Chestnut Ridge, Sunday, 4:27am: Carina Fontaine arrives in the freshly mowed expanse of field that is to be her new home.
The existential realization comes pretty quickly once she takes a good look around.
Carina: …Damnit, I’m a legacy founder, huh?
Welcome to the Fontaine Legacy! I’m 0versimulatedXD. It’s been a very long time since I’ve attempted a Sims legacy, and I’ve never done one in The Sims 4, so I am thrilled to be undergoing this challenge! If you aren’t familiar with Sims legacies, you can check out the challenge rules at The Sims Legacy Challenge website here. I’m not going to be super strict about keeping points, but I’ll do my best to follow the challenge as it’s meant to be played.
If you haven’t already, please check out my Res0urces page for The Sims 4 to see what mods and custom content I use! I also explain a bit of my Sims playstyle and my history playing the Sims games as well.
For this legacy, I’ve chosen an Extreme start, which means we’re beginning in Winter with 0 simoleons – although, I have weather effects off because too many non-active sims die when it’s on, and as much as I love the drama, I need to keep them alive for the sake of the future. I’ve picked Red Roan Field, the 64×64 lot in Chestnut Ridge, to establish the Fontaine family’s legacy. Time to embrace the prairie lifestyle!
Now let’s meet our founder!
Carina goes by the pronouns she/her. Raised by doting parents and an only child, she grew up a little spoiled. She is naturally Ambitious, but tends to be a little Self-Absorbed, always focused on herself and her endeavors. Carina is also pretty Nosy, as if she has to know what everyone else is doing so she can feel superior, or hold it over them. Her current Aspiration is to be a Friend of the World, although due to her traits, building relationships can be a challenge. She has a few established Likes and Dislikes, but many more to figure out. You can find Carina’s full bio here, which I will keep updated so we can stay on top of her progress!
Hopefully our dear founder will be down for the challenge of building the foundation of her legacy. Will her Ambition help her through the struggles of poverty and prairie field-living, or will her Self-Absorption make her her own worst enemy? We’re sure to find out very soon.
Of course, when you’ve just moved onto the prairie and you’ve got nothing to your name, the first thing you should do is harvest your prairie grass as the sun begins to peek above the horizon. Arguably, this may have made a decent bed.
It takes an unexpected amount of work, but Carina finally manages to collect some grass. She sells it to the local horses for 44 simoleons! We’re officially on our way, and all before dawn.
After spending an inordinate amount of time scrolling on her phone in the middle of her now-empty field, Carina realizes she’s as hungry as my Neopets after a decade of neglect. She ventures to the nearest food place, the local Cafe: Duke’s Centre.
Carina: I can tell nothing exciting ever happens here, this town is a dud.
Since she doesn’t have any friends yet, Carina only brought her bad mood with her. She fails to notice the Global Superstar standing right outside, and instead laser focuses on an abandoned plate of Pain au Chocolat on the Cafe’s counter. Although she just made 44 simoleons from some grass, free food just tastes better.
@0versimulatedxd It's technically foraging #sims4 #sims4challenge #legacychallenge ♬ Funny - Gold-Tiger
But the free chocolate pastry was still not enough to bring a smile to Carina’s face.
Carina: I can’t believe I’m expected to start a whole ass family on an empty field with little to no context or direction. What’s the first step? Do I get a job? Find my soulmate? I’m already exhausted.
Suddenly, someone took a seat next to Carina and immediately began cheering, pulling Carina’s focus away from herself.
Cheerful Sim: YEAH! You look new! Welcome to Chestnut Ridge! Nothing like the smell, right?!
Carina: Uh, yeah, thanks for the reminder…
Carina’s mood was only further darkened by the cheerful demeanor of the person in front of her. How annoying to be so utterly… happy. She considered the unwelcome company for a moment, wondering what secrets they might hold. Carina felt curiosity start to get the better of her, and she looked at them thoughtfully.
Carina: How are you so cheerful at 8 in the morning? And how long does it take to get used to the smell around here?
Cheerful Sim: I bet you won’t be noticing the smell by tomorrow night, it grows on ya. As for being cheerful, well, why the hell not?
