victorious, Fenris ate the sun.

But the deaths were not the end.

Mortals lived through Ragnorok. Few of them, it is true, and minus the sophisticated society they had become accustomed to - but live, they did. It is not their fault that dead gods broke the world - even denying them the deaths they were used to. Valhalla was closed, all the dead were in Hel's domain, occasionally free to roam and bother the living. This was the Apocalypse.

Gods caused it. It was our responsibility to fix it.

Some good news, and some bad. The good news first - at Week 28, Day 7, Karie has completed everything for Naturalist except the Mausoleum requirement, and she will need only 2 days for that.

The bad news is she is 91 days old, and I cannot by any means be assured she'll make it. So I turn off aging to give her the extra time; that means I'll need to make up the points elsewhere.

My current score is 285. I have 5 more points to come from restrictions, leaving me 10 more to find - 12, if I use 2 days of aging off. I will get 3 more LTWs, and I should get 6 from ghosts (Karie is already platinum capable, and she should die of old age). That leaves me 3 more to get from money, requiring $600k. It should be possible to make that amount.

When the All Father found the cure to premature senility, that was the end of the beginning. We were generations coming and going, fixing what we could, even inspiring our mortal families to continue our work.

The beginning of the end is difficult to determine. Some say it was when my mortal mother Karie discovered the connection between life and death, and to create life from death. Even the toxic ash would now bloom edible food; the oceans poisoned fish were now completely palatable with a simple chemical treatment she discovered. It is true that chemical did not appear in any of the mortal textbooks, derived as it was from the Netherworld - but it was freely available, and it was merely left to someone to work out how to properly prepare it as food (a task my younger sibling Lofr would later take up).

But I date it myself from my own birth. I am Iounn, the eternal goddess, and it is fitting that return to Midgard heralded the end of the Apocalypse. There were few scientific requirements left - what was mostly problematic was morale. The mortals had lived for generations with the barest of hope, clinging to survival. They needed to be reminded of what it was to be alive - and it turns out this reminder needed to come from the dead.

My powers were considerable. I was able to halt the aging process of the world for 2 years, to give mother time to complete her research. I am not certain I could do this indefinitely, but the power to keep Hel at bay has ever been mine to claim.

Week 29, Day 1. Two days of aging off used, Naturalist clear.

It seems that Hel is afraid now, with her plans coming quickly to ruin. Mother lived to a full century - highly unusual for humans, even at their peak. Father, of course, still resists the call of the spirit world, even though it is five score and ten years since he first emerged from the Netherworld. He Watches. And Hel fears him.

So yeah, about that aging off. Week 30, Day 4, at the ripe old age of 100, she finally dies. She had not completed the Marathon Runner challenge or anything similar - just luck of the draw. But it wasn't all bad, she finished all the gardening challenges while she was in "extra time", more than making up for the loss of the 2 points of aging off.

Appealing to father's bridge for inspiration, Ullr showed the mortals that luxury was not to be feared - one who lived well was not weak, but strong. From death, we showed the living what life was all about.

Week 30, Day 5, Architect is lifted. Ullr now has the unfortunate goal to get to 150k and starve to death before the challenge ends. That's about 23k he needs, while as few as 5 days might remain. Though it isn't strictly necessary; I will get a perfect score no matter what at this point.

Rock stars are the new gods, so it is fitting that I, the eternal goddess, am the first rock star since the Apocalypse. My band, Death Warmed Up, is internationally famous; it is hard to turn on the radio without hearing my songs blaring from it.

With my music now in everyone's ears, bringing them joy rather than merely hope, father finally moved on. Almost six score years he was in Midgard; now he Watches us from the Netherworld instead.

Week 30, Day 7. Tick tock, Ullr now has 129k. He'll need 2 days to starve as well, so unless Mimir gets arrested I doubt he will make it. But we'll see.

It's a shame Iounn is a ghost; she has 172k already. And of course there's Heimdall, 113 days old and still going strong. He didn't actually move on until he was 117 days old. This was the queue to genetically resequence Iounn to be a Green Thumb with the Super Green Thumb LTW, and have her learn gardening.

The local mobsters had been a thorn in our side for generations. We gathered files on them, we raided them, we even infiltrated them, but it was never enough to shut them down - every few years, like clockwork, they came and took all our cash. It is true we learned to hide our cash in investments and aborted building projects, but still we were tormented by this illusive group.

Finally Mimir went deep undercover, and ended up in the same room with the leader. A son of Fenris, he had maintained his invisibility for so long because of his own divine bloodline. They doubtless tore things down almost as fast as we were rebuilding them. Face to face with the Were, Mimir used everything in his arsenal - generations of fighting techniques, his own perfectly honed body, and all our Asgardian super weapons. But the Were was canny, and evaded our grasp. Perhaps one day his story can be told.

But his involvement in ours is ended. Mimir is now running the mob, and we are able to profit as never before. The thorn is not gone, but now it is a rose.

Week 31, Day 6, Criminal lifted. Very smooth run - the staggered promotion after midnight bugs were mostly on days off, so they didn't slow my progress, and I never got arrested.

My score is currently 296; later this day Culinary will be lifted and end the challenge. So I divest myself of all my investments. I have $1 038 116 in cash; I will sell the entire house just before Lofn gets home from her job.

The mortals had hope, they had joy, they had safety. They could grow food. But a mortal cannot be truly happy without a full belly, and finally Lofn has provided them even that.

Ragnarok happened. It was written, it could not have been avoided. The toll on the gods was less than that of the mortals, despite the fact that it killed us all - and with Odin All Father's leadership, we have finally made amends. The new society of mortals is built upon the ashes of the old, but it is a more just realm. The mortals have access to our own Asgardian knowledge.

Our tasks on Midgard are concluded. The mortals no longer have need of us, and we will interfere no more. Muspelheim stands as a strong ally, but we must now seek our Hel's domain to retrieve our fallen brethren, and take them back to rebuild Asgard in the same fashion as we have now finished rebuilding the mortal realm.

But that is a tale not for mortal ears.

Eternally yours,

Iounn Odinsdottir.

And so it ends, on Week 31, Day 6. My final score was:

• Restrictions (all plus AT): 25
• Bonuses: 177
• Copious Librarian: 3 (31 books, all organically gained - I dislike the buy and sell hundreds of book cases method to max this).
• Amazing Naturalist: 60
• Admiral Adonis: 48 (including 10 NPCs trained)
• Skill Meister: 25 (Heimdall got 6 personally)
• I Want It, I Want It: 15 (I had 16, actually, but only 15 count)
• Ghostly Ghosts: 12 (drowning, fire, old age, transmutation - Ullr wasn't fast enough to join them)
• Gnamely Gnomes: 1 (the only one available given I was using only base + Supernatural)
• Money Money Money: 5 ($1 150 628; I could have sold off a few plants but not enough to get to $1.2 million, so no point)
• Time in a Bottle: 8 (could have kept the 2 that I used, as it turned out, but I had to play it safe)
• Advantages/Handicaps: 100
• Occult Ghost: 50
• Male Founder: 5
• What Do You Wanna Be When You Grow Up?: -5
• Get Off My Lawn!: 25
• We Don't Need No Education: 30
• Big Backpacks: -5 (which I do not believe I ever used, but why not).
• Bloopers: 6 bloopers (-0 points)
• I used Lodge Lights (the cheapest ones) before I had lifted Science, so I had to replace them all with Swinging Lights.
• I missed a 1900 go home from park curfew once by 5 minutes, early in the challenge (I was much more careful subsequently).
• I had more than 1 computer before Science was lifted. I didn't actually use the extras, as I noticed it early enough to blooper myself.
• I forgot to place the Gypsy Wagon at the start of the challenge.
• I sent a visitor home on a full moon once. Realised what I was doing, but too close to cancel it.
• GRAND TOTAL: 300 (216 days)

If you've been reading this far, thank you for your time, and good luck in your own attempt (mine, of course, is ineligible, but I like to be competitive).

Life After Death Part 6: Heimdall, Building a Bridge

I am Gate Keeper, I am Toll Collector, I am Guardian, and I am Watcher.

I am Heimdall, the guardian of Bifrost, and my tale began eons ago. But this particular story began on my 16th birthday, when the mother of this incarnation - herself an incarnation of the fertility goddess - decided to hand over responsibility for our family to me.

Those who had come before had achieved much, but conversely we still lacked much. There was a plague of Hel's Walkers that attacked regularly, and while civil defence had been restored, there was no standing army to take the fight to them. The lord of all things dark and cold - my brother Hod - would take on this task.

The education system was flawed, and incomplete. Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. My brother Bragi would end this deplorable state of affairs - he would learn many things, never to great depth, in order to teach them to others.

Our incarnated bodies were made of spiritual essence that was poorly understood. This could not be allowed to remain. There are those amongst us that know more - remnants of old gods. My sister Snotra will gain their trust, and discover their secrets; we will master our forms.