Carina: Because it might come off as annoying. To, you know, someone.
The Cheerful Sim grinned and shrugged, nonchalant.
Cheerful Sim: Oh, well, not my problem. I also focus on my Basemental health, if you know what I mean. Self-care is the best care, after all!
And so it’s the Cheerful Sim who finally manages to get Carina to crack a smile.
Carina: Sure, if you say so.
Carina smiled.
Cheerful Sim: I do say so. My name is Dan, by the way.
Carina: Hi, Dan. I’m Carina.
Dan: Good to meet you, Carina. Hey, I’ve gotta get going, but I’m sure I’ll see you around. If I’m not married off in the next few days, hit me up, alright?
Carina knew she didn’t plan on hitting Dan up, but she nodded and smiled anyway as they both stood to leave. At least she’d gotten a delicious free pastry out of the trip.
Carina returned to her prairie lot, stomach full, but so very tired. The 44 simoleons she’d earned so far were not enough to purchase a bed of any kind. She glanced around for a place to potentially sleep, but since she’d whacked all the grass this morning, the only thing around was the cold, solid ground.
Carina: Unghh…
Instead of giving in to her current fate, Carina decided she would not rest until she found a proper place to sleep. Venturing around Chestnut Ridge, she was shocked to discover that there really weren’t any decent places to sleep outside. She wandered for what felt like hours until at last she found a bench made from an old log. Perhaps colder and more solid than the ground in her field, she was too beat to consider as much before falling fast asleep.
She didn’t even have time between consciousness to tell that guy watching her to beat it.
Despite the damp chill of her body against the thick wooden bench, Carina fell into a deep sleep. Her dreams were filled with dragons, cheerful Dans, and a singing dog that was trying to sell her a dollhouse.
Carina woke up hours later, and at first she was very confused.
Carina: Where am I? Oh, right…
She looked around, seeing her breath coming in whisps in the frigid air. The silence was deafening, until her stomach gave a loud rumble. She felt a pang of hunger, sitting uncomfortably while she considered her options…
Earlier, at the home field:
Left Sim: I told you nobody lived here. This is a field.
Right Sim: I coulda sworn I saw ‘em playin’ on their phone right smack dab in the middle of this here field for hours. I’m tellin’ ya, we have a new neighbor.
Left Sim: That’s the last time I’m listening to you. Remember when you swore you saw a horse ice skating?
Right Sim: It skated away before you saw it is all.
The cold began to soak into Carina’s bones, and she knew she needed a warm, home cooked meal to end her day – not whatever was waiting on the ground for her at home. There was a nearby house that was lit up like a beacon in the night, with smoke coming from the chimney and all. Carina assumed that meant the owners of it were still awake. Maybe they’d be willing to share a meal with a complete stranger?
She heard a distant, “Come on in!” from within the massive home, and Carina didn’t hesitate to step into the warm interior, sighing with relief as she entered. The heat of the home pulled her in like a loving embrace.
Carina: Uh, hello?
She could hear the sound of children’s laughter coming from somewhere upstairs. Creepy in some cases, not this one though.
Carina: Uh, my name’s Carina and I’m just looking for some warmth, some food, and maybe a toilet?
Listening closely, Carina could almost make out the sound of an adult voice mingling with the children’s. The occupant of the house must have been busy caring for their children. Her stomach groaned with emptiness. They probably wouldn’t mind or even notice if she just…
Carina: I’m just gonna go raid your fridge now, okay?
She may have said it a little quieter so as not to alarm the family (just in case they weren’t cool with it). As Carina made her way through the rustic home, she was able to gain a little insight on who was living there. It appeared to be a family that had baby twins, judging by how they had two of everything. No wonder they were too busy to stop an intruder from digging in their personal belongings…
Carina found her way into the kitchen and began rummaging around for food, snacks, and anything she could stuff her face with. She yanked open the refrigerator door and immediately saw, to her delight, a freshly put away dish of homemade macaroni and cheese.
Carina: Oh, my plumbob, yes!