All of Midgard was affected by Ragnarok, and communications had not yet been restored. With our generation, this would end; Zisa would ensure it.

It seems like weeks since the last time I played the Ectos. Heimdall (the heir) is a teen, with 10 days to go until he's a YA. Theodore (his dad) has 1 more promotion - probably 4 days though - until Master Thief is lifted. That's plenty of time; Theodore is just barely an elder. On the other hand, with a mere Writing 2/Painting 0, Theodore is not likely to make his Illustrative Author LTW.

Mortal father Theordore ended much of the corrupt black market business - not all of it, but much of it - such that the mortal labour laws now permit us planning. My power of vision is key - those who came before me could not see far enough, but I am Watcher.

And what of me? The bridge to Asgard must be restored. Mortal and Asgardian science alike must be advanced to permit its construction. That is a task fitting for Gate Keeper, and it is my chosen role.

Week 17, Day 7, Master Thief lifted. That's the reason I'm making these grandiose plans. While I cannot "officially" start lifting restrictions until I get to YA, one should note that nothing prevents you frontloading such things as Education, Gamer, and Paranormal as a teen. A teen cannot make the lift, but they can theoretically set it up so that the restriction is lifted as soon as it is "taken".

Freya returns to the Netherwold; I get Theodore to start training his mates. Three of the teens pick up the part time jobs that are part of their lift requirements.

Before we could begin, we had to wait until our bodies had fully matured. We did not waste our teenage years completely, but with little responsibility or authority, we focussed mostly on improving our minds and bodies.

Insultingly, Hod was forced to clean toilets while we pondered the best way to unify the scattered militia into a standing army.

I applied for various technical positions, but was informed I was overqualified. The only job I could get was as a test subject. I took it, but know this - nobody tests Heimdall. Heimdall is the tester. And those who refused him have been found very much wanting.

Mortal father Theodore was given the task of improving the flabby bodies of his former colleagues. Though they are of Loki's brood, nonetheless such contacts are useful to have only if they are physically capable.

Having trained all his friends to the physically demanding requirements of Watcher, I sent Theodore to recruit new mortals into our fitness regime.

Week 18, Day 5, now I have YAs. I've trained two NPCs for 10 hours each, and have 2 more in progress, so I'll be pushing along with that until Theodore dies.

Bragi is Absent-Minded, Genius, Loner, Over-Emotional, and a Supernatural Fan; not bad traits, though far from ideal. He has Athletics 10 (still needs the Body Builder challenge, but the other two are complete), Charisma 1, Logic 8, Painting 5, Writing 4 (with 1 non-fiction best seller already - called, amusingly enough, "1", because I often accidentally blast the default novel titles with numbers). On the bright side, that means that the only Education requirements that remain are to master Writing, to get 2 more best seller Non-Fiction novels, to reach Handiness 2, to get the Body Builder challenge, and to get to Bookshop level 3 (he's already at 2). On the other hand, there is no way for him to qualify as lifting Education until I lift Military (when I'll have Military + Journalism and can declare Education). I give him Illustrious Author as his LTW, which is a mistake - I should have taken Professional Author - but no matter.

Heimdall is Easily Impressed, Evil, Family-Oriented, Frugal, and Handy; he has Athletics 10, Charisma 1, Handiness 2, Logic 9, and Painting 6. That's good progress along the way to Science and then Alien Technology. The paper doesn't have Science in it today though, so he decides to wait (and it turns out he gets it the next day). His LTW is to become a creature/robot cross breeder.

Hod is Athletic, Genius, Good, Never Nude, and Vegetarian (which is nasty without Culinary, but he can still eat PB&J or Veggie Rolls). He has Athletic 10, Charisma 2, Handiness 1, Logic 8, Painting 9. The paper has Military in it, so he immediately gets the job. A lot rides on Hod; the quicker he can clear Military, the quicker that Bragi can clear Education. His LTW is to become an astronaut.

Unfortunately I had failed to account for Theodore's weak fragile body, and though he was but 90 summers old, he passed away in the park.

Perhaps that is how he would have wanted it. He will certainly not lack for company in the Hel's realm.

Week 19, Day 1. Dead on 90 days. I didn't send him to the park to die, I sent him there to Charm a stranger, bring them home, and train them - but die he most certainly did. While the lack of a LTW meant he never got near a platinum tomb, he did manage to train 4 Sims for 10 hours each, and with his passing goes the only one that can cook (easy enough to remedy of course, and I have lots of stashed food still).

Zisa and Snotra are both of age. Though merely half-godlings, they are very much an important part of our goals. Their 18th birthdays coincided with our ending of the tradition 2 years of mourning for the passing of our mortal father Theodore, of whom Bragi was the least consolable. This was curious to me, as Bragi had barely spoken to Theodore while he was alive. Perhaps it is because unlike most of our family, who are interred here at our home and visit us regularly, Theodore's remains were taken by the state and interred at the park.

This outrage will not be allowed to stand, of course, but first we need the results of Zisa's research.

Zisa is Athletic, Heavy Sleeper, Hopeless Romantic, Unlucky (boo! hiss!) and Vehicle Enthusiast. Her skills are Athletics 10, Charisma 2, Logic 7, Painting 5, Writing 6, with the LTW of Swimming in Cash. (She's very nearly already there). She's already level 3 as a Book Store Clerk, but she needs 10 points of Handiness (she's no Computer Whiz); she can start the other careers, but until Military is lifted she's not "officially" in Gamer and can't count as completing.

Snotra is Good, Insane, Loves the Outdoors, Mean Spirited (and yet Good? Weird) and a Slob (yay! this was her YA random trait). She has the skills Athletics 9, Charisma 1, Logic 7, Painting 5, Writing 6. She has already beaten 3 ghosts at chess (Freya, Heimdall, and Hod - note that nothing says those ghosts have to be unplayable) and she's friends with Freya, so there's decent progress along Paranormal here. She's only at level 2 of the Mauseoleum career, but she can switch to qualifying for Paranormal as soon as Fortune Teller comes up in the paper (she does not need to actually take the career - just be able to do so). It took 3 days for that to happen, but that was fine.

Hod managed to find common cause with the fire giants of Muspelheim, and the zombie humans burned and they burned. While there were still occasional outbreaks when the moon was full, on the whole Hod's forces had made the streets safe.

The scaffolding of the bridge is begun - the first bricks are fire, from the ancient enemies of Asgard making common cause with us.

Week 22, Day 2, Military lifted. This is a big deal; it means that my Gamer and Education lifts are now officially in progress. (Paranormal already was).

Now, I could just get rid of Hod at this point - but I might as well get a jump on some of the collecting.

Bragi's learning was complete. A god of poetry, he found the muse in the arts of minor technology, in painting, but most of all in verse - the fact that the verses were of Jormugandr still qualifies his texts are non-fiction, for we are anything but myth.

The scaffolding of the bridge continues - the next bricks are earth, as now all growing children will know the taste of wisdom.

Week 22, Day 4, Education lifted. This is a big deal too, of course, as now I can select traits. Every one of my Sims that has sufficient LTR points immediately cashes in with Mid Life Crisis to do just that.

A mere year or two later, my own path reached its half way point. I had mastered mortal science, but I still needed to fuse it with our own Asgardian mysticism. The bridge remains incomplete. I needed more information - perhaps a few short ventures into other areas, such as military, law enforcement, or medicine.

Week 22, Day 6, considerably assisted by his new trait selection (Ambitious, Gatherer, Handy, Slob, Workaholic), Science is lifted. A television for my Technophobic Bragi to sabotage so that Heimdall can fix it.

Building the bridge would not be sufficient - it would also be necessary to cross it. My descendants would be assigned this task - and thus, I needed descendants. I picked a likely mortal woman Karie, and though she attempted to resist my seduction with claims of already being in a committed relationship, she soon swooned to my charms. We were married within the year, and pregnant immediately.

With everything ticking along, I figured it was time to get Heimdall hitched. Karie was one of two YA females he knew; I picked her because he was already best friends with her. The bad news is she got married on her birthday, so she's already an adult - but the good news is that she's in Science, and so I have her assigned to Naturalist. (After she has a few kids, that is).

Finally Snotra made certain discoveries about the properties of our ectoplasmic forms. It seems our connection to the netherworld fades with time, but there is some hope that it could be restored with appropriate fusion of science and magic. The zombie outbreak is entirely ended, and there may even be a way to bring back those who have left.

The scaffolding of the bridge nears completion; the next bricks are air, the primary component of the ectoplasm that forms our bodies in life and in death.

Week 23, Day 5, Paranormal lifted. It took me quite some time to get three best selling Drama novels. Of course, the first thing she does is scoop up all the tombstones on the lot, and then I set the lunar cycle to first quarter, non-rotating.