The cheesy noodly goodness was everything she needed to make her day a little brighter. Carina helped herself to a heaping helping of mac and cheese and tucked in to the meal at the dining table, muffled sounds of the still-unknown family in the background.
Once Carina finished eating, she could no longer resist the urge to meet the family whose refrigerator she’d just been elbow deep inside. In the time she’d been in their home, she’d really started to feel an emotional attachment to this family. She’d seen their photos, their dietary choices, and now she wanted to see who this family really was.
She headed up the stairs, seeing two members of the family spending time together in the hallway. Not wanting to intrude, Carina pulled out her binoculars to get a real good look at this precious moment.
Without disturbing or speaking to the family at all, Carina was able to determine that the mother’s name is Juniper and the child’s name is Wren, and their surname is Grove. She watched intently as Juniper talked to Wren about school.
Wren: Who is that?! What are they doing?
Juniper: Oh, dear, I read about this on the internet. Don’t look at them directly, honey.
Because the Grove family had been so accommodating so far, Carina traipsed into the main bedroom of the home, snooping around for anything of interest. Within just a few moments, she came across some juicy information involving Juniper.
After all that hard work, Carina stifled a massive yawn and gazed down at the soft, warm, unoccupied bed.
Carina: Just a little nap… Take the edge off…
Carina: *snores heavily*
Carina: *continues snoring like chainsaw through the night*
The next morning, on her second day in Chestnut Ridge, Carina wakes up once again in an unfamiliar place. The Groves somehow didn’t care or notice that she’d spent all night in their marital bed, so she takes her chances in securing a shower and breakfast before she departs.
Stinky Sim: This is inappropriate! Please stop!
Carina: As inappropriate as watching someone sleep on a bench or walking in on them in the shower?
Stinky Sim: …Fair point, but GET OUT!
Quickly leaving the bathroom and the reeking smell of the angry husband, Carina heads downstairs where she finds Juniper.
Carina: Why is everything so smelly this morning?
Admittedly, the leftover macaroni and cheese doesn’t hit the same the next day, and Carina frowns. Juniper, casting a unique smell of her own, doesn’t seem to mind. The two eat in silence until Carina recalls the interesting tidbit of information she found yesterday.
Carina: You know what would pair perfectly with this macaroni and cheese? Perhaps a biscuit. 37 of them. Maybe the Earl of Biscuits would know where to get some?
Juniper: *gasps* Wait, what did you just say?
Carina: Let’s talk, shall we?
Carina: Listen, I know all about Lord Reginald Wainscott Stickywyck von Dosenwald, Juniper.
Juniper: What do you want from me?
Carina: I’m a legacy founder with nothing to lose. My family will be here for a very long time, living alongside yours for generations to come. I’m sure I can keep my mouth shut for you… for a small fee.
Juniper: You would really do this to a neighbor? How could you? We just ate mac and cheese together!
Carina: It’s nothing personal. We all have to make a living in this economy.
Juniper: Well, I was saving this 100 simoleons for food for my family, but I can’t risk this secret getting out. I just want to be a normal person. Will this be enough?
Carina: Sure, that’ll work.
It wasn’t enough to afford a bed yet, but it was a start. Carina wondered briefly if she should feel bad about blackmailing Juniper. After all, Juniper had welcomed her into her home and allowed her to go through her things without any hesitation.
Carina decided she’d take Juniper out to the local bar for happy hour. That would make up for the blackmail.
Juniper: This kind of makes up for the blackmail. Friends?
Carina: Of course. Friends.
Did she mean it? Or was Juniper just a means to an end? Either way, once the drinks were done pouring and the pair said goodbye for the night, Carina headed home with a little more funds in her pocket.
When she arrived back on her empty lot, the snowfall of the day blanketing the prairie, Carina could only think about her future and the responsibility and hard work it would take to build a home and a family from the ground up.
Carina: Looks like I’ve got a lot more blackmailing to do.
What secrets will Carina discover? Will she get a real job? And will she ever get a bed? Find out next time in The Fontaine Legacy!
Thank you so much for reading, and happy gameplay to you <3
See you next time!