My daughter Iounn will succeed me. She will cross the bridge that I will build, and she will show the mortals that there is still joy to be had. Perhaps she will be an actress, or a juggler - or a bard of some kind.

Her brother Ullr lacks the spark, but he can serve nonetheless. Life is not good when it is all about survival; the creature comforts that my technology and magic can offer will not be freely available due to cost. He will work on that, he will make luxuries widely available to the mortals.

With the house now full, Hod leaves to continue his military career elsewhere. Unlike our predecessors he does not need to return to the spirit world to free up room.

Two more kiddies, that I've earmarked for Entertainment and Architect.

Hod's done well for me collecting, finding all the unique space rocks I need for Alien Technology. As he's a ghost though, he's never going to have a platinum tombstone, so now that I'm on 8 Sims, he's the one that I kick out.

I'm going to need 2 more kids. Since I cannot guarantee either of those will be human, I will need all five of my know humans to live platinum tombstones. Bragi is no problem; he's a lock. His sisters are far from 150k, but they can feasibly get there. And Karie and Ullr are obviously going to have to work hard.

But that means Heimdall is for the chop. As soon as he lifts Alien Technology, he's going to have to leave.

The same could not be said for Bragi. Those without the spark are still required to give their lives for the rest of us. At least for a time. Bragi's death was gentle, swimming in a pool I constructed purely for the purposes of his gentle death.

I am assured his screams were of joy, rather than horror.

Week 24, Day 2, first platinum ghost. I was trying to electrocute him, but after several failed attempts I conclude that Technophobes cannot die of electrocution. If anyone has a counter example, by all means drop me a comment here or on Facebook.

Mead, ambrosia, and other earthly delights - these are minor problems compared to what we have endured. But life without pleasure is Hel's domain without the address; my daughter Lofn will discover the means to make good things to eat, even in the toxic environs of Midgard.

It is long since we have been troubled by the mortal mobsters. We hand them a pittance each week, with all our wealth tied up in investments that they lack the sophistication to claim. And yet it is a thorn that Mimir will remove - by blood, if necessary.

The last two kids are born. Both are ghosts, meaning that every human still alive must die platinum if I want the points.

And finally my fusion of Asgardian and Midgard science is complete. The bridge is now finished; the final bricks were water, without witch rainbows would not be possible. I feel the pull towards the nether realms grow stronger, but I can still contribute. I will Watch.

Week 25, Day 5, Alien Technology lifted. Heimdall is fresh from a tour of the various bases. I did it with 16 unique rocks, never having seen a Plutonium, Pink Diamond, or Rainbow Gem. Heimdall is also an elder on the same day.

My heir is now a teen. Still I Guard, and Watch.

Week 26, Day 1, the first set of twins are now teens.

And now Snotra has chosen the Golden Path. I see her in the nether realm; she is an angry spirit. But now there are rules for when she may cross back, and I will be the one to ensure she does not break them.

Week 26, Day 4, Snotra dies. This is a Transmutation ghost. I was trying to electrocute her but could not succeed - leading me to wonder whether Technophobes really are immune to dying this way, or whether I have some weird glitch.

Zisa chose the path of Muspelheim. Our giant allies will watch over her as she travels through the Netherworld.

And I couldn't kill Zisa this way either. I am sure I have killed via electrocution on computers before, but weirdly not with these guys. No problem; I only need two more deaths, and old age/starvation should do it. Fire is always reliable (except for Brave Sims of course).

My bridge is built, my children are preparing to cross it. Still I Watch, but Iounn is now the voice.

Week 28, Day 1, my eldest twins are now YA. Iounn gets a job in Music, Ullr is already max Painting and is working on Handiness (for Architect). Time to switch to Iounn, to close this off.

Life After Death Part 5: The Arrival of Heimdall

The spark is strong, but the labour is no less difficult.

When we last we met, Freya (the heir) was pregnant and Fertility Treatmented up. Hopefully, she'll have at least one ghost child, but she has plenty of time for multiple pregnancies.

Triplets - three boys. Heimdall, Hod, and Bragi, with only Bragi lacking the spark. Testament to my power as a fertility goddess.

Triplets, with 2 ghosts. Heimdall will be the heir.

Balder took his rightful place as ruler of the mortals. Unfortunately, there is deep grained corruption that limit even his abilities - but we did manage to get plentiful land rights. Even with Thor having returned to the spirit world, the extra space is welcome.

Week 14, Day 6, Politics lifted. Handy; I was struggling for space. No bunk beds, no sleeping bags - ah, the days of (mostly) only the base game. I've sent Thor back to the Netherworld after he topped his LTW and got Athletics 10.

My family is complete. Neither Snotra nor Zisa carry the spark, but perhaps Heimdall's children will. But as my family grows, it shrinks also - my brother Balder has joined our other siblings in the spirit realm.

It cannot be long until I, too, must retire to this place between places. Asgard will not be reborn in my lifetime. Perhaps not even in that of my children's.

Week 15, Day 1, two more kids. Both girls, neither are ghosts. A day or two later, Balder hits Athletics 10 and I have him return to the netherworld.

I am old now. Perhaps I can live long enough to see my twins as teens, perhaps not. But my time as chronicler draws to a close. Heimdall is my chosen heir; I will stay and advise him for as long as I have remaining, but it is time for his voice to be heard, and for me to be silent here, as was my father before me.

Week 16, Day 5 - a new set of teenagers.

Heimdall scored Easily Impressed, Evil, Family Oriented (good, since he's the heir) and Frugal. His skills are Logic 6, Painting 4.

Hod got Athletic, Genius, Good, and Never Nude. Not bad traits at all. His skills are Logic 7, Painting 4.

Bragi got Absent-Minded, Genius, Loner, and Supernatural Fan. His skills are Logic 6, Painting 4.

All three already have Steel Bladders.

There's a definite similarity, because I am not playing with Generations so there's no hopscotch. Of course now that they're teens they're going to be hitting the treadmill pretty hard.

By the time the next Monday rolls around, I have 2 elders (Theodore is level 9 in Master Thief), 3 teens, and 2 children. Time to switch out.

Life After Death Part 4: Freya The Next Generation

My name is Freya. I am thirteen years old, the daughter of Odin One-Eye.

Once, I was queen to a realm no less splendid than Asgard itself. I seek Brisingamen still, but I feel Ragnorok claimed it as a prize.

While our father led the way in establishing our foothold back in Midgard, and even established a way for us to retain our wisdom in the face of advancing years, the mortals remain broken and defenceless against the Great Wolf. My siblings must engage in the contest to restore Midgard, for without the middle realm we may never pass to the higher.

With no schooling for anyone of our age, my sister and I pass the time improving our bodies and minds. Mother proceeds to try and establish herself in the corporate world - apparently we will need much gold before the world is mended. My younger siblings learn what little the mortals still teach, and we cluster around playing the game of chess, calling out suggestions, and playfully shouting for mead, though Mother never lets us drink even a drop of the tainted honey wine.

Last time we had Blair (Odin's spouse) desperately trying to lift Business; to do so, she was working out a lot in an attempt to be able to continue after she became an elder. Freya is a teenager now, and she's the heir.

Blair works out on Quick Burst now whenever she isn't working; the teens also work out, play chess, or whatever. I don't have many objects to keep people busy; the computer is used for writing, the easel for painting, and often 2 extra Sims will watch 2 others play chess. It's all that can be done, really - I have little money, and fewer options to spend it.

Gradually, our siblings left school as well. First Thor and Sif, and home became crowded. But Mother was making good progress; perhaps soon we would be able to afford larger dwellings for our growing family.

Mother was a Division Manager, which I understand is some sort of demigod, or perhaps a hero - far from the heights of her chosen path, in any case - when Loki and Balder had their 13th birthdays. Now there were 6 teenagers in the house, and our nerves were often raw.

Blair has 4 days until she is an elder, meaning she has at least 18 days until she dies. She is currently a Department Head, so she only needs 5 more promotions - that should be easy. This is also the day that Thor and Sif become teens.

By the end of Week 7, all the kids are teens, and Blair is at Business 6.

As Mother entered her twilight years, I took virtual control of the family. We had schedules - we had to, to stay sane. We worked out. We played chess. We worked on our social skills. We wrote novels. And we painted.

Sometimes, we did all of these things at once.

Blair hits elder with about 3.25 promotions to go.

On week 8, day 7:

But as we entered our full womanhood, it was time to put aside our teenage pursuits.

One of the biggest problems we had was belief - or lack thereof. We gods need mortals more than mortals need us; without belief, we are reduced to this ectoplasmic state barely able to affect the world.

I joined the media - at first as a lowly paper girl. The intention is obvious - I will rise through the ranks, I will be the media - and I will reveal to the world that we are back. This may not be enough for us to save Midgard - but it will be an important start.

Frigg had other ideas. As she does not possess the spark of the divine, she was best placed to understand the mortal perspective. She would set up a spy ring that would find out exactly how best to proceed with our plans - the weaknesses of our enemies. The wolf may be amongst them; if she can provide us with a warning, we may yet defeat him.

The oldest twins are now young adults. Frigg ends up Clumsy, Evil, Light Sleeper, Snob, Vehicle Enthusiast; she has the LTW of Chess Legend. She has Athletics 8, Charisma 1, Logic 8, Handiness 1 (toilet repairs), Painting 4, Writing 5. First job in the paper is Business, so I skip that. Second job is Law Enforcement. I've already cleared Forensics, so I must take Espionage.

Freya, on the other hand, is Absent-Minded, Easily Impressed, Hates the Outdoors, Hot-Headed, Mean Spirited; her LTW is Super Popular. She has Athletics 7, Charisma 1, Logic 8, Handiness 2, Painting 3, Writing 5. Third job in the paper (remember I can skip Business and now Law Enforcement) is Journalism. Score! And that will work well with Super Popular, too!

Sif and Thor are only 2 years my junior. Sif's ideas of finding some sort of cure for muscular deterioration were not really something I gave much thought to. It's true, even we godlings have a similar disease, but I wouldn't have normally thought it a high priority - especially since her proposed method of investigation was to become a celebrity athlete and volunteer for medical experiments. It sounded dangerous to me. But if someone has to take that risk, I'd rather it was a mortal sibling than a godling.

Thor's ideas were much more on point - the community needed fresh water and medicine. I enthusiastically endorsed his choice to volunteer at the local mortal clinic, and was even more on board once he mentioned it came with a modest salary. Had we better knowledge of the healing arts, perhaps Ragnarok might have been avoided; not all of our fatal injuries were necessarily mortal.

Week 9, day 4, we have the next set of young adults. Sif is Computer Whiz, Excitable, Inappropriate, Slob, Virtuoso; she has the LTW of Perfect Mind, Perfect Body. She has Athletics 9, Charisma 1, Logic 8, Painting 6, Writing 5. First job in the paper is Professional Sports, so she's lifting Athletics.

Thor is Absent-Minded, Athletic, Excitable, Kleptomaniac, Slob; he has the LTW of The Tinkerer. He has Athletics 7, Charisma 1, Handiness 2, Logic 8, Painting 4, Writing 5. Second job in the paper (skipping Professional Sports) is Medical, so now I have a potential doctor in the family.

Mother finally managed to take over all the corporations in town. We now have a functional market - we can buy and sell, pretty much at will, although there are still far fewer luxury items than we are used to even in Midgard.

Week 9, day 5, Business is lifted. This permits me to get multiple chess sets, become a Business Partner, and to complete all my building. Unfortunately Blair is nowhere near 150k LTR points, so there's really no point killing her yet; she's the best cook in the house.

My youngest siblings were now of age. Balder decided that the true power in Midgard was not held by warriors or priests, but rather by the politicians. A strange concept; certainly even we godlings are more sophisticated than rule by despotism - Father would doubtless agree - but we never established this idea of a democracy. Balder seems poorly suited to this task, but he will doubtless work very hard to achieve his goals, and as his elder I can only give him my support.

Loki has begun to manifest his Trickster aspect. There is power in music, and he is intending to unlock that power - we may be able to end the eternal winter and give more hope to the mortals. I am sure he has an angle, but as long as we benefit, I will tolerate his antics.

Week 9, day 7, the last lot of teens are now actually useful.

Balder is Absent-Minded, Frugal, Grumpy, Light Sleeper, Workaholic; he has the LTW Heartbreaker. He has Athletics 7, Charisma 1, Logic 8, Painting 5, Writing 5. First job in the paper is Politics.

Loki is Excitable, Friendly, Hates the Outdoors, Never Nude, Slob; he has the LTW Renaissance Sim. He has Athletics 8, Charisma 1, Handiness 2, Logic 8, Painting 4, Writing 6. Second job in the paper (skipping Politics) is Law Enforcement, which I can skip; the third job is Music. He'll be going for Symphonic.

With Business lifted, I can defang Criminal. Shortly before Monday arrives, I fill every spare spot with a $115 counter. I then paint every wall with $4 walls, and every floor with $4 floors. A few extra lights fill it out; I ended up spending over $20k and being left with $19. After Monday rolled around, I sold all this after giving the mob their pitiful cut, leaving me with about $15k.

Finally, Mother died. We should learn to harvest this essence; her spiritual stuff is not too dissimilar to our own, but she will not reach Valhalla. Perhaps she will meet Dad on occasional visits from her twisted afterlife; I can only hope we will eventually find a way to free the lost souls from their torment.

Week 10, day 2, at exactly 90 days old, Blair dies, leaving me now to have to live off rotten food until someone else picks up Cooking. Since it is a Monday, that's at least a day away, as I'm not wasting a war-dial day on cooking study.

The network of spies that Frigg put into place revealed staggering information. We had no idea that the giants had infiltrated the mortals - were, in fact, probably responsible for the decline of their civilisation. The cowards fled from us as Ragnarok turned against them, we had thought back to Frostheim - we had not thought to look in Midgard.

This changes everything. We must get out the word; we must defeat our eternal foes once and for all.

Week 12, day 3, Espionage is lifted. On its own this doesn't really do much, but it does permit teens to visit the park until 1500. That's not terrible. No immediate death for Frigg, as she still has quite a way to go for her LTW.

This is also the day that Frigg and Freya become adults. Freya is still 2 promotions away from lifting Journalism.

I became the prime source of all news - and hence, information. I used this power with discretion - from now on, my family will have prime access to any other influential positions we may wish to take. But we are gathering more evidence - the giants days are numbered.

Week 13, day 4, Journalism lifted. Freya has 15 days until she is an elder; it is time to clear some room. Frigg isn't going to be useful from this point onwards; it is unfortunate she didn't make it to her LTW, but Chess Legend is tricky before Gamer.

With Sif now the prime warrior, her genes were spliced into the mortals. The god spark is weak in her, but it is strong enough that the mortals muscles will be able to build properly again.

They will need their strength.

Same day, Athletics is also lifted.

Thor added to Sif's work, taking it further and generalising it to an entire field of healing that we frankly could have used on the battlefield. It is not cowardice to want one's wounds to be treatable. His techniques included customised bacterial agents that cleansed the water supply; we can now finally feel clean again.

I am still unclear as to what Loki's ulterior motives were, but I am no less suspicious. Mere hours after performing an elaborate symphony that caused the clouds over Midgard to part, showing us sunshine for the first time, he departed back to the spirit world. The last sound from his lips was a mocking laughter; while I am certain my brother had his own reasons, nonetheless the hope that he has rekindled in the mortal spirit and even our own cannot be denied. Perhaps our wishes can even come true now.

Symphonic and Medical lifted the next day. Finally some nice stuff. I immediately had Loki Return To Netherworld, as he had already completed his LTW and I need the space. Thor is still at Handiness 9, but he should be able to clear that at the library the next day.

It may seem cruel that Frigg starved to death, but she was but the first of many. I explained that there was a limit to how much godling essence could manifest at once, and even the tiny amount she had was preventing more of us from emerging. I needed children, and she needed to go. If only she had been born understanding, but perhaps a stay in the nether realms will bring her wisdom.

Frigg and Sif are both on death watch, Frigg succumbed first.

With death comes new life. Theodore is strong, a protector of the mortals, and will make a fine father to my children. Though we needed less protectors now and more of Loki's kin - at my urging, he "switched sides", as it were, and is now working with the very criminals he once sought to apprehend. The criminals control much in this town; there is no point trying to shut them down, as they are like vermin. No, instead we will have them work for us.

Theodore was the only young adult male in my list of known associates a couple of days ago; as it turns out he's now an adult, but has 21 days to go, so that's OK. Since I've cleared both Law Enforcement branches, I'm allowed to have him find a new job - Criminal comes up in the paper (recall I am allowed to check all of them now), so I can (and do) pick Master Thief.

Freya gets pregnant (with her new Fertility Treatment).

Things are looking up now!

Sif, too, had to make the same sacrifice and Frigg. There is new life growing within me; I cannot yet tell how much of the spark will be needed, but I suspect it will be considerable.

And so of my siblings, only Balder and Thor remain, and they perhaps not much longer. It is at once exciting and frightening to know that we are passing the torch once more; our battles are coming to a close, but the war must continue. My role must transition from warrior to mother.

But that is a new tale.

Though admittedly, not for Sif.

This makes a good point to switch. The 3rd generation is on the way. Thor needs to go from Athletics 7 to 10, and Handiness 9 to 10. Balder needs a couple more work days to lift Politics,  to go from Athletics 7 to 10, and to be the boyfriend of 6 more Sims. None of these actions should take very long, and should not impede the coming 3rd generation.